Page 79 of Of Blood & Bone: The Young Queen

“I apologise, Queen Elinor, I shouldn't have let my anger get the better of me,” he says in a voice shaking with emotion.

I reach out and place my hand on his shoulder. “It’s fine, Aaran,” I assure him. “I understand your anger and frustration. I can’t imagine the horror of witnessing the princess and the infant prince being killed before your eyes. I promise you, vengeance will be yours and the prince’s and Barra’s.”

He turns and looks at me, clouds of confusion in his eyes. “But how? You refuse to even let me go in pursuit of this bastard.”

I smile and caress his cheek with the palm of my hand. “There’s no need to pursue him, as he will return to the castle in the next few days. Bates has a message to deliver to Greythorne on my behalf and it’s important he do so. However, I have it on good authority Greythorne already makes for Valensia. I believe he may have it in mind to arrive by surprise and force me to marry him sooner than the full moon.”

He allows himself a small smile. “Greythorne is coming? And this blackhearted bastard will be with him?”

I nod. “Yes, and believe me when I tell you, neither of them will be leaving. The only one getting a surprise will be Greythorne, and Bates is all yours. You and Barra may do with him as you wish.”

“So, you don’t yet intend to tell the prince of his brother’s hand in the death of his family?” he asks.

“I’m afraid that is something I will have to judge very carefully. I feel the prince was much healed prior to the incident the other night, and being in Valensia is good for him. That he has certain triggers can be in no doubt, and I fear hearing of his brother’s betrayal too soon would cause him to break down again and retreat too far into himself, or leave for Ellerban, putting him in great danger. However, I worry he may hear of Prince Mikil’s ascension to the throne from other sources and figure things out for himself.”

He doesn’t respond and is silent, choosing simply to look into my eyes, as if looking for something there. Then, I see it, the moment recognition flares in his eyes and he finds what it is he has been looking for. He places his hands on my shoulders and in a voice weighed down with emotion he finally speaks. “The prince may have suffered a great loss, Queen Elinor, but he is lucky to have you. As you care for him, know that I am here for you always, for we are bound together as much by destiny as you and he.” Then he places his lips on mine in an exquisite kiss which is all too short as he pulls away. “I shall do as you command, my Queen.”

He starts to walk away and I reach out to stop him. “Thank you, Aaran,” I say, my voice a raw husk. “Tonight I am meeting with Kes and the Khaleeni captains to discuss my plans for Greythorne and his collaborators. I intend for the prince to be there and would ask that you and Barra also attend.”

He nods. “We will be there, my Queen.” He smiles, makes a small bow and turns to walk away.

I watch him go, wondering at his comment about us being tied by destiny and at the same time knowing in my soul he is right.

Chapter Twenty-Six

I waken in the delicious embrace of the prince’s arms and look at the amazing view as the early morning sunlight gently brings the mountain landscape to life. Giant pines and cedar trees shake off the shadow of the night and their frost-tipped foliage sparkles in response to the sun’s kiss. The gentle babble of the nearby stream provides wonderful background music to the dawn chorus of birds happily chirping their morning greetings to each other. The prince sighs happily into my shoulder and I’m filled with the sense of peace I always get when I come here.

The Lodge was built by my father and was ostensibly a hunting lodge where he and his hunting parties would reside when on a royal hunt. However, in the latter years of his life it became more of a sanctuary to him from the pressures and politics of royal life and he increasingly came here alone. I accompanied him on a number of occasions and was always struck at how the sharp edges fell away from him within hours of being here. After a few days at The Lodge he would invariably return to the castle a much more relaxed and renewed man. It was only after his death I came to truly value it as a place of renewal for myself.

I’ve spent the past two days in meetings, either with the Khaleeni, my army Commanders or the Grand Council and by the end I was drained and wound tight in knots of apprehension for all that is to come. In the midst of it all, Greythorne arrived at the gates of Valensia and is reported to have been consumed with rage at being blocked from entry and told he will only beallowed entry this evening for the Grand Banquet, along with all the other lords.

The Grand Banquet. I feel a twinge of apprehension at the mere thought of it, but I also smile to myself at the plans I have for my enemies, those who dared to plot against me and wish to see me brought down. Greythorne and his collaborators think I’m going to announce him as my betrothed and my king, believing I have no other choice. They’re in for a surprise. A very big surprise.

A deer walks by the window followed by a young fawn and I smile as they stop to look at me and the prince, their brown eyes wide and curious. Then they move on, seemingly unimpressed and I chuckle quietly to myself at how little we mean to them. I was right to drop everything late yesterday afternoon and come here. It has done me good and I feel it has also brought further healing to the prince.

“They looked at us as if we were a pair of curiosities,” he laughs into my shoulder. “It matters not a whit to them that you are their queen.”

“I think a much higher power than I is their Queen,” I reply, as I feel the touch of his lips on my flesh.

“Indeed,” he agrees, “and to us all.”

I turn to look at him and am struck at how peaceful his eyes look this morning, as if some of his torment has abated. “Thank you for bringing me here,” he says in a quiet voice. “It’s a peaceful place I find calming to my soul.”

Happiness bubbles up within me as this was the main purpose of my visit here. “You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear that, Ronan,” I say, a slight wobble of emotion in my voice, “and I want you to know this place is at your disposal any time. Should you feel you need to get away or find your suffering becoming too hard to bear, then please come here. I promise you will be left in peace. I will make sure you are supplied with foodand drink and Barra and Aaran will be the only ones allowed to check on you. Please don’t expose yourself to the elements again. I would prefer you have some comforts to see you through your pain, especially now winter is nearly upon us.”

He is silent as he tenderly strokes my cheek before taking a deep breath, almost as if he is steadying himself, then he closes his eyes and when he opens them he smiles a watery smile. “I thank the Goddess for whatever moment of madness inspired you to come and find me, Elinor, and whilst I hope I don’t suffer another breakdown, I promise you I will come to this place should I need to find peace and restitution.”

He seals his promise with a kiss and a pang of guilt sits like a dark shadow on my heart as the knowledge of his brother’s betrayal, and how I must eventually reveal it to him, weighs on me like a dark storm.

“I also promise, at all other times, I will be the best husband and king to you that I can be. However, I will ask you to do one thing…” His voice fades away, as if he’s not sure how to ask me this thing that seems so important to him.

“What is it?” I enquire. “What is this one thing you would ask of me, Ronan?”

He balances himself on his elbow and with a most earnest expression on his face asks me to do something I’m not sure I can. “I want you to declare Aaran and Barra your consorts.”

I sit up, shocked at his suggestion. It’s one thing for him to accept my attraction to his fellow Ellerban and even encourage sexual relations, but to ask that I declare them my consorts… I don’t know what he is thinking and I don’t even know if this is something I can do.

“Ronan…” I start to respond, not even sure what I intend to say but he cuts me off.

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