Dragon Lords 4-Warrior Prince (12 page)

"Never mind." Hands on hips, she looked over the packages. "Where do you want me to put this stuff? The closet or dresser?"

"It’s up to you," Zoran answered. "I cleared out the right side of the dresser and half the closet for you before the festival."

The comment struck Pia as odd. It made her realize how much he’d actually planned on getting married. Was that why he picked her? Because he’d already set his mind to finding a bride and wouldn’t change it? Was she like the only girl left and he had to take her?

"Ah, thanks," she mumbled, for lack of anything better to say. To hide her nervousness, she picked up the bags and carried them to the bedroom. Within minutes, she had everything in its place. Then, going back to the hall, she took the perfumes and went to the bathroom.

Zoran was in the hot spring when she walked in and she jumped in surprise.

"Ah, sorry," she said in distress. "I didn’t realize ... that ... you ... "

She threw the bag on the counter a little too hard. The bottles clanked as she began her retreat, trying to keep her eyes diverted from his naked body.

Zoran laughed, completely unashamed. "Pia--"

The slamming door cut off his words.

* * * *

The next morning, Pia was lying on the couch, lazing away the morning hours when she heard the door slide up. Zoran was gone when she awoke, not that she expected him to be home.

Not moving, her heart skipped. Her eyes turned to the door, waiting for him to come through.

"Hello?"

Pia froze. That wasn’t Zoran. Sitting forward, Pia tried to smooth back her hair. Queen Mede was standing in the front hall. She looked very formal in her gown a regal dark blue.

"Zoran...?" the Queen began.

Pia stood from the couch, wishing she’d taken the time to change from her cotton shirts and slacks. She felt very out of place standing before royalty. She had no idea what to say.

Mede’s eyes found the quiet Pia. The smile faded from her features into a look akin to horror.

"So it’s true," the Queen said, coming forward. She lifted her hands as if to touch Pia’s shortened hair before drawing back. She shook her head sadly. "Zoran’s disfigured you."

Pia stiffened.

The Queen frowned at the look the woman gave her. "Do you know who I am, dear?"

"Oh," she breathed. Thinking the Queen thought her rude, she quickly moved into a curtsey. "Yes, of course, Queen Mede. I’m sorry, you took me off guard. Please, come in."

Mede looked at her daughter-by-marriage and frowned. It was clear Pia didn’t know she was a Princess or her new daughter. The Queen nodded royally. It wasn’t her place to intervene. She knew her son would tell her about it when the time was right.

"Zoran is, um, well, he’s working. I don’t know where but I do know he was on guard duty at the swamps earlier this week if that helps," Pia said nervously. The Queen was staring at her hair and she didn’t dare glare at her as she had the seamstress’ assistant.

"I was actually looking for you, dear," the Queen said politely.

Zoran? A guard on swamp duty? Mede thought. It was hard, but she managed not to laugh. This woman really had no idea what sort of man she’d married.

"Oh?" Pia asked, fidgeting.

"It was reported what he did to you." The Queen motioned to her hair. "I know that he had to do something to cover that little stunt you pulled the morning of the festival, but I never thought it would be this."

Pia paled.

"Which I might add, the King and I were thoroughly amused by," Mede said with a good-natured chuckle. Pia only stiffened more. "Lord Zoran is a tough man. We were glad to see he’s met his match."

"Lord Zoran?" Pia asked. She wasn’t so sure she was Zoran’s match, but she didn’t correct the woman. Her knees weakened a little. "He’s titled?"

The Queen cocked her head to the side and didn’t know how to answer. "I’m told our culture is complicated for someone new to it. I’m sure Zoran will explain it to you if you ask him."

Pia smiled, though she wasn’t so sure.

Mede’s eyes turned over her again. She looked mournfully at the woman before her. "I just had to see for myself that the rumors were true. I’m terribly sorry about your disfigurement."

The last thing Pia wanted was the Queen stopping by to pay her condolences for her shorn locks. She didn’t need the woman’s pity. She didn’t want it.

This is getting ridiculous! Maybe I should’ve had a funeral for it, Pia thought wryly, so everyone could pay my hair their respects.

