Born of Blood (The Valdir Chronicles Book 3) Page 15

  “Speaking of power, do you share equal power with the King?” It was a gamble, but one she was willing to risk.

  “Not exactly,” Malin said slowly, her eyes narrowing. “I am in charge of the castle and it’s everyday activities. It is a very large and important task.”

  Kalina had to bite her lip to hold back a snort. Malin might be cunning, but somehow she had failed to see that the King had relegated her to being no better than a chamberlain or a castle steward. But Malin seemed to think it was equally as important as running the country so Kalina nodded sagely.

  “A difficult task. I cannot do it myself, so I have to hire others to do it for me.”

  “Oh, so do I. But it’s the illusion of power that counts.”

  “You seem to understand how important that is, power. I am being asked to give up half my power to Prince Simen when we wed. But I don’t want to give it up. It’s too important. Do you think I should keep it?”

  “Keep your power as queen? Of course not! Your husband should be running the country, not you. There are more important things you could be focusing on.”

  Kalina felt a little confused. Malin was either crazy, or stupid and Kalina couldn’t quite figure out which one.

  “Like what? What could be more important than my power?”

  “Well, for starters, parties. Parties keep the nobility satisfied. And frankly, with Prince Simen running things, you will have time to focus on other things.” The disdain in her voice was clear as her eyes traveled up and down Kalina. Suddenly, Kalina felt as if she hadn’t showered in months. “He brings a certain sophistication to your court that is decidedly lacking. All those animal furs and leather. So barbaric!”

  Anger boiled under the surface as Kalina clenched her fists. Had Malin brought her here just to insult her? Clearly, she wasn’t going to find support from this venue, so Kalina made herself relax her fists and give the Queen a pleasant smile.

  “Of course. You would know more about that than me.” She stood and gave the Askorian queen a slight bow of her head, her anger barely in check. “I’m sorry to leave you so suddenly, Queen Malin, but I find that my stomach is quite upset. It’s all the rich food and the fish, you see. My barbaric stomach isn’t quite used to it yet.”

  Malin stood to watch her go, a sweet and knowing smile on her face.

  “It will get used to it in time. Do be careful on your way out, wouldn’t want anything to happen to you on your way back to your rooms.”

  As soon as the door closed behind Kalina her shoulders slumped. She had walked out stiff-backed, fingernails digging into her palms. All she knew was violence and fighting, not matching wits and battling with tongues, and yet the longer she lingered here in this court, the more she found herself doing it. Was this really where wars were fought when you were king or queen? In the council chamber rather than the battlefield? She didn’t like it one bit. She preferred the simplicity of battle, where you knew exactly who your enemy was. But she was above this, above this petty, childish, shallow queen. She was the Queen of the Valdir and Ethea. If anyone could survive in a hostile foreign court, she could.

  Chapter 25

  An arrow thwacked into the center of the target, sending pieces of hay flying. Kalina stood at the other end of the archery field, a longbow clutched tightly in her fist. She had come here to clear her head before dinner, where she’d have to face the King again, along with all his sons, as her recent meeting with Malin had made her too angry to think straight.

  With every arrow she shot, she put some of her anger, frustration, fear, and loneliness into the shot, letting it go as the arrow hit home in the target a few dozen paces away. Finally, her quiver was empty and she trudged to the target to pull the arrows from where they were stuck into the hay. As she returned to her shooting line she noticed a figure standing beneath the eaves of the barracks, watching her. Her heart gave a jolt, thinking it might be Leif. She desperately wanted to see him. But when the figure detached itself from the shadows she realized it was Prince Simen. It felt like a stone had plunked into a pond, sending rippling waves out. Sadness eddied from her but she straightened her spine and plastered a smile on her face as the prince approached.

  “Prince Simen, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

  The prince smiled back at her and brushed his dark hair from his eyes, turning to squint down at the target.

  “Well, I thought I’d come practice with you. If we are to be married, perhaps we should spend more time together, get to know one another.”

