Veria could definitely sympathize with that, although, she realized with an odd sense of nostalgia, that hadn't been on her list of issues for quite some time.
“Gentleman,” Veria said, rising from her chair, which they reciprocated, “I am afraid I am not used to the exhaustion that accompanies voyages on the sea.”
“You are not leaving us with those brutes, Commander?” Yoro said, grabbing her hand and pecking it politely. She grinned. “There is a drink here in Esperan, Zambara—have you heard of it?— and it makes men louder and rowdier than the strongest meade. Cards and dice will be no fun once they've all had a glass or two of it. Willis and I much prefer conversation. Are you sure we can't entice you to stay longer?”
Veria laughed softly and gave Yoro's hand a polite squeeze. “It would be in my best interest to rest,” she confirmed. “After all, I am here on business, as well.”
They both wished her good dreams, and she escaped up the stairs into the humid sanctuary of her room. Two candles flickered inside crystal lanterns from the ornate dresser near her bed, which was odd, as she did not remember lighting them before she went down to the dinner. A bottle of wine and two glasses sat next to her bed on a mahogany nightstand. Knowing it would be hard to fall asleep this evening, she poured herself a small glass of the sweet burgundy liquid and sipped it before she began to get undressed.
As she pulled her chemise off, she felt a disturbance in the current of breeze that funneled in through the open window. Naked, except for silk drawers and stockings, she prepared herself for an attack, feeling out which bricks in the room would budge, which items were metal, and so on.
“Let me see it,” came a voice from the shadows behind her. Veria whipped around, and sent a small bronze frame flying at the location it came from.
Andon ducked away from the frame just before it collided with his chest, letting it fly out the open window instead.
“Andon! What is wrong with you?” Veria snapped in a raspy whisper. “You cannot just hide in the dark in my bedroom—I could have hurt you!”
“Let me see it,” he repeated, coming closer, completely into the glowing, fluttering light of the lanterns.
“See what?” Veria asked.
But Andon had already found it, the long scar that reached across her right side, just under the ribcage. He ran his fingers lightly along the raised pink line, and her skin reacted to his touch.
“You were hurt,” he muttered.
“Yes,” she said.
“Badly.”
“I guess.” She didn't think he wanted to hear that she had almost bled to death.
“I remember when I said I would never let anything hurt you,” he said, still stroking the straight scar along her side.
Veria did not respond, just stood rigidly and watched him with concern.
“I did not even notice it on the ship,” he whispered.
“You had other things on your mind,” Veria said, to try to make him feel better.
He threw is head back and laughed. “Oh, Veria,” he sighed, “always trying to ease an uncomfortable situation with your words. Do you know what is on my mind now?”
She shook her head. Her bracelet sat on the dresser behind her, so she couldn't have listened to his desires even she wanted to.
“How much I hate thinking of another man touching you,” he answered his own question. “How it should be me. It should always be me....it should be me.”
He stepped in closer to her, and let his hand make its way around to her lower back.
“You said we were not going to do this again,” Veria pointed out.
“I was wrong,” Andon sighed as he pulled her in and kissed her softly.
They completely enveloped each other, and Andon was noticeably gentler with his lips this time, though still seemed as though he were on a mission. She let herself relax and melt against his chest, and his strong arms compensated for the fact that she could no longer hold her own body upright.
“You can be loud tonight,” Andon muttered, hardly taking his lips away enough to speak.
“I should think not!” Veria protested, pulling away. “Your father sleeps right across the hall, and from what I can gather, the library is right under our feet.”
He smirked. “I can make you.”
“Andon, no,” Veria commanded.
“I can make you lose every ounce of control you own,” he said, a seductive smile parting his full lips as his dark eyes devoured hers. “Then I can make them all forget they heard your screams.”
Veria's heart flipped and twisted and filled with boiling blood. In lieu of a response, she threw her arms around his neck and forced her lips onto his mouth. Within moments, he had laid her down on the bed and ripped the remaining undergarments from her body.
He never did have to use his powers of natural state to get her to lose restraint and give into the pleasure. She called his name with all the strength of her lungs and he roared with primal satisfaction in her ear when they finished their gyrating dance beneath the linens. He did, however, have to go around to all the ambassadors as they slept in their chambers and manipulate their memories.
While Andon's talents for the most part went unnoticed by others, Veria lay in her bed the next morning appreciative of all of them.
The next two weeks of the Council went by like this. She stood in her Guard stance, even though none of the other Elementals were there to stand with her, each day during the Council proceedings, not really paying attention to what was being said, until Andon spoke, and her ears would drink in the smooth, comforting tone. Even if she was interested enough to be more than just mildly curious, a majority of the peace discussions were held in the Esperan language, and she could not decipher it.
And after dinner, Andon would find a way into her room, and they would make love for what felt like the entire night. They had each other on every piece of furniture, in every way they could think of, and still, every night she saw him, her heart raced and her body ached for him. She tried not to put much thought into what these feeling would do to her when the Peace Council was over, and they returned to their normal lives. Neither of them talked about it, just held and kissed each other without words, and enjoyed the time, knowing it would end.
