The King's Bastard (47 page)

Piro smiled, pleased. The wooing wasn't going all his way for once.

'I said one kiss and that's all I meant. I'm not one of your rolls in the hay, Lence,' Elina snapped. 'Now, what did you want to see me about?'

'They've betrothed me to a Merofynian prize cow!'

'What?'

'And all the while I've been dreaming of you. Dreaming of your smooth, milky skin, your sparkling obsidian eyes, your -'

'You're betrothed, Lence? When did this happen?'

'Midwinter. They betrothed me to Isolt, that usurper Merofyn's daughter. I am the true heir, not him or his daughter.'

'We had not heard about your betrothal.' Elina spoke slowly, clearly shocked. 'I -'

'It doesn't matter. I'll be coming for you.'

'But what about your betrothed?'

Yes
, Piro thought.
What about her?

'Don't worry. That marriage will never come to pass. I'll be back to claim you, Elina. You understand?'

'I don't see how you can agree to a betrothal then -'

'I'm going to be king and, when I am, I'll choose my own bride and it will be you. So promise you'll wait for me.'

She gave a bitter laugh. 'I'm not about to marry anyone else.'

'Not even Byren?' Lence countered, as if he couldn't help himself.

'Byren? He preferred my brother to me!' It was a cry from the heart.

Piro jumped, thumping her elbow on the wainscoting.

'What was that?' Elina sounded alarmed.

'Nothing. Rats -'

'We don't have rats at Dovecote. I had the best ratters in only last week -'

'Forget the rats, Elina.' Lence didn't sound surprised by Elina's revelation about his twin. 'What makes you think Byren's a Servant of Palos?'

'He told father that he and Orrie are lovers. That's why father disinherited Orrade. Da's devastated. He made us promise to tell no one.'

Then why had she told Lence? Piro frowned.

'And now Byren wants to meet me at the water-wheel tomorrow afternoon,' Elina muttered. 'But I don't see how anything he says could change the situation. He's a lover of men and I won't be second best!'

Piro cursed under her breath.

'Did you hear something?' Elina whispered.

'There's someone in the hall.' Lence's voice grew alarmingly loud as he strode along the balcony towards the corridor.

Piro fled.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning, Piro woke late. She'd spent another night with bad dreams, only these hadn't been about wyverns hunting her, but manticores. What next? As she finished dressing, there was a knock at the door, and she answered it, feeling tired and grumpy.

Elina stood there, flushed with anger. 'Why didn't you tell me that Lence was betrothed?'

'I thought you knew. Everyone knew,' Piro replied, then said the first thing that came into her head. 'Besides, I thought you only had eyes for Byren -'

'Byren?' Elina's laugh held fury. 'There's something you should know about your precious brother, he's a lover of men!'

'He is not!'

'He is and he used me, whispering sweet words in my ear so he could spend time with my brother!'

'That's ridiculous.'

'He made me look ridiculous. An excuse, that's all I was.' Elina's voice rose dangerously. 'How they must have laughed at me, the two of them!'

'Quiet, Elina. Think of the servants,' Garzik warned, as he came out of his chamber. 'Think of father.'

'What about my feelings?' Elina implored.

'What about Orrade?' Piro countered. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a servant standing open-mouthed. 'Think how he must feel. He's your own brother. How could you turn your back on him? He has no family now, nothing!'

'He has Byren Kingson for his -'

'Lina!' Piro slapped the older girl.

Elina staggered back two steps, stunned, her hand going to her cheek.

More doors opened. Brookfield and Dellton came out of their room. Lence looked up the hall to see what the shouting was all about and strode towards them.

Distracted by their appearance, Piro was not prepared for Elina's shove. The door knob hit her between the shoulder blades and a yelp of pain escaped her.

More doors opened.

'That hurt!' Piro gasped. 'You -'

'You deserved it.' Elina leapt for her. Piro defended herself, giving as good as she got. It was a flurry of hands and stinging cheeks, flying hair.

A strong arm swept Piro off her feet. She writhed and twisted, trying to get free. Then she gasped as the arm squeezed until she saw stars.

'Enough?' Lence demanded.

Unable to speak, she could only nod. He eased up but did not release her, so that she hung from his grasp like a kitten, panting for breath.

When her vision cleared she saw Elina shrug off Garzik's restraining arms. Lord Dovecote stepped between them, his crippled face expressing concern and annoyance. Beyond him, Brookfield and Dellton looked astounded. Piro fought an urge to giggle. They were shocked to see the kingsdaughter in a scrap, but she'd grown up scrapping with Elina.

'Ho, Garza,' Lence laughed. 'Remember the time it took four stable lads to pull them apart?'

'What's this all about?' Lord Dovecote demanded. 'Elina?'

Bleeding from a scratch down one cheek, Elina assumed her dignity like a cloak. 'Piro has decided to cut short her visit, father.'

His good eye widened. 'Here, there's no need for that.' He turned to Piro. 'My apologies, kingsdaughter.'

'Put me down, Lence,' Piro ordered, cheeks flaming. She could still feel him chuckling. As soon as her feet touched the parquetry floor, she straightened her bodice and pushed her hair from her face. She had been about to apologise but this was too much. She could out-dignify Elina any day. 'I thank you, Lord Dovecote, but I must be leaving.'

Turning on her heel she went to enter her chamber, but Lence was in the way and he was enjoying this far too much to let her pass.

'Let her go, Lence,' Elina said. 'It's for the best.'

'Don't listen to Elina, father,' Garzik insisted.

'What would you know? You're just a silly little boy who thinks he's a warrior,' Elina rounded on him. 'I wouldn't be surprised if you went the same way as Orrade!'

