Paitra let out a loud laugh, Arden’s hair shaking as Elena joined in with her own snickering. “Fair enough. I suppose we can have one or two secrets from each other.”
Relieved she was dropping the matter, Arden straightened her blouse. “Did you find my leather vest? I’ve missed the pockets in the peplum terribly.”
She nodded and stood, heading off to fetch the item. Arden had a wistful moment, knowing how much she’d miss her in the next month, but also relishing how much she’d have to tell her and Elena when she returned. Until then, however, a small piece of her heart would stay behind with them.
“I’ll write as often as I can,” she said. “Darius said there’ll be birds going to and from the castle, so I’ll send one when I’m able.”
Elena patted her shoulder and set about finishing the last two tiny braids. “Don’t worry about us. Take the time to get to know the king. I think this trip will be good for you. You’ll both be stronger together for it, of that I’m sure.”
Arden gave her a grateful smile, hoping if she told herself that enough times it would make it true. A crown and love? It seemed a far off dream only a fool would aim for. As it was, she’d be happy if he overcame his heartache long enough to try for a child someday.
But when that might be was anyone’s guess.
Darius
“That’s the fourth time you’ve had to redo those straps,” Vennic said, leaning up against the stall door. “I might be mistaken, but it seems you’re a bit distracted this morning.”
Darius tightened the buckle on the saddle, finally getting it right, and tried not to curse at himself. “It’s just been a while since I’ve been away from… well, ruling things, I suppose. It’s an adjustment.”
“So it’s nothing to do with what may or may not have happened last night with—”
“Something that’s none of your business? No, not in the least.” Grabbing the pommel, he shook the saddle to test its security. In truth, it wasn’t the night before that had him so scrambled.
When Arden kissed him before abruptly leaving their bed, there was a moment he seriously considered not letting her go. It was strange, as he’d not felt that way when he pulled her into their room. Not since Naya had he been even mildly inclined to be with another woman.
“Fine,” Vennic said as he took the horse’s reins and led him out of the stall. “If you won’t admit to anything, I’ll make my own assumptions, though I’m fairly certain I don’t need to ask.”
Outside the barn, Darius took the reins of another mare joining the expedition, and they proceeded around to where the rest of the party waited near the main castle doors. “Say what you will. You generally don’t hold your tongue on my account anyway.”
“How you handle your marriage is your business, Darius. I think you’ll come around eventually.” He chuckled to himself. “I just hope it’s while she can still bear children, or you’re likely to have to start all over again with someone half your age.”
His jaw twitched as his teeth ground together. “Arden isn’t a replaceable cog. I’d appreciate it if you don’t speak about her like an animal to be bred.”
Vennic’s laugh echoed off the stone walls. “So sensitive. Don’t worry, friend, I share your opinion of her, though I’m actually surprised you haven’t succumbed to her charms yet. You’re stronger than I gave you credit for.”
He rolled his eyes. “So happy I’ve impressed you.”
“Best not tell Ingram, I think. He’ll probably not take it well.”
“Noted,” he grumbled. “But if you so much as breathe a word to anyone—”
“No need for idle threats. Your secret is safe with me.”
Grimacing, Darius let the conversation drop, as they were within earshot of other people. The guards came into view alongside the wagon carting supplies for the journey. Rather than showy armor, the company was dressed in much more practical garb: thick, dark leather plated in the places requiring extra protection. For the most part, the lot looked very unassuming, but he knew each face from his days fighting with the army. Darius greeted them all by name as they passed, proud to have those fine soldiers coming along. He knew each one would take a blade to the chest before allowing so much as a scratch on Arden’s person.
The castle doors opened as Vennic and Darius reached the head of the company, and he turned to see a small retinue of people flittering around Arden, who looked quite ready to be done with all of them. Duchess Tanarien was going on and on about things to avoid, her handmaidens were struggling to get through the last explanations of what they packed for her, and her father was asking if she might not look out for a few odds and ends along the way. Taking pity on her, Darius took the steps two at a time and met her halfway down, abruptly cutting off the others as he wound her arm in his.
“You look lovely, dear. Ready for our grand adventure?”
She looked at him sideways, holding back a grin. “Very much.”
The excited gleam in her eye and smile spreading across her face as they neared the horses made him happier than he thought it would. Strange how a thing he’d done for nearly his whole life could bring such enjoyment to another person. He thought she’d like his gift to her a great deal, but, until that moment, he hadn’t really seen her unabashedly giddy over it. Vennic looked as anxious as she did to get on with it, which was even more amusing.
He released her to say her goodbyes, to which her mother responded with tears, the handmaidens nearly sobbing as well. She saved her father for last, and he flashed Darius a look that said more about what he would do to him if anything happened to Arden than any words could. That done, Arden bounded back, and Darius boosted her into the saddle of her dappled mare. Paitra passed her a thick cloak, which Arden bundled up in to stave off the worst of the lingering chill in the air.
“Oh, Your Majesty, I nearly forgot,” Paitra said and motioned for him to follow her back to the wagon. “I wanted to tell you one last thing, if you’ll give me a moment.”