They were now in the final week of the Council. Veria stood in the room, as she did every day, listening in on the discussions in the hall, contemplating how this passionate affair from her past would affect her relationship, if there was anything even left of it, with King Browan. It was not until she heard her name that she realized the discussion had grown heated.
A Tal'lean ambassador rose swiftly from his seat and screeched in his native language, though she clearly heard the names “Browan” and “Laurelgate”. Her heart thumped and she felt clammy, but managed to remain collected. Both Villicreys glanced at her with concern, before Willis decided to translate.
“Ambassador Tal'Jilan is wondering how it is permissible for King Browan to reinstate an Elemental Guard, and wonders what Commander Laurelgate's plans are regarding foreign intervention.”
Veria gulped, nervously, then made a concerted effort to keep a firm, steady voice when she spoke, choosing her words wisely so as not lie about the mission he had sent her and Strelzar on. “Foreign intervention is not the duty, nor the interest, of the King's Elemental Guard, Ambassador Tal'Jilan. The Guard, as it has done in its entire history, seeks only to serve the immediate protection of the castle, its staff, and its King.”
Tal'Jilan started ranting again, and Willis translated over him: “King Browan has all but declared war on Tal'lea by promoting the woman who killed two Tal'lean citizens to Commander of his personal Guard—a guard which goes against the very rules set in the Barril Council from four decades ago.”
“Tal'Jilan!” Andon's voice rose and he leaned across the table. “The Barril Council on Elemental Rights in Wartime is based on specifically that—wartime. And no, we are not in a war, nor has Browan done anything to suggest he wan
ts war, as we continually have to remind you. We are here to prevent war, and the King is perfectly within his right to hire whomever he please for some extra protection after the Separatists from your kingdom deemed it necessary to attempt to have him assassinated.”
“So instead of trying a woman for murder that could have spurred a war, your idiot narcissist of a King decides to reward her with his bed and a position of power?” the other Tal'lean ambassador interjected with heavy accent.
Veria's face flamed, and Andon and Willis shot out of their seats, protesting simultaneously.
“This is unacceptable!” Andon shouted.
“We will not sit and listen to this slanderous blathering about how King Browan handles his internal affairs, especially not when your King refuses to handle the Separatist movement in his own kingdom!” Willis exclaimed.
Ambassador Yoro even chimed in: “Is it not natural for a citizen to feel compelled to protect his or her leader?”
“She is a spy, and she will take sensitive information from this Council back to her King, who seems to be amassing Elemental human weapons,” said the second Tal'lea ambassador. “What are there now, a dozen of you?”
“Eight, sir,” Veria corrected, coolly, trying to keep her calm.
“They are not weapons,” Willis argued. “No more so than any regular foot soldier guarding a castle.”
Tal'Jilan shouted in Esperan and Yoro translated.
“You, Commander, and your unit—they may not be weapons, but what about the Twin Dragons?”
“The Twin Dragons are rogue vigilantes, possibly mercenaries, from what we can tell, and have nothing to do with the proceedings of this Peace Council,” Willis answered, and Veria tried her best not to lose grip on her cool facade.
“In Tal'lea, we find it of interest that the Twin Dragons seem to have similar political and strategic interests as we would expect from the army of your King,” the second ambassador mused aloud, trying to goad them.
“Well, I disagree, Tal'Pirat,” Andon said. “As a citizen of Londess and a member of the diplomatic committee of the kingdom, I find the existence of these new age assassins highly disturbing.”
“Regardless of these Twin Dragons, I still cannot feel comfortable with the reinstatement of the Guard, or any sort of political sponsorship of hard elementals in general,” Yoro translated for Tal'Jilan. “It is a disgrace that your King grants a medal of honor to a common whore when they also adorn the bodies of his grandfather's soldiers who slayed our men in honorable battle,” Yoro trailed off at the end, as if he wished he had not started the translation to begin with. Veria's throat went hot, and she, too, wished she hadn't heard it.
“That's enough!” Andon yelled, slamming his fist into the table, his face red and his body rigidly tense as if poised for attack. Willis grabbed his son's arm roughly, and when they caught each other's eyes, he nodded a signal to him.
Veria felt the tension in the room dissipate, and the Tal'lean ambassadors calmly sat back in their seats. Andon then sat himself and ran his fingers through his hair, and verified what she expected, in a cool, collected voice: “Gentleman, I have used my skills to restore calm to this discussion. I would hate for a heated argument about an external topic to ruin the progress we have made these past weeks.”
“Agreed,” Tal'Pirat concurred, with a casual nod.
“I will cease this calming effect, but I believe it is best if we adjourn the discussions for today, and meet again in the morning,” Andon continued. Veria was in awe of how perfect he was for the position of peacekeeping. “I would be happy to have a private discussion with both of you on the extenuating circumstances regarding the King's reinstatement of the Elemental Guard, as Elemental Rights is an area of my father and I's expertise. If it makes our discussion easier, I can suggest that Commander Laurelgate take a day off from her duties tomorrow? Either way, I think we ought to refrain from continuing to dwell on this topic.”
