Mountain of Masks

by Jeanne Hardt

  “Your Highness.” The girl kept her eyes on the floor. “Your presence is unexpected.”

  “I have come to speak with my cousin. I understand it is early in the day, so I pray he has risen.”

  “Prince Frederick is eating breakfast with his wife.” She kept her attention downward, as if she feared meeting Sebastian’s gaze. “Shall I tell him you are here?”

  “Please.” Sebastian moved closer to her. “What is your name?”

  “Mirella.” Her voice quivered.

  “Thank you, Mirella. I shall wait here for your return.”

  She curtsied and almost tripped on her skirt, then spun around and fled. The poor girl seemed frightened of her own shadow.

  Her behavior only added to Sebastian’s suspicions. Frederick likely ran his household with a heavy hand. Either that, or his hands had been where they were not welcome.

  Loud footsteps approached. Definitely not those of Mirella.

  Frederick strutted across the floor, chin high in the air. “What brings you to my modest home?” Expressionless, he folded his arms over his chest.

  “Your wife recently beseeched my mother to allow your entry into our castle.”

  Frederick grunted and shook his head. “Recently? Ten days have passed since her request. Your lack of courtesy has exceedingly upset her. Why come now? Do you wish to gloat over the upper hand your father holds on me?” He stepped nearer. “I did as he asked. I praised your wife and humbled myself before our people. And yet I am shamed whenever I pass a royal guard. They sneer and block my way—a pathetic manner of behavior toward a future high king.”

  Sebastian breathed slowly in an attempt to keep his anger at bay. “I did not come to argue with you. Can we not sit somewhere so we might better converse?”

  “Are we not capably conversing now?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Say what you must, then go.” Frederick shot out his arm and pointed behind him. “I will not have my wife upset any further by your presence. My son grows within her. If anything happens to him because she has been made distraught, I fear I could not control my rage or my actions.”

  Sebastian held up a hand. “Calm yourself, Frederick. I came to tell you that once Estelle and Becca have married and move into their respective kingdoms, you shall be allowed entry into our dwelling. But not until then. At that time, you will be permitted in our castle only during daylight hours. Your bedchamber will remain within these walls.”

  “Lower your voice,” Frederick scoffed, in a loud whisper. “Do your sisters actually believe I would lay a hand on them? I have a wife who gives me pleasure beyond your comprehension. She is beautiful and perfect. I will never stray from her.”

  “Good.” Sebastian casually folded his hands in front of himself. “Even so, that is our compromise. Estelle has nightmares because of you. Be grateful my father loves you and let you live. Had I been king, I would not have been so generous.”

  “But you never will be, will you? King, that is.” Frederick’s upper lip twitched into a sneer. “I heard your wife is with child. An infant without title in a royal household may as well be a bastard.”

  Sebastian lunged at him. He gripped his tunic with both hands and slammed him against the wall. “You will never fool me, Frederick. No parading around in prince’s garb with fine words spilling from your lips will change my opinion of you. You are vile and a shame to our family.” He tightened his grasp and put his face within inches of his cousin’s. “When you come into our home, my eyes will be on you.”

  “Release me.” Frederick leered with more hatred than Sebastian thought possible.

  Breathing hard, Sebastian gave him a final shove and let go.

  Frederick smoothed his tunic and straightened his stance. “Jealousy has worn on you. You only hate me because I will one day sit on your throne. You should despise yourself, cousin. Had you chosen a worthier bride, you would not be in this predicament.”

  “No woman deserves a crown more so than my wife.” Sickened by his cousin’s smugness, Sebastian turned and headed for the door. He had had enough of the man. He feared if he remained, he might lose control, and harming Frederick would not set well with the people of Basilia.

  “Keep telling yourself that, Sebastian. I guarantee, no one will change their opinion of her.”

  Sebastian clamped his mouth shut and kept walking.

  The moment the door shut behind Sebastian, Mirella shuffled in from the hallway, then gasped when she saw Frederick.

