Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1) (6 page)

Cain nodded. “Good, not that I doubt your abilities, but your father is a wily old man and has more experience with this kind of thing than both of us put together. So tell me what you and your father have devised.”

Talorn looked over his shoulder to make sure none of the squares or pages had followed them. One could never be too carful, many of the nobles of Bandara employed spies to keep them abreast of each other’s activities.

“First of all, I have a fortune at my disposal. I can pay the army and keep things going until you as King can levy the taxes Bandara needs to pay Abberdon.”

Cain shook his head. “What about Havalon? He does not want us to pay the gold back; he will attack if he sees we intend to settle the debt. It’s not the gold he wants, it’s the land, and if he attacks before we can pay, it will justify his invasion with the Church.” The Prince pointed his finger at the young Lord. “I will not give Havalon one ounce of Bandaran soil, Talorn, not one clod of dirt.”

“Calm down, my Prince, we have thought of that. After you are King, you can get rid of General Voths. You know as well as I, he is an incompetent commander. Your father appointed him head of the Bandaran army because he told good stories at the state dinners. Voths cares more about what his aides are bringing him for lunch than he does about the condition of the Army. Appoint me head of all the armies of Bandara. After the border skirmishes Havalon knows my skill at arms, he also knows my father; it will make him think twice about using force to collect his debt. It will buy you time to collect what you need to repay Abberdon.”

Cain began to pace. “I like what you’re saying and don’t take this the wrong way, but you are William Blackthorn’s son after all. What’s the price for you and your father’s help?”

Talorn grinned at Cain. “Just three small things, Highness, and they all are of benefit to you as well as us.

First, I would like a royal charter to reestablish the Knights of Bandara, for my God, my King, and my country. They kept order along the Gold Road and throughout the realm, and they were a shining example of Bandaran honor in the days of the Phoenix Queen. I feel we need them now more than ever; they will set an example to all of the other Kingdoms of what Bandara stands for.

Second, I would like you to make me first seat on the council. It will make me second only to you in power until you father your own heir, by rights I should have my father’s seat anyway. He has recommended me to the council already, so there should be no interference from the other council members on the matter. ”

Cain looked at Talorn and raised an eyebrow. “You seem to have thought this through very thoroughly. What you ask I can’t do until I’m crowned King and that all depends on how long father holds on to his shameful life, this plan will also make me very unpopular with commoners. They will not like their taxes being raised or several other small changes I plan to make when I’m King.”

Talorn pointed his finger at the future King. “Isn’t it the need for popularity that has caused the problem in the first place?”

Cain smiled. “You’re right, my friend, the Kingdom must be put before a King’s vanity. A lesson my father must never have learned and the only one he taught me. I agree to your terms and will act on them as soon as my father has passed on and I’m crowned. God forgive me, but I hope it happens in time to save Bandara.

The two turned around and started walking back toward the stables. Cain stopped and looked thoughtfully at Talorn. “Oh, you never told me what the third thing was you wanted.” Talorn put his hand on the future King’s shoulder. “I wish to marry your sister.”

Chapter 3

S
o soft were her steps one could scarcely hear her as she padded down the hallway in her slippers. She loved the silk slippers; they had been a gift from her father last year. He had the royal seamstress sew the ankles of them with pearls and lace. They fit her small feet perfectly and they were as light and soft as a cloud.

It was not only her feet that were small. Princess Raygan was not much bigger than a child, standing just five feet tall. It wasn’t her diminutive height though that caused all the guards’ heads to turn as she passed them in the hallway. It was the tight silk robe she had on and the sway of her hips.

Raygan might have a girl’s height, but she had a woman’s figure. Large breasts, narrow waist, and the curve of her buttocks made even the most disciplined of the King’s guards stare. Beautiful dark brown hair fell past her shoulders to the middle of her back in waves of huge curls. Her eyes were big and blue as the sea. Her lips were full; her nose was small and perfect. She had the face of an angel; her looks were unequaled in the Kingdom of Bandara. And she knew it.

She carried the tray with her father’s breakfast on it low enough that the guards could see her ample cleavage. Before she left her room, Raygan had made sure that she left her robe open just enough for guardsmen to get a peek. Raygan loved the way men looked at her. In their eyes, she could see they wanted her, hungered for her. And she loved it.

She didn’t want to be with a man, actually even thinking about lying with a man frightened her, she had heard her servants talk about it several times and it sounded vile. She just wanted them to desire her, just knowing she could have anyone one of them she wanted satisfied her needs. Raygan intended to be the most beautiful and most charming woman in all of Bandara; she had desired it since she was a small child. The Princess had worked on nothing else. The way she walked, the way she talked. Even as a young girl, she would sit in front of her mirror for hours practicing her most alluring looks and facial expressions. Raygan felt she had achieved a degree of charm unmatched by any other woman. The only man that didn’t believe she was the most enchanting creature he had ever met was her brother.

