Wray (39 page)

Turning away, he saw Tora climbing up the
bank. Frowning Reeve moved towards him, leaving Gyula as he
lay.

“Tora, is everything alright?” He asked,
forcing just the right amount of concern into his voice.

“Of course Lord Reeve.” Tora responded and
Reeve watched him tuck something into his pocket. “The Empress is
safe and those,” he glanced over at Gyula, “unworthy of being
called ‘Warrior’ are no longer.”e

“Yes.” Reeve said through gritted teeth.

“I expect the Emperor will be demanding a
full report on how your security failed to protect the
Empress.”

“What?” Reeve asked, stunned.

“He will want to know how males that
he
deemed unfit were able to gain access to the grounds of
House Reeve when the Empress was present. How was it possible that
a ship was able to land
undetected
on just the other side of
the river? I’m sure you already have worthy warriors investigating
this, knowing that as soon as the Empress is secured and calmed
that the Emperor will be demanding answers.”

“Yes of course.” Reeve said his mind racing.
“I have my best already working on it.”

“I thought this was one of your best.” Tora
said, gesturing to Gyula.

“At one time he may have been. I don’t know
what could have caused him to act like this.” Reeve easily
lied.

“Nor do I, Lord Reeve.” Tora said, his eyes
revealing none of his thoughts. “For any male that acts as these
have, or those that tolerate them, have no place in this Empire.”
Tora said and delivering his barely veiled threat to move past
Reeve and head for his manno.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Crossing the open grounds of House Reeve,
Tora found his manno's warriors attending to the three fallen
guards.

"They are being taken to the shuttle?" Tora
questioned, leaning down to assist with one.

"Yes Prince Tora." The warrior said.

"They are to receive the utmost respect."
Tora said.

"Of course, they were ended defending our
Empress. She would have it no other way." The warrior looked at
Tora as if he should have realized that.

"Good." Tora said, hiding his surprise. He
had not realized Kim had made that kind of impression on his
manno's warriors already. Once the males were ready for transport
Tora proceeded on to his manno’s chambers.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Veron raised an eyebrow at Tora when he
finally came striding into his manno's chambers. Veron had assumed
he had gone to clean up, but he was just as dirty as when he left
him at the river, a little drier but still dirty.

"Where have you been?" He questioned.

Tora raised his own eyebrow at the question.
"I needed to see to a few things." he told Veron. "The Empress?" he
asked, his eyes moving to the closed door.

"Is currently being treated."

Tora frowned; he had literally bumped into
Yakar just outside the Wing. The Healer had been muttering to
himself not even acknowledging Tora as he'd continued. "By
who?"

"Healer Curador." Veron informed him. "The
Empress does not like Yakar and refused to allow him to treat
her."

"What?"

"She was quite... vocal... in expressing what
she would do if he touched her."

Tora found himself smiling at that. He had
been on the receiving end of Kim's words just last night and
understood what Veron was so delicately saying. "You've received no
word though?" He asked, his eyes moving to the closed door.

"No."

As they spoke, the resting chamber door
opened and Caitir came out closing it behind her. Seeing the room
filled with the Emperor's warriors, she paused.

"What is it Lady Caitir?" Veron asked,
ignoring the shocked looks on Tora's and every other warriors’
face. "It is what the Empress has demanded we call her." He said
making sure all heard.

"I need to go to the kitchens to have a
special meal prepared for the Empress." She told him.

"Warrior Acton. Warrior Dov. You will
accompany Lady Caitir to the kitchens. Make sure she has no
problems obtaining what the Empress requires."

"Yes, Captain." The two immediately replied
and looking at Caitir nodded before following her out the door.

"She truly gave her the title?" Tora asked
after the door closed.

"Yes. Lady Caitir and her uncle, Jael, are
now the official clothiers of the Empress. They will be
accompanying us to Tornian."

"House Torino already has a clothier."

"And he will continue for the Emperor, but
the Empress has become very fond of Lady Caitir."

Tora gave him a confused look. A female
fond
of another one? Was that even possible? Then he
realized that with Kim
anything
was possible.

