Reader And Raelynx

CHAPTER 14

THERE was no real need to supervise Amalie’s meeting the next day, for her suitor was Darryn Rappengrass. His mother, Ariane, was one of Baryn’s staunchest allies, and Kirra had always considered Darryn the best of the serramar. There was no chance he would suddenly pull a blade and try to slit Amalie’s throat. Still, two Riders posed behind the false wall, ready to stop him if he tried.

There was no need for Cammon and Valri to listen in to his courting, but of course they did.

They sat rather stiffly on either side of the card table, hardly on the best of terms after last night’s confrontation. Cammon found it difficult to hold a grudge, so he picked up the deck of cards and silently offered to deal. Valri hesitated, then nodded. They were into their second hand when the princess and her visitor entered and settled in for conversation.

At first it was all very superficial, talk about the weather and the roads. Cammon was surprised as everyone else when Amalie said, “So, ser Darryn, tell me! Why are you here?”

Darryn did not allow himself to be nonplussed. He was easygoing and polished, well able to handle himself in any social situation, but Cammon read nothing but good will behind his assured exterior. “I suppose I can’t be the first Twelfth House lord to call on you in the past few weeks. I expect you realize we’ve all come courting.”

“But not you,” Amalie said, calm as always. “You’re betrothed to another girl.”

Everyone in the room was astonished at that-Cammon, Valri, the Riders-but Darryn Rappengrass most of all. Cammon could feel his swift, confused reactions: amazement, respect, uncertainty, and a growing desire to tell the truth. “Not betrothed, exactly,” he replied in a slow voice. “But I admit I am in love with her and I hope to marry her.”

Valri dropped her cards and stared in impotent fury at the thin wall separating them. Cammon had to smother a grin. Surely it was unimaginably rude to tell a princess you preferred another woman.

Amalie, however, did not seem at all distressed. “So, you see I am going to resist any inclination I might have to fall in love with you myself,” she said.

Darryn laughed, still a little dazed. “But who has been gossiping with the princess of the realm? Where did you learn this news?”

“Kirra Danalustrous told me.”

Valri looked at Cammon and rolled her eyes. Of course, she mouthed.

“And how does she know?” Darryn asked. “I suppose she got the information from my mother, who is ready to disown me. In fact, the only way I can win myself back into her good graces is to tell her you’ve agreed to be my bride.”

Amalie sounded interested. “So you truly would propose to me, even though your affection was somewhere else? Wouldn’t that be risky? What if I accepted?”

Darryn was suddenly all seriousness. “No, Majesty. I planned to come to you, and flirt awhile, and speak of the long-standing bond between Ghosenhall and Rappen Manor. I wouldn’t have proposed, but I would have tried to make you enjoy our time together so that you would think of me kindly. And then I would have left and gone back to the arms of the girl I love. All the while hoping, of course, that some worthwhile and sincere young lord had already come calling and won a place in your heart.”

“Well, I would much rather you were truthful with me from the outset,” she said. “No pretending!”

Valri flung her hands wide in the air as if to say, The whole world survives on lies and this girl insists on the truth. But her anger seemed to have faded a little, and she picked up her cards again.

“I will remember that for the future,” Darryn said. “I still hope there will be ongoing friendship between the palace and Rappen Manor. We will pledge now to always be honest with each other, and thereby save a great deal of time.”

Amalie must have raised her drink in a toast, for there was a slight clinking sound as if two glasses had been touched together. “I will agree to that,” she said. “Now tell me about this girl you love. Is she noble-born?”

“No. Yet another reason my mother is displeased with me.”

Valri nodded emphatically at the wall. Cammon had to choke back another laugh.

“How did you meet her?” Amalie wanted to know.

There was a rustling sound, as if Darryn had leaned back in his chair and stretched out his legs, preparing to get comfortable. “Oh, now, that’s an adventurous tale,” he said. “I rescued her on the road-and a few weeks later, she repaid the favor.”

So all of them spent the next half hour listening to the story of Darryn Rappengrass’s romance with a young vagabond girl. Cammon was inclined to think the girl pretty lucky-Darryn just radiated happiness when he talked about her. If Cammon were ever called on to testify about the serramar’s affection, he would have to call it genuine.

“Of course you’ll join us for dinner,” Amalie said as their visit wound down. “And perhaps stay a day or so?”

“I will be happy to do both,” he replied.

Valri waited till they were out of the room and their voices had faded down the hall. “What a waste of time!” she exclaimed. “In love with another girl! And Darryn would be the perfect match for her in so many ways. He’s not a firstborn child, and he probably will not become marlord, but a wedding to him would immeasurably strengthen our ties to Rappengrass. And he’s such a delightful man! Sophisticated and handsome and at ease in every situation. He would make an excellent husband and an excellent king. And he’s to throw himself away on this nameless peasant girl!”

“I think you’re more upset than Amalie is,” Cammon said.

“I have a better idea of what’s at stake than she does,” was the grim reply.

As he gathered the cards and followed Valri out into the corridor, Cammon found himself glad that the so-perfect Darryn Rappengrass was unavailable to marry the princess. She had to marry someone, of course-he understood that-but he did not mind if it took her another year to find a husband. Or even longer. He would be happy to watch over her for however long the search lasted.

HE had forgotten just how strong-willed the princess could be-and that she might think she had a reason to be angry with him. So he was unprepared for the look of burning reproach she gave him when she entered the dining room that night on the arm of Darryn Rappengrass. He felt his eyes widen and he almost blurted out “What’s wrong?” before he remembered that he was supposed to stand immobile and expressionless as any footman. Instead he raised his eyebrows in an expression of wounded innocence, but Amalie just flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned to say something to Darryn. Valri was settling herself in her own seat at the foot of the table and so fortunately missed this interchange.

