Once Upon a Romance 03 - With True Love's Kiss (20 page)

Bianca
closed her eyes, ignored the sensible part of her nature, and let herself relax
into Robin’s arms. She had almost died. She could allow herself a few moments
to enjoy him holding her. She pressed her cheek against his, and instead of
pulling away, he returned the pressure, using his arms to draw her back fully
against him, holding her close.

Bianca’s
heart sped up again, but this time it was a pleasant feeling. Her hands crept
up to slide along his arms, and she leaned back even further, to tuck her face
into the hollow beneath his chin. She became terribly aware of how thin the
layer of cloth was, that separated his hands from her body. She could feel his
heart thudding in his chest, and a shiver of longing ran through her body. His
arms tightened around her for just a moment, then he let out a sigh.

“You almost
died, Bianca. How can you ask me to leave you, when your life is so easily
snuffed out?”

Oh. She’d
almost forgotten the letter. “Well, I wasn’t expecting an assassination
attempt.”

“Perhaps
that was foolish.” She made a noise of protest, but he went on. “No, I mean
foolish of all of us. You plot a dangerous course. Your life may always be at
risk.”

Bianca
thought for a moment. “You think my father tried to have me killed?”

She could
feel his shrug behind her back. “It would not be the first time.”

“But then
why would Dora have been influenced by a Fae?”

“Brannon may
have hired an agent without knowing what he was hiring.”

“It seems
like a large coincidence.”

He shrugged
again. “It does not matter. What matters is that you are kept safe, and I
cannot do that if I am not here.”

“Robin…”
She sighed, and pulled herself away from him. It hurt, to leave the sheltering
confines of his arms, but she made herself do it. “How can you stay?”

He looked at
her, and then reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
She felt tears spring to her eyes, but she blinked them back.

“I will stay
and guard you, Bianca. That is my choice. It is why I came here, this morning.
To tell you that I would not leave, but I would not make this harder on you.
You have taken up the mantle of champion, and I will help you as I can.”

Bianca was
speechless as she watched Robin climb to his feet.

“I must tell
the king what has happened and see to poor Dora; have you recovered?” She
nodded, and he offered her a hand up. “I do not like to leave you alone—”

A gasp came
from the doorway where the bath maid stood, looking in shock at the room.

“Go.” Bianca
gave him a small smile. “Trish will be with me. Besides, I must dress for the
picnic.”

Robin had
turned to leave, but looked back. “You are still going?”

“I cannot
let this stop me, Robin.” She said it calmly, but firmly.

He nodded. “Then
I shall see you presently, at the stables.” Bianca waited until he was out of
the room, and then turned to her maid.

“I’ll tell
you what happened while I get dressed. But first we have to find something else
for me to wear. I am not putting on a corset.”

Vivienne had
planned a spectacular picnic. She and Fain had arrived early, to act as the
hosts, and were greeting the guests as they rode up. A bevy of servants were
offering beverages, while the guests found spots on the blankets or low-slung
chairs. Bianca was one of the last to arrive, with Robin faithfully at her
side. Vivienne—who had just settled the still-eligible suitors beneath a lovely
old maple tree—narrowed her eyes when she caught sight of Robin. Then she
spotted Bianca, and stood a moment gaping at her cousin before hurrying to her
side.

“Bianca, why
are you wearing a walking dress?”

“Because it
doesn’t confine me in any way.” Indeed, the loose, flowing gown was superbly
comfortable, if entirely unsuited to the occasion. Bianca, however, did not
care in the least. “Come, let me get settled, and I’ll tell you about it.”

Vivi’s eyes
were dubious, but she led Bianca over to her chair. Prince Anders and Lord
Edicus ignored her state of dress with great chivalry, but Tig’s face grew
puzzled, and Prince Felix grinned at her openly.

“Nice dress.”

Bianca
smiled back at Felix. “Yes, I thought so.” She’d thought carefully about what
to say, so she went on. “This morning one of the candidates to be my maid tried
to kill me. I’m afraid my other outfit was quite ruined in the scuffle.” Which
was true. The corset was technically part of the outfit. She didn’t have to
explain that she never planned to wear one of the blasted things again.

They stared
at her, aghast. Vivi, predictably, was the first to recover.

