Thea's Tale (Sisters Of The Curse Book 1) (33 page)

“I wonder what is driving him to marry where he doesn’t choose to.”

Thea looked carefully at her sister. Adelaide wasn’t angry, or upset. She was genuinely thoughtful.

“I don’t know. Mother said that Sebastian would have prevailed even if Casimir had asked because he had some persuasive arguments for the match. Those were her words.”             

“I wonder what those were.”

“I think I should ask Father. What do you think?”

Adelaide stared at her and started to laugh quietly. “Can I please sit next to you tonight? I know Father switches up where we sit based on his mood, but he won’t put either of them near you, and if you’re really going to do it, I want to hear what he says.”

“Of course. Just come in next to me. I’ll ask him.”

“What’s gotten into you, Thea? You’re becoming rebellious.”

“What is the worst thing that could happen to me? We’ve lost Archibald. We were not able to save Ulric. Now, I may lose Casimir. I’m tied to someone I don’t love, and who doesn’t love me. There are a few things that could make my life worse at the moment, but being direct with Father isn’t one of them.”

“I have been worried. You’ve been staying in our rooms.”

“Oh, well, there are good reasons for that. I’m tired. Aren’t you tired? I was feeling like I might fall over before I started sleeping in and not coming out until after lunch. And with Casimir saying all that he has, I don’t have the patience to deal with either of them when they are together. I know that’s rude of me to say when two fine men both want to marry me, but there it is. The way they constantly take jabs at one another is maddening.”

“It is. Oh, look! I think they’ve seen us.”

Thea looked down. Both Casimir and Sebastian were looking up at the balcony. Adelaide beamed, and Thea looked quickly at Sebastian. He was looking at Adelaide, not her. He didn’t look angry.

She smiled, and met Casimir’s eyes. She knew she was blushing. Casimir kept smiling at her, and his opponent took the opportunity to give him a whack with the flat of the sword, which made him jump. He immediately focused on the guard. Thea laughed softly.

She and Adelaide stood and watched them for another half an hour. Finally, the guards were called in to some other chore, and both Casimir and Sebastian ended their practice. Sebastian said something to Casimir and then pivoted on his heel and stalked away.

“Go. Now.” Thea gave Adelaide a shove. “Catch him in the corridor. Keep him distracted. He was looking at you today, Addy. Make the most of it.” She pushed her again.

Adelaide ran from the balcony. It made Thea smile. This was one thing she could right, no matter what happened to her. She looked down into the practice yard again. Casimir was staring at her. She went down the stairs that led to the yard, expecting to catch up to him there, but he appeared in front of her before she’d come fully down the stairway.

“I’m glad you came to see me.” His voice was husky. He smelled of sweat, sun and something spicy. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

“I had to see you.” She was breathless at him being so near.

He didn’t answer, but leaned down and kissed her. It was not gentle, but hard and demanding. He didn’t ask, only took. She lifted her arms and hesitantly put them on the spot where his neck met his shoulders. His skin was hot and slick. She curled her nails into the skin, and he moaned into her mouth. He stepped closer to her, forcing her backwards until she bumped into the stone wall. It felt cool on her back, contrasting with the heat coming off of Casimir.

He lifted his hands to her face, cradling her. He nudged his leg between hers, making her gasp. She leaned against the wall for support. Her legs felt like jelly.

Casimir must have felt her move, because he put one arm around her waist and lifted her up. She didn’t realize until she was this close how big he was. She let her nails run up his neck to curl in the hair at the base of his head.

Abruptly, Casimir lifted his head from hers, and gently set her down.

“What’s wrong?” Thea felt dazed.

“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong. But if I don’t stop touching you, I might do something that we should not.” He lowered his head while speaking, looking at her through hooded eyes. “You are so beautiful.” He backed away, putting more distance between them.

“So are you,” she said.

“Thea, I’ve rumpled you. You need to find a place to tidy yourself. I’ll go and get ready for dinner this evening.”

She caught his hand. “No. Oh, Casimir, please stay with me. Don’t leave, not yet.”

His voice broke. “I can’t be with you and not be touching you, Thea. It’s agony.”

“Then let’s sit somewhere in the open, where we must behave, where we can be seen, and neither of us will be tempted to do something we shouldn’t.” She didn’t want to let him leave. She couldn’t be sure whether she’d see him alone before the final day. She didn’t want to squander the chance.

“Then let us sit in the gardens. I’ll deal with my armor, and we can talk. It will be innocent.”

“Casimir,” she said, after he’d put his things away and they moved towards the gardens. “I nearly burst into flames just looking at you. There is nothing innocent in being near you. Particularly when you are looking so…so….”

“Yes?” He was amused.

“Manly,” she finished.

Casimir laughed out loud. . “You’re right, Thea, it’s not innocent. That one word makes me want to show you how manly you make me feel.”

“I might not survive it,” she muttered.

“We’ll survive it together,” he said seriously. “I meant it. Once I tell your father the answer to the mystery, the next stop is the priest.”

“Aren’t you worried about Sebastian?”

“Somewhat. He does have a prior claim. But I shall have you.” He bent down, unbuckling his practice leathers. Without looking up, he asked, “Have you considered not being queen of Gallivas?”

“What?” That was not what she thought he was going to say.

“That was callous of me. Let me try this differently: Do you think that Sebastian has feelings for one of your sisters?”

“Yes. I believe it’s why we have not been disturbed.”

“I don’t mean to be insulting, but do you feel his interest in you is because you are the heir?” He must have worried how his words sounded because he rushed on. “I think he’s a fool. You are worth more than ten kingdoms, but what I am trying to say is that I think he would withdraw his claim if you passed the crown to Adelaide.”

Thea sat down heavily onto one of the benches that were scattered throughout the gardens. “I’ve never even considered not being queen, Casimir.”