  Kalina smiled at him, genuinely this time. Despite his father, and despite their differences, Simen wasn’t all that bad. She put her bow away before turning back to him, her twin axes clutched in her hands.

  “I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

  They began slowly, sparring together on the dusty parade ground before the barracks. Kalina saw Captain Higgs and Talon watching them from the barracks door, but she ignored them. She had once entertained the idea of a romance with Talon, but even though it had only been a year ago, it seemed like a lifetime. They had become two very different people since then, and while she still thought of him fondly, those feelings were gone. She hoped they were gone for him as well. She didn’t like the thought of him watching her spar with her future husband with jealousy in his heart.

  Soon they began picking up speed, the Prince’s short sword clanging against the metal of her carved axes ringing out across the arena. She lost herself in the exercise, in the dance that was sparring and fighting. She loved the feeling of her muscles working, blood surging through her veins, her body performing at its highest level. Growing up in the abbey she’d never thought this would be her life. She never thought she’d love fighting, flying on dragons, being a queen. She had worked in a kitchen, and her greatest love beside exploring the nearby woods, had been reading books in a dusty old library. Admittedly it was still one of her favorite things, but her head had been filled with stories of adventures, and now she was living one.

  With a final clang, the two royals broke apart, both breathing heavily, sweat pouring down their brows despite the chill air blowing through the parade grounds. Kalina wiped her forehead and turned, only to be brought up short by the small crowd that had gathered to watch. Her Queen’s Guard, along with Talon and Higgs, stood watching, smiles on their faces, proud of their strong queen. Even a few Askorian nobles were gathered, whispering behind their hands. No doubt commenting on how unladylike it was for a queen to wield axes and wear leather pants, let alone fight. Kalina stood up, her head held high despite her burning cheeks as she turned back to Prince Simen.

  “Would you like to come with me to visit Maska? We can talk in private there, and none of this rabble,” she flicked her eyes towards the nobles tittering to each other, “would dare enter the eyrie.”

  Simen smiled at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and nodded.

  “Perfect.”

  He followed her off the parade ground, sheathing his sword, and down a side path. She put her axes in their sheaths on her back, adjusting the straps across her chest as they walked.

  “So tell me, Prince Simen. Where is your mother?”

  “My mother is dead, actually. She’s been gone two years now.”

  Kalina stopped so abruptly that he ran into her, his hands grabbing her shoulders to keep them both from falling.

  “I’m sorry-” he began but she cut him off, turning to face him.

  “No, I’m sorry. I should have remembered.” She mentally kicked herself for forgetting what Seri had said that morning.

  “It’s okay, I promise. I am doing alright. I miss her every day, but I’m coping.” He gave her a wan smile and she pressed her lips together, assessing his face. He was lying but she wasn’t sure it was sadness she saw in his eyes.

  “What happened?”

  Simen hesitated for a moment, and a look Kalina couldn’t quite identify crossed his face.

  “I’d gone fishing with my brothers, Edv
ard and Ivan. And when we’d returned to shore, there were riders waiting. They told us our mother was dead. We raced to the castle but they already had her body displayed in the throne room, covered in high mountain sage. They said she’d died suddenly, with no explanation. The doctors suspected it was her heart, it just gave out. But I knew my mother. She was strong. She spent every day working in her gardens or tending to the horses. She was no stranger to hard work.”

  Kalina could see the sadness and hurt on his face and she reached out, unsure why she was touching him, to lace her fingers lightly in his. He smiled at her gratefully, seeming to take strength from her support.

  “What do you think really happened?” She whispered.

  “I think Malin killed her. But nobody will believe me. Even Ivan believed the doctors. But Malin was one of her ladies’ maids, and I’d always seen my father looking at her. That woman is a snake dressed in pretty clothes.”

  Anger. That was the look in Simen’s eyes. He was angry. Kalina understood that. She had felt that same anger at his older brother Terric. She had wanted him dead, and she could see that Simen felt the same about Queen Malin. She squeezed his hand before dropping it.

  “I believe you. And I agree.”

