by Auryn Hadley
Macsen moved toward the counter, reaching under it for his records. "I would need to calculate that."
"I see. Do you think it would be more or less than the cost of her eldest son?"
Behind her, Leyli's guard moved closer. Before her, the store owners froze, wide eyes looking at the Princess. Leyli shifted her gaze to Celeste, paused, then looked back to Macsen.
"How much did you sell a man's life for?"
Like a rabbit caught in a snare, he stared, terrified. "He hadn't paid in a year."
"Was he the only one?" The blood fading from his skin was all the answer she needed. Leyli rounded on Celeste. "Because you were fucking a man with more money, you thought killing the other was easier than turning him down?"
"Tristan's fine!"
Before Leyli could refute that, Gregori slammed his fist into the wood counter, leaving behind a dagger buried two inches into the surface. "My Captain's body is riddled with scars because of you, cunt! Instead of keeping your legs closed, you ran up debts to send him into the games? Should I carve you up to match, then let you know just how fine you are?" His voice ripped with the anger, spittle glistening on his lips.
The color had rushed back into Macsen's face with a vengeance. As he turned to his wife, the look on his face made one thing clear. Whatever story Celeste had given him had been a lie. His words proved it.
"You said he was following you. You said he threatened you!"
"He did," she whined, glancing at Leyli. "He did, Mac."
"With what?" Leyli demanded.
Celeste swallowed. "He said he wouldn't give up."
"I see." Leyli gestured for Gregori to remove his dagger. "And did you bother telling him you were bred by another man? Did you tell him he wasn't the only one? Did you tell him that you didn't love him?" When the woman stepped back, saying nothing, Leyli screamed, "Did you!"
"No," she breathed, pushing her son behind her. "I told him my father didn't approve."
"You killed him because you weren't brave enough to be honest." Leyli nodded slowly, then knelt, dropping her eyes to the boy. "Hey? What's your name, son?"
Plucking at his lower lip, peering around his mother, the kid answered timidly. "Bryn."
"Bryn, do you think your momma and dadda pay all their taxes? Do you think if the auditor stopped by, that you'd make a really strong gladiator?"
A little smile flickered on his face. "Uh huh. Like the Lion."
"Yeah." Leyli looked up at Celeste. "Like the Lion of Lenlochlien." Then she stood, flicking her hand toward Macsen. Temotio moved to drop a single coin on the counter, his finger pressing it into the wood while Leyli talked. "I will make this very clear. If the Lyone family needs anything, you will make sure they have it. You can bill the palace. If you dare try to get revenge, in any form, I will send the auditors to check your books. If you are off by one single copper, that boy will stand on the sands of the Oberhame arena. Am I clear?"
That's when Temotio moved his hand, revealing the stamp on the coin. Few outside the palace ever saw one. Gold Wolves were usually reserved for international trade. Pure gold, they were a fortune. Macsen's eyes dropped to it, but he wasn't brave enough to reach out. Leyli just chuckled softly and turned for the door.
"One hundred loaves, tomorrow. The rest is a credit for the Lyone account. If you dare ask for more, you'd best be prepared to have a full accounting of the expenses." Then she paused and looked back. "Celeste, you may be a bitch, but I'm the Wolf. If you do anything to my family, I will destroy yours."
"I understand," the woman whispered, but it was loud enough. They all heard.
As Leyli pushed through the door, her guards followed behind her like shadows. Edwyn moved to hold her horse, releasing as soon as her weight was in the saddle, then they mounted and turned back for the farm house. The group said nothing until they were outside the small town and there were no ears to overhear.
"Would you really send that boy to the games?" Gregori asked.
Leyli looked over at him with a sly smile. "I said he'd stand on the sands. I never said he'd fight. According to the laws, he would become my slave until he earned free of his debt, or I sold it. I see no reason the child couldn't do that in the stables, working for my brother."
Edwyn chuckled and nudged his horse closer. "I'm not sure if you're kind, Leyli, or terrifying. I do know that I never want to be on the wrong end of your tongue."
"Or her laws," Temotio muttered.
