by Auryn Hadley
Dario took the lamp from her hands. "Well, when you were about twelve, I wanted to knock you into the mud, but it was a phase. You'd just figured out that you were a woman, or were about to be, and tried to mimic all those noble ladies while still playing childish games."
She sucked in a breath. "I remember that! I ordered you to put a cloak over the mud so my horse's feet wouldn't..." Leyli groaned. "Dad whipped me for that, you know. Told me if I treated my staff like slaves then he'd show me what it felt like."
He grinned. "Good, you deserved it. But you're not a brat anymore. Before you disappeared, you were quiet. Now?" He looked behind her. "I like this Princess a lot more. It's why I asked to come."
Leyli held up her hand. "That surprise comes tomorrow."
He grinned. "Well, let me know and I'll make a show of it. Leyli, I want to become the Master of Horse after my dad. My sister wants to be a seamstress. My little brother wants to be a gladiator." He shrugged. "He's eleven. We know the King can't really say anything without shaming Alain. Even if he could, I'd go from being a minor lord's boy to being a bastard. I think he did pretty good by us." He tilted his head. "Milk the cows, sister. I'll get my revenge tomorrow."
"That's what everyone says."
Astrid, pulled her into the stall. "Because you've never done this. Here's the stool. Blackie's a good girl; she won't kick at you. Just reach under here and gently - that's her tits - pull the fluid out."
Leyli tried, and she got milk, but right across her chest. The men laughed, but Astrid just showed her how to aim. Eventually, the Princess figured out how to get the milk out of the cow and into the pail. By the time she finished the first side, her muscles were shaking. After the second, she thought she'd never stand straight again. Then Astrid proved just how feeble her attempt was on the second cow. Whitey refused to stand still, but Tristan's sister didn't care. In a quarter of the time it took Leyli, she had the pail full and didn't look tired in the least.
"Can you do it?" she asked Tristan.
He shook his head. "Oh no. Did my time as a boy. Now you'll tip more for milk, huh?"
Leyli leaned back against him. "Yeah. I'm going to bet there's no masseuse in Matinglen."
"Just me. Aren't you glad I spent so much time with Petya?" With a chuckle he grabbed the pails. "Don't burn the barn down!" He called to the men. "Practice starts at dawn, and one of you gets to show my sister how to hold a weapon."
"Might be worth getting up that early," Armando called down. "Just don't tell my wife I was looking."
"I'll kill you before she will."
Astrid slapped his arm lightly. "Looking is free. It's the touching that costs gold rings."
From the loft one of the men chuckled. "I love Lenlochlien. We should come here more often."
Chapter 24
For the first time in her life, Leyli enjoyed a family dinner. The four of them sat around the table sharing stories and laughing. She learned that she liked mutton and loved pie. The glass of fresh milk was the perfect treat to end the wonderful day. When Astrid and Estelle headed to the master bedroom to sleep, Tristan invited her up to the loft.
That night, she loved her man in the bed he grew up in, barely remembering to pull on a shirt - his because it was closest - before falling asleep wrapped around him. She slept deeper than she had in months, her worries vanishing with the miles. She woke to the sound of a man's voice, but it wasn't enough to convince her to open her eyes.
"Tristan?" The man did not sound pleased.
Her pillow relaxed, then pulled the blankets across her body. "Morning, Brice. I'll be right down." A moment later he kissed her head. "Go back to sleep, it's just my brother."
She murmured and rolled onto her back, pulling him closer for one last kiss. "It's after dawn."
"And Astrid already milked the cows. This is your holiday, remember?"
"Yeah. Is porridge any good?"
He chuckled. "I'll see if Mama can make some."
Tugging on a pair of pants, he grabbed his shirt and went downstairs still holding it. The loft didn't do anything to stop the sound of voices. Even Leyli could hear that Tristan's brother didn't seem overly happy to see him.
"What is that shit?" he hissed. "You come home and tumble some whore in Ma's house?"
Leyli decided it might be time to get out of bed. She found a pair of pants and pulled them on, keeping the shirt. It was long enough she could claim it as decent.
