Chapter 8

Queen Alida stood next to David in the Great Hall, one hand resting on his sleeve and making it impossible for him to leave without being discourteous. The voluptuous woman was dressed in a rich rose-colored gown this evening, its clinging fabric and low-cut neckline leaving very little to the imagination.

"I missed you on the last hunt," she purred, running a delicately tinted fingernail up his silk-clad arm. "Are you going on the next one?"

David's eyes automatically searched the crowd for Ty'lin as he tried to stifle his impatience with the woman. "I don't know for sure," he replied. "I'll have to consult with my partner."

"I'm sure you'll have a good time, even if he doesn't come along," she cooed persuasively. "It might even be more fun without him. I frequently fall behind the main hunting party and I feel *so* much better if I have a big, strong man to protect me from ravening beasts."

"Perhaps you should speak to the Captain of the Guard," David replied politely. "I'm sure he would be willing to assign a guard to protect you."

"Oh, but I would feel so much better if I had a... skilled, experienced knight with me," the queen gushed, wondering with exasperation just how *dense* this man was? He seemed totally incapable of understanding innuendo.

"Then perhaps you should speak to Sir Reginald," David advised. "I know he enjoys the hunt and he's very experienced."

The queen looked sharply at David. The elderly gentleman in question was well-known for his pursuit of the laundry maids. No, she decided, he really didn't mean anything by that remark. He was just a knight. He wouldn't have the brains to think of a double entendre like that. She wouldn't even be interested in him if it weren't for the magnificent packaging.

"I'd rather have you," she whispered huskily, deciding that if she were ever going to get anywhere with him she was going to have to be more blunt. She ran her fingertip over his arm again.

"I really wish you wouldn't do that, Your Grace. I wouldn't want His Majesty to get the wrong idea."

"His Majesty doesn't care what I do, as long as I'm discreet." She rested her hand on his biceps, squeezing gently. "And I'm sure that, with your experience in the world, you understand how to be discreet."

"I'm just a simple knight, Your Grace. I wouldn't dream of... being discreet... with a woman such a yourself," David said sincerely.

"You need to think more highly of yourself," she cooed.

"I'm sorry." David had finally spotted Ty'lin, coming in the door from the gardens. The young prince was looking pale and slightly sick, but even as David took an involuntary step toward him, he straightened up and assumed a more normal air. "I need to speak to His Highness about tomorrow's lesson. Excuse me, please."

David kept an eye on Ty'lin as he crossed the Hall. The prince seemed to be his usual confident self, but David wasn't fooled by the act. They were dressed in black velvet and diamonds tonight and the somber color and clear gems emphasized Ty's pallor. The blond knight forced himself to act casual and nonchalant, even as his protective instincts screamed at him to shove his way through the crowd of people to reach his young lover's side.

"What's wrong?" he demanded when at last he reached the prince.

"Nothing," Ty'lin replied softly. "Go away. You're not supposed to talk to me in public, remember?"

"I don't care if I'm not supposed to talk to you in public. You're upset and I want to know why!" He reached out toward the young man.

"Don't touch me!" Ty'lin snapped, then moderated his tone at David's shocked look. "It's all right, David. I'll tell you all about it later, but if you touch me or I to try talk about it now, I'll lose control, and I *won't* give that bitch the satisfaction. Please, just let it go for now, all right? People are starting to look at us."

"All right," the knight agreed reluctantly, also aware of the eyes on them. "So you'll be at practice a candlemark early tomorrow?" he said in a more normal tone of voice, as if that had been the topic of the conversation.

"I really don't see that it's our place to accommodate your schedule," Ty'lin responded haughtily, a slight sparkle returning to his eyes. "But I suppose we can do it this once. As long as you don't expect us to make a habit of it."

"Thank you, Your Highness," David replied, trying not to smile. "You are most gracious."

The queen's emerald eyes narrowed as she watched their conversation, and she made a mental note to see just how close the knights were becoming to the princes during their daily practices. Those knights were *hers*. They weren't going to become friendly with that pair of obnoxious little brats.

Those thoughts were temporarily put on hold as she saw the two gentlemen coming in from the gardens. Both their elaborate dress and elegantly curled hair declared them to be young nobleman of the queen's faction. In fact, lacking any hint of morals and totally devoted to her, they were her prime weapons in her covert war on the princes. The one in the lead nodded slightly at her, a triumphant smirk letting her know that his current mission had been accomplished. She nodded back at him, allowing a feral smile to grace her lips.

Everyone knew that the wizard was having no luck finding a spell that would stop Rohannon. He was becoming more and more frantic, leaving his workroom only to attend the Royal gatherings and make sure that there weren't any would-be champions threatening to steal his glory. Not that he had anything to worry about, she mused contentedly. The stream of champions had all but dried up, as the eager young fortune hunters convinced of their immortality had been killed off by Rohannon. There hadn't been any new petitioners in days. Unless the knights... no, they were open about the reason they were here - to find moneyed brides. They hadn't even paid any attention to the king, let alone requested a private meeting with him. No, life was going well for her. Another moon and the young brats would be out of her hair forever. Meanwhile, they were so much fun to bait. Between that and the challenge the blond knight was providing, she was well-entertained. She drifted over to the courtier and whispered his reward into his ear, gratified by his flush and stammer at the honor he was being accorded.