She'd survived the Ganglians longer than any
other female.

She’d survived a crash landing on Pontus.

She’d survived repeated attacks by Fala and
Gyula. Had actually fought back.

She’d survived the river.

Yes, it was entirely possible she could be
fond of another female.

Tora looked at the closed door to the resting
chamber. Normally he would never think to enter it when the Empress
was there, but then the Empress was never
in
the Emperor’s
resting chamber. There were things he needed to tell his manno and
he still had something to return to the Empress. Making his
decision, Tora moved to the doorway and knocked.

Wray looked impatiently at the door. Who
would dare knock on the door of his resting chamber?

“Come in.” Kim’s sweet voice had his head
swinging around to her. “What?” she asked giving him a questioning
look.

‘You need rest you don’t need…”

“Tora!” Kim’s excited tone had his head
swinging back in the other direction to see his first male enter
the room.

“Empress.” Tora said, bowing to her.

Kim felt her eyes fill as they ran over Tora
taking in his disheveled appearance. Wray had told her he was okay,
but she could admit to herself that she was still concerned. She
would never have been able to forgive herself if Fala had harmed
him while she had run away.

“I’m so sorry.” Kim’s voice broke as she
spoke and the eyes of all three males flew to her. What could she
be sorry for?

“Kim…” Wray started before Tora interrupted
him.

“For what Empress?” Tora asked, confused.

“I left you… I ran away…” Kim couldn’t
believe she’d done that. “You are Wray’s first male and I abandoned
you.”

All three males looked at her in shock. What
was she saying? She thought she should have stayed and
defended
Tora? A female? It was not her place.

“You did what you should have done.” Wray
told her angrily. How could she even
consider
that she
should have stayed?

“You didn’t Empress.” Tora interrupted
stepping into the room, closing the door. “I wouldn’t have known
Fala was attacking if you hadn’t warned me.” Tora gave his manno an
embarrassed look. “Then you distracted him by attacking Gyula… it
gave me the advantage.”

“I ran…” Kim whispered.

“As you should have. What good would it have
done for me to end Fala if Gyula ended you?”

“Kim…” Wray’s tortured tone had her looking
to him. “Tora is correct. You did exactly the right thing.”

“Really?” She looked to him for reassurance
that he wasn’t upset at her for leaving Tora.

“Really.” He told her pulling her close.

Kim snuggled into Wray’s embrace. She hadn’t
realized that was bothering her until she had seen Tora. Hadn’t
realized the depth of her shame. Tornian males lived their lives by
the belief they should be worthy and fit… that they had honor. Kim
could understand that. She just thought females should have just as
much. For them to find her lacking…. Her eyes finally went back to
Tora, taking in the state of his uniform

“What happened to you?” she asked,
frowning.

“What do you mean?” Tora responded, looking
down at his soiled uniform

“You’re a mess. That couldn’t have been
caused by Fala.”

“No…” Tora gave her a confused look. “The
river caused this.”

“The river?”

“Kim.” Wray puts a gentle hand under her
chin, tipping her face towards his. “Tora saw you fall into the
river. He went in after you.”

“What!” Kim turned shocked eyes back to Tora.
“You went into the river? After me?”

“Of course.” Tora said, but he started to
shuffle his feet in embarrassment. “You are the Empress.”

“And
you
are the future
Emperor
!” She exclaimed, pulling out of Wray’s arms. “What
were you thinking?!! Risking yourself like that! Of all the
stupid…”

“You are chastising me for saving you?” Tora
couldn’t believe it.

“I…” Kim didn’t know what to say.

“Tora did as he should Kim.” Wray told her
gently. “You a
re
the Empress. It is what any male would have
done if he had witnessed what happened.”

“But Wray… he’s
your
offspring… for
him to risk himself… for me.”

“I was unable to save my brother…” Tora said
finding his throat tightening as he spoke. “He was an amazing
brother, he was never upset at being the second male. He always
looked forward to being there to support me.” Tora gave her a
steady look. “I had forgotten that. He would have greatly liked
you, would have seen you as a partner in his little pranks.”

