Chapter 14

The Duke and Duchess of Renee caused a stir.

Vasari was throwing the Summer Ball. They had deliberately arrived late, and when they were announced, Vasari’s head had snapped up. She went pale as if she was staring at ghosts. One of her consorts had to steady her when she swayed.

Mark had picked her out instantly, and the look in his eyes was not one that Vasari would soon forget. He was back, and he wasn’t planning on putting up with any of her games. The fact he had Jean on his arm and Janet on his other side, said it all.

He had become untouchable. She’d heard rumours that Janet had a new manager, but her spies couldn’t access the grounds of her estate, and if they tried to bribe anyone, the spy found they were unable to enter the gates of the estate. She had guessed that Janet’s property had the same spells on it the Guild Halls had on them.

Her spies had found getting any information out of anyone in Reno about the new manager was near imposable. However, they did know that a lot of money had been spent in the Renee province. Buildings and streets were being repaired. They had a new wing on the hospital and a new shelter for those needing assistance while they found new jobs and/or homes.

The schools also seemed to have had work done on them and new equipment for the teachers and students had appeared from some benevolent patron. Many of the businesses seemed to be thriving, and fewer people were out of work. New housing was being built in Reno and even some in the other towns.

There had been no deaths caused by the aracnzi either. However, their silk production had been going ahead, and the orders Vasari had with them were being filled. Vasari had suspected Mark had picked that Province because he hadn’t saved Jean. But she now knew that wasn’t true.

They were standing in front of her, large as life and healthy to boot. They slowly made their way to her. Janet stopping them often, to introduce them to someone she felt they should know. It was considered rude to be late to one of Vasari’s affairs and even more so not to hurry to her to apologise.

The fact that Mark had ignored her after the first look infuriated Vasari. He seemed in no hurry to get to her, as if she was no more important than anyone else was in the room. She was seething by the time he did face her. He smiled at her with his lips but not his eyes.

“My dear Vasari, so good to see you are in excellent health,” he started. “I’m delighted to say that your great-granddaughter is also well. She has recovered her health and lovely figure after her childbirth, much faster than one would expect, since she gave birth to twins.”

Vasari was ready to blast him for his lack of respect for not using her title in public, and not coming straight to her, but she had to gasp instead at his announcement, “Twins?”

“Yes, Sammy is the elder, and I’m sure Davy was holding onto her foot so that I pulled him out right behind his sister. They are two months or ten weeks old if you prefer. Both are thriving,” Mark smiled at her.

“They are such little dears, your Majesty,” Janet cooed. “Jean is a far more patient and loving mother than I ever was. I have handed Mark my title and estates, but Jean still insists that she is a mother first and a Duchess second, since Mark prefers being called the Duke.”

“My only problem is trying to wrestle one of the little darlings from Mark or Jean. Mark made theses cute little carry harnesses, and they like to pop the kids in them and cart them off with them. I feel blessed when I’m entrusted with them.”

Vasari’s blinked at the gush of words from Janet. The only real information rattling around in her head was that Mark had done as he promised. “You had one of each, so I have my heir. You will bring her to me tomorrow,” Vasari demanded.

“No, it doesn’t work like that. I have completed the contract, and I produced a child of your lineage with the person you, yourself selected. Our agreement has been met. I never said you would get to keep my child. Do you think your other Duchesses would like to hear that you have demanded my child to keep so that you can control me, Your Majesty?”

He slid a ring off of his little finger and handed it to Vasari. There were several gasps from the people near her. She was shocked, as he shouldn’t have been able to remove it and those people near them knew this. She had thought him dead because when she had tried to call him back, he hadn’t come to her the way the ring was supposed to work.

“I am a fully functioning Shifter, while I use the male title and Jean the female, I can assure you that under the laws of this country I am entitled to the rights of a female Shifter just as Davy will be, even though we were born in male form. We will meet tomorrow, and you will hand over my daughters. Lord Renita will accompany me to attest that the children are mine.”

With that, he bowed slightly and then turned and walked away from her with his wife and mother-in-law. To the amazement of all, they sauntered out of the ballroom. They didn’t look back and didn’t return even when Vasari shouted at Mark to come back.

Vasari stormed out of the ballroom. Normally that signalled the end of the night but the gossip was too delicious and the night was but young. Many of the patrons knew who Mark and Jean were. They all knew that wearing the ring that he had, was Vasari’s way of saying you had been bought and was hers. He had handed it back.

