by J. L. McCoy
Caeden felt like he had been sucker punched as his breath caught in his throat. What if... No, he couldn’t allow himself to even entertain the idea for a single moment. Thoughts like that were dangerous.
“No.” Caeden shook his head.
“Why not? I’ve seen the way she looks at you like you’re the reason the sun rises each morning.”
He had seen that look, too. He loved that look.
“That is exactly what I mean. She is so innocent and doesn’t know what is best for her. She’s naive enough to think I’m safe to practice her affections on.”
Trevin didn’t bother to respond, but gave his friend a look which told him how much of an idiot he thought he was.
“I’m a soldier; she’s a princess. My father was a low ranking soldier, and my mother and sister tend the fruit orchard. I grew up in a modest cottage, and she was born into a palace. I have no social graces,” Caeden felt the need to explain, as if their social status would clarify everything.
“You are the highest ranking soldier in the entire kingdom, hell, on this entire island. You somehow think your humble upbringing makes you unworthy of her? You’ve struggled and worked hard for everything you’ve achieved.”
Trevin continued before Caeden could respond. “Tell me, do you think one of the lazy aristocratic males from another territory would be better suited for her? Worthy of her? Could protect her and meet her needs? Let alone take command of the kingdom?”
NO! “Yes,” Caeden said through gritted teeth.(
Trevin sighed, shook his head and headed for the door. Caeden felt like punching something or someone. He’d like to start with all of the aristocratic males parading themselves around his princess, which happened more frequently as her maturity approached. He couldn’t count how many formal dinners he had been forced to stand guard at, watching as the weaker aristocrats tried to win favor with his princess. She was beautiful and sweet, never saying an unkind thing about anyone. She went out of her way to make every guest feel welcome and she genuinely cared about everyone in her kingdom. Princess Amira had a vibrant spirit she kept hidden behind her sense of duty, but that wasn’t why they tried so hard to impress her. They pursued her because with her hand came the Kingdom of Velius and rulership of all of Cashile.
Thus far, she had shown no sign of favoritism toward any of her suitors, but Caeden knew someday it would soon change. It was his princess’s duty to marry and continue the Royal Bloodline. So far, she was poised, polite, the perfect princess... but she was bored out of her mind at all of their attempts. Would tonight be different? He dreaded the constant thought. Tonight was another formal dinner with the leaders of the three other territories of Cashile, and the most persistent of her suitors, Sorin of Ammon, would be present. The thought of Sorin and his princess together made his vision red with fury. He really needed to hit something. Thank the angels it was time for training.
***
“Amira, may I come in?” came softly through the closed chamber door, accompanied by a light tap. “It’s an hour until supper. Would you like me to help you prepare?”
This made Amira smile through her still blurry eyes. Inaya always knew when she was upset and was there to lend her unwavering support. Inaya had been brought to live in the palace as Amira’s companion sixteen years prior, when Amira had been seven and Inaya had been nine. The girls had bonded immediately and had been near inseparable for over half their lives. Amira took a deep breath and let it out slowly before opening the door.
“Yes, I do believe I could use your help tonight.”
“Oh, dear...” Inaya breathed softly as she pulled Amira close for a comforting hug, closing the door firmly behind her.
Amira would not allow anyone else to see her like this. She knew her duty as the Princess of Velius. She was always to be cheerful, polite, and gracious. She wasn’t allowed to show sorrow, hurt feelings, or pain. She was the hope and future of the Kingdom of Velius and the island of Cashile, a responsibility she could never forget. Through her choice of consort and her blood, the Royal Bloodline would continue and, thus, the security of Cashile would be insured.
Legend told, when the angels first created the island for a safe haven for their offspring, the Royal Family was created and entrusted with the duty to preserve the shield surrounding the island. The most sacred of bonds, a blood bond, was forged by the angels between the Royal Family and the island itself. Soon it would fall on Amira’s shoulders to uphold that covenant. Therefore, in the privacy of her chambers she had given herself only until suppertime to feel her heartache. Now it was time to put it away and do her duty.
