Heir Apparent

Chapter 4

Jade

The next morning, I had requested that Lord Icarius be summoned to my chambers early. Thea helped me scramble to arrange the small sitting room joined to my sleeping quarters so that it looked how I wanted it: clean, elegant, if not a little Spartan. For the first time since coming to the Capital, one room in the entire place actually felt like mine.

There were simple velvet chairs in a burnt gold color with dark wood scrolls. A heavy looking writing table set close to the window. The original, floral curtains had been pulled down, nearly on top of us, and simpler, dark blue silk hung it their place. While we left the original rug, not daring to lift it and find out what was under it, I didn't mind it so much. Of all the rugs in the place, at least this one was subdued. We even pulled one of my side tables into the room and set an array of pickled and wined fruit, breads and Thea mercifully brought up coffee.

I didn't bother to wait for Lord Icarius to arrive before pouring my first cup of coffee, swirling in just a little honey. The smell was intoxicating, and again I was struck by how much smoother it was than the campfire grounds I was used to sipping. It almost seemed a shame to add a little honey in, but I did so anyway.

By the time he arrived, I was on my second cup. Thea knocked, then gently opened the door, peaking in to see if I was ready, so I nodded. She swung the door open all the way to let in the bullish lord, then stepped aside, but did not leave. "Lord Icarius, Sir Jade."

"Ah, Icarius," I smiled, looking as relaxed as I could imagine in the gold velvet chair. "Come, have a seat. Enjoy a morning meal with me. Do you require anything?"

Icarius, dressed much the same as the day before, walked toward the waiting table and chair, turning slightly to address Thea, "Some tea, black, no cream or sugar, would be nice."

Thea nodded, then tilted her head a bit to catch my eye. "More coffee?"

"Mmmm," humming, I thought a bit, "no. This will hold me."

She smiled, then slipped away, pulling the door closed behind her.

"Tea? I should have known." I remarked as he found himself in the other chair.

His eyebrows went up. "Not fond of it, I take it?"

An unladylike snort came out. "Ha. Tea wasn't something we could regularly enjoy in the field."

"Ah." He watched me, and I resisted the urge to shift. I had known such looks before: assessment, judgement. It would become clear soon enough just what the looks were for, but until then, I would simply have to endure.

I sipped at my coffee some more, telling myself not to voice any contentment. Even that had not been something to do in the camps. A lifetime of jokes would arise from such a sound, of which I did not wish. Especially with Lord Icarius with whom I was channeling every ounce of my mother's grace.

Thea was quick to bring up the tea, setting it beside my still hot pot of coffee, gave me a look, then once again disappeared from the room. I would have to puzzle over the look later.

Icarius poured his tea into the dainty cup Thea had brought with the pot, and I was polite enough to wait while he sampled it. He took his sweet time. "I'm assuming," he began, "you did not bring me here simply to share a morning meal. We are not so cordial as all that. Though the court will talk."

I ignored the last comment. For as long as I had taken lovers, men and women were always talking about who I was seen spending time with, whether those men and women were lovers or not. With a crown on my head, and my mother's ideas of a political marriage ringing in my ears, any individual I spent more than a day with would be the center of gossip. They probably already assumed I was bedding Gil and Thea, maybe even together. Gossip was gossip, and there was no stopping it. I wasn't about to spend my time trying to do anything with it. So long as who I slept with did not impact my ruling of the empire, it was my concern and no one else's.