  He let out a victorious laugh, picked her up off the floor, and spun her in a circle. “You blessed child!” He nuzzled her neck, laughing all the while.

  “I heard the door,” she whimpered. “I thought it was another guest.”

  Even though her body had gone rigid the instant he touched her, he delighted in the feel of her youthful skin. “He left, much to my relief.”

  She quivered in his grasp. “I can tell you are happy.”

  “Overjoyed.” He slowly lowered her down. “Did you find my cousin handsome?”

  Her head bowed low. “I—I did not look at him, Highness. Just as you instructed me.”

  Frederick tucked two fingers under the girl’s chin and lifted her head. Her eyes inched upward and met his gaze. “Do you find me handsome?” He swirled his tongue around his lips and studied her, waiting for an appropriate reply.

  “Yes, sire. You know I do.” She swallowed hard. Her scarcely formed bosom heaved.

  “Good girl.” He stroked her cheek. “Go about your business. I may require your service soon, while my wife rests.”

  “Y-Yes, sire.” She dipped her head and turned to leave.

  Frederick smacked her firm rump and sent her on her way, then dismissed thoughts of her in order to set his full attention on less pleasing matters.

  Honestly, it felt incredible besting his damnable cousin. Aside from wrinkling his tunic, Sebastian’s threats had no effect on him. Soon Frederick would be allowed in the royal castle and all would fall into place.

  His smile broadened as he returned to his beautiful wife. She loved having breakfast by the large open window in the great hall, claiming the abundant sunlight reminded her of Oros and made her happy. She glowed like the sun itself. A prize he treasured.

  He had been giving a lot of thought as to how he would approach this delicate issue. Tongues tended to wag, and he needed to put proper thoughts into Marni’s head, before she could be swayed in another direction.

  She set aside her fork and motioned to the chair beside her. “Your food has gotten cold. You should have had Mirella tell your cousin to come back later in the day.”

  He sat and leaned back comfortably in his chair, grinning. “The temperature of my food is unimportant. In two months’ time, I will be allowed entry into my uncle’s castle. And soon after, you shall give birth to our son.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “I am a happy man.”

  “Why did they wait so long to tell you? Are they always rude and unfeeling?”

  He released an appropriate sad-sounding sigh, sat up, and put on his most serious face. “I fear there is something you must know. A delicate matter I hesitated revealing to you, because …” He paused for effect. “It sheds a poor light on my family, and I do not want you to think even less of them.”

  “My feelings for your family were brought about by their actions toward us. I doubt they can change my opinion. I only pray Estelle is the decent woman I have believed her to be. My brother deserves happiness.”

  “Actually …” Frederick thrummed his fingers on the tabletop. “What I am about to say involves Estelle. Something that happened between us in years past.”

  Marni’s face fell and she clutched a hand to her heart. “You are frightening me, Frederick.”

  “My words should not bring fear.” He lowered his head to feign shame, then looked at her begging for pity. “Trust me, Marni, and allow me to say what I must.”

  “You know I trust you. I love you.” She reached acros
s the table and patted the top of his hand. “Tell me everything.”

  He closed his eyes and nodded, then slowly inhaled and opened them again. “As you are well aware, Estelle came into womanhood a number of years ago. She was not allowed to marry, because her mother insisted Sebastian be wed first. However, being told to wait did not squelch the desires that came forth upon her maturity.”

  Marni kept her eyes on his, but did not utter a sound.

  “I am ashamed at what I must say next, but I cannot keep it from you. It is the very reason why I have been denied entry into my uncle’s castle these past four years.”

  “So, you lied when you said it was your choice?” Tears pooled in Marni’s eyes. The sight tortured him, but he had to finish all he needed to say.

  “Not exactly. They forbade me to enter, but I would not have gone in, even if I had been allowed.”

  “Your words have no sense.” She blinked and droplets trickled onto her cheeks.

