His Beastly Ways

Chapter 14

The ladies sat at the table in the middle of the great hall at in Havencreed eating their dinner as Russian music was strung heartily and people danced in a small circles.
"Come ladies let us dance, "Nicola declared.
"Just one dance please, I fear I might fall flat, I feel extremely heavy. "
"What say I,  I know not how I shall deliver in a foreign country. " Merith said the anxiety she had been keeping at bay showing fully.
"I shall try speak to Richy again dear, let us hope we can make it across the Atlantic without delivering. I will speak to him tomorrow, " Nalia said a smile fluttering her pale face.
A while later the five of them were dancing a merry tune. Nalia found herself laughing as her heavy condition made her unable to make the moves she had made just a few nights ago at Christ's mass.
Excusing themselves she and Merith made their rounds at the tables greating and checking on the health of her citizens.
Merith had noticed that Nalia had always preferred to do this practise, throw a weeks fest at the castle and house all the villagers and in so doing keep them warm in the bitter winter of the new years until the storm passed and also find out what they needed.
Every small said word was taken into consideration and she would speak to her steward a young lady called Anya who was very good with numvers, who would find a way to ensure the person's needs were fulfilled.
When they came from speaking to Anya Merith felt a need to ask the question she had wanted to ask all week.
"Nalia, how is it that you have a woman as your steward. "
Her friend laughed throwing her hair back, her hair glowing in the candle light.
"She is good at her job Mer and she has suffered quite her share of sorrows I assure you. I just am grateful to have her hear and besides us ladies must stick together. I must pray that women one day will hold more power in the earth but until then those of us who can do something must do it. "
Merith smiled enjoying how her friends mind worked. She had come to discover that the woman next to her was incredibly independent, she had not cried even once since that horrid unfortunate incident with Hahn and instead seemed to draw strength from the situation. Her stomach gained girth and still she handled the functions of her kingdom with dignity and a grace that Merith herself envied.
She always seemed to find fairness in all the situations that had been brought before her and cared for her people with the devotion of a true leader. It was no wonder her people adored her.
They appeoached the table where her brother Richard and the king and queen were dining. Richard looked composed but having stayed with him for almost two weeks all the time Merith saw the way his jaw was firmly setvand the way his composed demeanor looked forced and concluded that the situation was tense.
She forced a smile on her lips as she felt the queen's sharp eyes fall on her and took her curtsey glad to have been well bred.
Nalia tensed beside her and quickly said her greatings trying to draw her brother away but the king gave a simple ,"would you please sit with us dear, " but Merith heard it for the command that it was.

