A Prince's Duty (The Royal Houses of Sea and Snow, #1)

by Marquez, Jude

  A young woman with a round belly and a small child in her arms were waiting there. Alik waited for her to beg for a coin, but instead, she greeted Avelina like an old friend. Avelina admired her belly and took the baby from her arms, as easily as the babe were her own. One of the knights offered the young woman his arm and they started to the large building at the end of the dusty road. It was built in the style of a manor house and the yard around it was well kept. They stayed away from the middle of the road as it seemed to be coated in mud and Alik couldn't help but be envious of the knights who wore their chitons and sandals. The sun pounded down on them from high above and he could feel the sweat beginning to bead on his forehead and the back of his neck.

  "A month away from home, Your Highness," a young woman next to him said. "How do you fare?"

  Alik recognized her as the lady that was singing on their way in.

  "Your court has been exceedingly welcome. I barely think of home," Alik lied. At nearly every turn, he could not help but compare Grayhaven to Ataton and how short Grayhaven fell.

  "Is it very different from here?" Another lady asked. Alik steadied her when she almost tripped over a rock.

  "Its climate is different. Colder. Our mountains always have snow at their tops. Whitestone Castle is surrounded by forests instead of the ocean," Alik looked up at the building they approached. "It's a different kind of beauty, I suppose. It lacks the warmth of your island, that is for certain."

  They approached the large building and the doors flew open and children streamed out. They gathered around Avelina, their voice spilling and tumbling over one another, telling her of fishing trips, of wooden swords, of knights and princesses, so many things all at once that it was hard to discern one from the other and keep track of who said what. Avelina laughed and turned to follow what each one was saying. The baby in her arms leaned into her chest and closed his eyes, despite the noise all around him.

  With all the knights and the priestesses directing them where to go, it did not take very long for the books to be unloaded and taken into the library and stacked neatly for a priestess to sort and shelve. In the meantime, a small boy plucked a book from the pile and brought it over to Avelina.

  Alik watched on, amused, but unsure of what to do. He was out of his element here. There were not any children at the Grayhaven court, save for one, born of noble blood. A fever two summers past took most of the children and left many unable to have them. It was one of many concerns of the court. Because of it, he lacked the knowledge of how to talk to children and often found himself in strange conversations with them. The only child in the castle was given most of the attention by the adults that surrounded him and Alik had the sneaking suspicion he wasn’t as childish as he would be if he had more playmates.

  Finally, Alik saw one of the ladies wave him over near a set of steps. Avelina herself sat on the dusty steps that led to a tavern and the children gathered round. Alik would never get used to the casual customs here; a lady of his court would never muss her skirts by sitting on some dirty tavern steps. Even he hesitated a moment before finally settling down next to the princess.

  "Does everyone know our new friend?" Avelina asked as the children settled. They were clearly entranced by her.

  "Is he your suitor?" One girl asked.

  "Is he a knight?"A boy asked.

  "No, he is the handsome prince from Grayhaven here to take away Avelina," another girl near the front said dreamily.

  "Almost right," Avelina said to the girl and pushed the girl's dark hair behind her ear. "He is the handsome prince from Grayhaven but he has not yet decided to take me away."

  There was a groan that rippled through the children.

  "What, what is it?" Alik asked and looked to Avelina.

  "He has not decided still means he might take you anyway," one child said. He pouted and kicked at a rock on the ground.

  Alik looked to Issat who was watching him steadily. She lifted one shoulder, an elegant movement that seemed to say, It's your decision.

  "Well, if it makes any of you feel better, seeing how much all of you love your princess and how much good she does you here, I won't be taking her," Alik said easily from his perch.

  The children looked between the two of them and were torn between looking excited and sad that their princess wouldn't be going away with the prince. It would have been like a real life fairy tale.

  "You won't?" Avelina said softly. She was looking torn too; as though she were excited about the fact that she would still get time in her home but dreading any other choice.

  "No, I couldn't possibly take you from these children. Your people love you far too much," Alik said easily and nudged her gently with his shoulder. "Come, read to us. I was younger than most of your gathered audience when your sister last read to me."

  Avelina stared at him a moment longer, her bright blue eyes studying him for a long moment. He expected anger perhaps, but there was nothing there but gratitude. He gave her a half smile.

  However, he couldn't help the dread of pit in his stomach.

  In less than a day at being at the Ataton Court, he had eliminated two of his four matches.

  Chapter 5

  Back in his room later that day, Alik paced the length of his room. Even the ocean outside could not soothe his thoughts and he knew that sooner rather than later, he would have words with his parents about the decisions he already made.

  They expected him to keep them abreast of all major decisions especially when it came to what he was thinking, saying, and doing. It was an impossible thing to ask of him and he knew that Edmond and Avelina would not keep it to themselves that Alik informed them both that he would not be picking them.

  Even if they did, the knights that were with them would not.

  Ataton might not be anything like Grayhaven, but rumors traveled just as quickly here as they did there.

  Alik could not think of a way out of what he already committed to before he heard the march of boots down the hall.

  “Damn,” he muttered to no one but himself.

