Chapter 10
I was going to help Liam pack up our campsite and question him in private about his message to my father which he’d failed to mention to me. He assured me quickly that he would gather our things and I should stay with my father while he took care of it. And that’s what he said, ‘your father,’ and those words spoken aloud blew my mind. I was trying to think of him that way in my head and even then my mind balked at the term. Hearing it said out loud, especially by someone else was surreal. I’d never called anyone that so far as I could remember.
I’d wanted a father, dreamed of it but, fathers weren’t like flowers, you couldn’t just plant a seed and grow one. Having one of my very own seemed so far outside the realm of possibility that now I felt like this was all a fantastic dream that I would soon wake from.
So far though, I hadn’t woken up. If this was a dream, I was going to enjoy it, soak it up and ride it to its conclusion. I realized I liked the sound of ‘your father’ and I let myself be happy about the way the King beamed when he heard the words from Liam’s mouth. If I could get used to calling him “Dad” in my head, then eventually I would be able to say it out loud. I reveled in the warmth that spread through me. Maybe this wasn’t the dream, but the reality, and my old life was fast becoming a distant memory.
Even with the scary prophecy and the overwhelming, newfound knowledge of my history, I preferred this place where I had a family and people who looked at me like they cared, like I mattered.
And I had every intention of revisiting the whole, ‘your mother’ comment, but I wasn’t ready to cross that bridge just yet. I had about a million questions that needed to be answered, but I wasn’t ready to ask them. So, if no one was going to force the knowledge on me, I was okay with that.
My father pulled me from my thoughts by taking my hand, excitement glittering in his eyes. “Come Sweet Girl, I have something to show you.” Then he yelled to someone I couldn’t see, “Samuel, let’s have it then!”
I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face in response to his enthusiasm. His emotions had an infectious quality, not just to me I noticed, but the man who looked up in response to the command grinned happily and nodded before disappearing into the ranks.
My father stopped just short of the lines and turned to me. “I’ve brought you a gift, I hope very much that you will like it.” He turned and looked expectantly toward the lines, waiting, and then his face lit up.
My gaze drifted toward the lines as well and my insides twisted as I saw the gift he was so proud of.
A horse.
It was no doubt beautiful with a well-muscled, slim body, almost white with faded black speckles peppering its coat. A silky black mane flowed from its head and its black tail nearly reached the ground.
My father continued to look on the horse proudly. To him, I was sure it was an exquisite work of nature. To me, it was…well, it scared the pygmies out of me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liam return. I glanced over at him and he measured my expression, then looked toward the horse. “Oh.” That was all he said, but he knew my stance on horses and that was clear in his tone.
His comment caught my father’s attention and he noticed my face for the first time. I tried to replace my no doubt horrorstruck expression with a smile, but from the look on his face, I’d failed. He interpreted it incorrectly, assuming it didn’t fit my particular taste in horses. “She’s a bit young I know, but she comes from excellent stock. She’s amazingly fast and graceful. A bit spirited, but I think she will do well for you, My Dear.” To drive the point home, she pranced about in obvious agitation, thrashing her head. My eyes widened and I took a few steps back.
My father’s attempt to win me over to the horse was heartwarming, but I heard only two things. Fast and spirited. I was not interested in horses, especially ‘amazingly fast’ horses and I was pretty sure that spirited translated to crazy.
I hated to let him down, especially so early in our relationship, but there was no way I was getting on that thing. “Uh…King…Sir, I’m not really a horsewoman…uh…person.” He looked crest fallen, but gave me a smile anyway. I tried to explain further. “I don’t know how to ride one of those.”
This was obviously the wrong thing to say.
Relief washed over his features and he placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling broadly. “We shall remedy that very soon, Sweet Girl. We have the finest riding master in all the country! You can begin your lessons with him as soon as you like and you’ll be riding in no time!”
Oh, that is just excellent.
Through my teeth and a fake smile I responded. “Great.” It seemed to please him, though.
Liam stepped up to save me then. “Your Grace, she may ride with me, if you desire.”
My father looked to me, eyebrows raised in question. “Is that what you wish, my dear?”
Absolutely.
“That’s fine.” It took an effort to keep my response neutral.
My father nodded, then turned to climb onto his own horse and I watched as they led my horse away. All around us, men were climbing onto their mounts, so Liam helped me up onto the back of his black stallion. This time, I used the stirrup and everything.
When Liam climbed on behind me, my father’s lips thinned and his mouth pulled out into a flat line. Evidently, in theory, sharing a horse with Liam was not a problem. In practice, however, it seemed to be a difficult pill to swallow.
When he noticed me watching him, he quickly recovered. “Are you ready?” He asked kindly.
I nodded my response.
He, in turn, nodded to Nikolas who shot a mistrusting glare at Liam before trotting forward to deliver orders to one of the Knights.
The way the Knights fell into formation reminded me of marching band, only the movement was much more fluid and flawless than any high school band I’d ever seen. They flowed out like ripples in a pond, with Liam, my father, Nikolas, and me at the center.
