But Tiernan wasn"t waking her and setting her aside for propriety sake. He had decided she would be his bride after all.
The hefty guard"s bushy dark brown brows knit in a frown as he carried a torch in one hand, a bowl of slush in the other. He looked as though this job was just as disagreeable as the slop he would feed to the prisoner. The torchlight wavered as he approached the other man"s cell, not even looking Tiernan and Ritasia"s way. Then again, there really was no reason for the guard to do so. No one was supposed to be in the cell anyway.
He shoved the torch in an iron holder. Then tapped the bowl against the bars of the cell.
“Halaren, do you want to break yer fast or no", man?”
Tiernan suspected then that the prisoner must be an early riser usually, but with asking questions of Tiernan half the night, he"d worn himself out.
The man opened one bleary eye. Then both. His hair as crumpled as his brown clothes, he quickly sat up as if suddenly remembering his conversation with the king that night. Then his gaze shifted to Tiernan"s as if he worried he might not be there, and he"d missed all the entertainment when the man and the princess had been discovered.
Tiernan gave him a smug smile.
The prisoner shouted, “Goddess save us! Did ye no" see the man with the princess?
Holding her hostage all night, he was!”
The guard growled at the prisoner. “Ye no" be getting out of yer cell, feigning ye gone mad!”
“Nay. Over there.” The prisoner motioned to Tiernan, offering a bigger smile now. “He"s locked her into the cell with him.”
The guard refused to look and passed the bowl of green slop through a slot in the iron door. “Eat or no". Ain"t my belly that"ll go aching for it.”
But despite acting as though he wouldn"t look, the guard did as he turned around to amble off. “By the gods,” the man growled, and came at the cell door, pulling out a dagger sheathed at his belt. “Unhand the princess, ye devil.”
“You must address me as lord, my good man, as I am King Tiernan of the hawk fae kingdom. Princess Ritasia will be my wife. But for now…she sleeps.”
The guard already had his keys out before the king finished speaking and stared slack-jawed at him through the bars of the cell.
“She"s been missing. I heard tell ye had vanished as well.”
“Aye and we"re back as you can see. Only Duke Tully clamped me in fae iron and the princess was drugged and was only able to transport us here to this cell. I called out last night, but your friend there warned us that you wouldn"t be visiting the dungeon in the middle of the night.”
The guard quickly bowed and resheathed his weapon. “A thousand pardons, my lord. I"ll get the shackle off ye, and I must tell the queen at once and…”
“If you just release us from the cell, that would be much appreciated.”
“Aye, aye, of course, my lord.”
But after the man unlocked the cell, he did remove the iron manacle from the king"s ankle. “I"ll let the queen know we have returned,” Tiernan said.
“Aye, my lord.” The guard stroked his scruffy dark chin whiskers and looked like he thought he was in dire trouble.
He would be, once the queen learned the king had hollered to be released and no one came to free him and her daughter. If a sick prisoner had called for help, he could have died before aid was given. And though the prisoner was a prisoner, he didn"t look like he would be in here permanently. More as punishment for attempting to steal from the dig site and a warning to others to take heed.
King Tiernan had thought to walk up the stairs to the second floor of the keep where the great hall was so that he would not startle too many of the dark fae, but it would take longer than he wished. He transported a sleeping Ritasia to the great hall and found it filled with courtiers breaking their fast that morning, hearing bits and pieces of conversation on how everyone wanted to put Duke Tully and his band in a deep grave and bury them forever, or drown him in the sea, or throw them in the dungeon and destroy the key.
But as soon as one pair of eyes saw him standing in the entryway carrying the princess, all eyes turned to see them and conversation instantly ceased.
The queen rose shakily and shrieked, “How did you…what has happened? Ritasia!”
Tiernan strode toward the dais. “Duke Tully"s maid gave her a healing and sleeping draught to help heal her broken arm. But I believe the number of times she transported us to the wrong locations because she was so disoriented had something to do with wearing her out.
Unfortunately, I was wearing an iron manacle and could not use fae travel to bring us here.”
“Take her to her chambers,” the queen hastily commanded two of her knights.
When the one took her from Tiernan, he hated to give her up, and gave the knight a look to take care with the lady. Two maids followed the men out of the hall.
She motioned to the physician to check the princess out also.
“Come, eat with us, my lord,” the queen said, looking and sounding stricken still, her face pale, dark circles beneath her eyes. “And tell us everything. We knew Duke Tully had taken you both hostage, and I sent a messenger to the dragon fae king demanding your release, but—”
Tiernan wished to bathe first and change into fresh clothes, but the queen seemed so distraught, he had to speak with her about what had happened first.
But not about everything. Not how long they had been alone in the tunnels, nor of what they had discovered. He still had to destroy the medallion and ring.
When he sat beside the queen at the table, Prince Deveron was glowering at him.
Probably because he knew he had been with his sister alone for hours.
“I"m ready to decide on a betrothal agreement,” King Tiernan said, to put any gossip to rest. “I want Ritasia to be my wife.”
