by Bridie Blake
Nic.
Tempani found herself blushing at his words. She knew he had feelings for her, but she had thought them nothing more than a fleeting crush that would pass in a matter of weeks. That once the thrill of the chase had worn off he would move onto the next lady. But he was only moving on now because she didn’t return his feelings. He was doing what she wanted.
Yet why did that upset her? Was it simply that she enjoyed his attentions and flattery or did it run deeper than that? Chae insisted he was a good man. Even Teddy had defended him. Had she been too quick to judge him? Done to him what so many others had done to her? Maybe he had grown up. His letters didn’t sound like the arrogant boy she remembered. Perhaps she could try being his friend.
—
It had been a month since she’d last picked up her sword, but the moment it was back in her hand it was as though it had never left.
She was outside, hidden behind the back of the house and away from the prying eyes of the staff. Her father was at the palace for another Parliament meeting, and Chae was out with Xanthir for the afternoon. She was free to do as she pleased.
She started with some stretches, limbering up her arms and back before she began with a simple swing pattern that Nika had taught her. She then moved onto blocking when Chae came around the corner.
He grabbed her wrist and yanked the sword from her hand. “What’s this?”
“A sword.” She took it back from his grasp. “I’m practicing.”
“Practicing? Ladies should not be playing with swords.”
“But I’m not just a lady,” she said. “We are Kalaowin, and all Kalaowins are taught to fight.”
“In the south, yes, but you’re in the north. With the white Kamaris, whom you also belong to. I think you forget that sometimes.”
“Because I don’t belong with them,” she snapped.
“Oh really? You’re friends with them. You attend their balls. No one forces you to have fun there, but you do. I see it.”
She stopped. He was right. She did have fun when she was with her friends. Dahlia made her laugh, and they talked of frivolous things. And Teddy. She loved being with him. But did that make her any less Kalaowin? Just because she enjoyed some parts of being a Kamari noble. Did it make her claim to be Kalaowin any less?
“Why can’t I be both?”
He lifted his hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Because we live in an unjust kingdom. And we must be who they want us to be.”
“And that’s Kamari?”
“I have worked hard to belong here. And it hasn’t been easy, but I’ve somehow done it. I don’t want to lose that.”
And she could be the reason he did. If she didn’t follow the ways of the Kamaris, she could ruin everything he’d struggled so hard to achieve.
“I know.” She handed her sword back to him. “I just like feeling a connection to the Kalaowins. Doing this makes me feel closer to her.”
Chae sighed, and she saw a pang of sadness in his eyes.
She sometimes forgot that he felt their mother’s loss as strongly as she did.
“Then you should do it,” he said and put the sword back in her hand. “I don’t agree with it, but I won’t stop you either. Just make sure no one sees you.”
She beamed at him. “I’m good at sneaking around.”
He laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his side. “I’m sure you are.”
“Do you want to practice with me?”
He raised his eyebrows, unsure if he should say yes.
“Please. It’ll be fun.”
“Maybe just this once,” he said. He unsheathed his sword. “I’ll try not to hurt you.”
She brought up her sword and swung, a smile on her face. Perhaps the training she had begun with Nika could continue with Chae.
—
Tempani smoothed down the front of her emerald green silk dress, loving the sound it made as she walked. A gold necklace hung around her neck, a large emerald resting above her breast.
She placed her hand on Teddy’s arm and marveled at how smart he looked in his deep blue tunic and white hose.
“Your Highness,” she said and curtsied.
“My lady,” he said, winking at her as they entered the Grand Ballroom to celebrate Princess Ellsje’s birthday.
All eyes turned as the pair were announced, and they walked, self-consciously, into the room. Tempani found comfort in Teddy’s equally shy nature and disregard for court festivities, even if it was to celebrate his sister’s birthday.
The king and queen had gone all out with the celebration. The food was nothing like she had ever tasted before. The wine was the finest she had ever brought to her lips. The fragrant flowers hit her nose at every turn, and the floating candles that were kept aloft by the palace novices gave the Grand Ballroom a soft, romantic glow.
Tempani happily chatted to Dahlia, who had accompanied Xanthir this evening, and Madoc, who was just as uncomfortable in these situations as she was.
Teddy re-joined them and downed his glass in one. Madoc smiled at him. “Everything all right?”
Teddy sighed and held his hand out to Tempani. “Nothing a dance won’t fix.”
He spun her around, her skirts flying out around her, before pulling her close to him. “Talk to me,” she said. “What’s wrong?”
He rolled his eyes. “Mother wants to know when you and I are going to make it official.”
“Make what official?”
“She believes we’re in love. I’m being pressured by her to make it official so they can start preparations for the wedding.”
Tempani laughed. “That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
He frowned at her, cocking his head to the side. “Don’t hold back,” he said. “Tell me what you really think.”
She rubbed his arm. “I’m sorry. But you’re like a brother to me. Besides you want to pledge your life to the Gods.”
