Trusted (5 page)

“Was I wrong about the former?”

He frowned a little. “No. You were not wrong. It was something I needed to hear. Something no one else would tell me because they were afraid of me reacting—“

“Just as you did?”

“Indeed,” he admitted readily, “just as I did. But I had thought my Trusted made of braver stuff than that. It took a small woman to do what needed to be done.”

“They were no more willing to face up to him being gone than you were,” she said sympathetically. “He was Trusted. The Trusted bond is like no other. You are as more than brothers.”

“We are. It causes an almost physical pain when one of us is hurt in some way. Would that I could have been in his mind when he died and seen who had done this to him,” Garrick said fiercely.

“Bonds such as that are for mates alone,” Sarea remarked. “And not even always then.”

“I believe the trumate bond which you speak of is only meant for those who are two halves of a whole that had been separated by the Joyous One and placed in two beings. When trumates find one another it is a rare and special thing. Worthy of such a bond.”

“So you are saying you believe there is only one trumate for each of us?”

“Yes. And we are honor bound to ourselves to find that mate.”

“But how can we do that when women are expected to remain chaste until marriage? Are we to hope that we have selected the proper mate by chance? It is different for men. They can sample as many women as they like. But for women…we may not sample men as we like.”

“You do not have to make love in order to feel the trumate bond,” the king said. “It is an easy thing for a couple to spend enough time together to sense if the bond exists. Lovemaking only strengths what is there more quickly.”

“But again…you speak as if women have the freedom to choose their husbands. We women of wealth are meant to marry for political or monetary gain. I am expected to wed a wealthy landowner who will see to it my father is kept comfortable in his golden yana.”

“Your father can keep himself in comfort by the look of your manor house.”

“I am speaking of the principles of the thing.”

“I know you are. And I do not think this is a perfect society.”

“It is a society that often does not make sense.”

“I would agree with you there,” the king said. “But it is a good society and improves all the time. Perhaps one day we will all marry only if we find our trumate.”

“As we once did? Back before we were civilized, when we were no more than animals in the fields, we mated with whomever drew us to them the most. I think that is the way it should be now.”

“We need our rules of civilization. Else there would be pride challenges every day and I would be fighting for my position against hundreds of males bucking to be king. Not that I am incapable of taking all comers,” he said quickly. “But it would become quite exhausting.”

She smiled at that, hearing his humor and his bravado all at once. “I am certain that you are by far worthy of your position. And there is not a man among us who would dare challenge you.”

“You say that from the comfort and ignorance of your safe home. There are those who would challenge me at every turn. Those of powerful and wealthy families.”

“You mean Lord Tyron,” Sarea said.

The king gave her a hard look. “What do you know of Lord Tyron?”

“Only what my father has told me. That he is from the most wealthy and powerful of families and that he is on your council and questions you at every turn. That he constantly plots to overthrow you.”

“Your father tells you much,” Garrick said darkly.

“Why do you not just challenge him to a truform duel? That would settle matters entirely.”

“Because I would have to kill him to win and his family has just enough wealth and power to cause an uprising of soldiers and people that would tear this country in two.”

Sarea could immediately see how that was possible. Each lord owned lands, be they big or small. Each lord was a captain in the king’s Order. The soldiers from that lord’s lands were beneath him in the king’s army. A lord could, conceivably, take all the soldiers from his lands and use them against the king, rather than using them on the king’s behalf. The more lands and wealth the lord had, the more soldiers he controlled.

“So you believe that if he battled you in truform and lost, his family would turn against you? That seems like an awful risk to take.”

“It is. That does not mean they wouldn’t do it. Lord Tyron is much beloved by his father. The old Lord Tyron would risk everything in the name of his son.”

“But would the soldiers be loyal to him over you? They are your army after all.”

“That is the big question. Lord Tyron is captain over his men. Men are very loyal to their captains. As you should know since your father is one as well.”

“Indeed they are very loyal to him. But I don’t know if they would be loyal to the point of treason.”

“Would you take that chance?”

“Perhaps not,” she conceded. “And so you put up with him.”

“I put up with him. So far his intrigues have not extended beyond the court, so I let him get away with his machinations. But the moment I hear whispers that he is plotting an uprising, there will be blood.”

“Hopefully not the blood of the people.”

“That is what I am trying to avoid at all costs.”

“Perhaps you could appease him in some way?” she asked.

“Believe me, I have tried. But the only thing that will please him is my throne. It is not a matter of if he will try to overthrow me, it is a matter of when.”

“You are so sure?”

“Very sure. So I make certain my Trusted are close at all times and that their men are closest to the castle and the city.”

“What an awful way to live,” she said sympathetically. “To feel your life is under threat.”

