Horse Charmer (3 page)

"We can always hope," Cassia said curtly.

She didn't speak of her father with her handmaidens. She didn't speak of him to anyone but the horses. Ula frowned at Yaffa and gestured her back to the dress. In quick order, Ula had finished tidying Cassia hair into an artfully arranged upsweep that looked like it would tumble down in a gentle breeze. The dress wasn't nearly as easy to get on. The two handmaidens carefully lowered it over her head and then set to work tying the dozens of ribbons that would fasten it around her body. The twenty pound dress weighed heavily and matched her mood perfectly. She straightened her shoulders at Ula's tsk and grabbed the bed post as they pulled in the ties on the waist. Cassia took a tentative breath to make sure they hadn't tied them too tight.

A royal guard escorted her downstairs to the welcoming hall and she sucked in her irritation. Like she'd get lost in her own palace. The real reason for the guard was to make sure she didn't make a detour to the barn or not show up at all.

Sarahann looked up as Cassia descended the final flight of stairs. She eyed her critically and Cassia self consciously touched her hair. She wasn't sure about the new style Ula was experimenting with. After a moment, her mother nodded once in approval and beckoned Cassia to come and stand next to her.

"They'll be pulling into the yard," Sarahann said.

Sarahann pushed Cassia so she was slightly in front, the proper place for the head of the royal family. Cassia tensed her shoulders. She didn't want to be the first person to greet them. She couldn't take her cues from her mother if she couldn't see her. One of the senior chambermaids, Bianca, stood at the window and nodded to Sarahann before stepping to the side of the room.

"Shoulders back," Sarahann whispered.

Cassia straightened her shoulders and her stomach clinched as the sound of a large carriage and several riders coming to a stop just outside the door echoed in. It seemed an eternity before the two royal guards standing at attention at the doors swung them open. The Vesperan party entered in a rustle of finery. She counted six people and panicked. She had no idea who was who. Four chambermaids ducked out the open door to gather any luggage. She focused on the tall handsome man who stepped forward and bowed to her. Sarahann poked her in the back. Cassia curtsied.

"Welcome King Erich of Vespera," Cassia said, praying she was correct.

"Thank you, Princess Cassia of Karah." Erich took her hand and kissed it lightly. As his head bowed, she noted the small amount of grey hair sprinkled within the bright blond. He turned to Sarahann. "Queen Sarahann." Erich repeated the hand kissing welcome.

"King Erich." Sarahann inclined her head.

Erich smiled and turned back to Cassia. "I wish we were meeting under more pleasant circumstances, Princess." He beckoned to the youngest member of the Vesperan party. "May I introduce my son, Prince Torr."

Cassia glanced at Sarahann, who tightened her lips. Cassia pasted on a smile to hide her shock. Why hadn't her mother warned her? She curtsied to Torr. He bowed regally. She barely noted he was breathtakingly gorgeous with piercing blue eyes before turning back to Erich.

"My advisors." Erich gestured to two of the four remaining Vesperans as he said their names. "Advisor Tasha and Advisor Petr."

They bowed and Cassia curtsied in return. They almost looked like twins with their identical blue robes. She waited a moment to see if he would introduce the other two, but when he didn't she assumed they were a part of his domestic staff or personal guard and therefore wouldn't be introduced.

"I hope your journey was smooth." Cassia recited what her mother had told her to say. "I'm sure you're all tired after such a long trip and would like to be shown to your quarters."

"It has indeed been a long journey," Erich said with a slight smile. "I'd appreciate a brief moment to collect myself."

Cassia signaled to Bianca. "Show them to their quarters."

Bianca stepped forward and bowed to the Vesperan party in respect. The other chambermaids returned with their luggage.

Erich kissed her hand again and then Sarahann's before following Bianca. Torr held back slightly, his gaze on Cassia. With a smirk, he saluted and followed his father. The family resemblance between father and son was strong. The rest of the Vesperan party trailed behind them. Of the two who hadn't been introduced, Cassia found herself watching the one with the heavy sword leave the room. She hadn't been able to see it until he'd turned to follow his king. The sword signaled he was one of Erich's personal guards. She stood silently waiting for the knot to loosen from her stomach, it didn't.

"Well done," Sarahann said when the Vesperans were out of earshot. "We'll meet with them shortly in the main dining hall."

"Did you know he was coming?" She turned to her mother.

"Yes, word was sent ahead this morning."

"Why didn't you inform me?"

"You didn't need to be distracted. You need to focus on Erich. We can't afford war with Vespera." Sarahann lowered her voice. "Their army outnumbers ours four to one and those are odds we can't survive."

CHAPTER THREE

The cooks pulled out all the stops for the first time Karah would host the Vesperans. Pride was on the line.

The main dining hall sparkled. A massive table dominated the room, overflowing with crystal, silver, and fine ceramics. Cassia sat at the head of the table where her father had always resided over state dinners. She'd objected when Sarahann had told her where to sit, but her objections had been sternly overridden. Uncomfortable sitting in her father's place, she couldn't stop shifting in the large chair.

