by Megan Derr
Not looking at anything but the fancy seal and drapery on the wall behind where the king and queen sat, Penli walked the hundred miles across the room and stopped before the dais. King Adnan, sitting with Queen Hajar, said, "State your name and the reason you seek to challenge this union."
"My name is Lord William Kerry Penlington, Third Earl of Graymark. I challenge because I would like the honor of marrying Lord Teia myself, and think I would make a better spouse than Lord Tishasanti, who has a known history of maltreating and abusing his lovers and friends."
"You—" Tishasanti broke off with a poorly muffled curse as guards started to move forward to make him be quiet.
"Lord Teia," Adnan said, and Lord Teia rose. "This man challenges for you; do you accept or reject?"
Teia swallowed, stared at Penli wide-eyed. "I-I accept, Your Majesty."
Penli let out a rushed, ragged breath.
"He's a foreigner!" Tishasanti snarled.
"That is irrelevant," Adnan replied. "He's challenged, been accepted, and I am approving it."
Tishasanti strode forward onto the dais. "He's not my equal! He should be in a prison in Remnien. He's been disowned. His wealth—"
"Is still greater than yours, and I do not believe I need you telling me anything about matters regarding Remnien. You will get back in your seat and stay there or you will be the one in a prison for a couple of days, Lord Tishasanti. Am I clear?"
"Majesty," Tishasanti said, and muttered terse apologies before obediently taking his seat. At Adnan's signal, one of the guards moved to hover close by should Tishasanti need to be dealt with.
Adnan motioned for silence, but it still took a moment for all the whispering to subside. "Your challenge has been accepted, Lord Penli. Do you know what you face?"
"As well as a man in my position can," Penli said with a wry smile that made Adnan and Hajar chuckle. "I do know what I face, Your Majesties. My suit is in earnest, and I am prepared."
"Good. Then the first test is to prove your suitability."
Penli bowed and removed the packet of papers from within his jacket, handing it to the guard who stepped forward. Adnan broke the seal and read through them, then handed them to Hajar. When she was done, the papers were given in turn to Lord Teia, Lord Tishasanti, and their respective families.
"Objections, Lord Tishasanti?" Adnan asked.
Looking very much like he'd been made to eat the hideous umber paisley jacket he was wearing, Tishasanti said, "No objections to anything on paper, Your Majesty. But I do respectfully wonder how Lord Teia and Lord Penlington come to know each other so well he is challenging to marry my fiancé but did not propose much sooner and give Lord Teia time to call off our arrangement long before now."
Adnan looked to Penli. "A fair question."
"Yes, Majesty." Penli bowed and turned to address Tishasanti. "Until roughly four years ago, I was in the royal army, specifically the special forces—what many call the blood and shadow force. Teia and I rarely got to see one another, let alone discuss something as important as marriage. By the time I was able to resign and settle down, other problems within the kingdom had cropped up that convinced me it was not the best time to marry. A fear that proved justified, given my current predicament. But I cannot stand by and watch Teia marry someone else." He bit off saying 'especially a rancid corpse of a bastard like Tishasanti' but only barely.
"You've been fucking my fiancé this whole time?" Tishasanti bellowed. "I'll break you and that fucking whore!" He threw himself out of his chair, shoving aside the guard before launching onto the dais and throwing a punch at Penli.
Thankfully it wasn't hard to see Tishasanti's swings coming even in a dark room while wearing a blindfold. Penli darted back out of the way, dropped off the far edge of the dais, and backed up further until he was in a space where no one was likely to get hurt.
Tishasanti came after him, mottled with rage and bellowing things he probably wasn't even hearing—and clearly he had forgotten that everybody else could hear them. Well, it was hardly the first time he'd listened to Tishasanti spew those insults. They might even be in the same order.
"Enough!" Adnan bellowed. "Guards!"
By the time the guards reached them, however, he'd let Tishasanti get one hit in, which seemed to mollify him somewhat. But it always had, and it always made him cocky.
It took four guards to secure Tishasanti, and another two stayed close just in case.