Cain had always been a bore as far as Raygan was concerned. Now that he had returned from Asqutania, he was even a bigger one. He was no fun at all. Raygan tried to love her brother; he just made it very hard for her to do. Cain had always been nasty to her; he tried to make her cry every chance he got. She didn’t like being around him, he didn’t submit to her demands, and she had never been able to charm him. Always “blah-blah the throne this” and “blah-blah the throne that.” He gave her a headache. All he talked about was being King, and he had been that way as long as she could remember. Sometimes he was just plain mean to her, and she could never understand why.

With her father it was different—bat her eyes, stick out her lip pout a little, and he would do anything for her. Yes, if she loved any man it was her father. King Aaron had never told his daughter no—at least not very often. “No” was a word she despised, when she was not the one saying it.

The Princess turned down the hallway leading to the royal bedchamber. The walls were covered with old tapestries and paintings. Raygan thought that she should make a point of asking father if she could redecorate some of the palace hallways. They were just too dreary and dark. Every other painting in the hallway was of her mother. When she saw the portraits, they made her sad. Her mother was dead. Dead people were distressing. What was needed were paintings of living people, beautiful people. That would make things much more cheerful. She would have her maids start hanging some of her portraits in the halls tomorrow.

The two guards at her father’s door smiled at her and parted to let her through. She returned their smile seeing that each one was looking directly at her breasts. Just as she reached the door, it opened. Bishop Marin Lyfair and Lord Selmac, the royal healer, stepped out of her father’s room. Raygan stopped inclined her head slightly towards the men. “Good morning, Your Eminence, Lord Selmac.” They both looked at her and gave a slight bow. The pair started to walk away.

The Bishop stopped and turned. His cold blue eyes looked right into hers. “I hope you have a fine visit, Highness, but you should try to keep it short. Your father needs his rest. If there is something you need, please see me, and I will do my best to accommodate you.”

“I was just bringing my father his breakfast, Your Eminence, and as for my needs I think Father can still see to them.”

The Bishop gave a slight bow. “As you wish, Highness, I was just trying to make things easier for your father.”

Raygan gave her fake Princess smile and opened her father’s door. The Bishop was another man who had never looked at her with any desire, and she was glad of it. She didn’t like Lyfair or Selmac for that matter. The Bishop made her skin crawl and Selmac was very odd and smelled funny.

The cups and plates rattled on the tray as she closed the door. Her father turned his head and saw it was her he smiled weakly. “My beautiful dove has brought me breakfast.” He looked better today—or was she just telling herself that not wanting to believe how sick he truly was?

He was sitting up in his huge canopy bed. His thin gray hair was a mess, but the color of his skin was not as pallid as it was yesterday. Her father had once been a very handsome man. In the last few years, he had grown heavy from all he ate and drank and then the sickness had stolen away what was left of his good looks. The only thing the illness had spared was his beautiful eyes.

“You need light in here.” The Princess set the tray down on the table near the foot of her father’s bed. She walked across the room and pulled open the massive drapes that covered the King’s window. The sun instantly lit up the room shining through the windows like a radiant spear. The Princess’s lips tightened as she saw the large amount of dust motes flitting around in the rays of sunlight. “I told your servants I wanted theses windows open, and this room cleaned. They have gotten lazy since you’ve been sick.” It took almost all the strength the petite girl had to push open the gigantic windows of the King’s bedchamber. Once they were open she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her father’s room smelled of disease. The fresh air would do them both some good.

The King shielded his eyes. The sun was bright for someone that stayed closed up in a dark room day in and day out.

“Lord Selmac told the servants to keep those shut. Finn said it was not good for my breathing,” the King said, squinting.

“Nonsense, Finn Selmac is a fool and an incompetent healer. How can you get any better closed up in the dark breathing filthy air?” The Princess ran her finger across the footboard of the King’s bed and held it up for him to see.” This room is unacceptable, I guess since you’re sick the servants don’t feel the need to work, every one should be…”

“Raygan,” her father grumbled. “Not a very nice attitude, young lady. My servants do their best, and Finn Selmac has been my friend for years. He’s just doing what he thinks is best.” The King broke into a coughing fit then cleared his throat, spitting a large amount of phlegm into a bowl that set on his bedside table. Raygan turned her head. The King spoke quieter when he continued. “Besides being my friend he has seen to your health since you were a child. You should show the surgeon a little respect, my dear.”

“He never did anything for me more complicated than wipe my nose,” the Princess said with a flip of her hand.

The King coughed again and this time he wiped his mouth with a rag. He clutched the nasty thing tightly in his hand. The cough had gotten worse over the last month. “Finn is my healer, he is the man I chose and that’s the end of it.”

Raygan rolled her eyes and picked up the tray of food from the table. The small girl walked over and sat down on the great bed by her father. “Now eat this before it gets cold.” She scooped up a spoon full of the King’s favorite porridge. “Now open up, you need to eat so you can start getting your strength back.”