Pia touched her blonde locks. She unconsciously turned her mouth down into a frown. "I don’t see it as a punishment. Actually, all that weight on my head was the punishment. I like it short."

"You’re right to look at the positive," the Queen said, giving the brave girl a bright smile. She nodded proudly at her in encouragement. Mede was glad to see that her spirit wasn’t broken by her son’s actions. She’d known grown women who cried and went into exile while waiting for their hair to grow back. In their society it wasn’t just the loss of hair, it was the loss of honor it represented that shamed them. "It’s only hair and luckily it will grow back someday."

Pia thought of her scars. She’d hate to see what these vain people would’ve done about those.

Mede, seeing the woman wasn’t going to encourage her to stay, smiled kindly and said through her disappointment, "I’ll give Zoran an earful that’s for sure. In the meantime, I have some beautiful headdresses I’ll send you."

"Thank you," Pia said, still at a loss.

The Queen looked like she wanted to say something more, but drew back. Pia’s nature wasn’t exactly open to friendship.

"Well, I should be going," Mede said, heading toward the front door. Pia slowly followed behind her. "Tell Lord Zoran I stopped by and I wish for him to call on me as soon as it’s convenient."

"Please, don’t bother on my behalf," Pia said solemnly.

"No, no, of course not," the Queen mumbled. There was an uncomfortable silence between them, before she said, "There are other matters I need him to tend to."

Pia nodded and tried to smile. The Queen left and she was relieved. She shook her head, more annoyed by the visit than anything else.

Chapter Eight

"Father," Zoran called, leaning his head into the King’s royal offices. His father looked up from his desk and waved him in. Zoran crossed with natural grace and stealth over the plush carpet and took a seat across from the King. His back was at rigid attention as he looked at his father expectantly.

"Zoran," the King stated. He finished writing on a document and turned his full attention to his son. Reaching over, he grabbed a stack of papers that needed Zoran’s attention and handed them over. "How are the men shaping up?"

"Fine," Zoran answered, knowing that wasn’t the reason his father had asked to see him. He put the documents on his lap, aware that he would be required to read over them later. "I’ve pushed them hard these past few days. We have a few weaknesses but I’m working it out. A few of the men show great promise."

"Glad to hear it," the King said. He rested his chin on his folded hands and studied his most stubborn son. Zoran was a good man and an excellent leader. Leaning back, he pressed his lips together in thought. "Yusef stopped by last night."

"Is everything well at the Outpost?" Zoran asked, concerned.

The King sniffed wryly to himself. "Militarily speaking."

Zoran watched his father expectantly.

"Yusef’s bride is in chastisement," the King said. His voice was controlled. "She took a blade to his ... anyhow. I decreed that the chastisement stands until he releases her. Officially, I need your agreement on the matter and then it will be settled."

Zoran tried not to laugh. He failed miserably. Chuckling, he got out, "Agreed."

"Ah, wipe that smile off your face," the disgruntled King ordered, waving his hand. Zoran wasn’t worried by the fatherly tone. "Your marriage is giving us just as much of a headache. You know I had to listen to your mother for nearly three hours this morning. It seems she took it upon herself to visit Pia."

Zoran’s face gave nothing away. His heart tightened in his chest and his stomach rolled into knots. Had Pia tried to divorce him despite her contract?

"I honestly don’t know what to do with you boys," the King admitted wearily. "I’m planning on having a celebration in about a week to coronate the Princesses. But it seems only Olek’s bride is aware she’s a Princess and, apparently, Nadja is none too thrilled with the fact. Yusef’s wife is in chastisement and even he admits he doesn’t know her real name. Ualan’s wife, Morrigan, has declared herself a slave and can’t leave his home. And then, I have to hear it from your mother that you disfigured your own wife."

Zoran felt his heart beat again and he almost sighed with the relief of it. Pia hadn’t tried to divorce him.

"I don’t know what you’re smiling about," the King said, seeing Zoran’s lips tilt slightly, though the look on his son’s stern face could hardly be called a smile by most standards.

"I didn’t cut her hair," Zoran said quietly. "She did it to herself."

