Breakfast was held later than usual
on the day following the wedding of
royalty. As was tradition, the High
Priestess entered the solar, and bore
witness to the streaks of red that
marked the white linen. Ishat carried a
woven basket at her side and after the
inspection she removed the sheet from
the bed and placed it therein. She
would burn it upon the pyre as an
offering to the Goddess. When Ishat
was finished with her inspection, she
walked down the staircase and up to
the head of the long table where the
new King and Queen of Lytheria sat.
Family and their generals surrounded
them.
Jaisyn saw Ishat as she walked
toward them, and stiffened. This was
the part where she would announce to
the table what she’d seen in the
bedroom. It was an embarrassing
moment for the wife and a proud one
for the husband. It was particularly
embarrassing for a wife who’d
enjoyed what had been done to her as
much as Jaisyn had enjoyed Vulcan’s
attentions. A blush swept her cheeks
as she remembered his demands last
night.
Ishat came to stand directly behind
their chairs as a hush descended over
the room.
“The marriage of King Vulcan of
Morden and Jaisyn of Lytheria has
been sealed. The Goddess Lyria and
her daughters strongly approve this
union. May the King and Queen live
long, healthy lives and bear strong and
healthy children.”
A cheer arose from the people
sitting around the table but as Jaisyn
lifted her goblet, she hardly heard it.
Sealed.
Bound. No longer free.
***
Vulcan passed a glance to his wife.
She appeared to be lost in her
thoughts as she held the goblet before
her with no indication of lifting it to
her lips.
As
he
stared
at
them,
he
remembered how they’d felt under his
last night. Jaisyn of Lytheria might
have been a thorn in his side, but she
would be his equal in bed. Vulcan was
accustomed to the charms of whores
and mistresses, who were well versed
in their art, but he’d never felt his
control slip as it had with Jaisyn.
She’d been a virgin, and the pleasure
he’d taken between her thighs was
surpassed by none. He could only
imagine how responsive she would be
with him as a teacher. A small smile
eased the scowl that clung to his lips
as he continued to stare at her. He
was pleased. He’d been spared a
marriage to a timid Lytherian princess
who would have no doubt cried
through the entire consummation.
Instead, he had been given a
passionate, spitfire of a princess, who
made him want her without using any
wiles.
***
Varian, seated to the right of his
brother, pulled his gaze away from
Isolde, who’d either been shooting
him murderous glares or purposely
ignoring him, and looked to his
brother, intent on discussing his duties
for the day.
The expression on his brother’s face
made his brows lift. Was that a smile?
Varian blinked but it was no longer
there. If he hadn’t been certain of the
fact his brother never smiled, he
would have thought that’s what he’d
just seen.
As if knowing that Varian was
looking at him, Vulcan turned to face
him, his brows raised, the scowl on
his lips.
“What is it?”
Varian dismissed his first thoughts.
No, that had not been a smile. He was
seeing things. “What are the plans for
today?”
Leaning back against his chair,
Vulcan began, “Send a messenger to
Mitherie. Make sure they know of the
happy event that took place last
night.” He paused and appeared to be
deep in thought for a moment. “And
send a messenger to Morden as well.
Tell them to begin the preparations for
the arrival of their new queen.”
With that statement, he turned to
look at Jaisyn. From the stiffening of
her lips, he knew she’d heard his
words, but she made no move to look
in their direction. She continued her
conversation with Isolde as if Vulcan
weren’t there, steadfastly ignoring the
fact that she now belonged to the
Northern Wolf.
A smile curved his lips once more.
***
Two days had passed since Jaisyn’s
marriage to Vulcan and she was
slowly growing accustomed to being
his wife. Her people no longer
referred to her as ‘princess’. She was
now their queen. Her sisters, and now
Vulcan, were the only ones who
called her by her name. Last night,
she’d expected Vulcan to come at her
as he had done on their wedding night
and was surprised when he’d simply
divested himself of all of his clothing
and fallen asleep. She’d remained
awake, listening to his breathing,
while holding still so as to not wake
him, until finally, sleep had claimed
her.
Jaisyn looked on as Vulcan and a
dozen of his men rode across the
drawbridge in the direction of the
forest. Most of the dried meats in the
buttery had been used, so hunting had
to be done to restock. She stood in the
courtyard, her face turned toward the
drawbridge for long minutes, before
she spun and headed for the armory.
A young squire was leaving as she
walked in and he paused to bow
before her. She recognized him
immediately. He was a Lytherian.
“Everik,” she began, lowering her
voice to prevent being overheard by
any soldier whose loyalty was to her
husband. “Find Malcolm and tell him
to meet me by the lake.”
The squire’s eyes widened but he
nodded.
“Majesty,” he said and made a
move to walk off. Jaisyn stopped him.
“And Everik, tell Malcolm to bring
his sword,” she continued in a low
voice. “This is a matter of silence.