  “Only because I have not said all.” He deepened his frown. “I have always been close to my cousins. Having no siblings of my own, they are dear to me. But during the time of which I am speaking, I, too, had matured and discovered the aching desires of manhood. I admit, I was drawn to Estelle, but I never would have acted on my feelings. It would have been a sacrilege to intimately touch her. Even the mere thought of the act would have been sinful.”

  Marni quickly swiped away her tears and squared her jaw. “Something must have happened, or you never would have been banished.”

  “Yes.” He lowered his gaze. “Estelle summoned me to her bedchamber. She swore secrecy and begged me to have her, claiming a deep longing for me.”

  Marni’s eyes widened. “What did you do?”

  He hesitated before he answered, all the while breathing hard and casting his most remorseful expression. “I …I told her no, of course, but she persisted. She grabbed onto my trousers, loosened their strings, and yanked them to the floor. Her abrupt action not only caught me off guard, she exposed my bare flesh. And when she touched me …” He swallowed hard. “As you can imagine, my body reacted.”

  He looked away and rubbed his temples with his fingertips. “I was so ashamed, and yet she did not stop there. She pulled me to her bed and fell upon it, bringing me down atop her.”

  “I cannot bear this, Frederick.” Marni wrung her hands, and her tears streamed. “Did you have her?”

  He laid his hands over hers. “No. Her sister, Becca, walked in before Estelle could force me to join with her. Becca screamed and ran for her father, claiming I was trying to molest her sister. If anyone was defiled, it was I. She stripped away my dignity and shamed me. My uncle would not listen to anything I tried to say, and Estelle went along with Becca’s story.” Frederick blew out a long breath. “They are my cousins. I despise their deceit, but I love them.”

  “How can you? And why did you not tell me this before now? I do not want Eural to marry a woman who would do something so shameful.”

  “Marni …” He gently stroked her cheek. “Estelle is a good woman. She used poor judgment in what she did, but we were young.” In order to make certain she would do as he said, he intensified his deep gaze. “Please do not speak of this to Eural. Too much pain has already been forged because of her youthful error.”

  “Can you be certain she is still a maid?”

  He slowly nodded. “For three years, she has been bound to your brother. If her maidenhead has been taken, I would assume he has done the taking.”

  “He loves her,” Marni whispered. “There is no denying that. But is it right for me to keep this from him?”

  Frederick stood and knelt beside her. “If you love your brother, take this to the grave. Sometimes, ignorance is a blessing. Allow him the same happiness you and I share.” He peered deeply into her eyes. “Do you think less of me, knowing the truth?”

  She softly smiled and glided her fingers into his hair. “I love you more, now that I understand how you have suffered.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and burrowed his head into her bosom. His performance had accomplished all he had hoped for. “I do not deserve you.”

  She released a soft laugh. “Then make yourself king and be worthy of me.”

  He could not have planned a better outcome to their conversation. Marni had no reason to doubt his account of what transpired all those years ago. Her love for him would keep her blind to any other version of the truth.

  “If it is a king you desire, then so be it.” Frederick turned his head and kissed all over her mounded bubbies, then worked his way up to her lips. “Have you had your fill?” He jerked his head toward her plate.

  “Of food, yes.” Her eyes locked with his.

  Wasting no time, he stood and scooped her into his arms, then carried her down the hallway to their bedchamber.

  Once he finished with her, she would sleep for quite a while.

  It would give him ample opportunity to play with Mirella.

  Chapter 17

  Five full days had passed since Olivia arrived in Thanwine. She had not intended to stay for such a great length of time, but Angeline made her stay so enjoyable, it had gone by in the blink of an eye.

  Olivia had gotten acquainted with Talman and Varlan, and even their younger sister, Carmela. The girl was sweet, but Angeline had confided in Olivia that Carmela had a different father than her brothers and she had. Even so, Angeline treated her no differently than a full-blooded sister.

  Oddly, Carmela had kept her distance, and Olivia had only seen her at mealtimes.

