“Do you ever regret it?” Sebastian asked, quite suddenly breaking the silence.
“Highness?” he asked, not having a clue what he was talking about.
“Please, Jared. It’s just you and me. Pretend as though I was nothing more than your little brother.”
Jared laughed. “A tall order, Prince. But as you were, effectively, my little brother for fifteen years, I think I can manage it. Do I ever regret what?”
“Volunteering to be my bodyguard? Accepting such a heavy responsibility?”
“It is a responsibility I love,” Jared said quickly, still not sure what Sebastian was after. Would he be asked to stand down now, after five years of faithful service?
“I don’t doubt that, Jared. But does it ever seem like too much?”
Jared laughed. “Not until lately, Sebastian, with you not getting any sleep and me standing guard while you walk the rooftops.”
Sebastian gave a snort of laughter that didn’t seem to hold much humor. They pulled the horses away from the water and walked them around a little more to cool them.
“Seriously, though, being a royal bodyguard is a great honor. And yes, a heavy responsibility. But I’d much rather be protecting you than Prince Edward. Do you know my father was King Isaiah’s bodyguard for many years?”
“Yes. Master Jabari told me so many times.”
“He overcame great odds to do so, considering he came to these shores as a slave, and had to fight people’s fear of his foreign ways and the color of his skin. But he won your father’s respect and friendship, and a place of respect among the people of Fair Haven.”
“And he won Mother Bette’s heart, and along came you....”
Sebastian’s tone was one of boredom, but Jared spied the half-smirk on the prince’s lips. “Yes, and everything was fine until a certain brat was plucked out of the sea and thrust into my father’s care.”
Sebastian had a real smile then, but only for a moment. “Sometimes I wish it had never changed.”
“You’d go back to mucking out stalls?” Jared asked in disbelief. “Grooming horses and feeding dogs?”
“In a heartbeat, Jared. Would you give up the guard for an advisory position?”
“I see your point. King Isaiah offered my father a defense ministry position, and he refused. I probably would, too.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t refuse the kingship. Or can I?”
“And leave the kingdom to Edward? I should hope not.”
“I suppose you’re right. Edward is much too full of himself to make a good king. But I don’t know what makes people think I’d do any better.”
“You are a far better man than Edward, and once things settle down, I think you will see it won’t be so bad. And when you choose yourself a wife from all these lovely—”
Sebastian turned on him so fast, Jared took an inadvertent step back, bumping into his horse and sending it skittering off a couple paces.
“Don’t,” Sebastian said, and Jared heard real anger in his voice. “I don’t want to hear any more talk about wives or these nuisance women. At all.”
Jared opened his mouth to apologize, then thought better of it. Sebastian’s response had been so unexpected and vehement that he was unsure how to proceed. He could think of nothing more to say, and decided if the prince wished to continue a conversation, he would do so.
No more words were exchanged, even when the two other guard members Master Jabari sent caught up with them. The rest of the afternoon and into the evening was spent in silence, as they rode aimlessly across the moors, ending up on some nameless cliffs overlooking the ocean.
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Instead of going to her room to pack, Mari found herself seated with the other luncheon guests. She chose a place near the end of a long trestle table near the door, as far from her family as she could get. Even though it meant being squeezed between a very boisterous squire and a pair of unruly young siblings, and there was very little food left on the platters by the time they reached her.
She found she didn’t have much stomach for food at the moment. She was still lost in confusion over what Princess Katrona had said to her in the courtyard.
The words had been quiet, but clearly reached her over the hubbub.
“As you love your country and its king, stay in Fair Haven. Your goodness will be its salvation. Please, do not leave.”
At first, Mari had thought the princess was speaking to someone else, but when she looked up, their eyes met. Where the words alone would not, the urgency and gravity in her voice and expression had convinced Mari to stay. At least for lunch, after which she could go to the convent and ask the princess what she had meant.