Curious, he helped her inside, following after. He was met with a very irate stare when he joined her, however, stunning him with her powerful disapproval.
“I ask only one thing of you, Highness,” she said, crossing her arms and switching over to elvish. “I don’t care if you have to drink yourself into oblivion to do it, if you’re unable to perform for my lady by the time you’ve returned, I’ll be forced to find someone who will.”
“I… what?” He gaped at her. What did Arden tell her?
“She’s walking far too comfortably today, Highness. You know exactly what I mean.”
“Exactly what are you threatening if I fail to meet your ultimatum?”
She stepped up to him, her voice low. “Arden deserves to be loved, and loved well. If you cannot do that for her, I’ve a list of men who would. Others will ask questions if there isn’t a child sooner rather than later, and I won’t have her subjected to shameful gossip. I like you, but she and I are sisters in bond. I will always favor her to you.”
“And you think I don’t understand what Arden deserves? Believe me, riyah, I’m doing the best I can.” He quelled his anger, wanting to stay on the handmaiden’s good side. “But I don’t think Arden would approve of your methods for ensuring the family line.”
She lifted her chin and sniffed. “Then I suggest you make them unnecessary.”
“Is that all?”
With a stiff nod, she brushed past him and hopped out of the wagon, her pleasant smile firmly back in place. “Thank you for your attention, Your Majesty. Safe journey to the both of you.” A deep curtsy later, and she rejoined the party seeing them off.
He sighed, already exhausted. Far too many people were invested in his bedroom activities. Was it always that way with nobility? None overtly spoke of it, yet it seemed to matter more than any other thing that might occupy their time. He shook his head and dismissed i
t for the moment. There was a journey to be had, and ruminating on relationship issues wasn’t going to get it started any faster.
He passed Vennic on his way back to his horse, his eyebrow arched in a question Darius wasn’t about to answer at that moment. Waving it off, he mounted up beside Arden, meeting her smile with one of his own.
“Shall we, asahana?”
That familiar blush crept into her cheeks, triggered by his nickname for her. “Lead the way, kendala,” she murmured as she adjusted her position in her saddle.
The word settled over him with a warmth to drive out the last of winter’s bite. He tried to freeze the memory of her that way, looking out to the road, a healthy glow to her cheeks and hope in her eyes. He wouldn’t say that he’d ever been a dewy-eyed youth, and he relished seeing what he lacked in her. A moment more, and he flicked the reins. With luck, new memories awaited him in the days to come.
Chapter 17
Arden
The closer it got to sunset, the more nervous she became.
Arden was fine at lunch, mostly. A bit sore from the hours of riding, but not terribly so. When they stopped to water the horses mid-afternoon, that was when she started to worry. Her legs were a bit wobbly, but she managed to cover it up easily enough. She smiled through it and pretended she was fine.
When they neared the first campsite, she wiggled her toes in an effort to get the blood flowing in her feet again. She was determined to power through it, not about to be a burden to everyone. A few men had ridden ahead with Vennic to start setting up camp before the rest arrived, and she was more than a little relieved to see several tents already up and a fire built in the center. Darius secured his horse, then came back to retrieve her.
Don’t fall. Don’t fall. Don’t fall.
He held out a hand, reaching up to catch her waist with the other. She smiled and took the offer, begging her body to hold on for a few minutes more. Gritting her teeth, she pulled her leg over the side and slid down.
DON’T. FALL.
She locked her knees into place and refused to falter. Fortunately, her landing was propped up by Darius’s strong frame, pressed close to her as she stared up at him in mild surprise.
“Sure you’re all right?” he asked with a wink.
She grimaced and lightly pushed him away. “I’m perfectly fine, thank you.”
“It’s not an easy adjustment to make, this constant riding.”
Lifting her chin, she sniffed a little. “Not eight months ago, I rode back and forth between the surrounding villages and Aerenhall all day on my own, several times a week. I might be a little out of practice since then, but I’m hardly a novice, kendala.”
He released her hand with a chuckle and a shrug. “Then, by all means, Your Highness,” he bowed low, sweeping a hand towards their tent, “your palace awaits.”
Her hips and thighs protested every movement, but she refused to walk bow-legged. She was sure she looked incredibly stiff as she minced her way through the encampment, but her cloak likely hid the worst of it. Pushing aside the tent flap, she frowned at the pallet of furs spread out for their bed. The moment she was down, she knew she wouldn’t be able to get up until sunrise.
“Tired already?” he murmured in her ear, and she jumped.
She batted him away and continued her assessment of the accommodations. Her trunk was off to one side, which would do better to sit on than the bed as far as getting back up went, but a few other things sat atop it, such as maps, a water skein, cups, and…
“What’s that stick for?” she asked, confused by the one-inch thick piece of wood.
Darius choked. “Vennic!” He yelled over his shoulder. “Not funny!”
A single laugh returned from outside as Darius stepped past and removed the item, tossing it into camp. “Sorry. His idea of a joke. A poor one. I think he’s spent too much time with Ehlren.”