  He raised his eyes to hers, shock and relief mingled there. Kalina smiled at him and led him further down the path and into the dark eyrie where the dragons were housed. Maska had the biggest stall, and it was stacked high with sweet-smelling hay. He was curled within it, his tail laid gently over his nose, the dangerous spikes on the end pointing away from his eyes.

  “Maska.” Kalina breathed as she slipped inside and stepped over his foreleg to put her hands on the side of his head. He unfurled and stretched like a big cat, yawning to show off all of his teeth, each the size of a man’s forearm. Kalina saw Simen withdraw a step and she laughed out loud.

  “You remember Prince Simen, Maska.”

  Maska’s green head came up as he eyed the prince.

  “Yes. The Princeling. Well met.” His deep voice rumbled through the eyrie.

  Kalina smiled at her dragon’s nickname for the Prince.

  “Well met again, Maska.” The prince stepped forward and leaned both elbows on the stall’s gate. “When are you going to take me flying, Kalina?”

  “When Maska is ready. When I’m ready.” She grinned over at him wickedly. “Tell me more about your mother.”

  They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about his childhood growing up in the castle, his relationship with his mother and how she used to make him warm lavender milk before bed, and tell him stories of the Askorian dragon riders of old. Kalina told him about growing up as a ward of the abbey, and her discovery that she wasn’t an orphan after all.

  “I’m sorry my brother treated you and your mother so terribly.” Simen said as they both lay in the hay, propped against Maska’s warm side as the dragon snored away. “He never was my favorite. He was the second oldest, and I think he always envied Endre. He was constantly trying to compete with him, prove to Father that he was better. I only ever knew him from his brief visits but it seemed to me he resented Father for sending him to Ethea.”

  “I only knew his cruelty,” Kalina replied. “And my mother suffered the most at his hand.” She pointed to the scar that still marred her cheek. She had finally grown used to it; like her Runark tattoos, it was just a part of her face now, but it still brought back horrible memories. “He gave me this to remember him by.”

  Simen’s face hardened for a moment before he reached out and gently traced the scar with a finger. Kalina fought the urge to pull away. But he was so gentle that she relaxed slightly.

  “I’m sorry. I promise, Kalina, that I will never hurt you. Ever. And for all I care, you can keep your power. I’m content with doing whatever.”

  “If only your brother and father felt that way.”

  They both let out a sigh at the same time and then laughed. The great bell that stood atop the temple in town chimed the hour and Kalina let out a second sigh.

  “We must go get ready for dinner.” She was surprised at how much she didn’t want to leave. But they stood to go and Kalina patted the sleeping Maska gently on the side. She waved to Prince Simen as he left the eyrie and she turned to close the door to Maska’s stall.

  A movement further down the hall caught her eye and she turned, one hand going to an ax over her shoulder. In the late afternoon light filtering in through the doorway, Kalina saw Leif standing in the stall next to Maska’s, one hand on Arikara’s golden side. Their eyes met for a moment and her heart skipped a beat. Had he heard everything they’d said? What must he think of her? He nodded to her before turning away, his back to her. Her heart clenched in her chest and her throat felt tight. She had to leave the dragon eyrie or else she knew she’d start to cry.

  Chapter 26

  A tapping sound pulled Kalina’s attention. Beside her, Lord Averil’s foot was bouncing up and down, seeming to count down the seconds until the King of Askor answered her. The King sat in his chair, his back hunched, his fingers steepled before his face, his eyes watching her. She did her best not to fidget, but she couldn’t help her eyes from sliding sideways to look at Prince Endre who sat beside his father, one hand fisted atop the table. She wondered what they were thinking.

  She had just suggested that she take a tour of the country, get to know its people better since she was to marry one of its princes. She wanted to truly assess the might of this country if she was going to be selling herself and her freedom to it. Or if she managed to find a way free, she wanted to know exactly what she was giving up.

  “It sounds like a waste of time and a safety risk,” Prince Endre said. Kalina could see the knuckles of his clenched fist turning white. For some reason that satisfied her, knowing she was frustrating him that much. She smiled, but not at the prince. Perhaps she was more like her cousin Kari after all: always ready for a fight.

