by Auryn Hadley
Leyli knew he was right. "So I need a tall husband." She moved closer to the pens where the men were trying to sort out the sheep. "Neither too light, nor too dark. What else?"
Horace looked over. "Lanmont's out, both on appearance and principle. Sanlien's boy? It'd be a stretch. Rochdale is possible, Moyloch and Holbeck are the best."
"What's Holbeck offering?" Temotio asked, wiping his hands on his thighs. "I know Moyloch's proposal."
"Horses," Leyli grumbled. "Twenty-five cavalry ready mounts, and his father promises his full guard and military if needed."
Gregori scratched his jaw. "Leyli, doesn't his vow of fealty already guarantee that?"
"Yeah. He's not an option."
The men traded looks, then turned to Tristan. Edwyn leaned back against the fence, making a scene of looking him over. "Did Lenlochlien make a bid?"
"No," Leyli said. "And I'm not about to go begging."
Armando asked, "Who else has an offer worth considering?"
"Bretonvale, but I'm concerned about his ties to Lanmont." She lifted her hands. "Rochdale, Moyloch, and Bretonvale are the only ones that seemed to make an effort."
"Moyloch's mother is blonde," Temotio said. "The noble family is all copper skinned. Connall's eyes are nearly green."
Gregori punched his arm lightly. "When were you looking deep into his eyes?"
"When he offered to ignore the Princess taking a lover," he shot back. "And Tristan's when he held a dagger to my face, reminding me what he would do if I let anything happen to her Highness."
Leyli pressed her face into her hands. "And now that's right out there." She turned for the house. "Talk about me behind my back."
"Ley," Tristan said, trying to catch up.
She turned and shook her head. "Get the sheep sorted. Figure it out. I just need a moment to get used to the idea of being a broodmare."
"Hey." He caught her arm, stepped closer, then palmed the back of her head. "What do you want to do?"
"Stay here, learn how to make pies, and not have to force my chin up when I look in someone's eyes."
He ducked his head. "Do you regret it already?"
"Already? Tristan, I've been a princess since I was born. I never regretted my duties because I was never given the chance to desire more." She sighed and dropped her head against his chest. "You? Never."
He caressed her hair slowly. "Do you think your father was ashamed that women fell into his bed?"
"I don't know. I do worry that you're ashamed that they're all talking as if you're the bull."
He took a long, slow breath, then lifted her face. "I'm not. They aren't. I'm embarrassed that everyone knows our business. I'm angry that none of them understand how hard it is to plan a wedding for someone you love. I'm also willing to take all of it, if it means you'll keep some poor farm boy at your side for the rest of your life, regardless of the title."
"Tristan," she whispered, looking over his shoulder. "I'll never have a man try to woo me. I'll never know what it's like to giggle at his attention. Unless we're locked away, I'll always have to treat you as my Secor."
He turned her face back to his. "Not always." Then he bent and kissed her.
Behind him, the men cheered him on. Behind her, the door to the house creaked as it opened. Somewhere, Estelle gasped, but Leyli didn't care. Her mouth curved into a smile, but he didn't stop. His lips brushed hers again, then pressed even harder until she gave in. Tristan grabbed her hips, pulling her against him, and slipped his tongue against hers with a moan in his throat.
She reeled, grabbing his shirt to keep her dignity, then tossed her other arm around his neck, pulling his head lower. He kissed her cheek, her mouth again, and her brow before chuckling softly. "I think you have a week of privacy to be a very beautiful country girl. Ley, that dress is distracting."
"What happens when you offend one of them?" She flicked her eyes to the men.
He shrugged. "You're going to be the Queen, Leyli. You'll be powerful enough to hang them for treason if they accuse you of anything improper. I chose all of them because they're known to be loyal. They aren't the best, but you don't need the best. You just need men to carry your sword."
"And you."
He nodded slowly. "I will always be here, pup. I also don't mind being your bull."
"My Lion."
"Mm." He brushed his mouth against hers one more time. "Your lover. It's a long way up from a gladiator whore. Don't ever think the two things are the same. I'm also not going to let your brother off easy because I'm in your bed."
