Dark One Rising. Leandra Martin
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know it. There are things going on that you don’t see because you refuse to look closer.”
“There will be no more discussions about this, Melenthia. You will not leave the grounds again without permission. Are we clear?”
“But, father, won’t you just…”
His voice rose. “Are we clear, Melenthia?”
“Yes, father, we’re clear.”
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I love you child, but I swear you are going to be the death of me. When I don’t know where you are, I’m scared for you. Why do you do things to make me fret so?”
“I don’t mean to make you worry, father.”
He smiled down at her with all the love in his eyes she knew he felt. “I came to tell you your brother is on his way here. He should arrive by tomorrow.”
“Kevaan is coming?” She was suspicious. “What’s wrong? Why is he leaving Charbonneau?”
“There are things I need his help with, things he and I need to talk about.”
“Why can I not help you?”
“Lord, child did we not just have this discussion. There are issues of state I need him for. Nothing you need to worry about. Enjoy him while you can, and don’t worry over the reason why he’s here.”
She was not completely convinced but knew she could get it out of Kevaan if necessary. He would tell her anything if she asked; he could never resist her.
“How long will he be here?”
“I don’t know. A few weeks perhaps. You will have plenty of time to spend with him. Now since you missed dinner, I asked the servants to bring a bite to your rooms.”
“You asked them?”
He smiled down at her, knowing exactly what she was wondering. He continued. “Next time you miss, I will not be so generous and you will go without.”
She glanced up at him, slightly embarrassed.
“And don’t think the kitchen staff will turn their heads when you steal from the larder again.”
She was busted. He knew about it all. She decided admitting the truth was better. “What about Tomas?”
Her father eyed her. “I will allow his disobedience to me to slide this one time, but I would suggest you tell him not to lie for you again, or I will find a punishment suitable. I don’t think you want anyone to get in trouble for you, do you?”
“No, father, I don’t.”
“Good. No more talk tonight. Eat and sleep, for tomorrow you and your brother will have much catching up to do.”
He turned from her and went down the hall, leaving her alone in the dimly lit corridor. She bit her lip and went into her room, closing the door.
***
King Dainard Llewellyn Grayson, ruler of Azlyn, was sitting in his private lounge with one leg thrown haphazardly over the arm of one of the chairs, one arm draped over a blond, his other over a brunette. The women were both buxom and were giggling and blowing in his ears as they fed him from a silver platter filled with fresh fruit and cheese.
His dirty blond hair was neat except for a stubborn lock that always fell on his forehead. His pale blue eyes were bloodshot, and there was a hint of a leftover black eye on his left, put there the previous week in a scuffle at a party gone awry. They also drooped from lack of sleep and nights of partying and debauchery. He wore black hosen and calf high black boots. His white shirt was ruffled down the front and his red silk brocade doublet was unhooked halfway down, showing off a good portion of his broad chest.
The women leaned on him. One had her arm looped around his, the other woman had hers draped in his lap. The brunette handed him his glass of ale and held it to his lips as he drank, then sipped the pungent Keiran ale after him. The blond plucked another piece of ripe fruit from the stem and fed it to him. He sucked on her fingers as she was removing them from his mouth. She looked up at him underneath sensuous eyelashes, and he smiled down at her, lifting her face to his. He kissed her lightly on the lips. He then leaned over and lightly kissed the other woman the same way.
The party had ended long ago, but he held these two back. He had watched them all night making moon eyes at him and blowing him kisses from across the room.
He had no intention of bringing either of them to bed, but he enjoyed their attention nonetheless. He had had way too much to drink tonight, more so than normal, and his eyes burned and his head spun.
He had dismissed his Prime Minister hours ago, and he hadn’t seen Alekzand’r Morgan, his Royal Advisor and Bounty Hunter, for days. He was restless and needed something to occupy his thoughts and his hands for a bit. These two had been eager to spend time in his favor, so he invited them to stay for private entertaining. He was getting sleepy now and wanted to retire, but the excitement of these ladies held him back.
The door to the room opened just as the blond was feeding him another grape, and Alekzand’r strode in, eyeing the ladies and his king sprawled out casually. He scowled.
“Ah, Alek, you’ve returned from yet another trek into the unknown. Welcome home.”
Alek still scowled but said nothing as he stood stiffly, arms crossed over his chest. Dain sensed Alek’s annoyance and swallowed the last of his ale. He moved his arms from around the beauties and kissed them each in turn.
“I’m afraid the night has come to a close, ladies. It seems I have some business to attend to.”
The women both pouted, standing up from the chairs they occupied and batted their eyelashes sensuously at him as they exited. He watched them both leave, their curvy forms sashaying out of the room. When the door was closed and all was quiet, Alek finally spoke.
“What is the matter with you, Dain? This is the third time in the last two weeks I have found you inebriated and entertaining company at all hours of the night. Did you forget that you had audiences to hear tomorrow?”
“No, I have not forgotten. How could I forget anything with you constantly reminding me all the time?” he said curtly, rising from his chair and going to the window. He leaned on the sill and took a deep breath of fresh pre-spring air.
The evenings were still chilly, but he did not notice most of the time, for the cold seemed to fit his melancholy mood of late. Spring was coming and the days were warmer, the nights still crisp, but the fresh smells were starting to permeate the air. It smelled of moist earth and wood smoke that traveled on the wind from the town laid out in the valley below. He could see a few twinkling lights burning at this hour from windows still stirring with life. He turned back toward Alek, who was now sitting in a chair that one of the ladies had occupied only moments before.
Dain knew that he was out of line again, but he just couldn’t seem to help himself. The affairs of state and the monotonous string of complaints and requests that came in every week made him irritable. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for his people, or want to understand their plights, it was just that he didn’t know how to help them the way he knew he should.
He had obtained the throne way before he was ready, and he hadn’t quite gotten the knack of what he should do for the province that now belonged to him. The province he had inherited too many years too early.
He sighed. If he was to be honest, he didn’t really try very hard. He rode through his cities and villages and made himself available to the people he governed, but when it came to changing laws or making edicts, he was way too inexperienced. Emerick usually handled all of that, and Alek gave him advice on what he thought should be done. Without them, he would be nowhere. Hell, his throne should have been overthrown by now from his lackadaisical way of ruling and his apathetic attitude for all of it. He looked at his Royal Advisor and best friend, and frowned. He knew Alek was disappointed in him for his behavior, but he never really ever came out and said it. It was