The King blinked in disbelief. "Regardless of her disfigurement, I need your wife at the coronation. Now, I have excused Yusef’s bride from attending. Since she’s in chastisement and will undoubtedly not repent, your mother has agreed to spread the word that this nameless woman is ill and in recovery. Enough people have seen the medic going to the Outpost these last several days to validate the story."

Zoran frowned. A week to turn his bride around and tell her she was a Princess? He wondered how Pia would take the news. Laughing to himself, he wondered which she’d hate worse--the fact she was a Princess or the fact she’d have to spend an evening in a formal gown.

"Can’t the coronation be set back?" Zoran asked. "There’s no reason to have it so soon."

"There have been rumors that the brides have not been seen within the castle and that all four marriages are in ruin," the King allowed. His look said that he was well aware that the rumors weren’t completely unfounded. "If anything, we need to keep up the appearances of being a united family. You are all mated, my son. If the people feel that our line is ending because each of you had an unlucky marriage and cannot produce heirs, there could be panic."

Zoran nodded, understanding what his father said. If the people felt their line was too weak to continue ruling, they would overthrow them. It wouldn’t matter how much they liked and respected the royal family, or how long they’d ruled.

"Olek and I have spoken on the matter," King Llyr stated, "and we feel that a quick coronation with healthy, accounted for brides is just the thing to stop this threat to our house."

Olek was the Draig ambassador and had to meet with the neighboring kingdom of Var on a regular basis. Zoran didn’t envy his brother’s job, for he’d much rather fight the Var in battle than talk on a regular basis to their forked tongued nobles.

"And, if one of you boys can manage to breed before next week...." The King let his words trail off as he looked pointedly at Zoran. His son didn’t move and he frowned in disappointment. All four Princes knew how much their parents wanted grandsons.

"Olek has been to meet with King Attor and feels that he grows restless. I fear the Var will try to invade. It’s quite possible they have spies within our walls already," the King continued. Zoran listened in his customary silence, his face giving none of his thoughts away. "This matter with the brides needs to be resolved so we can focus on what’s important."

"I’ll work the men twice as hard," Zoran said, seriously. "If battle comes we will be prepared. The Var will not make it past the outlands."

"Fine." The King wasn’t worried. Zoran was the best at what he did. He was invincible. "I have already invited King Attor to the coronation, to prove to the entire kingdom we’re not scared of him."

"I’ll personally see to the security," Zoran said. As Captain it was his duty.

"No, I’ll have Yusef keep an eye on him since he’ll be free that night." King Llyr stood and leaned over his desk to stare down his son. "I’m ordering you as your King to get your house in order by the coronation. I want to see happy brides. I want to see dancing and singing and merriment. Hellfire, I want to see some inappropriate kissing and groping as well. A little scandal in that direction would do this matter a world of good and would stop the wagging tongues. I want your bride completely besotted with you."

Zoran’s jaw flexed. It was an order from his King and he couldn’t refuse. Zoran could just imagine if he kissed Pia in public. She’d no doubt take him and his army of warriors on. Standing, he nodded his head and said the only thing he could. "It will be done."

"Good," the King bellowed, smiling widely. He had full confidence in his son’s abilities. Zoran’s prowess with the female sex was legendary amongst his men. He walked Zoran to the door. As he ushered him out, Llyr said, "And no more of this disfiguring nonsense. If you have to, put the biggest damned headdress you can find over her head to hide it."

* * * *

Pia looked over the edge of the couch to where Zoran sat cross-legged at the low dining table on a floor cushion. His hands were threaded through his hair as he read some papers he’d brought home with him. He was unusually quiet and it was driving her to distraction. She was bored--really, really, really bored. She’d even started biting her nails, a habit she had never had before this day.

"The Queen came by," she said to break his concentration. It didn’t get as big of a reaction as she’d expected.

Zoran knitted his brow, glancing over with only his eyes before turning back to the page. "I heard."

"Oh, did you go see her then? Because she wanted me to tell you to go and see her," Pia said, turning to kneel on the cushions so she could better study him. She laid her arms over the back of the couch, resting her chin on her hands as she waited for him to answer. He read a few more lines before speaking.

"I’ll take care of it," Zoran answered, without bothering to look at her again. He continued to read and Pia watched him in silence.