fireplace, and a large canopied bed
opposite. A thin white fabric she
recognized as muslin was draped over
the canopies.
“This is the main chambers, Yer
Majesty,” the castle keeper, a stern
woman named Ingrid, was saying.
“To the far side is a smaller room that
can be used for storage. On the left is
the door to the king’s quarters and on
yer right are the quarters for yer
ladies.”
Jaisyn looked to the door on the left
and immediately shifted her gaze to
the one on the right.
“I would like to see the rooms
reserved for my ladies.”
Nodding, the older woman obliged,
walking over to the door and pushing
it inward before stepping away and
dipping her head. As Jaisyn entered,
she noted the chamber was large, with
three full beds, and large chests under
each of them.
“Jane, Anne,” Jaisyn called over her
shoulder, surveying the room again.
“What do you think?”
Anne was the first to speak. “It is
very nice, Your Majesty. It seems
very comfortable as well.”
Jane nodded and agreed.
“And
what
of
the
servants’
quarters?” Jaisyn asked the keeper.
There was no response for a few
seconds and Jaisyn turned to look at
her.
“I’m sorry, Majesty. I was not
aware that ye were being waited on
by servants as well. I assumed that ye
would select from the servants of
Morden,” she announced, and for the
first time Jaisyn noticed that that there
was something snappish in Ingrid’s
voice.
“Where are my servants to stay,
Ingrid? I would like them to be close
to me, as are my ladies,” Jaisyn said
firmly, holding the older woman’s
gaze.
Ingrid dipped her head in a
respectful manner and replied calmly.
“As you wish, Majesty.”
Jaisyn turned away from her and
headed back to her room. She looked
to Madga and Asha. “Please have our
belongings brought to the rooms.” She
turned to Ingrid once more and her
voice was cooler than when she’d
addressed her maids. “Have the
servants draw baths for myself, my
ladies and my maids. We have had a
tiring journey.”
Ingrid dipped her head again and
walked from the room. Jaisyn stared
after her with narrowed eyes. It
appeared
that
Ingrid
did
not
particularly like her. And Jaisyn did
not particularly care. They would get
along fine.
***
Jaisyn fully understood why her
husband had only allowed her a chest
full of her thickest clothing when chest
after chest of new clothing was being
loaded into her rooms. She lost count
after the seventh chest found space
next to her bed, and simply stared as
servants lugged in more. Vulcan had
told her that the Morden dressmakers
were making clothing for her but he
had not mentioned that they’d been
making this much. Finally the last of
the chests was deposited and the
servants, after bowing to their queen,
filed out. Jane, Anne, Magda and
Asha remained with Jaisyn, staring at
the numerous chests that were fitted
around her bed and against walls. She
took a seat in the chair next to the
fireplace and simply stared.
Anne walked over to the chest
closest to her and opened it. She
reached
in
and
pulled
out
a
magnificent
burgundy
dress,
embroidered with golden thread and
encrusted with a white frilly material
for the hemming and the neckline.
Jane, Magda and Asha followed
suit, opening the lids and pulling out
dresses until the contents of all were
deposited on Jaisyn’s bed. Dresses of
every kind, petticoats, riding habits,
shifts, furs, cloaks, boots, slippers,
jewels—Vulcan had provided it all.
As Magda and Asha went about
rearranging the clothing in the large
chests, Anne and Jane held up two
dresses for Jaisyn: the first one, the
burgundy satin, and a rich brown
dress, velvet if she knew her fabrics,
both with necklines that Jaisyn found
scandalous but thought were beautiful.
“Which one do you wish to wear to
supper?” Jane asked.
Neither
, Jaisyn wanted to reply, but
she knew her husband well. If she did
not wear one of the dresses he’d
purchased for her, he would take it as
an act of defiance. That would no
doubt lead to an argument, which
would prevent her and her ladies from
resting as soon as supper was over.
“I’ll wear the burgundy one,” she
decided, hoping that the neckline
simply looked lower than it actually
was.
***
Vulcan was glad to be home
amongst his people. He was seated at
the head of the long table, General
Tarkon at his right and Lady Belinda
Savoy, the Countess of Eerie, at his
left. No one sat by rank, but rather by
convenience. General Tarkon had
wanted to inform him of the events
that had plagued the castle since his
departure while Lady Savoy wished to
regain the close intimacy she’d once
had with the High King. Platters of
meats, breads, fruits and cheeses were
spread out across the table, but no
one’s platter was filled. They were all
waiting for the queen, who’d yet to
show up.
Turning his gaze away from Lady
Savoy and her gown with the plunging
neckline, Vulcan looked to the other
end of the table. The seat at the head
of the table and the two on the left
and right were unoccupied. They had
been reserved for Jaisyn and her
ladies.
“Majesty,” Lady Savoy said, calling
his attention to her once more. Vulcan
turned to her, his expression as
impassive as ever. “Are the Lytherian
women more beautiful than the
women of Morden?”