  Alik straightened his clothes, after having changed back into traditional clothing of the Grayhaven court and insufferably hot but they gave him a sense of control over who he was and what he was doing.

  Even if he was flailing as a fish on shore would.

  There was a perfunctory knock and Alik wasn’t even given a chance to tell them to come in before King Alexios was throwing the door open and marching in.

  He stood there, breathing hard.

  Even across the room, Alik could smell the wine on him.

  “You are so stupid that you cannot even follow one request,” Alexios snarled.

  Alik did not reply. It didn’t matter what he said. Whatever it was, would only sink him deeper and further into this hole he was in already.

  “I was just informed that you have already told Prince Edmond and Princess Avelina that you will not be marrying them. What is going through your thick skull, Alik? We are here barely a single day and you are already telling people that you will not be marrying them!” Alexios shouted.

  “Avelina is far too young. Edmond has no interest-”

  “Neither age nor interest is what matters! How many times must I tell you? If we do not have the protection of their army, the kingdom that I built will be burned out from underneath you!” Spittle flew from Alexios’ mouth and Alik had to restrain himself from looking for help. Usually his mother was here to calm him, Margrave would appear with a smart remark and redirect Alexios’ anger somewhere else, or even his personal guard would intervene.

  But no. He was alone. Issat wasn’t even here, gone to the tailor for more suitable clothes for herself.

  “The choice remains my own, dear father,” Alik said in a low tone and he didn’t even move out of the way when Alexios lumbered over to him and wrapped a large hand around his throat and tightened.

  “Go ahead. Do it. Show your friends what you are really like,” Alik hissed.

  A
lexios struck him hard enough for Alik to taste blood but he only smiled. “Probably best not to go for the face, father. That’s the part that you are supposed to sell here, remember?”

  Alexios threw him to the ground and Alik had a moment to cover his head before his father kicked him hard enough in the ribs that he thought he heard something crack. Just as he drew back to strike him again, there was a loud clatter and the shouts of men. Alik did not dare look up, for fear of something worse than his father beating him.

  “This is not your business,” Alexios snarled at someone.

  “In my home, everything is my business,” Eamon snarled.

  Alik looked up to see Eamon between him and his father, Alexios farther away than he was just a moment ago, and the men behind him picking themselves up off the floor. They looked stunned, out of sorts, and Alik could only imagine Eamon heaving them out of the way.

  With the exception of one that was not moving.

  “Then let us go speak to your father about how you choose to intervene in my business,” Alexios snapped.

  “Yes, let’s. Who do you think he will choose? You? Over his son? And even if he does, where will that get you? Do you think my men will fight for you?” Eamon asked. He looked down at Alik who was struggling to sit up and he wiped at his face. “Come, Your Highness. We do not kneel for people like him.”

  With a rough hand, Eamon pulled Alik to his feet and they headed for the door. When the guards attempted to stop them, Eamon smiled.

  It looked mad, dangerous, and carefree all at once.

  “Come then. I can protect one and fight you all. Would you like to see?” Eamon asked and drew his sword. He slid one leg back and lowered his head, like a bull ready to charge.

  “I would like to see,” Alik said, interested. He was bent over his side and though the pain was still rolling through him, he was always ready to see his father's men being beat to the ground.

  “My Prince,” Willhelm said from the end of the hall.

  Behind him was a contingent of guards.

  “Sport it will be,” Eamon declared.

  The Grayhaven guards parted.

  “Bring my sister to my rooms,” Eamon ordered his guards. “And remove Alexios from my wing. Post a guard. He does not step a foot in here.”

  “As you say, Your Highness,” Willhelm said. The contingent halved itself and came for Alexios. They marched him out of the wing and Willhelm gave a hard stare to the remaining guard who scrambled after their king.

  The other half posted themselves outside of Eamon’s rooms.

  “Well,” Alik said and wiped his face with his sleeve. The creamy white sleeve came away bloody. “That was embarrassing.”

  “Sit,” Eamon said and gestured to a chair in front of the window.

  Alik sat.

  Eamon pulled a chair in front of him and brought a bowl of water to the sill. With a piece of cloth, Eamon wiped the blood from Alik’s face.

  “Is he like that often?” Eamon finally asked.

  “Yes. But at home, I have guards that answer to me, protect me, even from him. Friends, too, that have mastered the art of not angering him further and drawing him elsewhere. I have yet how to learn how to do that.”

  “Perhaps you should take up the study of not angering him further. Not until you are on the throne,” Eamon suggested. His hands were gentle and when he finished, he tipped Alik’s head back and studied his neck in the sunlight. He sighed and Alik repressed a shiver when he felt Eamon’s warm breath on his neck. “You will bruise here,” he said and touched his neck lightly.

  “I bruise easily. It is not the first time.”

  “As long as I have a say, it will be the last,” Eamon murmured and Alik felt his fingers dance delicately over his neck.

  Alik held himself very still, scared to chase away this moment, wanting something that was just out of his reach.

  Then there was a knock at the door and Eamon was pulling away and calling for them to come in.

  Lissandra stepped in and looked between the two of them. There was some kind of knowledge in her eyes before Eamon was standing and gesturing to the chair.

