Trusted (25 page)

“Sarea—“

“Someone’s coming!” she hissed, cutting him off. He stepped away from her quickly, throwing down her skirts. He quickly refastened his pants as she straightened her bodice, but they looked very mussed just the same when Jesso came around the bend and found them.

“My king…my…” It took a moment, but Garrick saw the exact moment Jesso realized what he had interrupted. Laughter filled the other man’s eyes, but he kept a reasonably straight face and said, “…queen. Dakon is back in his cell with the prisoner and he is safely guarded.”

“Good,” Garrick and Sarea chorused. Then Garrick said, “I want one Trusted down there at all times. If the assassin…his name is Didio by the way,” he said to Sarea. “We found that out a few days ago and were able to find his place of residence and search his things. If Didio wants to talk I want someone there the instant he changes his mind,” he finished to Jesso.

“You can count on it. Someone will always be there.”

“I know I can. And I know Sarea’s trust in you is the same as my own. You will not see harm to her brother. Now come, my queen,” he said to Sarea, picking up her hand and brushing a kiss on the inside of her wrist. “I want to continue our discussion in our rooms.”

Sarea blushed and Jesso had to work hard to keep from laughing out loud. Somehow he managed as Garrick and Sarea went off down the hall.

Jesso was well pleased. Almost as well pleased as his king was. Well…maybe not quite that much. He had to confess to a fair amount of envy for his king. There was nothing in the world like the passion between a trumated pair. The fact that Garrick was using her in random hallways where anyone could happen upon them attested to the virulence of it. Garrick was very protective of Sarea. Normally he would not risk exposing her to the criticisms or observations of others. But clearly their passions had gotten the better of them.

Jesso’s envy ran deep. Jesso had made a vow to himself long ago that nothing but finding his trumate would sway him to marriage. He knew the odds of finding such a woman and finding her already unmated were astronomical. But…it was fun searching for her. His appetites were almost as strong as his king’s were when it came to women. But he was far more discerning than the king had been. The king had often been satisfied with a nice pair of tits and a reasonably pretty face. Jesso needed more. He needed a woman like…well, like Sarea. A woman of intelligence and strong opinion. She did not have to agree with him, but she needed to have the sense to make good argument for that disagreement. She had to have a passionate nature, again, like Sarea seemed to have. In truth, Sarea’s charm and wit was exactly what would have attracted him. Were she not already quite decidedly in Garrick’s sights, he might have made a run for her himself. Now he found himself quite jealous.

But they were a trumated pair and nothing could have gotten in between that in any event. And he wouldn’t have wanted to. He wanted his king to be content far more than he wanted himself to be satisfied. Garrick’s happiness would always mean more to him than his own.

Jesso followed in the footsteps of the royal couple and headed toward the Trusted’s living area. Perhaps, he thought, it was time for him to take a new mistress. Someone to take the edge off the hunger the royal couple inspired within him. But he was bored with all the grasping ladies of the high court. He would have to start looking among the lesser noblemen’s daughters or widows.

Maybe he would get lucky and happen upon a Sarea of his own.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Sarea was watching Jesso intently as he swung his sword hard against her husband. Garrick was still recovering from the arrow shot into his shoulder, so he winced as the reverberation from the strike went through him. He forced himself to counter with an overhead movement and Jesso easily dodged away from the slow strike.

Sarea heard Jesso say something, clearly taunting the king as he danced around on light feet. Her husband cursed then lunged forward and wiped the grin right off of Jesso’s face, forcing him to take the king’s attack seriously.

Sarea looked away from the practice arena and up into the dismally grey sky. Snow was coming. The smell of it was sharp on the biting cold air. Winter had come early to Vena lands. But all of the crops had been harvested and sold or stored and all but an unfortunate few had warm homes ready to bear up against the winter.

Those unfortunate few were a matter of discussion between her and the king at present. She felt that the crown should provide some relief for them, warm beds and food in their bellies throughout the winter. Garrick agreed this should be made available to women and children who found themselves in dire circumstance, but men who were healthy enough to work should be finding work and fending for themselves, not living off of the kindnesses of the crown. Sarea argued that perhaps the crown should help them to find work, matching them up to situations equal to their skills. She also pointed out that hardworking farmers could suffer from hardship…like losing their cattle to sicklick or their crops to rot or both! What would the crown say to them? Find work? In winter? It was an unkind view.

She felt she was beginning to win the king over. She lived for these passionate debates with him. They often led to other passions. At first she had thought he was using sex as a way of shutting her up and putting an end to their arguments, but when she had confronted him about it he had laughed at her and told her why would he want to shut her up when arguing with her led to such great rewards? She had had to concede the point.

