Man Who Should be King (2 page)

Good God! Marcus turned back and stared at Syranna.
Immediately Marcus grabbed her slender forearm in his strong, large hand. “Come
with me,” he commanded, signaling for William to follow them.

As soon as they were all in his private quarters he slammed
the door shut. “Where the hell have you been all these years?” He held her arms
and shook her slightly.
Why, now, had she returned
? He wondered
silently, trying to read what was going on behind her cool gaze.
Why not
when her father had died and claimed the throne then, as had been her right?
Why did she appear now, just when things were settling down peacefully and
people were getting on with their lives once more? What did she want? Money
?

William stepped forward, but Marcus’ glare stopped him.
Syranna stood quietly and Marcus finally released her with a slight shove. The
loss of the throne meant but one thing to him; the possible end to peace that
he and so many others had fought for. He doubted this slender woman could hold
other worlds at bay, if necessary. Even if he stepped down and she was crowned
queen, many would see their world weak because a woman ruled them.

Syranna took several steps back, away from both men. She
straightened her back. “My father sent me to Kalledane. Sir Ralus, a few
soldiers and a couple of servants accompanied us there. I would not be here
now, except that Sir Ralus wrought a deathbed promise from me that I would
return and give you that paper. He was a crafty old devil!” The last she half
said to herself. “Now that I have done so, I intend to leave as quickly as I
possibly can!”

“You can’t just leave, woman!” Marcus shouted at her. “Not
now that you have returned.”

“Ha!” Syranna laughed, turning on her heel. “Just watch me.
You can keep the throne. I don’t want it. I have fulfilled my promise and I am
leaving as soon as I can catch a transport ship back to Kalledane.”

“It isn’t that simple. People have seen you…”

Syranna shook her head. “No one but you recognized me, so
there is no problem. Things can go on as before, as if I were never here,
except for my delivering you this message.”

It was William, shouting at them both that caused them to
turn toward the other man. “What the hell are you talking about, Marcus? Who is
this woman? What nonsense does she speak? What does she mean for you to keep
the throne?”

Marcus laughed softly. He stepped back from Syranna and
bowed deeply. William stared in surprise. People bowed to Marcus these days,
not
he
to anyone, except another royal house. Marcus looked at his
friend. “You need to bow also, William. This is none other than Her Royal
Highness, your true liege ‘lady’, the Honorable Princess Syranna.”

William gasped and choked a bit. “What? No, that isn’t
possible…”

Syranna looked at him, and he could see the truth. Those
were truly the old lord’s eyes staring back at him. But it went beyond that; it
was as if the truth were revealed to him as he looked into her eyes. She smiled
ruefully.

“I’m afraid it is true. But no one else needs to know. I
didn’t come here to claim a throne. I am very happy living on Kalledane. There
is nothing here on Vikalla that I want or need. I will gladly write and sign
some kind of official document. It can say I abdicate the throne and for them
to crown you king. All’s well that ends well.”

She turned and started for the door. This time it was Sir
William who grabbed her arm to stop her and then dropped it as if burned, as he
recalled who she was. “Lord Marcus is right. You can’t leave. You have a duty…”

Syranna shook her head. “No. I have no duty. I have no
title. Everyone believes I died years ago.” She looked at Marcus. “You are the
liege lord. The throne is yours. You deserve it, from all I’ve heard. Have the
coronation and claim the crown. And besides, I no longer belong here. My life
is now on Kalledane.”

Marcus moved forward. “Stay the night. It is a long ride
back to the flight station. Stay and have dinner. Then you can leave in the
morning well-rested, if that is what you still want to do.”

He had already rung the bell for a servant. Within a few
moments, his summons was answered. Syranna listened to him direct the servant
to make her comfortable. She finally nodded her head and followed the servant
out of the room. As soon as the door had closed behind her, William moved over
to his friend. Marcus was standing with his arms crossed, staring rather
bemusedly at the closed door. His friend’s words, though, quickly got his
attention.