"She's not a whore," Estelle said, stepping out of her room, trying to keep her voice down. "Tristan, you think sounds don't travel in this house?"
He chuckled. "Ley wanted to know if porridge is any good."
Astrid's giggle joined his. "I'll make it. I like her, Tris'."
"Me too."
Brice grunted. "Figured that out when the wench is wrapped around you half naked. And you all naked."
"Hush," Estelle snapped. "I will not have you calling the Princess a wench or whore. And you, Tristan. I don't care what title you have, I'm tempted to march you straight to the King, myself, and make you beg his forgiveness. I'd be shocked if he didn't take your head for shaming his daughter."
Leyli paused to lean against the wall, watching the show. "Dad would rather you didn't make a show of it. Causes some awkwardness in court."
Brice turned, sucked in a breath, then bowed. "Princess Leylani, it's a pleasure."
"Considering I'm fucking your brother, I think we can leave off with the formalities, hm?" She smiled to take off the sting. "I'd rather that didn't make it to the guards, though. They would give him grief."
Tristan poked his little sister. "You don't seem shocked at all."
"She hinted." Astrid flipped a hand back. "She's also your type. Much better than Celeste."
"The miller's daughter," Leyli said proudly. "So she has a name?"
Tristan pointed at her. "Don't start, Ley."
She lifted her hands. "Your sister's on my side. Means you've already lost."
"Fine. Then I'll make sure to take it out on you in training."
"Yes, sir." Leyli walked into the kitchen, patting Brice's shoulder as she passed. "I brought a present for you. Tristan, see if Dario will do the thing?"
"Change shirts before you come out."
She smiled. "No. I like this one."
He move before her. "Please, Ley?"
"Ashamed?"
"Mama's not done chewing my ass. Brice will be next. Astrid's the only one that's going to cheer me on. I certainly do not want to listen to Temotio's gloating." He grabbed her arms. "Just let me save a little pride?"
"Ok, but there's no ladies out there to be impressed by your scars." She waited until he pulled on his shirt and walked out the back door before turning to his family. "I'm going to make this really simple. My dad searched through every law in Norihame history, and the best he could do was Secor. I can't marry him, but I would."
Estelle gestured to the loft. "Highness, my son may be a real sweet-talking man, but how will you explain away his bastards?"
"Hence the wedding. You see, I'm not going to be like most princesses. Doesn't matter who sires my children. They inherit royalty through me. If my legal husband wishes to keep his luxuries, he'll keep his mouth shut. I have three willing to do just that for a portion of my wealth and the title of Prince Consort."
Crossing her arms, Estelle clenched her jaw, weighing Leyli's words. "What about my boy?"
"He gets to be king. Oh, they'll never call him that, but it won't take long before it's well known. No one can strip his position from him, not even my father. Tristan can only retire or die as Secor. Didn't you wonder why I don't have a maid? I don't need one with him." She shrugged. "It's not perfect, but neither is life in court."
"Kings have mistresses," Astrid said. "Why can't the Queen?"
Estelle huffed at her daughter. "And you'd be happy to see your brother as her..." She tossed her hands up. "Whatever you call a woman's adulterous lover."
"See, Mama, there's not even a wo
rd for it. Tristan is happier than I can ever remember. There's no way he would have risen this high otherwise."
"Actually," Leyli said, "he did. Dad named him Secor after seeing us fight together." She gestured to the yard. "He's good. You should watch him train."
Brice sighed and pulled out a chair at the kitchen table. "He got beat up pretty bad in the games."
Leyli nodded. "They aren't meant to be fair. His last fight? They locked a chain around his ankle and left him in the center of the arena. They did not give him a weapon before turning twenty five veteran gladiators loose on him."
Estelle sucked in a breath and pressed her hands over her mouth. Astrid sighed and nodded. "So he would've died?"
Leyli nodded. "Yeah, that's exactly what they wanted. For as long as I've known him, Tristan's always talked about his family. He's proud of you all, and the only thing he ever wanted was to make your life easier. He thought being a blacksmith would help, but he says he was pretty bad at it."
