Page 19 of The Poison of the Earth
The room’s one wall is covered in bookshelves, minus the stone fireplace and the door leading to my bedroom. The books upon them... well, I’d feel like a heel if I had saved or even purchased them myself. However, they came from Fae across our realm, in fear that they would be taken and burned if found in their homes. Or from Fae who saved a precious few books in their terrified flee from their own home when it was under attack. They trusted me,us, to keep them safe. And that thought filled me with tenderness and drive.
I will do this. I will end this tyrant’s rule.
Both opposite walls are mostly window, the bottom ones large and rectangular, above which are narrow, slender ones. One wall faces the village but the other, has a small balcony overlooking the forest. Allie slowly steps forwards, to look out at the village.
She stands silently a long while. I stay back, letting her look as I stare at her frame limned in evening light, taking a furtive joy at seeing her in my space.
“Wow,” she finally says as she turns to look at me, “I didn’t realize Thistle Grove was this large.”
I smile at her, ecstatic yet again to meet her eyes, “We’ve grown into a reasonable sized settlement. Most of the folks who live within our walls are related to my Guards, in some way or form. That means we have plenty of Fae with varying skills: a smithy, a tavern with a brewer, multiple tailors, and so on.”
I am proud of what we’ve become. I am slow to trust, slow to take on a new guard and their family, so my trust in our townsfolk is solid. I suppose such is the benefits of a decades-long overthrow. Misery’s Militia is strong, and the soldiers I keep at Thistle Grove are tight knit.
Allie’s wide eyes are now scanning my shelves. She quickly crosses to the wall, and her hand raises, finger entended along the spines of the books, though, I notice with a proud satisfaction, not touching the often-delicate texts.
“Commander, these are incredible!” She paces quickly down the wall, eyes darting from one shelf to the next, trying to take in all the books.
I grin at her joy. “Most were gifted into my safe keeping.”
She pauses and turns. “Safe-keeping?”
Nodding, I answer, “The war. King Alder loves to burn books. Rather indiscriminately.”
A sorrowful look crosses her sweet face and I take several steps towards her. And as though she senses it, I can see her body tense. Tighten, almost as if in fear.
The idea that she is afraid of me hurts enough that I barely suppress a groan. I cough, forcing myself straight.
“Come, let’s have a drink. I have some questions for you, Allie.”
She turns away, eyes back on the books. I pace towards a lower shelf that holds a small dry bar.
“I have Cook’s hard cider from last harvest, or wine from the South,” I offer.
Allie’s head jerks towards me and I see something in her eyes before it quickly disappears.
“Cook’s brew sounds amazing,” she says quietly. She lets out a little laugh, “I’m inclined to trust anything Cook has been involved in.”
I process that statement slowly as there seem to be a few layers to it. “I’m glad you are settling in, Allie. Do you enjoy kitchen work?” I cross to her, glass extended.
Her body stiffens again though she accepts the drink with a polite nod. “I enjoy Cook and Lu’s company. I don’t mind working. I suppose I’d say enjoy kitchen work.”
Again, I see something flare in those sparkling off-pink eyes of hers, though I cannot put my finger on what. I’m half tempted to drag Achlys here to tell me when Allie lies.Probably not the best way to win over a lover.
The fourth wall of my reception room is the angled roof and I have tucked two plush couches covered artfully with pillows and blankets. It’s my favorite place to read. And fuck Kai. I head that direction, placing my cider on the low table between the couches. I sit on one, hoping that she’ll come join me. I let her take her time as she walks the shelves.
“May... may I borrow some of these, my lord?” She looks over her shoulder, hand extended towards a book.
“Of course, Allie.”
She smiles at me, a genuine one and my heart sings. She gently removes the book and floats over, sitting on the other couch and placing the book in her lap.
“Thank you,” she says, one hand on the book as she leans forward to put her cider down. “What questions did you have for me, my lord?”
I struggle with disappointment.Straight to business?
I parry. “What book is that?”
She looks down, pretty cheeks pinking a bit. “A Wizard of Earthsea, by that human Ursula. I have read the second one, but I’ve never seen the first.”