“You will have to marry her.”

Syranna accepted his accommodations reluctantly. She had
definite feelings of foreboding. Her sensory powers had only increased during
her years on Kalledane. Everything that she was now, that she knew, was telling
her to flee back to Kalledane as quickly as possible. She couldn’t help but
wonder if Sir Ralus had suspected what would happen when he had extracted this
final promise from her.

Syranna dismissed the servant girls and went into the bath
by herself. She slipped off her floor-length dress and shoes. She happily eased
her tired body down into the hot, steamy water. She enjoyed washing her long
hair and rinsing it clean. She relaxed in the water, letting its soothing
properties reach her inner circle of balance and begin calming her once again.

She was only half Kalledanian, from her mother’s ancestry,
and Vikallan on her father’s side. Yet her sensory powers and skills had
developed at a remarkable speed once she had returned to her mother’s home
world of Kalledane or, more specifically, to the nearly uninhabited region
known as Mystonia.

The world of Kalledane had many beautiful divisions, but
only one was as deeply shrouded in mystery and misconceptions as it was by fog.
In Mystonia, the dense forests were frequently almost completely concealed by
the thick mists that covered the unusual, yet beautiful landscape. Upon her
arrival, it had taken her some time to adjust to the
strangeness
she
found in a world concealed and cloaked part of the time behind its
ever-changing veil of secrecy. Before her arrival here, her mother told her
very little about this place. But being a child, and open to new experiences,
she had very quickly adapted to this beautiful world.

Her presence there had come about when her father had
contacted her maternal grandfather, who had still been living on Kalledane in
peaceful seclusion. Her grandfather had happily accepted the child into his
shrouded solitude. King Thomas’ plan was to send her to her grandfather for
protection and safety while war raged on Vikalla. At just eleven years of age,
it had been difficult and confusing to understand why she had to leave the only
home she’d ever known. She had learned the particulars of the sudden upheaval
in her life from Sir Ralus many years after her arrival and her grandfather’s
death.

Her grandfather had embodied all that was this mysterious
place known as Mystonia. He was intelligent, reticent and mystifying at times.
As Syranna grew up, she learned that her grandfather’s powers were legend on
the world of Kalledane, and especially in Mystonia. He had suspected his
daughter would have surpassed his own level of skill and intuitive powers, but
she had never had the chance to develop fully.

Sylvia had fallen in love with the bold, daring prince who
had arrived on Kalledane to complete a mission for the king, his father, when
Sylvia had only been seventeen years old. Thomas had swept her off her feet,
according to her grandfather. Sadly she had died shortly after giving birth,
and her grandfather had given up his own diplomatic position on Kalledane, in
the capitol city, and sought seclusion in Mystonia, the home of his ancestors.

Syranna had been wary of her tall, quiet grandfather. But it
had not taken long for the two to find a level of rapport and communication,
which rarely required spoken words. Her grandfather had reveled in her
developing skills and powers.

Over the years, he had brought many of his friends to visit
his secluded castle in the region of Mystonia. Few people of Kalledane chose to
visit the foggiest region on their home world. At times, visitors to the
unusual region said that you literally could not see your hand held in front
your face. Of course, Mystonians had no trouble at all because they did most of
their seeing with their “mind’s eye” anyway. To them, the world was clear and
easily visible. It was common for strangers to complain that sometimes they saw
weird and indescribable things when the fog and mist would part for brief glimpses
into an open glen or a quiet pond. Yet when they turned to get their
companion’s opinion, nothing was there.

* * * * *

Syranna finally stood up from the cooling water in the tub,
wrapping the large, warm towel around her torso and tucking it between her
breasts. She had one change of clothing with her, and to her surprise, she
found the soft gray dress had been laid out on the bed for her. She pulled the
dress on over her head, shook her wet hair free, combing her hair with her
fingers. Things certainly were not going as she had planned. First, she had
been sure that she could be back on Kalledane by late tonight.

