The Terror of Thorn: Child of War: Book 2 (18 page)

“Xander I dare you speak to me like this, when we get home..” Aubrey said before Xander cut her off.

“You’ll do what exactly?” Xander said as he stepped up into Aubrey’s face. “You’ll have me flogged is that it? Well you are home, our home. Not that miserable shining palace you shared with Celeste.”

“How dare you speak about the Queen so familiarly” Aubrey said as she began to scream.

“What exactly is she going to do about?” Xander said laughing as he gave her his back and started walking around the room. “I have the heir to the Throne, she nor any of her agents, the cold calculating High Witch or the patriot General Anaya would dare put you in harm’s way. If anything happens to you, she will be without an heir and her enemies would be content to let her die and assume the throne that way.”

“Xander why are you doing this to me? I love you!’ Aubrey said still unbelieving of the events that had transpired.

“My dear, you are married to the most powerful man in the KINGDOM!” Xander said as he remembered the words she spoke to him. “You should be content to be waited on hand and foot and have beautiful things. Your only job would be to make babies with me. It’s not a bad life, in fact it is a life many women would kill for. Why do those words sound so familiar?”

Aubrey glared at Xander as he gloated about his victory. “My mother will find a way to free me” Aubrey said in her harshest voice.

“Perhaps, but then what?” Xander said as he began to laugh. “She wouldn’t dare kill the Royal Consort, it’s my job to make the future Queen of Rangel. Besides, no matter what has transpired with us you still love me. The worst I could expect is a good flogging, an experience you should be happy I wouldn’t visit upon you.”

Aubrey thought about Xander’s words and realized he was right. “Show me to my rooms!” Aubrey said as she stormed out of the Throne room.

“Well she certainly is spirited your Majesty” Earl Glou said.

3 Weeks Later

“Let me get this straight” Queen Celeste said trying to keep her voice calm. “Aubrey’s husband is the new King of Thorn and told you to leave and you did it?”

“Your Majesty” the High Witch said in a shaky voice. “He had the Royal Heir prisoner. I went to their capital anyway just to see was this some type of jest, but he is in fact the King. Many from our army already joined his side by the time I arrived.”

“We wouldn’t dare do anything to endanger Princess Aubrey your Majesty” General Anaya began. “It wasn’t too long ago he was known as death’s hand.”

“So my daughter lies miles away while I am surrounded by cowards!” Celeste screamed. “How will I know if she is being mistreated?”

“Your majesty, he did say if you needed contact with him or your daughter you are free to visit.” The High Witch said as she remembered her conversation with the enchanter’s messenger once she arrived at the Thornian capital. 

“He gave us this huge rug which he asked to be laid outside near the armory, he said you are welcomed to visit him and his bride at any time.” General Anaya said as she secretly applauded the gall the enchanter had.

“Did you see Aubrey, how was her condition?” Celeste said worried about her daughter.

“My wife is doing fine Celeste” Xander said as he casually walked into the throne room.

“You have some nerve” the High Witch said as she lifted Xander off of his feet and began choking the air out of him.

“Let him down this instant!” The queen said as she broke the high witch’s concentration. “He still has my daughter!”

“What a way to treat visiting Royalty Celeste, it is unbecoming!” Xander said as he fixed his clothes and took a seat.

“What are you doing here and where is my daughter enchanter!” Celeste screamed as she walked towards Xander.

“My wife is receiving the same care I had under your roof, she is as happy as I was here. She is still learning a woman’s place in Thorn though, we had a bit of a rough patch.”

“Are you misusing my daughter? I could have you killed right now!” Celeste screamed as she grabbed Xander by the collar and lifted him up.

“Gods no, I would never mistreat by wife.” Xander said as he knew his nonchalant tone was getting to Queen Celeste. “She is merely learning a woman’s place is not in front of her husband, but rather beside him as equals. She can either rule with me or be content to not rule at all.”

Celeste let go of Xander’s shirt as she walked away angry. “What is your reason for this audience enchanter?”

“I had hoped to ease your fears about your daughter and see Witch Brightly, it seems your son is getting married” Xander said as he turned to the High Witch.

“He is getting married to whom, where is your son Elizabeth?” Celeste inquired.

“He chose to stay in Thorn with that Samantha girl. He is a hero over there of sorts for his part in the Thorn/Frahse war. I gave him my blessing on the condition if Xander is ever toppled, Samantha would be next in line for the throne.”

“I doubt she wants it at the moment” Xander said with a smile. “It is believed she is with child, so this marriage must happen immediately. It is dishonorable in my Kingdom for unmarried people to have kids.”

“You come in here all non-chalant like you own this place and you, a mere male dares to chat like we are all equals here!” Queen Celeste said as she began to get angrier.

“Well I can see you have a bit of the devil in you today Celeste, after all the news I have given you. Well here is some news that might bring you over your boiling point.” Xander began as he suddenly got serious. “You may have heard about how I was in the Norrayan Forest fighting with men trying to take the elves as slaves to use against Thorn. What you didn’t know is that the weapons they carried were much stronger than any we have ever seen, able to hold up to even my most enchanted weapons.”

“What does that have to do with me” Celeste said.

“Well those weapons were crafted by dwarves, apparently the little folk are real” Xander said before he was interrupted.

“Dwarves, real?” Elizabeth Brightly the High Witch of Rangel said unbelievingly.

“They are real and it is rumored they are outfitting and sending an Army to invade Thorn.”

“Enchanter how is that exactly our problem” General Anaya began. “You come in here and make a mockery of this Queendom and then tell us about some battle that has nothing to with us.”

“It has everything to do with you Anaya” Xander said as he focused on Celeste. “If I cannot beat them back, then Rangel would always stay the exact size it is now, if your Queen here really cares about her daughter, I would think she would want to give Aubrey both Nations, whether ruled jointly with me or not. Think about that.” Xander said as he left the throne room.