The meal was interminably long and strange, though Mari admittedly had little experience with such functions.
This feast had been prepared as the first of many to celebrate and prepare for the upcoming coronation. But the guest of honor—the crown prince—did not make an appearance. The royal family made no mention of his absence, but plenty of speculation ran rampant among the guests.
“Did you see him ride out of here?” the squire beside her asked in a stage whisper. “Like he had a squad of demons after him. He was afraid of something.”
“Afraid of what?” protested a narrow woman, whose long teeth set in a long face gave her an equine look. “I thought he looked distraught. And who wouldn’t be, with their father fresh in the grave....”
“Distraught?” The squire laughed. “Like a woman? I doubt our Prince Sebastian is so weak.”
The narrow woman huffed, ready to bluster into a reply, but a waspish looking man of some minor rank interrupted her.
“Up table, they’re saying the prince was angry about some woman’s behavior. It’s hard to imagine what a single one of these young ladies might have said or done to trigger such a display, but I understand he spoke with one of them at some length after the ceremony.”
Mari realized he was referring to her. She glanced across the room, caught her sister watching her, and looked away quickly, furious that Rochelle would stoop to such lows.
“Perhaps it was the earthquake,” offered the squire. Several ladies gasped at the memory, and the two siblings squealed. “I personally think that was an omen. There’s supposed to be some sort of hermit in the hills around here with the power of divination. Perhaps the prince has sought him out for advice.”
“A good omen, or a bad one, do you think?” asked the waspish man.
“Something that terrifying cannot be good,” the narrow woman said. “I’ve never been more frightened in all my life.”
“Certainly an odd event,” the waspish man added. “I don’t recall ever hearing about such a thing in the Bonnie Isles.”
“Neither have I,” said the woman. “I’m sure I would have remembered a story like that.”
“I’ve never been in an earthquake before,” said the squire. “Here, that is. But once, when I was overseas, the earth shook like that, only much worse, and the ground cracked wide open....” Well into his cups, the squire’s voice rose as he flung his arms wide, causing Mari to duck to avoid being bruised.
At that point, Mari stopped listening and wondered if she could slip away without notice instead. The luncheon, which had started before noon, had lasted well into the afternoon, with everyone hoping Prince Sebastian would return.
In their boredom, the siblings sitting beside her had escalated from pinching each other to kicking each other, and their mother was growing more frantic as she tried to control them. The squire continued crashing against her as he told his expansive tales.
Finally, Mari stood and excused herself, leaving the room without looking back to see the stares and closing her ears to the shocked whispers.
⇜⊂⊃⊂⊃⊂⊃⇝
“Look at her go,” Adam sighed as he leaned over to whisper to Aslynn. “Lady Mari has more courage than any of the fools in this room. Present company excluded, of course, as we are not fools.”
Aslynn sighed, too. “I don’t suppose we should wait any longer. Sebastian has obviously decided not to attend. What are we going to do to entertain all these people?”
“That’s hardly your worry, my dear. I’m sure there’s a minister of something or other handling everything.”
“Yes, well, that’s an awfully high-handed attitude, Adam,” Aslynn said, looking at her husband in annoyance.
“It’s an honest one. Wasn’t it the Minister of Justice’s idea to wait a week before the coronation? Let him handle it.”
“Waiting a week is tradition. It’s supposed to be a celebration, with dancing, the marketplace fair, plays....”
“There, you see. There are things to do, and someone to see to it. I want to know what you think of Mari of Dewbury.”
Aslynn glared at Adam, but let him change the subject. “Playing matchmaker, are we? You’re as bad as the rest of them, Adam.”
“If by ‘them’ you mean the ones foisting all these would-be queens off on your brother, I beg to differ. I, at least, know how to pick a good woman.”
Aslynn laughed like a child, still pleased by even the vaguest compliment from her husband. “One success and it goes to your head,” she said, and kissed him on the cheek. “This one is a little young, isn’t she?”
