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The servant was not expecting this. A single officer on a military charger. No carriage. No entourage. No ceremony. He wasn’t even sure to begin with that this was even the person he was to escort to the Mayor’s side.
“Princess of the Realm, Laun Dresden.” The servant announced the figure next to him and then backed out of the room.
The Mayor stood from by the fireplace and looked sour. The sideboard of the room had several open bottles and casks, enough for a score of people and he had only three with him in the room. He looked behind Laun and did not see anyone else and his sourness deepened.
“Your Highness. I was expecting more people.”
Laun strode forward and held out her hand to the white haired sycophant. “You had been asking for me to come. I took you at your word.” She barely had a touch of hand or lips from him as he made the ritualized greeting.
He stiffly motioned to the other two people in the room. “Please, Highness, I would love for you to meet my family. My wife, Desirh.”
Laun went to the woman sitting in the matching chair that had been artfully put on the other side of the fireplace to show off her matching outfit to her husband. Laun held out her hand to the woman, the Mayors wife expecting a gentle touch, not the full hand kiss Laun gave her. “Desirh, you are more beautiful than described.”
Laun saw the blush under the cosmetics. “Your Highness, I did not know you had heard of me.”
“And,” the Mayor said over his wife, “My son, Olwin.”
Laun lingered with her hand on Desirh’s before rising to see the young man now standing behind his Mother. Laun did not have to fake her distain as she looked at the young man, dressed to show off his wide shoulders and his well kept long hair. He was in finery better than his parents, his jewelry and cosmetics put on with a practiced eye.
He stepped around the chair his Mother was in and held out his hand for Laun’s. She stepped into him and took his arm in a warriors grip, the uncertain way he looked at his Father before giving back the grip satisfying to Laun. “You are exactly as described, Olwin.”
“Um, thank you, Highness.”
Laun let go of the young man’s arm and turned back to Desirh, taking her hand back up. “You must have been madly in love to marry a man already with a grown child, Desirh.”
The lady of the house blushed even further and shook her head. “Highness,” she squeaked out, “he is my own.”
Laun shook her head and shot Mayor Cori a look that withered things in him he thought he would still be able to use. “Marrying a child! For shame, Mayor.”
The woman more than twice her age continued to blush as her husband stepped towards them. “Highness, that is a nice pleasantry, but we know it is not true.”
Laun brought the hand in hers back up to her lips, eyes meeting and catching the blushing woman’s. “If you say so, Mayor.”
“Shall we have something to drink, Highness?”
Laun nodded and went with him to the sideboard with seeming reluctance. No servants were in the room and the only one she had seen had been the one escorting her though the large house. The Mayor offered several of the wines and Laun shrugged at all of them.
“I am a simple Lady, Mayor. I am used to cider and household brewed ales. What would you recommend?”
The Mayor looked pleased and poured out a red wine that glowed in the cut crystal goblet. “This is my favorite, Highness.”
Laun took the goblet and watched him pour himself some, too. “What would your lovely wife...and your son...wish from the selection?”
Cori looked over and seemed confused at the suggestion. “My dear, would you like something?”
The Son came and dipped himself something from the casket that was open as the Wife nodded and vaguely waved at what Cori had in his hand. Another of the Mayor’s favorite was decanted and the Mayor took the steps to give it to his wife.
“Highness,” the cultured tones came from the Son, “I was not expecting you to be in military costume tonight.”
Launs’ eyebrow went up. She took a sip of the red wine in her hand and found it both too sweet and too acid at the same time. “Olwin, this is not a costume. I am a commander in the Midlands army with men in my command. My cousin is the direct heir and so I have gone into service, as the second in line is wont to do. Being a first Son and trained to take your Father’s place, I would not expect you to understand.”
He did not seem put off, even as Laun moved slightly away. Olwin moved with her and they moved towards the fireplace. “My Father mentioned that you were an unusual woman.” His smile was calculated to melt hearts. Laun was unaffected as she had seen better, and had that man die because of her. Olwin waited for the reaction he wanted and Laun saw his expectations wither. “Um, your trip was...eventful, I hear.”
Laun was near the fireplace and she leaned against the mantle above as she had seen men do in her household as they talked. “It was fine until the bandits from Rosemond came to take me.” Laun turned slightly and smiled at the lady of the house, including her in the conversation.
The Mayor stepped close and said, “They were after you? I thought that it was random banditry. Who could have thought they could get away with such a thing?”
Laun motioned with the goblet, bringing it to her lips and moving it away without taking a sip. “They did, and the person who hired them did.”
