by Auryn Hadley
Chuckling, Edwyn unwound his legs and worked his way up. "From the sounds of it, we'll be swinging swords before it gets warm."
"You know it," Tristan promised. "Thanks, Mama, for a wonderful dinner. You too, Brice, for the meat."
That was all it took. The guards began to stand, each of them pausing long enough to thank their hosts before moving toward the barn for their makeshift beds. Brice glanced over at his wife, their son sleeping against her chest, then over to his mother. Astrid pulled her mouth askew, then leaned toward Tristan.
"Looks like Mama and I are sleeping in the main room."
He shook his head. "I promised the Princess a night at the pond. Let me steal a few blankets, and the two of you can take the loft."
Estelle sucked in a breath, ready to protest, but Astrid touched her leg. "Bet that's something a noble woman doesn't get to do, huh? Sleep outside?"
"Never," Leyli assured her. "And it's so lovely out here."
Astrid just nodded. "Take the swords, I'll find some spare blankets." She gestured for the rest of the family to head inside, standing slowly, herself. "Moyloch, huh?"
"Looks like."
She just nodded, smiling at Leyli. "Well, make sure you get my brother's opinion, too. When I meet him, I might have a few things to add."
"I certainly hope so." On impulse, Leyli stood and wrapped her arms around Astrid's shoulders. "Thank you. I think you're the only person who understands."
She giggled in Leyli's ear. "Yeah. And so you know, you can't hear anything at the pond from the house. Think of this as your real honeymoon." With a wink, she turned, heading inside without giving Leyli the chance to respond.
Chapter 29
With a pair of swords slung over one shoulder, a few blankets over the other, Tristan led Leyli away from the house into the dark, star filled night. As the cottage faded behind them, he dared to reach over and grab her hand, twining his fingers through hers. She couldn't help but smile. Such country gestures of affection were something she'd never known she'd enjoy so much.
Across the fallow field, the scent of perfume grew with each step until a dark pool could be seen. Lush, late summer grasses grew up to the edge. That's where Tristan dropped everything. The song of the insects filled the silence between them, but Leyli felt strangely nervous. It wasn't like she hadn't been alone with Tristan before, but something about this was different. For the first time, they had no one watching over them. No one cared what the two of them did tonight.
"So, we're sleeping out here?" she asked, looking around.
He chuckled as he bent to spread the blankets. "In mid summer, it often got too hot to stay inside. I've spent quite a few nights out here with the cool breeze off the pond."
"And how many of those alone?" She bit her lip to hide her teasing smile.
He just shook his head, refusing to look up. "One or two."
That was it; she couldn't contain the laugh. It slipped out and she wrapped her arms around his back, pressing her mouth to his neck. "Had a string of innocent country girls out here, have you?"
"Ley." He leaned back, making room to stand, then turned to face her, grabbing her hands. "I was a foolish young boy. You ask me these things and I keep waiting to see the hurt in your eyes, but it's never there."
"I keep waiting for the lies."
He shook his head slowly. "You've seen me at my worst - and my best. You know all the things I want to hide from the world. Why would I ever lie to you?"
She squeezed his fingers gently. "Because it's easier? It's what men do, Tristan. They tell their women what they want them to hear. Even my father does."
"Not me." Releasing her hand, he caught the side of her face, tilting it up. "Ley, I can't give you much. I will never be a noble. I will never be your husband. I can't buy you fancy things or take care of you like you deserve, but you don't need me for that. You can do it on your own, and that just makes me love you more. You don't need me, but you make me feel like you honestly want me around."
"Always," she promised, leaning into his chest. "I don't want to marry some man I don't know. I know I have to, and I've always known it would happen, but for the first time in my life, I'm not excited about the idea."
He bent and kissed the top of her head, then stepped back slightly. Leyli looked at him, confused, and he smiled at her strangely before pulling a long chain from his neck. His eyes flicked to hers before dropping back to the metal cluster on the chain. With a deep breath, he knelt, lifting his hand. Caught between his fingers were a pair of rings.
