“So then, what’s the problem?” Miceral reached for her hand and held it gently. “You’ve lost your vivacious spark.”
She gave them another forced smile, something Farrell noted she excelled at. “It’s hard to keep it out of my mind that you’ll both be gone in a day or two, and I’ll remain here and eventually join with whomever my father deems appropriate. Nice as it was to be myself, I know it’s as fleeting as a spring snow.”
“I know the burden of duty all too well,” Farrell said. “However, if your father is true to his heart, he will allow you to find someone you love to join with. Honorus granted me the chance to know what it’s like to be in love with someone who loves me back. He said it was a reward for all I had done and will do in His name. But I also believe He granted me this boon because of the power that flows from my bond with Miceral. I feel stronger knowing he’s there for me. We must hope you father recognizes that as well.”
“My father is a good man and a good father, but he is the Prince of Belsport first, and his first obligation is to the citizens of this city. He can only be but so lenient toward his headstrong daughter. I have garnered something of a reputation among the people as a spirited child. ‘Spirited’ is a polite way for saying I’m out of control and an embarrassment to the family. Father hopes I’ll find love in the man I join with, but he will not let such a little thing stop him from arranging a union with someone I do not love if such a union benefited all of Belsport.
“Seeing the two of you together, it’s clear you truly love each other. It makes me hope for such a union for myself, but I fear I won’t be so fortunate.”
Farrell reached over and kissed her forehead. “There is much I could say which would serve as payback for the things you said to make me blush, but instead I’ll tell you this. The world is a large place, much larger than the free cities or even the Seven Kingdoms. See as much of it as you can. There are princes, nobles, and sons of wealthy merchants who have something to offer your father other than money— since it appears he has more of that than anyone I’ve ever met. Stay true to yourself, and soon enough you’ll meet the one you are destined to join with.”
“Perhaps you can persuade my father to let me go back to Haven with you. I’m certain there are enough eligible suitors among whom I can pick to find someone who is acceptable to my father.”
“I doubt your father would let you stay at Haven. It’s not an idyllic place at the moment.” He tried not to be too negative. “But if you need a break from Belsport for a day or so, you’ll always be welcome.”
“Are you certain of that? I make no promises that I won’t say something to make you blush.”
Miceral laughed. “Then you are most assuredly welcome at Haven as my guest anytime you wish to come.” This drew a wicked gaze from Farrell.
“My partner seems to forget I can turn him into a croaking toad at any time. I can do the same to you, Princess, so have a care just how far you go.” Alicia looked over his shoulder and began to laugh.
“Forgive me, but Miceral isn’t taking your threat too seriously.”
He glared at Miceral until he couldn’t hold back a grin. “I surrender. What good is being a grand master wizard if everyone knows I won’t use my power against them when they insult me?”
Laughing, Alicia waved her hand dismissively. “Perhaps you should ask Meglar for lessons on being feared. No one would doubt him if he made a threat.”
All the mirth left his face. Even Miceral stopped laughing and looked hard at Alicia. Her mouth open, she seemed about to speak when Farrell forced a laugh.
“Meglar would be an excellent teacher. I just fear the price of his lesson would be too steep.”
“My apologies, Farrell. That was stupid of me. I’m sure, given your history, Meglar is not a laughing subject.”
“Not so. There are times when he can prove most amusing. Unfortunately, those are rarer than the times he is deadly serious. In any case, you need not fear. I’m not the evil man he is, even if I’m almost as dangerous. I’m far more likely to try to make you happy rather than make you sad.” With that he showed her his empty hand, palm upward. He waved it around quickly, closed his fingers, then slowly reopened them to reveal a small silver rose.
“Impressive, mighty wizard.” She smiled as she accepted what he offered.
“A small token of friendship.” He punctuated his words with a bow.
“A generous gift, Lord Farrell. I fear I do not deserve it after all the bawdy things I said to you.”
“On the contrary, Lady Alicia, I appreciate you being yourself and treating me as a friend rather than a ruler.” Some displaced monarchs treated him as neither, resulting in their being effectively banished to their own areas. “Though I wouldn’t mind if you didn’t try to make me blush all the time.”
A smirk crossed her lips, leaving him fearing the worst. “Telling someone not to do something is almost an invitation for them to do it.”
Farrell rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “So is asking you to keep doing it, so I am at your mercy.”
“Come as often as you like, Princess. Your presence would certainly improve the dour male-dominated world of Haven,” Miceral said. “But we should go back. I’m sure we’ll need to be up early, and Grand Master Sleepy is hard enough to rouse when he’s had plenty of rest.” Farrell elbowed him but smiled anyway.
MORNING FELT as though it had come too early when Farrell opened his eyes. Their bedroom at Haven had no windows, so neither had thought to close the drapes when they went to sleep. Despite facing west, the wall of windows behind their bed flooded the room with light.
Having the time, Miceral decided to restart their morning training. Farrell cleared the room and summoned their practice mat. Either he’d lost a step or Miceral forgot himself, because by midway through the session, he felt like a punching bag.
“I think it’s you,” Miceral said when Farrell asked about it. “The days off have caused you to slip.”