Tishasanti spit at him. "How fucking typical of you, Penlington. Show up and start trouble, then leave others to clean up your messes." He spit again, not quite reaching Penli's black, gold-trimmed shoes. "Special forces, bah! What were you, the camp harlot? Did you fuck their spouses, too?"
"Like I didn't see you two weeks ago at the House of Eternal Delights. To judge by the winsome boys and girls you choose, your fiancé is too old for you."
Only the six guards kept Tishasanti back.
"Enough," Adnan said. "Lord Penli, you have passed the first challenge. I think it's best if you now go to your rooms for the evening."
Penli bowed low. "Of course, Your Majesty. I apologize for the disturbance in proceedings and my unseemly behavior. I will do much better going forward."
"Yes, you will," Adnan said, but the barest hint of amusement lingered in his eyes.
"Am I permitted a moment with Lord Teia?" Penli asked.
Adnan hesitated, but then nodded. "Yes. You may use the room across the hall, but keep it brief. Guards, escort Lord Tishasanti to his room, and see to his needs the rest of the night."
"Yes, Majesty," the guards chorused, not looking entirely thrilled at the tacit order to keep Tishasanti out of trouble.
Penli slipped out of the room and across the hall. At least he'd managed to dodge Shanna and all the gawkers. He'd have to face Shanna eventually, but he was adult enough to admit he was happy to avoid that conversation for as long as possible.
Several minutes later the door opened, and Teia and Sendaar stepped inside. Teia slammed the door shut and locked it, dropped the key to the floor before running across the room and throwing himself into Penli's arms. Penli stumbled back a bit, but caught himself and steadied, clinging tightly to the trembling bundle in his arms. "There, there, are you all right?"
Teia looked up at him with wet eyes. "I can't believe you did that, that you would—" He gave up on words, instead pushing up on his toes to give Penli a needy, clumsy kiss.
Penli gently cupped the side of his face and drew back just enough to calm and gentle the kiss, his thumbs brushing away tears. "Shh, sweetheart. No need to fret so."
"Why would you do this?" Sendaar asked. "You don't owe us anything, least of all so great a kindness as this." He stood off to the side, looking like a sad kitten accidentally locked out of the house all night. Penli reeled him in and kissed him as softly as he had Teia. When he drew back, he pulled out a kerchief and gently wiped the tears and tearstains from Sendaar's cheeks. "Why?" Sendaar asked again.
"I couldn't entirely say, to be honest, but I know precisely how evil Tishasanti can be, and I could not bear to see the two of you torn apart, or what further harm he would cause Teia."
They murmured indecipherable words and hugged him tightly. Penli swallowed, disconcerted by how nice—how right—it felt to hold them so. "Well it's good to know you are not taken aback by my impertinence."
Teia laughed against his chest. "I think we've made it clear we like all that you do."
"Yes, I suppose you have," Penli said, mind spinning fanciful thoughts of tying them to the bed and doing as he pleased. Spending an entire day making them do his bidding. He kissed them again, soft and lingering, ignoring the ache left behind when he finally made himself withdraw. "Run along now, my pets. His Majesty said we could speak only briefly, and I do not want to further draw his ire."
"Thank you again," Teia whispered, and darted in close to steal another hard, breathless kiss. Sendaar did the same, holding him almost painfully tight.
Then they were gone, and
Penli was left bereft. When had he gotten so soft and squishy inside? Hadn't he made certain all those vulnerable bits were carved out or sealed over? Clearly, he'd missed a spot, and now the whole mess was tumbling down. Sighing, he swung his hair over his shoulders and—
Froze in something very much like terror as the door slammed open and a fierce queen-in-waiting stormed into the room with evisceration in her eyes.
Slamming the door shut behind her, not bothering to lock it, Shanna whipped around and blazed toward him. "Are you out of your fucking mind! Are you so gods damned determined to humiliate and hurt Tishasanti that you'd—you'd—you'd marry complete strangers?"
"They aren't complete strangers," Penli replied. "We've spent several hours together."