  Angeline tugged on Olivia’s hand. “I promise, he will not bite you.” She laughed gaily. “Father is gentle as a lamb.”

  Olivia had met every royal in Thanwine, with the exception of King Hadwin. “I have no fear he will harm me, but you said he is quite ill. Are you certain it is wise to disturb him?”

  They reached a door bearing the king’s seal. “He wants to meet you.”

  “You told me he cannot speak, so how do you know his wishes?”

  “When I informed him you were here, he grunted more than usual.” Angeline grinned and opened the door.

  Olivia had no choice but to follow her in. Not only would it be impolite to refuse, Angeline had tightened the hold on her hand.

  A stale, sickly odor stung the inside of Olivia’s nose. Angeline had failed to say that her father neared death, but it hung in the air as heavy as the ice on the trees outside the castle.

  A tall man dressed in a long white robe stood to the side of the bed, hovering over the king. “I see you brought her,” he mumbled. “I do not understand your reasoning, princess. Your father is unaware.” As he spoke, his long, pointed beard moved rigidly with every turn of his head.

  Tiny black hairs mixed into a mass of gray that speckled his unusual beard. Aside from his stern demeanor, bald head, and odd facial hair, Olivia found him oddly attractive and assumed him to be scarcely forty. Nothing like the old healer in Padrida.

  She stood firm and went no nearer to the bed.

  “Dear, dear, Denali,” Angeline said. “Father realizes more than you. He may not speak, but look at his eyes. They say a great deal.”

  Denali peered down at the king and shook his head. “He sleeps. I see nothing.”

  Angeline giggled and squeezed Olivia’s hand. “Denali has an odd sense of humor, but he is the finest healer in all the realms.” She released Olivia and approached Denali, then smoothed her hand over the top of his bald head. “I appreciate your concern for my father, but you may leave us.”

  “Yes, Highness.” He strode away, acknowledging Olivia with only a nod of his head.

  After the click of the shutting door, silence hung in the air, until Olivia recognized a faint wheezing coming from the bed. “Angeline, I should not be here. Your father is gravely ill, and I—”

  “Shh.” Angeline touched a single finger to her lips. “Come closer.”

  Olivia forced her feet to move and went to Angeline’s side.
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  King Hadwin’s wrinkled hands were folded together atop the numerous quilts covering his body. A beautiful jeweled ring adorned one of his fingers. His full white beard also rested on the covers like a fluffy cloud. He would have looked serene if not for the drool seeping from the corner of his mouth. The deathly stench made matters worse.

  “Father.” Angeline bent close. “Princess Olivia is here with me. Remember me telling you about her? She traveled all the way from Basilia.”

  A moan rose up from the man, and his eyes inched open.

  Angeline stood tall. “You see? He is quite aware.”

  Olivia did all she could to stifle her discomfort. “It is wonderful to meet you, King Hadwin.”

  Another groan. Perhaps he indeed comprehended everything around him.

  With an unending smile, Angeline lifted a cloth from a small table beside the bed and dabbed at his damp mouth. “Is she not beautiful, Father?”

  This time, he grunted. It seemed he had more to say.

  Angeline patted his white-haired head. “I know. You always told me I was the fairest in the realms, but she is truly lovely. Inside and out.”

  The king resounded a much louder grunt, and Angeline laughed. “I have forgiven her, Father. She and Sebastian are well-suited. Because of her, my heart aches no more.”

  A rumbling cough shook the king’s body. He arose slightly, then fell back into his pillows. Bloody spittle dotted his beard.

  “You poor, poor, man.” Angeline wiped him clean, acting unfazed by the sight, yet it churned Olivia’s stomach.

  “Should you not call the healer?” Olivia whispered.

  “He cannot help.” Angeline lifted her head high. “Father has accepted that he will soon stand before God in Heaven.” She lovingly stroked his head. “We will leave you to rest, Father. Olivia must return to Basilia, but I shall come to you again after I see her off.” She bent low and kissed his forehead.