"Or those!" Gregori agreed. "So, you going to tell us about this ring you're wearing, yet?"
She just shook her head. "No, I'm not."
"So we get to guess?" He laughed and pushed his mare between her and Temotio. "I know Tristan's is a wolf, so is yours a lion?"
"Yeah."
He made an appreciative noise. "So, what does that make the kids?"
Edwyn answered, "Wolves. They'll be Aravatties."
Gregori just smiled, holding Leyli's eyes. "Doesn't the crest change with each new king? Subtle things, but enough to track the seal over time?"
"It does." She held her face stoic, refusing to give him anything.
Gregori didn't care. He'd been with her long enough to put the pieces together. "So where are you putting the Lion?"
Finally, she smiled, pulling the necklace from under her tunic. "Entwined around the seal, like the Dracians do."
"And for your children?"
Temotio chuckled softly from behind them. "The Moyloch crest has three lions. I wonder if Connall would consider trimming that to one for the paternal quarter."
Leyli just turned her eyes back to the road, but the corner of her mouth refused to go back down. Gregori stared, waiting for her to give in, only making Leyli have to fight her urge to smile that much harder. When it was clear she wouldn't say another thing, he groaned and tossed his reins down.
"What?" he demanded.
Edwyn leaned forward, looking around the Princess. "I bet she makes it a condition of accepting his proposal."
When Leyli's mouth broke free, she ducked her head to hide it, but Gregori saw. He roared out a laugh and leaned over to slap her shoulder gently. "Remind me never to do business with you, Highness. Tristan named you well. You're a real bitch, and I'm proud to be your man."
"Keep dreaming," Temotio taunted. "Tristan gets that position."
"And a few others, I'm sure," Gregori shot back. "Damned shame more women aren't like her, ya know? Might even make me settle down, if I could find one that would keep up. Too bad ya don't have a sister, Leyli. Just a damned shame."
"I do."
"Huh?"
She giggled. "Dario's sister. She's my sister. Well, half sister, but Ciara raised us both."
She turned to find Gregori's mouth open, staring at her in shock. "Alain's girl?"
"Yep. Dad sired them all it sounds like."
"Wait." He turned to Temotio, then Edwyn. "Alessia? Long brown hair? Tits like massive melons?"
"Gregori!" Leyli shot him a disgusted look.
"That's your sister?"
Temotio was laughing, his words hard to understand. "They kinda look alike."
"Yeah," Gregori agreed. "Except the tits. I mean, no offense, Leyli, but Alessia's are like..." He gestured before his chest crudely. "I like tits."
"You like women," she shot back.
He just shrugged. "Yep. Guess this means I should be a little nice to Dario, huh?"
"And Alain. Oh, and my dad." Leyli looked over at him and winked. "Don't worry. I'll tell them nice things. Well, at least one. I'm sure I can make something up."
"Tell her I'm hung like one of your plow horses."
She rolled her eyes. "Gregori, there's more to a relationship than sex. You know that, right?"
Her jovial guard's mood sobered and he nodded at her. "Yeah, Highness, I do. Problem is, not a lot of women can figure out that my title isn't good for a damned thing, and I've got no money to offer. I'm just a guard, Leyli. Just a damned guard who is damned proud to protect the heir
to the throne, and isn't willing to give that up quite yet. I worked my whole life to do this. It's all I got, and they all want me to give it up and start a family in these lands I just don't have."
She nudged her gelding just a bit closer and caught his arm. "And I'm not ready to give you up yet, either. The right girl won't care."
"Here's hoping. If nothing else, I got me a princess and a whole lot of kitchen girls."
"And probably a few bastards."
He nodded at her. "Yeah. Seems to be the fashionable thing to do."
And with that, his moment of kindness was over. Leyli punched his arm playfully then kicked her horse, forcing the guys to chase to keep up. By the time they made it back to the Lyone farm, they were all laughing.
Chapter 31
It took longer to leave the Lyone farm than it did the palace. Everyone had to trade hugs. Most of them more than once. Blanche even gave one to Leyli and wished her the best. Leyli countered with inviting them to her wedding, but Brice refused. He couldn't afford to leave the farm, and since it wasn't his brother standing beside her, he'd rather skip the entire thing.