Nalia forced a smile on her lips biting the inside of her lips with her canines as she took the seat next to her brother praying this would not ruin her day.
Her encounters with her parents had always been intense and she had been glad to leave the Winter palace without a sight of them. Unfortunately they had decided to spend the new years festivities at her home which she knew was not out of any good faith which had made her avoid them praying they would leave without ruining her good spirits but fate seemed to not be on her side.
Thankfully Ara was playing a distance away with Damien and the other children.
"I was just tmcoming to get Richard. "She began trying to ensure she left thw table as quickly as possible.
Her mother paused to look at her over the rim of her golden goblet of wine with the green eyes that they had all inherited.
"Whatever for dear, I saw you take that one dance and I must say I doubt you could endure another one. "
Nalia felt the intended stab but forced her face to remain passive. She knew they knew she hated that horrid word dear and they used it on her to get to her. Knowing that the insults were just beginning she forced herself to not reach under the table for the hand that she knew Richard was giving.
"I have to agree with your mother child, your moves are truly not quite as graceful," her father paused dramatically and she knew that the bomb they had wanted to impart was coming. "It is a good thing that your husband preferred to not come to Russia for he would surely have left you at the sight of you. "
She felt heself bite her lip harder, refraining from correcting that she had barred him from Russia and she was the one who had left him. Knowing full well they knew the truth but would not believe anyone qas at fault except her.
"Nicolai I told you you ought not spoil her so much, see how she can not handle her husband, " her mother chided.
"Actually mother, "she felt Richard say stiffly,"I believe she handled him quire well, do not say you have not heard of how completely besotted he is that he has been chasing her across the continents, why he is even here in Russia as we speak. "
Nalia wanted to gasp knowing that her brothet would never bluff except for the aspect of Hahn being besotted with her but held herself and took a breath instead.
Her mother blinked, the only indication to show her surprise and anger at being dissuaded in her efforts to punish her child.
Nalia knew had always known that her parents had preferred her sister to her, it was her sister who got a well arranged married and despite being the good child she had been the one to suffer their scorn when Talia had died in her eloping accident. Despite the rife rumors in London that Hahn had been responsible for her carriage accident or because of it she had found herself being shipped to him as the replacement bride.
"I hear you brought his mistress to my country, what say you of this accusations? "
Nalia smiled a little, knowing full well that her father knew that there were two parts of Russia he could not control. Nicolai's seat and Havencreed.
"I know not what you say. "
She saw his cheek twitch and knew how he disliked it when he could not make someone bow to him.
"You say you do not know that that lady is here in the hands of those... those hullighans of yours and are causing me problems with the king. "
She smiled again this time genuinely, "oh father dear, do not fret, you know Richy handles this diplomatic matters with better understanding. He will handle it, will you not Richy? "
Her brother smiled at her and said, "very easily my sweet. "
She had to bite back her smile. Her father was not taking it well that his son was a better ruler than he, he handled matters in a way that left people in respect of him instead of fear and always got his way and they were goading him inceastently with that.
"Mother, I know it well that I have gained girth, I have always known that motherhood is not only about who gave birth to you, "she paused delicately to emphasize on her own mother, "but that it is of the person who cares and protects you and watches over you when you are ill..."before she could continue she was interrupted.
"How dare you?" she whispered, her mother's eyes lookes like a heated emerald her goblet shook in her hand her fury palpable, "you think because you have raised that... child of yours you are an expert now. Let's see how you feel when you have the sorrow of losing her then shall we. "
Before Nalia knew what she was doing she was on her feet and upon the queen in no time.Her hands were gripping her mother's forearm in a grip that made her fingers ache oblivious  to her father's  look of shocked bewilderment and the servants who were nearby stopped in their tracks as the soldiers came foward from both ends, hers and the queens wondering if to seize the princess.
Her fury seething, she was surlrised to find her voice was calm as she said ,"You have felt the loss of a child mother but I lost everything, I lost the little care that you ever had for me, I lost my sister,the right to chose my own husband,the man I loved,my ladies and even had to lose my people in my move to another country.The only thing that came out of this situation that was good was that beautiful little girl who was dumped into my hands by your perfect daughter who for the last time I did not kill, I have tolerated your dislike of me,your indifference and even your hate for something we both know I did not do but let me tell you mother that I will do what you never did, for my children,I will fight anyone who posses a threat to them ,anyone! And let me remind you that those so called hulligans that father refers to are the Russian mafias under my command who kidnap, rob or kill anyone I desire them to, "taking a deep breath to calm herself she let her mother go and rose to her feet slowly. "You will pardon me as I go put my child to rest and watch over her myself until the morn... I will make arrangements for your departure before dawn, I am sure you wish to use as much daylightbas possible to get to Edinburgh before long. "
She turned her gaze to her father's bewildered gaze,shaking her gaze in dislike she said, "do not gauke at me father, you suspected for a long time that I was in charge of them and let me assure you another attempt at buying them will not work. They are loyal only to me and with you two being the horrid parents that you have been to me you will not dare cross me or those I love,,, well unless you would like Richard to become king sooner than you wish. "
She closed her eyes took a deep breath and sighed.
"Well that was eventful, Richy we shall talk of the purchase of the mines on the morrow please. "Pausing at his seat she bent down and gave him a kiss on the cheek,"I love you I must go take care of my child until danger goes. "