FOREVER KNIGHTS: #12 Primal Intent

“How do you know they’re not someone else’s?”

“I don’t know anyone else’s.” She blinked sleepily.

That, at least, is very nice to hear.

She’s never been with Danbury then? In many ways that freed his heart to fly.

“You’re mine. You know you are. You always have been.” He whispered. Brushing his lips to hers and kissing both corners of her mouth gently. “Don’t marry Danbury. Be with me.”

“And ally the Castle of Nightway with no one?” She drew back to give him a shocked look.

Don’t look so appalled. Irritation flared through him.

“MidGale is already part of Nightway.”

“But it’s an entirely different, entity as you know well. Their people don’t obey me. They obey Charles.”

Charles. I hate that name!

“They only obey him because of what he gives them.” He countered.

Goods stolen from your coffers and storages. From your people.

“Well it is good that he tends his people so. Someday perhaps mine will love me as much.”

Unlikely as long as his love him. His jaw was hardening. His eyes taking a rough glint.

“Are you really not even going to consider what I’m saying?” He cut straight to the point.

“You offer nothing, Alazareth.”

She now knows I’m a Lord of Grier, yet says that…Unless she never, for a moment, believed I was? Does she doubt me that much? Knowing she had no reason to only fueled his fire.

She knows I’ve stayed here guarding her. She knows I’ve killed men in her name and all of that means not as much to her as the pomp and privilege she thinks she’d gain wedding him. Perhaps she’s not who I thought her! His lip was curling derisively.

“Don’t look at me that way.” She snapped. “I’m just being practical. I’m a Queen now. I have to be.”

You’re being very impractical actually. Questioning my intent at every opportunity but never Danbury’s?

“And what about you?” He asked snidely. His hurt getting the better of him.

Stop Alazar.

“What do you mean?” She blinked at him.

“What do you offer him?”

“Nightway and me!”

Don’t say it.

But his frustration drove him anyway. “Only one of those are whole.”

“What do you mean, Alazar?” She eyed him sideways.

“You can’t truly offer him a real bride, now can you?”

“He doesn’t know that.” She breathed as she withered into the pillow behind her.

Stop. What are you doing?

But he pursued her retreat. Leaning over her until their noses nearly touched. “What if he did? Think your Dear Charles would still want you then?”

“Wh-what are you implying?”

“I’m not implying anything. We both know it’s true.”

“Yes.” She swallowed convulsively. “But he does not.”

Don’t say it. You’ll regret it, as certainly as the sun will come in the morning.

“Perhaps he should.” Alazar said dangerously.

“Don’t.” She pleaded.

Giving her a long look, his eyes traced over her face. Studying her nose and her mouth before he straightened and strode from the room. Latching the door firmly behind him.

Alazar had been dodging Riaura all morning. Despite that she’s been looking for me.

It was his day off so he’d avoided her in the barracks and crept out across the bridge and to the meadow beyond without her catching sight of him.

I’m too frustrated to deal with her today. He knew he’d scared her last night.

It was possible she’d pursue having him thrown from Nightway. Always a possibility.

He’d come out here to think. Sitting on the edge of the meadow where the shade of the trees still offered some protection for the eyes against the noon sunshine. Along with the few leaves clinging to the trees the tall grass around him had turned varying shades of yellow and brown. And he was sure he’d have sodden leaves and mud stuck to the back of his tunic when he headed back.

There are times I missed the simplicity of living in the woods. Hunting as a wolf instead of playing at humanity inside a castle. Pretending to respect the politics he didn’t understand. Feigning at niceties I don’t feel.

I’m not altogether bad at it. But I don’t favor it. He sighed.

Should I follow through with my threat and tell Danbury? He asked himself. But he knew he’d pretty much dismissed that thought after returning to his chambers and allowing his anger to abate.

How else can I get her to send Danbury packing and let me help her protect her Kingdom?

What do I really expect from her? To remain an unwed queen with me as her consort until her dying day? He mulled it over. Yes, that’s exactly what I want. Why not?

I could keep anyone that’d challenge her at bay. He knew word of the swordsmith of Nightway had spread to other realms because other kings had tried to recruit him to train their militia. Though he’d refused.

It’d dissuade anyone assault on her realm or her person.

He tucked one palm under the back of his head and blew a long breath trying to slow his thoughts enough to relax. That’s what I came out here for, isn’t it?

Just then a soft brown leaf came into view from above him. It was stretched out to touch the tip of his nose and trailed up to between his eyes and along his forehead and into his hairline.

“Riaura.” He acknowledged coldly.

“I want to talk to you.” She grunted at his chilly response to her flirting.

“I bet you do.”

You want to silence me before I talk to ‘Dear Charles’.

She walked up on her elbows to lean over him until her face hovered over his. Her breasts pressed the top of his head as she stared straight down at him.

He waited apprehensively. Giving her a suspicious look. Why are you out here?

In-fact, why have you been looking for me all morning?

Then she said the one thing guaranteed to throw him off. “I’m sorry, Alazar.”