The King's Artist

Ch 48: A New Adversary

Henry and Adelaide left their horses in the stables before maneuvering their way to Jasper's study. The courtyard was fairly empty as they passed through it, as were the majority of the hallways. However, Henry didn't take Adelaide's hand in his until they ducked down one of the back staircases normally used by servants. He interlaced their fingers together tightly, grinning down at her as they walked.

Adelaide easily returned the smile.

The relationship between Henry and Adelaide was a nameless one, even to the two of them. To summarize it in one word would have been impossible. They were both friends and brothers, while also being partners and lovers. Adelaide had chosen Henry as her king and Henry had chosen Adelaide as one of his generals. While she was his comfort, his confidant, his voice-of-reason and his center; he was her salvation, her purpose, her passion and her focus.

They both understood that this relationship was not going to last forever, but it was not a truth they ever discussed. Adelaide never thought about the day Henry would marry someone else, and Henry never thought about the day Adelaide would leave his side as a result.

Just before they left the servant's stairway, Henry pulled Adelaide back. He pushed her against the stone wall, entrapping her body with his arms. With a sly smile on his face, he kissed her. His lips were slow and familiar against Adelaide's, the sensation sending ways of electricity to her toes.

The kiss was far too brief to get heated, but it left both of them grinning as they broke away and continued on their way. As the light of the hallway ahead filtered in, Henry dropped Adelaide's hand reluctantly, and she dropped back behind him in pace, merely a general in the shadow of her king.

It was a good thing, too, because as they emerged, they ran straight into Hugh Livingston and his son Walter. They briefly exchanged pleasantries before they all headed in the same direction. Adelaide did not need to look at Henry to know he was thinking the same thing as she was. Whatever Jasper had summoned them for, it was something serious enough to warrant calling the entire council.

At that thought, Adelaide's stomach did a flip.

As if her thoughts had manifested themselves, the object of her apprehension approached from the opposite side of the hall. He was still handsome, still firm and resolute in his behavior and actions. However, after Adelaide had chosen to abandon life as a female five years ago, there had been an awkwardness between them that neither has bothered to address. Kayden never allowed himself to be alone with Adelaide nor did he make eye-contact with her or address her directly.

Adelaide may have taken the abrupt change in demeanor personally had Kayden not inflicted the same treatment unto Henry. A rift had formed between the two boys that had replaced their past friendly relationship with one too formal and stiff. They held no animosity for one another from what Adelaide could tell, but it was as if their history of growing-up together had disappeared.

They were now nothing more than a king and his general.

Tagging alongside Kayden was Lieutenant Lewis Terrier and Lieutenant Harry Heartherton. Adelaide smiled to herself at the memory of their training years and the number of times she had to stop them from fighting with one another.

Just like then, Lewis's hair was still a brilliant and bright shade of red and the freckles covering his face had doubled over the years. He had remained similar to Adelaide in stature and frame, but had lost the majority of the boy-ness in his face similarly to how Henry had.

In comparison, even though Harry had gotten bigger, accumulating more muscle and weight than anyone else in the camp, he still retained his round baby face. He had grown a beard, though, as if to hide his lack of age, but Adelaide found it didn't really make a difference.