Vasari found ways to wiggle out of her contracts and keep people under her power, but she hadn’t succeeded with the man from a different planet. Several discussions were centred on the glow that came from him and Jean, and a lot of speculations were made at how powerful they truly were.

The fact he could change gender caused more debates as they dredged up what the laws did say. Vasari was also deeply concerned by his last announcements. She had her servants and her scholars scurrying around trying to find out if what he said was true and why he believed that he could claim his daughters.

It was a long night for many and not good news for Vasari.

The Queen was in her consulting room with four of her legal experts when six new people appeared.

The shock of this alone frightened her and them. To her knowledge, she was the only person other than Renita, who could blink in and out of her palace. She knew that Mark had not previously been able to do this. The fact that he now could was terrifying.

“Good morning, Queen Vasari,” Mark said cheerfully. “I’m not sure if you have met Guild Lord Palene and her apprentice, Nathan. I am however sure you do know Guild Lord Renita and her apprentice Gralin and of course, my spouse, Jean.”

He looked at the scholars and then at Renita with a question. She nodded at him. “Mages Terrill and Botham have worked with the Queen for many years to ensure any new laws don’t contravene Guild Laws. Lady Rothberg and Sir Penrith are also well-respected members of the Judiciary. They will make reliable witnesses.”

“Excellent, the more, the merrier,” Mark said, and he happily joined the legal people at the large table they had been sitting at.

The others that came with him grinned and found chairs. Mark was looking over all of the books spread out on the table. “Ooh, I’ve not seen that one,” he said and happily reached for it. He looked at Mage Terrill, “Is this from your collection?”

“Yes, your Lordship,” Terrill replied, surprised.

“Mark is fine, please. We are all friends here,” he said offhandedly as his eyes skimmed through the book. “Ah, this is an old book. Ooh, here’s one that hasn’t been copied into any of the new editions.” He read out, “It is considered impolite to arrive late at a Queen’s function. The Queen can banish the offenders from attending her next two formal gatherings.”

He chuckled. “So sorry, Vasari, but I guess I’m not banished as the Law wasn’t rewritten into the latest copies, making it void. That is how your laws work isn’t it?” he asked with an innocent air that they all knew was fake.

“You wretch, how could you possibly know about that law?” Vasari asked him. She was amazed despite herself.

“Tut, tut, Vassy, you know I have a voracious appetite for knowledge and forget nothing I have learned,” Mark subtly reminded her and used the pet name he had given her before she had shown her true colours.

“Yes, I remember testing you on things when you first came here. You could reiterate every question that I had asked you, and what answer you gave me the first time,” Mage Botham said before Vasari could respond.

“It is an annoying habit,” Vasari griped.

“But a very useful one. Do you accept that I am free?” Mark asked her in a mild voice.

Vasari swallowed bile, and spat out, “Yes. You can only return the ring if you meet the conditions of the contract. Everyone knows that, and you did it publicly, to humiliate me.”

“No, I did it publicly to ensure you honoured it,” Mark replied in in the same mild voice.

“What! Are you questioning my honour? I’m a Queen and have been one for three hundred and fifty years,” she yelled at him as she leapt to her feet.

“If you’re so honourable, why do you have people who still wear your rings after making simple deals with you many years before?” Renita asked.

“Because they have failed to meet the conditions set,” Vasari ground out.

“Ah, so because you didn’t give them all the facts and knew that the deal was bent in your favour, then it wasn’t your fault that they didn’t, so you have dealt with them honourably,” Jean stated as if everyone should understand that is how you conducted business.

“He made the deal,” Vasari spat back.

“Yes I did, and despite the stacked deck, I also honoured it, didn’t I Vasari?” Mark intoned.

“What is a stacked deck?” Terrill wanted to know.

“I’ll teach you how to play Poker, one day,” Mark said with a grin.

“Don’t!” the rest of the wizards said together and then laughed.

Vasari looked at them. Something was very odd about all of them. She couldn’t help herself, she got up and walked around to Mark and touched him. He let her and Mark thought at her, ‘Yes Vassy, I am not what you thought I was. When dealing with cheaters, one has to play the game their way.’

She gasped and stepped back from him, “No, no, you were not that powerful when you came here,” she mumbled shaking her head.

“No he wasn’t, but he is now, and we are because of him,” Renita told her.