Watching her husband exercise his injured shoulder was painful because she knew it was painful for him. She felt as though her arm ached simply watching him. She wished there was a better way for him to exercise it, one that was less painful somehow. But she knew that wasn't the case and that he had to work through it on his own. She couldn’t baby him or coddle him. He was the king. The strongest among them all. And he had to remain such. If someone were to challenge him in his current state of injury, there was always a chance he could lose. And blood link to the throne or no, if a king proved himself too weak to hold onto the throne, the people would turn away from him. This was why it was so important for Garrick to have sons. Once Garrick reached an age where he would no longer be strong enough to fight off any challengers, he would hand the mantle of king down to his heir…ideally a man in his prime. If Garrick should die before his son reached the age of maturity, Garrick’s Trusted would act as the boy’s guardians and fight any challengers that might come until the boy was able to take them on himself.

Challenges for the throne were actually a thing of the past, something from their more barbaric history. But there was always a chance, and he had to be prepared for that chance, however remote, at all times.

Garrick had not told Sarea that a challenge for his throne may be imminent. The information they had gotten from Didio via Dakon had made it clear someone was planning to challenge him. In what way, he did not know. All he knew was that he had to be ready for it…and that meant exercising this damnable shoulder. Jesso was taunting him, trying to get him to act rashly…or just because he was being an ass. It was hard to tell which. But it was getting on his nerves. A lot was getting on his nerves.

There had been another incursion onto his lands by a large party of Umam. This had been the worst attack yet and lives had been lost. He had reached his tipping point. He was going to send an armed escort into Umam territory with Jesso at its head. He didn’t want to, but he didn’t see as how he had any further choice in the matter. He had to know if these were bandits or if these were careful attacks by the Umam meant to test their strength and fortitude. Or perhaps it was something altogether different and he couldn’t see what it was. He had no idea what that could possibly be, but he needed to find out.

But to send Jesso on what amounted to a suicide mission if the Umam were intent on war…he could hardly stomach the idea. But as he had said, he didn’t trust anyone else to do it. If this could be diplomatically resolved, then Jesso would be the only one who could be depended upon to resolve it. Hannibol was too much the soldier to talk peacefully. Xan, being the youngest of them, he felt was too inexperienced. Jun was too hot-headed. And Killium…Kill’s demeanor was such that it always looked as though he wasn't taking you seriously.

No. Jesso was the only one…and he was the one Trusted Garrick felt he could not live without. If something were to happen to Jesso…he wouldn’t know how to continue on. And he wouldn’t ever be able to forgive himself.

Jesso would leave on the morrow. He would take a small contingent of solders with him and cross the Red Forest and attend the court of Veddig under a flag of peace. It should take about a day’s travel to make it through the Red Forest and into Umam lands. Then he would have three more days to make contact with Veddig, negotiate for peace and make it back home. If he did not make it back or send word in that time, Garrick would come after him in force.

It had been some time since the Vena and the Umam had had an all out man-to-man war. The Umam had always out numbered them three to one, making up for the savagery of the Vena’s skill in battle both by sword and by truform. There was no telling how much they outnumbered them by today, but Garrick knew that the Vena would not sit here and be picked off one by one in slow bits and pieces. He would not allow that to happen.

Meanwhile, he had deployed a quarter of his army to patrol the borders of the Red Forest. This time they were not going to get past them. They would be caught. Hopefully before they could do much damage. All of the outlying farms had been outfitted with horns or bells that would be sounded if they were under attack. That would call attention to them by the Order and they would come to them with all haste.

It was the best he could do. He could have deployed the entirety of his army to the woods, but something was telling him not to leave his city unprotected. If someone were to try and make the bid for his throne, doing so while the Order was too distant to do anything to help them would be perfect planning.

“I want you to be cautious. If you have the slightest idea that you are in danger I want you to run back here. Do you understand?”

“You have only told me so ten times already,” Jesso said, coming at him with an overhead swing, forcing him to raise his arms above his head to block him. His shoulder grew more and more sore the longer he worked it, and he felt that one go right through him, edging his teeth.

“I don’t like this. I feel as though I am being pulled in opposing directions. A threat from foreign lands and a threat on domestic. What else am I to do but risk that which I don’t want to risk? What if this is what my domestic enemies are waiting for? Your death. You are what makes me strongest.”

“You are what makes you strongest,” Jesso said firmly as he blocked the king’s underhand swing. He twisted his blade, stepped forward and with a snap he disarmed the king.

“Fuck!” the king cursed sharply as Jesso touched his blade to the king’s neck.

“Why don’t you worry about yourself and leave me be, Mother?” Jesso said with a smirk.

“I’ll not leave you be, Son,” he said with a grimace. “I’ll never leave you be.”