"He kinda was," Brice admitted.
A sound made Leyli look up. A moment later, the door opened. "Dario's ready, Ley, and you're still in my shirt."
She grinned. "Then you show your brother while I find one."
Tristan's brow wrinkled for a moment, then he nodded. "Brice, I can't take the farm, you know that, right?"
Leyli hurried, racing up the ladder to find the first tunic that would cover her. She pulled off Tristan's, then yanked it over her head, climbing down before they'd even made it though the door. Tristan guided his brother outside with one hand while pointing with the other. Leyli hit the floor, tucking the tunic into her loose belt, and lifted her chin for the women to follow.
"You don't want to miss this," she said.
The Lyone family clustered on the back step as the guards pulled the barn doors open. With a single yell, the sound of thunder rumbled out, followed by a pair of massive horses in harness. Perfectly in step, the blacks made an impressive sight. Both mares arched into the harness, their feet digging in hard.
"Wow," Brice breathed. "You know what I could do with a team like that?"
"No," Leyli said, moving behind him. "What could you do?"
"Plow the entire field in a week. Put the whole property into crops." He chuckled. "They're beautiful, Highness."
"The Master of Horse says they're bred. Both mares are in foal to my best hitch stallion. The babies won't pull quite as hard, but Alain was aiming for carriage horses. Would probably make a nice team for hauling crops, though."
Tristan chuckled as Dario spun the team and halted them just behind the house. "They're nice, Ley. You sure know horses." He tossed her a knowing smile.
"I heard Astrid say things have been tight." Leyli looked at the girl and shrugged. "Tristan worried about the same thing. They're work horses, and the style has fallen out of favor in Oberhame. I figure maybe they could do something besides eat their heads off. Brice, they're yours, if you want them."
He spun, his mouth falling open. "Why? I mean..."
She smiled to show she understood. "Because I've met a lot of people in my life, and none more deserving than you all. I could sell them, at a loss, to someone who would work them until they drop, or I can give them to you and know that my Secor's family gets something back from a stupid law my family never thought to change."
"The debtor sales?" Astrid asked.
Leyli nodded. "We've never known anyone that suffered for it. Until I stepped on those sands, I thought everyone in the games was a criminal or volunteer. Most people do. I'm trying to change it."
Brice was still stunned. "I don't know how to manage horses, Highness."
"Leyli," she corrected. "The man holding the reins? That's Dario, my brother. He's offered to stay as long as you need to make sure you can harness, unharness, and control them. Oh, and there's a flat bed wagon in the barn, too, kinda comes with them."
Like his brother had so many times, Brice wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet in a bear hug. Then he gasped and set her down. Tristan chuckled and patted his shoulder.
"She likes it, don't worry."
So Brice grabbed her again. "Thank you, Leyli. I've been trying to figure out how to manage without forcing my mother to work and keeping Astrid chained to the farm. Until my boy is old enough, I couldn't think of anything."
She gently pushed him toward the team. "Go play. They're fresh, and Dario is excited to let you try them."
With a grin, he pulled her close one last time. "I'm sorry I called you a whore."
Leyli just hugged him back. "It's a common mistake, I'm used to it." She couldn't stop grinning. "Enjoy them, and if you decide to sell the foals, let me know. I think your local Lord might be interested in their lines. I can send a recommendation."
"Leyli," Estelle said, lightly touching her arm. "Do you know what this means for us?"
"Tristan told me. Two horses are easy to feed. The work they can do means you can retire to worry about your grandchildren, and Astrid can start living her own life."
That's when Edwyn jogged over. "Highness? The guys want to head into town to get a few things. Mainly beer. Dario said he could hitch the wagon, show Brice how to drive, and we could all ride in, country style, if you're willing?"
Astrid grabbed her arm. "We could go shopping!"
"Dario?" Leyli asked. "Is it a problem?"
"No, Highness. Easiest way to teach him is to show him, so I'd be hitching them anyways. Also doesn't hurt a man to show off a bit." He patted one of the mares. "Will take about half an hour to get everything ready, though."
