Milady’s Wiles             by: Brandy Dewinter, with the invaluable assistance of P.J. Wright

 

Chapter 19 - Vinegar and Honey

My delay at the balcony had caused me to be the last to arrive in the dining hall. Just before I entered, I heard Julia’s crystal laughter spill out. My heart lurched once again and it was with sick certainty that I knew I would find her in Elgion’s company.

And so it was. My place was vacant at the table but that didn’t seem to bother Julia, nor even Lyonidas for that matter. When the ser-vant pulled my chair out (and how often had Lyonidas done that instead?) I sat quietly. Some instinct made me look up to see Mother’s frown, but I just couldn’t work up any cheer right then.

"I trust there were no serious problems that delayed you," Lyonidas said.

"No," I sighed, "I only stayed overlong watching the sunset."

I was gratified to see a moment of guilt on his face. But before he could reply, Elgion spoke up.

"Highness, if you are going to arrive late, you should use the occa-sion for a grand entrance, not slip to your seat like a quiet mouse."

"I don’t believe I have ever been likened to a mouse before," I said stiffly, then found sadness rather than humor in my voice when I tried to make a small joke. "Perhaps my cat will stop enjoying my company."

The silent ‘too’ echoed at the end of that statement.

Lyonidas again looked guilty and I felt additional sinful pleasure in his discomfort. However, any excuse he might have made was again forestalled by Elgion’s quick words.

"Ah, yes, the infamous cats of the women of your family. Has Lyonidas told you of his mother’s cat?"

He was not interested in any answer though, continuing immediately. "Her cat is blacker than midnight and I swear they talk to each other, though not with words."

Julia inserted herself into his stream of chatter, "Her cat is more grey than black, but they do seem to have a closeness. Of course, she spoils it rotten."

Elgion looked at Julia with a grin that I found infuriating, "And what do you spoil, Milady?"

"A girl has to have some secrets," she grinned in return, "but you need not worry. It is not possible for me to spoil you."

"And why not?" he replied, though in his tone he made it clear he was knowingly giving her the opportunity her comment implied.

"Why, because it has already been done, of course," she giggled.

"I am not the one dressed like a dandy of this gentle country," Elgion snickered in response.

"No, you are the one dressed in shapeless, colorless rags," Julia snorted.

He protested, "But these clothes are quite proper for High Canyon."

Julia looked around the dining hall, as though seeing it for the first time, "Goodness, I didn’t know we were in High Canyon."

"No, and it appears there is little of High Canyon left in those who have been here for a while," he observed.

This brought a growl from Lyonidas, "Careful, sword brother, you go too far."

I decided to try some sort of positive contribution for a change and made a peacemaker’s offer, "Perhaps, Elgion, if you tried an outfit more like Milord Regent is wearing, you would find it comfortable, too."

"Good idea," Queen Selay seconded. "I’ll have something made for you right away."

Now Elgion was in the position of accepting or being rude, so he merely nodded. Then his humor returned as he looked once again to Julia, "I must admit, the brighter colors of Achaiea are most pleasant to the eye."

"What colors most suit your fancy?" asked Julia, shamelessly fishing for compliments.

Which she received as Elgion answered, "I have become partial to bright copper, and crystalline emerald green."

At least that tart had the grace to blush at his comment. Queen Selay stepped into the silence with a question.

"Count Elgion, what was the condition of the roads between here and High Canyon?"

"For the most part, in good condition," he answered. "I must admit you Achaieans do a good job of building roads. The high passes in the mountains between here and High Canyon are still very difficult. But once you are on the plains the only problems are with swollen rivers."

"Then perhaps, Milord Regent," she continued, now speaking to Lyoni-das, "you would consider beginning the spring inspections. You might remember the case of Samuel the farmer, who stole his neighbor’s ram? He has petitioned for release from his servitude on the basis of skills learned over the winter. If he has indeed learned to be a more effective farmer, the evidence will be found on his farm. We should also inspect the irrigation project in that area."

With that trigger Lyonidas launched into an enthusiastic explanation to Elgion of the benefits of restitution over punishment in justice. Elgion relaxed into his seat with a smile but I saw a look of surprise behind his always-laughing eyes.

"Goodness, Lyonidas, it seems more than clothes have changed about you," Elgion said when Lyonidas finally ran down.

