I think this is my longest chapter yet! 2000 words!
In the early morning, I slipped out of bed. As usual, Flynd was still asleep. Now that he didn't have to fulfill his duties as Prince, he refused to get up before sunrise. I could scarcely imagine how he'd fare when we returned to the castle and he had to return to his original routine again.
I took the letter from it's hiding place in the office and made my way to the bottom floor. There, stood two guards who would take guard in rotation every other day. They were quite kind to me, letting us go outside more often than we were supposed to, but they weren't allowed to tell us their names. So, I referred to them as Longbeard and Clean-shaven, something they found amusing.
Right now, Longbeard was standing by doorway on watch duty while Clean-shaven was asleep on the floor beside him.
"Longbeard," I whispered. His eyes crinkled in amusement at the use of his nickname. "Could you mail this?"
I gave him the letter and he gingerly held it between his fingers. With a nod, he said, "Your Highness, no one is allowed to send mail to this location. If a letter was sent in return, it would be redirected to the castle first. Then, the King would have to bring it here himself."
I paused for a moment. I didn't particularly want the King to read the letter, it was awfully personal, and I knew he'd latch on to the sentiments I expressed about Flynd. Then, I remembered the rule about royal mail—no one was allowed to open them unless addressed to themselves. So, I agreed. "That would be fine."
With a last smile for Longbeard and his sleeping companion, I went back upstairs. When I opened the door, I was rushed by a burst of warmth. The bed seemed so inviting. Satisfied with my work, I snuggled underneath the covers beside Flynd.
...
"Do you mind telling me more about your family?" I asked Flynd as we sat over a chessboard. I'd only recently learned the game and was losing quite thoroughly. It was so difficult to remember which pieces were which. And every time I moved a piece in the wrong direction, Flynd pretended not to notice. "I'm curious."
He smiled. "What do you want to know? Checkmate."
I sighed at the lost game. "I forfeit."
"You can't forfeit when you've essentially lost."
"I forfeit." I repeated, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Alright, alright. I understand. Now, what do you want to know about my family?"
"Well," I said. "I want to hear about your mother. And father."
Flynd hummed in thought. "They didn't get along very well. They had an arranged marriage."
"Like us?" I asked in astonishment. "Are you serious?"
He nodded reluctantly, visibly unhappy with the comparison. "Yes, but we don't despise each other anymore. They never grew out of that stage."
"What happened?"
"My father's parents wanted to unite the ó Baoill line with a powerful nobility family and my mother was the daughter of a powerful duke. They were betrothed from the age of seven."
"Wow..." I murmured. "That must have been terrible." I couldn't imagine knowing that you would marry someone from such a young age. Even if you fell in love with other people along the way, your marriage was determined. It was no wonder that the King was so fixated on having favor with the nobility. From a young age, he was taught that it was important.
"They didn't get along. I caught my father with multiple women who weren't my mother."
I winced. "I'm so sorry, Flynd."
He shook his head dismissively. "I never saw my mother cheat, but I know she did too. Neither of them were innocent in the matter. And I don't blame them, they were a terrible match."
I thought back to my own parents, who adored each other. They'd also had an arranged marriage, but it had been a good match. They had been so lucky. And until recently, I thought I could never be as lucky.
"There was a rumor about my father during those days," Flynd said speculatively. "That he was having relations with a commoner. Something so taboo that no one dared mention it."
"Do you think he did?"
Flynd nodded. "Of course. But he's much tamer now. It would be hypocritical of him to expect me to be a good man if he couldn't be one himself. But sometimes, I wonder if either of us has achieved that."
"I think you're a good man, Flynd." I said with a small smile.
He gazed at me with a tenderness that melted my heart. "Thank you, Ayan. It means a great deal coming from you."
"You're welcome." I said. I grabbed a wooden queen piece and white king piece from the chessboard. I laughed, "This represents us one day. Of course, the Queen is the most important part."
He rolled his eyes, but I could see laughter blooming on his lips.
...
Blanyr's POV
"Er...Sire...I...I don't know...I..." I managed to stutter to a euphemistic "no".
"You will do it."
I choked on sharp inhale. "Your Highness...I...I—"
He cut me off swiftly, "I wouldn't tell a soul about this. In fact, don't tell a soul about it. Understand?"
"Well—"
Again, he interrupted me, "I know who you are, Blanyr."
"Pardon?" I asked, trying to ignore the tumble my heart had just done in my chest.
"I know your father is Lord Cormac. I've always known. And it would be a shame if the Lord knew where his estranged daughter has been hiding all these years."
I swallowed whatever protest I had left and reminded myself to tread lightly. This wasn't the first time I'd been recognized by an observant individual, and I had ways of evading blackmail, but this was the King. He couldn't be bribed or seduced or beaten into silence. "Alright, Your Highness," I answered as a quiet rage coursed through me.
"I think you'll make an excellent spy. You're quite unassuming," He peered a bit into my face. "And you have large eyes. They make you appear innocent. What do you think?"
"Well, I suppose," I conceded, somewhat flustered, somewhat enraged.