Not certain he agreed, Farrell redoubled his efforts, with marginal success.
Just before they finished, they heard a knock. Miceral looked at him, and Farrell shook his head.
“I didn’t put a spell on the door. Must have been Darius.” He wiped his face and started toward the entry.
“Don’t you want a shirt?” Miceral held out a tan tunic. “It’s probably Alicia.”
Shaking his head, he smirked at his partner. “She saw me without a shirt last night. What’s one more time?”
“Prince Farrell.” Alicia eyed him as she had the night before when he opened the door. “If I didn’t know you had a preference for big, strong, handsome warriors, I’d think you were trying to seduce me by always greeting me shirtless. You do look quite fetching, I must say, but it is wrong to tease an innocent girl, letting her see what she can never have.”
Her over-the-top protestation made him laugh hard enough that he didn’t feel embarrassed.
“My apologies, fair lady of pure virtue, but you have an uncanny habit of knocking when I’m shirtless. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you had a scrying spell set on our rooms.”
“I did have that thought, but Darius assured me there would be no way to peek in on a wizard as powerful as yourself.” Her laugh led him to believe she might be serious. “Great Goddess of the Ocean, Farrell, what happened to you? You’re covered in bruises.”
Miceral entered, wearing the tunic he’d offered Farrell. “His reflexes were a bit slower today than usual. I fear too much rich food and fine living have sapped some of his quickness.”
“Miceral fails to mention he’s many times stronger and faster than we mere humans.” Alicia stared at him blankly. Realizing she didn’t know what he meant, Farrell added, “Miceral is a Muchari.”
“Do legends never cease?” She stared at Miceral as if she could find the difference. “I always thought your kind were a myth. But if the stories are true, it’s a coin flip which of you will live longer.”
�
�Your information is true. I’m over a hundred years old, which makes me a terrible cradle robber.” Miceral rubbed Farrell’s back. “So, Princess, what brings you to our door this early?”
“A hope you were free to escort me around Belsport.” She bit her lip, raising her eyebrows slightly. “Father said I could go with only a pair of guards instead of the usual ten if you two accompany me.”
“How could we decline the services of such a knowledgeable guide as yourself?” Miceral winked at his partner. “Give us a moment to clean up.”
Farrell bowed his head and made for the bath.
“It would be best if you don’t bathe together. We need to be back in time for dinner.”
He rolled his eyes at Miceral, feeling his face get hot.
Miceral smirked, then poked his head around the corner. “I believe you need to give me lessons. Farrell is an amazing shade of crimson.”
Farrell considered tossing a ball of water at him but decided to wait until they were alone.
WILHELM, ACCOMPANIED by Darius, met them on their way into the city.
“I hope you don’t mind that I’m imposing on you to guard my daughter,” he said after he gave Alicia a hug. “Between the two of you, I’m confident she is safer than if I sent an entire company.”
“You honor us with your trust.” Farrell bowed his head slightly.
“We’ll be certain to return her safely.”
“I’ve no doubts.” He motioned to his guards and moved off.
Alicia showed them her favorite shops, stopping along the way to buy things for her guests. At a chocolate shop, she bought them a large bag of various sweets to bring home and a smaller bag to enjoy on their walk. Farrell offered some to the guards, who looked to Alicia for approval before accepting.
“You will spoil them if you keep this up,” she said when they had put a few feet of distance between them and her escort.
“Nonsense. I treat all my people the same.” Farrell opened the bag so she could take a piece. “They enjoy the same pleasures as we do, only they have less ability to afford it. A small gift lets them know they are appreciated and not invisible.”
The princess walked in silence as she led them to their next stop. Before their day ended, she bought them smoked fish, fine cheeses, and even a few pastries. At the bakery, she asked her guards what they would like before going in. She seemed pleased by their reaction, giving Farrell a nod and a smile before they moved on.
After the food shops, they visited several tailors, a tanner, and a cobbler. They declined her offer to purchase them new clothing, with Miceral explaining how they already had two closets full. At the tanner’s shop, Farrell bought Miceral a new sword belt inlaid with gold, silver, and semiprecious gems. “For formal state occasions,” he told his new partner when Miceral began to object.
Before they entered the cobbler’s shop, Alicia informed them that she was buying them new boots. The woman in the front of the shop bowed several times before scurrying into the back. A moment later she returned with a middle-aged man in a thick leather apron. He wiped his discolored hands several times on his front as if that would remove a lifetime of dye. He quickly took Farrell’s and Miceral’s measurements, discussed styles and color, and promised the finished goods within a week.
While Alicia settled the tab for their boots, Farrell and Miceral went to the back of the shop to select new boots for Horgon, Lisle, Erstad, Wesfazial, and Cylinda. Remembering the work Glendora put into their ceremony, Farrell added a pair of new shoes for the priestess.
Miceral’s eyes went wide when he saw the total, but Farrell quickly paid the bill. “You forget your new status as consort to the prince.” He looked down his nose, doing his best not to smirk.
Miceral reacted exactly as he hoped, eliciting a laugh from Alicia.