“What’s the joke?”
He waved it off and walked backwards towards the wagon. “Never mind it. I’ll get dinner.”
At a loss for what to do with herself, she wandered the interior, studying the infrastructure of the tent. It wasn’t put together the way she was used to seeing, the domed roof braced by two long, curved poles crossed in an X at the center rather than a square frame. Even the stays were tied differently than the tents they set up in Aerenhall for the wounded and displaced. Perhaps it was an elvish construction, as theirs had all been human-made. It seemed much more efficient, and left the inside more spacious.
“It’s an Ansere’th design,” Darius said, handing her a plate of fire-roasted meat and root vegetables, a hunk of bread resting on top. “They’re faster to set up and pack smaller. The poles are hollow sections, strung together by cord. When pulled taut, they arc together like this. Let out the slack, and they collapse for easy folding.”
She shifted her weight, uncomfortable on her feet. “That’s a brilliant idea. Far better than what I’ve seen before.”
She picked up the bread and took a bite from it, surprisingly famished, but still reluctant to plant herself anywhere. He watched with keen interest, but she ignored him.
“Why don’t we sit?” he asked. “I think I heard the men talking about a card game after dinner, and Vennic brought his lute. We could join them when we’re done.”
Stars take him, he was trying to call her bluff, but she wasn’t about to admit defeat. “Sounds lovely,” she said with a bright smile.
He took her plate and motioned for her to sit. Trapped, she picked her way to the pallet and lowered herself to her knees, careful that her cloak hid most of her awkward descent. Finally, she managed to seat herself with legs straight out in front of her, head tilted up at him as she held out a hand for her food, the other firmly braced behind her.
His damnable smirk didn’t fade so much as widen, but he didn’t say a word.
“So,” she picked at her food with one hand, her plate on her lap, “tomorrow we reach Haveniem, yes? The pits of Corvath the Unyeilding?”
“Correct.”
After taking several bites of carrot, she waved her fork at him. “Is it true, the legend about his third wife tossing him into one?”
“The descendants swear it is, but it isn’t as though they ever found a body to prove it.” Darius took a long drink of water. “Not that anyone’s made it to the bottom to check, but I think it’s a fair assumption to say more than one body’s gone down that way with no one the wiser.”
“You’ve been there before?”
The cup paused halfway to his lips. “Yes, but it’s not a very nice story.”
She chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. “Who’d you toss in?”
He choked on water, nearly dousing his food with wet spray. “What makes you think I—”
A look from her was enough to prompt his heavy sigh. “Fair enough. A rather nasty slaver by the name of Yarrold. He’d been rounding up Genda’ri in the northeast and shipping them over to Danumbar. I tracked him to Haveniem and demanded he cease all operations and return to Elonva for trial.”
“And he refused?”
“Quite violently, yes.” He stabbed at a potato. “He lost his footing, and I lost my best knife at the time. All things considered, I felt it was an even trade.”
Her face bunched up as she studied him, not quite sold on the story.
“You don’t believe me?”
She shrugged a shoulder and picked at her food. “Stories are stories. There’s hardly anyone around to refute what you say.”
He chuckled. “You can always ask Ehlren when you see him again.”
“Hardly an impartial party.”
Setting his fork down, he gave her the most curious look. “You honestly doubt me, don’t you?”
“Well…” She wrinkled her nose apologetically. “Maybe a little.”
“You think I’d lie to y
ou?”
She cringed. “I wouldn’t say lie, exactly. Embellish, maybe, but not lie, no.”
“Why?”
She blinked. “Why what?”
“Don’t you think I’m capable of being a violent brute?”
He sounded almost… insulted? It was very confusing. “Honestly, I…” She sighed. “No. I can’t see it. I’ve heard stories about you, of course, but once I met you…” Her words seemed to be doing more harm than good, judging by his pinched expression. “That just isn’t who I see when I look at you, I guess. You’re too…” She dropped her gaze to her plate, poking at the meat.
“Too what?”
She smiled softly to herself, but couldn’t look at him. “Too careful. I can’t imagine you being out of control of any situation.”
It was silent a moment, but then she heard him choke on a laugh. Within seconds he laughed so loudly she thought perhaps he didn’t understand her properly.
“That wasn’t meant as a joke,” she grumbled at him.
“And that’s exactly why it’s funny.” He wiped a tear from his eyes. “Asahana, I must apologize. You’ve been utterly, completely fooled.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Put a sword in my hand and point me in the direction of a monster, and there’s no question about my confidence.” He brandished his fork in the air, then waved it to a stop in front of her. “Put me in front of pages of laws and judgments needing signed and land disputes to settle, and you might as well have a dog make the decisions. If I’m any good as king, it’s only because I have excellent instincts when it comes to advisors. Anyone that tells you otherwise can be our new court fool.”
She pushed his fork away with hers and smirked at him. “Then I suppose it’s a very good thing I’m happy to give you orders.”
He met her grin and leaned in. “Only if you’re able to stand when you give them.”
Tempered Hearts (Hearts of Valentia Book 1) Page 16