“I’ve brought a cold compress. Here, hold this on your eyes to help the swelling while I re-do your hair,” Inaya said, immediately taking charge.
Amira noticed Inaya had already gotten herself ready for the formal dinner they would attend. She looked beautiful in her form fitting turquoise gown, which accentuated her generous curves and matched her eyes perfectly. She had clipped her long golden blonde hair in an intricate knot, but left a few strands to frame her face. She looked flawless and well put together as always. At 5’8, Inaya loomed over Amira’s small form, and her beauty, at times, made Amira self-conscious about what she considered to be her plain, mousy looks. But she couldn’t be resentful of her friend’s beauty. Inaya was as kind and generous as she was beautiful. Amira also knew Inaya didn’t feel as confident as she looked and was uncomfortable with her curvy body.
Amira had never been as grateful for her friend as she was at this moment. “You are such a blessing. How did you know?”
“Oh, that’s easy,” Inaya said as she worked. “I heard you sneak up to your chambers through the hidden servant’s entrance. When you didn’t come back down, I knew it must be something awful if it kept you confined to your rooms for half of the day.” She paused, and then she asked hesitantly, “Are you ready to talk about it yet?”
“I’m just so embarrassed!” Amira said as she finished sharing what she had overheard. “I have been in love with him for years and he sees me as nothing but a nuisance.” Inaya was shaking her head. “What?”
“That just doesn’t make sense. I’ve seen you two together and there are definitely sparks on both sides,” Inaya tried to explain. “I think you rattle him. Males, especially soldiers, like to be in control. I think Caeden does want you, but deep down you scare him senseless. He knows he cannot control you; you’re the princess for crying out loud.”
“He said he wanted other women!” Amira couldn’t get past this point; the pain cut deep.
Inaya started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Amira didn’t find the thought of Caeden with another female the least bit funny.
“I just remembered a conversation I heard between Murdock and a couple of the other guards.”
Murdock was Inaya’s oldest brother and one of the Royal Guards. There were six Royal Guard members in all. They usually paired into twos and rotated shifts between guard duty and training the other soldiers. Caeden was the captain and Trevin was his second in command.
Levi and Murdock were usually the guards during the day. Levi liked to keep his nights and evenings free for female companionship, of which he never lacked. Murdock, on the other hand, could usually be found at home spending time with his wife Maryse, who was expecting their first child. He was a good soldier, but Amira thought he was one of the more arrogant and bossy of the guards, probably because she and his sister had spent so much time together that he now treated her much like a sister as well.
Dalek and Osmond were the guards usually on the night shift. Amira was told Dalek was playful and had a wicked sense of humor when he wasn’t on duty, but unfortunately, she was never able to see that side of him. Osmond, on the other hand, was the most formidable and unapproachable of her guards. She was thankful he was usually assigned to her father. It was Amira’s opinion that he didn’t much care for women, although she knew he was married to a robust and sturdy female named F
rancine.
“I swear, the soldiers gossip worse than females,” Inaya continued with another giggle.
“What did they say?” Amira’s interest was fully piqued. She couldn’t help but grin at her friend’s amusement.
“I heard Dalek telling the other guards that he thought Caeden must be going daft because he saw that hussy, Sadie,” she said the name with a shudder and a comical look of distaste, “all but strip naked and throw herself at Caeden’s feet in the middle of the courtyard, yet Caeden barely spared her a glance.”(
Amira released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She tried hard not to think badly of anyone, but just then, she couldn’t help the unkind things she was thinking about Sadie.
“Murdock said Caeden was just showing good sense by staying clear of that viper, but Levi seemed to think Caeden was developing an aversion to females. Then the conversation digressed into crude jokes and cavemen like behavior which would scold your innocent little ears,” Inaya said with revulsion.