Please convey the message and forget
it.”
Everik bowed once more and was
off. Jaisyn walked to her changing
room at the back of the stables. She
grabbed a satchel and placed the
boy’s tunic and breeches she wore
when practicing into it. Feeling her
heart beat rapidly against her chest,
she included some of her protective
leathers as well before heading for the
drawbridge. No one stopped her. No
one followed her. She easily navigated
her way to the lake and over to the
rock where she hid her sword. After
pulling it out, she scanned the area
once more, changed into the clothes,
and moved further along the lake to
wait for Malcolm.
***
Because Vulcan did not fully trust
his wife to allow him to reenter St.
Ives Castle despite the marriage,
Varian was given the task of
remaining within its walls. It was one
he would gladly pass off to someone
else, as he wanted to exercise his
muscles, but Vulcan was king and as
such, Varian did as he was asked.
Varian had been in the stables,
feeding and petting Loki, when he
heard the sound of a female voice. A
quick look around the stall had shown
him Jaisyn, speaking in hushed tones
to a squire. Varian had caught
‘Malcolm’ and ‘lake’ but nothing else.
When Jaisyn had rushed past him and
to the back of the stables, Varian
hadn’t hesitated. He’d left the stables
quickly, following the squire as he
went around the courtyard and castle
in search of Malcolm. Minutes later,
the squire found Malcolm with
General Urian inside the keep and
Varian watched as he whispered the
message into Malcolm’s ear.
Varian felt his suspicion grow even
stronger. What was so important that
only Malcolm could hear? Malcolm’s
eyes widened and he nodded a
dismissal to the squire. Varian waited
outside of the keep for Malcolm to
emerge and go about the queen’s
bidding, as he instinctively knew he
would. It didn’t take him long.
Minutes later, Malcolm left and
Varian followed him, careful to keep
hidden so that Malcolm wouldn’t
change tracks or attempt to flee. He
did neither. In fact, Malcolm seemed
unaware. They finally came to a river
or a lake and Malcolm began to walk
along the edge. Varian was glad for
the trees as he hid behind them,
following after Malcolm.
Malcolm finally came to a halt and
stared at something before him.
Varian stopped all of his movements
as well and looked ahead, seeing for
the first time that he and Malcolm
weren’t the only ones by the lake.
Another man stood a few feet ahead.
He wore trousers and a loose shirt,
and atop his head was a type of
leather helmet? How odd, Varian
thought, staring at the young man and
wondering why Malcolm was doing
the same. Malcolm continued on but
Varian remained where he was. Who
was the young man and what was his
relation to Queen Jaisyn? As he asked
himself that question, he had a feeling
that somehow, it would answer itself.
***
Jaisyn felt alive! With her sword in
her hand and a worthy opponent
attempting to knock it from her, Jaisyn
felt the rush of adrenaline, the
competitiveness of spirit, and her need
for control, push her. Malcolm
advanced and retreated, lunged and
blocked,
anticipated
her
moves,
tripped her, and she fought back.
After what seemed like hours,
Malcolm feinted to the left and came
at her hard from the right, knocking
her backwards as he leapt before her
and carefully placed his sword by her
throat.
“Surrender?”
he
asked,
his
breathing harsh and fast. Jaisyn,
knowing that he would not fall for the
same trick twice, nodded.
“Surrender.”
He removed his sword and offered
her his hand. With a smile, Jaisyn
grabbed hold of it and allowed him to
pull her up.
“I am a bit rusty,” she told him,
gently twirling the sword in her hand.
Malcolm did not respond. He opted
for silence. “I’d like to continue
practicing with you…whenever it is
possible.”
***
Malcolm stared at his princess—no,
h i s
queen
—and couldn’t help the
regret coursing through his veins. She
was taken, forever lost to him, by the
Wolf of the North. When he’d
developed his feelings for Jaisyn,
she’d been but a girl intent on proving
to her father that she could fight
alongside him in his armies. Although
he’d known his rank would make it
hard for him to have her, he’d hoped
with his father’s connections and the
distinctions he achieved because of his
skill, he could somehow persuade
Wilhelm that he would be able to give
her a life similar to that of a
nobleman. When the king passed,
he’d planned to plead his case directly
to Jaisyn. She was strong-willed
enough that if she wanted him, she
would fight for him.
“If you are too busy, I will
understand, Malcolm,” Jaisyn was
saying, her eyes losing their luster as
they turned from his. She stepped to
the large rock, where her satchel lay.
Malcolm
sprung
into
motion,
grasping her by the arm and pulling
her to him.
***
Surprise made Jaisyn freeze. She’d
seen a similar look in Vulcan’s eyes.
As she tried to put together what that
meant, Malcolm did the unexpected.
His head lowered to hers and he
pulled her sweaty body flush against