“She’s sixteen. Older than you when we first met.”
“Yes, but you were only eighteen. There’s four years between her and Sebastian.”
“That’s not so large a gap. Nothing a little time won’t fix. I’ve known Mari her whole life, and she’s everything she appears. Smart, courteous, thoughtful, imaginative, beautiful....” Here, Aslynn cleared her throat rather too noisily to be ladylike. “If you like redheads, of course. I much prefer brunettes, myself.”
Aslynn smiled and this time, accepted his kiss on the cheek. “You mentioned her father’s health. I hadn’t realized Baron Tidwell was ill, just that he never comes to court.”
“Do you remember your history? About twenty-five years ago, an upstart earl on the other side of the island decided he would try a military coup to wrest the kingdom from your father. He was just newly crowned and the earl thought he had a chance.” Aslynn nodded as the story emerged from her memory. “King Isaiah mobilized the defense forces and quelled the uprising. Very little blood was spilled, but Baron Tidwell was lanced in his leg and thrown from his horse. The wound never healed right, and though he was able to manage it and still walk and ride for a while, time has done more damage and age has taken its toll. He has been unable to walk for years.”
“Oh dear. And Lady Mari cares for him?”
“She started helping her grandmother with him when she was eight, then all on her own once her grandmother grew too infirm. Her grandmother died almost a year ago now. The Baroness would rather he just die, and Lady Rochelle simply can’t be bothered.”
“How awful.” Aslynn thought again of the young woman she had been introduced to, and understood her shy demeanor better. But perhaps she was a little too timid....
“Well, adversity builds character, as they say. She’d make a fine match for our crown prince.”
Before Aslynn could form a reply, the Minister of Justice approached them. “My lord and lady? We have had no word of the prince. I’m afraid he will not be attending.”
Aslynn elbowed her husband before he could make an obvious remark. “Just so, Minister Hiatt. What do you suggest?”
“The marketplace is set up. With your permission, I will make the announcement.”
“As you will, Minister.”
The minister bowed and turned to the diners, who had quieted when they saw the exchange. “Ladies and gentlemen, the marketplace fair is open for your amusement. Please, attend and enjoy.”
Adam remained seated. “Judging by the speed with which they are leaving, I’d say that announcement was overdue.”
Aslynn wasn’t really listening to his glib assessment. “I wonder where he is.”
Chapter Four
In the quiet stone chapel of Saint Catharine, inside the convent of the Sisters of Charity, Mari waited to speak to Princess Katrona. Echoing through the corridors, she could hear the choir singing, and the peaceful sound soothed her.
Several minutes passed before a nun returned to the room, her habit swirling around her legs as she came to a stop. “Lady Mari, I apologize, but Sister Katrona is deep in prayer and cannot be disturbed. Can anyone else be of help?”
Mari was momentarily taken aback. She had assumed the princess would see her. “No, I.... Do you know how long?”
The nun shook her head. “She is not responsive, Lady. She could be involved for hours.”
“Oh! Well, it’s not that important, I suppose. If she.... Ah, never mind. Thank you for your kindness, Sister.”
Mari turned to go, realizing she would have to make the decision whether to stay on her own. Princess Katrona had not ordered her to stay—an order she would not have refused—but her statement was enough. She only questioned her part in whatever events were unfolding. How could she play such an important role?
As she passed through the inner door, she saw a nun speaking to a hooded woman standing outside the outer door. Their conversation seemed urgent. Mari tried to hurry past without eavesdropping, but the woman reached out and snagged the sleeve of her dress.
Surprised, Mari stopped. The woman said no words, only turned to her. Mari could not see her face under the hood, but she assumed the woman was studying her.
“My lady?” she asked after a moment.
The woman didn’t answer, but let go of her sleeve and made a vague dismissive gesture. Mari continued on her way, feeling clouded and, for some reason, a little dirty. She said a quick blessing for the stranger, and went away.