Chapter 8
The queen looked so surprised that King Tiernan would wish Ritasia as his bride, he wondered why. But then again, maybe it was because she didn"t think he could see the princess as his queen, not after what had happened both at the dinner the night before and the fiasco at the digs. “We have to have Ritasia"s agreement in this,” Deveron said to his mother in a demanding tone. “You"ve always said she has the final say.”
His mother waived her hand dismissively at the prince. “Because of the circumstances which are beyond our control, the king has every right to ask for her hand, and I accept his offer wholeheartedly.”
“But, my lady mother…,” Prince Deveron objected, still sounding fierce.
Tiernan liked Deveron. He was glad Ritasia had a brother who was so protective of her.
He would welcome Deveron"s visit to the hawk fae kingdom anytime.
“She won"t object,” Tiernan said, attempting to assure him that Ritasia would be willing to agree to the plan. At least he hoped she would be. He had every intention of making Ritasia his wife and ensuring she was happy. She would be his bride.
Mayhap he was a bit of a tyrant like his father after all.
“I must see Ritasia,” Deveron said.
His mother opened her mouth to speak, and Tiernan thought she was going to object. He quickly said, “Please give Ritasia my best regards, Prince Deveron. And…” He paused, then pulled the princess"s boots from where they were still tucked under his belt.
Deveron did not lessen his glower as he glanced at his sister"s boots, yet when he met the king"s gaze, a hint of dark admiration appeared in his eyes. And then Deveron took the boots, bowed to both his mother and the king, and vanished.
“Was it wise of you to permit my son to see her?” the queen asked wryly. “He might try to unduly influence her.”
Tiernan cast her a knowing smile. “I wish to have the prince on my side. He would be a true friend and ally. He will see that I had caused no harm to come to the princess.”
“And if she doesn"t wish to wed you?”
Tiernan thought about that for a brief second. Then shook his head. “I believe her greatest fear w
ill be to live so far away from her home. And she knows nothing of my people. With your permission, I will take her home with me and if she is agreeable to wed, we will send word.”
Queen Irenis smiled. “"Tis a deal.”
If only he could get Ritasia to go with him in the first place. Despite wanting Deveron"s friendship as he could see how close brother and sister were, he didn"t want Deveron"s interference should he not like that Tiernan was taking her so far away.
At one of the lower tables, his advisor caught his eye and bowed his head to him in greeting, his expression one of concern. The rest of his men also bowed their heads to him, acknowledging his safe return. He was glad they appeared well and had not been thrown in the dungeon when he and Ritasia had disappeared. But he saw their worried expressions, too. What would happen now if the princess did not agree to go with the tyrant king?
***
Deveron paced across Ritasia"s bedchambers as the physician announced her arm nearly healed, and her maid stood nearly plastered against the wall too far away to be any good to anyone.
Ritasia looked so pale and innocent and young. Too young to marry a king and move so far away. “Aye, but she is not awake. Wake her.”
“My lord?”
“Do it. Now. Her fate is at stake.”
The physician stroked his gray beard, shifting his worried gaze from Ritasia to Deveron.
“But, Prince Deveron, I do not know what drug they gave the princess. If I give her something else, it must be something to counteract it. But I do not know what would. Anything I might give her could worsen the effect.”
“All right,” Deveron conceded, hating to. “What about the rest of her?”
“The rest of her, my lord?”
“She is still…” Deveron frowned. “Forget it. I will ask my sister when she wakes. If she ever wakes. Are you sure it"s not something like when the winged fae, Princess Serena, drugged my cousin, Niall?”
“I would not know for certain. And if it was, then Duke Tully"s healer would have to give Princess Ritasia the antidote.”
“All right. You may go.”
“Yes, my lord.” The physician looked enormously relieved and hurried out of the bedchambers.
Two knights guarded the door as if they were needed now, and Ritasia"s maid, Melissina, stood quietly, holding up the wall with her back, wringing her hands.
“What is the matter with you?” Deveron snapped. He still couldn"t believe the hawk king had led his sister astray, they had been lost in the ancient tunnels, then he allowed them both to be captured by Duke Tully"s men. If the hawk king wished his sister as his wife, he would have to take better care of her! “The princess is here, safe and sound and—”
“She was having a nightmare about the unseelie. They tried to come for her and the king.”
Deveron stared at the blue-eyed, middle-aged blonde, not believing she was usually given to flights of hysteria over another"s dreams, then he dismissed her concern. “It was just the effect of the drug. Leave us.”
“But the queen said I was not to leave the princess"s side.”
“I"m seeing my sister and she needs no chaperone. Unlike last night,” he growled, despite knowing that it wasn"t Melissina"s fault as the queen herself had ordered that she not accompany the princess in the gardens while she walked with the king.
Which his sister did not do! She should have had three maids with her at all times. And a guard or two!
“Aye, my lord. I"m sorry, my lord.” Melissina quickly curtsied, but before she could flee the room, Deveron said, “Better prepare yourself for a trip.”
Her eyes widened. Before she got the wrong impression and thought she was being dismissed from court, he quickly added, “It seems Ritasia will be seeing the hawk fae kingdom.