“I do not fear for my life half so much as I fear for my people. Lord Tyron is a tyrant. He would bring cold-bloodedness to this throne and to our people. He would be little better than Reign Veddig of the Umam.”

Sarea couldn’t stifle a shudder. Tales of Reign Veddig’s cruelty were the stuff of nightmares. The idea of those acts being perpetrated against their own kind made her blood run cold.

“You have no heir,” she said suddenly. “What would happen if you were to take ill and die?” She gasped. “Oh no! You’ve been exposed to dashu fever!”

“You needn’t worry. Jesso is my heir as you know.”

“But Jesso does not come to the throne by blood. The people will end up following whoever is strongest. It is in our nature to do so.”

“Jesso will have the armies of the Trusted at his back, just as I would. But I do fear for the idea of a civil war.”

“You must marry and produce an heir,” she said succinctly.

Garrick laughed. “You are as bad as my council of advisors!”

“They know what is best. Why have you not married again? It has been ten yana since your queen died.”

“I have not found the proper woman.”

“Not for lack of trying,” she muttered.

The king laughed out loud again. “And now she is criticizing my love life! Is there no end to the weight of your balls?”

She gasped at his use of crude wording around her, but then she smiled. She liked that he didn’t treat her like a delicate flower in need of protecting from all things. It reminded her of her father. Although, her father would never have been so crude of tongue around her.

“I fear I have offended you,” he said then.

“Not at all,” she said primly. “I do have a rather large pair of balls for a woman.”

He chuckled. “As for my love life, I am afraid—“

“Oh look! The manor house!” she cried, cutting him off as she spurred her mount and leapt off ahead of him. He frowned. She lived at the house. Why would she be so excited to see it? No. She was avoiding the topic, he realized.

They reached the manor house and dismounted. Julea welcomed the king into her home and made hasty whispers to her head housekeeper that she was to see rooms made available right away.

“We do not wish to intrude on your hospitality. We will ride home tonight.”

“In the dark? At this hour? No. I will not hear of it,” Sarea’s mother said in her no nonsense tone.

“I would not argue with her, my king,” Sarea interrupted when he opened his mouth to do just that. “She is really quite stubborn.”

“And it runs in the family,” the king said with no little amusement. “Very well. Hannibol and I will remain here in the house, our servants will sleep in your barn.”

“There are rooms attached to the guest quarters for servants,” Julea said briskly. “They may sleep there.”

“Anabile, is night’s meal ready?” Sarea asked.

“It has been for some time. I’m afraid it might be a little dry by now! Cook will not be pleased.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Sarea said. “My king, if you will excuse me and my mother, we have not had night’s meal yet. But I will show you to the main parlor where you may take tea and have some sweets to take the dust of the road from your tongues.”

“Forgive me, but we have not had night’s meal either. I would not wish to impose but—“

“Of course you shall dine with us!” Julea cried. “Sarea, how could you not even ask?”

“I am sorry, Mother. I had assumed the king would have the sense to eat his meal before dashing about the countryside willy-nilly.”

“Sarea that will be enough!” he mother said sharply. “Do not let the king think I raised my daughter with such deplorable manners.”

Sarea was immediately contrite. “I’m sorry, Mother. My king, Anabile will show you to your room where you may wash up before supper. The houseboy will lead you to the dining hall afterward. The house is plumbed, but you will have to share your bath with Lord Hannibol.”

“I’m sure it will be fine. Lord Hannibol and I have shared many a worse accommodation.”

Chapter Five

Sarea was in the small bath adjoining her room washing her face and hands when her mother swooped in with a rustle of long skirts and a quiet shutting of the door. She hurried over to Sarea’s side and in a whisper said, “What has come over you? The king pays us great attention! And yet you sour it with your rude mood.”

“I do not mean to be rude, Mother.” She dried her hands slowly on the embroidered cotton towel. “But I do not wish for the king to pay me great attention and he seems bent on doing just that.”

“Nonsense!” her mother cried. “Every woman wishes the king to pay them attention. It is a very honorable thing!”

“Not to me!” Sarea said sharply. “Surely you wish for better from your daughter!”

“Better than the attentions of the king? What else could be better than that?”

“I do not wish to be yet another of his conquests!”

“You make it sound so…so…sordid. He pays you a great compliment by singling you out.”

“I do not feel complimented. I feel hunted.”

“Enough! You will be gracious and a good hostess to the king as I have raised you to be.”

“When you raised me to be a good hostess you did not include sexual favors as a part of my duties.”

“Sarea! You will do as you are told. You will do nothing to bring shame upon this house. Do you know what the king could do to your father if he so wished it? All that we have could be taken away and given to someone else!”

Sarea paled. “Do you really think he would do such a thing?”