"Probably naked," she snapped—then stopped, realization spreading across her face. "You're sleeping with both of them. Lord Threesomes Aren't For Me?" Earlier irritation warred with the new amusement on her face, creating several expressions Penli wished he could capture permanently. Finally she laughed. "Penli, what in the world are you doing?" Her scowl returned. "Besides trying to send me to the grave by way of an early heart attack."
"My darling crumpet, I will never permit you to die—such a thing is not to be borne. As to what I am doing, I am competing in a marriage challenge."
She gave him a look. "The solitary lord who has whined about marriage and dragged the matter out for years is throwing all sense and caution to the sea to marry a man he barely knows?"
"Marry two men I barely know."
"You're not helping your case."
Penli bit back a groan at the look that accompanied the words—the look of a woman, a queen, who knew and understood far more than everyone else. She was going to be a breathtaking, wonderful monarch. Penli would happily die for her, and do anything she asked of him. But right now he wished she'd go give that look to someone else. "Look, honey drop, you know how I feel about Tishasanti and how I feel about people being used and mistreated by the ones who should most want to protect them."
"You're ridiculous," Shanna said. "You have the heart of a lifesworn and the skills to be a fine one, and all the acumen and knowledge to be the prince you almost were. The prince who probably would have married you anyway, if you had gone to him and begged for help. Instead you're languishing here because you insisted on siding with me, and now you are risking yourself again to aid Lord Teia and Master Sendaar. If I didn't know any better, I would think you were clamoring to be named—"
"Don't say it," Penli said with a groan, pinching his eyes shut.
"Queen's Champion," Shanna finished with relish, and poked him until he opened his eyes. "You can play hardened soldier and vapid flower all you like, Penli, but you cannot fool the girl you cried with in the garden on the day we met."
Penli heaved a long sigh. "No, but I can regret every moment I've known you."
"Liar."
"Maybe." Penli laughed as she poked him again. "Definitely."
She hugged him tightly. "I cannot believe you, Penli. Even for you, this is madness."
"I cannot quite believe it myself, sweeting, but here we are." He scrubbed his face. "Let us hope I do not make everything worse, and that Tishasanti does not take care of me before I take care of him."
"If he dares to do anything out of bounds, he will regret it the rest of his life," Shanna hissed. "Ahmla and his friends are going to be keeping a close watch on that hunk of rotted meat." Ire turned to mischief like a flipped coin. "Kallaar mentioned there is a strong chance one of the fortitude challenges will be an archery match."
"Well at least I'll win one battle before losing the war."
She rolled her eyes. "You'll beat him easily."
"I would not go as far as easily. Now, please, I need a break from discussing this, I beg of you, darling."
"As you wish. Come on, we'll have an early dinner and you can tell me about how you met your handsome men."
"Certainly not."
She burst out laughing. "Oh, I see. Tell me anyway. I don't need details, you know that. But since you never are willing to take me such places, I want to hear all I can."
"You're a princess, a queen-in-waiting—you don't go to brothels!"
"Only because nobody will let me. Oh! You also must tell me what story you three have contrived, so I can maintain it."
Penli stopped. "Um."
Her jaw dropped briefly. "You didn't coordinate a story with them?"
"They didn't know!"
"Penli!"
"I'll pen a note, we'll work out a time and place to compose our story and then I'll come see you."
"Definitely a soldier rather than a spy. Tsk, tsk, Champion."
Penli grimaced. "Call me that one more time, rose petal, and you will not have to worry about your father killing you."
Snickering, looking wholly unconcerned for once with a threat of murder, Shanna linked their arms and all but dragged him to her suite.
He'd be lucky to still have his voice in the morning, by the time she let him stop talking, but if that was the greatest of his complaints, he could only call himself content.
Chapter Four
Adnan cleared his throat and pitched his voice to carry throughout the hall. "Your challenges will be spread over several days, with two days' rest between the third and fourth test, but the fourth will be immediately followed by the fifth and final test of the second challenge. The first two tests of the second challenge with be administered today. Of the two tests for today, one will be done now, and the other this evening at the birthday soiree for our beloved guest, Queen-in-Waiting Shanna of Remnien, who has graciously allowed us to use her celebration for this event."