"And Celeste?"
He pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her back. "I'll tell you all about her later. Now go be a girl while we men kill a lot of sheep." He let her go and stepped back. "I never doubted, Ley. Not once. I even tried to pretend I didn't hear her."
Chapter 27
Leyli walked into the house to faces trying to not look in her direction. Estelle followed her in a moment later. Without a word, she guided Leyli toward the chairs in their main room, then took a place beside Astrid. Leyli just sighed and rubbed at her eyes.
"I hate being a princess," she told the three women.
Estelle patted her knee. "I'm sure. Sounds like you know what you have to do, though?"
"Have to." Leyli dropped her hand, meeting the eyes of the woman who should have been her mother-in-law. "All my life, I thought this was just how things were done. I never dared to think that I could meet someone I could care about. My only purpose was to provide a pedigree and keep the nation running. I traded common emotions for wealth and luxury."
"Wanna run away?" Astrid asked, leaning closer. "Lenlochlien isn't really civilized. Pretty sure we could lose you out in the pastures somewhere."
That made a smile flicker over Leyli's lips. "I would, if it didn't mean my cousin would inherit the throne. He thinks being king means glory, not work. He's convinced that if he sits on the throne then people will do everything he wants, simply because he exists. He's never even thought about Rhia staring at our borders, drooling over the wealth of Norihame for twenty years."
Blanche was bouncing the baby on her chest, looking between the women, but finally spoke up. "So what can you do?"
"This." Leyli gestured toward the farm yard behind the house. "My bodyguard is my lover. I find a husband that will be placid and refuse to give away the power my father placed on my shoulders. I just hope that Tristan doesn't get tired of the hassle of it all."
"He won't," Estelle promised. "Not that boy. He never learned how to give up."
"It's why he won," Leyli agreed, meaning in the games.
"And lost." Estelle patted her leg again. "It's why he ended up in the games. He refused to back off when the baker threatened to sell his debt. Macsen told Tristan to stay away from Celeste, but the fool wouldn't listen. He ended up a gladiator because of it."
The air rushed out of Leyli's lungs. That made so much more sense. "Celeste's husband is who sent him to the games?"
"Yeah," Astrid said. "It's why he didn't want to tell you about it."
Slowly, methodically, Leyli drug her tongue over her teeth, her mind whirling. "I see. And how that plan backfired. Astrid, I need you to keep your brother occupied for a bit tomorrow?"
The younger girl smiled, understanding immediately. "Sure, if I can. How are you getting out of his sight?"
"Temotio can go with me. And Gregori. Maybe Armando."
Blanche pressed her hand over her mouth. "What are you going to do?"
"Buy bread." Leyli blinked her eyes over. "Offending the Heir is such a fickle thing. I plan to make it well known that my protection extends to every member of the Lyone family." Then she ducked her head at Frederic. "So that such things will never be used against him."
Blanche clutched her boy a bit tighter. "They wouldn't!"
Leyli shrugged. "Not after I make it known that you're all nearly family to me. Friends of the crown. It's the least I can do for the price of my life, but one day you
r little boy will be a young and foolish man. What if the baker has a daughter?"
Blanche gasped in horror, but Astrid grinned. "I think our family just got positioned very nicely, huh?"
"Oh, yeah," Leyli agreed. "It's one of the few privileges that comes with being heir. And who knows, you might be a minor noble soon, if Dario has anything to say about it."
Estelle's eyes went wide. "What?"
Leyli leaned closer, whispering loud enough that they could all hear easily, "My brother likes Astrid."
"So do your guards," Astrid shot back, sticking out her tongue. "Problem is that hulk of a brother of mine."
Leyli just held up her little finger. "The control is mine. You pick the man in Oberhame you want, and I'll make sure he doesn't scare him too bad."
"Deal." Then Astrid turned to her mother. "So, Mama? Wanna move to Oberhame with me? I'm gonna be a lady's maid, and I think you're gonna be the royal nurse."
Estelle looked at her daughter, then over to Leyli, stunned beyond words. "Huh?"
