Warrior (20 page)

Breakfast was held later than usual

on the day following the wedding of

royalty. As was tradition, the High

Priestess entered the solar, and bore

witness to the streaks of red that

marked the white linen. Ishat carried a

woven basket at her side and after the

inspection she removed the sheet from

the bed and placed it therein. She

would burn it upon the pyre as an

offering to the Goddess. When Ishat

was finished with her inspection, she

walked down the staircase and up to

the head of the long table where the

new King and Queen of Lytheria sat.

Family and their generals surrounded

them.

Jaisyn saw Ishat as she walked

toward them, and stiffened. This was

the part where she would announce to

the table what she’d seen in the

bedroom. It was an embarrassing

moment for the wife and a proud one

for the husband. It was particularly

embarrassing for a wife who’d

enjoyed what had been done to her as

much as Jaisyn had enjoyed Vulcan’s

attentions. A blush swept her cheeks

as she remembered his demands last

night.

Ishat came to stand directly behind

their chairs as a hush descended over

the room.

“The marriage of King Vulcan of

Morden and Jaisyn of Lytheria has

been sealed. The Goddess Lyria and

her daughters strongly approve this

union. May the King and Queen live

long, healthy lives and bear strong and

healthy children.”

A cheer arose from the people

sitting around the table but as Jaisyn

lifted her goblet, she hardly heard it.

Sealed.
Bound. No longer free.

***

Vulcan passed a glance to his wife.

She appeared to be lost in her

thoughts as she held the goblet before

her with no indication of lifting it to

her lips.

As

he

stared

at

them,

he

remembered how they’d felt under his

last night. Jaisyn of Lytheria might

have been a thorn in his side, but she

would be his equal in bed. Vulcan was

accustomed to the charms of whores

and mistresses, who were well versed

in their art, but he’d never felt his

control slip as it had with Jaisyn.

She’d been a virgin, and the pleasure

he’d taken between her thighs was

surpassed by none. He could only

imagine how responsive she would be

with him as a teacher. A small smile

eased the scowl that clung to his lips

as he continued to stare at her. He

was pleased. He’d been spared a

marriage to a timid Lytherian princess

who would have no doubt cried

through the entire consummation.

Instead, he had been given a

passionate, spitfire of a princess, who

made him want her without using any

wiles.

***

Varian, seated to the right of his

brother, pulled his gaze away from

Isolde, who’d either been shooting

him murderous glares or purposely

ignoring him, and looked to his

brother, intent on discussing his duties

for the day.

The expression on his brother’s face

made his brows lift. Was that a smile?

Varian blinked but it was no longer

there. If he hadn’t been certain of the

fact his brother never smiled, he

would have thought that’s what he’d

just seen.

As if knowing that Varian was

looking at him, Vulcan turned to face

him, his brows raised, the scowl on

his lips.

“What is it?”

Varian dismissed his first thoughts.

No, that had not been a smile. He was

seeing things. “What are the plans for

today?”

Leaning back against his chair,

Vulcan began, “Send a messenger to

Mitherie. Make sure they know of the

happy event that took place last

night.” He paused and appeared to be

deep in thought for a moment. “And

send a messenger to Morden as well.

Tell them to begin the preparations for

the arrival of their new queen.”

With that statement, he turned to

look at Jaisyn. From the stiffening of

her lips, he knew she’d heard his

words, but she made no move to look

in their direction. She continued her

conversation with Isolde as if Vulcan

weren’t there, steadfastly ignoring the

fact that she now belonged to the

Northern Wolf.

A smile curved his lips once more.

***

Two days had passed since Jaisyn’s

marriage to Vulcan and she was

slowly growing accustomed to being

his wife. Her people no longer

referred to her as ‘princess’. She was

now their queen. Her sisters, and now

Vulcan, were the only ones who

called her by her name. Last night,

she’d expected Vulcan to come at her

as he had done on their wedding night

and was surprised when he’d simply

divested himself of all of his clothing

and fallen asleep. She’d remained

awake, listening to his breathing,

while holding still so as to not wake

him, until finally, sleep had claimed

her.

Jaisyn looked on as Vulcan and a

dozen of his men rode across the

drawbridge in the direction of the

forest. Most of the dried meats in the

buttery had been used, so hunting had

to be done to restock. She stood in the

courtyard, her face turned toward the

drawbridge for long minutes, before

she spun and headed for the armory.

A young squire was leaving as she

walked in and he paused to bow

before her. She recognized him

immediately. He was a Lytherian.

“Everik,” she began, lowering her

voice to prevent being overheard by

any soldier whose loyalty was to her

husband. “Find Malcolm and tell him

to meet me by the lake.”

The squire’s eyes widened but he

nodded.

“Majesty,” he said and made a

move to walk off. Jaisyn stopped him.