He shrugged. “Apparently that is not a dream befitting a prince who is second in line to the throne.” The anger in his tone shocked her. “Nic is the only one who seems to support what I want but that could have something to do with you.”
She felt her stomach flutter but tried to force the feeling away.
“Why do you want to be a priest? I know your faith in the Gods is strong, but I spent five years there. The mundane existence there will drive you crazy.”
Teddy’s eyes were bright as he looked down at her. “Fear,” he breathed. “That is what drives me.”
“Fear of what?”
“You’ve seen and heard what power does to people. I don’t want the power that comes with my title. I don’t want to become a man who will turn a blind eye to suffering or who will think nothing of sending his men off to fight the very people we are meant to lead.” His arms tightened around her. “If I pledge myself to the Gods, I can make a difference. I can try and undo some of the wrongs my family has done by helping others.”
“Your heart is pure, Teddy, and your kindness is matched by no one. You will never become your father.”
He kissed the top of her head. “And neither will Nic,” he whispered as he led her back to the table, where Nic had now joined them. “If he has the right people around him.”
“My lady.” Nic bowed and offered her a seat.
“I do hope Ellsje is enjoying the evening,” she said.
“Very much so. She was adamant on every detail. And mother gave in to her every whim.”
“Except the swans,” Teddy interjected.
“And thank the Gods for that,” Nic laughed. “She wanted three dozen white swans on hand this evening to walk amongst the guests.”
“Well, at least that’s a better idea than having bats flying around,” said Chae.
Tempani thrust an elbow into her brother’s side. “I was five,” she hissed. “Besides bats are far more interesting than swans. And they come out at twilight so they would have been ripe for the party.”<
br />
“I like your line of thinking,” Nic said. “Much better than Ellsje’s though that white swans were romantic.”
“Yes,” Tempani laughed. “The feathers and dung they leave behind is awfully romantic. You will find many a ballad written about such a thing.”
“Well, there will definitely be one written about Lady Tempani of Amarill saying the word ‘dung’ in front of Crown Prince Nicolass of Lenthir,” said Chae, clapping her on the shoulder as he laughed.
Tempani raised her head and looked Nic in the eyes. “A good royal is one who does not flinch over unsavory topics.”
A smile crossed his thin lips. “I believe you are right.”
“Well, let us raise our glasses and toast to all future ballads about dung.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Nic said and clinked his glass against hers.
As their eyes held, warmth spread across her stomach and a blush crept onto her cheeks until she shook her head and broke their gaze.
~4~
A ROYAL COURTSHIP
Leela and Lindow had their heads bent as they whispered to one another. Tempani went unnoticed as she walked into the kitchen and helped herself to a fruit bun. She perched herself on the stool and took a bite, savoring the spices as they hit her tongue.
Leela’s head snapped up, and she scowled at the young girl. “You don’t go spoiling your appetite.”
Tempani groaned. “But your cooking is much better than the cooks at the palace. I get a sore stomach after most of their meals.”
“Don’t eat the rich food,” she scolded. “I don’t know how many times I’ve told you.”
“The other food is bland.” She took another bite. “Not like this.”
“You got no manners,” Leela said, trying hard to keep a straight face. “You won’t get a good husband acting like that.”
“Maybe I don’t want to find a husband.”
“Nonsense.”
“You don’t have a husband.”
“Not by choice, love. No man wants a woman who already got a baby.”
“But you’ve done fine on your own. You raised him to be a good man,” she said and tried to squeeze Lindow’s cheek but missed as he ducked out of her way. She laughed as she straightened herself on the stool.
“I only done good cause of your parents. Your ma gave me a job when no one else ain’t. You find a husband, and you have no worries in life.”
Tempani frowned at her. “I’ll have plenty of problems with any man who wants a Kalaowin as a wife. My father is a rarity. If my mother hadn’t been so bewitching, he’d never have married a Kalaowin.”
“A man may see you the same way. You be good, and you get a good man.”
Tempani jumped off her stool and kissed Leela’s cheek. “I’ll be happy as a spinster. I don’t need a man.”
Leela sighed and tugged Tempani’s braid. “You afraid. You afraid of love.”
Tempani straightened her shoulders. “I’m not afraid of anything.”
“Love will find you. You see.”
Lindow came back into the room and thrust a pot into his mother’s hand. “Prince Nicolass has arrived. Unannounced. He would like some tea.”
“You see? It will find you,” Leela grinned as she filled the pot with water. “You go be nice.”
Tempani rolled her eyes at the cook as she was ushered out the door by Lindow.
“This is a surprise,” she said as she entered the hall. She went to curtsey but stopped when he raised his hand.
“We’re friends now, aren’t we?” He bent down to pat Tilaw, who had bounded out ahead of Tempani, eager to greet their guest.
“I suppose we are.” She smiled as she showed him into the drawing room and sat down. “Should I expect frequent visits from you now or is this a special occasion?”
“I like to drop in unannounced on my friends.”
Lindow put his tray down between them and poured the prince a cup of tea. She shook her head when he went to pour her one. “Any more unannounced visits and you may very well give our manservant a heart attack.”