Estelle and Astrid packed almost everything they owned. Poor Lucien spent hours trying to find a way to store it all. Including the Princess's gear, it was a tight fit, but somehow he made it work. That left the carriage cramped. With four people, there was no way Tristan and Leyli could use it for private moments. Temotio decided that was a good enough excuse to force Tristan to ride. After the trip in, his seat wasn't that bad, but it could still improve.
When they finally managed to leave Lenlochlien, they didn't head directly to Oberhame. Instead, they made a slight detour to pass through Moyloch. Leyli's trip was open ended. Her father wasn't expecting her back until she had a husband picked out. Typically, that would take months, then a few more to prepare for the wedding. The truth was that the longer she was out of Oberhame, the harder it would be for Palino to make plans against her, until it would be too late.
From Lenlochlien, it took four days to reach Moyloch. Their entourage was rolling toward the keep as they debated staying in an inn overnight or surprising the local Boier after dinner. Temotio was rooting for the keep, but Tristan and Leyli weren't opposed to one more night before she had to mingle with her future fiancee. She'd almost convinced the entire crew when a rider emerged from a side street, trotting his horse right to them.
"Who goes there?" he demanded, just close enough to see the royal crest on the side of the wagon.
Lucien answered before Leyli could stop him. "Her Highness, Leylani Meridia Aravatti and company."
The rider chuckled and slowed his horse, moving along side the carriage. When Leyli reined her gelding back to his side, he looked up in shock, then peered through the windows. "Highness?"
"My maid and future nurse are inside," she told him. "I didn't plan to hire staff, but the fit was too good to pass up, even if it makes the trip a bit cramped."
He nodded at her, then ducked his head, bowing over his arm in the saddle. "Einri, Eldest son of the Boier of Moyloch, heir to the title. Dare I hope that your presence means you've come to speak to my little brother?"
"We were passing through," she told him. "I thought the proximity would be wasted if we didn't stop. We were just about to find an inn for the night."
He gestured up the lane. "It isn't much farther, Highness. It would be our honor to host you."
Tristan grunted, making it clear he wasn't amused. "We would hate to put you out with the short notice."
Einri turned to him, making it clear he was looking over his uniform. "I assure you, Captain, we will make room for the Heir of Norihame. It would be the pleasure of Moyloch."
"Secor," Tristan corrected.
"I see." Einri did not look overly impressed. "The gladiator?"
Tristan ducked his head slightly. "That's me. Sworn to guard the Heir."
"And we'll be happy to loan you as many men as you need while in the keep." He turned to Leyli. "Highness, I would be honored to offer you the hospitality of Moyloch for as long as you'd care to stay. If you'd have your men follow me?"
She looked at Tristan and shook her head slightly, then turned to the driver. "Lucien? If you would?"
"Yes, Highness." He clicked the team forward again and the rest of the party fell in around him.
Inside the carriage, Astrid and Estelle were talking softly. The sound of their voices could be heard, but not the words. It didn't matter. At this point, Leyli knew it would be taken as an insult for them not to stay in the keep. As she moved her horse past Tristan, she reached out to touch his arm, but kept going until she rode beside the future Boier.
"I'm sorry about the inconvenience," she said, pulling up beside him. "We weren't sure how long it would take to get here from Lenlochlien."
Einri moved his horse a bit closer, so she wouldn't need to raise her voice. "So my brother has competition?" He smiled, giving light to his words. "I assure you, it's our honor. Hosting your party is certainly not an inconvenience. How is the Domn, anyway?"
"I'm not sure. We visited the country, not the nobility in Lenlochlien. I took a brief respite. The quiet helped me narrow down my choices for the Prince Consort."
"And will you be staying at Moyloch long?"
Leyli knew he was trying to figure out if she was here to refuse Connall or accept him, but since she didn't know herself, she decided to answer vaguely. "I assure you, we will not overstay our welcome."
"Of course."