Vulcan thought of that before
replying, “There are beauties in both
kingdoms.”
Seemingly satisfied with that reply,
Lady Savoy smiled, her thin lips
curving upwards as her vivid blue eyes
called to him. Belinda was a beautiful,
sensual, sexual woman. It was the
reason she’d shared his bed for well
over a year. But as he stared at her
flawless, pale complexion, her straight
black hair that had been curled
becomingly around her face, her
alluring eyes, her seductive mouth, he
wished to see another. His wife. While
beautiful, Jaisyn was no seductress.
She enchanted without knowing it,
captivated without intention, seduced
without practice. Over the course of
their journey, he’d abstained from
her. Their situations had made it nigh-
on impossible: her ladies and her
maids constantly surrounded her. He
glanced toward the empty chairs once
more. Where was she?
“Eerie is quite beautiful at this time
of the year, Majesty,” Lady Savoy
was talking once more.
Vulcan nodded, agreeing with her
even as his eyes continued to stare at
the empty chair.
“Perhaps your majesty would like to
plan an excursion there soon?” she
continued in her low, seductive voice.
He turned his attention to her. She
wore a wicked smile on her lips and
as he watched, her pink tongue darted
out to caress her bottom lip. He stared
at her tongue, thinking that if Jaisyn
were ever to learn any of Lady
Savoy’s tricks, he would be in dire
trouble. He had no doubt that the
excursion Lady Savoy wished him to
plan was a private one, with them
retiring to her manor house in Eerie,
where she would proceed to remind
him of her skills in the bedroom.
Vulcan was about to say something
that would curb her enthusiasm for
him when he was spared the need.
One
of
the
pages
suddenly
announced, “Her Majesty, Queen
Jaisyn of Morden and her ladies.”
Silence reigned supreme as Jaisyn,
dressed in a burgundy dress that fell to
her ankles, with a square neckline that
barely revealed the tops of her
breasts,
walked
forward
slowly.
Everyone stood, including Vulcan,
who was staring at the neckline like a
hungry wolf that had not been fed in
days… and he was. The men bowed
their heads, the women performed
small curtsies behind the table.
Jaisyn’s expression was serene—she
seemed very relaxed, and a hint of a
smile played around her lips.
The servants pulled out chairs for
the ladies and Jaisyn sat. Vulcan did
the same, followed by the rest of the
table, staring at her all the while. Her
thick mass of curls had been pinned
atop her head, and rubies adorned her
neck and ears. She was stunning.
“Your queen is beautiful, Majesty,”
Lady Savoy said and Vulcan tore his
gaze away from Jaisyn to survey her.
She wore a smile but it did not quite
reach her eyes. Vulcan dismissed it.
“Yes, she is,” was his short reply.
The servants bustled around them,
carving meat and placing it on their
platters and pouring mead and wine.
Recalling that he had been speaking
to General Tarkon about the other
kingdoms over which he presided,
Vulcan broached the topic once more.
The general gladly highlighted the
events of the past months, telling him
of the small uprisings that they’d
squelched in Wenschler and Montak.
Vulcan gave Tarkon his complete
attention, willing his brain away from
Jaisyn until he had her alone.
***
Jaisyn savored the food on the table.
It was quite good, and very different
from the foods that graced the tables
in Lytheria. A few of the dishes were
similar, but the spices were—
different. She spoke to Jane and
Anne, and occasionally to the people
seated at the table, when the
conversations ran toward Lytheria.
They were gracious and respectful to
her status and she found herself
relaxing and enjoying the supper until
her eyes moved to the other end of the
table and fell on the lady next to
Vulcan.
She was currently engaging him in
conversation and as Jaisyn looked on,
she smiled and licked what had to be
painted lips at her husband. The
woman also wore a gown that
revealed a hefty amount of her pale
bosom, and was currently trailing a
finger along her collarbone, drawing
eyes to the moving finger and to the
uncovered portion of her bosom.
Jaisyn tugged her gaze away and lifted
her goblet of wine. The woman was
obviously flirting with her husband,
who did not seem to mind. In fact, on
occasion, her husband even smiled—
albeit small smiles but smiles none-
the-less—at the woman! She’d hardly
witnessed Vulcan’s smiles, and if she
had, it had been in the confines of
their rooms. Something ugly reared its
head inside her, and she hastily
pushed it away. What should she
care? Her marriage was not based on
love but situation. With a beautiful
Morden lady most willing to distract
him, Vulcan would leave her alone.
She forced a smile at that, but found
her eyes returning to the lady. She
was laughing now, a throaty sound
that carried all the way to Jaisyn’s
side of the table.
Unconsciously, a frown formed
across her lips.
***
Supper over, Jaisyn and her ladies
retreated to their rooms. They helped
her disrobe before exhaustion sent
them to their beds. Magda and Asha
remained. After she was dressed in a