Crown of Beauty and Vengeance

Chapter 9

"Since the last time you spoke to him, when he cursed you and forbade you to ever have any association with him or Lyv again?"

He snorted, the pain in his chest ripping open the old wound his friend had given him with only his words. His fist had been the first contact, though.

"He's been good. Joined the palace guard and upped in ranks to captain. His second has taken over while he's away. They've been...weeding out those guardsmen that are still loyal to the king. There are more than they thought before. The queen's power is limited in Escarral. She's been trying to take back some control, even shut down the weekly market. Or tried to, I should say. It's still going on as normal and guarded by the guardsmen loyal to the king with Merek at the lead."

"And Gideon trusts this second?"

Jules nodded, hearing the jealousy. "Merek knows everything...and I mean everything. The boy practically idolized Gideon since he was little, so when he learned who he really was...well, they became fast friends nonetheless. The three of them together...Lyv, Gideon, and Merek...well, they've pretty much been running this city, much to the annoyance of the queen. I think that's another reason she sent 'Vandor' with Lyv over to Dalcaine." She snorted then. "The queen thinks Lyv and Vandor are lovers. You would have thought she wouldn't have sent them on a trip together if that were the truth."

Jai's eyebrows furrowed at that thought. "And...are they?"

Gideon and the princess...after what happened, after what he did to them with Amory...would they have turned to each other for comfort?

"Of course not," Jules answered truthfully. "Those two are more like brother and sister than I've ever seen before. He's oath-swore to her, after all. He is here to protect and serve."

"But he could be serving her in other ways. And what about that Merek person?"

"Merek is loyal to Lyv and Bence. He is a friend, nothing more and never will be. Besides, he's been pretty sweet on one of my girls here at the tavern since he's regularly here with Gideon." Jules eyed him, shaking her head. "After Amory...Alyvia could have found someone else. But you know exactly who he was to her. He was her mate. She still wears the ring. There is no one else for her in all the lands."

"She will always choose him."

"And yet you lied to both Lyv and Gideon and it ended in death. I can't blame them for fantasizing about murdering you for what you did. Though it might have been the queen's call for the executioner to take his head, it was you who marked him for death."

This time, Jai drained his tankard. The Torrent started buzzing in his head, pushing out the thoughts that assaulted his mind.

But those thoughts were halted even faster when someone came through the back door, using a key instead of magic. Jai slipped his glamour on over himself as both he and Jules looked to see who it was.

A young guardsman, maybe nineteen or twenty, came to a halt when he saw Jules wasn't alone in the tavern. He was still in his armor with a navy cloak pinned to his shoulders, his medium brown hair neatly brushed back. His dark eyes narrowed at Jai.

"One of my men said they saw him coming through the back door," the boy said. "Jules, do you need me to...?"

"It's all right, Merek," Jules said, shaking her head. "Come. Sit and have a drink with us."

Merek didn't make a move.

Jai looked back over at her. "You said he knows everything, correct?"

"Yes."

Jai's eyes went back to Merek as he lifted the tankard to his lips and dropped his glamour once more. He couldn't help but chuckle at the look the young guardsman gave him then. He looked like a gaping fish or a male who just had his first encounter with a mermaid.

"You're..."

Jules made the formal introductions. "Merek, acting captain of the palace guard, meet Crown Prince Jai of Dalcaine."

Merek stuttered as he jolted forward into the stool beside him. "It's an honor, prince. I never thought..."

"Acting captain of the palace guard...and you're acting this way toward your queen's enemy?"

"She is not my queen. I know you were friends with Gideon before...but he told me what happened. You do realize he isn't here. He went to Dalcaine with the princess a few weeks ago."

"Jai already knew that and is here just to...talk," Jules told him. She reached for another tankard and poured a bit of Torrent into it for him. "But you're obviously here for other reasons. What's going on? And please go slow with the drink. It will knock a human on their ass with just half a tankard. Just ask Lyv about it when she drank half a bottle last year. Even Gideon had to practically be carried home."

Merek was still gaping at Jai but tried to keep his cool...even after he coughed and sputtered once he took a hesitant sip. "Mother above, that's strong. What the hell is it?"

"Ayverian Torrent...though I might have stolen it out of a tavern in Eld," Jai explained.

The guardsman gently set the tankard down on the counter as if it were a dangerous creature and pushed it away. "The queen is currently going on a tirade in the palace. The news finally came down from Oria. King Bence is safe and secure under the protection of Lord Bridger and Lady Sora. I suppose the people will be celebrating in the streets tomorrow...and the queen will continue to fume since she knows she can't kill them all."

"Good. Let her fume, just not kill her people. I can't have that on my conscious as well," Jai told him, grabbing for the guardsman's tankard to refill his own with. "I'll have to send Bence a message once I'm back in Eld. I haven't done that in a while."

"So, you've been keeping in contact with him as well?" Jules asked.

"We were working for peace together. Of course, we would keep in contact. I actually grew quite fond of him."

"And you saved his life," Merek said in awe. "You have my many thanks for that. All citizens loyal to him would say the same."

"You're the only one saying thank you."

"Sorry to say I will probably be the only one out of the three of us. And by the three of us, I mean me, the princess, and Gideon. You know they've been plotting your murder for about a year now, right?"

Jai snorted into his tankard. "So I've been told. My sentence in Eld isn't up for another two months, so if you receive a message about the crown prince's death after that..."

Merek interrupted, shaking his head. "But I wonder what they would do if they saw how you clearly beat yourself up about what happened with Amory and everything else."

This time, Jai was scrutinizing the way the guardsman was looking at him. And he realized...it was the same look everyone else gave him. They knew how much he hurt over what happened and that he just couldn't seem to get over it. Not yet, at least. Not until he could talk to Alyvia and Gideon again, face to face.

He hoped they would let him say something before they returned the favor of cutting off his own head. 

***Whoo for another upload!  Originally, this chapter wasn't even planned, but I'm so glad I added it!  I don't know why, but I think the dynamic between Jai, Jules, and Merek was really interesting, don't you?   

What do you guys think?  Comment and vote!

Happy reading! 

- Ansley***