The Harem Master (28 page)

"Good morning, wife, dear ladies," Ihsan greeted and swept them a playful bow. "What a lovely sight to begin my day."

Euren snorted softly, then heaved herself out of the water. Ihsan looked her lazily up and down, grinning as he went to fetch a robe for her. His lips were warm against the side of her throat as he helped her into it. "How are you this morning?"

"Most well. You?"

"Better, now, but I unfortunately come with unhappy news."

Sighing, Euren led the way over to the sitting area, settling down amongst the cushions and unpinning her damp hair to begin combing the tangles out. Canan, Gulden, and Asli joined them, bringing over the breakfast tray they had neglected in favor of vastly more interesting activities. "I wish I could say I was surprised. What's wrong?"

She listened, growing increasingly horrified, while Ihsan related all that Demir, Haluk, and Kitt had learned when they'd snuck out of the palace. "Can't we just banish them all from court and throw everyone even the slightest bit involved in prison until we can sort out who is guilty of what?"

"Spoken like a guard," Ihsan said with a brief smile. "Unfortunately it is not that easy. Havarin especially is already angry with us; I met briefly with their delegates and assured them Arda was dead, that we would pay all costs for funeral, transporting the body, and compensation to the family, but that does not change the fact that one of theirs was killed where they were promised safety. We just ended a war with Lavarre, and Hadge and Gollen are always waiting for any excuse to go to war with us. If we are going to raise a ruckus, we must be absolutely certain we hold all the pieces and nobody will be able to take them."

Euren wrinkled her nose. "I still favor my method."

"Oh, if only," Ihsan said, smiling over the rim of his teacup before taking a swallow that emptied the cup.

Something was still bothering him. She could see it in the restless way he tapped his fingers on his thigh, though he kept trying to still the movement. His eyes were dark, tight around the edges. "What's wrong, Ihsan?" she asked softly.

"A much more personal matter," Ihsan said with a sigh. "I let Demir kiss Kitt last night and it has… had more of an effect on all of us than I anticipated."

Asli and Canan made soft, strangled noises. "All my jewels to see that," Canan muttered. She picked up her cup of cool, dark red fruit juice and drank most of it. "How fine a sight was that?"

"Too fine," Ihsan groused, raking a hand through his loose hair. "That is the problem."

Euren frowned, then set aside her comb and crawled over to him. She brushed his hair from his face, rested her fingers on his cheek. "You are growing fond of Lord Demir."

Ihsan blew out a ragged breath. "Yes. Not that it matters since there is nothing to do about it, but yes. Haluk is already half in love with him, and Kitt is definitely fond of him. I think Sabah is, too, in his quiet way. I let matters last night go too far and am paying the price."

Kissing him softly, Euren then drew back and sat next to him, taking his hand and twining their fingers together in her lap. "Tell me."

Draining the tea that Gulden had refilled for him, Ihsan finished explaining all that had transpired the previous night, from Bulut's misbehavior all the way up to Kitt and Demir's kiss.

"When will His Majesty call a meeting about Bulut, do you think?"

"Soon," Ihsan muttered. "I should probably go and prepare for it, and I've been too long gone from my room, anyway." He drew her in, fingers tangling gently in her hair, and kissed her long and slow and sweet. "Thank you for listening. I hope I've not completely spoiled your day."

"You only spoil my days when you pretend to be dead for two years," Euren retorted. "Get along with you, then, so I can prepare for my own likely-unpleasant day."

With a last kiss, Ihsan stood. Sweeping them another bow and wishing them good day, he left as quietly as he had arrived.

"One would think the problems with his father and the council would keep him suitably occupied," Gulden said, giving a soft huff of laughter. "Leave it to Ihsan to pile romantic woes on top of it all. He's right though—nothing to be done about it unless he wants to coax Lord Demir into joining his harem, which is more etiquette than even Kagan would breach."

"Why is Kagan so volatile, anyway?" Canan asked. "Everyone has said, over and over, that he is awful. Certainly I have seen evidence aplenty to confirm that, but people are not born despicable."