"Perhaps," Lyonidas answered with a grin of his own. He next launched into stories about the many interesting challenges he had faced during his tenure as regent. His reports were not as glibly entertaining as Elgion’s tales but it was clear that his enthusiasm was honest, not only for the technology we possessed but also for the intelligence of the people who had developed it.

I noticed though, that he made no mention of Reynal in all his com-ments. The ex-general was too important a personage to be ignored so I assumed he had covered that situation with Elgion in private during the day.

As the meal was drawing to a close, Elgion slid his chair back and stood up, "With your permission, Majesty, I think I will go enjoy the evening air. I am somewhat unused to being indoors after my long jour-ney. The stars are calling to me."

Queen Selay nodded but her eyes flickered toward Julia. She needed no additional direction and was already signaling a servant to withdraw her own chair.

"You could easily get lost in this old rockpile," she explained.

"Perhaps you could use some help finding a suitable vantage point."

It was a good thing I was leaning a bit forward in my seat, for with the backwards motion of Elgion and Julia, all eyes but mine were looking behind me. They did not then see the tears that filled my eyes as the one who had promised me her heart, and accepted mine in return, threw herself at the dashing intruder. I managed to cover up my distress by fiddling with a bit of bread and by the time they had left the hall I was merely quiet.

I felt more than saw Mother’s look of concern but it was Lyonidas who next required my attention.

"My Princess, perhaps some of this fresh spring air would be of value to us as well."

I nodded without words and let him pull my chair back. My soft hand slipped into his large one as naturally as it had done a dozen times before. Yet I still said nothing. He respected my silence as he escor-ted me to the balcony I had once considered ours. When I leaned against the surrounding ledge, he moved to stand behind me.

"You are very quiet this evening," he declared the obvious.

I merely nodded, still looking outward.

"Will you tell me what is bothering you?" asked my tall companion.

No, I thought to myself, for that would undo everything. What lie could I use in its place? The thought that leaped into my mind full-fleshed carried with it the realization that it was not truly a lie, for it had much too much basis in truth.

My voice was barely more than a whisper. "I missed you at sunset."

"Oh," he dismissed the problem, or so he thought, "Elgion and I were just catching up on things."

"That is what I expected," I said, still barely louder than the sigh of wind through the eaves.

"Then what is the problem?" he asked, confusion in his voice.

"That is the problem," I answered, though I knew it would not reduce his confusion.

Actually, I was wrong. He said nothing for a moment, but when he spoke again it was clear he had worked out at least part of what was troubling me.

Wrapping his arms around my armored waist, he said with softness of his own, "My Princess, do not worry. Though I owe my sword brother my life many times over, time spent with him will not make me lose my enjoyment of sunsets on our balcony."

Sometimes, the easiest way to mislead is to accept a statement that is the truth without being the whole truth. I said nothing as I leaned back into his embrace. We watched the stars in companionable silence for a while, still comfortable in each other’s company.

I should have turned to look at him. If I had done so, I would not have seen the flicker of motion at another balcony, one that had on ano-ther occasion held a High Canyon noble and an unfaithful Achaiean maiden. One that had witnessed the murder of Olrin at Drayson’s hands. One that this time held Elgion and Julia.

They were too far away for us to hear their words but the pure tones of Julia’s laughter carried all too clearly. Each note seemed like a dagger in my heart but the silence that followed was much, much worse.

I could see that they were facing each other.

I could see his hand reach out and insinuate itself within her soft waves of dark copper. That was too much and I gasped at the sight.

"What is wrong?" Lyonidas asked.

His attention, returned from the stars to look at me, followed my gaze to the other balcony. He laughed as he saw Elgion take shameless liberties with Julia’s hair.

"What is wrong?" he asked again, though this time there was laughter in his question. He turned me to face him without releasing me from the surrounding prison of his arms.

"He has his hands in her unbound hair!" I hissed in shock.

"You mean like this?" Lyonidas asked as his own hand worked its way into my golden cape.

"It is wrong," I gasped, weakly.

His response was so soft that I had to lift my face to his in order to hear, "For them, or for us?"

The gentle embrace of his arms tightened enough to lift me to my toes even as his own head bowed lower. The sensual magic his fingers worked whenever they caressed my hair pulled my eyes closed and pulled my perceptions inward to a world that had no space for cares beyond our own balcony. The soft touch of his lips provided a path for all the intense emotions that had been tearing at me since Elgion had arrived and I poured my heart into our kiss, grasping desperately at the linkage to another in a world that had become incredibly lonely within the space of barely more than a day.

