Campbell studied his guests while they took their seats at the dining table. The princess looked exceptional this evening. It was his fortune she chose to stop here of all places while taking Prince Edwin and his bride on a tour of the countryside.
It meant he needn't travel as far to get what he wanted.
His problem was the prince and his bride. He may be able to make his idiot brother disappear without anyone being the wiser, but Edwin was the crown prince, his father would notice if he went missing. Once that happened, he would stop at nothing to find his son.
He took his seat at the head of the table and smiled pleasantly at everyone. "I hope the accommodations were to your satisfaction."
Skylette turned a bright smile on him. "They're wonderful, thank you."
Edwin nodded agreement, while his bride studied the room as if trying to memorize the décor.
"I'm glad everything is to your satisfaction. I pray dinner will also meet your standards." He waved the servants forward and they began placing trays laden with food on the table. Once they finished, he turned to Skylette. "I was saddened when I heard of your brother's death. It must have been devastating."
Her hand paused in lifting her glass, she turned to him and he saw her smile was stiff. It was clear she wasn't happy with the topic he'd chosen. "Thank you. I miss him very much, it was a tragedy that never should have happened."
He wondered over the despair he saw in her eyes, it seemed to be more than simply sorrow over her brother's death. "I agree, he seemed a good man. Though, I never met him, I'm certain he would have made a fine king." She only nodded in response to his words.
Edwin cleared his throat and smiled, though his smile was tight and he looked uncomfortable. "I suppose a change of subject is in order, the mood has become quite dark."
Piper nodded agreement. "Indeed. Sky, can you tell us what other sights you plan on showing us?"
Sky sent them both a grateful smile. "I've got so much planned, I don't know where to begin! Just trust me, you'll enjoy every moment."
Piper's laughter was light. "I'm certain we will, it's been delightful so far."
Campbell tapped his fork against the edge of his plate in frustration. He wanted to talk about the princess, not her damn tour of the countryside. Still, showing too much interest might give them something to think on. Better to sit back and observe instead of pushing. He put on a happy face and listened while the prince's bride gushed about all she had seen thus far on the tour.
When she took a breath to continue he interrupted. "Where did the two of you meet?"
Piper turned scarlet and lowered her eyes to the table. Edwin covered her hand with his where it sat beside her plate. The prince looked at him as if daring him to say anything bad about his bride as he explained. "Piper worked for my father. She was a serving girl at the castle. All it took was one smile from her and I was caught. My father, of course, didn't approve, he banished her." He turned a smile on Piper, though her eyes were still downcast. "She met Sky and the rest is history. Skylette has helped her become a Baroness, given her land to go with it, though it's a small property and the title comes without a vast fortune, it matters little. The title means my father can have no objection to our marriage. After all, she is a titled lady now."
Piper peeked up at him from beneath her lashes and smiled broadly.
Campbell felt only the urge to puke at the tender story the prince spun out. He couldn't imagine marrying below his station. It was absurd. Why marry a serving girl who can bring nothing to the marriage other than her good looks and an empty title? He'd rather marry a wealthy woman who brings so much more into the union than a pretty face. "Lovely story," he commented without much enthusiasm.
Skylette sighed dreamily. "It is such a romantic story! I hope I can have a happy ending like that someday."
Edwin snorted. "You could if you'd stop being so stubborn about a certain stable boy."
Campbell sat up straighter, interested in this bit of news as he looked between them.
"Stop it, Edwin, you know that's over with. He made his choice and he's moved on." She shrugged as if it mattered little to her, but he saw the sadness reflected in her eyes. She wasn't as over this boy as she claimed.
His smile was true, real and not forced, when it crept onto his face. This was something he could use. If he found this stable boy, perhaps he could force the princess to cooperate in exchange for the lad's life. "A stable boy, how dramatic. What has your father said of it?" he asked.
The princess shrugged. "We were never anything more than friends, we grew up together. It really doesn't matter because he's gone now. He moved from the stables and trained to become a guard. He's a soldier now and has left things like our friendship behind." She raised her head and met his gaze. "He left the palace some weeks ago without saying a word to anyone. I have no idea where he's even gone."
"That's a shame. Too bad he couldn't own up to his feelings. I'm sure you would have been happy together."
"There's no way to know if we even would have ended up together." She smiled before looking down at her plate. "I'm sorry, the food is excellent, but I'm suddenly not very hungry. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll retire for the evening."
He rose when she stood. "I'm sorry if you're feeling unwell, Princess."
"I think I'm just in need of a good night's rest." She turned and exited the room.
Edwin sighed and his bride sent him a look that told him he was in trouble. "You shouldn't have mentioned him. You know it upsets her."
Campbell took his seat. "I wish I had known, I would have kept my mouth shut."
"It isn't your fault. I suppose it's his for leaving her without a word. Poor Sky believes her father forced him to leave. She's rather distraught over it. Though she won't admit it, I think her feelings for him ran much deeper than she wants to admit." Edwin shook his head as if the situation were too sad to contemplate. "I think perhaps the boy felt the same. I met him only once, so I can't say."
"You met him?" Campbell asked in surprise.
"Yes, some men broke into the castle and attacked us while we were sitting out in the gardens. If it wasn't for the young man and his fellow soldier we wouldn't have come out alive. The fight was very one-sided, I was quite overwhelmed by the attackers and feared I wouldn't be able to keep the princess from harm."
"Well then, perhaps we can find the lad for her. If we know who he is and what he looks like, I'm certain we could locate him."
Edwin shrugged. "I doubt it very much, for all we know he's left the country."
"Do you know the boy's name?" he asked eagerly.
"I'm afraid not, we were never formally introduced. I only knew him as Sky's stable boy. She never referred to him by name."
