Trusted (26 page)

“Give it a few days. Wait until Jesso returns from the Umam court at least.”

“I would send him on his way with good news,” Garrick argued.

“Then…then tell Jesso and no one else. I want to enjoy this between us for a little while.”

“Very well, my queen, if you insist.” Garrick kissed her again. Then he brushed his knuckles down the slope of her breast, his fingers pinching her nipple briefly. “I have seen you naked every night since the day we were wed. I do not know how I could have missed it.”

“I missed it too. Probably because we see me naked every day. It comes on so gradually. But Hycinth has not seen me naked since the wedding and when I undressed before her today she jumped up and exclaimed, ‘Why didn’t you tell me?!’ Of course I was like, ‘tell you what?’ And, well, you can imagine how the rest of the conversation went. I hurried out to find you, and found you practicing with Jesso. I did not wish to interrupt.”

“In future, wife, this is something well worth interrupting me for,” Garrick said. Then he bent forward and caught her nipple in between his teeth, tugging mercilessly on it until she gasped, her back arching. “I think I shall have to teach you a lesson on importance.”

“Importance?”

“The importance of sharing news with me immediately. You ought to be punished for making me wait.”

“But you didn’t know you were waiting,” she said with a laugh. “You were hardly inconvenienced.”

“That is for me to decide. Now, since you are so delightfully naked already, come with me.” He took her hand and walked her over to the bed. He sat down and patted his lap. “Lay down.”

“Lay down? Across your lap?” she asked dubiously.

“Fanny up.”

“But—“

“Are you arguing with me, wife? That will only make this harder on you.”

“H-harder?”

“Lay down,” he said firmly.

She cautiously did as he asked, laying down across his lap, her backside facing up. He slowly caressed her cheeks, her lower back and her thighs. She relaxed under the caresses, but still felt her position to be awkward.

“Garrick, I—“

Smack!

The slap on her bottom was so unexpected that she yelped. She tried to get up, but he pinned her in place for a second smack. Then he soothed the stinging place with warm caresses. Sarea had tears in her eyes, not understanding, feeling embarrassed.

“Garrick! Please!”

“Sarea, do you trust me?” he asked.

“Well...of course I do but…you’re spanking me!”

“That’s right. And then I’m touching you.” He caressed the burning skin of her bottom, then her thighs and then slipped his hand between her thighs and stroked her there as well. Then he pulled away and smacked her again in three quick successive slaps. “Look at how red you are. This delectable ass of yours. These fine hips and warm thighs,” he said. He began to purr and as a matter of instinct, so did she.

The truth was, it didn’t really hurt all that much. Sure, it stung her and shocked her, but all of that smacking just seemed to make her even more aware of her backside and more sensitive to his touches.

“Next time, I’ll interrupt you when I have good news of import Garrick,” he said. “Say it.”

“But I—“

Smack!

“Next time,” he said, soothing the place with a hot caress, “I’ll interrupt you when I have good news, Garrick,” he said.

“Next time, I promise I’ll interrupt you,” she said quickly.

“Good!” He sat her up in his lap, leading her legs to straddle his. “Now I’m going to fuck you silly.”

Sarea had to laugh. His hands were still on her bottom, stroking and soothing the stings he had caused.

“Have you learned your lesson?” he asked her with a twinkle in his eye.

“Perhaps,” she said cheekily.

“We can continue if you like.”

“Oh no!” she said quickly. “I’ll be good.”

“Well that won’t be any fun,” he said with a chuckle.

“When do I get to spank you? You have been known to be naughty,” she said.

“Hmm. We’ll have to see about that one day. For now, help me get undressed. We don’t have much time before night’s meal.”

She eagerly helped him.

At night’s meal, in spite of their good news, there was a certain pall settled over the table. Garrick had put it off as long as possible, but he announced his plans to the court.

“Tomorrow Jesso is going to the Umam court to discover if these are bandits…or an Umam incursion onto our territory. We are not of peaceful mind in sending him, but we have little choice.”

“It’s about time,” Lord Tyron said abruptly. “The lords in the south are about to revolt, Garrick, if you don’t do something.”

“Hardly that,” Garrick said sharply. “I have been in a great deal of contact with the lords in the south and they understand the situation. My queen has provided relief efforts for those affected and a good deal of the Order has been dispatched to work the borders of the Red Forest. We will stop this incursion one way or another.”

“I think the Umam are looking for war. Sending Jesso is a waste of time and risks his life needlessly,” Gersa said primly.

Sarea was not surprised to hear her speak that way. Gersa would try, like her father was, to undermine any choices Garrick made. No choice he made would be the right choice for them. They would foment unrest wherever they could, not realizing they only risked their own well-being by doing so. Civil unrest would affect all lords, even lords of power like Tyron.

“No daughter,” Tyron said. “Jesso must go. I am certain that is the right choice.”

That surprised Sarea. There had to be some logic in Tyron’s twisted mind that made him suddenly want to support Garrick, but she could not for the life of her figure it out.

“If you say so, Father,” she said with a serene smile.

“I do. It is best you leave matters of state to the men, Gersa,” he father said sternly.

Gersa’s smile faltered. “Of course father. I only meant—“

“No one cares what you meant,” Tyron said sharply.

Smacked down thoroughly, Gersa subsided, but it was clear she was full of resentment and anger toward her father. As a result she was particularly nasty to those around her. Including Hycinth.

“That’s a rather old dress to be wearing to night’s meal, Hycinth dear. I would think as the queen’s special friend you would know to dress better.”

Hycinth was immediately cowed by the remark. Sarea came to her friend’s defense.

“Hycinth looks lovely tonight, as she does every night.”