Amira would have loved to have been a witness to the rest of their conversation. Having been sheltered most of her life, she would have found it thrilling; unlike Inaya who had grown up with two older brothers.
“That doesn’t mean anything; maybe I should just give up and accept that he doesn’t want me,” she said dejectedly.
“Or maybe you should show him what he is missing,” Inaya said, eyeing Amira calculatingly.
***(
“Holy hell, you almost took my head off!” Murdock panted.
“Just checking your reflexes,” Caeden replied, barely winded.
“This is supposed to be a friendly sparring,” Dalek added.
After the soldiers had finished training, the other members of the Royal Guard had decided to help Caeden out of his apparently dark mood by challenging him to a three on one sparring match. Now they were regretting their decision. Dalek, Murdock, and Levi had their asses handed to them by Caeden.
“How am I supposed to explain to Murdock’s pregnant wife that he died while in a friendly competition?” Dalek questioned.
“Easy. You say, ‘Maryse, your husband was slow as shit,’” Levi provided helpfully. “Better yet, I’ll tell her, and then I could comfort her.”
He’d barely finished his sentence before Murdock launched himself at Levi. Dalek and Caeden were between the two males before any blood could be shed.
“I’m sure Maryse doesn’t like that shade of lipstick on her man,” Dalek said staring at Levi’s lips. Caeden, Dalek and Murdock all roared with laughter, as Levi shot them each a look of contempt while wiping his mouth.
“You let me go all this time with cosmetics on my face?” he accused. “What kind of friends are you?”
They all laughed harder.
“So Levi, tell us again how you were late for practice because you were helping repair a fence in the northern field,” Caeden said once he was able to catch his breath, which stirred another round of laughter.
Levi couldn’t stay angry and had to agree, if only to himself, that it had been a fitting punishment. “Well, the fence did break, I just didn’t mention how it broke,” Levi said with a wicked grin.
“Sadie?” Dalek questioned.(
“Nope, her sister, Rebecca,” Levi answered with a wink.(
“I don’t know how you do it,” Dalek said in awe.
Levi definitely had a reputation with the females. He was known for being elusive, but instead of being warned off by his reputation, the females seemed to find him all the more appealing because of it. Each hoped she would be able to keep the alluring warrior. Most women found Levi’s shaggy, blond streaked hair, lean muscular build, and big green eyes irresistible. He could almost be described as pretty except for the hard look that rarely left his eyes.
“All your promiscuity is going to come back to haunt you,” Murdock predicted with a shake of his head.
“You have been trapped too long, my friend,” Levi answered, slapping Murdock on the back, all of their earlier hostility forgotten.
“If the ability to climb in bed with Maryse each night; to hold her in my arms and feel our child growing within her is a trap, then I pray to never break free. I only hope one day you will be as equally lucky as I am, my friend,” Murdock told him seriously before walking away.
Caeden couldn’t help but agree and secretly envied the bond Murdock and his Maryse shared.
Apparently their sparring was finished, as they all began to make their way back to the soldiers’ keep.
“Lucky Osmond and Trevin to be on duty this afternoon. I’m glad he isn’t usually this moody. I thought for sure he was going to dismember at least a couple of the trainees,” Levi murmured to Dalek.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure a few of the newer recruits left in need of clean underpants,” Dalek smirked.
“We could always take advantage of his dark mood to weed out the weaker males,” Murdock added logically.
Caeden glared at the three soldiers as they continued to talk about him as if he weren’t walking right beside them.(
“Maybe he needs to get laid,” Levi added helpfully, shooting Caeden a look which screamed ‘hint, hint.’(
“Sex is not the answer to all of life’s problems,” Murdock retorted.(
“Hey, it works well for me.” Levi smiled.(
“Except when your female friends have a cat fight in the courtyard,” Dalek reminded him with glee.(
“Hey, that was only one time and have you noticed how well Ruth and Kaitlyn get along now?” Levi defended, with a knowing smile.(
“Not sure how you accomplished that,” Murdock admitted with a grumble.(
“I told you it worked well for me,” Levi wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.(
“You’re a God,” Dalek said in awe at the same time Murdock muttered, “Someday...” with a shake of his head. Caeden just rolled his eyes.(
“To each his own,” Levi laughed.(
“Maybe it’s the stress of extra guard duty, due to our guests’ arrival,” Dalek said, returning to the previous topic, clearly not ready to end Caeden’s teasing. “Maybe he is cracking under the pressure,” he added, shooting Caeden a sly look.
