Warrior (29 page)

fireplace, and a large canopied bed

opposite. A thin white fabric she

recognized as muslin was draped over

the canopies.

“This is the main chambers, Yer

Majesty,” the castle keeper, a stern

woman named Ingrid, was saying.

“To the far side is a smaller room that

can be used for storage. On the left is

the door to the king’s quarters and on

yer right are the quarters for yer

ladies.”

Jaisyn looked to the door on the left

and immediately shifted her gaze to

the one on the right.

“I would like to see the rooms

reserved for my ladies.”

Nodding, the older woman obliged,

walking over to the door and pushing

it inward before stepping away and

dipping her head. As Jaisyn entered,

she noted the chamber was large, with

three full beds, and large chests under

each of them.

“Jane, Anne,” Jaisyn called over her

shoulder, surveying the room again.

“What do you think?”

Anne was the first to speak. “It is

very nice, Your Majesty. It seems

very comfortable as well.”

Jane nodded and agreed.

“And

what

of

the

servants’

quarters?” Jaisyn asked the keeper.

There was no response for a few

seconds and Jaisyn turned to look at

her.

“I’m sorry, Majesty. I was not

aware that ye were being waited on

by servants as well. I assumed that ye

would select from the servants of

Morden,” she announced, and for the

first time Jaisyn noticed that that there

was something snappish in Ingrid’s

voice.

“Where are my servants to stay,

Ingrid? I would like them to be close

to me, as are my ladies,” Jaisyn said

firmly, holding the older woman’s

gaze.

Ingrid dipped her head in a

respectful manner and replied calmly.

“As you wish, Majesty.”

Jaisyn turned away from her and

headed back to her room. She looked

to Madga and Asha. “Please have our

belongings brought to the rooms.” She

turned to Ingrid once more and her

voice was cooler than when she’d

addressed her maids. “Have the

servants draw baths for myself, my

ladies and my maids. We have had a

tiring journey.”

Ingrid dipped her head again and

walked from the room. Jaisyn stared

after her with narrowed eyes. It

appeared

that

Ingrid

did

not

particularly like her. And Jaisyn did

not particularly care. They would get

along fine.

***

Jaisyn fully understood why her

husband had only allowed her a chest

full of her thickest clothing when chest

after chest of new clothing was being

loaded into her rooms. She lost count

after the seventh chest found space

next to her bed, and simply stared as

servants lugged in more. Vulcan had

told her that the Morden dressmakers

were making clothing for her but he

had not mentioned that they’d been

making this much. Finally the last of

the chests was deposited and the

servants, after bowing to their queen,

filed out. Jane, Anne, Magda and

Asha remained with Jaisyn, staring at

the numerous chests that were fitted

around her bed and against walls. She

took a seat in the chair next to the

fireplace and simply stared.

Anne walked over to the chest

closest to her and opened it. She

reached

in

and

pulled

out

a

magnificent

burgundy

dress,

embroidered with golden thread and

encrusted with a white frilly material

for the hemming and the neckline.

Jane, Magda and Asha followed

suit, opening the lids and pulling out

dresses until the contents of all were

deposited on Jaisyn’s bed. Dresses of

every kind, petticoats, riding habits,

shifts, furs, cloaks, boots, slippers,

jewels—Vulcan had provided it all.

As Magda and Asha went about

rearranging the clothing in the large

chests, Anne and Jane held up two

dresses for Jaisyn: the first one, the

burgundy satin, and a rich brown

dress, velvet if she knew her fabrics,

both with necklines that Jaisyn found

scandalous but thought were beautiful.

“Which one do you wish to wear to

supper?” Jane asked.

Neither
, Jaisyn wanted to reply, but

she knew her husband well. If she did

not wear one of the dresses he’d

purchased for her, he would take it as

an act of defiance. That would no

doubt lead to an argument, which

would prevent her and her ladies from

resting as soon as supper was over.

“I’ll wear the burgundy one,” she

decided, hoping that the neckline

simply looked lower than it actually

was.

***

Vulcan was glad to be home

amongst his people. He was seated at

the head of the long table, General

Tarkon at his right and Lady Belinda

Savoy, the Countess of Eerie, at his

left. No one sat by rank, but rather by

convenience. General Tarkon had

wanted to inform him of the events

that had plagued the castle since his

departure while Lady Savoy wished to

regain the close intimacy she’d once

had with the High King. Platters of

meats, breads, fruits and cheeses were

spread out across the table, but no

one’s platter was filled. They were all

waiting for the queen, who’d yet to

show up.

Turning his gaze away from Lady

Savoy and her gown with the plunging

neckline, Vulcan looked to the other

end of the table. The seat at the head

of the table and the two on the left

and right were unoccupied. They had

been reserved for Jaisyn and her

ladies.

“Majesty,” Lady Savoy said, calling

his attention to her once more. Vulcan

turned to her, his expression as

impassive as ever. “Are the Lytherian

women more beautiful than the

women of Morden?”