Euren shrugged. "I do not know. I was not exactly privy to such knowledge growing up, save via Ihsan, and he maintains his father has always been malicious, abusive, and unreasonable. I know his late wife was not his first choice, and the lover he had for years, a man everyone thought would join his harem, ran away about a year before His Majesty married. Lady Betya's son, I do not remember his name… She retired from court and lives in the country now. I do not know whatever became of the son."

"Raan," Asli said. "Lord Raan, or he would have been lord if he had remained. Rumors abound about why he left, but none have been confirmed. I think it was just one more problem heaped on Kagan's head. His parents, Merciful Divine grant them eternal peace, were not cruel per se, but they were busy and content to leave the raising of their children to others. Little injuries and insults pile up and can turn even the kindest person into the cruelest."

"It doesn't excuse his behavior," Gulden said. "He was much worse to his children than his parents were to him, and Ihsan turned out well enough."

"Mmm," Asli said. "But how might he have turned out if he'd not run away? If he and I had married? I don't know how I would have turned out, forced into a miserable existence I dreaded more and more every day."

Euren rose. "Let us be grateful we'll never know. Now, I think I had better prepare in case His Majesty summons me today. What does one wear to be summoned by the king who had them arrested only moments after their return from a five year absence? And who is currently furious with my husband over the matter of the Steward's arrest?"

"Armor," all three women replied.

Laughing, Euren walked over to her clothing trunks and threw them open. Joining her, Gulden, Asli, and Canan bickered playfully over the options before finally settling on a dark green skirt and top with diaphanous pink sleeves and pants and finished off with silver, emerald, and diamond jewelry.

Euren had only just pulled on the pants and top when a knock came at her door. She frowned and motioned for the others to hide. Once they were safely inside the secret passage, she called for the knocker to enter. A guard stepped inside and bowed low, slowly rose at her bidding. "Highness, His Majesty forbade you to have visitors, but I thought perhaps I could permit this one. Lady Irmak has requested an audience, by your pleasure."

"Oh? Yes, show her in." Puzzled, she picked up a dark pink and silver wrap to wind around her shoulders as she walked back over to the sitting area.

"Good morning, Lady Irmak," Euren said as she took a seat and motioned for Irmak to do the same. "I admit I am surprised to see you but not displeased. What can I do for you?"

"You are not angry?" Lady Irmak asked, looking and sounding very much like a nineteen year old girl.

"Why should I be angry with you? I admit it will be a little strange to call you stepmother, but I'm sure the royal family has stranger tales to its history."

A ghost of a smile flickered on Irmak's face. She was a pretty young woman, with none of the scheming meanness that spoiled her father's handsome face. Some of her mother must be in her because Bulut's features were coarser, narrower, and her skin was much darker. Her hair was loose and long, springing up around her head, darker close to her scalp but much paler at the ends. Freckles scattered across her broad nose and smooth cheeks, and the vibrant blue skirt and top she wore drew out the blue in her gray eyes.

"What troubles you, my lady?" Euren asked as the tentative smile faded into a frown that trembled ever so faintly. "You did not come here to have an idle chat, I think, whatever you told the guards."

Irmak nodded, drew a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "I do not want to marry him. I want nothing to do with him, but I have little choice in the matter… I am pregnant with His Majesty's child."

Euren dropped the teacup she had just picked up. "What?!"

Tears fell down Irmak's cheeks, but she wiped them impatiently away. "My father has been scheming for some time, and I did not have much choice in the matter while I was one little mouse hiding in a nest of snakes. I thought of going to Lord Demir, but he and my father… I did not want to make a bad situation worse for him, there was no telling what my father would have done to either of us." She gave a shaky laugh, but Euren could hear notes of anger threaded through the fear. "But then Prince Ihsan returned, and I thought maybe… And then you arrived, and you are both so obviously set against His Majesty. Then I heard about my father being arrested and decided I had to try. I do not know if I can call you ally, Your Highness, but I very much hope so." Her eyes were wide, bright with unshed tears, but full of hope and determination.

"Of course you can," Euren said, moving to sit next to her, taking Irmak's hands in her own. "I would much rather call you a friend. That sounds much better than stepmother, I think."

Irmak gave a small laugh. "Yes, it very much does."

