released a deep breath. Could he
release Malcolm…for his wife? Could
he live with it if Jaisyn was forever
cold to him? If she stopped responding
to his touch? He could not.
A curse penetrated the silence of the
chamber as he stepped from the bed.
Crossing over to the chair, he grabbed
his breeches and tugged them on. He
was pulling on his tunic when a knock
sounded at his door. He slung his
sword around his hips and beckoned
the person in.
Varian entered the room, looking
very grim. He too wore only breeches,
a tunic and sword at the waist.
“We have a problem, Vulcan,”
Varian began and Vulcan wondered
at the time. It must be early morning
by now.
“What is it?” he demanded. Vulcan
did not move, preferring to hear
whatever it was where he stood.
Varian ventured into the room and
approached him. His lips curled down.
“Malcolm Sudbury has escaped.”
Vulcan nodded, absorbing that
information. Sudbury escaped. That
saved him from the trouble of actually
pardoning him for the sake of his wife.
Malcolm would now be an enemy of
Lytheria, but he was alive. So long as
he did not venture anywhere near
Vulcan, he would stay that way. His
wife would be happy once more.
“The soldiers tried following him but
lost him in the Lytherian countryside.
It is believed he has sought sanctuary
with a family loyal to his.”
“Is that it?” Vulcan wondered,
feeling as if Malcolm had just done
him a favor. Varian seemed surprised
by his question but he shook his head
slowly. “I am afraid not. He was
assisted by your queen.”
Vulcan felt like someone had taken
a hammer to his stomach. He had to
strain to hold himself up as the news
sunk in. Jaisyn had helped Malcolm
escape. Which meant she’d probably
fled to escape his anger.
“Did she flee as well?” he asked,
wondering if she would do something
so stupid as to flee at night, in her
delicate
condition.
Numerous
emotions rushed through him, anger
and fear the most intense.
Varian’s eyes narrowed before
turning cold. “No, she did not. The
soldiers escorted her to her chambers,
where she is currently being held.”
Releasing a deep breath, Vulcan
began to make his way to the door,
his face turning to granite as he
thought of what she’d done. Varian’s
voice halted him.
“Remember her condition, brother,”
Varian said softly.
That only served to earn him a glare
from an already enraged Vulcan.
***
Jaisyn was surprised when the
soldiers did not take her in the
direction of the dungeon. She had
been almost certain that she would be
held there until Vulcan could be
summoned, but the soldiers simply
escorted her to her chambers, and
locked her in. She sighed and took a
seat at the edge of the bed. She began
to fidget nervously with her fingers,
knowing that her husband would soon
enter her chambers. She went over
what she would tell him, preparing
herself for his anger, his rage. It would
eventually leave, wouldn’t it? He
cared about her, even if he did not
love her, and she carried his heir. He
would forgive—
She heard the sound of a key
turning in a lock and the door was
pushed open. Vulcan, a fuming
Vulcan, entered, slamming the door
closed behind him.
Jaisyn found her feet immediately
and faced him, lifting her head to
better see him.
“I know you are upset, but you left
me no choice, Vulcan,” she began
immediately, deciding it would be best
to speak first. “I could not let an
innocent man die for your pleasure!
And I refused to sit back and let
Malcolm Sudbury, who has been a
loyal soldier to my family, and a very
good friend, have his head separated
from his body due to your
mercy
!”
Her husband advanced until he
stood a foot away from her. She could
see his face clearly now and although
it frightened her, she was even more
afraid to look away. Whatever
happened, she wanted to see it
coming.
“Jaisyn,” he began coldly, taking in
the black outfit that she wore,
obviously to conceal herself when she
helped Malcolm escape. “I am your
husband and your king. You made
vows to obey me and honor my
decisions! You have done neither!
What you have done is make it appear
as if I cannot control my own wife!
Had you left it alone, I might have
been inclined to offer Malcolm a
pardon due to the fact that his father
has served me well and up until this
treason, he had done nothing to irk the
former king! Now, you have left me
no choice but to brand your friend an
enemy of Lytheria and to make it such
that any soldier under my command
who sees him, has a duty to kill him!”
Her eyes had widened during his
speech and when he finished, she
spoke forcefully, “In your vows you
promised to heed me, but have you
ever done so? No! Instead you parade
around and expect me to obey
everything you say as if I do not have
a usable brain in my head! I told you
Malcolm was innocent, but you
ignored me!”
“Do not worry, wife! You have
made it quite clear with this betrayal
that your brain works deceptively
well!” He paused when she gasped
before continuing coldly. “You will be
kept here until I am ready to leave for
Morden. I will not punish you as I
wish because of you carry my heir!