Vulcan thought of that before

replying, “There are beauties in both

kingdoms.”

Seemingly satisfied with that reply,

Lady Savoy smiled, her thin lips

curving upwards as her vivid blue eyes

called to him. Belinda was a beautiful,

sensual, sexual woman. It was the

reason she’d shared his bed for well

over a year. But as he stared at her

flawless, pale complexion, her straight

black hair that had been curled

becomingly around her face, her

alluring eyes, her seductive mouth, he

wished to see another. His wife. While

beautiful, Jaisyn was no seductress.

She enchanted without knowing it,

captivated without intention, seduced

without practice. Over the course of

their journey, he’d abstained from

her. Their situations had made it nigh-

on impossible: her ladies and her

maids constantly surrounded her. He

glanced toward the empty chairs once

more. Where was she?

“Eerie is quite beautiful at this time

of the year, Majesty,” Lady Savoy

was talking once more.

Vulcan nodded, agreeing with her

even as his eyes continued to stare at

the empty chair.

“Perhaps your majesty would like to

plan an excursion there soon?” she

continued in her low, seductive voice.

He turned his attention to her. She

wore a wicked smile on her lips and

as he watched, her pink tongue darted

out to caress her bottom lip. He stared

at her tongue, thinking that if Jaisyn

were ever to learn any of Lady

Savoy’s tricks, he would be in dire

trouble. He had no doubt that the

excursion Lady Savoy wished him to

plan was a private one, with them

retiring to her manor house in Eerie,

where she would proceed to remind

him of her skills in the bedroom.

Vulcan was about to say something

that would curb her enthusiasm for

him when he was spared the need.

One

of

the

pages

suddenly

announced, “Her Majesty, Queen

Jaisyn of Morden and her ladies.”

Silence reigned supreme as Jaisyn,

dressed in a burgundy dress that fell to

her ankles, with a square neckline that

barely revealed the tops of her

breasts,

walked

forward

slowly.

Everyone stood, including Vulcan,

who was staring at the neckline like a

hungry wolf that had not been fed in

days… and he was. The men bowed

their heads, the women performed

small curtsies behind the table.

Jaisyn’s expression was serene—she

seemed very relaxed, and a hint of a

smile played around her lips.

The servants pulled out chairs for

the ladies and Jaisyn sat. Vulcan did

the same, followed by the rest of the

table, staring at her all the while. Her

thick mass of curls had been pinned

atop her head, and rubies adorned her

neck and ears. She was stunning.

“Your queen is beautiful, Majesty,”

Lady Savoy said and Vulcan tore his

gaze away from Jaisyn to survey her.

She wore a smile but it did not quite

reach her eyes. Vulcan dismissed it.

“Yes, she is,” was his short reply.

The servants bustled around them,

carving meat and placing it on their

platters and pouring mead and wine.

Recalling that he had been speaking

to General Tarkon about the other

kingdoms over which he presided,

Vulcan broached the topic once more.

The general gladly highlighted the

events of the past months, telling him

of the small uprisings that they’d

squelched in Wenschler and Montak.

Vulcan gave Tarkon his complete

attention, willing his brain away from

Jaisyn until he had her alone.

***

Jaisyn savored the food on the table.

It was quite good, and very different

from the foods that graced the tables

in Lytheria. A few of the dishes were

similar, but the spices were—

different. She spoke to Jane and

Anne, and occasionally to the people

seated at the table, when the

conversations ran toward Lytheria.

They were gracious and respectful to

her status and she found herself

relaxing and enjoying the supper until

her eyes moved to the other end of the

table and fell on the lady next to

Vulcan.

She was currently engaging him in

conversation and as Jaisyn looked on,

she smiled and licked what had to be

painted lips at her husband. The

woman also wore a gown that

revealed a hefty amount of her pale

bosom, and was currently trailing a

finger along her collarbone, drawing

eyes to the moving finger and to the

uncovered portion of her bosom.

Jaisyn tugged her gaze away and lifted

her goblet of wine. The woman was

obviously flirting with her husband,

who did not seem to mind. In fact, on

occasion, her husband even smiled—

albeit small smiles but smiles none-

the-less—at the woman! She’d hardly

witnessed Vulcan’s smiles, and if she

had, it had been in the confines of

their rooms. Something ugly reared its

head inside her, and she hastily

pushed it away. What should she

care? Her marriage was not based on

love but situation. With a beautiful

Morden lady most willing to distract

him, Vulcan would leave her alone.

She forced a smile at that, but found

her eyes returning to the lady. She

was laughing now, a throaty sound

that carried all the way to Jaisyn’s

side of the table.

Unconsciously, a frown formed

across her lips.

***

Supper over, Jaisyn and her ladies

retreated to their rooms. They helped

her disrobe before exhaustion sent

them to their beds. Magda and Asha

remained. After she was dressed in a