Lost in her thoughts, she fingered the large, elongated,
marquise-cut diamond that hung from a platinum setting and chain around her
neck. Her grandfather had presented the diamond to her, telling her that over
time she would learn about the stone. She tucked the stone beneath her dress.

Her most pressing concern was the new liege lord. Since she
had spent most of her life with men who were at least fifty or more years older
than she, it had not prepared her to encounter a younger specimen of manhood
who had quite obviously received a full accompaniment of male hormones. At
first, she had fought the nearly overwhelming need to cringe away from the
man’s size. He was so big! He was tall and wide-shouldered, tapering to a flat
waist and hips, and her breath had caught in her chest when he came near to
her.

Everything about the man was over the top. There was no
denying that his face was pleasing to look upon, especially his strong, squared
jaw. His eyes were that of an honest man, meeting hers and never flinching or
looking away. As he spoke, she’d jumped when she realized that she was staring
at his lips. When he had touched her arm the first time, nerves that she didn’t
even know existed had suddenly come alive and started demanding even more
stimulation from his touch.

In fact, she had not yet been able to identify all of the
strange feelings that were compounding her senses ever since she had arrived
back on Vikalla. She felt out of sync with her inner being since she had
stepped upon the ground, and her feelings of foreboding had been growing the
closer she drew to the castle. A knock at the door drew her attention.

Syranna opened the door and found Lady Stancia on the other
side. Syranna knew that the other woman had been informed of who she was
because she sank into a deep curtsy in front of her. “Damn!” Syranna whispered
softly to herself.

Lady Stancia looked at the other woman. “I beg your pardon,
my lady; I didn’t hear what you said.”

Syranna shook her head. “No, forgive my discourtesy. I tend
to be rude and abrupt when things don’t go my way.”

Syranna realized Lady Stancia was staring at her. It was
almost too easy to read the woman’s thoughts because they were equally apparent
on her face.

Stancia wondered how things could not be going Syranna’s
way. This woman was royalty, and she was now going to reclaim her throne. And
if Stancia had read between the lines correctly from what William had told her,
Syranna would soon be marrying the strongest, bravest and most handsome soldier
in all the lands.

Lady Stancia introduced herself quickly. “I am Lady Stancia,
your highness. It would be an honor to serve as your lady-in-waiting.” She
curtsied deeply once again.

Syranna looked at her for a moment, breaking the
mind-reading transference link that she’d established with a blink of her eyes.
She spoke to Stancia.

“Look, Lady Stancia, right?” When the other woman nodded,
Syranna continued. “I am not going to be here for long. I’m planning on leaving
at sunrise in the morning. The only thing I do need is something to eat.”

Lady Stancia laughed. “Well, I could order the servants to
set up a light dinner for you in the main hall. Or if you prefer something
quieter, and probably quicker, then let me show you the back way to the
kitchen. It is a while ‘til the evening meal is served, so we shall just have
to bribe the cook.”

Syranna laughed in response, wondering if perhaps the other
woman might be more natural and less reserved than she had first suspected. She
followed the other woman, holding her tongue, when Lady Stancia held her
fingers to her lips to indicate stealth was needed.

A few minutes later the two women entered the huge, warm and
very clean kitchen quarters. It became obvious to Syranna that Stancia was
well-liked by the serving staff, and she observed as the other woman conversed
with them all quite easily. Soon the two women were seated at a table near the
open back door eating sandwiches, cut-up fruit and sweet wine.

Syranna had quite easily gotten Stancia to open up to her,
and was soon hearing the whole story of how she had met Sir William. It
appeared that the happy couple was to be married soon, and until then, she
managed the castle for Lord Marcus. Syranna leaned forward, holding the other
woman’s gaze, and then she touched her hand. Stancia seemed to freeze. In that
moment, her mind, thoughts past and present, were opened to Syranna, as were
her feelings. Syranna saw the truth of her words, and she also saw that William
had revealed the plans he had for Marcus to wed the returning princess, and
heiress to the throne.

