Curse of Blades (Blades #1)

Chapter 4

[Freshly edited July 27th, 2021.]

"Don't expect this bastard to treat you with respect," Decus told Wildas as they walked up the castle steps. "Your father has been dealing with him all your life, and both their fathers before them. He has generations of strife with the crown to work off of."

Wildas nodded. "Shelton told me as much."

"Well, that's one step toward redeeming himself for sending you on this fool's mission," Decus said with annoyance and what was possibly anger. "Waste of time and resources, and too damn dangerous in my opinion."

"I requested this," Wildas declared, giving his uncle a sharp look. "I told you it was the only option to get me away from the dignified lords and ladies parading their sons and daughters in front of me like horses instead of people."

"Oh, not more of this," the older man grumbled. "You just don't want to accept that marriage is a part of life for you, and the longer you avoid it, the more unpleasant it will be. There isn't a single person you would even consider? Do you truly have no friends at home?"

Wildas shrugged, momentarily more interested in getting into the castle. He looked around for a guard as he answered, "No one wants to know me for who I am. All of them have this goal to seduce me and get me to marry them. It's rather annoying." He glanced back at his uncle, narrowing his eyes as he did so. "And last I heard you weren't married."

"I'm the Guard General," Decus replied. "It's easier this way. I wouldn't want to leave someone behind every time I had to go escort you somewhere. I'd better get a warning to Rohan, though. If you die without an heir, he's next in line."

Wildas knew the last thing his closest brother wanted was to end up as Grand King. Rohan was happy knowing he was the heir to the Guard General post.

"No one said I had to be married to have an heir," Wildas pointed out.

Decus gave a snort. "Oh yes, the court would love that."

That was the moment a guard chose to appear from the castle. "I take it you're the king's man?" the burly man questioned, looking at Decus.

"I'm here to speak to Lord Varin," Wildas clarified, stepping forward.

"You?" the guard laughed. "Have you even grown whiskers yet, boy? Lord Varin doesn't need to be wasting his time with a little pup like you."

"That's your future Grand King you disrespectful scum," Decus spat, a hand on his sword as he stepped in front of Wildas again.

Wildas put his hand on his uncle's shoulder, drawing the older man back. "I'd like to speak to Varin now," he said, directing his words and his gaze to the castle guard.

The guard removed his hand from his own sword and opened the door. "As you wish," he replied, his voice edged in sarcasm.

They followed the man into the castle, and Wildas noted how different the building was than the one he called home. The castle at Ryal was massive, constructed with magic as much as stone. Even the passageways were spacious, and the public halls were several stories high. The entrance hall in Arren was much smaller than he was used to, and he'd seen many other castles in his time as the official representative of the crown. As he walked to what was either Varin's personal office or some sort of audience hall, he took note of how bare most of the walls were. Very few tapestries filled the space, and those that did showed the very castle he was in, depicted on what had once been brilliant backgrounds.

They were led to an audience chamber, where Varin sat on what could only be described as a throne. Varin wasn't really sitting as much as he was lounging, though; one leg was draped over the arm of the chair while he leaned his back against the other arm, toying with a gold ring. There were no other chairs in the room.