“Well I don’t know! Nor do I wish to find out. You will give the king whatever he wishes from you.”

“If you are so keen to accommodate him, why don’t you spread your legs for him yourself!”

The slap came out of nowhere and Sarea pulled back in shock. She looked at her mother who looked equally shocked by her own actions. Julea wrung her hands before her with anxiety.

“Your brother is on the verge of becoming Trusted, your father’s wealth hangs in the balance. You will do as you’re told!”

Julea turned and left the room, a muffled sob reaching Sarea’s ears before the door shut. She stood there with her hand upon her cheek, still stunned that her gentle mother had hit her. She had never once struck her when they had been growing up. She had left discipline to their father, unable to bring herself to do it. That her mother would be moved to such an act told her just how frightened her mother was.

But why should she be? This king was no tyrant. Surely he would not be so punitive. But it was the risk that her mother would not take. She would rather trade her daughter’s virginity away than see her family out on the street with nothing to support them.

There had to be another way. Sarea refused to accept that there were only two sides to the coin. Surely the king was a reasonable man. He had seemed to be a man of great wit and thought. Surely this couldn’t be reduced to threats and ultimatums.

Sarea left the bath and made her way down to the dining hall. Night’s meal had been laid on the table and all were waiting for her to arrive. As soon as she was beside her chair, they all sat down. Her mother had seated the king at the head of the table, as was right by his having the highest station. The male member with the highest station always took the seat at the head of the table. Had her father been there he would have conceded his spot to the king.

Her mother had seated herself to the king’s left and Sarea to the king’s immediate right. The position of the king’s mistress, she thought glumly. Although seated at their own table such rules did not apply. Still, Sarea couldn’t help but see the parallels.

Her mother chattered nervously with the king, trying to draw him into conversation.

“So my husband said you were taking a large party of men hunting in the Red Forest. Is this true?”

“It is time to fill the castle larders with game meat for the winter. The days already grow colder.”

“Oh it is still summer for certain,” Julea said. “Can it be so close to fall already?”

“The summer weather has indeed extended into fall, but harvest time is here and the fields will soon be flat of grain and corn. The fall trades will begin and we will have full stores of all things from cotton to corn. We will trade with the Gormu for oil and fruits and the Wenoi for silk and wax. The mines have produced enough coal to take every family through the winter in warmth. Our economy has flourished this summer and we are ready for the winter. It promises to be a bitter one, if we are to believe the soothsayers.”

“The soothsayers promise every winter will be bitter,” Sarea said dryly.

Garrick laughed. “True. But the signs say it as well. The muskrats build the walls of their nests thicker than ever I am told. The bears are large and their pelts thick.”

Sarea made no comment. She was feeling sullen, but she was also trying to think. Surely there was a way for her to turn the king’s attention away from her. Perhaps if she brought up a woman who was far more comely than she was. A woman he had shown interest in.

“How is Lady Dara these days?” she asked.

“Who?” the king asked blankly.

“Lady Dara. You were seated with her at the games,” Sarea persisted.

“Oh. I do not know. Are you friends with her?”

“Not really. But you seemed to be.”

Garrick read her like a book. “Not as close as some would think…including Lady Dara herself,” he said. “I but need to say two words to a woman these days before it is automatically assumed that I am on…intimate terms with her.”

“All the more reason for a woman of good reputation to steer clear of you.”

Her mother kicked her under the table.

Garrick laughed. “True. But I cannot help what other people will think.”

“You can avoid letting people assume such things by avoiding the woman altogether,” Sarea said, making sure to move her shins out of her mother’s reach.

Garrick narrowed his eyes on her. “But then I would never get to know a new and interesting woman.”

“Well, you could get to know her only in the bright light of day in casual conversation with many of her friends about. Surely then you can be satisfied and the lady’s reputation would be safe.”

“I could do that,” he said. Then very directly said, “Do you have many friends at court?”

“No,” she said, feeling victorious. Perhaps he will get the message now that she did not wished to be bothered by him.

“Then we shall have to change that. Tell me the names of some of your friends and I will invite them all to midday’s meal with us tomorrow.”

Sarea didn’t miss the “us” in that remark.

“Oh Sarea has many friends,” he mother jumped in. “Lady Juness, Lady Hycinth, and her very best friend Lady Isobol.”

“Can I ask you to see to it they are all invited to the castle tomorrow?” Garrick asked her mother. Of course her mother eagerly agreed.

“Of course! There now, Sarea, you see? The king is willing to make every effort to see to your reputation.”

So. They had dropped all pretense of what the king was really after.

“Yes mother I see,” she said glumly. “But if the king truly wished to spare my reputation he would avoid me altogether.”

“But then I would not get to hear any more of your thoughts on how my kingdom should be run or how I should be behaving.”

