Taurin strode through the halls of the drafty keep, easily surpassing the courier that had fetched him from the training yard. He had seen the banners lining the entrance of the keep: his house, the Northern Keep, and that of the lady Allagash, his betrothed.
Please let them not try and marry us again, he thought, going past the courier to the Great Room. The last time was Lady Allagash’s excuse, that she had to take care of her matronly aunt, and then mourn her for a year at her passing. This time had to be his. Neither had agreed to marry the other, hoping that with the many excuses between them their parents would forget or change their minds as time passed.
It seemed that his father did not, as he walked into the Great Room to see the many members of his winter court gathered in the room. It smelled of wet fur and warm bodies. The men and women bowed their heads to him as he went down the stone floor to the pair of thrones that were at the end.
His father, a broad, tall, hulk of a man, his blond hair flowing freely from under his Lord’s headpiece, wore furs and armor unlike the rest of the ensemble of the court. His consort, the witch Vivian, stood at his left hand, her hand placed gently on the back of his chair, her other hand holding her staff of power loosely. Standing further down the dais and at his father’s left was the lady Allagash, daughter to the Lord Allagash and Lady Silver. A guard of the Lady Silver and a guard of the Lord Allagash stood behind her and to the side, and watched Taurin warily.
“Cassius, my son, called Taurin of the Northern Keep,” said his father solemnly, looking down at him.
He waited for the witch Vivian to step down from the dais and pronounce him and Allagash man and wife. He raised his eyes and got tunnel vision, seeing only his father’s countenance. It was angry, but not at him.
“The Blademaster has insulted me, insulted your sister and our hospitality, and taken something of ours which he can never return.”
He looked around the room. Marilyn, his sister, was no where to be found. She never missed court.
“What has he done, father?”
His father said, “He has killed your sister’s betrothed, Henry of Scottsdale.”
A collective gasp went around the room. Since his sister was not the heir of the Northern Keep, she could marry for love, and she had so loved Henry. To Taurin, he was too much of a wanderer, but Marilyn believed that once he was married, he’d be calmed down.
“Whyso, father?”
“It is said he invoked the Queen’s Blade before killing him.” A King’s Blade was an assassin who took coin and exacted punishment. A Queen’s Blade, and there was only one in the Realm, took a special coin and a heartfelt story before punishment. Once his – or her – punishment was completed, there was no retaliation. “I never should have hired him from Muirland.”
Vivian put a hand on his father’s shoulder. “My lord Arlik, he was the best blade in the competition, even if he was blind.”
“Devil’s magic,” murmured Arlik. “Magic from the demons of Muirland.” Arlik looked up at Taurin. “You, my son, will hunt down this coward and find out from him what exactly happened. Find out from him if he is truly no longer under Muir’s sway, or the power of his wife and daughters. Ask if he is the Queen’s Blade.”
“He will never attest to that, father,” said Taurin. “It is said that none of the Queen’s Blades will show their face.”
“You will find out. For I will not return to Henry’s family in disgrace.” Arlik was old fashioned, believing that what happened in his Keep was entirely his responsibility. “And then, bring the Blademaster back to me.”
Taurin bowed his head. He had just asked for the impossible, especially since he knew the Blademaster was a King’s Blade – he’d told them all that the first day. The King’s Blade could be on the run in the Realm for years.
Vivian stepped forward. Oh, no, here it comes…
“You will return here tomorrow at first light, and I shall send you to the place he was last seen. A place in the New Realm called Motor City.” She turned to the lady Allagash, and held out her hand to her. The lady took two steps and placed her hand in Vivian’s. Then Vivian reached for Taurin.
Oh, gods, no, please, not now…
Vivian looked down at the two and smiled, then joined their hands. “Spend your time together until you leave.”
Both of them let out a breath they had been holding. Both of them looked at each other and laughed a little, and then Taurin took the girl’s hand and led her out of court.
“That was close,” she murmured.
“Aye,” Taurin said, and dropped her hand.
“Shall we walk to a fireplace?”
The two walked, Taurin with his hands behind his back and the lady with her hands in front of her, folded into an ermine muff. “How many years until you leave the army?” she asked.
“One more year. I have asked for a four-year contract beyond that.”
“Our fathers won’t let you.”
He looked at her. “Maybe we can marry, and have a child, and not renew the contract after a year. Then you would be free to marry that man Francisco.”
She shook her head. “No one will marry someone with a child.”
“I will take the child. It would be my heir. I would acknowledge it.”
“My father will not allow that. He wants our lands joined.”
“Under him or under my father?”
She sighed. “Both have that in mind, Cassius.”
“Then I will marry your brother Nessus, and keep your child.”
She suddenly laughed. “Nessus is fourteen!”
“He will be of the age of Choosing in a year. He can join us here and I can take care of him.”
She stopped, turned, and, with a warm, tender hand, caressed Taurin’s cheek. “I love you as a brother, Cassius. I wish I could love you more.”
“I love you as a sister, Oriel of the Silver Mountains. I cannot love you more.”
“Is your heart with another man?”
“Not yet, but with the men of my league.”
“They are lucky men.”
“Francisco will be lucky.”
“You are too kind.” She blushed, withdrew her hand. “Go, say your goodbyes to your men.”
Taurin kissed her on the cheek, and went back through the keep, back outside to the training yard.
Within the crystal at the top of her staff, Vivian watched him go, a small smile on her face.