"A shame, it would have been nice to surprise her."
Piper laid a hand atop her husband's. "I think I'd like to retire as well."
"Of course, my dear." He looked at Campbell. "It you'll excuse us ..."
He rose when they did, smiling. "Of course, you must be exhausted after your ride today. I'll bid you good night."
He remained standing as he watched them leave, Edwin's head bent to listen to something Piper was saying. Slowly, he sat down, pondering all he'd learned. It was a shame that Skylette's stable boy had run off. He would have been excellent leverage. His fingers tapped a rhythm on the edge of the table. He made a quick decision and shoved the chair away from the table, heading for the dungeons.
There was no way to tell where his brother had been hiding all these years, but perhaps he knew something of the princess. It was possible whoever had helped him escape the night of the massacre had taken him to Skylette's father. The king would have kept the boy from harm any way he could. His lip curled in disgust, after all, their father was one of his favorites.
He descended the stairs to the cells where he was keeping Codey. A snort escaped, he found it exceedingly grating that he chose to go by his middle name instead of his given name. His brother seemed as if he wanted to erase who he had been when he was younger. He paused on the stairs, frowning. If that were the case, why return to claim his title? It seemed odd he would do so when he didn't seem to care much for anything having to do with the life he once had.
He stepped down and paused yet again. If the king was the one who protected him all these years, why wouldn't he have sent his brother here with an entire regiment of soldiers to back him up? He gave his head a shake, things weren't adding up. It was time his brother talked.
As he passed the guards' room, he stopped to lift the ring of keys from the hook where they rested. The men in the room rose when they spotted him. He waved them back to their seats. "I wish to have a word with the prisoner."
"Sir, you shouldn't go alone," one of the guards insisted.
"I think I can handle my brother." He turned and walked the short distance to the cell where Codey was being kept and unlocked the door. As he entered, Codey propped his body up on one elbow, without bothering to rise the rest of the way.
"Oh goody, I rate a visit today. What do you want, Camp?"
He smirked, sarcasm seemed to be his only form of communication since being locked away. "I think it's high time we had a little chat."
Codey dropped back down to lay on his back and stare at the ceiling. "I have nothing at all to say to you."
He placed the keys in his pocket and propped a shoulder against the framework for the cell door. "Oh, on the contrary, I believe we have much to discuss. For instance, where have you been hiding for the past thirteen years?"
Codey shrugged against the floor. "Here and there."
"Not the answer I was looking for. Did the king hide you away?"
Codey pulled his body up onto his elbows. "The king could care less about a dead boy. I had only a serving woman to look after me. She spirited me away after the attack and took me to live with her and her sister. I doubt the king even knows I lived."
Campbell considered his answer. "I'll buy that a serving woman rescued you, but the rest I'm inclined to think is a fairytale you've just invented. The woman wouldn't have raised you on her own, she would have gone straight to the king, after all how could she know if anyone saw her leave the village with you in tow. She could be in danger if she kept you."
"Believe whatever you wish, I could care less."
He pushed away from the frame of the door and took several steps into the cell. "No, I'm certain the king hid you away and kept you safe all these years. Now you're going to give me all the information I want about the king and the princess."
Codey was on his feet quickly. "I have nothing to tell you! There is no information inside my head that would help you with whatever madness you're planning."
He shrugged off Codey's words. "Whatever you're hiding in that head of yours won't really matter, I can accomplish my goals without it. However, it would make things so much easier. Especially in gaining the princess' cooperation."
"I suggest you stay as far from her as possible," Codey snarled.
"Ah, such venom from a man who claims to know nothing of the palace. Tell me, brother, might you know the name of the stable boy she's so infatuated with?"
His brother's eyes went wide and he took a step back. "What?"
Campbell chuckled at the shock on Codey's face. He had the intense feeling it wasn't shock over the fact Skylette was in love with a boy from the stables, it was that he'd know about it. "You heard my words perfectly fine. Tell me who he is."
Codey turned away and sat down against the wall. "He's dead," he said simply.
He narrowed his eyes on his brother. "How?"
A shrug and Codey looked up at him. "The king took exception to their close relationship and killed the boy."
Campbell considered his words. It might explain why Skylette believed the boy ran off. "The princess doesn't know, does she?"
"I have no idea what she knows. I was nothing to her or the king, I trained as a guardsman, the king treated me no differently than any of the other men there. We had no relationship. We couldn't if I was to remain hidden."
"So, you remained at the castle all of this time?"
"I did until my training was completed, after that I went wherever I was sent. I was a soldier, nothing more."
His story made sense, it explained why he could find no trace of him all these years. Still, something nagged at him about the story. About his brother's behavior when pressed about the princess. "You're lying," he snapped.
Codey glanced up at him. "You only believe that because you didn't get the answers you wished. Go away, brother, and let me rot in peace."
It was clear when he laid down facing the wall, he was done talking.
"This conversation isn't over." He turned and exited the cell, closing and locking the door. He stared at Codey's back for a moment before something occurred to him. "You were a soldier at the castle."
"I said this conversation is over."
"Were you with the boy when he came to the princess' rescue in the gardens?"
"Go the hell away! I'm done answering your questions!" he snapped out.
He turned away, smiling as he did. So, his brother was one of the men who helped rescue the princess. Interesting, perhaps he knew more than he was letting on. The vehemence with which he spoke told him all he needed to know. Codey was more personally involved with the lives of the royal family than he wanted to admit. The king had more than likely kept him close so he could be certain the son of his favored knight was safe from harm.
He replaced the keys in the guards' room before running up the stairs. It was time he made the princess an offer she couldn't refuse.