Page 29 of Boundless
"Maleom, my lady. Do you prefer Princess or Daega?"
"Vitrin's mercy,pleasecall me Daega. This ‘princess’ nonsense is driving me mad."
Maleom laughed, a dry, wheezing thing that was nonetheless genuine. "I rather like you, Daega," he confessed as he led them from the council chambers towards the dining hall. "You are open and straightforward in a way few are any more around here." He sighed, his eyes going unfocused. "When Her Grace the queen was still alive it was a different matter; she kept everyone on their toes, demanded authenticity and encouraged community. It was tragic, losing her."
She nodded. "Aye, I've heard naught but good things of the late queen," she agreed, recalling the way Len lit up whenever he talked about his mother. "I can only hope that when the time comes I can do half as good a job as she did."
Maleom patted her arm. "Of course you will. I think you and the queen would have gotten along swimmingly. The prince's affection for you is all the proof I need."
Daega tensed, fighting hard to keep her face neutral. "Affection? What makes you say that, Maleom?" She winced at how obvious she sounded.Well, looks like my future in subterfuge will be short-lived.
But the older man only laughed, elbowing her gently. "Relax, Daega. Most see what they want to see, and they want to see their crown prince upholding the old ways. The old...prejudices."
They arrived at the dining hall, Daega watching the elf carefully. "And you don't?"
He shook his head, his drooping earlobes wriggling with the force of the movement. "No, dear girl, I don't. I'm exhausted of tradition. I want to see my people grow and change. And I think you and your husband are the ones to do it."
He led them to a pair of empty seats at the far end of the high table, where they'd be able to talk with a little privacy without being far enough away to be suspicious. "So then why've you gotten me alone, Maleom? Are you fixing to conspire with me?"
He laughed again, slapping his knee through his heavy black robes. "By the gods, you are direct, aren't you? It's so refreshing. No, I merely wanted to make my presence known. To offer you my support in whatever ways a frail old coot possibly can."
They fell silent as they were served, Daega turning over the whole strange situation in her mind. Was it possible that this Maleom was telling the truth? Was it possible that he meant what he said and reallydidmean to try to help them? It would be wonderful to have another friendly face to turn to in this inhospitable viper's nest, but who was to say that this wasn't a ruse?
"You don't hold any bitterness towards my people left over from the war?" she asked quietly, spearing him with a hard look. "Many find that they can't call the monsters who brutalized their loved ones ‘friend’ all that easily."
Maleom nodded, a bitter twist of his lips trying to pass for a smile. "I spent some of my youth in the army. Saw a handful of battles. It was...dark and brutal, what I saw. But the hardest thing I learned during that time was that we areall of uspeople, and just as many Istarii Drakan wept over their dead as we did."
Maleom leaned in closer, his voice a rough rasp when he next spoke—inDraka. "There was one battle. Cold. Wet. Lots dead on both sides. There was woman. Beautiful. But her leg...not beautiful. Leg sick, but she lived. So I...I took her. Found cave, did what I could. She taught me Draka. Was very good friend. I had to take her leg, and once she was better she went home and I saw her never again."
A stiff breeze would have knocked Daega over in that moment. She shook herself, darting a glance around to see if anyone was nearby and listening. "Aren't you just full of surprises?" she murmured in Common. "I want to believe you Maleom, I want to trust you. But you have to admit that it's not wise to trust blindly."
He nodded, smiling sadly. "Of course, dear," he said, also in Common. "And I wouldn't expect you to. I just wanted to introduce myself and beg you and the prince to be careful. Your ruse is an excellent idea; certainly keep that up. It is up tometo earn your trust in this."
"How did you know we don't actually hate each other?" she asked, cocking a brow at him.
He laughed, cloudy blue eyes crinkling. "It's in the eyes, my lady. There's times when you look at each other that the love shines free. But as I said, most are not likely to notice when the scene playing out before them looks how they expect on the surface."
"Butyounoticed."
"I did," he nodded, smiling sadly. "But I'm a bit of an anomaly.I truly want to see peace between our people, to honor the memory of a dear friend lost to war," he finished in Draka.
"What was her name, the woman you cared for?" Daega asked softly.
"Yollyn," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. "In some ways you remind me of her. Strong. Warm. Looking at enemy with kindness. With...love."
Maleom went quiet, and Daega let him have his silence, giving him a chance to live his past and yank himself back to the present on his own. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and caught her in a sad smile. "Be most careful around the king. I do not think he means to see your marriage…be long"
She nodded, the last scraps of her appetite fleeing. She knew that, of course, but it was no comfort to hear it from someone else.
"I will protect the prince with every drop of blood in my veins," she vowed in Common, deciding Maleom had earned that much, at least.
He patted her forearm. "Let us hope it does not come to that."
"DEAREST, I THINKwe might have another friend," she announced once they were finally alone in their room after dinner. "How much do you know of Maleom? On the council."
Len spat his tooth cleaner into the sink, frowning in thought. "Not much. He's b-been on the council since my father was a boy. Veteran. Tends t-to be one of the more egalit-t-tarian and reasonable of the bunch. Why?"
She shot him a glance out of the corner of her eye as she oiled her horns. "Because he and I had amostinteresting conversation at noonmeal. Seems he means to aid us and has figured out we're sweet on each other.Andhe approves."