Did you even think for a moment that
you could have injured yourself and
the baby with this scheme of yours?”
He paused at her surprised look. “Of
course you did not. You are soon to
be a mother, Jaisyn. It would not hurt
if you acted accordingly!”
He spun and was heading from the
chamber when she screamed, “How
dare you? I have not betrayed you! I
would have betrayed Malcolm had I
depended on you to find it in your
heart to pardon him. You say that you
might have pardoned him? We are
talking about his life, Vulcan!
Might
is
too probable a word when it comes to
someone’s life!” She paused to survey
his reaction. He stood still. His eyes
stared coldly at her. “And am I to be
kept a prisoner in my own home? Am
I to be held as I was in Sulan, with
guards outside my door, with no
access to fresh air? And you are a fool
if you think that I did not think of my
child! Unless I was attacked by one of
your soldiers, there was hardly any
danger to my child!”
He turned and stepped closer to her,
his eyes blazing down at her. “You
will be allowed a walk daily, but will
be heavily escorted. You will take
your meals here. I have no wish to see
you
anytime
soon!
Is
that
understood?”
“Perfectly,
liege
!” she snapped and
turned her back to him. Vulcan
resisted the urge to spin her around
and make her face him. His hands
clenched and unclenched at his sides
as he turned and headed for the door.
Stepping
from
the
room,
he
motioned for the guard to lock it and
turned to Varian. Finding his brother,
he told him what he’d told Jaisyn, that
she was to be guarded at all times,
that she would take her meals in her
chambers, was to have no visitors, a
daily walk no more than two hours.
He was heading back to his room
when Varian fell into step beside him.
“What will happen when you return
to Morden?” he asked easily.
Vulcan seemed on the verge of
dismissing him but he sighed and ran a
hand
through
his
hair
instead.
“Honestly, brother. I do not know.”
Varian nodded. “Perhaps it would
be better if the queen were allowed to
take her meals with you, brother.”
Grunting, Vulcan’s reply was quick
and filled with anger, “No, I won’t
reward her for going against my
wishes. She has to understand that I
am king to her queen
if this marriage
is to work. Is that all?”
***
Varian
was
wise
enough
to
understand a dismissal. He nodded
and quickened his step. His brother
needed time then perhaps, he and his
wife would start understanding each
other. Vulcan disliked having his
authority questioned; Jaisyn disliked
having to listen to opinions that did not
agree with hers. They would either
find a way to compromise, or they
would drive each other to insanity, or
worse. He hoped for the former.
***
Jaisyn had been in her chambers for
three days before she was notified that
they were to leave for Morden. She’d
been given the news by Varian, who
was, as usual, calm and polite. She
thanked him and watched as he left,
wondering how two brothers could be
so different. Vulcan was all passion;
Varian all control. At least Varian
seemed relaxed most of the time while
his temper-throwing brother was too
thick-headed
and
arrogant
to
understand something as simple as
love. He probably couldn’t conceive
that she loved him, probably didn’t
understand what love meant, and
certainly didn’t return it.
She sighed. Vulcan saw her as
something to be controlled, something
to be gentled, like a wild falcon. He
did not wish to hear her ideas, would
not listen to her reason. Why had
Lyria allowed her to fall for such a
man? Why not Malcolm, who had
loved her since they were young?
Who would have gladly listened to
her, respected her ideas despite her
womanhood? Why had she not fallen
for him? If she had, she would have
left this place that was now controlled
by Vulcan of Morden, would not have
felt the heartache as days passed and
he still did not come to check on her,
even to hear of the well-being of his
child.
Her hands went down to her belly
and she caressed it lightly. A small
smile touched her lips as she
remembered that she was never alone.
This child was always with her. She
was about two and half months along,
and mercifully, the vomiting and
nausea had subsided. If she had warm
milk the night before, the sickness
would not come in the morning. She
leaned back against the soft pillows of
her bed and stared at the small
windows. It was bright outside and
rays of sunlight speared into her room.
She had not yet gone for her walk and
anxious to do so.
Three days of being cooped in a
place, no matter how luxurious, with
only a two-hour margin for walking
outside, left one looking forward to
those walks. Jaisyn relaxed further
and wondered if she would be
confined to her chambers in Morden
as well. Had she not been punished
enough for going against him? Would
he be so cruel to the woman who
found it hard to hate him, despite
these transgressions?
***
The Northlands,
Morden
Their party arrived in the cold
kingdom that was Morden exactly
twelve days later. A soft sheet of
white covered the grounds and Jaisyn
looked from carriage and knew that
this was snow.
She’d never seen it before but her
tutors had instructed her on the
different weathers of the different
kingdoms. In the carriage with her