“Fain!” she
yelled for her husband, heedless of propriety. When he came running over, she
looked at Robin and demanded, “Tell us the whole story.”

He did, with
the exception of the fact that he suspected tampering by one of the Fae. That
was a piece of information that could only be shared with a very few people. He
also didn’t mention the minutes after the attack, when they sat entwined on the
floor together. Other than that, he gave a faithful accounting, and despite her
distress, Bianca was amused to see Edicus blush at the mention of her corset.

“So you see,”
she chirped, when Robin was done, “I really must be excused for appearing in a
walking dress. I’ve had quite a trying morning.”

Eyes
widened. Jaws dropped. And then, almost simultaneously, Tig and Felix started
laughing. Edicus wasn’t far behind them, and Anders, though he shook his head,
chuckled as well. Vivienne only smiled, but she leaned over and gave Bianca a
fierce hug.

Fain also
hugged her, and then reached out to shake Robin’s hand. “Thank you, Master
Goodfellow.”

“Now then,”
Vivienne said, drawing everyone’s attention, “to the business at hand. Who
would like to fill a plate for the Princess?”

***

Bianca had
eaten far more than she should. Each of the four suitors had insisted on
bringing her a plate of food, and she had dutifully sampled a bit of everything
they brought her. Two bites of each dish had been a gracious plenty, but then
they all had left to fetch her a dessert, as well. After trying some of Edicus’
syllabub, Felix’s torte, and Anders’ strawberries and cream, she beamed in
gratitude at Grantig, who brought her an armload of daisies instead of an
edible.

“Thank you,
Tig, these are beautiful.” She picked up a few and began plaiting their stems. “Now,
what were you saying?”

The
conversation had been friendly while they ate, but not lighthearted. The coming
invasion of Toldas loomed too large for them to discuss banal matters.

“Revolutions
work better than wars, your highness.” He paused to munch on a daisy, and
Bianca hid a smile. Apparently he’d brought her an edible, after all. “No king
holds his throne without the consent of the people.”

Tig was much
more lucid, today, but Bianca still had a hard time following his train of
thought at times. She supposed her confusion showed on her face.

“I think
what Prince Grantig is saying is that history shows us that a stable,
long-lasting peace is achieved when a kingdom supports the new, rising power.
Those who are viewed as invaders can take generations to solidify their hold on
the throne,” Edicus explained.

“Because the
people do not support them?”

“Precisely.”

“So if I
lead an Albian army into Toldas …?”

“I am very
much afraid, Princess, that you will be seen as nothing more than an invader. A
puppet for King Regal.” Felix said the words, but the other three nodded with
him.

“What is the
alternative? To leave my father on the throne?”

“No, that
would be madness.” Edicus’s white head shook solemnly.

“What, then?”
She looked around, frustrated when none of the men would meet her eye. “You
tell me I should not attack, and I cannot leave it be. What use is your advice?
Must I cause suffering, no matter what I do?”

“An army is
the only way to take the capital, Princess.” Anders spoke with soothing
sympathy. “Don’t let dire predictions of possible futures keep you from doing
what you must, in the moment.”

Bianca
ground her teeth in frustration, silently ripping a daisy to shreds. From
behind came a quiet voice.

“You don’t
need the capital.”

“What?”
Bianca whipped around and stared at Robin. “What did you say?”

“You don’t
need the capital, Bianca. You don’t care who sits on the gaudy marble throne,
and you don’t mind what the nobles do in their little city. All you want is to
free the people from your father.”

“Don’t be
ridiculous.” Anders was taken aback. “She can’t rule without the capital.”

“She doesn’t
want to rule.” Robin didn’t even look at the other man; his tranquil eyes
stayed riveted to Bianca. “She wants to help.”

Bianca
stared at him.

He was
right.

She stood
up, scattering all the daisies but the one she held in her hand. That one she
handed to Robin.

“Thank you.”
She looked down at the men still sitting at her feet. “My lords and princes,
you must excuse me for cutting this short, but I would like you all to join me
back at the palace immediately.” She suited actions to words and strode towards
where her horse was tethered. “We’re going to go speak with Regal.”

***

“I am not
going to invade.”

The words
caused a storm of commotion in the council room, but with Robin standing at
ease behind her, Bianca held firm.