“You were owed that, Miceral,” she said. “Instead of turning you into a toad, he has relegated you to concubine status.”
With the sun beginning its descent, they stopped at a small shop along the water for coffee and a light snack. Although the guards were not able to sit and join the trio, Alicia made certain they had a chance to order something as well. The pair seemed more attentive and protective as the day wore on, something Alicia commented on to her friends.
“It is as Farrell said.” Miceral shrugged. “They feel less like servants and more like valued employees. You cannot do their job, and you’re letting them know they provide you with a valued service. Feeling appreciated makes it easier for them to be personally invested in your safety.”
“But won’t this just create an expectation from any who guard me? How do I know those who clamor for the assignment aren’t just doing it in hopes of small favors?”
“You can never know for certain, but how often will you be out in the city buying things versus in the Citadel or some other building and require a guard?” Farrell asked. “A kind word, an inquiry into their needs, a moment to make sure they’re provided food and drink—these are not gifts so much as an acknowledgment of them as a person. You don’t need to overdo it. If paying their wages doesn’t make them loyal, a few baubles certainly won’t. Just remember to treat them like people instead of statues.”
When the sun began to head rapidly for the western horizon, they left the café for the palace. As they prepared to leave, Farrell spoke to the proprietor about the purchase of an exceptionally large quantity of the fine coffee they served. He felt good about his deal as he rejoined the other two.
“My purse may be considerably lighter, but I finally have a firm agreement to provide me with all the coffee I want. Lisle won’t need to ration my supplies anymore.”
Miceral stopped walking. “What are the terms of your agreement?”
“Who cares what the terms were?” He waved his hand dismissively. “What matters is I won’t run out ever again.”
Alicia and Miceral looked at each other. His partner shook his head while the princess laughed. “We know who has the head for business in this pairing.”
Despite his buoyant mood, Farrell realized he’d done something wrong. Reluctantly, he gave them the details of the deal.
“Fortunately, he didn’t sign a firm agreement for quantity and price,” Alicia said to Miceral. “You’re under no obligation to purchase anything from that thief of a merchant.”
“Now, Princess, it’s not fair to insult the man for taking advantage of a simple country boy. He did nothing more than offer a high price from which to begin negotiations. You can’t blame him that Farrell accepted his price without bargaining.” Miceral’s answer ruined Farrell’s good mood.
“A good point. Unfortunately, his willingness to take advantage of a ‘simple’ buyer has run afoul of more shrewd negotiators.” She shook her head, avoiding Farrell’s sour expression. “His shop will see no sales at such outrageous prices.”
Farrell followed glumly. He understood his mistake but didn’t enjoy having it rubbed in his face. Miceral slipped his hand into Farrell’s and drew it to his lips.
“I’ll make it my personal mission to find you a better bargain, or I’ll go back to that shop and buy as much as I can carry at the price you agreed on.”
Farrell perked up a bit at his partner’s promise but still felt a bit foolish.
Alicia grabbed his other hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “Don’t be so glum. Just as we cannot all be mighty wizards, we cannot all be skilled negotiators. I’m certain Miceral can make good on his promise, and you will have a fuller purse and a better bean to brew.”
Farrell found it hard to resist their attempts to cheer him up, and before they reached the Citadel, he’d put his disappointment behind him. Alicia’s guards took a moment to thank her for her generosity before returning to their company. She smiled at them until they moved out of sight.
“I’ll see that a page comes for you a bit before you’re expected for dinner. You have some time to relax, but I’d recommend you not get too distracted.” Without waiting to see if she got a reac
tion from her words, she turned and walked off.
Chapter Twenty-Two
MICERAL ADJUSTED the back of Farrell’s tunic as they followed the page into the empty dining room.
Farrell waited for the teen to leave before speaking. “Was that necessary? It’s not a formal state dinner.”
Miceral shook his head. “You really didn’t handle the state functions, did you?”
Grinning, Farrell reached out for his partner’s hand. “As few as possible.”
Connected by their hands, they walked around the large room, admiring the artwork. Staff set food and drink on a sideboard, but the pair continued their exploration.
“Thirty centuries of seafaring have brought the prince’s house more than a few interesting items.” Darius’s voice drew their attention to the doorway.
Before they could respond, Alicia arrived, accompanied by a teenager who could only be her brother.
“Your Highnesses.” Darius bowed, earning a nod from Alicia and a small glare from her brother.
The princess walked toward their guests, her brother in tow. “Farrell, Miceral, this is my brother, Peter.”
“My sister tells me you’re a ruling prince, and he is your life partner?” Peter’s gaze went from Farrell to Miceral and back.
Farrell saw sadness in the younger man’s eyes, but also something else he couldn’t name. “Correct on both counts.”
“Peter!” his sister hissed. “That is hardly the way to address our guests.”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty.” He bowed to Farrell. “I meant no disrespect, but when my sister introduced you by just your names, I wanted to be certain I had your titles correct.”
“You may call us Miceral and Farrell if you like.” Farrell smiled, trying to make the young prince relax. “Had you the chance to join your sister for our trip into the city, you would know I’m not big on titles.”
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