by D. R. Grady
“I wondered that as well. We’re both new to our positions.” Raene’s worried gaze met Stefana’s.
“That’s why I’m here.” Rialta brushed crumbs from her skirts.
“My wife has taken over Rialta’s duties, as is proper for the queen.”
“So I have far too much time on my hands. Then we heard what was happening in Ostard Land, and I realized I could come and help you, Raene.”
“We would be thrilled for your assistance.”
Something about Rialta reminded him of someone he knew. At that point, Ari entered the room. She was introduced to their guests then Raene made haste to fill her in on his and Stefana’s new soon-to-be-wed status.
Her joy for them shone in her face when she rose to greet them. Both he and Stefana received hugs and congratulations. She was less enthusiastic about his and Stefana’s promotions.
“You’re the King and Queen of Ostard?”
“Apparently. Although it will now be called Swiftland.” Stefana stated this in the firm tones of royalty.
His heart expanded as he drew her closer. “Swiftland?”
“Yes. If Lajos the Swift is the new king, then the first thing we do is change the name. I’m not associating with the Ostards in any way.”
Everyone in the room gaped at his new fiancée, before gentle, relieved laughter circled the room. The startled notes faded to be replaced with the joyous variety.
“Swiftland. Of course.” Oxland appeared as satisfied with that nomenclature as he.
“This makes Lajos’ long years of service worthwhile. Hopefully it will show to other Aasguard warriors that their years are appreciated. They haven’t been in vain.” Stefana’s hand slid into his, and he wanted to twirl her about the room, and kiss her senseless.
All in good time. That he would be able to do so in the future thrilled him as nothing had in long centuries.
“So now you’re marrying an Aasguard warrior? Just like that?” Raene snapped her fingers. The mock censor in her tone made Stefana grin. They had retired to Stefana’s bedchamber.
“At least he asked me. As I recall, you just announced to all and sundry that you were marrying one.” Stefana tossed her hair over her shoulder to finish brushing it. “Everyone, including him, was shocked.”
Raene settled onto the stool beside her. “It is nice that Lajos asked you. Or at least intended to.”
“Yes.”
“How do you really feel about marrying him?”
“Excited, scared, nervous.” She guided the brush through her tresses. “A little pressured, but not from him. I didn’t want to be married this soon.” And she couldn’t tell her parents because they were away on court business and didn’t intend to arrive home until the wee hours.
“You’d have to feel pressured.” Raene took the brush from her and finished the job. “It’s not every day you become the queen of a new nation.”
“That’s what I’m most scared of.” Stefana met Raene’s eyes. “I don’t want to be the queen.”
“No. But that’s why you’ll succeed. Lajos doesn’t wish to be the king, either. Yet, the two of you will form an impressive team.”
“I hope so.” She thought about the country she had seen. “The entire nation is in crisis.”
“That’s in your favor in many ways.”
Stefana arched an eyebrow.
“There’s no way to go but up. These people have been so impoverished and neglected that they’ll welcome anyone new with open arms. You’re their hope, Stefana.”
A lump formed in her throat. “What if we fail them?”
“You won’t.” Raene sounded very sure of this.
Surging to her feet, Stefana paced the expanse of floor in her bedchamber. “We know nothing of ruling a nation.”
Raene’s exclamation would have caused a faint scandal if any of her court overheard her. “You’ve learned plenty from my mother, as did I. And Lajos has traveled the world over. He’s experienced his share of kingdoms. Surely he’s seen what works and what does not.”
There was something to be said for both of Raene’s points.
“How are your sword lessons going?” Raene’s head tipped to the side.
“To quote my brother, ‘abysmally.’”
Raene’s lips tipped up. “That well?”
“To quote Lajos, ‘You need more practice.’”
Throaty laughter spilled from Raene. “Okay, so not well. Still, you’re learning. And remember, the beginning is rough for everyone.”
“Not you. Vidar keeps proclaiming how adept and magnificent you are.”
“You’re forgetting, my father showed me how to fight. Vidar instructed me after I had already learned the basics.”
Stefana chewed on her thumb nail. “That’s true. Your lessons with your father weren’t everything they could be.”
“No. I struggled at the beginning. Just like every student does, because there is so much to learn at first.”
“I do now recall your despair at never learning everything you needed to know.”
Raene set Stefana’s hairbrush on her vanity. “Does that remind you of anyone?”
Lips twitching, Stefana glanced at a chair by the fireplace. The chamber had cooled to near chilly. She only wore her nightdress and a wrapper. Perhaps another layer would help.
Raene hadn’t undressed for the night yet. Her court dress boasted long sleeves while the accompanying cape would provide additional warmth. Stefana settled into the other chair after retrieving her own cape.
“I do recall your grumbles about the uselessness of learning to use a sword at the time.” Her cape thwarted much of the chill.
“It wasn’t until after I began using what I had learned with Vidar that I saw the value in learning to use a sword. Give yourself time.” Raene fixed her with a queenly look. “Do not, despite all you’ll face, give up on your lessons.”