The rest of the trip was filled with similar empty comments. Leyli was just thankful that it was little more than a mile. Behind her, she could feel Tristan seething. Every word between her and Einri was weighted. Every phrase said more than the simple conversation she'd enjoyed in the country with his family. When the future Boier joined their party, the casual atmosphere had vanished, reminding them all that they were headed back to court. Leyli just hoped that Tristan would hold his tongue, because the lordling would most certainly try to bait him into something embarrassing for her position.
All too soon, and yet not soon enough, the royal entourage rumbled into the modest courtyard of Moyloch keep. At the sight of the carriage, staff seemed to swarm from every crevasse. Lord Einri dismounted, hurrying to Leyli's side to offer her a hand down. As she stepped from the saddle he realized that not only was she wearing her own weapons, she also wasn't wearing a true skirt. Astrid had spent the trip modifying common riding attire to be more suitable for a gladiator queen, and the result was both elegant and shocking. From the look on Einri's face, she'd achieved the desired effect.
"Temotio, with me," Tristan snapped. "The rest of you, settle our things."
"Yes, sir," Leyli's guards replied, quickly moving to obey.
Einri looked over at Tristan, smiling when he saw Temotio. He made a point of offering his arm, but Leyli stepped forward without him. If Einri had been the applicant for her hand, she most certainly would have turned him down cold. Watching the man stretch his legs to escort her into his family home somehow made her feel a bit better, even if it was petty. Even nicer, neither Tristan nor Temotio were surprised at her reaction.
"Father!" Einri called out as soon as they were through the massive public entrance. "Lord Proinsais, the Princess of Norihame and her cohort have graced us with their presence."
Once again, the staff moved at the unspoken command, almost as if terrified. Leyli took it all in, trying to learn as much as possible about her potential in-laws as she could. In seconds, a white haired man appeared from a side hall, his clothing a bit too elaborate for the climate. He beamed at her proudly and made sloppy gestures of welcome, but Leyli muddled through. When she introduced her Secor and guardsman, both the father and the son raised their brows in surprise at the break from protocol.
She was just starting to think she'd made a huge mistake, when movement from above caught her eye. Looking up, she saw a casually dressed man leaning over an upper banister, a twisted smile on his lips. Their eyes met and
Connall ducked his head, raising his voice to the entrance below.
"Highness, it's a pleasure to see you. I hope your vacation went well?"
She watched him, looking for a sign of platitude, but Connall seemed honest. "It did. Country air was exactly what I needed. I hope you don't mind my unexpected visit, Lord Connall."
"Not at all."
He pulled back from the balcony, the top of his head just visible as he jogged to the stairs. Taking them two at a time, he galloped down, his smile growing with each floor he passed. The Boier was trying to entertain her with a description of her rooms, most likely buying time for the staff to ready them, but she ignored it, instead waiting for the wrong step that would send Lord Connall tumbling to his demise in his enthusiasm to see her.
It didn't happen. The young man dared to interrupt his father, walking toward her with his hand out and a wide smile on his face. "Princess, it's a great honor for this back woods province. Was it Lenlochlien you visited?" His eyes flicked behind her to Tristan.
"It was. I have my guards outside with my nurse and maid. We're only a small party."
"Of course. I think my father said you get the green room. We'll make accommodations for the Secor as well." He gently turned her toward the stairs. "Unfortunately dinner has already been served, but I can have someone prepare a late meal for your staff. I assume Temotio and the Lion will be eating in your rooms?"
Temotio raised his voice before Leyli could accept. "My Lord, I eat with the guard. Only the Secor has those privileges."
Connall nodded at him. "Certainly." Then he turned back to Leyli. "And you have a maid?" His smile grew. "Shall I send her up?"
Leyli leaned closer and dropped her voice. "I think you should ask her, because her mind is very much her own. She's welcome to either."
"I see." Then he turned to look at Tristan. "We both know that you only follow to be polite. Her Highness made it very clear that offending her best friend was not in my best interests. Please?" He gestured for Tristan to walk beside them like an equal. "Did you get to see your family, Lion?"