Page 19 of The Moon Blessed King
‘Breakfast in the great hall,’ she says. ‘The culinary crew want to test the timing for their dinner service later, so we’ll have the whole room just for family this time, but it truly is in the great hall this morning, and while I know youloveskipping meals to work, work, work, your presence is required.’ Elician spits out a few uncharitable comments, but she presses on. ‘Then we have the meeting with parliament…Adalei had these dropped off for you both in your chambers, in case you weren’t aware.’ She lays the clothes out on Cat’s desk.
‘I wasn’t,’ Elician concedes, pressing his hands to his face. Cat hunts down his gloves, pats down his hair. ‘I’ll meet you outside. Ten minutes, please!’
She whirls about and closes the door behind her. Lio stares straight ahead, not even bothering to try to peer into the room and see how things are going for himself. ‘How late of a night was it?’ she whispers to him.
‘Last shift said near dawn.’ She wonders if the whole of the King’sGuard knows just how unwell Elician has been since his return…She cannot help but wonder how they feel about Elician still choosing to marry the heir to Alelune anyway. It’s not the guards’ place to talk or spread rumours. Lio would have them flogged for even considering such a thing. But rumoursarespreading. And someone is doing the talking.
‘Haveyoutried getting through to him?’
‘Leave it, Fen,’ Lio replies.
‘You know what people are saying—’
‘Youtake care ofthem, andI’lltake care ofhim.’
‘Great job you’re doing so far,’ Fen mutters, cross and unthinking.
The rebuttal comes too fast to disarm. ‘One day, Princess,’ Lio says, not flinching or moving even an inch from his spot, ‘you’re going to push someone hard enough and get slapped right across that pretty mouth of yours. And when it happens? Not a single person will come to your defence because you’ll have alienated yourself from anyone who might have considered caring about you more than you ever deserved.’
‘I didn’t mean it like that,’ she snaps. ‘I wasn’t…I didn’t mean about what happened with Alelune, I just meant—’
‘Elician is my brother, Princess. Butyouhave never been my sister.’ It may as well have been a blow. She staggers back from the force of it, mouth straining to find words and excuses. ‘If you have issue with my conduct, you may discuss it with the King or his heir.’
‘That’s not—Lio, I didn’tmeanit like that. I’m sorry, I—’ The door to the King’s office opens. Cat is there, dressed in a fine blue jacket that brings out the green in his eyes. The circlet Adalei got for him is settled perfectly in place. He blinks at them both, a hiss sliding through his teeth seemingly more out of surprise than anything else. It’s been ages since Fen has heard him make that sound, but then Lio copies itexactly, and she feels more out of place when Cat’s attention snaps to him like a strike of lightning. Another hiss, another response.
‘All good?’ Elician asks from just behind his betrothed. He’s buttoning up the final clasps on his sleeves, and Fen’s stomach twists itself into knots as she waits for Lio to repeat the fatal words she just conveyed.
But Lio merely steps to one side and bows in a perfect manoeuvre that is so familiar it is rote. ‘Your Majesty.’ Cat’s frowning still, not moving from the door. Fen’s heart races. But Lio merely says: ‘Shall we?’ and takes one step back. Cat follows without comment. Elician shuts and locks the door behind them all and asks Fen for his calendar for the day. She barely manages to get the order straight in her head, too tongue-tied as she watches Cat watch Lio lead them away.
Breakfast is a family affair.
Queen Mother Calissia sits at the far end of the table, out of mourning clothes for the late king and equally out of contact with the rest of the group. Adalei provides quiet updates of matters of state around eggs and bread. Cat delicately cuts his meat into pieces and eats in slow bites, listening without speaking as is his wont, with Elician poking at the smallest portions of things as if willing the food to disappear is enough to make it happen on its own. Lio is on duty. It is not his place to eat with them, and he doesn’t move from behind Elician’s chair. Not even to cast a stray glance towards his beloved. Adalei equally pays him no mind.
It is torture.
Adalei will find out. Lio will definitely tell her as soon as they’re alone. Or he’ll tell Elician. Or maybe even Cat. Maybe he’s already told Cat. Fen can barely stomach her food. And there is so much of it. There’s always so much of it. Apologies and excuses burn the taste of every mouthful into ash on her tongue. She can’t stop looking at Lio, and Lio is duty bound to not even once look at her. She’s goingto be in so much trouble. And she deserves it. Shedeservesit. It was a needlessly cruel thing to say.
The table’s conversation does not mention Fen in the least, but rather the actual work Cat and Elician have been doing in that damnable office. Their sigil has been finalized, and Demaintain has sent word that she forwarded Cat’s letter, but she did not confirmwhoshe sent it to. Adalei seems to believe she sent it to Captain Partho and not Gillage, but there’s no certainty at all. ‘Let’s hope for the best in this case, and hope he’s receptive as well,’ Adalei says, lifting her glass in a gesture of good faith. She sips from it with an elegant poise that Fen has never managed to replicate. Adalei never says anything that she ever regrets. Shethinksbefore she speaks.
‘Were you fond of Captain Partho, when you knew him?’ Adalei asks Cat.
‘Yes,’ he replies. ‘I don’t remember much…but I think…I think he helped my father teach me how to use a sword.’
‘Helped your father teach you?’
‘My father’s knee kept him from doing certain positions or lasting long on the training ground. I remember…spending hours there. I must have spent that time with Partho, but…’ He shrugs. ‘I don’t rememberhimso much as the exercise.’
‘Well at least if he does come to your aid, we can expect the help of a good swordsman. You’ll need it.’ She is pleased with the arrangement Cat and Elician have made with Laure. But Fen doubts she’s ever going to be fully pleased with Elician’s decisions at this point.
‘Yes,’ this Cat says with confidence. ‘He was the best.’
‘Speaking of swords,’ Elician cuts in, tearing off a piece of bread and actually putting it in his mouth to chew. ‘Fenlia, where is yours?’
Hersword. Since returning to Himmelsheim, and on top of the other duties now expected of her, he has demanded she start practising swordplay again.You can be captured and hurt just as easily as anyone can, he insisted.Learn to defend yourself without your flames.Each lesson has felt like a distraction. They muddy her head, keeping herexhausted when she goes to her next lesson with Adalei or to stand in at court and greet members of parliament as they arrive from their many territories. There is so much more she can be doing, and theswordis useless.
‘It’s…not appropriate with court dress.’
‘Neither is your murder or kidnapping,’ Elician replies. He has his sword with him. Cat does as well. Even Adalei has a dagger on her. ‘Get it after the meal. Wear it. Do not go anywhere without it.’