“And Everik, tell Malcolm to bring

his sword,” she continued in a low

voice. “This is a matter of silence.

Please convey the message and forget

it.”

Everik bowed once more and was

off. Jaisyn walked to her changing

room at the back of the stables. She

grabbed a satchel and placed the

boy’s tunic and breeches she wore

when practicing into it. Feeling her

heart beat rapidly against her chest,

she included some of her protective

leathers as well before heading for the

drawbridge. No one stopped her. No

one followed her. She easily navigated

her way to the lake and over to the

rock where she hid her sword. After

pulling it out, she scanned the area

once more, changed into the clothes,

and moved further along the lake to

wait for Malcolm.

***

Because Vulcan did not fully trust

his wife to allow him to reenter St.

Ives Castle despite the marriage,

Varian was given the task of

remaining within its walls. It was one

he would gladly pass off to someone

else, as he wanted to exercise his

muscles, but Vulcan was king and as

such, Varian did as he was asked.

Varian had been in the stables,

feeding and petting Loki, when he

heard the sound of a female voice. A

quick look around the stall had shown

him Jaisyn, speaking in hushed tones

to a squire. Varian had caught

‘Malcolm’ and ‘lake’ but nothing else.

When Jaisyn had rushed past him and

to the back of the stables, Varian

hadn’t hesitated. He’d left the stables

quickly, following the squire as he

went around the courtyard and castle

in search of Malcolm. Minutes later,

the squire found Malcolm with

General Urian inside the keep and

Varian watched as he whispered the

message into Malcolm’s ear.

Varian felt his suspicion grow even

stronger. What was so important that

only Malcolm could hear? Malcolm’s

eyes widened and he nodded a

dismissal to the squire. Varian waited

outside of the keep for Malcolm to

emerge and go about the queen’s

bidding, as he instinctively knew he

would. It didn’t take him long.

Minutes later, Malcolm left and

Varian followed him, careful to keep

hidden so that Malcolm wouldn’t

change tracks or attempt to flee. He

did neither. In fact, Malcolm seemed

unaware. They finally came to a river

or a lake and Malcolm began to walk

along the edge. Varian was glad for

the trees as he hid behind them,

following after Malcolm.

Malcolm finally came to a halt and

stared at something before him.

Varian stopped all of his movements

as well and looked ahead, seeing for

the first time that he and Malcolm

weren’t the only ones by the lake.

Another man stood a few feet ahead.

He wore trousers and a loose shirt,

and atop his head was a type of

leather helmet? How odd, Varian

thought, staring at the young man and

wondering why Malcolm was doing

the same. Malcolm continued on but

Varian remained where he was. Who

was the young man and what was his

relation to Queen Jaisyn? As he asked

himself that question, he had a feeling

that somehow, it would answer itself.

***

Jaisyn felt alive! With her sword in

her hand and a worthy opponent

attempting to knock it from her, Jaisyn

felt the rush of adrenaline, the

competitiveness of spirit, and her need

for control, push her. Malcolm

advanced and retreated, lunged and

blocked,

anticipated

her

moves,

tripped her, and she fought back.

After what seemed like hours,

Malcolm feinted to the left and came

at her hard from the right, knocking

her backwards as he leapt before her

and carefully placed his sword by her

throat.

“Surrender?”

he

asked,

his

breathing harsh and fast. Jaisyn,

knowing that he would not fall for the

same trick twice, nodded.

“Surrender.”

He removed his sword and offered

her his hand. With a smile, Jaisyn

grabbed hold of it and allowed him to

pull her up.

“I am a bit rusty,” she told him,

gently twirling the sword in her hand.

Malcolm did not respond. He opted

for silence. “I’d like to continue

practicing with you…whenever it is

possible.”

***

Malcolm stared at his princess—no,

h i s
queen
—and couldn’t help the

regret coursing through his veins. She

was taken, forever lost to him, by the

Wolf of the North. When he’d

developed his feelings for Jaisyn,

she’d been but a girl intent on proving

to her father that she could fight

alongside him in his armies. Although

he’d known his rank would make it

hard for him to have her, he’d hoped

with his father’s connections and the

distinctions he achieved because of his

skill, he could somehow persuade

Wilhelm that he would be able to give

her a life similar to that of a

nobleman. When the king passed,

he’d planned to plead his case directly

to Jaisyn. She was strong-willed

enough that if she wanted him, she

would fight for him.

“If you are too busy, I will

understand, Malcolm,” Jaisyn was

saying, her eyes losing their luster as

they turned from his. She stepped to

the large rock, where her satchel lay.

Malcolm

sprung

into

motion,

grasping her by the arm and pulling

her to him.

***

Surprise made Jaisyn freeze. She’d

seen a similar look in Vulcan’s eyes.

As she tried to put together what that

meant, Malcolm did the unexpected.

His head lowered to hers and he

pulled her sweaty body flush against