“But you would be queen. Of Ethion.”

“You would be willing to give up Gallivas? You realize that you would be forfeiting just as much as I would?”

“I do. I don’t need two kingdoms. I think it would be difficult. While we are neighbors, our countrymen do not think of themselves as brothers. More like cousins. Distant cousins. To live together takes work. Personally, I think Sebastian would struggle, but I am willing to give that up. Only if you are, though.”

“You have been doing a lot of thinking.”

“I have. I’ve been watching Sebastian a lot. And you. And your sisters. I think we can remove all the obstacles from our path, Thea.”

“You’re missing one.”

“What do you mean?”

She looked at him. “What did you discover last night?”

“That the wine you serve is strong. I fell to sleep directly.”

“Cas, my father considers your agreement binding. You cannot break it.”

“I will solve the mystery, Thea.” He reached down and touched her chin.

“Why didn’t you propose this before agreeing to take on the mystery?”

“It hadn’t come to me then. I was considering if he and I had equal claims, what could I offer that would make him give you up entirely. I never thought of you as anything other than the queen of this kingdom. I know what I am asking you to give up, but…” for the first time, Casimir looked shy.

“What?”

“I will make you happy, Thea. I will make sure that you never regret any sacrifice you make for us. I’ll love you forever.”

The honesty on his face made her burst into tears. She covered her face with her hands. “You…you can’t know…you can’t know what will happen. What if you do not discover anything, and you have to stand in front of my father with nothing?” The thought made her cry harder.

Casimir knelt down next to her and carefully removed her hands from her face. He gave her a handkerchief to dry her eyes with, then he put his arms around her and gathered her to him. “I love you, Thea.”

She buried her head into his chest. “I love you.” She hoped it would be enough.

***

Three days later Thea remembered that conversation in the garden. She sat with her parents and sisters and the Privy Council in the reception room. Casimir stood in front of them.

“Prince Casimir, what have you learned about what goes on with my daughters?”

Casimir met the king’s eyes, and said, “I have learned nothing. I cannot tell you what happens or if they go somewhere. I do not have the answers you seek, the answers I promised to give.”

Thea forced herself to keep looking at him. Of course he didn’t. She’d given him the potion for the second and third nights, as directed by Catrin. Last night, she’d wept as she poured the cider. Casimir had asked for an ale the second night, stating that the wine was too potent. Last night, he’d requested cider.

Through it all, until this moment, he’d maintained optimism that he would prevail. But now, looking at him, Thea knew it was over.

Aland sighed. “Is there nothing you can share with us, Casimir?”

“I am sorry, Your Majesty. I wish that I could, but I will not lie. I cannot.”

“Very well. You know what comes next?”

“I do. I will not falter on the agreement we made.”

“Take him.” Aland gestured to the guards.

Thea thought he looked very aged at that moment.

“Your Majesty, may I make a request of you?”

Aland held a hand up, staying the guards. “You may. I will do what I can to grant it.”

“May I stay in the same room I’ve been in for the past three nights? Your daughters are fine company. I’ll accept whatever guard you’d like to have there. I merely wish to pass my last night pleasantly.”

Aland exchanged a glance with Ceridwen. He turned back to Casimir. “You may. I will, however, have two men at your door. Additionally, the queen will be in chambers. Will you give me your word you will not try to escape?”

“I will, and I thank you.”

“Daughters, do you wish to accompany the prince back to your quarters?”

Nearly as one, Thea and her sisters rose. “We do, Father.”

“Then I will allow you to remain in chambers until tomorrow morning. My dear,” he turned to Ceridwen. “Will you go with them now?”

“Of course.” Ceridwen stepped out and next to Casimir. He offered her his arm. With a guard on either side of them, they walked out of the reception room. Thea and Adelaide walked directly behind them, with the rest of the princesses behind them. Adelaide gripped Thea’s hand. Thea squeezed it back, hoping that Adelaide didn’t do anything else. She wasn’t sure she could maintain her dignity as it was.

Ceridwen was leading them through the lesser traveled corridors, for which Thea was grateful. She didn’t want to see Sebastian. She might shriek at him like a fishwife if he said one ill word about Casimir. Thankfully, they didn’t encounter anyone and made it back to their chamber.

She was determined to be strong until the end. She also determined that she would not marry Sebastian. If that meant she gave up the throne, then so be it. But she would not marry him.

Once inside, Ceridwen called a maid in. Thea could hear her giving orders for food and drink. The maid left, and Ceridwen turned to them.

“Ladies, I think that we need to give the prince a little privacy.” She shooed everyone but Thea forward, and looking over her shoulder, gave Thea a pointed look. Thea smiled. Her mother was giving her the best she could.

“Your mother is a kind woman.”

“She knows I want to spend the day with you.”

“This is not going to look good for you, Thea.” He was worried.

She half-laughed, half-sobbed. “You are facing the executioner tomorrow and worrying about my reputation? I would venture a guess that it’s already suffered.”

“Just because I will be dead does not mean I stop loving you. I want the best for you.”

“I love you.” She stepped closer to him and let him encircle her with his arms. In spite of everything, she felt safe within them.

“And I love you. Forever, until I see you again.”

“Stop it. I’ll start crying and I’ll never stop. That’s not how I want to spend my day with you.” She threaded her fingers through his and led him into the solarium. What she wanted to do was lead him into the bedchamber and close the door, but her mother would not allow it. She wouldn’t even ask.

Instead, they sat on the balcony outside the solarium. They held hands. Sometimes, her sisters would come over and talk to him. Even Isobel, who cried when she walked away from where Thea and Casimir sat. Thea watched her, unsure of how she felt. She set it aside. She’d have plenty of time to work through those feelings later.