“Should a queen know how to fight?”
“You’re tasked with establishing a brand new country. What do you think?”
Stefana didn’t need Raene’s tart question to understand she could not give up her lessons, despite her obvious lack of skill.
“No one is skilled, no one displays talent when they first learn to fight.” Ari, who had been in the bathroom, joined them. She sank onto a tufted ottoman.
“No one?”
“Absolutely not. Some might show the signs of becoming adept, but no one is wonderful at first. It takes perseverance and determination to become skilled at sword fighting. As well as self-defense.”
“I’m performing better in the self-defense lessons than I am the sword play.”
“That’s not unexpected. Be patient with yourself. You’re learning techniques and using muscles you’ve never used before. It will take time to become accustomed to those things.” Ari, an Aasguard warrior of some renown, would know.
Stefana relaxed her rigid spine. “Ari, are you coming with Lajos and me to Swiftland?”
Although an abrupt shift in conversation, Ari flowed with her. “Yes, if you’ll have my sword.”
Stefana clapped her hands in happiness and then hugged her friend and future sister-in-law. “Thank you.”
“I believe you’re going to need all the help you can muster. At least at first. Having two Aasguard warriors on hand will be beneficial.” Ari remained unflustered.
“Especially in light that one of them is the king.” Raene’s dry comment made them both nod.
“Everything is going to be so new.” A full attack of the nerves threatened.
“Marriage and suddenly running a country is not for the faint of heart.”
Raene would certainly know.
“That’s why I believe I’ll accompany you. I wouldn’t be surprised if Fricassa and Aern choose to follow for a little while as well.”
Stefana started. “Who will guard the treasury here?”
“Kellen has essentially offered until things settle in Swiftland. Serving in Montequirst’s treasury
will give him longer to heal. Having two Aasguard warriors in both places should help to quell unrest.” Ari stretched out her long legs.
Raene tapped her chair’s armrest. “There is going to be unrest, isn’t there? Other nations know that now is the time to attack if they’re going to do so.”
“Yes. That’s why we need to arrive soon.” Even saying this released a flock of hummingbirds in her stomach.
Raene paused her tapping. “Does it make sense for you to marry here or there?”
“Lajos and I plan to discuss this in the morning. I have some ideas, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he does as well.”
“Of course he does. He’s a man of action.” Ari rose in one graceful motion. “It’s time for us to find our rest. Once the morn comes, we will have no opportunity.”
While her stomach further reacted to that, Stefana didn’t deny the thrill that coursed through her either. Perhaps she didn’t know what they faced in this new country, and it would be entirely different than what she knew, yet on the other hand, she had been part of the royal court all her life. She knew how to conduct herself, and these past few weeks, had hands-on experience in running this country.
Her tasks as queen would likely grow, but with Lajos as the king, most of the running of the country would fall on him.
“Lajos will expect you to run certain parts of the country, as you do here. He’ll take over other aspects, taking on the same things as Vidar. He has to see to the military first.” Raene appeared to have already thought on Stefana’s new circumstances.
She picked at a loose thread on her cape. “We need to provide jobs for the people first and foremost. As well as basic necessities.”
“Yes. You already know how to do that, Stefana.” Raene patted her hand. “You’ve been doing so for years.”
“I have.” Some of the birds in her stomach took a break, thankfully. A deep breath later and life didn’t look quite as daunting.
“You’re the perfect queen for Swiftland.” Ari sounded impressed.
“I hope so.” At the moment, there didn’t appear to be other options. She would be married whether she agreed or not. And immediately become queen of a floundering nation.
Chapter 10
When she opened her eyes the next morning, the first thing she realized was that she had company. Her heart jolted before it beat too fast. She jackknifed in the bed.
“Easy,” Lajos soothed. He sat on her bed and took her hand.
Her heart responded by reaching for him. She blinked at the unusual sensation. “What are you doing?”
“I came to have a private word with you.”
“Ari?” She used her chin to indicate the alcove where his sister’s bed resided.
“She’s already up. I told her I wanted this time with you. She waited until I arrived before taking herself off to the practice yard.”
A maiden would never think of entertaining a man in her bedchamber, yet Stefana barely concerned herself with this errant thought. Their pending marriage changed everything.
Lajos tucked a pillow behind her as she settled against the headboard.
“What did you wish to speak about?” Shouldn’t this feel odd? Him in her bedchamber, so close to her? Yet it didn’t. It felt right, as though he should be here. As though he belonged here.
“Do you wish to marry here or in Swiftland?” A note radiated in his tone when he said the name of their new country. It made her smile.
“I want to marry here, today, perhaps, and then celebrate there.”
Approval lit his pale silvery-blue eyes. “My exact thoughts.”
“We need to go there immediately, don’t we?”
“Yes. It is for the best.”
“My parents shall accompany us. My father will need a few days, but he’ll have our country’s finances sorted out far quicker than either of us.”
“Excellent. That will be one less pressing matter we won’t need to worry with. Will your mother be bored?”
