Fay Tale - Chapter Seven
The royal carriage slowed to a stop at the inner keep of the castle. Two of the royal guard swung down from their position at back and front of the carriage while the two who rode beside it dismounted and handed their horses off to the grooms. Out of the original ten only these four remained—six having stayed behind in the city to guard the princess and royal advisor.
With a gesture the captain of the royal guard indicated her fellow guardswoman should inform the king of their safe arrival. Inwardly she sighed at the task but simply nodded and stepped up to the carriage door. She rapped sharply before opening it and poking her head inside.
“Your pardon, Majesty, but we have arrived.”
Anand’s eyes snapped open but the guardswoman had already retreated from the carriage. All the royal guard knew the king had a habit of dozing off in the carriage no matter how short the journey, but it was better to pretend otherwise. The king tended to wake up irritable unless Bremen was around to charm him out of it.
Deprived of anyone to snap at, Anand simply sighed. He was tired and the short nap only emphasized that. He pushed back the dark hair that had drifted into his face before getting to his feet. His weak leg buckled and only a quick grab for the seat saved him. Anand breathed in sharply at the throbbing that followed but forced himself back to his feet. When the pain was manageable, he readjusted his robes then opened the carriage door and began to step down.
A swirl of smoke appeared beside him. Perhaps it was instinct, perhaps a certain scent, but Anand sensed the attack and tilted his head just enough so that the claws sailed harmlessly by and sank instead into the wood of the carriage door. Then Seris landed beside the carriage.
Green eyes met blue as the crown prince and king of Eirendyr stared each other down. The four royal guards reacted belatedly, surrounding the two in an instant. Neither royal moved.
“Seris,” the king acknowledged, knowing without looking that courtiers were beginning to gather. Dogs hoping for a kill.
The prince hovered less than a span away, his eyes slit with powerful emotion. Judging by the swipe he’d just taken at the king, Anand presumed it was not a positive one.
“You nearly got her killed,” Seris growled quietly, fangs peeking around his lips.
“I presume you refer to the princess.”
Wood groaned as claws dug deeper into the carriage doorframe. The royal guard tensed but still refused to act, knowing the vampire could slit the king’s throat before they were able to pierce his heart.
“Where is my daughter, Anand?”
“At the dockside,” the king replied with apparent calm. “But that is not your true question for I am certain you already know somewhat of her location by your bond.”
Seris ripped the door right off the carriage.
“Her life was in danger!”
“So are the lives of all upon the ship every time we go to deliver the tribute.”
“A ship which almost sank!”
“A dozen sank the first time I approached Scylla with the offer of tribute. We lost no lives this day.”
“You said it was safe,” the vampire snarled.
“I said she would come to no harm,” the king returned. “And she has not. She is not here with me now only because she wished to continue learning about the ships. I saw no reason to forbid her additional knowledge and so she awaits your arrival while Bremen oversees her education. I am certain you do not need the location of the house to find her.”
The vampire snarled then disappeared into a cloud of smoke, letting the door that he had been holding clatter to the cobblestones. The royal guard whirled but the Seris was already far into the sky, flapping furiously in bat form toward the city. The king finished stepping down to the ground.
“Your Majesty shall we-” the captain began, but Anand cut her off with a shake of his head.
He signaled for them all to break up the crowd that had gathered. Nobles were herded gently—for the most part—out of the way as the king strode slowly into the castle. Anand sighed inwardly. He had hoped for at least a quarter-mark to rest his leg but that was not to be.
“Gather the court for a session. Reschedule my meeting with the Water and Sanitation engineers for tomorrow morning.”
“Yes Your Majesty.”
Two royal guards broke off to inform the heralds and courtiers about the change in schedule while the remaining two formed up close around the king. They were feeling understandably over-protective since they had been unable to stop neither Scylla nor Seris from approaching him. Anand felt a momentary twinge of longing for Bremen’s healing purr and overly vocal support. Then he brushed the urge aside as he strode into the throne room.
It was mostly empty. The greater number of his nobles were off pursuing whatever passed for their entertainment, while the courtiers had dispersed to their duties about the castle. Those that remained bowed as he passed then did their best to hurry without the appearance of it to get everything in order for the impromptu session.
It is better for them to complain and scramble over this than to give them time to consider what the death of their king might mean either by Scylla or their prince heir.
Anand settled into the throne with an instinctive glance at the cushion. Bremen had not had time to shed on it today.
“Bring me the first order of business,” he said aloud.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The nearest courtier announced the first supplicants and the remnants of the crowd that had lingered to see if the king might order a severe punishment over the prince’s aggression were forced to stay for the resulting court session.