Tristan grumbled, "Gives her time to get dressed in something proper."
"No," Leyli said. "Not proper. It's a country outing, no need for uniforms. Get pretty, men, because I don't want to be a walking side show while looking for a wedding dress." She grinned and turned to Astrid. "Willing to help me fit in?"
"Oh yeah," she agreed, turning to her brother. "You stay here. I know how to do this, and have no interest in you standing over me while I get dressed."
"Half an hour," he warned his sister. "That means nothing excessive for either of you, or the wagon will leave without you."
Astrid grabbed Leyli's hand. "Deal. C'mon, I know just the thing!"
Chapter 25
Giggling, the girls climbed into the loft and started pulling out dresses. Leyli was entranced with the beautiful simplicity of Astrid's clothes. The fine fabrics and ornate cut of Leyli's dresses were like nothing Astrid had seen. Being so close to the same size, it didn't take long before the girls decided to swap. Astrid also claimed the right to fix Leyli's hair. When she finished that, she let Leyli in on her secret.
"Tristan has a weakness for this style," she whispered. "Since you can pull it off, let's make sure he's drooling."
Well before the wagon was ready, the girls were done. Together, they headed into the back yard. The men were clustered around the barn, each of them in a loose fitting shirt, a pair of swords belted at their hips - one turned for the Princess to reach if needed. Their pants fit a little too well, their shirts emphasized the muscles earned from so many hours training, and each of them looked like a Prince on vacation.
Astrid sighed her approval. "Leyli, your guards are very handsome."
"Your brother picked them." She turned to her friend and grinned. "Wouldn't shock me at all if he also mentioned that those tight pants will impress the ladies."
Astrid nodded. "Consider me impressed."
While they watched, Temotio tapped Tristan's shoulder, then subtly pointed in their direction. Tristan turned, then paused. His eyes found hers across the yard, and his mouth twitched, wanting to smile but too shocked to make it work. Beside him, Temotio chuckled, then shoved on his back, propelling him forward.
"Ley," he muttered, walking closer. "I don't have enough swords to fight off the entire town."
She looked at Astrid. "I think he approves."
Astrid gestured to the wagon, where Dario was buckling the last li
nes on. "I don't think you have enough time to tumble her in the loft, Tris'. Guess you're going to have to daydream."
"Highness?" Dario called. "We're ready."
Leyli walked to the middle of the yard. "Men? Can we all agree on just one thing for the rest of the week? Can we leave the titles and formality at court, and just be some friends enjoying vacation?" She pointed at Dario. "He's just my brother." Then Temotio. "And I'm not even sure you can say my name."
From the side, Edwyn chuckled and crossed his arms. "All Hail Princess Leylani Meridia Aravatti, the Wolf of Oberhame and heir to the throne of Norihame. Yeah, I'm pretty good at it."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Sure, now try the other one."
"I can do that one, too, Leyli." He grinned.
Dario patted the wagon. "Everyone up! Claim your lady and help her into the back."
They all moved to the end. Temotio climbed in first, then Tristan grabbed Leyli's waist and lifted her up. Temotio caught her hand and made sure she was steady. When Tristan turned to Astrid, Dario beat him, politely ducking his head before swinging her into the back. Temotio was grinning as he made sure she had her balance.
"Guess you can't hoard them all," he teased.
Dario chuckled. "My sister; his." He stepped toward Tristan. "Without a sword, I think you'd have a hard time kicking my ass."
The two men were of a similar size. Dario was slightly smaller, but not by much. They shared a look, something passing between them, then Tristan nodded. "Problem is, I have a sword. Why don't we make sure it's not needed."
"Sounds like a plan," Dario agreed, moving to the driver's bench. "Brice, up here. Ladies sit behind us, so you don't fall out the back. We ready?"
Passing the reins to the new owner, he showed how to make the team step off. Estelle waved from the back door, then headed inside, dragging Lucien with her as the horses began to move. The first step made the wagon lurch. Without making a scene, Dario reached back and caught Astrid's arm, keeping her from sliding. The two girls shared a look, then giggled.