Astrid wasn't done, even if her method of bringing up the idea wasn't exactly polite. "You know, taking care of your grandbabies and all, since they'll be royal. I'll do her hair, you can burp the brats, and we'll all wear fancy clothes like this." She waved her hands over her borrowed dress.
"Technically, not her grandkids," Leyli grumbled. "Legally, they'll be my husband's."
"Then we'll make sure to pick you a good husband that won't complain." Astrid didn't seem concerned at all, and her attitude was infectious.
Leyli nodded. "I have one that might work. He's already agreed to say what I want, so long as he can see the royal library." Then she paused. "Oh, we'll have to teach you both to read, too!"
"Read?" Estelle asked. "At my age?"
"Tristan learned."
Astrid's mouth flopped open. "My brother can read? Write?"
"Both," Leyli assured her. "Although his hand is cramped and hard to read, he can do it."
Shooting up from the chair, Astrid scurried to the door, intent on something. She wasn't even all the way through it before she was yelling. "Tristan, you can read?"
Leyli grinned and followed, barely hearing his answer. "Yes, that's why I'm a captain of the Royal Guard."
"A Captain?" Astrid was still going, her feet moving to the sheep pens.
"It's why these men listen to me."
"Horse droppings," Dario yelled. "They listen to you because you taught a princess to be a gladiator."
"He could teach anyone," Armando teased. "Even you, Dario."
Astrid stopped, then looked at Leyli behind her. A smile caught her face before she turned back to the men. "What about me? Think I could learn well enough to protect the Princess?"
The men all stopped, most of them looking up at the delicate blonde girl standing carelessly over the slaughter. A smile began to spread over Tristan's face. "Astrid, you're brilliant."
"I am?"
Temotio nodded, wiping his hands on a cloth hanging from the rail. "We're going to need to figure out how to hide the weapons."
"Dario's sister wants to be a seamstress," Leyli pointed out. "I'm sure alterations would be a good start, and give credence to her upcoming dowry."
Astrid whipped her head between the group. "I'm lost."
It was Leyli who answered. "My cousin wants to kill me. They want to keep me alive. To be proper, I should often have my lady's maid with me. One who isn't a useless, brainless, waste of fancy cloth? Who would expect that? It means Tristan might actually get to sleep."
Gregori cleared his throat pointedly, then turned back to the sheep carcass at his feet. "Daylight hours only."
Leyli pointed at him. "You're just jealous. If you didn't shirk training sessions you might be able to go for more than ten minutes."
For a moment the men stared, shocked beyond words, then Temotio laughed. Tristan joined him a second later, closing his eyes as he shook his head. Armando just gaped, stunned to hear such a crass joke from the Princess's mouth, but Astrid giggled, wrapping her arm around Leyli's side.
"You're a Lyone," she said into Leyli's ear, "even if you can't legally take the name. I'll go to Oberhame with you, because I think it would be the most fun I've had in my life."
"Really?"
She nodded, then raised her voice. "I'm going to Oberhame, to be a lady's maid!"
The men whooped, thrilled at the news. While Tristan grinned, happy at the idea of his family close to him again, Dario just leaned back against the rail and smiled. His eyes were on the Secor, waiting. Eventually Tristan turned toward him. Dario lifted a brow, slightly, but Leyli saw. Tristan chuckled, shook his head in defeat, then lifted his hands. Not a word was said, but he'd just given Leyli's brother permission to court his little sister.
"I'm not sure I'll even know how to untangle our family line," Leyli whispered to her friend.
Astrid giggled, proving she hadn't missed the exchange, either. "Doesn't matter, does it?" She offered her hand. "Friends, Leyli. Screw titles. Screw marriages. Screw all the rules that men keep heaping on us. You and I? I think we're going to be real good friends."
"Me, too. Almost like sisters."
"Yeah."
Chapter 28
That night, they roasted a lamb in the yard. The five guards, all of the Lyone family, the carriage driver, the horseman, and the heir to the throne sat around like commoners. The men sang rowdy songs, like the kind Tristan had when they were gladiators. The women danced with any man who asked, ignoring things like rank and age.
