The Duke's Handmaid (Book 1 of the Ascendancy Trilogy)

by Caprice Hokstad

  Vahn found kee waiting for him at the peak of the stairs. His demeanor softened. “kee, I’m sorry. I forgot about your bands. We could do it in the morning so everyone can watch...”

  “kee does not care if the others watch, Master Vahn, but please replace the bands tonight.”

  He read the entreaty in her tone and caught the uncertainty in her eyes. Her greatest fear is being thrown out, he remembered. “Of course. Let’s go to my study.” He stepped past her so she could rise and follow. The keep was dark and quiet. Vahn lit an oil lamp and took it with him to the east wing. Sconces within the room cast abundant light. He seated himself and motioned kee to the floor in front of him. kee knelt and assumed Classic Offering Position.

  Vahn smiled. “Just in case you’re wondering,” he said softly as he pulled a box from below his desk, “you did absolutely nothing wrong. I told you to help Lady Ultomp while I was gone. My son is always to take priority over chores, so you did right in comforting him. I know you didn’t take my order lightly because you asked lopi to take over for you and you inquired if she had done it. You shouldn’t have to question the integrity of another house member. Her word should have been as good as a visual verification.”

  kee nodded, her face brightening as he spoke. By this time, he had the box opened and a highly polished silver band placed around her slender wrist. kee beamed.

  Vahn caught the delight in her eyes and it warmed him to the core. After what he had put her through, he was glad he had the Unringed bands waiting. This was the perfect time. He held the neck band in front of her so she could see the engraving. A house crest matching those on the gates to Rebono Keep was replicated perfectly in miniature.

  kee read the inscription next to the crest in an awed whisper, “kee, Property of Prince Vahn Rebono, Duke of Latoph.” A tear slipped out the corner of her eye. “It’s beautiful, Master.”

  He slipped it around her neck and clicked the lock shut. kee shifted to accommodate his reach until the ankle bands were secure, then back to Standard, glowing with pride. Vahn leaned back into his chair and admired his work. “Very pleasing. You make them radiant.” He patted his lap. “Come sit with me, kee?”

  kee blinked. He had never invited her to his lap before. Without a word, she slipped up onto his knee. Vahn curled his long arm around her and pulled her toward his chest. He rested his chin on her shoulder. “You honored me by what you did tonight, kee. I could never have forced the confession without you. If you had fought with lopi, it would have been your word against hers. There were other witnesses, so you would have been vindicated, but you allowed me to make her admit she lied. Thank you.”

  kee shivered. “You are most welcome, Master Vahn.”

  He held her and swayed gently. Vahn noted the slowing of her breathing and glanced at her closed eyes. He smiled to himself. “Rest well, my gem,” he whispered. He was sorely tempted to let himself drift off to sleep as well, but he knew he couldn’t.

  He wanted to hold kee long enough for her to be deeply asleep. With iron will, he forced his mind to concentrate on things that would hinder sleep—the unpleasant task of disposing of lopi, his tension with Saerula, and the mystery of his father’s death. Fifteen minutes later, he was losing the fight to stay awake. He gathered kee up and carried her back to the slave quarters. She slept soundly in his arms.

  A light kick to the door brought someone to open it for him, though in the dim moons’ light, he wasn’t sure who it was. He laid kee on her bed and covered her with a blanket. One night in a uniform would hardly be a sin, especially since the uniform was lopi’s and lopi would never wear it again. He would wrap lopi in a sheet for the trip to the ITC, but she would never wear anything that identified with his house ever again.

  Chapter 65

  Lady Ultomp lasted less than a week. She vacated without the pay owed her, leaving a terse letter of resignation. Nannies came and went. Saerula became desperate enough she relented, allowing timna and kee to care for the prince between hires. Of course, she was still under the impression kee was Elva.

  Shortly after kee received her Unringed bands, Vahn restored the rest of timna’s. Saerula insisted neither be named optimess. She argued that it would “be a slap in Laban’s face” to have a slave as his equal. Vahn would have loved to slap Jallor literally, but he caved to Saerula in the name of peace.