Ah. Valri. She had forbidden him to join the princess in her parlor this morning, and Amalie apparently was angry that he had not attended her there. Since just the day before he had promised true friendship and unending camaraderie.

Hard to explain this in sentences of simple words that he could convey in silence.

He didn’t even try for the first half hour of the meal, which was always very busy, as servants brought in dishes and diners initiated conversations with their tablemates. Kirra and Senneth were both in attendance tonight, Kirra sitting on the other side of Darryn Rappengrass and flirting madly. That would be the two you would expect to pair off, if you were going by compatibility and personality, Cammon thought. Both of them noble, born to Houses that were absolutely loyal to the throne-both of them so attractive and appealing that simply watching them together made everyone else smile. Yet Kirra had given her heart to the shape-shifter Donnal, and Darryn Rappengrass loved a nameless girl who seemed to possess nothing except resourcefulness and a will to live.

Senneth sat between the king and Belinda Brendyn and managed to make her way through dinner with only the occasional grimace. Still, he could tell she was both bored and eager to be done with the meal. He sent her mental images of a fire sweeping through the kitchen and racing down the hall toward this very gathering, forcing them all to flee the room. It would, of course, be a fire that she coaxed into life. He knew she received the message, because she pursed her lips together very solemnly to keep from laughing and would not look at him for the rest of the evening.

When the diners had settled into their meals and the pace was a little more relaxed, Cammon sent his first observation to Amalie. It’s not my fault. Valri told me to stay away.

She gave no sign that she had heard him. She didn’t flick her eyes in his direction; she didn’t draw her attention away from Darryn Rappengrass. It was possible that Valri had cloaked her in magic so deep that he would not be able to get through to her, but he didn’t think that was it. She was so angry she was pretending not to listen.

Valri came to my room last night. She told me I was never to be alone with you again.

Still no response from the princess.

What can I do? She’s the queen. And she was truly upset. I told her I would never do anything to harm you, but that didn’t reassure her.

Amalie lifted her hand and tugged on her right earring as if it had begun to pinch. Cammon had to think a moment to remember what the signal meant. Oh, yes, she had said she would touch her left ear if she wanted to be entertained, her right ear if she wanted to be left alone.

Well, all right, I’ll be quiet, but first tell me you’re not angry with me.

Amalie leaned over Darryn to address Kirra. “But weren’t you in Nocklyn when that happened?”

“Yes! With Mayva! But Darryn heard about it somehow and then the next time I was in Rappengrass I found he had told his mother, too. I was never so embarrassed to face Ariane!”

Take a sip of your wine if you’re not angry with me, Cammon thought.

Amalie toyed with her knife and fork, then picked up a roll and tore off a small piece with her fingers. “I thought you were one of the marlady’s favorites.”

“Well, she is now, because she saved my niece’s life,” said Darryn. “But there was a time when my mother wasn’t so sure about Kirra.”

If you don’t forgive me, I’m just going to keep talking to you, Cammon said. I know you can hear me. How can I be your friend if you won’t understand that I’m doing the best I can?

“Your mother sent me the prettiest present,” Amalie said to Darryn. “Pieces of sea glass.”

“Oh, I love that,” Kirra said. “I had a pendant made from blue sea glass when I was a little girl, and I wore it all time. It fell just so-covered my housemark-it’s probably still in my jewelry box back home.”

“Let me show you what she gave me,” Amalie said, and motioned Cammon over.

He tried to keep an impassive expression on his face as he walked stiffly to her side, but he was aware that Valri, Senneth, and Kirra had all gone on alert at the summons. Kirra and Senneth looked merely speculative, but Valri was displeased.

He leaned over and Amalie whispered in his ear. “Stop it! Be quiet! I’ll have you sent from the room!”

He could not answer aloud, but he nodded as if she had given him an order he was about to carry out. I can stand anywhere in the palace and make you hear me. It won’t do any good to banish me to the kitchen.

Her voice was utterly composed. “I’ve asked Cammon to fetch Ariane’s gift from my parlor,” she told the others. “He knows right where it is.”

Kirra and Senneth exchanged glances at that; Valri’s expression looked even more thunderous. Cammon bowed and solemnly marched through the door.

He kept up a running commentary for the entire time it took him to traverse the hallways, climb the stairs, and go rummaging through her bookshelf, which had been rearranged since the time she showed him her treasures. What if Darryn Rappengrass was an ambitious serramar with designs on your father’s throne? What if you sent me from the room and he decided to try to cut your father’s throat? Don’t you realize that’s why I’m supposed to stay in the dining hall when you’re entertaining company? You’re angry at me, but why put yourself in danger? Didn’t you see the look on Senneth’s face? She was thinking, “While Cammon’s out of the room, I’ll have to be paying the utmost attention.” I suppose we can trust ser Darryn, but I don’t think you should be so careless.

Box in hand, he returned to the dining hall and presented it to Amalie with a small flourish. She didn’t look at him or thank him, but merely opened the hidden door and held the container toword Kirra. “Don’t you like these? I was wondering if I should have them made into a bracelet.”

You know I’ll keep talking all night if you don’t say you’re not angry with me, he said as he took his position against the wall once more. Ask Senneth. I can talk long after everyone else wants me to shut up. Just sip from your wine to tell me you forgive me.

One of the servants was circling the table with a bottle in his hand. “Will you have more wine, Majesty?” he murmured to Amalie.

She lifted her glass and drained what was already in it. “Yes,” she said, holding it out to him. “I think I will.”

Cammon had to work hard to contain his smile.

It was easier when he realized that Valri was still watching him, a brooding expression on her dainty face.

Easier still when he realized he had caught Senneth’s attention, and she didn’t look any happier than the queen.