Chapter 25

It was morning before Denae stirred again. She blinked her eyes in the sunlight and wondered why no one had awakened her. She felt Jorgarn rouse beside her.

As always, he smiled at her as soon as he opened his eyes – as if he had been dreaming of her and awakened to find it was real.

The coverlet had fallen beneath her bared breasts. She felt no shame in presenting them to his inspection. There was no embarrassment in her gait as she got from the bed and walked nude toward his privacy chamber. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure he was watching before bending at the waist and retrieving the chemise that she had tossed casually aside the night before.

Her motion bared her womanly treasures to him but she felt no remorse.

"Do you find me depraved?" she wondered innocently when she turned to him after lowering the chemise down her body.

"Only deliciously so," Jorgarn replied with a smile.

Denae beamed at his clever answer. She was so happy with it that she was tempted to remove the under gown again and rejoin him in the bed.

"You need to dip in the tub again before anyone arrives," she cautioned. "I wiped us off last night but I can still smell my scent upon you."

"Some might say you've marked your territory," he offered. Denae couldn't stop herself from glancing at Jorgarn's midriff, which tented the coverlet invitingly.

"Some might but I'm certain your breakfast steward will not be happy about it," she replied. "So do your morning business and sit in the tub for a few minutes."

"Yes, Your Highness," Jorgarn said with a bow after he arose. The fact he wore no clothes – and his member bounced when he stood – caused Denae to giggle.

Jorgarn disappeared into the privacy chamber and Denae unlocked the door.

"Remember to keep your arm dry," she yelled as she opened the door and walked right in to an ashen-faced Bralan.

Bralan eyes traveled from the Princess' disheveled appearance, down to the slight garment she wore and to the gown – last night's gown – that she carried in her hands.

"Rayna sent me to awaken you," she said as tears formed in her eyes. "She said if you weren't in your chamber to check Jorgarn's."

She stood straight and composed herself before continuing.

"She wants you to know that you will share your morning meal with your father and then you are scheduled to spend the morning with him," she said softly. "You have your rescheduled appointment with Sativa Moret this afternoon."

Denae's heart went out the girl in front of her.

"Bralan, I'm sorry," she said. But Bralan was looking past the Princess. Jorgarn had exited the privacy chamber wearing only his lower clothing before seeing her and darting back inside.

Bralan was startled when Denae wrapped her in a warm hug.

"You were never supposed to find out this way," Denae said. "I planned to talk to you – to explain this to you – later today. I am so very sorry."

Bralan tried to resist as Denae pulled her into Jorgarn's chamber. She sat the girl on the bed before picking up Jorgarn's trousers and undershirt and opening the door to where he hid.

"Put these on and come out," she said with a sad look on her face. Jorgarn could tell she was feeling badly about what Bralan had learned and how she learned it, so he nodded. When he exited moments later, the two were sitting quietly, Bralan on the edge of his bed and Denae in a chair beside it.

"I was told to inspect your arm," Bralan said without emotion. Jorgarn smiled sadly at her before he sat in front of her and lifted the shirt he had just adorned off his body. Denae saw Bralan's eyes go immediately to the scars on Jorgarn's back.

"How did you get these?" she asked quietly as she covered her mouth in shock with one hand and gently traced the pattern with the other. Jorgarn looked down but Denae answered.

"He was punished for something he didn't do," she said. She was surprised when Bralan leaned forward and gently kissed his back before sitting back suddenly. Denae wondered why she had never thought to kiss them – or even touch them – after they healed.

"You both must think me a foolish child," Bralan said in disgust. "I'm sure everyone has had quite a laugh at Bralan, the moon-eyed idiot. How could I have thought you would want me?"

"No," Denae said firmly as she joined Bralan and Jorgarn on the bed. "We never thought that and no one is laughing at you. Personally, I think you are very bright and I believe you have excellent taste in gentlemen. It is more a matter of me getting here first than anything else. I know for a fact that Jorgarn finds you very beautiful – as do I – and we both love you dearly. I hope you never think I would take your feelings lightly or seek to humiliate you. I would not and neither would Jorgarn. Yes, I did assume that your feelings were an infatuation but, then again, I thought that of my own feelings for a while, too. I'm sorry. I truly am. I never meant to cause you pain. Neither of us would hurt you purposefully."

Left unsaid was that someone had attempted to do just that.

Bralan sighed deeply and pursed her lips for a moment before she spoke.

"I have heard my parents speak of the relationship between a Queen and her Knight," she said. "They would joke about Cruit being forced to breed you and if you married a eunuch his son might one day be King."

Bralan felt Jorgarn stiffen but Denae touched his arm and smiled.

"I'm sorry, my family simply exudes class, doesn't it?" Bralan said. "But, as I said, I am aware of what happens with a Queen and a Knight. I have accepted it. If I were Jorgarn's wife, I would allow you to share his bed."

Jorgarn was taken slightly aback but Denae reached out and stroked the girl's cheek, which had a tear running down it.

"Bralan, if it were only that simple," she said. "But, Dear, Jorgarn and I love each other not only as Heiress and Knight but also as man and woman. I have no doubt you would make him a splendid wife but I'm afraid I have reserved that spot for myself."

Bralan's mouth opened slightly to speak but she closed it before words came out.

"Oh," she managed on her second attempt. "You and he are to wed?"