  Vahn felt his wife drifting away and tried everything to woo her back—expensive gifts, romantic getaways, and evenings out. She accepted the gifts without gratitude, scoffed at the holidays, and made excuses to avoid the evening outings. Vahn discounted her deranged utterances of labor in favor of his memories of their early marriage. He loved her unconditionally.

  Since Saerula would not accompany him, Vahn often visited The Scarlet Dryad without her. On one such excursion, when Dauntere was ten months old, Marquis Terzak entered the Dryad. He still had none but a stable boy to announce his arrival. Terzak headed straight for Vahn’s alcove.

  “How are you faring this harvest season, cousin?” Vahn said as he reached for the knight’s handshake.

  “Excellent, your highness. In fact, I came to talk to you about that partnership we discussed some months ago...” Terzak noticed timna and kee kneeling like twin sentries on either side of Vahn’s throne. Enthralled, he openly stared.

  Vahn followed his gaze to determine what caught Terzak’s attention. “These are kee and timna, two of the finest in my house.” He gestured to each one in turn. Terzak could not keep his eyes off them. They bowed their heads in respectful greeting but kept silent.

  “Those, your highness, are jewels fit for a king.”

  Vahn laughed. “Indeed they are. Might I have one of them get you something? I daresay the service will far surpass what I gave you on our last meeting.”

  Still gawking with dropped jaw, Terzak managed a light nod. “Felton berry wine.”

  “kee, felton berry wine for the marquis, please,” Vahn said.

  “Yes, Master Vahn,” kee answered as she rose from her knees.

  Terzak followed her every movement. Vahn caught enough of his attention to urge him to sit. It would be difficult for kee to serve him standing. Once the marquis was seated, Vahn made no further attempts to distract his cousin from unabashed ogling. Vahn sat back and watched with satisfaction curling his slender lips.

  kee asked the tavern keeper for a goblet and felton berry wine. He set them on the bar in front of her. She inspected the goblet for spots and shined it to gleaming perfection. Moving with grace and poise, kee carried the wine bottle and goblet back toward the private alcove. She knelt at Terzak’s feet and steadied the goblet between her knees. After careful pouring, she sipped daintily. Terzak watched in absorbed fascination.

  kee lowered the goblet to rest at her heart and whispered, “May you be blessed with health and long life, growing prosperous in your house, and dying with honor when your time comes.” She kissed the rim to seal the blessing, then bowed her head deeply and lifted the goblet up to him. “May you find this wine and kee’s service of it pleasing, your highness.”

  Terzak reached for the goblet with a smile. “I am sure the wine can never come close to the service, my dear. Thank you.”

  “You are welcome.” She arose, placed the bottle on the table, then retook her place at Vahn’s side, slipping back into a Standard Kneel in a single fluid motion.

  “Cousin, girls like yours are exactly what I am going to need for my tavern,” Terzak said. “A whole staff of beauties who would serve and perhaps sing, play instruments, and dance. Don’t you think commoners would pay handsomely to be treated as royalty?”

  “A marvelous idea. So am I to assume plans are moving ahead?”

  “Very much so, they have. I have the tavern. I only need staff and an inventory to start, but those are expensive propositions. You said to come to you when I needed help. That time has come.”

  Vahn took a long drink from his chalice. “So you need my gold then? And what can I expect in return
?”

  “I need your gold, but I also need your influence at the ITC. Not just any bar wenches will do. I am prepared to give you sixty percent of the profits for the first three years, then forty percent for seven years or until you have doubled your investment.”

  “My money doubled in ten years? I daresay you are overly confident.”

  “I have already risked a great deal myself. I wouldn’t have put my own gold into it if I wasn’t confident,” Terzak boasted.

  “Let us say for the sake of argument that I am weary of gold and care not how much more I can amass. Do you have anything else to offer?”

  Terzak leaned in close and answered in a whisper. “I have spies. I have men in influential places. I have support to lend an ambitious relative. Any of those things make you any less weary, dear cousin?”

  Vahn gave a closed-lip smile. “Indubitably. This entices me more than gold, although I am not one to scoff at profits. Let us say I’d be willing to lower my percentages and double the time for the return in exchange for other incentives which I do not wish to discuss in public. How would that appeal to you?”