  “Sister, if you would be so kind as to see to our guest,” Eamon said.

  “Of course,” she said and sat in the chair. Her fingers traveled over the same bruises of his neck but there was no shiver, nothing for Alik to repress.

  She checked his nose, found nothing broken but winced when she looked in his mouth.

  “What?” Eamon prompted.

  “He is bleeding. The cut is deep,” she reported.

  “What are your thoughts?” Eamon asked.

  Lissandra studied Alik for a moment. “I will pack it for now but if in the morning it does not look better, I would prefer to stitch it closed.”

  “Gods,” Alik muttered.

  Lissandra patted his hand. “You are tougher than you appear, Alik. All is well. We are here for you.”

  There was a knock at the door and before anyone could reply, the door was opening.

  Issat stood there, eyes darting about the room before she saw Alik sitting in the chair, blood flaking on his face and bruises undoubtedly blooming on his throat.

  “And where were you?” Alik asked stiffly.

  Issat crossed the room and knelt in front of him. “At the tailor.”

  “You are to be removed from your post at once.”

  “Of course, Your Highness.”

  “I do not want to see you ever again so long as I live.”

  “I will throw myself from the nearest cliff.”

  “Take my father with you.”

  “As you say,” Issat nodded and wiped at her face. She hated to see Alik like this. Much like Lissandra, she ran her fingers lightly over where he was injured and then pulled him to his feet. Issat knew him better than anyone and she knew better than anyone how to inspect him.

  Issat put his arms around her shoulders and hugged him, gently, and he hissed.

  “Knew it,” she whispered and stepped away when Lissandra stepped forward. With swift fingers, Lissandra unlaced his tunic and pulled it over his head without even asking him. She instpected his side and sighed.

  “Will you lay down?” She asked.

  “Do I have a choice?” Alik asked, attempting to lighten the mood. He did not want pity.

  Lissandra humored him. “I’m afraid not Your Highness. My brother has been known to help with unruly patients.”

  Grimacing, Alik nodded and looked around. “Where?”

  “The bed,” Eamon said with a huff.

  For the first time since entering the room, Alik looked at it. It was overly large, Alik guessed that it had to be to accomodate Eamon. The four posts had wolves carved into the rich, dark wood and the blankets on top of it were a thick fur that Alik couldn’t identify.

  Eamon pulled out a short stool and Alik was grateful that he didn’t have to climb up unassisted. He settled on his back, looked up at the woven canopy and saw yet more wolves sewn into the fabric there.

  His left side was closest to the side of the bed and Lissandra stepped up, gently pressed and asked where it hurt. When she was done, she stepped away and shook her head.

  “What happened?” She asked Eamon.

  “I thought that Alexios hit him and threw him to the floor. I did not see what happened to his side.”

  Lissandra turned to Alik who stared resolutely up at the ceiling.

  “Alexios kicked him, I’m sure,” Issat said.

  Eamon and Lissandra turned to her.

  “When Alik defies him, which is a daily occurence, it is one of his favorite forms of punishment,” Issat said.

  “But you are there to protect him,” Eamon surmised.

  “Me or someone else,” Issat agreed.

  “I don’t think anything is broken. Bruised, surely. I will pack it and recommend that you stay here for the evening,” Lissandra said.

  “Here?” Alik said and tried to sit up.

  “Yes, here,” Lissa
ndra said and pushed him down until he was laying flat once more. “Who would dare enter the Crown Prince’s room?”

  Eamon remained silent and Alik wanted to ask him for permission, or if he even agreed to this whole set up, but Lissandra was giving Issat instructions and then she was gone, returned with a new shirt for Alik and then gone once more.

  When she returned, there was a black wooden case in her arms, emblazoned with Lissandra’s name and the family crest.

  Eamon seated himself at his desk and began to sort through parchment that was left there and Alik wanted to ask him what it was. In times like this, he used books or fiery discussions with his cousin to quiet his mind.

  Lissandra soaked a silk wrap in something and Issat hovered over her shoulder, watched her as she worked.

  “Would you like to sleep?” Lissandra asked.

  Alik thought about it. If he were asleep, his mind would finally quiet.

  “I would like that, yes,” he said quietly.

  Eamon stood when Lissandra was ready and helped Alik to sit up. She wrapped the clean silk that she soaked in her own mixture around his midsection and then both her and Eamon helped to lay him back down.

  It smelled of roses and the woods and something thick and earthy that Alik could not put his finger on.

  “Here,” Lissandra said and pressed a small vial in his hand. He tossed it back without a second thought.

  “How long-” Alik asked and then the room began to fade at the edges. “Not long at all.”

  There was a soft chuckle and someone told him to sleep.

  So he closed his eyes and did just that.

  ISSAT AND EAMON WERE just settling in to stay in the room with Alik when there was another knock at the door, but this time, the person waited for permission before they came in.

  Willhelm glanced at Alik on the bed before turning to Eamon. “You have a meeting with Prince Edmond.”

  Eamon sighed and looked from Alik to Willhelm. He almost completely forgot about his daily meeting with Edmond concerning their borders.