In a voice that was all business, Nikolas gave the command to march. Then he rode forward to a group of men and told them something that resulted in four of them splitting off from the procession and riding quickly ahead. His age seemed to be of no consequence to the others as they obeyed without question. I judged him to be a few years older than me, Maybe twenty-one or twenty two.
Even my father looked at him with pride and admiration. Right now, in the role of Captain of the Knights, Nikolas owned his authority. He was one of those people, a born leader.
Liam’s breath at my ear pulled me from my thoughts. “It truly is a beautiful horse.” I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Well, stars are beautiful, but that doesn’t make it a good idea for me to try and ride one.” I felt this was a perfectly valid point.
He chuckled a little before continuing. “A well-bred horse is a fine gift. He only meant to please you.” His words were delivered in a kind, yet matter of fact way.
I tucked my hair behind my ear and let out a sigh. “I know. I wish I could’ve been more excited. I’m afraid of them, I’m afraid of this one.” I pointed to the horse beneath me. “I only continue to ride him because he has a proven record, so far, of not trying to throw me off or, you know, eat me or something. And that other horse is spirited.” The last word came out like a curse. I didn’t bother to mention that riding Liam’s horse had the added bonus of his close proximity.
Liam laughed again. “I’d say she does indeed suit you then.”
“Har-Har. I’m not a danger to anyone.” I stated the obvious.
“I beg to differ. You kicked me or do you not remember?” I could hear the smile again.
“Apples and oranges. What’s your horse’s name, anyway?” I asked as I lightly touched the beasts black mane.
“I call him Rogue.”
I turned to look at him. “Is that what you are as well? A
rogue?” His eyebrows inched up his head and I grinned.
Suddenly, I felt very self-conscious, like I was being watched. Looking around, I realized we had an audience. Multiple pairs of eyes were zoned in on us watching our exchange with expressions that varied from indifference to curiosity to disapproval.
Then, there was Nikolas, who looked as if he was attempting to bore a hole through Liam’s head using only his eyes.
Liam must’ve noticed too because I felt his body tense.
Nikolas caught me watching and turned away, but took his time about it.
Fortunately, my father was oblivious to the three of us and chatted happily to a Knight riding beside him. He would occasionally glance back, like he was checking to see if I was still there, but he’d missed the intense gazes being fired about. I appreciated the way he was willing to give me space and allow me to acclimate to this new world filled with new people and new family and new problems.
Not everyone would have been so patient, but he was and I liked him more each minute for that.
I felt a concentrated stare again and looked to Nikolas. When I met with his bright blue eyes, a strange sensation passed through me, like something pulling me in his direction. His eyes flicked to Liam.
There was a question that had been weighing on my mind and I had to ask. “Do you and Nikolas know each other?”
“Not at all, though, I’ve heard of him. Until today I’d never had the…pleasure of making his acquaintance.” He gripped the reins tightly and clicked at the horse, who responded by picking up his pace by marginally until we’d pulled ahead of Nikolas and his heated glares.
“Why were the two of you arguing anyway?” I said, turning to glance at him.
“When you fainted, I tried to explain that you were having some difficulty adjusting to so many changes at once. King Elias seemed understanding, Nikolas did not. He was rather…upset that I had not divulged your lineage and status in our realm.”
“Hmm. He seems to have taken an awfully strong dislike to you, being as how he doesn’t know you and all.” I believed Liam when he said they didn’t know each other, but I couldn’t understand why Nikolas responded so strongly to his presence given the lack of history between them.
“So it would seem.” Liam said, but didn’t elaborate his feelings on the subject further.
“How far is Castle Lux?” I asked as I fingered the knob thingy on the front of the saddle.
“Not too far. We should make it there sometime tomorrow, possibly in the morning.” He answered, but I could tell his head wasn’t really in our conversation now.
“How did you get word to them so fast, you said you sent a letter, but how did they get it so fast?” Then I thought of something else. “And if we won’t make it to Castle Lux until tomorrow, then how did they reach us in like half a day?”
“I sent the letter by messenger dove and the Guard had already left the castle. They were searching for you.” He said carefully.
That caught me off guard. “Searching for me? Since when?” I whisper yelled.
He let out a slow breath and I shivered as it danced along the back of my neck. “I imagine since the moment you arrived here, if not before.”
“Oh. How…how did they know I was here?” I ran my finger in light circles over my birthmark. Something else I should ask about...later.
He answered quietly. “I do not know the answer to that. That will be a question better suited for your father.”
I had one more burning question that I had to ask right now and the stress of the day leaked into my voice. “Is my mother the…is she the queen?”
He reached over and grazed his thumb lightly over my forearm to comfort me. “She is.”
“Do you think she’ll be at the castle when we get there?” I whispered. The possibility both terrified and excited me.
He leaned toward me to deliver his answer with a reassuring smile. “Yes, I do.”