Syranna jerked her hand away, breaking the gaze when those
thoughts were revealed to her. She knew now that she had to leave as soon as
possible. This would not do at all. Her life was planned, as far as she was
concerned, and it did not include staying on Vikalla for the rest of her days.
She hurriedly stood, feeling panic rising within herself. But as she turned,
she found her way blocked by Sir William.

“Ah, there you two are. Your liege lord would like you to
join him, Lady Syranna, in his private chambers. He has some important matters
he would like to discuss with you.”

Syranna stepped away from William, trying to hide the rising
sense of panic and the growing need to escape. “I’ve changed my mind. I need to
leave tonight. Now, in fact.”

William caught her arm in his hand as she was turning to
flee the kitchen. “It is much too late for you to be riding across the marshlands
at this time of evening. It can be quite dangerous if one doesn’t know the way.
Lord Marcus is waiting.”

Syranna stiffened at his tone. It said that his liege lord
was waiting, but also that
no one
kept him waiting, certainly not for
long, and never more than once. William indicated that Stancia should follow
them. He quickly escorted the ladies to the private meeting chambers of the
liege lord. Syranna recognized the room instantly. She had often played on the
lush carpet while her father had held his meetings with leaders from other
parts of their world. Even royalty from other worlds had watched the little
black-haired girl who had played quietly while her father discussed weighty
matters.

* * * * *

Marcus stood as they entered. He motioned for Syranna to be
seated next to him, then for William and Stancia to sit as well. He wasn’t sure
how to proceed with this delicate subject. Before he could decide, though,
Syranna surprised them all.

“I won’t marry you, Lord Marcus. So you need not bother
asking. I am going to leave as soon as possible. You need not worry that I will
return; I promise you I won’t. This throne, all of it, is yours. From what I
have learned, you have earned it and you deserve it. Do with it as you will.”
Syranna stood as she finished talking.

“How did you—” Both men turned to Stancia angrily. Syranna’s
words stopped their protest, though.

“Lady Stancia said nothing to me. She didn’t have to. There
are many things about me that you don’t know; just accept that I am leaving.”

Marcus stood facing the small woman. “It isn’t that simple,
milady. The fact that you are here, and now many people have seen you…word will
spread. The die is cast, so to speak. There can be no turning back now.”

Syranna shook her head. “No one has recognized me. It was
just a fluke that you did before you read the message. If you had not, I would
have been long-gone and easily forgotten.”

Marcus shook his head this time. “I can assume that you did
not know what the message contained. It was from your father to me, in fact.
Interesting that he seemed to know how things would turn out. Anyway, in the
message, he told me of your existence and how I was to find you. Even if you
leave now, I will find you.”

Syranna quickly walked away from the others in the room,
gazing out the window to the green grass below. She considered pushing the
window open and jumping out. She was pretty sure she could make the two-story
jump, and once she reached the cover of the forest, she was confident that she
could make it back to Kalledane. It might take a little longer than she had
planned, but she was skilled at many things that others wouldn’t expect from a
royal princess.

In the glass of the window, Marcus’ reflection appeared with
hers. Almost instantly, she started to move away from him. His hands caught her
shoulders and held her fast in front of him. The moment Syranna looked up into
his eyes he felt the connection she could make into people’s minds. In the
reflection, it was as if he was falling into a deep, blue pool. How long it
lasted, Marcus couldn’t tell. He abruptly released her and stepped away from
her. Marcus saw her turn away, and he had no doubt that the elusive princess
was quite aware of his newfound information as well.

Marcus stared at the beautiful young woman opposite him.
Unconsciously, he took several more steps away from her. Syranna turned her
face from him quickly. His voice was curt when he spoke. “Why did your father
send you to Mystonia? Of all the places on Kalledane, why there?”

Syranna moved even farther away from the other people in the
room. Marcus got the distinct impression that she wasn’t just putting physical
space between herself and the others.