“Sarea!” her mother gasped, horrified to realize that was what her daughter had been doing.

“Oh it is quite all right, Lady Julea. I find your daughter’s opinions refreshing and welcome.”

“I am of the opinion that you should look for inspiration elsewhere. I am afraid I am quite out of suggestions.”

“Sarea!” her mother snapped. Her only alternative since she could no longer reach her daughters shins. “My king, you must forgive my daughter. I’m afraid her father has allowed her far too many liberties.”

“He has made her a forthright and educated young woman, of which, I am afraid, we are sorely lacking in this kingdom. I am of the mind that our daughters should be educated just as thoroughly as our sons.”

This surprised Sarea. “Then…you do not think it will make us discontented with our lot in life?”

“Has it made you so?” he countered.

“Well…no. I am quite content with my place in the order of things. I wish to be married, have children, and run a manor house just as my mother has done. I wish to give my husband
everything
I have to offer.”

She knew the king understood what she meant by everything.

“And so you shall. And more. He will be a most fortunate man.”

The rest of night’s meal passed with a steady stream of light conversation, thanks to her mother. But Sarea grew quiet and troubled. She didn’t understand the king. He was pursuing her, that much was clear to them all, but yet he was going to all lengths to see to it her reputation remained intact. What was his purpose then, if not to make her one of his many conquests?

Sarea declined to join them in the parlor after dinner and excused herself to go to her room. As she readied for bed, she tried to make sense of the king’s behavior. Was this all an act? A way of lulling her into a false sense of complacency? Was he just whittling away at her defenses slowly?

She didn’t know.

She was in her nightgown, a simple floor length white sura cotton gown with cap sleeves made of lace, when a knock sounded at her door. She had dismissed her maid, so she had to get up and answer the door herself. To her surprise, the king stood in her doorway. She ducked behind the door, using it to hide her undressed state.

“Who told you this was my room?” she asked, flustered.

“Anyone I wanted to,” he said, reminding her of who he was and that all information would always be given to him upon request.

“I see. What can I do for you, my king? I was just about to go to bed.”

“This will not take long.”

He pressed his hand flat against the door and pushed, it sent her back several steps in spite of her trying to lean her weight into the door to block him from coming in. But she may as well have been a flea on a dog for all the strength she had in comparison to him.

She stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest as he stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.

“This is very improper,” she stammered, her entire body flushing with anxiety and discomfort.

“No one will know,” he promised her, reaching out to take her hand and prying it from her grip on herself. He drew her reluctant body close, close enough for her to feel the warmth of him from head to toe.

“I’ll know,” she said in a small voice. “Please, my king, don’t do this to me.”

“Do what? What is it you think I’m going to do?” he asked, reaching to brush a strand of hair from her cheek. She had undone her hair from her virgin’s noose and now it hung down long and loose. Just as long as Garrick had thought it would be.

“I do not wish to be your mistress!” she cried.

“My mistress?” He laughed, the sound a low, rich thing. It flowed over her with honeyed warmth. “All I wish is to get to know you better.”

“By coming into my room in the night?” she challenged.

“I am here for one thing and one thing only.”

“And what is that?” she asked, though she dreaded the answer. What if he demanded she mate with him right then and there? She would be powerless to stop him. Her mother certainly wouldn’t help her. Neither would Dakon. She was helpless against him.

“A good night kiss,” he said. Then he promised her, “That is all. One kiss and I will leave you alone.”

“For good?” she asked.

“For the night,” he said with a chuckle.

“Why are you doing this? Why me? You can see I do not want your attention. Why can’t you let me be?”

“I honestly cannot answer that. I do not know why I am doing this. I do not know why I can’t let you be. It is not in my nature to force myself upon any woman who does not want me, but I find…I find myself too enamored of you to simply walk away. I will not force you to me. I am not that way. But I do ask you to give me a fair chance before shutting me out.”

“I do not aspire to the fame and glory that comes with being one of your many castoffs.”

“I know you do not. And that is why you will not become one of my castoffs if you do not wish to be. This is all in your hands,” he said reassuringly. “I will not force myself upon you. But I will see you give me that fair chance.”

“And coming in here demanding a kiss, that is not forcing yourself upon me? For you know I cannot say no. I have no power here.”

“Is that how you feel? That you have no power here? That’s odd because I feel it is you who has all the power. You have edged your way into my consciousness. Ever since our first meeting I have been unable to think of anything else but you.”

She scoffed. “I find that hard to believe. You’ve an entire kingdom to run.”

“And I’ve been doing a poor job of it these past two shona, believe me.”

He lifted her clenched fist to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to the inside of her wrist. His lips were warm and surprisingly soft. She could see into the light purple of his eyes, see the intensity he was feeling within them.