Jesso dropped his sword tip and ringed an arm around the king’s neck companionably. “I’ll be fine. I’ll watch my back the entire time. If I so much as sense trouble I will run for the trees. What more can I say that will give you comfort?”

“That you will not go. That you will stay safe with me.”

“We both know that is no longer an option.”

“Yes. I know,” Garrick said with a frown. He looked up toward the viewing stands and saw his wife there watching them with concern etched into her features. “Come on. One more time. Only this time try not to make me look the inept fool in front of my wife.”

“No. You’ve had it for today,” Jesso declined. “Overwork it and you’ll only reinjure yourself and have to start from the beginning all over again. If we are to war, we need you in top shape. The same is true if we must face a domestic challenge.”

“A man would have to be a fool to try and take over the throne when we are being so threatened,” Garrick said. “It would put every Vena life at risk. Such a fool might win such a challenge, but then be faced with the Umam with weakened forces.”

“Either that or…” Jesso trailed off and shook his head. “Never mind.”

“What were you going to say?”

“I was going to say either that or it’s a plan of brilliance. When better to attempt the throne than when your attention is being drawn elsewhere?”

“The thought had occurred to me,” Garrick said, “that this might be a concerted effort.”

“But Vena and Umam working together? That would be unheard of.”

“The Umam would have to believe they could overrun the Vena at some point altogether. Anyone in bed with the Umam is a fool. They are not to be trusted.”

“Anyone who would challenge your rule is a fool to begin with. Come, your bride awaits you and the promise of snow is in the air. I am growing cold.”

Garrick nodded and they made their way out of the arena.

Sarea watched them come toward her and was all but bursting with anxiety and excitement. She had wanted to run down to Garrick right away, interrupting his swordplay, but she had restrained herself. She wasn’t even entirely sure for herself yet, but she would see what Garrick thought.

Garrick reached her and she quickly grabbed up his hand. “Come. I wish to show you something,” she said eagerly.

She yanked on his arm, hurrying toward the castle, not even bothering to say anything to Jesso. Garrick laughed as he followed her.

“Easy, wife, the arm comes attached. And it’s tired from training,” he said.

She was immediately contrite. She slowed down and stopped pulling on his arm. But he could feel the energy and urgency radiating off of her, so he quickened his step for her. She dragged him all the way to the main body of the castle and their rooms. She walked him into the bedroom and with a push on his shoulders sat him down on the bed. She closed the outer bedroom door and untied the bow to her laces in the front of her gown.

“Is this what we’ve hurried for?” he asked with amusement. “You should have told me. I would have hurried all the quicker.”

He went to stand up, but she gave him a stern, staying look. “Sit,” she commanded. “And watch.”

Garrick’s lips twitched with amusement. His wife had grown into a demanding little creature. He watched her unthread her laces and she pulled her dress free of her body, dumping it on the ground in a pool of silken fabric. That left her in her slip, a garment that reached from shoulder to floor. This slip was of a thick cotton material, meant to keep her warm. But still, he could see the shadows of her nipples through the fabric and the darkness at the ‘v’ of her thighs. Those silky little curls he loved so much.

Again he tried to get up and go to her and again she stayed him.

“It’s almost time for night’s meal, wife. If you wish to get to the table on time you might consider letting me touch you sometime soon.”

She reached for the hem of her slip and yanked it over her head. She was standing naked before him now and she looked absolutely delectable. Those proud shoulders, firm, beautiful breasts, curving hips flaring out from tucked in waist. And legs that seemed to go on forever. She was not tall, but she was almost all legs.

“What do you notice that is different?” she asked him, her hands fluttering anxiously, gripping one another briefly before she forced them to her sides.

“That you are naked and I am not?” he guessed with amusement.

“No! I mean different about me.”

He looked her over carefully. “I see nothing different. You are still the most fetching creature I’ve ever beheld.”

She smiled at that but then brought her hand to her belly. “I mean from here,” she pointed to her navel, “to here,” she said, drawing a line down to her pubic bone.

“I don’t…” Garrick cut himself off and grew very still. He stood up suddenly and crossed over to her. He knelt down before her, studying her belly closely. “A-are…is it…?” He couldn’t seem to form words. Now that he was looking for it, he thought he could see exactly what she was pointing out. “A son?” he whispered. “You’re going to give me a son?”

Tears jumped into her eyes and she nodded. “I-I think so. I mean, it’s so faint I wasn't sure. I didn’t even notice it myself. It was Hycinth who said…well, it doesn’t matter does it?”

He leaned forward and kissed the faint line on her belly enthusiastically. Then he surged to his feet and swept her into his arms. He kissed her until she could scarcely breathe.

“We must make the announcement right away!” he declared.

“Oh no! We should wait. Until the line grows more pronounced. We want to be certain.”

“I already am certain!”