She sent him an incredulous look. “There won’t be time for that. She’ll have the palace, firstly, and then the country, organized before we’ve settled in.”
“Now I understand. You’ve inherited your abilities from two very capable people.”
“I like to believe so.”
“Your father is capable of sorting out the financial aspects? I’d rather focus on the military for now.”
“My father is not only the perfect man for the job, but he’ll enjoy it.”
“I had better meet with him today so we can discuss my wealth.”
“Yes. He knows my finances, but he wouldn’t know of your assets.” She pondered him. “You said you had nothing to offer me, but if you’re like Vidar, you’ve accumulated your own wealth over the years. You’re also a protector and you saved me from being forced to marry a man I did not wish to share the sheets with.”
His hand took hers where it lay in her lap. “I had forgotten those things I can offer you. It appears I have far more to offer you than I surmised, my queen.”
Heat suffused her cheeks with an intensity that made her wince. “Please don’t remind me we’re suddenly royalty.”
“You’ve always been royalty, and from what Vidar tells me, so have we.” He didn’t sound as though he entirely believed this.
“I’m very minor royalty. My updated status has come because Raene was an only child and I happened to be her dearest friend, so I spent time learning much of what she did.”
“That has set you in good stead. We’re going to have much to learn and do once we arrive at our new home.”
Her heart flipped. “When do you feel we should leave?”
“If we marry today, which we should do, perhaps this evening, then we shall leave first thing tomorrow morning. Our belongings will take longer to arrive, but Fricassa and Aern can take us.”
“I shall need to speak with my parents.” She bit her lip. “What of Lukas?”
“He’s overseeing a much-needed program here. I believe he needs to see that out. Once he’s organized the program and all the females here are in training, we should be ready for him to set up the same program in Swiftland.”
“Yes, I agree. Ari, you, and I will fly to Swiftland tomorrow. My parents can follow with our things. They’ll arrive by evening, at the latest.”
“That should suit.” He appeared unhappy for a small space.
“What’s wrong?”
“You’re being denied a woman’s dream wedding. I am sorry for that.”
“I’m not disappointed in the least. There is a sense of urgency about this business that I cannot ignore. Once we have things settled in Swiftland, then we shall have a nicer celebration as Vidar and Raene did.”
“There will be a lot of changes for us.” Extra warmth illuminated his eyes.
She swayed toward him and he responded by kissing her. This kiss proved unlike any they’d shared before.
“I think we’re going to be okay.” Stefana whispered this as her heart pounded. Marrying immediately did provide a few enjoyable benefits.
“I agree. I likely knew it the moment I set eyes on you.” He brushed strands of hair off her face with a gentleness that made her breath catch. “Even if Vidar hadn’t married Raene, I’d have been thinking along those lines myself.”
Their eyes met at his admission. “Do you believe it wasn’t time for Aasguard warriors before?”
“I don’t know. It certainly appears to be our time now.”
“Lajos, are Aasguard warriors still being trained?”
He blinked. “I don’t know the answer to that question.”
“We have four warriors here in the castle. Perhaps you should see. It seems strange if there aren’t some still being trained.”
“Aern and Fricassa might know.”
“What if there aren’t any being trained?”
“That can be remedied. Any current Aasguard can train a new one. We all have the skills.”
“What if there was a scho
ol that opened?”
“It’s a possibility.”
A knock at her door indicated her new maid had probably arrived. Lajos rose just as Mies entered the bedchamber. “Oh, do excuse me.” She stopped uncertainly in the middle of the floor after catching sight of Lajos.
“Good morning, Mies. Lajos and I had some things to discuss.” She glanced at her fiancé. “We plan to wed this evening.”
“Married? Tonight?”
“Yes. We understand it’s rather sudden, but we do need to proceed as we must leave for Swiftland immediately.”
“It’s vital we arrive there as soon as possible.” Lajos strolled across the room. “We have much to do today.”
Flinging the covers aside, Stefana stepped from the bed. “Yes. Between the wedding and packing there won’t be much time for anything else.”
“I’ll do your packing, Princess.” Mies flapped around the room, already busier than three people.
“Thank you, Mies.” Although packing her clothing and feminine fripperies hadn’t crossed her mind. Her own packing would have more to do with the small treasures she had collected through the years. In addition, she had trinkets from her office she would dearly love to take with her. Items she had been given as gifts in addition to notes and the like.
More so than her packing, she had other arrangements to see to. And Rialta required training on Montequirst issues.
The future loomed with a massive question mark. Yet at least Lajos would be by her side.
She swallowed as she hurried into the bathroom. Stefana had so much to accomplish before her nuptials this evening, determining where to start might prove the most difficult aspect of the morning.
Perhaps getting dressed...
After that, she’d wing it.
He couldn’t help but castigate the situation. Lajos strode to the dining chamber where they all gathered first thing in the morning to eat and discuss business. He far preferred to eat there than in the larger dining hall where most of the court and on-duty warriors dined.
It would be nice if that’s how they took their meals in Swiftland. Then he stopped in the middle of the corridor as a thought made him breathless.