"Leylani Meridia Aravatti, daughter of King Ilario Aravatti, Princess of Norihame, called the Wolf of Oberhame, heir to the throne, executioner of justice, protector of the peace, and the greatest woman I've ever known." He looked up, letting the weight of her full title sit between them for a breath. "I may never be your husband in the eyes of men, but would you be my wife in the eyes of the gods? Would you, my Wolf, swear to be my partner in all things, and give me the right to be your king?"
Between them, he held up a pair of rings. In the moonlight, it was hard to make out the details, but the concept was clear. One was formed like the head of the Aravatti crest. The other mimicked the style, but was clearly a lion, its mane formed into the band.
"Where did you get these?" She caught his hand, lifting it closer without taking the rings from him.
He swallowed and took a breath. "The flower seller had trinkets. The Lion and the Wolf are town favorites." Then he placed his other hand over hers. "Ley?"
Wrenching her eyes from the perfect rings, she realized she hadn't answered him. "Yes, Tristan. Yes, I'll speak the words with you, here, before the gods. I'll love you like my real husband, and count you as my partner in my heart." She took a breath, nodding as the air filled her lungs to keep her throat from choking with emotion. "I would have, anyway - I mean, thought of you like that. I can't be faithful to you, but I swear, I will always be yours first. Will you stand by me and rule Norihame? The Lion and the Wolf, until the end?"
Like a gladiator, he surged up, wrapping her in his arms, holding her so close Leyli thought she'd be smothered in the bulk of him. Slowly, he rocked her. "Forever. One body, one mind, like two halves of a whole."
He sighed, relief and happiness tinting the sound, then fumbled with the clasp on the chain. For the first time, his fingers weren't deft. They shook, whether with excitement or fear, she wasn't sure, but it proved that he meant it all. Her Tristan. Her Lion. His namesake was the King of his realm and she would be the King of hers. As the thought crossed her mind, Leyli looked up, her eyes seeking the constellations of their gods.
"The priests say the gods care little for the laws of our countries," she whispered.
He pressed a warm lump of metal into her hand, then curled her fingers around it. "I know. They only care for the promises made to them." Then he slowly turned her face back to his, using only one gentle finger. "By Sword and Hearth, do you, my love, give your consent to be my wife in all things, until we breathe no more?"
Leyli knew the vows. Like every young girl in the world, she'd memorized them so she wouldn't stumble over them when her time came. "I do," she swore. "By Life and Death, do you, my love, promise to stand before me in all things, until we breathe no more?"
"I do." His eyes were locked with hers, filled with the seriousness of what they were doing. "By Fate and Time, will you, Leylani Meridia Aravatti, give yourself to me, both in body and mind, until the gods rend us asunder?"
He'd left out one small line. He was supposed to ask if she gave herself to him, and only to him, but that would make their vows a lie. She cocked her head, showing she'd noticed, but continued. "I do and will. Will you, Tristan Ambrose Lyone, give yourself to me, both in body and mind, until the gods rend us asunder?"
"I do and will." He shifted closer. "Forever, wife, I will be your husband, if this is what you will."
Hearing that word on his lips made her heart pound. "It is, husband. I will be your wife before all the gods, until t
he end of days." Then she decided to add a line of her own. "By Darkness and Flame, I swear that my passion is for you."
His fingers tightened but his lips flicked up in a timid smile. "By Darkness and Flame." He nodded, the stars in his eyes. "You are my passion, wife. May it always be so, even if it is a secret. I vow that you will have all of me, and that I will be the best husband I can under the eyes of the gods."
Maybe she imagined it. maybe she simply hoped for it, but the entire world felt so different. The air was thicker, the breeze was cooler, as if the gods had paused for a moment to listen to the promises of mere mortals. Bumps rose on her arms, a shiver trailing down her neck, but Tristan didn't give her time to worry about it. He leaned that last inch and pressed his mouth to hers as he guided the lion ring onto the first finger of her right hand. It fit perfectly.
She smiled against his lips and found his hand. The right index was not the traditional finger, but it wasn't unheard of. Many country wives wore their rings on that finger. Many court ladies used it for a token from their admirers. As the wolf ring slid over his skin, Leyli pressed closer, her lips parting.