“He played pranks?” Kim asked, looking to
Wray.

“Yes.” Wray told her. “Even on me.” He saw
Kim smile and wondered if he should be worried.

“You reminded me of this, of how he lived,
what he believed, not how he died. Because of that I know he
forgives me for being unable to save him because he knew I couldn’t
but he wouldn’t forgive me for not saving you when I could.”

“Tora…” Kim found her eyes filling again.

“He is right my Kim.” Wray said, pulling her
close. “Tora did what any fit and worthy male would do for his
Empress. Accept it.”

“Alright.” Kim said softly before she turned
her eyes to Curador who’d been silent through the whole exchange.
“But only once Curador scans him to make sure no harm has been
done.”

“I am fine!” Tora started to protest, but the
look in his manno’s eye had him snapping his jaw shut. “Of course
majesty.” He said stiffly.

“You know.” Kim said, unable to stop the
smile that was breaking across her lips. “I think I could get used
to this Empress business.”

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Reeve paid no attention to the Emperor’s
warriors as they passed him with the bodies of the warriors Fala
and Gyula had ended. Ended with the poison Reeve had given them. He
had more important things to concern himself with, things like how
he was going to explain all this not only to the Emperor but to
Bertos.

Turning a corner, he collided with Yakar.

“Watch where you are going!” Reeve ordered
shoving the Healer aside.

“Watch where
you’re
going!” Yakar
fired back. He has had enough of those who thought they were better
than he was. He was a
Healer
.

Reeve was about to berate the male some more
when he realized just who it was standing there so angry.

“What are you doing here? Why aren’t you with
the Emperor! Has she gone?” Reeve asked, barely keeping the hope
out of his voice. It would solve all his problems.

“No!” Yakar bit out. “That
female
has
refused to let me treat her.
Me!
The most sought after
Healer in all the Empire!”

“Then who is treating her?”

“
Curador!
” He spat out.

“Curador! How could she possibly have known
about
him?
” Reeve demanded.

“That Auyangian female told her. She said he
was
kind
.” Yakar sneered. “Like females need
kindness
. They just needed to be calmed and remain in that
condition.”

Reeve’s eyes turned assessing Yakar, as he
continued to look at the Imperial Healer. He’d never realized their
views on females were so similar. He wondered…

“Yet once you return to Tornio she will be
yours to calm.”

“No.” Yakar said his anger growing. “I
overheard the Emperor telling Curador that he would be the
Empress’
personal Healer.”

“What! He can’t take him from Vesta without
my approval!”

“As if you would refuse. He is the
Emperor
and this is what his
Empress
wants. They are
also taking the two Auyangian clothiers.”

“No!” Reeve turned and ran a frustrated hand
through his hair. He needed those two if he was to attract another
female. Lady Estee had raved about the female’s skill and word had
spread. He also had not yet been able to sample her.

“That female is a menace.” Yakar stated. “She
will be the demise of our way of life.”

“I agree.” Reeve said, looking at Yakar in a
new light. “Come Healer Yakar. Let us go to my private chambers. We
have a great deal to discuss.”

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

“He is fine Empress. A few bumps and bruises
that I have treated. There is no permanent damage and once
cleansed, removing the stench of the river, he will be back to
normal.”

“Did you just say I stink?!! Tora demanded
totally offended.

“Yes.” Curador said smirking at him. “What? A
Prince can’t stink?”

Tora looked to his manno but saw his lips
twitching.
Twitching
! He thought this was funny!

“I was wondering where that smell was coming
from.” Wray finally said.

“It could have been coming from Kim.” Tora
spit out not realizing he had called her by her name.

“
I’ve
showered.” Kim told him huffily
then smiled. “It’s
all
you Tora.”

“Then I shall remove my
offending
presence.” Tora said still unable to believe that someone had the
gall to say he
stunk
. As he turned, he felt the weight of
the item in his pocket and paused. Turning back, he withdrew
it.