King Renyld's eyes scrunched in thought. "You'll need someone to guide you through the process. I would, but I haven't the time."
I watched in confusion as the strode to the door and rapped on it loudly. Within moments, hurried footsteps could be heard from outside and then a voice asked, "Your Highness? You called?"
"Yes," The King said through the door. "Send for Sir Lorcan."
My heart dropped to my feet. I had just gotten rid of Sir Lorcan and now he was being forced back into my life? Why did the King even trust a fop like Lorcan? He probably didn't have any skillset to qualify him as a spy.
While I seethed, the King turned around with an oblivious smile. I hated how he always smiled when no one else was amused. He gestured to a chair, "Sit, Blanyr. Sir Lorcan likes to take his time."
...
"I need you to aid her," King Renyld explained to a skeptical Sir Lorcan. "It isn't an easy transition."
"A lady-in-waiting who doubles as a maidservant? As a spy?" The knight asked with a disdainful frown. I tried not to glare a hole into his face. "I find it unprofessional."
"I really don't care what you find it, Lorcan. An order is an order, is it not?"
Sir Lorcan huffed, as if he was arguing with a sibling and not the King of Arania. "You're not really going to make me do this? Are you?"
King Renyld scowled. "You're insufferable. I'm telling you this as your King and superior."
Sir Lorcan glanced at me. His eyes searched mine. "Fine. But I anticipate a long journey ahead."
King Renyld raised an eyebrow. "Wonderful."
Then, someone knocked on the door. King Renyld frowned, "Who is it?"
"Lord Eavan!" The person responded from outside.
At the sound of the name, Sir Lorcan became visibly uncomfortable. He stood up from his seat as the king allowed Lord Eavan entry. The tall man with light brown hair entered anxiously. He approached the King's desk, staring at his superior with large eyes.
"I've discovered something." King Renyld looked at us and back at Lord Eavan who seemed to remember his environment. He gave Sir Lorcan a dismissive look and his eyes glazed over me as if I wasn't there. "What are they doing here?"
"Sir Lorcan is a trusted advisor to the Crown. You know that, Eavan," The King snapped. "And this is Blanyr. She is a newly minted spy."
Lord Eavan almost scoffed. "A woman?"
A dark fury encircled me as yet another royal dismissed my existence. I had no time or patience for this business. I wasn't some woman, I wasn't merely a lady-in-waiting, and I certainly wasn't a spy.
With a fierce glare, King Renyld pulled off his Crown and threw it on his desk. It rattled on the table. "Am I the King, Lord Eavan? Am I, Sir Lorcan?"
Immediately, Lord Eavan turned sober. "Your Highness, I didn't mean to—"
"Am I the King?" He roared looking at the two of them. "Am I?"
Lord Eavan nodded slowly, and I noticed a soft tinge of pinkness flourish his neck. Sir Lorcan's tanner skin seemed to flush a darker hue as well.
Embarrassment.
I had to stop myself from smiling.
"If I am the King, then why is everyone questioning my authority today?"
No one said a word.
"That's what I suspected," King Renyld snatched his crown and set it perfectly atop his head. "Blanyr is a spy for the Crown. Everyone in this room is trusted by me, therefore should be trusted by you."
"Of course, Your Highness," Lord Eavan said. "My apologies."
Sir Lorcan didn't apologize. But I couldn't say I was surprised.
"Now," The King said. "What is this news you spoke of?"
Lord Eavan nodded anxiously. "Right. I was approached by the group. They think they can trust me."
"An opening," Sir Lorcan said in astonishment. "You've infiltrated?"
"Indeed. They refer to themselves as the Federation of Virtue."
"And what did you tell them when they asked?" Sir Lorcan questioned. "Did you join?"
Lord Eavan shook his head. "I told them I was too afraid of the King to do so. But they could trust me to keep their secret."
Sir Lorcan and the King glanced at one another. They seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Lord Eavan," the King said. "You need to join before the trust is completely severed. Don't let them think you're loyal to the Crown. How could anyone trust a man like that?"
The Lord nervously touched one of his curls. The King looked at me expectantly. "What do you think, Blanyr?"
I frowned at the three men watching me. Only one of them seemed interested in what I had to say. "If you pretend the King has angered you, they might be more accepting of you..." I murmured quietly. "Perhaps you could say you've realized how overbearing he is, and you don't want such a man in control?"
Lord Eavan snorted. "The Federation of Virtue isn't a plot to overthrow the Crown. It's a plot to assassinate the princess."
I glared at him, emboldened by the King's confidence in me. "It is quite clear the plot is an attack against the very authority of castle itself. If they kill the Princess, they can easily twist their values to kill the King. After all, the King is the one who agreed to the marriage, what's to say his judgement isn't impaired? That he doesn't deserve to rule? No one is safe when a group plans to destroy the fabric of power that holds our government in place. Don't be naïve."
Sir Lorcan's eyes were wide, but he slowly began to grin. "We can't argue with that logic, can we now, Lord Eavan?"
While Lord Eavan snapped at Sir Lorcan and they began to bicker, the King nodded at me in approval. Excellent job, his eyes seemed to say.