Olwin tried to move closer and also leaned against the mantle, his forearm against the carved wood. He was much taller and had an easier time of it, though it did not seem to be a position he was used to. “Considering how long it took you to accept our invite, Highness, perhaps it was just someone who wished for some of your time.” His smile was wide and flashing.
Laun’s eyes flashed, too. “Well, they did get my attention. But it is inappropriate to try to get my attention by kidnapping me. That is treason, after all, and that person will be dealt with.” Laun looked from Father to Son with nothing to veil the hate within her.
“T-treason?”
Laun again motioned with the goblet and pushed herself away from the mantle slightly. “I am Princess of the Realm and second heir to the Midland’s throne, Olwin.” Her free hand went to the cap on her head and brushed the crown and bird pin glinting in the firelight.
Both of the men looked as though they were caught flat footed in a chase. Desirh heard the awkward silence and took up the conversation, saying, “Highness, it is most unusual for a woman to be in any of the corps.”
Laun had the dazzling smile in the room as she turned to the other woman. “That is true. I did not work my way up through the ranks as my trusted officers have done, but I have the privilege of leading directly a company as well as being a... General officer in the military.” The emphasis of the one word seemed to strike at something in the men.
The older woman smiled back and nodded. “It is wonderful that the King would allow you to lead as you do. I know you had some troubles with him when he took over.”
Her husband had a bite in his voice as he said, “Desirh, that is not something to talk about-”
“Mayor.” Laun rounded on him. “I do not hide the fact that I and my household were the last resistance to him taking the throne by coup.” She put the goblet on the table next to her hostess and turned to her. “It is because of the troubles and how we came together that he trusts me at his right hand.”
Laun saw the look that Olwin gave his Father, though not the returned look. “Highness, I do believe that it will be a little while before dinner is served. May I show you the view of the ocean from the deck?” Olwin raised his hand to her, expecting her to take it.
Laun softened slightly and nodded to him. “That would be nice. I have been stuck in close council with the Commander and his aides and have not seen much more than the compound.” She turned to Desirh and said, “If you do not mind me wandering off with your son?”
There was a smile and the Mayors Wife shook her head. “Please. Our home is yours, Highness.”
Laun bowed to the older woman and took Olwins’ hand. He looked like he had won something and smiled at Laun as he led her to a glass door that led outside.
The sky was dark, but the lights from Hamlis glowed into it enough that it was hard to see more than the brightest stars and the just past full moon near the horizon. The breeze off the ocean was clean and slightly chilly, though Laun welcomed it after being in a too-hot room wearing her black leathers. The house was on an artificial hill so that it could look above the few other noble houses precariously built on the cliff over the ocean. Because of that, they could see down to the calm water and over the walls of a few of the other small estates around them.
A railing was a few paces from the wall of the Mayors’ home. Torches were placed at the corners of the railing that seemed to surround the open area along the sea-side of the building, a small overhang had some lanterns every so often, but it was dim outside other than that. Olwin breathed in as he slowly took Laun to the railing, his smile bright in the dim light.
“I love that smell. The ocean has always drawn me to it. It is beautiful.” He turned as they were at the railing, looking down at Laun. “Don’t you think so?”
“This is the first week I have spent near the ocean. I have seen beauty, and I have seen destruction.”
He nodded and waived towards the East. “Several of our nobles had damage this storm when what looked like part of a fishing boat was picked up by the wind and shattered.” He looked towards where the damage had been done and had an appropriately concerned look on his face when he turned back.
“Some of the cliff face washed out by the barracks I am staying in. But the compound was battened down tightly before it had a chance to hit.”
He moved slightly closer and leaned against the railing. “And your children, Highness?”
Laun smiled and tilted her head slightly. “They are well. As far as I know, they slept through most of the storm.”
His eyes slid down her frame, taking advantage of his height to look at the little skin at her cleavage she had at her tunic’s neckline. “It is good to expose them to different things as they grow.” He looked back up to her eyes and continued with, “I know I traveled when I was younger and I still travel as much as I can.”
“Where did you last come from?” Launs voice dropped in tone slightly, becoming silky.
He moved his hand to Laun’s on the railing. “I was last in the Capitol City, Highness, but it does not compare to where I am right now.” He picked her hand up and kissed the back, holding it against his chin as he looked down at her.
Laun moved her head so that she was looking somewhat at him from under her eyebrows and lashes. “You must miss Hamlis when you are away, then.”
“I could be anywhere right now. I think I have traveled so much looking for you, and you came to me.”