⇜⊂⊃⊂⊃⊂⊃⇝
The hooded woman flinched as the girl walked away. She scowled and made a mental note to find out who she was. There was something...good about her that just didn’t sit well.
She realized the nun was waiting patiently for her to return to their conversation.
“Where were we?” she said briskly.
“I was telling you that Sister Katrona is not available to visitors, Lady.”
“Oh, yes. And this is because...?”
“She is in prayer, and cannot be disturbed.”
The hooded woman almost ordered the nun to disturb her, but restrained herself. “May I wait for her?”
The nun paused a moment, frowning. The hooded woman thought she might actually refuse outright. What she said, though, was hardly the invitation she needed. It was almost a challenge.
“Enter, if you may.”
The hooded woman knew better than to try. Someone of her...religious orientation could not enter a holy place without a direct, sincere invitation to cross the threshold. Something was warning this aged cow of a nun that this visitor should not receive such a welcome.
“I’ve reconsidered. I will come again on my next visit.” With that, she turned swiftly, her cloak swirling around her, and left.
These cursed nuns and their clarity of vision, she thought. I’ll just need to find another way to get an invitation inside.
⇜⊂⊃⊂⊃⊂⊃⇝
Inside the Chapel of the Virgin, Katrona lay prostrate on the floor, her arms flung out to each side, her forehead pressed against the cool stones.
Her lips moved in silent prayer, seeking to drive out the voice of memory.
“My heiress...,” she heard again. She whimpered, losing focus on the prayer. Too late, she realized her simple spell for fire had given this mental poison access to her mind. The Ley energy—the source for magic in this earthly realm—was a vast pool of unbiased power that, if tapped, created a channel. She now understood the channel flowed both ways, making her vulnerable to whatever or whoever else was tapping into it.
Katrona shifted to reciting a prayer learned by rote in her first year at the convent. It was simple enough to repeat, even with distractions, yet strong enou
gh to help her regain her focus and clarity of thought.
Clarity she needed, for how could she do what must be done if she could not maintain her focus?
⇜⊂⊃⊂⊃⊂⊃⇝
Mari couldn’t sleep. Upon returning to her room after visiting the convent, she had taken a short nap, but as darkness closed in, she awoke.
Still unsure of whether she should stay as Princess Katrona asked, she looked at the wardrobe she had brought. There was only her travel dress and the dress she’d originally made for her grandmother’s funeral, which she wore at the king’s wake. Having not expected to stay, she had packed lightly.
If she stayed, what would she do for clothing? She could hardly wear funeral garb for coronation festivities, but how embarrassing to attend every event in the same utilitarian dress.
Mari gave up thinking about it. Instead, she brought out the long leather case she never left behind and headed up onto the castle roof. Once there, she opened the lined, shock-resistant case and gently lifted out a spyglass.
It was an old glass, well used and abused before it came into Mari’s hands, but she couldn’t complain. Lord Wingfield had found it washed up on the shore and had given it to her as a birthday gift. It had needed some polishing to clear the lens, but all the trouble was worth it, for now she had a distance glass with which to view her favorite subjects, the nightly heavens. Back at Dewbury, charts of the stars she had painstakingly made herself over countless nights of stargazing were tucked among her father’s bookshelves, safe from her sister’s ceaseless prying.
Her father, bless him, had a hard time sleeping due to the pain in his leg, and Mari had to be awake to hear his calls during the night. When her grandmother had been able, she had taken the day shift to watch her son, and Mari had trained herself to stay awake during the nights. When Grandmother grew too infirm, and then died, the task was left to Mari alone. Dewbury being such a small estate, they had no extra money to keep a full time nurse.
So Mari had developed a routine which worked often enough. She would sleep in naps during the day, when her mother or sister could wake her when she was needed, and she stayed up nights listening for the bell her father used to summon her.
To Make a King Page 3