Nefarious (A Completed Steamy First Book To A Series)

Sona (Happy)

Liam

"Have I earned any respect?" I asked and her eyes shined as they looked up at me.

"A wee bit, maybe." She scrunched her nose then smiled and I'm dying to see what she feels like in my arms.  My greatest fear is coming true.  I care for the princess more than I wish to endure. 

"I have something else for you." I took her hand and led her inside.  "This belonged to my mother and I would be grateful if you would accept it as a gift and wear it on our wedding day." I placed her in front of the mirror.  "Close your eyes," I instructed and she did as told.

"Legend says the Scottish Queen, Mary Stuart herself wore this gift," I said as I placed the emerald and diamond necklace around her neck.

"Open them." She gasped as she lifted her fingers to feel the gems. 

"Liam, this is too much.  You must have formed some trust to have given me these." She said.

"I have, a wee bit." I mocked her earlier statement and she once again blushed.

"Let's sample these fine foods," I said and pulled out her chair.

I excused the groomsman when he attempted to serve us.  "We are fully capable," I said.

"Are we?" She asked then flung a piece of bread at me. 

"We should be mature enough to handle one meal." I laughed as I flung the piece back.  "We should behave before the servants start complaining about cleaning after us." I sat across from her and caught her off guard when I flung a piece of cabbage in her direction.  It got stuck in her hair but she laughed it off when I reached over and pulled it out of her hair.

"Okay, in all seriousness we have important decisions to make," I said.

"I've never known a man to take such interest in his own wedding." She said.

"This is more than our wedding, its the union of three countries and we must make a statement," I said.

"I don't believe that will be a problem." She laughed.

I looked at her in amazement.  She is adapting and actually enjoying herself as we sampled the food.

"The way Alexander reacted to you earlier makes me wonder if you could have a positive effect on him," I said and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, I can't make any promises my white magic will work on him." She smirked.

"It has certainly had its effect on his older brother," I said.

"You really believe that?" She asked.

"I do," I said before I sampled the wine.

"I could try I guess, I do tend to get bored at times."

"We can change that as you help plan the wedding.  Place settings, tapestries, and flowers need to be chosen.  You will need to travel around the palace freely.  There is no part other than the tower I would keep from you.  Council may frown on a woman in chambers but the tower is the only dangerous part.  You cannot step outside the castle walls without me, only for safety reasons." I said.

"Do you currently have more men in the tower?" She asked and I nodded as I ate.  When I finished I used my napkin and set it down.

"Currently there are three.  Your assailant, a man that murdered his neighbor over a sheep and one that raised his hand to his wife.  She took quite the beating, all but your assailant will face the courts." I said.

"What will happen to my assailant?  He can't be trusted." She said as she raised her glass to her lips.

"He will talk or face the executioner.  We have no room for traitors." I hope for a positive reaction.

"Good, with a war on the horizon we cannot take risks.  Your tower is empty compared to my father's." She said which surprised me.

"Really?"

"Yes, mostly common thieves doing their time.  You don't have that issue?" She asked.

"We do but it's difficult to decide between stealing out of hunger or greed.  Right now it's mostly hunger and I've released many.  People feared my father so crime was down.  Just the other day I had a boy that stole food.  Taking his hand does me no good so he now lives here and serves the kitchen.  Someday he will join my army out of loyalty." I said.

"That is very kind of you." She said.

"Speaking of that I have ordered seed to be delivered to the villages in hopes of healthy harvests," I said.

"Why do you tell me such things?" She looked confused.

I reached for her hand.  "We will rule together.  Your parents have ruled this way for many years and they run a successful kingdom.  I will need your council as my queen." I said.

"This is a great deal of trust very quickly." She said.

"Consider it my olive branch," I said.  "I need your forgiveness in order for this to be a success," I said.

"I have decided I will forgive if there is proof of Daniel's involvement in the suffering of his people." She said and I already thought of that previously.

"Your father is already investigating." I received a letter when we returned.

"My father is investigating?"

"Yes, he has been taken by surprise by testimony sent to him from the people of Lámhach.  He will take me up on the offer to tour the villages and learn for himself." I said.

"If his memory is tarnished he did it to himself but why does it matter to the people now?" She asked.

"The young prince has yet to be located.  This could pose a problem for us if he returns as the rightful King." I warned.

"He was always a bit more spoiled than Daniel so I am sure he will return." She said. 

"Hopefully without the alliance of Cruálacht," I said but she shook her head.

"Lámhach is loyal to A Stór." She said.

I corrected her.  "Alistair was loyal to A Stór, his son could be given false hope by Cruálacht."

"I suppose that is a real possibility but you have control of Lámhach."

I frowned.  "Unfortunately, that does seem to be the case for now.  An alliance would have been better for me but not for the people.  The cost of war is high so we must be careful what we spend."

I have splurged as a new King but soon it'll be time to make some very hard choices.