Garzik stiffened. His cheeks grew very pale and he pulled himself up to his full height. 'Father.' He inclined his head in a short bow. 'I see I am not wanted here. I'll go. I'll serve in Byren Kingson's honour guard!'

He shoved past Brookfield and Dellton, striding off down the hall.

'Garzik,' Lord Dovecote called after him. 'I insist you stay. You are my heir.'

'Make Elina your heir. I know where my true friends are,' Garzik replied over his shoulder.

'Leave this house and you will never be welcome here again!' Lord Dovecote shouted.

Garzik spun to face his father. For a heartbeat Piro thought there was going to be a shouting match and dreaded what would come out. Then Garzik gave the old lord a short, stiff bow. 'So be it. Good bye, Father, Elina.'

Elina whimpered then spun to face Piro. 'Now look what you've done!'

Piro stared at her. Her sight shimmered and she saw invisible doors slamming shut between them. She didn't say the things that boiled for release, but pushed past Lence and ran into her chamber to pack her things.

The door opened right behind her.

'What is it now?' she spun around, fighting the tears.

'Oh, Piro,' Lence muttered, crossing the room to hug her. 'Why do you always do things the hard way?'

Her tears erupted and she wiped them away furiously, wriggling out of his embrace. She rinsed her face in the water bowl, dried her cheeks and turned to him. 'I'm fine now, Lence.'

'Good. Get Garza to take you back to Rolenhold by the canal. We saw the tracks of a manticore pride on the horse trail,' Lence warned. He frowned at her. 'Did you hear me, Piro?'

She nodded once, stiffly. Satisfied, Lence left her alone.

Throwing her travelling bag on the bed, she stripped off her good gown and dragged on her travelling clothes. It didn't take long to pack. The cook sent up a sumptuous breakfast, which she thought she'd never finished. But after the first mouthful she discovered she was hungry and polished off the lot.

By late morning, she was out in the stables helping the lad saddle her horse.

'Better prepare Garzik's as well,' she warned him.

Sure enough, ten minutes later Garzik strode into the stable and she was ready to meet him, with his mount's reins in her hands.

He gave her a short nod of thanks and swung up into the saddle.

It did not seem the right time to say she was sorry, so Piro kept her silence as they rode out of the stables, out of the yard and turned their mounts towards the trail off the estate.

How had things gone so wrong, Piro wondered, when she had set out with the best of intentions to help Byren reconcile with Elina?

'Slow down, Garzik,' she said suddenly. 'We must tell Byren. He'll be waiting for Elina at the water-wheel.'

'Then he's going to be disappointed,' Garzik muttered. They turned their horses across country.

Byren tensed and untensed his muscles as he lay along the tree's broad branch. He was half frozen even in his thick winter woolens. There'd been another cold snap last night, making him glad he'd built a sturdy snow-cave.

It was only as he was riding down here that he realised Orrade's preference for men would be accepted in Ostron Isle. Was this why his friend had suggested they go there? Maybe he was being selfish by asking Orrade to stay. Ambassadors tended to be older people with years of experience at court, but Byren could suggest that Orrade go to Ostron Isle as assistant to Rolencia's current ambassador. At least then Orrade would have a respected position. Yes, he would speak to his mother about it.

Byren heard the soft clump of a horse walking through snow and the gentle snort as it blew through its nostrils. His spirits lifted. All was right with the world. Elina had come to see him, which could only mean she must be ready to forgive him.

He swung down from the tree branch, dropping to the snow.

When he straightened up, it was not Elina who rode towards him, but Lence. For a moment he thought his eyes must be deceiving him. 'Lence, I thought you were -'

'I was, but I'm back. Elina sent me to give you a message, brother.'

Byren tensed.

'She wants you to leave her alone.'

'I don't believe it. I won't. Not until I hear it from her own lips.'

'She's already told you once. How many times must she tell you? You sicken her, you and your lover...'

Byren swayed, sounds spiralling away until a roaring filled his ears. When it cleared, Lence was still sitting astride his horse about a body length from him, hands resting lightly on the pommel of the saddle. He got the impression his twin was waiting for an answer but he'd no idea what the question was.

'Lence, you've gone wenching with me enough times to know that -'

'I admit I found it hard to believe, but you were condemned by your own words.'

'I was protecting Orrie.'

'Why protect him if it's not true?' Lence countered. He shook his head, repressing a shudder. 'It all falls into place. Illien was right, but I refused to believe him. The Servants of Palos are moving again, and this time the alternative heir is not a bastard!'

Byren snorted, torn between laughter and outrage. Then he remembered Cobalt's words... the truth is highly overrated. He took a step closer. 'It's a lie -'

His brother jerked on the reins making the horse rear in protest. Byren had to dart back to avoid slashing hooves. Lence kept pulling on the reins so that the horse pivoted and sidled away.

'Lence, wait,' Byren called. 'Don't trust Cobalt. Think. How long have you known him? What do we know of his life on Ostron Isle?'

'Illien has already confessed his past to me. An older woman lured him on, a furious husband tried to blacken his name, all else is lies and slander. At least he possessed the honour to admit his past indiscretion. What of Orrade?' Again, Lence shuddered. 'I always wondered why you were closer to him than me. Now I know. How long have you two been lovers?'

Byren did not know what to say.

'You don't dare answer me.'

'I don't answer because you've already refused to believe the truth.'

'To think I was so blind...' Lence shook his head. 'Swear to me you'll give up this madness?'

'What madness? I told you, I'm not involved in a conspiracy -'

'Please, Byren!'

He lifted his hands helplessly. How could Lence believe this of him?

'Very well,' Lence said. 'Lord Dovecote's in a rage. If you are captured and dragged before him now, I don't know what he'll do. Get off the estate. And Byren? We saw the tracks of a manticore pride on the canal, don't go that way.'