It was impossible to feel lonely when his lips were crushing mine.

I put my arms around his neck so that I could pull myself even closer to him, molding my curves to his strength. My own fingers danced within the hair that guarded his collar and I forgot myself for a moment. For the first time I let my tongue sneak out in an invitation to a more intimate dance that I had previously only shared with Julia. At first I felt him stiffen, then I felt his lips open to my invitation.

It seemed he knew this dance. If not the same dance as Julia had taught me, then a cousin close enough to find a compatible theme. I had once thought there could be no touch more sensual than the feel of his hands in my hair, then learned to my joy that his lips were even more captivating. Now, we shared a touch that made all previous to-getherness seem as distant as hails across a wide chasm.

The whipsaw of emotions that had weighed on my heart had made me more vulnerable than I knew, for the release that poured out through our kiss swept me along into passion that I was not able to control, stealing my breath away as thoroughly as my once-tight corset had done. My last thought as I felt darkness closing in on me was a more fervent wish than ever that I could be released from my steel guardian, so that I could press my unbound softness into the more natural hardness that had arisen between us.

My next sensations were strangely familiar. I felt strong arms sup-porting me with a rhythmic pulse as I bounced slightly with each step Lyonidas took down the staircase. Since I found my arms still draped around his neck, I added my own hold to the bond between us and whispered in his ear, "Do you want to go back?"

He was so surprised at my brazen invitation that he almost dropped me and I clutched at his neck in real need. Then he laughed and let my feet swing to the steps.

"You haven’t had that particular problem for a while," he snickered.

"Maybe we just needed the starlight," I giggled.

"No, I don’t think you need anything more than the passion that lives within your soft . . ." and he ran down in embarrassment.

Instead of saying any more, he turned to continue down the stairs. I could see the flush gradually recede from his neck. After a moment or two he asked a question that lit a flame in my cheeks so bright made the very torches of the stairway seem dull.

"Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

"Like what?" I stammered in a wasted stall.

"You know what I mean," he gave me no relief.

What could I say? I had no reasonable answer. My fiery blush was answer enough that I knew what he was talking about, but revealing my relationship with Julia was just not possible. My panicked mind searched fruitlessly for an answer that would be at once believable and safe, when Lyonidas provided one that met those needs, though it did nothing for my embarrassment.

"Did Julia show you how to do that?"

I had merely thought my cheeks were aflame before. The unerring accuracy of his guess brought so much heat to my face that I feared my hair would catch fire. It was an answer that allowed no denial, and again I was at a loss for words.

"I just wondered," he mused gently. "In High Canyon, it is rumored that younger maidens often ask those with a little more, um, experience for, uh, instruction in how to be pleasing to men. It seemed reasonable that Julia might have instructed you."

"You’re not disappointed in me?" I asked in surprise.

"Goodness, no!" he laughed. "I’m flattered, actually, that you would want to learn more, um, effective techniques for me."

"You did learn them for me, didn’t you?" he asked gently.

"Oh, Lyonidas, there are no other men in my life, nor will there ever be," at least this was the truth. For once.

The next morning I arrived early at the stables. Julia came down shortly after I did. We looked at each other, but didn’t say anything. Who was most embarrassed? Who had most reason to be embarrassed? She had only done what her duty required of her while I knew that I had lost control completely. I had forgotten her! I had initiated a further intimacy with Lyonidas myself, far beyond any excuse from duty. For long moments I had no world beyond the arms, and the lips, and even the tongue of Lyonidas. Surely nothing she did could be worse than that. Since I had betrayed her so badly, I knew that it was up to me to offer an apology, but it was hard to find anything to say that would not make my actions sound shameless and cheap. Yet, for the love and honor she had showed me, I owed her no less.

"Julia, I . ." "Cherysse, I’m . . ." we interrupted each other.

I was about to speak again, but she put a slender finger to my lips and made me wait.

"My darling, I’m sorry for what happened last night. I did more than duty required of me. I found that the arms of a strong man have an attraction I had forgotten. It was a passing fancy, but I surrendered to it. I kissed him, eagerly, when the opportunity arose. This was not the same as Strane. That made me feel cheap. This made me feel, well, won-derful. It is only today that I feel cheap. Please forgive me."

"My love," I whispered, "there is nothing to forgive. I have sur-rendered many times to those urges, more so than you. Instead, I must beg your forgiveness. Last night when I saw Elgion holding you I, um, gave myself more fully to Lyonidas than before. I, uh, well, I kissed him like you have kissed me."

