Iron Knight - Clan of the Rim Chronicles #2

20

But at the same time I did worry slightly, because what reason had caused him to leave without my knowledge? Had he just wanted me to rest, or had he suffered another breakdown and needed to be alone? All I knew was I needed to find him soon or my anxiety would suffer.

Coming into the dining hall I saw all of my staff enjoying their early first meal, but they quickly stopped as the saw me. Some guards sitting at the long table slowly stood while others by the windows stared. I quickly realized it wasn't my presence that caused this reaction though as I felt Calder come up behind me.

I turned and looked up at him, seeing his face hard as stone as he gazed into all the wandering eyes.

"Bow to your queen when she graces your presence," he ordered the men who used to be his guards, but they quickly brought cocky expressions to their faces in regards to him.

"Calder, it's ok," I spoke quietly.

The men at the table then sat down and continued eating, while a few women stood and curtsied to me. I waved them away with a small smile.

"Please, you don't have to do that. Continue with your meal."

They nodded in thanks and sat down again as I turned to speak quietly to Calder. I took in his features, his face appearing more pale and sunken, hair disheveled.

"Where did you go this morning?" I asked low, pulling his attention away from the guards.

"I went on patrol," he replied simply. "I didn't want to wake you."

I felt a slight suspicion to this, but I let it go. "Well, please do next time. You worry me when I wake up and you're not there. Are you ok? You look weak."

I reached up to touch his forehead and cheek, his skin feeling like ice again just as it had when he was rescued.

"I'm just tired. I'm sorry for worrying you. I won't do it again," he said, holding my hand to his cheek. This action made a set of eyes pierce us, swarming tension around. Calder quickly dropped his hand but I grabbed it and held it up to my own face.

"I don't care," I said. "Let them think what they want."

Clenching his jaw he gave a nod, opening his mouth to say something before being interrupted by quiet talking across from us.

"I didn't know trolls were allowed in the palace," one guard mumbled to another.

His companion chuckled, "Yeah. The traitor might as well be one. The blood of the frozen queen is running through his veins and our queen doesn't give a damn. It's her funeral for trusting and being with him, that is all I'll say."

I felt Calder tense into stone beside me, looking up to see him glaring at the men with fire in his gray eyes. I squeezed his shoulder.

"Just ignore them," I told him.

The men continued on, making my nerves spike.

"It will be hers and his. If he ever becomes king or gives the queen a bastard child I'll kill them all myself to be done with this mix of filthy blood ties before we're all destroyed."

I didn't even have the chance to blink before Calder had jerked from my grip and punched the guard straight in the jaw. The crack seemed to echo across the whole dining hall, along with mine and several others' simultanious gasps.