The group muttered quietly amongst themselves, then stood and shook hands and parted ways. Veria made her way quickly toward the stairs, desperate to get out of the Council room.
“Commander Laurelgate!” Andon called behind her. “Wait!”
She stopped and turned. Ambassadors were still filtering out of the hall and loitering in the foyer of the seaside palace. Ambassador Yoro appeared at Andon's side as Veria turned and headed back toward them.
“I apologize, most sincerely, Commander Laurelgate,” Yoro said, grabbing her hands in his and squeezing them firmly. “I am truly embarrassed. This is not how we treat women in my country. Nor anyone in a post of such distinction and honor.”
“I know,” Veria responded, locking eyes with Andon as she did.
Yoro nodded and squeezed her hands again. “Please do not let that display ruin your thoughts of my beautiful country.”
“I will never have a memory of Esperan that is anything but fond, I assure you,” Veria said, smiling warmly at Ambassador Yoro. He kissed her on the cheek and departed, with a farewell in his native tongue.
Andon dropped his voice to almost inaudible when Yoro was out of earshot. “Veria...are you alright?” he asked, surveying her with concern.
She nodded, but noted she was still rather shaken, her hands trembling and arms feeling weak.
“That was terrible. Oh, I am so sorry that happened,” he said, echoing Yoro's sentiment. “It hadn't come up at all in the first two weeks—I thought they weren’t going to bring it up at all at this point.”
“It's nothing,” she shrugged. “I should have expected that. All of it—well, most of it anyway—was political and diplomatic news to other countries.”
Andon watched her for a few silent moments. She felt as if everyone were watching her.
“Can I show you something?” Andon asked. “Yoro said he hoped you would remember Esperan kindly, but you have not really seen much of Esperan. Just the inside of this palace and a few of the nearby gardens and docks.”
“Right now?” she asked.
“No,” Andon answered. “Right now you will lie down and rest. I will send a carriage for dinnertime. Is that acceptable?” He took her hands in his and squeezed them, just as Yoro had, but when he did, her stomach lurched and her heart jumped around in her chest.
Again, she nodded affirmatively.
“Go rest. The carriage will be out front at dusk.” He smiled warmly, and gave her hands one last squeeze, then departed out the front gate of the seaside palace.
- XIV-
Her attempt at resting was oft interrupted by thoughts of where Andon was taking her, and memories of the discussion earlier in the afternoon. Many emotions romped through her mind while she tried to keep her eyes closed and relax, but before she knew it, the sun had turned red as it sunk into the ocean horizon, and cast soft orange light across the shining waves. She dressed in the spring green gown she had brought with her, and made her way out the front gate to the waiting carriage.
It wound through the brick-paved avenue that ran along the docks, with shops and market stalls, all closed up for the evening already. Then the carriage took her deeper into the city, away from the docks, and into small neighborhoods, where families sat out in the street, talking and drinking and playing games, grandmothers knitting blankets and laughing, and grandfathers watering the herbs in the windowsills.
The carriage stopped at a house like this, at the end of the street, herbs in the windowsill, that teal-colored brick that made the city look so bright and cohesive. The driver helped her out, and said he would return later. When the carriage had disappeared down the quaint and cozy street, the sky was a crystal gray, the sun all but disappeared for the day.
Veria knocked on the door, and was not surprised when Andon answered, a beaming grin from ear to ear. She stepped inside and was assaulted by glowing candlelight, the smell of herbs and spices, and the warmth from the large, crackling fire in the fireplace. He closed the door once she had come all the way into the main room, which housed a small s
itting area with many bookshelves and blankets, and right in front of her, a small dining table which Andon had set with painted bowls and a small pot of white flowers she was not familiar with, flanked by flickering candles.
While she took the whole scene in, he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into him. He buried his face in her hair and she could feel his heart pounding against her back. “What do you think?” he purred in her ear.
“I think it is a very nice house,” Veria said, quietly. “Who does it belong to?”
“My mother!” Andon said excitedly, spinning her around to face him. “Well, me, now. It belongs to me.”
Veria took in the pure joy on his face in silence. He squeezed her hands enthusiastically, then abruptly grabbed her face and kissed her. She stumbled a bit, taken aback by the suddenness of it, and he stepped in closer to her, closing the gap between them. There was an affection in this kiss that hadn't been there previously. His hands almost trembled as they softly held her face, and there was a sense of need—not the voracious desire he had been acting under during many of their encounters, but a desperation for her, like kissing her was as necessary and essential as eating or drinking or breathing. She recognized the feeling. She had felt it before, and never wanted to feel it again, because the times she had felt it were immediately followed by the most painful moments of her life.
Love.
Her throat became tight, and her breathing felt labored and restricted, like her lungs had just filled partially with flaming coals and there was no room for air. She placed her hands on his chest and pulled her lips away from his as calmly as she could, though her mind was ringing and buzzing with panic and she felt as though someone had poured hot liquid down her throat.
The Twin Dragons: Book III in the Elementals Series Page 13