Gersa sniffed. “I would have thought you would have learned something of fashion over these past shona. You have been dressing much better since becoming queen.”

“Not all of us can afford to be dressed in the latest styles. I understand that and so should you.”

“Of course you understand that,” Gersa said sympathetically, “you did come from rather poor stock yourself, didn’t you?”

“Enough!” Garrick thundered, slamming his hand on the table. “Tyron, I will not sit by while your spawn insults my queen!”

“Spawn! How dare you!” Gersa cried.

“I dare because I am king!” Garrick exploded. “And the sooner you understand that she is your queen and your better in all ways the sooner you can come back to my court! As of now you are unwelcome here!”

“You are banishing my daughter?!” Tyron shouted, lurching to his feet.

“Until she can learn to better comport herself, yes!”

“I will not tolerate such an insult!” Tyron said dangerously.

“You will tolerate it,” Garrick said coldly. “Or you will find yourself banished from my presence as well!”

“Garrick please. I’m sure this isn’t necessary,” Sarea said nervously, not liking the danger her husband was flirting with.

“Do not countermand me, wife,” Garrick snapped. “If I say it is necessary than it is!”

Slapped down, Sarea drew back from him. Of course he was right, she shouldn’t countermand him in front of others. But still, the rebuke stung.

“Gersa, leave. Now!” the king said.

Gersa stood up in a huff and slammed her fork and knife down on her plate.

“Fine! I was getting tired of eating with the rabble anyway!” she hissed. Then she turned and fled the room, her maids in tow.

Sarea wanted to council caution to her husband, but now she was afraid to do so. Not publicly. She had not expected him to ever take such a cold tone with her, so she didn’t know what to think. He had never grown angry with her before for stating her opinions. She had not expected this. But she also understood his temper. He was worried about Jesso. Worried he was making the wrong choice and sending his friend to his death. He did not need Gersa’s untempered backbiting on top of it.

Sarea did not feel much like eating after that. Her good news of the day seemed somehow tarnished now. But she tried to be understanding. Tyron left the room as well, leaving an air of ill will on the entire gathering.

Garrick’s food suddenly tasted like sawdust. He had not meant to yell at Sarea, and now he felt badly for showing her his temper. He had ruined what had been a special day for them with a single sentence. He looked over at Jesso who was watching him with a measured countenance. He was thinking something, only Garrick could not figure out what,

“Is there something you wish to say, Trusted?” he asked Jesso bitterly.

“And get my head bit off as well? Thank you but no. My shoulders have grown quite attached to it.” Jesso said.

The rejoinder made him smile a little. It broke the tension in the room. Garrick sighed and turned to Sarea.

“Forgive me, wife. I lost temper with you. I did not mean to.”

“No. It is understood,” she said sympathetically. “I should not have questioned you in front of others.”

“Still…I could have handled things much better. Do you forgive me?” he asked, picking up her hand and kissing the inside of her wrist.

“Always,” she said with feeling.

“Jesso, come walk with me,” Garrick said, standing up and letting go of his wife’s hand.

Jesso stood up as well and the two men walked out of the room. Sarea sent a smile down to Hycinth who looked as if the world had exploded around her.

“It’s all right, dearest,” Sarea said to her.

“I did not mean to be a cause of such trouble,” Hycinth said meekly.

“You were not the cause, merely the catalyst. This was a long time coming. Gersa needed correcting.”

“But at what cost,” Hyacinth said, looking meaningfully at Tyron’s empty chair.

“I guess we will find out,” Sarea said.

Garrick walked with Jesso a while in silence, making his way out onto the terrace. That was when he realized snow was falling.

“Excellent weather for your journey tomorrow,” Garrick said grimly.

“I will persevere,” Jesso said. “But will you? Insulting Tyron when I am about to leave was not wise.”

“No. But Hannibol and the others are here to protect me. You need not worry.”

“I will worry because that is my place in this world. To worry about your wellbeing.”

“You need worry a little less. Jesso…Sarea is pregnant…and it’s going to be a boy.”

“A son! Garrick that’s amazing news!” Jesso laughed and slapped his friend on the back. “Now I can go with a lighter heart.”

“Jesso, if you do not wish to go you need only say so. I will not think less of you.”

“There is no choice in this, Garrick. I must go.”

Garrick nodded. “Very well. Leave at first light. I’m going down to talk to Dakon. Good night, my friend.”

“Good night.”

Jesso watched his king go, knowing he left with a heavy heart. He wished he could lighten it for him. But there was no lightening this situation. The only thing he could feel fortunate of was now knowing Garrick’s succession would soon be assured. All they need do is solve this situation with the Umam. And with whomever it was that thought to take Garrick’s throne from him. But he would see to the solution of one matter, and Dakon would hopefully help them see the solution to the other. As far as he was concerned, that would assure Dakon a place as Trusted.

Garrick went down into the dungeons, told the guards he wished to speak with Dakon, and they pulled him out of his cell with the assassin.

“How goes things?” Garrick asked.

“I feel he is close to folding,” Dakon said. “He has been muttering about betrayal and how his life is on the line. I think if you pull him out for questioning tomorrow, promise him his life in exchange for information, he will fold.”

“Then we should do it tonight,” Garrick said. “Why wait?”

“Give me one more night to work on him. One more night to speak of the just king who is as good as his word. As far as Lino is concerned the only thing wrong with you was your choice in brides. Otherwise he adores you. To a fault you could say. Today I told him that you were going to spare my life in trade of my confession and my sworn promise never to act against the king again. I will remain in the dungeons until the king sees fit to pardon me, but I will have my life and the promise of freedom one day.”