Penli scowled at her, not remotely fooled by the beautiful 'kind and loving queen' smile on her face. Conniving brat, she just wanted to be in the middle of the fun. Oooh, he couldn't wait until an opportunity for revenge arose.
"Lord Tishasanti, Lord Penli, please step forward."
Standing, Penli smoothed down his dark pink, white-trimmed jacket and fussed with the matching pink, white, and pale green sash before climbing the steps of the dais and taking his position on the audience's right side, facing Tishasanti, Adnan, Hajar, and Teia between them.
Hajar stepped forward slightly, hands clasped in front of her, expression blank. "My lords, your second test in the challenge is simply a puzzle. Whosoever provides the best answer passes the test. You may each ask up to three questions and then must give your answer. Your puzzle is this:
"Three people are on a road. The first man is from the Tarken Clan, the second is from the Zella Province, and the last is from Koten City. They are arguing over a death. The Tarken man's brother was killed by the horse of the Zella man—who was not on the horse at the time, because the horse had struck an obstacle in the road and stumbled badly enough to throw his rider and leave him too injured to go after the horse. The Koten man owns the road on which this happened. The Tarken man insists both the Zella man and the Koten man owe him recompense for their parts in causing his brother's death. The man with the horse insists it was not his fault, that the poor condition of the road caused the accident that resulted in the man's death and so it is the Koten man who owes both of them recompense. The Koten man insists it's impossible to make a road absolutely perfect, and the man should have been paying more attention. Both men are refusing to pay, each insisting the other is responsible, and the Tarken man is suing them both for recompense. Who do you think should recompense him for his brother's death? Lord Tishasanti?"
Tishasanti frowned. "What was the overall condition of the road? Why did the Zella man not notice the obstacle?"
"The roads were in reasonable condition," Hajar replied. "The Zella man was exhausted from hard travel and was struggling to stay awake; he says he must have drifted off for a few minutes, that it would not be the first time he had done so—but this was the first time such a thing had ever happened to his horse, which is why he insists the blame lies with the road, not the horse
."
"I disagree," Tishasanti. "Unless the road was in such terrible condition other complaints had been lodged about it and the owner was neglecting to repair it, then the fault lies with the Zella man, who was too exhausted to properly mind his horse and surroundings. He owes recompense for the death his horse caused, even if it was an accident."
Hajar nodded. "A reasonable and fair conclusion. Lord Penli?"
"Did this happen at night or during the day?"
A wisp of smile teased briefly at Hajar's mouth. "It happened in the middle of the day."
The back of Penli's neck prickled. "Was this road open and clear, or curved and winding and heavily lined with trees or some such?"
"Koten Road is wide, broad, and clear."
Tishasanti smirked, but snapped his mouth shut on whatever he'd been about to say at Adnan's warning look.
Penli turned his thoughts over, and finally settled on his last question. "Was either of the brothers in poor health, or injured, or some such?"
"They are and were both relatively young men in good health, with no injuries or illness."
"I see," Penli said.
"Do you have your answer, then?" Hajar asked.
Penli bowed his head and said, "So a horse stumbles in broad daylight, throws its rider and injures him, bolts off, and the two men walking ahead of them didn't hear a single sound and turn around? A single horse on a clear, open road during peak sunlight was too much for a grown man of good health to evade? With respect, Your Majesty, I do not think the victim's brother is owed recompense. I think the rider stumbled across a murder. I think his horse was purposely spooked and goaded to trample the body already lying in the road to hide a murder. I think the Tarken man should be arrested, and made to pay recompense to the man he used and defamed."
Hajar broke into a smile. "A perfect answer. The Tarken man was arrested for murdering his brother, and per the law a quarter of his total fortune was given to the rider for the wrongs he further committed in using him, lying, and damaging his reputation. Well done, Lord Penli."
Tishasanti looked ready to kill someone.