An Oath Of Lords And Ladies (ARTK, Book 1)

Chapter 52

Ocono 31st, 3328 A.G

By the time he realized what he said would not go unpunished, it was too late. He'd walked halfway across the main house in an attempt to calm down, having forgotten all about the people he was going to see. He remembered them then, leaning against a stone wall.

  They were here.

  He pushed himself away from the warm surface, and hot air hit his face as he moved past a fireplace. He had no idea how long he'd been there, but if he could catch up with old friends while keeping his wife happy enough not to slit his throat while he slept- why wouldn't he?

  He'd grabbed his sword, bow and quiver when he stormed off- but the guards hadn't even blinked, nor did the others he passed as he looked around. He couldn't seem to find a servant who knew the people he was looking for, and ten in he was ready to give up, to ask lord Emerson in the morning where they lived- until a younger man adding wood to a fire looked up at him.

"Andre Hemin and his whore? They've got a cottage just a few paces outside the square- behind the bakery. the first on the left." Renard was ready to punch the man for calling Imania that; until he remembered that was the story she and Andre'd told everyone.

   He'd received no messages from them since leaving; though he couldn't blame either. He was a king now, Andre a trade advisor. There would be no reason for them to speak directly, less there were some small dispute over which trade goods went where, what belonged to who.

  Just thinking about the time they'd spent with Imania made him hard, however wrong it was. He'd lain with no one in months- a stark difference to the man he was on Vraemore island and that boat in the middle of the ocean. He leaned against the wall for a few moments again, calming down. He just wanted to talk, for himself and for the good of everyone on the continent- because his friend had a very powerful sister.

   He took a deep breath, then continued walking until he found himself at the main doors. When he went through the square, people stared. Hells, most of them believed him to be the lord who left his home for a title no one else had been given in a little over two hundred years. They were all right to a point, but none knew that he hadn't traveled for a betrothal. He'd traveled to be a kind person, a good counselor.

  And look at where it's gotten me- he thought. Doing work on behalf of a territory that house Vraemore hadn't belonged to for many, many years.

  He did his best to ignore the stares, telling himself that not enough people loved or feared him enough to try something.

  Just as the young man had said, their was a path separating the bakery and fletcher's- a path that led out behind the bakery. He followed it to find cottages, spaced a surprisingly large distance apart for how close they were to the main house. They varried in size; some so large he wasn't sure they could be called cottages, others so small they could only be named huts.

  The first one to the left was somewhere in the middle, with a fenced garden to the side and sliding roof over it at the time. A figure moved inside, picking Brussels sprouts and carrots, cabbage and some odd green vegetable with spikes Renard didn't know the name of. The figure's arms were more muscular, sleeves rolled up despite the cold. Renard's heart began to beat faster. Those hands....

  Those hands were so skilled in so many things that Renard could feel them on him now- though he knew nothing would ever happen again. They were both married now, he had to remind himself. He gulped, letting the snow underneath his boots announce his presence. Andre was too focused to notice.

  Renard couldn't see a way into the fenced area from outside, so he stood in Andre's line of sight until he finally did notice. Andre flashed a smiled that would have had him on his knees just months ago.

"She's made a farmer out of you." Renard said the first thing that came to mind. "It suits you."

"Trade advisors have short work days. I needed something else to do besides...." Renard could swear he saw that same look in his eyes as in Uculia, but it quickly passed. "She wanted a simpler life. This is as simple as it gets. A garden large enough to feed the two of us, a husband who's gone a few hours a day when she's sick of me, a cottage large enough for children to grow up in. I keep telling her that I hate... hiding our marriage like this but.... She won't have it, won't accept that she isn't her past. Gods- come in."

The people wouldn't accept that either- Renard thought. As harsh as it is. A close friend and advisor of a commanding lord marrying a former whore would, in the eyes of many- "bring shame to a great house."

Andre dropped the sack of vegetables, disappearing through a door that led inside. Moments later, the cottage's front one opened and he was pulling Renard inside.

"Where is Imania?" Renard asked, looking around the small main room. It had a combined kitchen and eating area, along with two sleeping chambers. Imania was nowhere visible, though- and he liked to look at her face.

"Painting-"Andre shrugged. "She met another advisor, a woman who has taught her how to work the oils."

"My king." Andre continued, then jestingly bowed. "How does it feel to be the most powerful man in the world?"

"Do that again and I'll cut your balls off, cook them- then feed them to you." Renard rolled his eyes. "It's just a title. I'm not even close to the most.... I can trust you with anything right? As you said?"

"Of course." Andre frowned at his sudden serious tone.

"Even something treasonous?"

"I know of your wife's plan to take the world under her rules. The lord does. Every single lord and lady in the world- you get the point. You know this though, don't you? So why ask if you can trust me?" Andre narrowed his eyes.

Renard took a deep breath. "My wife may be a mad woman, it's true, but-"

"But you love her for it." Andre interrupted.

"What? No I.... I was going to say that she has every reason to be. She is kind to...most of those who deserve it and she's been through a lot. She could do the entire world some good. Andre... she would be trying to take Narene right now if we had the military numbers."

  "So what are you asking of me?" Andre narrowed his eyes. "I wont betray lord Emerson. He's as much a friend to me as you are-"

  "I'm not asking you to betray him." Renard said. Not yet at least, and not directly. "The lord owed me for bringing his people away from the possibility of starvation. He'd planned on repaying me in the form of fighters when I asked- however reluctant he was to agree when we actually asked. He did.... Leave how many they'd pledge to us... up to your sister."

  It hit Andre suddenly. "You want me to talk to her.... convince her to pledge every man and woman she can spare?"