Any time there were visitors from the other territories, the Guard was on high alert. The Royal Family was not usually guarded while inside the palace, except when they had “guests.” The leaders of the three other territories and their entourages were not to be trusted. Each leader was a distant relative to the Royal Family, assigned to govern their specific part of the island. For the most part, they were good men and women, but greed and squabbles over territory borders were not unheard of. Hence, the need for each territory to have its own military and defense, but each territory was under the rule of the Royal Family that governed the territory of Velius.
Caeden shook his head, not taking the bait.
“Pfft,” Murdock scoffed. “More like he is cracking under the pressure not to kill that rat bastard Sorin.”
“I’d like to have a go at him myself,” Dalek said, suddenly very serious.
“If you ladies are finished gossiping, maybe you could go about your duties,” Caeden interrupted, wanting to end this thread of conversation before his ‘dark mood’ returned in full force.
“Yep, needs to get laid,” Caeden heard Dalek mumble as he walked away.
“Amira, darling, the guests are arriving,” her Aunt Marcelle’s husky voice interrupted through the closed door.(
Amira’s mother, Queen Maryam, had died weeks after giving birth to her. She’d had a hard time conceiving and never regained her strength after Amira was born. Being her mother’s sister, Marcelle tried to fill the role of surrogate mother as best she could, but it definitely did not come naturally for her.
“Good evening, Aunt Marcelle” Amira said in greeting, admitting her into her chambers.
“Don’t you look just lovely, darling? Your gown will surely make an impression on our guests. You know Lord Sorin of Ammon will b
e here,” she said in a falsely conspiratorial tone.
Marcelle loved to use a person’s full title, as if having a title made someone more important than those without. The gown Inaya had picked out for her was a little more daring than her usual form of dress. It was a long, sleeveless champagne gold colored silk gown, which hugged her slender curves to perfection. Amira had never worn anything quite so revealing, but she had to admit it made her small breasts look much more ample than they really were and she felt kind of beautiful for once.
“Yes, one must always try to impress Lord Sorin,” Inaya said with disdain.
“You look lovely as well, Aunt Marcelle,” Amira said quickly, trying to divert her aunt’s attention.
It was no secret that Inaya and Marcelle didn’t get along; in fact, Marcelle didn’t get along with many. Although Marcelle was the second born and would not be able to inherit the throne, she had grown up as royalty and often thought of those without royal blood to be beneath her. She hadn’t thought Inaya to be a good companion for Amira and to this day rarely acknowledged her existence.
The flattery worked to distract Marcelle from making a biting retort, just as Amira knew it would. Marcelle had chosen a bright red dress that was almost the exact color of her falsely tinted red hair. Her brown eyes were darkly outlined, making her eyes appear small and beady, and her generous mouth was shaded in the same bright red as her gown.
As most second born children of the Royal Family, Marcelle had been trained to be the Supreme Healer. It was the Supreme Healer’s duty to safeguard the ancient traditions and ceremonies passed down from their first ancestors. She presided over all sacred ceremonies, such as the marriage ceremonies in which the couple undertook the sacred bond. It was also her duty to care for the injured and the vulnerable young ones who hadn’t yet reached full maturity. Although she hadn’t taken an apprentice in over half a century, it was her responsibility to train other healers as well.
Marcelle had never been married, and as far as Amira knew, she had never been seriously involved with any male. At times, Amira felt guilty that her aunt had sacrificed her chance at happiness to help care for her.