"How?"

"I, oh Julia I’m so sorry! I let my tongue become part of my kiss."

The blush that lit her face seemed most strange to me, for a moment, then an insight that had the ring of truth raised itself in my mind.

"You did the same!" but I said it with a grin, such a weight off my shoulders from my own guilt that no jealousy could pull me down.

She nodded, her cheeks as bright as her hair. I embraced her and giggled into her ear with a further whispered revelation.

"He asked me where I learned to kiss like that. Then he guessed that you had taught me!"

"No!" she giggled in her turn.

"Yes," I confirmed. "Apparently the girls of High Canyon give each other lessons in love. He was flattered that I cared enough to learn!"

"Just like a man, to assume that all we do is focused on pleasing them!" she snickered.

Then she whispered in my ear as we still held each other, "So, did you learn anything from Lyonidas?"

My answer was a demonstration. I might not have learned anything new, but even the "old" knowledge I had gained from Julia was magical, and wonderful, and . . .

"Ahem," we heard a soft voice. A masculine voice. It caused us to jump from each other’s arms.

Hugh of Sandars stood there. His face screwed up into the most interesting combination of amusement and pleasure and concern and embar-rassment I had ever seen. Of course, the individual emotions he dis-played were not particularly dramatic. I knew the embarrassment on my face, for example, made that on his seem subtle. Still the array as a whole as quite surprising in our staid Chamberlain.

"Highness, Milady, it would be a good idea to be more, um, discreet until Lyonidas is gone and your betrothal is announced."

"You know about that, too?" Julia gasped.

"Who do you think told Amy?" he replied archly, then continued. "The men of High Canyon will be here shortly. Perhaps you should use the time to remember your risks rather than celebrate your hopes."

We both nodded demurely, suitably chastened. It was well that he had interrupted us, for no sooner had we accepted our just scolding than Lyonidas and Elgion appeared. I was pleased to see that Elgion wore an outfit in the Achaiean style, though not as richly embroidered as the one Lyonidas wore. In a few moments we were mounted and clattering through the entryway to Stalwart Guard.

Since there was still a chance for bad weather, the outing was only expected to take a few hours with a break for lunch. Our first stop was the farm where Samuel lived. We found it in surprisingly good shape, considering how close on the heels of winter our inspection was con-ducted.

Samuel now had his own small pond, dammed with an ingenious little floating roller that kept the level quite controlled. At this time in the spring there was a goodly amount of water spilling down the water-course, but it was clear that as the spring runoff slackened his floating roller would lower itself to retain a higher portion of the water in his pond.

"Your Highness, Lord Regent," Samuel said with a polite nod of his head as he removed his cap.

"Good day, Samuel," I smiled in return. He blushed like I had just offered a great compliment, but I saw pride in his face as well.

"I see you have your own small lake now," I offered him an opportu-nity to explain.

"Yes, Highness, Harris helped me to build it."

"But I thought you were to help Harris," Lyonidas challenged the man.

"Oh, I did, Milord. We built a roller dam for his pond first. But it was my design, so he helped me build one here, too."

"Your design?" now Elgion interjected a question.

"Yes, um, Milord?" Samuel replied, uncertain as to Elgion’s rank in his compromise clothing. An Achaiean would have displayed formal coat of arms information on his tunic, yet Elgion’s was almost bare.

"This is Count Elgion," I answered quickly, then urged him to con-tinue, "but his question is a good one. Did you design this?"

"Yes, Highness, over the long winter, I just got to thinking about the shape of the pond that I wanted, and worried that it would vary too much with different rainfall."

"Why didn’t you just use a spillway?" I asked.

"A spillway?" Lyonidas interrupted the answer.

"Yes, a low spot in the dam that would allow water to flow away if it got too high," I replied, beginning to get irritated at the constant interruptions.

"Well, Highness, this little stream has a good flow most of the time and building the dam wall while the water was flowing would be hard. The stream would always be flowing over the spillway, too, which would lead to erosion at the key point. This way I could build the dam while the water still flowed, and then lower the roller into position. If the ground underneath erodes some, the roller will adjust."

"And you worked all that out yourself?" Lyonidas demanded with a tone that implied disbelief.

"Oh, no, Milord. Harris explained about the flow of the stream and all. But in the long winter, when the ground was too frozen to dig any-way, I thought up how to use the floating roller. We tried it on his pond first, like I said."