“Ah, yes, but if I tell them I’m coming, they may flee.”
“Are you that annoying that they would choose to disappear rather than spend a day in your company?”
He grinned at her. “Annoying is not the word I would use. But clearly you think that may be the reason.”
“Just an educated guess.” Her mouth spread into a smile as they talked. It wasn’t the polite smile she usually had on when they talked but a wide, bright one. She couldn’t help it.
“They think I’m boring.”
She let out a short, sharp laugh. “Boring?”
“They do not care much for politics or our foreign neighbors. They turn a deaf ear when I try to talk of such things.”
“That does sound like Chae.”
“Yes, but he mentioned that you might be interested. Or at least will feign interest.”
“Did he now?” She shook her head at her brother’s scheming. “Just don’t expect me to agree with you just because of your title.”
“When have you ever agreed with me?”
She chewed her bottom lip as she tried to think of an answer.
“See? You’ve never once agreed with me.”
She smiled at him. “Now that’s not true. I believe you once suggested it would rain, and I agreed with you.”
“That doesn’t count.”
“You can’t put restrictions on my answers now.”
“Fair enough,” he laughed and then gave a nervous cough. “Would you care to join me for lunch?”
Tempani froze. Lunch? It was one thing to have him drop in for a short conversation but sit down over a meal and talk was another. Their friendship was new. She didn’t want to rush it. “I’m expecting Dahlia here at any moment. We were going to spend the afternoon together.”
“Oh, all right.”
“Another time?” She asked quickly when she saw the disappointment on his face. “I have no plans tomorrow.”
He nodded eagerly. “Tomorrow it is. I’ll see myself out.”
She was nervous as she waited for him the following day, but her nerves disappeared the moment she was on Mincha. As they rode, he entertained her with stories of the previous week’s sitting of the Royal Parliament.
“Poor Darby almost had a fit when father mentioned his plans to visit the convent in the summer,” he explained. “Darby believes it would create nothing but further dissent in the lower classes.”
“He’s right. The convent is the one place in this kingdom where people aren’t judged by their station.” Just their race, she thought to herself. “If the king visits, it will give the impression that he is seeking to control them. The ramifications would be huge.”
“I agree. We should be working harder to appease them.”
She eyed him warily.
His smile widened. “I’m not entirely predictable, am I?”
“Not entirely,” she said. “Race you to the river?”
“Only if we make it interesting,” he said. “If I win, you accompany me to dinner this evening.”
“And if I win?”
“I accompany you to dinner.”
She laughed. “Either way you win.”
“So it would seem.”
She kicked Mincha into a gallop and the two took off, her black hair flying behind her as her wrap fell in her wake. She heard him swear under his breath and then take off after her. But his mare was no match for Mincha, and Tempani whooped when she pulled up at the river and waited for him.
“If you were that keen for me to accompany you to dinner all you had to do was ask.” His breathing was haggard as he climbed from his saddle. He turned to assist her but she’d already dismounted and was busy cooing to Mincha. She pulled an apple from her saddlebag and offered it to her mare.
“I figured I should at least win something in this game.”
She led Mincha over to the river and stroked her back while she took a
long drink. She had forgotten how much she loved to gallop. These days the only riding she did was short trips into Fenella or to the palace, and they never even got close to a trot.
It was a feeling of freedom. A feeling that she was untouchable. The wind rushing past her skin as her body molded against Mincha’s, the two of them becoming one. Her mother used to tell her that her people shared a special bond with animals, but Tempani had thought that was nothing more than a story to entertain a child. The older she got, the more she believed it.
She removed her shoes and gathered up the hem of her dress in her hand before wading into the water. She found that whenever she was near water she had an urge to immerse herself in it. Even just thrusting her foot in sent a strong jolt of energy through her, and she felt she could do anything. She could gallop forever if she wanted to.
“What are you doing? The water must be freezing!”
“I’m Kalaowin,” she laughed. “We don’t feel the cold.”
“Oh really?” He reached out his hand and helped her out. “Then why are your teeth chattering?”
She grinned at him and pulled a blanket from her saddlebag. “Well, I’m only part Kalaowin.”
That drew a hearty laugh from him. “You definitely are unique. No other lady would dare show her bare ankles to a man.”
“That’s me,” she said. “Paving the path for women everywhere. Soon all ladies will be running around with their hair loose and their feet bare.” She pulled out her spare wrap and folded it lengthwise, shaking out her hair so she could cover it properly.
“Don’t,” he said and held her wrist in place.
“But it’s unseemly,” she said sarcastically. “I will be taken before the Master Priest for daring to have my hair uncovered outside the confines of a palace social engagement.”
“Leave it free,” he said. “And that’s a royal order.”
“If you insist.” Her heart raced at the look in his eyes. It was one she had often seen in her father’s eyes when he’d looked at her mother.
He traced a finger along her cheekbone and over her lips. “You are beautiful,” he whispered, inching his face closer to hers.