Servants had
ridden ahead of the returning party, sending word that the Princess Bianca
wished to convene a meeting. By the time she sailed into the room, still in her
walking dress, most of the relevant advisors were there. Certainly, there were
more than enough to raise an awful din at her pronouncement.

King Regal
called the room back to order. “What do you mean, Princess?”

“Precisely
what I said, your majesty.” She gestured at Edicus, Tig, and Felix. “These men
have shown me that an invading force will cause strife in Toldas for years, if
not decades. It is not something I wish for the people.”

“So you will
leave Brannon on the throne?” Regal’s voice held no censure, and Bianca blessed
him for his kindness, even as she shook her head.

“If they are
correct that an invasion is not what I want, Prince Anders was also correct
when he pointed out that I could not refuse to do what must be done. I propose
an alternative.”

“Which is?”

“I shall
cross the border into Toldas without the Albian army, and invite the people to
follow me instead of Brannon.”

The entire
room began shouting. Bianca waited until one voice rose above the rest. She
would handle them one at a time.

“You cannot
go alone.” This was from Fain. She smiled at her foster-brother.

“Nor shall
I. Connelly and Baines have been sending Toldans into Albion for weeks. They
will ride with me, to help me convince the people.”

“The Toldan
army will crush you,” Regal said.

“Perhaps
not.” Bianca had been ready with her rebuttal, but both Felix and Fain spoke up
in her defense. Fain nodded at Felix to continue.

“I was just
thinking, it’s spring, and Brannon’s resources are already stretched thin. The
summer harvest isn’t in, which means he doesn’t have the provisions to field an
army. He isn’t actually ready to fight yet. In fact, he’s less prepared now
than a few months ago, before Baines’ men began wrecking his work camps.”

The rest of
the room was silent, staring at the boyish Felix.

He grinned. “I’m
not just a pretty face, you know.”

Fain clapped
him in approval on the shoulder. “I’ll add to that. A fair number of the men
coming over the border are actually deserters from the Toldan army. If they’re
representative of the way the army feels, Bianca may be able to sway them to
her side.”

Some of the
military commanders were disbelieving, and off the men went, roaring at one
another. Bianca held quiet. She didn’t have to argue to make her point. Others
were making it for her. Fain was shaking his large finger in Marcus Havilard’s
face, and Felix was waving his arms emphatically at Lord Durns. The Chancellor
was almost giddy with glee and relief—he’d been surly ever since King Regal had
asked him to find the funds to outfit the army—and the Lord Captain of the army
was laughing through the ruckus. Bianca took in the table with a glance, and
her eyes came to rest on Regal. The king was sitting quietly in his chair,
letting the noise rage around him.

When he saw
she had noticed him, he raised his hand. It took a moment, but silence fell on
the room.

“Shall we
send your suitors home?”

The men in
question started to speak, but Regal cut them off, his eyes on Bianca. She took
a deep breath of her own. Over her shoulder she heard Robin, doing the same. It
would be so easy to say yes, so easy to put this off, but she steeled herself
and shook her head.

“This is not
what they agreed to, and should any of them wish to leave I will bid them
farewell without rancor. But, if my plan succeeds, I will still need a consort.
Someone to rule at my side and help me provide heirs for the throne.” She
looked at the men who had come to pay court. “Should you choose to come with
me, I will wed one of you, once I am queen.” She let that sink in. “Please,
retire, and think carefully on your decision.”

As a group,
her suitors rose, and made polite bows. They filed from the room, casting
glances back as they went. Unless Bianca was very much mistaken, very few of
them would be riding into Toldas with her. That brought a thought to mind, and
she looked back at Robin. The rest of the room hummed with chatter, and he
leaned down so they could speak quietly.

“Will you be
coming with us?”

“I said I
would stay by your side until you were safe, did I not?”

“At this
rate, I’ll be bent and grey before you can safely leave. By that time I’ll have
children and grandchildren under your protection. You’ll be like your
grandmother, and spend the rest of your long life guarding my line.”

He brushed a
stray hair from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. “There are worse fates.”

“Bianca?”
Fain called to her from the other side, and she turned away from Robin’s warm,
blue eyes.

There were
plans to make.