Laun held in the few nasty comments that came to mind and gave a giggle instead. “You are too kind, Olwin. I know that I am plain. I am sure that there are other noble women much more attractive than I vying for your attention.”
He shrugged and kissed her fingertips. “I cannot remember any others right now, Highness. May I call you Laun?”
Laun clenched her teeth and nodded. She rumbled as she said, “You are quite forward. I like that.”
He moved her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist, moving the cuff of the uniform tunic to get to it. “Sometimes you miss opportunities by not going for what you want.” His voice was slightly strained and Laun could hear him rushing in what he was saying.
“Shouldn’t we be getting back inside? Wouldn’t your parents be shocked by your conduct?”
He shook his head. He trailed his fingertip down her forearm and blinked. He took his eyes from Laun’s and looked at the leather strap buckled to Laun’s forearm under her sleeve. “What...?”
Laun looked like she was just moving her other hand, flicking her wrist and a knife appeared in her hand from her other harness. “I am armed, Olwin,” Laun purred. The knife flashed in the dim light as she did a few motions without looking at it, positioning it to go back into the harness as she looked into his eyes.
He swallowed. “I will keep that in mind, Laun.” He let go of her hand and she replaced the knife.
Laun turned towards the ocean again. “The storm had such power, Olwin. I felt its strength while I was in my room.”
He was on a mission to seduce her, and Laun knew it. He took a chance and put his hand on her shoulder, stroking down her arm with a gentle finger. “Power can be exhilarating. It can be intoxicating.”
She nodded. “It can be overwhelming, too. Power can make you take some things for granted.”
“Like what, Laun?” His body now was a finger width away from her and she could feel his heat and smell the musky perfume he had put on.
“Having power has made me reckless.” She looked up at him and saw the smile.
His arm was around her, perhaps not as quickly as he would have if he did not know she was armed. A hand was on her chin and his breath was sweet with herbs. “I like reckless.”
He paused. He was waiting for her to just melt into his arms, to lean into him and kiss him. He was used to being the conquerer. It confused him when his charms and his arms were not enough to make Laun do what he wanted.
Laun pushed her hands between them and ran them up his chest, feeling the muscles he had. Her hand went to his throat and grasped him lightly. “Be careful. Once I start, I don’t stop.”
She felt his pulse race under her fingers and he swallowed. Laun pulled on his throat and he came to her, their lips pressing together. Laun did not feel the passion she used against him. He pulled her closer and let loose with his lips and tongue and Laun could feel that his body was reacting to what they were doing.
There was a creak and a slight scrape. Laun backed off and pulled her tunic down to straighten it. Olwin leaned with her until he was slightly unbalanced. He looked to the house and nodded. Laun smiled in the dark and turned, not waiting for him to motion or offer to go inside.
The same servant was standing just inside the open glass door. He stepped back as Laun came towards him and looked at Olwin still leaning against the railing.
“...Cori, do you think it is wise-” Desirh stopped when she saw their guest come back into the room.
The Mayor turned and looked at Laun, the same confused look on his face when she had come into his presence alone the first time. “Where is Olwin?”
Laun motioned behind her and said, “He needed to catch his breath, Mayor. He was right about the beauty of the view.” Laun picked up the goblet she had left beside her hostess and went to the mantle piece again. She swirled it and saw a cloudiness that had not been there before.
“Our dinner is ready, Highness. Once my Son is with us, we can go to the dining room.” Desirh stood from her chair and Laun saw the limp that she had been warned about.
Laun put the goblet back down on the small table and offered her hand. “Please, call me Laun. This is not a formal enough gathering for me to feel it is needed to remind me of my rank. May I escort you into evening meal?”
The woman did not blush as deeply as before while she held her hand to Laun. Laun bowed over it and then put it around her arm, supporting the woman. They started to walk at Desirh’s pace, Olwin coming in and staring at the women before following with his Father.
The meal was in a room that overlooked the ocean, the curtains pulled back so that they could see some of the moon-lit waves. The table was much larger than was really needed, several places having been taken away when Laun had shown up alone. There was crystal and gold and bone-white porcelain glinting in the candle light. The Mayor sat at the head of the table and his Wife sat at his left. Laun took the right hand position without being asked, Olwin going around the table to sit next to her.
“Laun, you forgot your drink in the other room-” Cori motioned to the servant at the door to go get the goblet.
Laun held up a hand and motioned for the servant to stop. “It was interesting, but not to my taste, Cori. Just water for me, if it is possible.”
There was a little sneer on the Mayor’s face as he nodded to the servant. “The storm made it difficult to get much, but I hope that this meal is to your standards, Highness.”