  “Yes, your Highness. If I’m going to be giving up half my power to an Askorian prince, then at the very least, I should get to know his country. I will, after all, be the wife to one of their beloved princes.” She smiled sweetly at the heir, doing her best to channel every ounce of charm she’d learned from Delisa. Growing up together, Delisa had always been able to charm their way out of any scrape that Kalina inevitably got them into. And when they’d gotten older and the boys, and girls, had taken notice of Delisa’s long dark curls, dark eyes, and curves, she’d become a master at flirting and charming them as well. Kalina had always envied her friend’s confidence. She had never felt like she quite fit in. And as it turned out, she didn’t. She was different, a queen of two very different worlds. “You’re asking a great deal of me, a lot of personal sacrifice. The least you can do is give me a few measly things, and then I’m happy to negotiate.”

  She felt like she was coaxing an unruly baby dragon into her arms. She glanced at Lord Illeron, who was eyeing her, looking impressed. Maybe she was getting better at the political side of things.

  “Your Majesty,” Lord Averil chimed in. She almost rolled her eyes. Of course, he had an opinion. “Is it wise to expose yourself in such a way? As much as we want this alliance and marriage with Askor, would it not be putting our brand new queen at too much risk to take a tour of the country? With you so newly on the throne of Ethea,” he shrugged, his eyes flicking to the King of Askor. “We can’t stand to lose you to some mishap on the road.” He smiled at her and she smiled graciously back. She knew a threat when she heard one.

  “Thank you, Lord Averil, for your concern. But I believe that I can handle myself.” She turned back to the King who was now flicking his gaze between her and Lord Averil.

  “Your Majesty, I have to agree with Lord Averil,” he said. “We wouldn’t want to put you at undue risk. Perhaps once you are married to my son, and officially a princess of Askor, then we could arrange a tour. Introduce you as our new princess properly.”

  Kalina narrowed her eyes. She knew what this was. She woul
d bet a million gold pieces that the moment she married Prince Simen and went on tour, some horrible accident would befall her and Simen would take the Ethean throne.

  “Thank you for your concern for my well-being, your Majesty,” she said, sitting forward in her chair. “But I will be marrying Prince Simen back in Ethea, with my own family around me. I cannot possibly spend any more time away from my throne than I have to.” Indeed, she’d been getting almost daily reports from Valdir runners who were flying over the Great Grey Mountains on their dragons to bring her messages from Eira and Rangvald on the state of her country in her absence. The sooner she got back there, the better.

  “That is something we have yet to discuss. A quiet ceremony here in Askor before you leave for Ethea would go a long way towards appeasing Prince Simen’s friends and family,” began Prince Julian, but Kalina held up a hand. She could see Leif a few seats away from her stiffen at the mention of the ceremony. Kalina’s gut clenched. She wished with all her heart she could just talk to him about everything.

  “Your Highness, your Majesty. It seems to me that Ethea is getting the bad end of the deal here. First I'm going to give up half my ruling power to Prince Simen, then I’m supposed to get married here? What’s next? What more will you add to the list of demands?”

  “Queen Kalina, this is a negotiation.” King Blackbourne’s eyes were blazing.

  “Fine. If we’re supposed to be negotiating terms of my marriage, of peace, then one of my terms is that you end indentured servitude.”

  The entire chamber fell silent at her words. Kalina waited in the stillness, the sound of Lord Averil’s jouncing leg growing louder and louder until Prince Endre stood, his fist pressed into the table before him.

  “You overstep, your Majesty. It is not for you to say how we run our country,” he said. Kalina smirked, standing as well.

  “And yet you presume to tell me how to run mine. At every turn, I’m being told you want certain trading rights, passage across our southern lands to Wostrad, that you want to be written into my trade agreement with Ablen. Well, no more. This negotiation is a farce.” She stepped away from the table, her small entourage standing to join her at the door. “I will honor our agreement, King Blackbourne, when you and your council can learn to negotiate and treat Ethea fairly.” Then she stormed out, leaving stunned faces in her wake.