"Yes," Denae confirmed. "Actually, you are the first person we have told outside of my father. I made this decision before you had even arrived here, I suppose. It will be announced in a few months, so I do ask that you keep it quiet. No one – and I mean no one – knows of this. Certainly, some suspect but no one knows for certain except you. So it is the situation and the timing that is wrong, not you. I know that you and Jorgarn will always have a tie that I don't share. You both will have Eslada's influence in your lives and I suspect that you both will be Noble Guards. That will bind you forever to him and to us. I hope you recognize that."

Bralan nodded and gave a brave smile as she stood. She leaned forward and kissed Jorgarn warmly on the cheek.

Denae had also stood and stopped Bralan as the girl walked past. She smiled and pointed to her own cheek.

"I expect one of those, too," she said. Bralan leaned forward and kissed Denae softly but Denae pulled her close for another hug. "Please tell them I will down shortly for my morning meal."

Denae sat heavily on the bed again when Bralan had left.

"I believe I will marry her off to a 90-year-old man," she said with a laugh. "Then she can share our bed whenever our marriage becomes boring."

Jorgarn buried his head in his hands and winced as the mends in his skin pulled tight when he moved.

"She never did check my wound," he said.

Jorgarn expected a return visit from Bralan after morning meal. Denae had limited their connection once she left his chamber but he suspected that she was less than pleased with Rayna for sending Bralan instead of coming herself.

"Enter," he said warmly when he heard a small knock on his door. But instead of Bralan, it was the youngest attendant, Leyota, Chicote's sister.

"I have come to bring you food and to look at your wound," she said. Her warm smile filled the room suddenly. "Not that I would have any idea what I'm looking at. But I suppose I would recognize if your arm were about to fall off."

Jorgarn couldn't help but laugh along with the girl. Standing, the girl came to perhaps Jorgarn's chest and he doubted she weighed as much as a sack of flour. But she was balancing a tray with a bowl of oatmeal, glasses of milk and juice and what appeared to be a half loaf of bread as if she did it every day.

Jorgarn watched as she deftly sat the tray on the table. For a girl so small, she made quite a commotion when she sat down on the side of his bed. Jorgarn extended his hand.

"Thank you, I am Jorgarn," he said. "I have a slew of other things after my name but none of those are important. I know you are Leyota Renoit, but we have never been introduced. I'm certain that I would remember a smile as pretty as yours if we had been."

Leyota rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Perhaps I was frowning when we met," she said. "And your charm has caused enough difficulty, so knock it off. I'm only 11 so you will be an old man before I can swoon over you like the rest of this lot appears destined to do."

The merriment of her face let Jorgarn know she was joking with him but his face reddened with embarrassment anyway. Leyota shook the hand that he had extended – and simply left there as he regained his bearings.

"My brother speaks highly of you," Leyota said.

"And of you as well," Jorgarn replied. "Are you enjoying life at the castle?"

The wondrous smile appeared again as if by magic.

"Up until this morning, I was enjoying it fine," she said. "Far better than my previous home. Life at Renoit Manor wasn't bad while Chicote was there to act as a buffer against Riset. But once he came here, I became the target of her venom."

She was shaking her head before brightening again.

"Now she is third in prestige among us," she said with raised eyebrows and a lilting voice. "She is to be Lady Renoit. Bah! Chicote is a Second to the Knight Protector and I am an attendant to the Heiress. One day I might be one of the most powerful voices in Emertland. She can have that creepy manor with its drafty windows and cold floors. I'll take living in the castle and dining with the Royal Household any day."

Jorgarn chuckled along with Leyota.

"Well, any day but today," she added with a smirk. "Personally, I don't know why she puts up with it. If I were the Heiress I would put a stop to it immediately. But she won't. I have been here a short time but I can see that already. She'll argue and threaten but in the end, the Princess will relent and Rayna will get away with it. That's why I snuck away. I doubt they'll miss me. I don't participate in the drama sessions and I was tempted to smack her on the head with a cooking pot and have her dragged from the castle."

She glanced up at Jorgarn's smiling face and seemed to realize she was speaking aloud.

"A young woman of action!" he said jovially. "To tell you the truth, I probably would have done it your way, too. I might have shipped her off to some awful place and swore to Denae that she ran away."

Jorgarn was rewarded with another smile.

"It's not too late," she said. "I'm sure you'll get your chance. Just let me know when you plan to do it. I'm pretty light on my feet and I'm sure I could sneak up behind her."

She mimicked swinging a heavy object.

"Then off she goes," she continued.

She took a deep breath.

"You won't mention this will you?" she asked suddenly. "I like it here and I know who will be sent packing if I get in that one's way. She did that this morning just to hurt Bralan. She is trying to isolate the Princess from everyone but herself. I can see it and I'm just a child. Why does no one else notice it?"

Jorgarn waved his hand dismissively and checked to make sure that Denae was shielded from his thoughts.

"It has not gone unnoticed, Leyota," he said. "But I believe that Denae wishes to allow Rayna the opportunity to get used to things before issuing an ultimatum. Things have changed greatly here in the past few months and it has been Rayna's influence that was suffered the most."

"It is still petty and childish," Leyota insisted. Jorgarn nodded his agreement. "But Bralan and the Princess came to morning meal arm in arm. The look on Rayna's face reminded me of Riset's when you announced Chicote as one of your Seconds. I thought that might be the happiest day of my life. But when King Landor told my parents that I had been accepted as an attendant, well, it got better. I honestly think Riset wet herself. She was so angry that she turned purple. Now she has absolutely no one to lord over. Rayna is going to find herself in that position shortly. She might be lead attendant but it won't do any good if no one listens to her."