Samuel stammered a little now, somewhat guiltily, "Actually, Milord, I am not as good as Harris at actual building yet, but I have been able to come up with some ideas on what to build that seem to work well. Harris helps me with the actual construction. Or, maybe I should say that I help Harris with the actual construction."

"In either event, I think it is a good thing our Lord Regent decided not to have you executed after all," I smiled.

"You see, Elgion?" Lyonidas chortled in self-congratulation, "I told you that restitution is better than punishment."

"Indeed. If the common men of Achaiea are able to do such diverse things, it is a wonder that we ever conquered them."

Julia bristled at that statement, and almost snarled at Elgion, "The people of Achaiea have not been conquered, only our army is defeated."

I was worried for a moment that she would go further into our most basic secret, that while our army was defeated, we were nonetheless even then in the middle of a plot to recover our kingdom. But before she said any more, Elgion laughed.

"Your pardon, Milady, it is clear that the fire in the hearts of Achaieans has not been extinguished."

Then he leaned over and whispered loudly enough that it was clear he intended us all to hear, "And the fire in your eyes when you are angry is a breathtakingly beautiful window to your heart."

"See that you don’t burn yourself on the flames," she answered, but the smile that had replaced the anger in her eyes made her rejection into an invitation instead.

My tension at their blatant flirtation transmitted itself to my horse and it shifted around nervously for a moment. Julia flashed me a look as angry as she had earlier fired at Elgion, thinking that I had made my mount move deliberately. I tried to let her know with a look that it had been an accident but Lyonidas interrupted yet again with a laugh at my unease and a turn of his own horse back to the roadway.

As we rode off, he called over his shoulder, "Samuel, if Harris will agree that you have met the demands of the judgment, you may consider it fulfilled."

Samuel nodded, and sort of bowed, and clutched his cap, and looked at the dam, and was probably going through yet more signs of pleased ner-vousness when we lost sight of him around his cottage.

"How did you know about a spillway?" Elgion asked me as we rode along.

"She knows about all sorts of things like that," Lyonidas answered for me, and I felt a pride in his pride that carried a complex undercur-rent of shame. I should want Julia’s pride in me, not his, but as God is my witness, I wanted his approval. I then had to listen while Lyoni-das recounted all the stories of the simple things I had recognized in our previous inspection tours.

It was soon time for lunch in our little outing and once again some of the peasant families had offered fresh, hot bread. We added a few things from the provisions we had brought and made a meal beside a gently babbling stream. Blankets had been spread for us to sit on, though to my dismay Julia’s had been spread some distance from mine.

My dismay was well-founded, for I could not refuse as Lyonidas joined me which left Elgion to escort Julia. They sat together much too closely for propriety, leaving me only a most disquieting combination of silence while they whispered together, punctuated by carols of bright laughter as they shared some joyful notion.

"It would almost appear you are jealous of Julia," Lyonidas chided me, but I could hear a note of concern in his voice.

"Hmm? No, not at all!" I denied, and once again a kernel of truth gave force to my claim. It was not Julia who excited pains of jealousy within me, but Elgion.

Lyonidas nodded in acceptance of my declaration. It didn’t matter, though, because it was soon clear he intended to return my focus to him, regardless of what distraction had drawn it away.

His large, strong hand reached out to an errant lock of captured sunshine from my golden tresses and brushed it clear of my face. His fingers didn’t stop there, though. They continued their polite motion into much more dangerous territory, a simple assistance transforming into a twining caress that lifted my heart into my throat and caused my breath to hold itself for a long, delicious moment.

"My Cherysse, you need not be jealous of anyone," he claimed, even as the irresistibly gentle pull of his hand in my hair worked once again to draw my eyes closed.

I felt my cheek drift over to compress his thick wrist against my shoulder, trapping his hand in a thrall no more compelling than his hand captured my senses.

We were interrupted by the sound of a slap and a quick rustle of skirts. Julia had stood up and was walking toward her horse.

"What did I do wrong?" Elgion asked plaintively.

"Just because we have begun to get to know each other in private, does not give you license to claim me publicly, yet," she yelled back over her shoulder.

"Yet?" he seized on the word with a laugh.

It caused her to break her stride, but the look she threw back over her shoulder failed miserably if her intent was to discourage him.

 

(continued in Part 20)

 

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Milady's Wiles © 1998 by Brandy Dewinter. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.