Across the hall, the wizard Andronicus also watched the conversation and his suspicions were also aroused. He *knew* those knights were up to something. He had tried repeatedly to get a spy into the daily weapons practice and that dark-haired one had always found them and evicted them. Nobody worried that much about privacy unless they were up to something.

He snapped his fingers impatiently and Braccus, one of his more important hirelings, hurried over, bowing apprehensively. The wizard's demands were becoming more and more difficult as the date of Rohannon's return approached. Finding the ingredients for some of his more esoteric spells was becoming downright dangerous. To his relief, this summons was only a request for information.

"Have those knights approached the king?" Andronicus demanded.

"What knights?" the dapper little man asked in confusion, startled by this unexpected demand.

"The new ones, dolt! The ones that are supposedly looking for brides!" the wizard snapped.

"I don't think so, Sir Wizard. The spy we have on the king didn't mention it." The underling kept his tone respectful, despite his resentment at being called a dolt. It didn't pay to show contempt toward a powerful wizard.

"Well, ask him about it," Andronicus snarled. "What about the princes? Have they talked to the princes?"

"They talk to the princes every day. During their weapons practice." Braccus was even more confused.

"And you *still* haven't managed to conceal a man in that building!" The wizard changed his line of attack.

"Well, it's not my fault," Braccus whined defensively. "It's that dark-haired knight. He ferrets them out no matter where I hide them. Maybe if you put a spell on one..." he ended hopefully.

"Are you MAD?" Andronicus almost shouted, then, as several people looked over at them, he continued in a harsh undertone. "Waste my valuable energy on a spell to hide an incompetent flunky? I think you overrate your value to me, Braccus. You get a spy in that building and you do it NOW. And alert the spies on the princes, as well. I want to know every contact they have with the knights. In fact, put spies on the knights, too. I want to know every move they make. At once. We don't have any time to waste. They may already have contacted the king."