Leyli learned to jig from Brice. She was spun in circled until she was dizzy by Gregori. Her brother skipped across the dirt with her to some folksy tune. She was about to claim exhaustion, when Temotio raised his voice in a ballad.
"No!" Horace moaned. "Not a waltz. None of us know how."
Temotio chuckled and looked over to Leyli. "I know at least one person who can. Probably two."
Dario lifted his hands. "Not me."
Temotio shook his head, turning slightly to look at Tristan. "Prove me wrong."
Leyli giggled and clasped her hands, still breathing hard from the song before. "C'mon, Lion. Show them how to dance."
"You never taught me to waltz." He shrugged.
She crooked a finger at him. "Right now. Get up."
He pulled himself to his feet slowly, then dusted off his rump. In the light of the fire, he walked toward her, then gestured to himself, making it obvious that he had no idea what to do next. Leyli didn't care. She motioned for Temotio to start again and moved closer.
"Follow me," she said softly, her hands at her side.
As the first line sounded into the warm night air, Tristan stepped even closer. They were near enough to touch, but they'd always danced back to back. Looking in his eyes was harder, and she felt like every person could see the feelings fluttering through her chest. Then she stepped.
Tristan moved with her, closing the space before it had time to truly open. Their only music was Temotio's voice, and the other men's when they joined in. It was enough, and somehow even more perfect. Leyli guided him, until the steps became comfortable, using only her body. When he matched her easily, she twirled before him. Her body turned back to his, and Tristan caught her waist in one hand, his other finding hers as if it had been scripted. Even through the song, she could hear Astrid giggle, Blanche's soft voice adding to it.
That's when the men began to sing more enthusiastically. Tristan was no longer following; he was leading, and pulling her body closer. Leyli didn't care. It didn't matter who was watching. It didn't matter if it was right. All she cared about was being honestly happy for this one moment in time. And she was. Under the stars, alone with people who she honestly liked, wrapped in Tristan's arms, it all felt so perfect. For this moment, Leyli was dreaming, and no one wanted to stop her.
The song eventually ended, but she didn't notice. The fire was flickering in his eyes, whispering promises that wouldn't stand up to the light of day. For a mome
nt she let herself be lost in it all, the soft chirping of insects all the conversation their group needed. Slowly, Tristan smiled and stepped back, gently releasing her.
"Guess this means I might be able to steal a dance at your wedding," he said softly.
Her teeth caught her lower lip, and she nodded, dropping her eyes. "I promise."
"Nah, Ley. I promise." He turned her toward the crude seats and the warmth of the flames. "I also know that Moyloch isn't that far from here. We can stop by on the way back to Oberhame." He lowered himself into the dirt and guided her down before him.
She leaned back against his chest, looking at the group around them. "So, it's Moyloch?"
For once in his life, Gregori's answer wasn't filled with sarcasm. "It's the best offer for the country, Leyli. Temotio can't match it, and my family has nothing but a title. It's what's best for Norihame."
"Which part?" She looked over at Temotio.
He shook his head. "Not just the personal. The shipping is worth the alliance. The navy is something you'd have to pay for the use of, without the vows. He made you a very fair offer. The peace in the realm also can't be overlooked. That does have a value, Highness."
"But - "
Gregori cut her off. "He's right. You're also right. An unhappy Queen would do no good for Norihame. Strife in the royal house leads to strife in the lands. It's always been like that. Any sign of weakness, and the nobles will be clawing for the throne. Marry Moyloch. His offer is honest."
She looked from Temotio to Gregori. Finding nothing, she turned to look at Tristan. He shrugged. "They're sure of it, and this isn't something I know enough about to offer an opinion."
That's when Dario pushed himself to his feet. "I do, and they're right. Moyloch will do. Tristan will do. You, little sister, will do wonderfully. Without the fodder cart, you'll be able to swing past the province and set the idea in the noble minds, and still be back before the court can worry." He glanced around the fire. "And I think it's long past my bed time. Those cows start lowing early."