There had been some time for them to plan over the days that Laun had been in the compound. There was more in the removes than Laun could have comfortably eaten at any one time, but she had been warned about the Mayor’s tactics. She let her host control most of the conversation, eating just a few bites here and there as she seemed enraptured by the man. Laun did make a point of looking to the woman across from her and include her in the conversation, turning a phrase here and there to bring the attention of Desirh’s husband to his wife and Laun’s open appreciation of the woman.
The topics were general, though Olwin did chime in a few times with good observations of the food problems, and the Rosemond soldiers still within the Midlands. He behaved as a polite and well mannered man, though Laun caught him more than once trying to find a curve of flesh under her uniform black leathers with his eyes.
Soup and fish and salad and meat and fruit... Laun counted five removes and thought it would not end. The fruit was the last placed on the table, the servant seemingly glad of it. Laun caught the servant several times with a little smile and tilt of her head, a small smile back after the cut citrus with honey was placed between Olwin and Laun.
It was calculated and Laun almost did not see the set-up in time. She reached for a piece of fruit from the common platter and Olwin’s hand was going to brush hers. An accidental touch to make Laun pause, to thrill in a society that did not like men and women being close let alone touching in public. Instead of a small touch of a finger to the back of the hand, Laun pressed her own hand to his before retrieving the slice of orange she had wanted.
The tray was passed to the Mayor who took a slice and seemed to ignore that his Wife could not reach the tray for a piece. The servant came forward from the wall and moved the tray just a little, and Laun smiled at the man again.
“My dear, I am getting tired. Would you escort me to my room?” It might have been partially an act, but Desirh looked as though most of her energy had been spent.
Mayor Cori stood and helped his wife to stand, her limp more pronounced after a few steps from the table. Laun stood and Olwin followed suit as his mother went from the room. The Mayor’s own slight limp from the professed horse run-in showed as he supported his wife, but no more than a slight twist to his ankle might have slowed him.
Laun went to sit down again and she found Olwin’s body close to hers. She turned and found that he was openly leering at her, a look that might have been enticing for some noble women he had been with in the past, but a look that just meant that Laun was going to have to get things over with quickly.
“Laun, now that they are gone, what shall we do this evening?”
Laun leaned against the table slightly and looked up into his face, reading a few ticks and flashes of emotion as she said, “We were having a promising time outside looking at the ocean, Olwin. But your Father-”
He shook his head and put a hand on Laun’s neck, stroking her chin with his thumb. “Mother needs help and he does not like to let the servants coddle her. He takes charge...” He tried to lean forward to kiss her and Laun turned her head slightly, making him rethink how he needed to approach.
“Olwin...” His breath was warm on her face and he took the way she turned to go for her neck instead of her lips. He was practiced, perhaps some talent behind his training, but Laun was not feeling anything from him. It wasn’t even because she knew that the Mayor was trying to set them up, perhaps not knowing that Laun had been married. She just didn’t find the obvious push to get Olwin into Laun’s pants...exciting.
“Laun, may I take you somewhere more private?” His breath was warm and was supposed to make her shiver as he whispered into her skin.
Practiced. That was the feeling. “I thought you said your parents-”
He breathed into her neck and shook his head. “There are the servants, too.”
Laun moved back and turned away from him. “Subtlety is not part of who you are, is it?”
He smiled, the teeth he flashed more predatory than inviting. His hand went to her neck again and started to grip hard. “I don’t need to be subtle now that-”
Laun was not subtle. She moved into him and grabbed his groin. His hand on her neck tightened slightly before her other hand moved. Her voice was a growl as she breathed into his ear just above her thumb pressing in with her hand around his throat, “Forget that I am Princess of the realm. Forget that I am heir to the throne. Forget that I have a company of men at my command. Forget that I am the woman who kept Falmir from completing his ascension to the Midlands throne until I said he could.” Laun moved into him and tightened her grip on Olwin, enjoying the pain that had stopped his breath. “Stop playing games with me.”
He could not speak until she loosened her grip. His hands were around his manhood and sac, his body doubled up as he leaned on the table. “Laun- fuck! Why’d you do that? Crap...” He sat, groaning.
Laun had overdone it. “Just because I have breasts does not mean I will fall into your bed. I hope I didn’t damage you. I am sure someone enjoys you in bed.” She moved away and looked like she was going to leave.
“High...ness.” Laun stopped and turned to face the Mayor’s Son. His head was bowed and she saw the open pain from what she had done to him on his lowered face. “You...have a reputation and Father told me to push you.”
