Page 42 of Ties of Dust

“That makes two of us.” He kept his voice low. “Come on.” He gestured to her. “Walk beside me.” He saw her hesitate, and he pinned her with a long-suffering look. “Please don’t be difficult, I’m too tired to argue with you.”

She seemed to be fighting a smile as she moved forward to walk beside him as instructed. The halls became quiet as they moved away from the dining hall, where the activity of the castle was focused.

“Who is Sir Keavling?” Flora asked. “And why is he spouting nonsense about the history of our region?”

Cassius made an appreciative noise, glad once again of his request that she speak freely when they were alone. Her plain speaking was a balm to his soul.

“I don’t know the why, but I doubt it’s an innocuous reason. As for who he is, he’s a recent addition to my father’s court. Some months ago, he came into a title when his uncle died.”

“His uncle was a nobleman?”

“Yes,” said Cassius. “His holdings are far from the capital, and he’d never come to court that I’m aware of. His sister was Sir Keavling’s mother. She married an untitled man from the continent and her family cut her off, with the result that Sir Keavling spent a considerable part of his life outside of the Peninsula. As a result, my father takes hisperspective on matters pertaining to the continent very seriously. He has rapidly become a favored advisor on certain matters.”

“I suppose he was able to prove his claim to the title?” Flora asked.

Cassius nodded. “He had extensive documentation. He speaks as though he is Carrackian, but…”

She frowned. “But you question his loyalty. I don’t blame you. Still, whichever side of the border he’s from, he has no excuse not to know the history of the region. The division between the Peninsula and the kingdoms of the continent has nothing to do with how primitive or otherwise our kingdoms are. It has to do with the war we fought two centuries ago over sea-based trade routes. Carrack is considered part of the Peninsula because it allied itself with the Peninsula kingdoms and fought alongside them, rather than with the continent.”

Cassius nodded his agreement. “And I have no doubt Sir Keavling knows it. If the inhabitants of the continent consider us barbarians, it’s an attitude they’ve adopted because it conveniently matches their existing prejudice. The question isn’t whether he knows he’s speaking nonsense. It’s what his purpose is in rewriting the history.”

Flora shook her head. “I think I’m beginning to understand why you were eager to seal an alliance with Siqual.” She sent him a quick glance. “Why youareeager, I mean.”

Cassius gave no reply, uncomfortable with his own conflicting thoughts on the marriage alliance he’d fought so hard to orchestrate. They’d reached the royal wing, and would soon be within earshot of the guards standing at attention outside his door.

“Good night, Flora. I hope you can get the rest your body must be craving.”

She gave him a smile that was a hint rueful. “Put it this way—I’m glad I’m not on duty overnight, because I have a feeling I’m going to sleep like the dead until sunrise.”

Cassius chuckled, his own thoughts echoing the sentiment. He lingered to watch her slip through the doorway into her receiving room, then turned to one of his guards.

“Go to the kitchens at once, and request that a hearty meal be brought to her room as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” The guard bowed, then moved off.

Cassius cast one more glance at Flora’s door before closing himself into the sanctuary of his own suite at last.

Cassius woke to a servant pulling back his curtains. Sunlight streamed in, showing it was well past dawn. It wasn’t like him to sleep late. He hadn’t so much as dreamed all night long.

“Good morning, Your Highness.” His personal valet bustled into the room, his expression proclaiming his disapproval of the prince’s slovenly morning. “Are you aware that there is a young woman dressed as a guard standing outside your door?”

Cassius sat upright, clearing the last fog of sleep from his mind with a flick of his hair. Flora was already up? Had anyone thought to feed her? Probably not, as they would assume she had the option of eating in the servants’ hall.

“I wonder how long she’s been standing there,” he said aloud, feeling guilty over his extended sleep.

“I asked the same question, Your Highness, and she said she has been in position for two hours.” The valet sniffed.

Cassius felt irritation swirl. His valet was painfullyloyal, but it wasn’t the first time he’d had reason to resent the older man’s tendency toward being interfering.

“Why were you interrogating her?” he demanded, as he pushed himself out of bed and crossed the room.

The valet’s arched eyebrow conveyed a perfect blend of confusion and offense.

“Interrogating, Your Highness? Certainly not. It’s my role to see to your needs and your wellbeing. I would consider myself remiss if I failed to disperse loiterers about your door.”

Cassius didn’t reply immediately. A servant had just filled his basin with clear, warm water, and he took his time in washing his face, then splashing some over his bare chest. He would have preferred to have time for a full wash, but he didn’t want Flora to be kept waiting even longer.

“It is not your role to oversee my guards,” he said at last, his voice muffled by the towel with which he was vigorously rubbing his face and hair. “I’ll thank you to stay out of it.”

---