never occurred to me I would one day have to
answer why I didn’t want one. Whisk thumped his tail as my father
walked into the house. He frowned.
“Why aren’t you at the banquet?”
I shrugged. “It’s been an interesting night.
I needed to get away. Not to mention I had to catch Klora; he broke
out of his stall.”
“Blasted horse.”
“Never mind swearing at my horse. If it
weren’t for him, I’d still be trying to get away from the
princess.” I finished the ale and set my mug down. “Do you have a
plan we need to put in motion now that the princess seems smitten
with me?”
“Do you actually think I thought this might
happen? Chael’s luck and blast it all.” My father frowned and shook
his head. “Of all the knights she could have picked…” he muttered.
He frowned at my grin. “You’re enjoying this?”
“It’s comical. It’s like you said; of all the
knights she could have picked, she picks me.”
“It can’t go any further than this,
Chael.”
I grunted. “I’m small, not daft. Of course, I
know this has to end. However, having said that, I have no idea how
I’m supposed to tell her I’m not interested. She’s the
princess!”
It was my father’s turn to grunt. “I have no
idea. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about it for a while yet
as we’re leaving tomorrow morning.”
“I’m not sure if this is going to be as easy
of an issue to get rid of as you think. She’s coming to see me off
tomorrow.”
My father took a deep breath and blew it
loudly out of his nose.
“And she kissed me tonight.” I burst out
laughing as my father’s jaw dropped.
“She what?” His voice was an octave higher
than usual.
I turned to hide the fact that I was still
laughing. “I said she kissed me.”
“And what did you do?”
“What was I supposed to do? She’s the
princess; I kissed her back.” I was laughing so hard the tears were
running from my eyes.
“Chael! This isn’t funny!”
“By gods, Dad, this is bloody well
hilarious!”
He shook his head in annoyed disbelief and
headed off to bed, leaving me to ponder the issue of women.
*****
The pounding on the front door started me
from a deep sleep. I rolled out of bed and pulled my dagger from
under my pillow.
“Sir James!”
I heard my father open the door and let
someone in.
“What happened?”
“It’s your brother and his wife, sir.”
I scrambled to pull my pants on and threw an
extra tunic on over the one I was wearing before hurrying to the
living room. The guard stood at attention and saluted me.
“What happened to aunty and uncle,” I asked,
waving away his salute. I buckled my belt and threw on my vest.
“We’re not entirely sure, sir.” He looked
from me to my father. “By the sounds of what General Krane
reported, he came across the two of them being robbed. It seems
they were on their way home. General Krane heard a woman scream and
ran to where they were. Before he could get to them, the attacker
managed to take both of their money pouches and…” He paused. “Well,
sir, sirs, he… he stabbed both of them, sir.”
“Where are they?” My father was pulling on
his boots.
“They’re… they’re at the castle, sir. Even
with the General finding them when he did, it wasn’t soon enough
that the healwife was able to do anything to help.”
My father swallowed hard and cleared his
throat. “Both of them?”
The guard nodded, obviously not pleased about
the fact he’d been chosen to deliver this news. There was another
knock at the door and General Krane let himself into the house.
The three of us stood at attention and
saluted him. He waved away the formalities.
“Did you get a look at him?” inquired my
father.
The General shook his head. “Whoever he was,
he knew what he was doing. I don’t think this was a random mugging,
James.”
I could tell my father was having a hard time
deciding whether he should be sad, shocked, or furious.
“Why would anyone target
answer why I didn’t want one. Whisk thumped his tail as my father
walked into the house. He frowned.
“Why aren’t you at the banquet?”
I shrugged. “It’s been an interesting night.
I needed to get away. Not to mention I had to catch Klora; he broke
out of his stall.”
“Blasted horse.”
“Never mind swearing at my horse. If it
weren’t for him, I’d still be trying to get away from the
princess.” I finished the ale and set my mug down. “Do you have a
plan we need to put in motion now that the princess seems smitten
with me?”
“Do you actually think I thought this might
happen? Chael’s luck and blast it all.” My father frowned and shook
his head. “Of all the knights she could have picked…” he muttered.
He frowned at my grin. “You’re enjoying this?”
“It’s comical. It’s like you said; of all the
knights she could have picked, she picks me.”
“It can’t go any further than this,
Chael.”
I grunted. “I’m small, not daft. Of course, I
know this has to end. However, having said that, I have no idea how
I’m supposed to tell her I’m not interested. She’s the
princess!”
It was my father’s turn to grunt. “I have no
idea. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about it for a while yet
as we’re leaving tomorrow morning.”
“I’m not sure if this is going to be as easy
of an issue to get rid of as you think. She’s coming to see me off
tomorrow.”
My father took a deep breath and blew it
loudly out of his nose.
“And she kissed me tonight.” I burst out
laughing as my father’s jaw dropped.
“She what?” His voice was an octave higher
than usual.
I turned to hide the fact that I was still
laughing. “I said she kissed me.”
“And what did you do?”
“What was I supposed to do? She’s the
princess; I kissed her back.” I was laughing so hard the tears were
running from my eyes.
“Chael! This isn’t funny!”
“By gods, Dad, this is bloody well
hilarious!”
He shook his head in annoyed disbelief and
headed off to bed, leaving me to ponder the issue of women.
*****
The pounding on the front door started me
from a deep sleep. I rolled out of bed and pulled my dagger from
under my pillow.
“Sir James!”
I heard my father open the door and let
someone in.
“What happened?”
“It’s your brother and his wife, sir.”
I scrambled to pull my pants on and threw an
extra tunic on over the one I was wearing before hurrying to the
living room. The guard stood at attention and saluted me.
“What happened to aunty and uncle,” I asked,
waving away his salute. I buckled my belt and threw on my vest.
“We’re not entirely sure, sir.” He looked
from me to my father. “By the sounds of what General Krane
reported, he came across the two of them being robbed. It seems
they were on their way home. General Krane heard a woman scream and
ran to where they were. Before he could get to them, the attacker
managed to take both of their money pouches and…” He paused. “Well,
sir, sirs, he… he stabbed both of them, sir.”
“Where are they?” My father was pulling on
his boots.
“They’re… they’re at the castle, sir. Even
with the General finding them when he did, it wasn’t soon enough
that the healwife was able to do anything to help.”
My father swallowed hard and cleared his
throat. “Both of them?”
The guard nodded, obviously not pleased about
the fact he’d been chosen to deliver this news. There was another
knock at the door and General Krane let himself into the house.
The three of us stood at attention and
saluted him. He waved away the formalities.
“Did you get a look at him?” inquired my
father.
The General shook his head. “Whoever he was,
he knew what he was doing. I don’t think this was a random mugging,
James.”
I could tell my father was having a hard time
deciding whether he should be sad, shocked, or furious.
“Why would anyone target
Similar Books
