The Blacksmith Queen (The Scarred Earth Saga, #1) - G.A Aiken Page 0,90
would need, “your children will be safe inside these castle walls with us and our many soldiers. All of them willing to do anything, absolutely anything to protect these perfect, precious children. They’ll have everything they need. Food. Education. And, of course . . . love.”
She returned to the middle of the hall, between the tables, the child still in her arms.
“So please, everyone, enjoy this wondrous night. Eat, drink, dance! And know that your king and queen are here for you . . . and your entire family. Musicians!” she called out. “Play!”
The music began and Beatrix walked out of the hall . . . still holding the duke’s child.
Once she was out of the view of everyone in the hall, she returned the child to Agathon. “Put it back with the others,” she said, brushing her hands against her dress. That child’s hands had been sticky. Why had they been so sticky?
“If you need me, I’ll be in my privy chamber getting some work done.”
“Yes, my queen.”
“And Agathon?”
He stopped; faced her.
“Keep an eye on Gennadius. I don’t trust him.”
“But . . .” He glanced down at the child he held. “Do you think he’d really risk—”
“Maybe he’s not as attached to the girl since he has a first-born son. It’s best not to risk it.”
Agathon nodded and rushed off, clutching the child to his breast.
Beatrix cringed a bit. He seemed strangely attached to the child. She might have to get Agathon a wife soon so he could have his own family one day. It was best to give good people the simple things so that they could stay mostly satisfied. She’d hate to have to replace Agathon anytime soon.
That idiot Gennadius, however . . . if he kept asking questions about Keeley and whatever she was doing in the Amichai Mountains, Beatrix would find out exactly how attached to his children he truly was.
“What have you done?” Marius demanded from behind her.
Beatrix faced him calmly. “I’m protecting us.”
“By holding royal children hostage?”
“Who said they were hostages? They are merely your guests, my king. That’s all. Now if you’ll excuse me—”
He grabbed her arm and Beatrix slowly looked down at his hand, then—just as slowly—moved her gaze to his face.
She didn’t do anything. Beatrix merely waited. And despite his drunkenness, Marius released her rather than push his luck.
Now free to walk away, Beatrix didn’t, but said instead, “Everything I do, my lord, I do for the good of this mighty kingdom and for you. Our undoubted king. So please, don’t worry. You focus on getting your men ready for battle and I’ll focus on the boring day-to-day details. Let me take some of that pressure off your back.”
With one more smile, Beatrix walked to her privy chamber and the many hours of work ahead.
CHAPTER 24
Because the Amichai dwarves lived inside the mountain range, traveling to the Amichai wood elves’ territories didn’t take long; their home was just a few leagues away in the forests outside the mountains.
But in the end, it didn’t matter how long the trip took. Because, much to Laila’s surprise, the king absolutely refused to meet with them.
She didn’t understand why. The king usually met with centaurs as long as it wasn’t Laila’s mother. And that was only because Gaira was still friends with the king’s former wife. She’d left the king and their children to be with her lover, a dark elven lord. A decision that had made her a hated enemy of the wood elves and their tribal king.
Gaira, however, refused to let anyone—king or peasant—tell her who she could or could not be friends with. Not when she’d known the former elf queen for years before the royal marriage.
So, when the centaurs needed to communicate with the elves, they just didn’t involve Gaira. But for some reason the king was making some sort of stand here. Laila simply didn’t know why.
While Laila argued with the king’s long-eared emissary, Lord Elouan, Keeley and Gemma stood nearby. Keeley examined everything she could see. Ever since they’d entered the elven forest, she’d looked at all around her in wonder and fascination; the very sight of the elven city built directly above them making Keeley smile. Then Laila had told Keeley that the elves had built their kingly city from the ancient trees of the forest. That nothing had been cut or torn down, but merely enhanced with old magicks and elven care. The joy that brought to the human had amazed Laila.