"Yes, Sir Wizard," Braccus murmured respectfully, as the wizard stalked off, but his thoughts were less polite. "Stupid git," he raged inwardly. How could they have contacted the king without the spies watching him knowing about it? And as far as setting spies on the knights, that was *not* going to happen. Good men were expensive and the wizard wasn't noted for paying his bills on time. When the old miser coughed up more money he could have more spies. Until then, the man watching the king would let them know if there was any contact. Otherwise... well, it wouldn't be the first time he had falsified reports.

~~~~

"And you have no idea who the men were?" Michael asked, sitting down in his chair in the princes' solar, glass of wine in hand.

"No," David sat as well, stretching his long legs out on the footstool in front of him and setting his glass on the small table next to him. "But I got a good look at them, and I'll recognize them again."

Ky'lin came in just then, dressed in a short sapphire robe and carrying a hairbrush. He handed Michael the brush and sat on the footstool in front of him. Michael leaned forward and undid the thick ebony braid, finger-combing it before brushing it out with long even strokes. The homey task had become an evening ritual, one that gave them both intense pleasure. Ky closed his eyes and leaned into the strokes, feeling as if Michael was sweeping away the day's tensions with each smooth glide of the brush.

Tylin came in shortly after, wearing an identical robe and carrying an identical hairbrush. His hair was already unbound, however, and instead of sitting on the stool between David's legs, he crawled into David's lap and nestled his head against the broad shoulder pensively. David gently rubbed his back.

"Are you ready to tell me what's wrong, love?"

"Nothing."

"Don't tell me 'nothing'," David scolded gently. "Someone hurt you tonight and I want to know who. It was those men who followed you in from the garden, wasn't it?"

Ty sighed. "It doesn't matter who they are, David. Let's just forget about it, all right?"

"They were the queen's men," Ky'lin said softly from his place in front of Michael. "They caught him alone in the gardens, and they were taunting him. Wondering if Rohannon would torch us first or eat us alive. Whether he would eat us one at a time or alternate bites. And what body part he'd start on. In graphic detail."

His voice broke, and Michael put down the brush and pulled the trembling young prince onto his lap, softly murmuring reassurances.

"You're right, it doesn't matter who they are!" David swore angrily. "I'll recognize them when I see them again, and I'm only going to kill them, not engrave their tombstones."

"You can't kill them, David," Ty'lin replied wearily. "You can't tell us that we have to be discreet, then turn around and kill someone just because they hurt our feelings."

He pulled himself free of David's grip and stood up, pacing restlessly. "What the hell does it matter, anyway? What the hell does *anything* matter!? We go to weapons practice and pretend we have a future where we'll need to defend ourselves. We order new wardrobes like we're going to be around to wear them. We go to court functions where people look at us like we're some kind of freak exhibit and we act calm and cool and pretend that everything is fine. God forbid someone realize that we're scared. And we *are* scared!" His voice rose in anger and frustration. "We're probably going to be DEAD in a month! We have one solution, ONE, and we don't even know whether it's right or not! It's not FAIR!" He picked up David's glass and hurled it at the wall, where it shattered, raining shards of crystal across the marble floor.

David rose and came up behind Ty'lin, halting his pacing and gently kneading the rigid shoulders. "Don't you think we worry about that too, love?" he asked softly. "That we haven't laid awake at night, wondering if it's the right solution, wondering why no one else has come up with it if it's so brilliant? Wrestling with the temptation to throw you over our saddles and run, as far as we can as fast as we can, gambling that we can stay one step ahead of Rohannon? No, it isn't fair, small one. Life isn't fair." He wrapped his arms around the younger man. "All we can do is make this month count, pack as much living and loving into it as we can, and assume that there is going to be a need for you to defend yourselves, that you're going to wear those new clothes, and that one day you'll be proud that you never faltered, never cracked, no matter how many people were standing around, gawking, waiting for it to happen."

"Because the alternative is to give up, to cower in a corner," Michael said quietly, cradling Ky'lin's head on his shoulder. "And we're not going to give up. We're not going to believe that there isn't any hope."

Ty turned in David's arms, resting his head on the broad chest, and there was a long silence.

"So humor us," David said finally, picking Ty up and carrying him back to the chair. "Give us the names of the men we aren't going to kill."

"You *promise* us you won't kill them?" Ty'lin asked suspiciously.

"We promise." Michael raised his hand as if he was swearing an oath.

"Or hurt them?"

"We won't hurt them either," David promised. "At least not in any way that can be connected to us," he added under his breath.

"Beauregard d'Achelle."

"And Thomas d'Vrey."

The knights stored the names away in their memories, savoring thoughts of revenge, even as they coaxed and petted their princes into better moods.

"Do we really have to be at practice a candlemark early tomorrow?" Ty'lin asked eventually.

"We can't," Ky informed them. "We can't be there at all. The Fair opens tomorrow."

"And you think you're going to skip practice to go to a fair?" Michael asked, raising one eyebrow.

"We have to. It's the Royal Fair. The Crown sponsers it and gets a great deal of revenue from it. Father opens it every year and we have to be on the dais with him."

"We've never actually been to the fair itself," Ty added plaintively.

"You open this Fair every year, and you've never been to it?" Michael asked in surprise.

"No," Ky replied. "We get out of our carriage at the Pavilion, stand on the dais and try to look royal while everyone makes speeches, and listen to Father declare the Fair officially open. Then we get back in our carriage and come home. What's it like?"

Michael adjusted Ky on his lap as he thought about how to describe it. "We haven't been to this fair, but we can tell you what other ones are like. It will be huge, since it's the Royal Fair. People will come from all over the country, and beyond, to buy and sell their wares. And it will be bright and colorful. They'll all set up their tents and booths and then cover them with flags and banners, both to advertise their merchandise and to attract your attention to them and not their competitors."

"And it will be noisy," David added. "All of the vendors hawk their goods and try to outshout each other, to convince you that they'll offer you the best deal."

"What do they sell?" Ty asked in fascination.

"Anything you can imagine. There are fabric merchants, selling everything from the finest silks to the richest furs. Armorers offering the latest in weapons and armor, goldsmiths with priceless gems and jewelry."

"Foreign merchants selling rare and exotic herbs and spices, scents and perfumes," Michael contributed. "Glassblowers creating fine goblets or vials or decanters for you as you watch, artists drawing sketches and painting pictures while you wait. The hedge wizards sell charms and potions and spells and they'll tell your fortune for you if you'd like, while apothecaries offer you remedies for whatever ails you. And there are entertainers everywhere. Minstrels and jugglers stroll through the crowd, while the players and dancers perform on stages set up for them."

"And there's food, as well," David said in turn. "Meat pies, fruit pastries, honey cakes, sugared nuts... All the sweets that you can possibly stuff yourselves with," he added, knowing Ty'lin's love for them.

"There are all sorts of games and competitions, as well. You can try your luck or skill and maybe win a prize for your lover." Michael smiled down at his.

"I wish we could see it. Just once," Ky said wistfully.

David and Michael looked at each other over the princes' heads.

"It's too dangerous, love," Michael said regretfully. "People would wonder if they saw us in public with you. And you can't go alone."

"I know," Ky sighed. "But I still wish we could."

Joris had entered the room during the conversation and was silently setting out small cups of chocolate. He coughed discreetly, then offered his opinion. "Perhaps if they were disguised, my lords? Many knights take their squires to the fair, and you aren't well-known among the townfolk. Their Highnesses would already be on the fairgrounds. With a simple change of dress and a little sleight of hand, the royal princes would leave in their closed carriage while two simple squires remained behind. I don't believe people would give them a second glance."

"Can we, David?" Ty asked excitedly.

"Please, Michael?" Ky added his plea.

"What do you think, Michael?" David asked his partner.

Michael shifted Ky enough to reach into his belt pouch. "King, we're sensible, Castle, we take them to the fair?"