She crossed her arms and tilted her head. “Push me. At least I wasn’t offered a stack of coins as I came in.”
His head went up. The look on his face was pained, not just because of the way she had handled his manhood. “Highness. No, I...” He shook his head, his voice lowering slightly as he said, “We need to keep Hamlis. I have been traveling to the Capitol City to try to talk with people who have the King’s ear. We...” His face turned away.
Laun thought of the last Fall, when She had been captured and sent back to Rosemond. The Mayor of Hamlis had been found to be an accessory, but had pleaded well enough that he had kept his position as well as his life. Laun did not know what else could have happened over the Winter, but if the Son had been sent to petition for his Father, it was not good. Laun felt as though something big had been left out of the briefing she had before coming to the Mayor’s estate.
“I sensed that you were pushing yourself, being far too obvious.” Laun stepped closer. “Do you really wish to lay with me?”
He had an odd look as he motioned towards his hurt manhood. “Not now.”
Laun smiled. She shook her head slightly and said, “If I hadn’t just pruned your family tree, would you...”
He had scrunched up his face and could not help the short laugh that came out. “Highness, yes.” He looked back up to Laun and had a small smile. “Though I am not sure I could meet up to your standards at this point.”
Laun pulled out the chair next to Olwin and sat. “There is no way to restart this evening. I apologize for handling you roughly.”
He nodded and said, “Thank you, Highness. Laun... I’m sorry, too. I thought that, with your uniform and such, that I could be more forward when my usual... technique didn’t work.”
Laun nodded. “I am unusual. I saw right through most of tonight.” There was a sound as though a soft shoe was sliding along the wooden floor behind Laun. “I do have a question that I need answered.”
Olwin shrugged, his grip on himself lessening and relaxing. “What do you wish to know?”
Laun turned and looked at Mayor Cori’s surprised face as she asked, “What did you put in the wine?”
“Nothing, Highness! It’s just the best-”
Laun shook her head. She watched as the Hamlis Mayor moved with a slight awkwardness to be next to his son. “Reputations are strong in this room right now. Mine, and yours, Mayor.”
There was a shake to the white haired man’s head. “What do you mean?”
Laun stood to face the older man. “The charges that you had buried against you. From at least three women.”
Olwin turned away from his Father, the knowledge of the women his father had drugged and forced plain on his face. Cori shook his head and said, “There are no such charges, Highness. You must have heard wrong.”
Laun had seen the goblet be brought in, even after she had asked just to have water. She went to it on the sideboard and picked it up. It still was cloudy, though perhaps not as much. She held it out to the Mayor and said, “Drink it.”
He stopped himself from shaking his head. “It has sat out too long, Highness. It looses it-”
Laun turned to Olwin and held out the goblet, the red liquid glowing in the candle light. “Will you drink it for your Father?”
His hand slowly went up, reaching for the vessel in Laun’s hand. Olwin stopped at a sound from his Father, Cori reaching for the wine and taking it from Laun. “I am not admitting anything, Highness. My Son does not have to drink this in my place.” He looked at the goblet and then took several sips, putting the crystal down on the table carefully after.
“Treason is hard to duck twice, Cori.” Laun saw the Mayor’s jaw tense. “I do have a proposition for you to keep this between us.”
The Mayor leaned on the back of his Son’s chair. “What do you have in mind?”
“I will have need to move a friend from the military compound to a place that can care for him as he recuperates while I travel back to the Capitol City.”
There was a flash of something over the Mayor’s face, but his voice was steady as he said, “I would be honored to host one of yours, Highness.”
Laun sat, facing the two men. “Thank you. If I find that he has been treated well, I will stand with your son in my Father’s presence.”
Olwin looked up at his Father. “You need that.”
There was a nod. “As you wish, Highness.”
Laun smiled. She rose and held out her hand to Mayor Cori. “Thank you.”
There were warrior’s grips between Laun and the Mayor, his face showing surprise when he felt the weapons under her tunic. His son stood carefully and another warrior’s grip was shared. There was a moment of quiet before Laun stepped back from her host.
“I will send my aide to arrange for the transfer of my friend. Thank you for a good meal. And, please, tell your lovely Wife that I regret not having more time with her. She does have beautiful eyes, doesn’t she.”
Something slid into place for Olwin, a blush going across his face. The Mayor did not hear what Laun was saying, but nodded to her and snapped his fingers, bringing the servant back out of hiding. Laun was escorted through the building to her horse, a small touch to the man’s shoulder before she rode into the moonlight.
Chapter 17 Another storm is coming towards Hamlis, thwarting plans to travel to the Capitol City
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