And you will accompany her at all times while she is there.”
Melissina fainted dead away.
***
Ritasia woke to the sound of birds chirping outside her chamber and the fragrance of fresh roses from the royal greenhouse scenting the air next to her bed, momentarily disoriented.
The last place she vaguely remembered being was the dungeon with Tiernan, her sleep disturbed by the fae who had tried to steal the queen"s comb from the digs.
She glanced at the flowers and saw Deveron sitting in a chair nearby, studying her, his brows knit tightly in a worry frown. As soon as he caught her eye, he rose from the chair and moved to the bed. “Are you all right?” he asked in a rush.
She loved her brother and was glad to see him worrying over her, but she wanted to see the king. Was he all right?
“Oh, aye.” She sat up in bed and Deveron hurried to move pillows behind her back as if he was a well-trained lady"s maid, something she"d never seen him do. “Thank you.” She frowned. “Where is King Tiernan?”
“Breaking his fast and making marriage arrangements with Mother for your hand in marriage.” He sounded annoyed, but observed her to see her reaction as if wanting to know which way he should view this—as good news or bad.
Ritasia"s mouth gaped wide, then she clamped her lips shut. So he wanted her, did he?
Without asking her? Or at least mentioning it to her first?
She touched her injured arm, but it appeared to be properly healed, and she felt no more pain.
“What happened last night? The whole story,” Deveron insisted.
She explained everything except about the medallion and ring. She vaguely remembered being so drugged she barely could recall seeing the unseelie fae or the feeling of terror she had experienced when she couldn"t quickly move Tiernan and her somewhere safe. And then he"d removed the medallion and ring from her person and…they had to be destroyed!
What had he done with them? Where was he now?
“Ritasia, what are you not telling me?” her brother asked, his dark brows still furrowed.
She shook her head. Had her mother known of the artifacts and wanted them so she could enter the unseelie world?
“Was he a gentleman?” Deveron persisted.
Then, she saw how he was ready to take up the sword against Tiernan. She quickly said,
“Aye, always. He only had my safety and comfort in mind, at all times.”
Deveron studied her for a moment, then nodded as if he believed her. “Why does he want to marry you then?”
Ritasia scowled at her brother. “Probably because he finds me witty and charming and irresistible.”
Deveron snorted.
“Well, you don"t have to marry me. Thank the goddess.”
“Do you wish to go?”
She didn"t say anything for a long time. She"d always been close to her brother. At times inseparable. But they"d changed. He wanted to be with Alicia now. She needed someone to love of her own.
Yes, she wanted to go and see for herself all there was to see of the hawk fae kingdom.
She wanted to see how his people would treat her and how he treated them. If he truly was a tyrant, she wouldn"t marry him. But she really would miss her mother, Deveron, his betrothed, Alicia, and her cousins if she chose to marry Tiernan.
“Ritasia?”
“Aye, I do. But it does not mean I will marry him for sure.”
Deveron took a deep settling breath.
She smiled.
“Do you truly care for him?”
“Aye.” She didn"t hesitate to answer her brother then. With her, Tiernan was protective and gentle, demanding, but only in as much as he wanted to keep her safe. And they had an unspoken secret between them that they needed to resolve right away.
“Just as you care for Alicia, I care for Tiernan.”
Deveron didn"t say anything, but he looked as though he was coming to terms with this.
“Will you join us for the rest of the meal, then?”
She shook her head. “I want a bath first. If you could have something brought up for me to eat, I will be forever grateful.”
“Aye, so be it.” Looking much less pensive then when she had
first seen him, Deveron kissed her cheek, then left her alone.
After bathing in soothing lavender-scented water, she barely had time to dress in a burgundy gown, wanting to show Tiernan she could look like a lady when she was of a mind to do so, when her mother stalked into her bedchamber. She knew she would get a scolding.
Her mother"s eyes were narrowed, but dark circles shadowed them and so Ritasia imagined her mother had been more than worried about her last night. Ritasia opened her mouth to offer an apology as she had not had any intention of scaring her mother like that.
“I meant for you to see the king at various social activities where you could get to know each other in a courtly and honorable way. I did not expect this of you, young lady.”
“This” meaning going to the digs at night unchaperoned with the king.
Ritasia wanted to say that anyone could go to the gardens on a date, but going to the digs showed just how… noble the king could be to allow her to do as she pleased when she was certain he didn"t wholly like the idea.
“Aye, my lady mother,” she said instead.
“Your brother told me that you are agreeable to accompanying the king to his kingdom, which is good because after what you pulled, you would be going no matter what.”
Ritasia didn"t believe her mother would really send her if she cried and fussed and begged her not to.
When Ritasia didn"t respond quickly enough, her mother said, “You are agreeable, are you not?”
Glad to know her mother still had Ritasia"s best interests at heart, Ritasia smiled. “Of course, my lady mother. I"m curious about his kingdom.”
The queen sighed.
“But if he treats his people cruelly or me, even, I will say no to the marriage arrangement.”
Her mother nodded. “As you wish, daughter. Is your arm really all right?”