"Does anyone else know you're pregnant?" Euren asked.

"Only the royal healer. I have been wanting to act against them, but one person alone I could not do much. But with you and His Highness…"

Euren nodded in agreement, tried to make herself think and not let the seething rage boil up and consume her. Even a king could be dethroned and hanged for having a child out of wedlock, for sleeping with a woman outside of marriage. The only woman he should ever know sexually was his wife. If the court found out he had slept with a woman—and one who was not yet legally come of age—they would be infuriated. Bad enough he had declared he and Irmak were engaged. To learn he had already slept with her, with a strong implication she'd had no choice, and that she was pregnant…

If it did not result in a riot, it would be a very near thing. The council would have no choice but to remove and imprison him until the babe was born and it could be verified beyond all doubt that the king was the sire.

Marrying her wouldn't be good enough at that point because it would not restore their trust in Kagan. If he'd slept with one woman outside the bonds of marriage then it was entirely likely he'd slept with others. That was not a forgivable sin.

"So what do you want to do?" Euren asked. "Do you know?"

Irmak nodded. "If I say I am pregnant but cannot admit—or do not know—the father, there is very little His Majesty and my father can do but cancel the engagement. They dare not admit the child is His Majesty's, and he cannot marry a woman already pregnant. It's not an ideal situation, but it's far better than being a puppet queen for His Majesty and my father." Her mouth twisted, eyes falling to the floor as her fingers moved restlessly across her midriff.

"A good plan, and you're brave to go through with it. I'm not sure I would have such fortitude in your place," Euren replied quietly. Give her smugglers and being mindlessly bored in a monastery, Merciful Divine. If she had stayed in the palace during Ihsan's absence she was not at all confident she would have survived them. Definitely not with her mind intact. "I think we should interrupt your father's hearing, what do you say?" She smiled when Irmak nodded again, jaw set in a stubborn line. "Let me finish getting dressed. Do you know when the hearing is to start?"

"Any moment now," Irmak replied. "I brought my father breakfast this morning, and he was frothing like a mad beast, I vow." Her eyes wandered to the plates of food left over from Euren's breakfast.

Standing, Euren shifted the plates closer. "Eat while I finish dressing. Do you know where the meeting is happening?"

"The main courtroom, and the whole council has been called. Rumor has it Lord Demir is furious and Prince Ihsan even more so. Everyone is buzzing around whispering about what could have happened last night." Her mouth twisted. "I think a few are placing bets on who will be executed today."

Euren snorted. She would bet her own fortune that more than a mere few were betting on that. Returning to her trunks, she pulled on the jewels still set out and awaiting her, glancing briefly at the closed secret passage. A pity there was no time to contact someone and explain what had just happened—what would soon be happening.

Ready as she would ever be, she returned to Irmak, who stood and fussed briefly with her own clothing, beautiful and costly and far more elegant and tasteful than anything Bulut ever wore. She smiled shyly at Euren. "Thank you again for your support and help, Your Highness."

"What are friends for?" Euren asked. "I am happy to have someone to call friend, given the scandal I caused when I married a prince and ran away." She winked, and Irmak laughed.

Maybe she'd get the hang of this princess thing yet. Speaking of being a princess… Time to get bossy. Striding to the door, Irmak just behind her, she pulled it open. "I need to see His Majesty immediately on a matter of extreme urgency."

"His Majesty is currently in a hearing—"

"I don't care," Euren interrupted. "It is of utmost importance that I speak with him, even if I must interrupt the hearing to do so. Take me and Lady Irmak to him at once."

The guard hesitated a beat longer, then bowed. The other two guards stationed at her door did the same. "As you wish, Highness. They fell into position surrounding Euren and Irmak as they led them through the palace to the main courtroom.

Euren kept hold of Irmak's hand the whole way, not letting go until they were led into the courtroom.

Twenty councilors, Kagan, Demir, and Ihsan all stared at her. Ihsan frowned, tilting his head in silent query that she was all right. Euren gave the barest nod and then turned her full attention Kagan. "Your Majesty, Councilors, I beg your forgiveness for interrupting. I come with news that cannot keep, however."