  “I would say it appeals to me enormously, your highness. When and where would you like to discuss it further?” Terzak whispered.

  “The ‘where’ would have to be Rebono Keep. There is no other place I trust as well for matters so... delicate. The ‘when’ is entirely up to you. Call on me at your convenience.”

  “Excellent. How about tomorrow after tea?”

  “That would be acceptable. I shall plan to see you then.”

  Terzak smiled, finished his wine, and took his leave. Vahn left soon thereafter, eager to get home before the nanny of the week put Dauntere to bed.

  Chapter 66

  Saerula and Laban were in the throes of a passionate embrace when a slave arrived unexpectedly at the door to the master chambers. She knelt. “May kee enter to prepare the chamber, Mistress Saerula?”

  Saerula inwardly cursed herself for leaving the door open. Though the slave had her gaze lowered now, the little harlot had probably seen her and would no doubt report this to her husband. Ready or not, it was time to force her private agenda. “Why are you so late, slave?” Saerula sneered.

  “kee was with Master Vahn at The Scarlet Dryad, Mistress. May kee enter, please?”

  “Oh, very well. Get in here and hurry up. I’m tired.”

  “Yes, Mistress.” kee hurried to the fireplace and knelt to clean it out. She worked efficiently and kept her attention on the task.

  Saerula watched for the slightest excuse to find fault. A tiny bit of dust wafted from the fireplace as kee removed ashes. The duchess forced herself into a sneezing fit. “What are you trying to do to me?” she moaned dramatically. “You incompetent, freeloading urchin!”

  kee stopped sweeping and cowered. “kee is sorry, Mistress. Please forgive kee for the dust.”

  “Forgive you? Ha! I have half a mind to have you whipped, you inconsiderate, blundering idiot!”

  “Yes, Mistress. kee will accept whatever punishment pleases you.” She prostrated herself.

  “Oh, for Heaven’s sake, get up off my floor. In fact, get out of my chamber,” Saerula hissed. She reached down and grabbed kee by the ear. kee gasped. Stunned, Saerula moved the slave’s hair. “What in Heaven’s name...? You’re Itzi, aren’t you?”

  kee struggled to stand with her ear caught in Saerula’s grasp. “kee is forbidden to speak of it, Mistress.”

  “I should have known!” Secretly, she was elated. This was better than she could have hoped. “Vahn! How dare you! VAHN!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. In moments, half of the house was in the master chambers. Laban sent servants away as Saerula pulled hard on kee’s ear and continued shouting.

  Vahn finally appeared, huffing breathlessly. “What is it, love?”

  “How dare you! How dare you parade a filthy Itzi under my nose in disguise! All this time she has been touching my sheets and holding my son! You know how I feel about Itzi and you purposely disguised her to deceive me.” Saerula pushed kee away for emphasis. kee careened into an armchair, stumbled, then recoiled into Submissive where she landed.

  “Calm down, Saerula. I didn’t ‘disguise’ kee. I didn’t put her on stilts or change her hair’s natural color. She merely wore her hair over her ears. You know, this only proves how irrational your prejudice is. Her work was fine until you saw her ears. You never had a complaint about kee before.”

  “Never had a complaint before? Vahn, I have complained about all your filthy harlots from day one.” It was untrue and Saerula knew it. She hadn’t felt secure enough to complain until she was heavily with child. But the truth was not important, only accusations.

  “kee, Jallor, please leave now. I need to speak to the duchess alone,” Vahn said.

  kee was the first out the door. She didn’t even take time for a verbal response. Laban looked to Saerula for approval. She rolled her eyes and nodded to him. He exited, closing the door behind him.

  “Saerula, I have put up with a lot this past year. At first, I said nothing because you were pregnant and miserable. Then you had Dauntere and you were always exhausted. Once we started hiring nannies, you had no excuses. I should have put a stop to it then, but I tried to placate you instead. Enough! Your staff is not doing its share of the work, they cost me triple, and I am tired of your whining and complaining. It stops now or I dismiss your staff, do you hear me?”