His tongue teased her quickly before he whispered against her mouth, "You're mine, Ley. Before the gods, where it matters. That makes the rest of this unimportant. You and I? We're forever."
"Like the will of Fate," she agreed.
This time, when he kissed her, he had no intention of stopping. The feel in his hands was desperate, as if he was terrified that she'd disappear. She wasn't much better. Her hands caught in his hair, their mouths clinging together, but she was so happy. For this moment, here, before the only man she had ever loved, under the watchful eyes of the gods, they were wed. She was truly his and he was truly hers. Court didn't matter. Thrones didn't matter. All that mattered was that her Lion would be there forever.
This time, their dance was slow. There was no hurry. There was no threat to overcome. There was nothing but the brilliant sparks of stars in the sky and the singing choir of insects. The late flowers of the wild mimosa trees were all the incense the gods demanded and their touches were the sacrifice. Leyli's country clothing was simple, and came free in his hands. His armor took longer, the layers and buckles an annoyance but little else. Alone, they had no need of words, just the promises spoken by their touches, their lips, and their flesh pressing slowly together.
He loved her like he never had before. He was careful, tender, and sensuous, wringing every pleasure from her body. Leyli lost herself in him, closing her eyes to concentrate on his caresses, refusing to hold back her moans and cries. His sounds mingled with hers, the sweat from their bodies smearing together until they made truth of their vows. Two halves of a whole, they joined into one with no shame, over and over, until the sky began to blush with the first rays of dawn.
When they finally fell apart, the morning air was cold. Leyli pressed into him, stealing the heat of Tristan's body as he sought a blanket to cover them. When even he shivered, she giggled and trailed her hand over the dampness on his chest.
"Should I walk you out?" she teased.
He slid his hand down her back, proving it was just as slick. "I think that might lead to another round, and you, my wife, must sleep eventually."
"I can sleep when I'm dead, husband." She reached up to kiss him, smiling against his mouth.
He just pulled her back to his shoulder. "Insatiable. I think I've created a monster."
"Yeah." Her fingers toyed with the damp hair along his neck, a few strands catching in the lion ring. "Never should have taught me to hold a shield."
"I didn't. You figured that out on your own. I just showed you how much nicer the world is when you don't have to face it alone."
"Mm." She tilted her head up to see him. "I have to go into town today, speaking of that."
"Can we sleep a bit, first?"
"You can sleep as long as you want." Her finger trailed along his jaw, feeling the morning scruff. "I'm leaving you here."
He looked down at her, his brow furrowed. "Why?"
"Because Celeste will never use her control over men to harm the Lyone family again." She sighed. "Why didn't you tell me the baker sold your debt?"
He took a deep breath, then let it all out before answering. "I hoped I was wrong. I tried to tell myself it was just a coincidence. Until I saw that child, and you pointed out that he couldn't be mine? Yeah, I just couldn't believe she'd do that."
"Blanche said she did. I will not let the same happen to my nephew."
He was still for a moment, just the rise and fall of his chest lifting Leyli's head. Then he turned slightly and pulled her tight against him. "Thank you. I love them all, but I don't have the power to protect them."
"You do." She kissed his chest. "Through your wife, if your pride is willing to take it."
"My pride isn't hurt because my woman is my better, Ley. I still don't control you, and I never will."
As sleep made her eyes heavy, she snuggled deeper into the muscles beside her head. "You do, and equals. We're different, but I've never thought having heralds announce my birth mattered for much. I'm just a king's daughter, you're just a farmer's son. Neither is better than the other, and the world needs both."
"Yeah." His voice was growing rough with sleep. "And I need you. Sleep, pup, then protect my family."
"Mm. Mine too, now."
Chapter 30
The sun was high in the sky when the couple finally returned to the farm house. Astrid met them with a grin. Temotio cut off the crass jokes before Gregori could start. It was Estelle who noticed the glint of metal on Tristan's finger.
As she took the blankets from him, she thrust her chin at his hand. "I think subtly is a trait lost on my children."