  “I hear you,” she spat, “but let me tell you something. Why is it whenever you fret the cost, it’s always my staff that goes? I’ll tell you why. Because your staff is a harem of harlots to satisfy your lust and that’s all you care about.”

  “That is a load of koopchuk dung. I have never been unfaithful to you, Saerula. Never. I never wanted to. I love you and only you.”

  “Stow it, Vahn. If you aren’t taking them to bed every time my back is turned, then why don’t we get rid of them instead of mine?” She pulled her silk robes around her and settled into a chair. She would exude calm and strength and watch him squirm for once.

  “How can you ask that? Your lapdogs barely keep the second floor running. Who will cook and do laundry? You can’t keep a nanny more than two weeks. Whom do we always fall back on when your precious pets refuse to change a diaper?”

  “You’re making excuses, Vahn. If you love me, prove it. Get rid of all the Itzi, including that pretender. Hire some Elva housekeepers and we’ll get by.” Did she have him yet? She hated to ingratiate herself to him, but to win, she’d do it. “Please, Vahn?”

  “Saerula, we can’t just get rid of them all at once. Are you going to cook and do laundry while we look for these housekeepers? Remember the last time they were all in the dungeon?”

  “You’re hedging. You’re the duke. You could run down to the Dryad and hire anyone. All you want are young docile Itzi that have no right to resist your advances. You’re sleeping with them and I won’t stand for it. It’s either them or me. Make your choice.”

  “Saerula, you’re being unreasonable. I swear to you I have always been true with my lips and my loins.”

  “If you were so honest, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. You wouldn’t have covered that Itzi’s ears to make a fool of me. How can I believe anything you say now? Either get rid of every last one of them in twenty-four hours or I take Dauntere and go home to Ganluc.”

  “You cannot do that! He is my son and he stays with me. You can hardly stand to be with him. You don’t even like to hold him.”

  “I don’t have to hold the little brat. I’ve seen the way those slaves hang all over you and sit in your lap. I’ve seen you kiss them.” She purposely didn’t mention that every kiss she ever witnessed was to the top of their heads. “All of my staff has seen it too. And you’ve been deceiving me about that Itzi whore. Whom do you think a magistrate would believe, Vahn? Or do you want war with Ganluc?”

  Her husband was silent a long moment. He studied her face. She set her jaw and sta
red back with accusing eyes. “All right, Saerula. You win,” he said quietly. He turned and left. He never saw her victorious grin.

  Chapter 67

  Vahn retreated to the garden. His heart was heavy as he paced and debated himself. He hardly knew his own wife any more. After all the troubles, he could abide losing her, but not Dauntere. No matter what it cost, he couldn’t lose his son. Eventually, he wept—for the house he had worked so hard for, the girls who had given so much, for the loss of his love.

  How was he to tell his girls they were to be sold? He had promised them safety and refuge. He had promised to protect them. Now he had to break those promises and it ate him up inside. At least he wouldn’t have to cheat timna. She was two months away from the end of her term. He could free her and ask if she would consider staying. Hired and Elva were the duchess’ only two requirements. If timna would stay, he’d make Saerula abide by her words.

  What would he do about the poor Itzi? He only had twenty-four hours. xassa and ghian were too young for compacting and had no family. He had no choice but to sell them. All night long and well into the morning he agonized and worried, trying to see some way out.

  Finally, when the lighthouse bells indicated breakfast was over, he pumped water from a garden spigot and threw it over his face. It did little to alleviate his grief, but he felt a bit more alert. He forced himself back into the keep. Tired eyes searched the rooms. He walked in a daze, the staff passing as if in a slow-motion dream. He found timna and spoke softly to her. “timna, would you please come to my study?”

  “Yes, Master Vahn.” Her voice reflected concern.

  When they reached the study, he took her hand and led her to the center of the room. He backed away, trying to take her appearance in and burn it to memory. “So very pleasing,” he said with a sigh.

  He lowered himself into his chair and motioned timna to come to him. He wanted to take her onto his lap, hold her tightly, and explain everything. However, he had decided in the garden that the burden was his alone. “timna, please give me your wrists.” timna lifted her wrists to him. He slipped a tiny key into her bands and they popped open.