Leyli walked past, patting Tristan's shoulder. "I think nobles know little of country customs. Astrid? Could you help me dress?"
"And get the leaves out?" the girl teased, jogging after the Princess.
They vanished into the loft, keeping their voices low. While Astrid brushed out the debris from her honeymoon with Tristan, Leyli swore her to secrecy then told her all about their secret - and less than legal - wedding. Just as she'd hoped, Astrid was thrilled. She was also willing to help Leyli dress in clothing not typically worn by women.
Combining their wardrobes, Leyli ended up in a fitted tunic, trews, boots, and a pale skirt that buttoned halfway down. When she added her sword belt over the top, it worked, looking both feminine and strong, without any excess material to become dangerous. Astrid swore that she could come up with other variants, and if given enough time, Leyli would look like a proper gladiator queen.
But this would do, for now. Leyli didn't need to look perfect; she just had to look terrifying enough to make sure the baker and his wife got the message. To her surprise, when she headed back into the farm yard, she found her horse and her men waiting. Temotio, Edwyn, and Gregori all wore the uniforms of the Royal Guard. They also had plenty of weapons.
Then a hand found her waist. With a gasp, Leyli looked back to find Tristan holding a pair of swords - hers. He chuckled softly as he buckled them on.
"Temotio can dance. Edwyn and Gregori offered to help. I'm trusting them, Ley, because I can't stand to lose you."
She checked the first weapon, making sure the angle was right. "A handful of shop keepers against the Wolf of Oberhame? The Lion trained me better than that."
He chuckled, proving he was aware of his paranoia. "I know. I also know I'll be a boar, pacing this yard until you're back. Be safe, Ley, but be a queen."
She turned and pressed her head to him, then walked away for her horse. As soon as she took the reins from Temotio, the group swung into the saddle, Leyli as easily as the rest. She looked at him one last time, then urged her gelding forward, heading toward Matinglen.
Unlike her last visit, this time, people recognized her. Most likely it was the uniforms of her guards and not her face, but it didn't matter. The locals laughed and waved, many of them willing to give direc
tions to the baker's shop. All of them asked where she was staying, but her guard refused to let her answer, so she just winked and said that Lenlochlien was the new vacation spot for nobility. Oddly, that seemed to satisfy them.
By the time the small group reached the tiny shop, the owners knew something was up. Leyli stopped her horse in the street, looping his reins around one of the porch beams, then walked in, knowing her men wouldn't be far behind. She kept her chin up, her shoulders back, and her spine straight. Striding forward with a purpose, there was no way to confuse her with anything except royalty. Celeste stood at the back of the stop, her hand over her mouth, her eyes huge.
"Highness," she squeaked, dipping her knees in an awkward curtsey.
"Celeste." Leyli smiled, but it wasn't kind. "Is Macsen available?"
From behind her came a man's timid voice. "My lady?"
Turning to him, she widened her smile slightly. "Good, you both are here. I'm staying with a friend and wanted to make sure I took care of them. I was told that a cake would be excessive, and Estelle makes the best pies I've ever had, so is there something else that you'd recommend?"
Gregori leaned against the counter too casually. "She makes the only pies you've ever had, Highness."
"Mm. There is that, but we wouldn't want to offend our host." Leyli blinked her eyes over to Celeste. "She's such a kind woman, trying to do the best for her children." Then her eyes flicked to the toddler clinging to his mother's skirts. The point was clear.
Macsen cleared his throat, trying to find his voice. "Sweet breads are popular."
"Perfect. Get me..." She tapped the air, making a point of counting. "One hundred. Have them delivered to the Lyone residence tomorrow."
"A hundred?" Celeste gasped. "That'll keep the ovens going all night!"
"So?"
As fast as it had opened, she shut her mouth, then nodded. "Yes, Highness."
"Good. It's so nice to have citizens ready to please me." Then she turned to the shelves, letting her eyes roam the labels that most people couldn't read. "Oh, and I'll want to leave a credit for sugar and flour, and any other supplies that Blanche might need in the next year. How much do you think that will cost?"