Sarahann sat to her right so she could easily kick her daughter for any mistake. Three of the Karahan advisors lined the table next to her. King Erich sat to Cassia's left and Torr next to him with the other two Vesperan advisors. Erich's personal guard stood in the shadows, against the wall, behind Erich's chair.

Frivolous conversation toned down as Head Cook Sulwin and his assistants began to lay the feast on the table. Wine was quickly poured into glasses. Sarahann kicked Cassia's foot. Time to call the meeting to order.

Cassia tapped her spoon gently against her wine glass. The table silenced and all eyes turned to her. For a second, she blanked on what she was supposed to say and her stomach fluttered in panic before it came back to her.

"Thank you for coming to council with us during this dreadful time," Cassia recited. "We truly appreciate your concern."

"On behalf of my people," Erich said. "I offer you our most heartfelt regret on your recent loss."

"Thank you." Cassia smiled at Erich. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard. "You have information you wish to share with us, King Erich?"

"Vesperan's Captain of the Guard has been hunting down witnesses and suspects in the murder of King Robet," Erich said without preamble. "We are now certain we know who masterminded the murder."

Cassia felt like she'd been punched as the air whooshed out of her. "You know who did it?"

Erich gazed around the table as everyone focused on him and his pronouncement. "His murder was not a simple robbery as it was made to look. No common thief could have gotten past King Robet's bodyguard."

"We haven't had any news from Talent Westleigh," Sarahann pointed out.

"The robber would have had to kill Talent Westleigh to get to King Robet," Erich said slowly. "We didn't find a second body."

"I don't like what you're alluding to," Eb said from his seat next to Sarahann's.

Erich ignored him as he continued. "When King Robet was discovered there was no sign of his bodyguard. No contact since then. No sightings reported."

"What do you think happened to him?" A wave of guilt washed over Cassia. She hadn't thought about Talent Westleigh's well being. He'd always been kind to her, but she'd only been focusing on his failure to protect her father. What if something terrible had happened to him as well?

"I believe he was a part of the assassination," Erich said.

Cassia shook her head in denial. Westleigh had been devoted to his king.

"That's absurd!" Eb voiced Cassia's own thoughts. "Talent Westleigh was completely loyal to His Highness and would not have betrayed him."

"On the order of his commander?" Erich asked.

Cassia blinked in confusion. Why would her father order his own death? That had to be the stupidest thing she'd ever heard.

"Julyan?" Eb questioned.

Cassia glanced at Eb in surprise, she'd forgotten about Julyan. Technically, Westleigh worked for Julyan, the leader of the Talent Guild, and had been assigned to Karah as King Robet's bodyguard several years ago.

"Where in the world did you get such a preposterous idea?" Eb continued.

Erich narrowed his eyes at Eb. "Through our investigation. There's no chance anyone could have surprised King Robet and his bodyguard. It's undisputed that Talent Westleigh is still unaccounted for."

"That doesn't implicate Julyan or Talent Westleigh in the murder," Eb pointed out.

"What implicates them is Talent Westleigh hasn't made any attempt to contact us or you," Erich said.

Cassia looked back and forth between each man as they argued.

"There could be numerous reasons he hasn't contacted us," Eb said. "He could be dead, injured, or ashamed he let King Robet die."

"Ridiculous," Erich said. "You know as well as I do he wouldn't be hiding out because of that. By his code he would take responsibility."

"He could be dead or injured, or even captured," Eb insisted.

"Have you ever known a Talent to be taken against his will?" Erich asked. "If he was dead, we would have found his body, and if he was injured, he would have sought help."

"He might not be able to get to help," Eb said.

"Gentlemen!" Sarahann interrupted. "This isn't helping matters. We know nothing for sure at this time."

Eb opened his mouth to speak again and Sarahann silenced him with a raised hand. Cassia stared at the two men utterly speechless. Her first denial was beginning to weaken. She didn't know who was right and who was wrong. They were having the same argument the village elders had at the funeral. Sarahann kicked her again under the table, but Cassia had no idea what to say to them.

"We appreciate your assistance, King Erich," Sarahann said. "If I could ask a favor?"

"Of course," Erich said.

"I'd like a couple of our guards go back with you to assist in the investigation."

"We don't need any assistance," Vesperan Advisor Tasha objected. The only woman in the Vesperan party, her expression showed her to be the most severe of all of them.

"Why would you object?" Eb asked.

"We aren't objecting," Erich said. "We don't need any assistance, but we'd be happy to accommodate you."

"Thank you." Sarahann inclined her head as she kicked Cassia under the table with more force.

Cassia would have a bruise now if she didn't already. She tried to pull herself together and think of something from the list her mother had given her to speak about. She grabbed at the first one that popped into her head. "Our people have been fighting along our borders."

Sarahann frowned in rebuttal at Cassia's choice and awkwardness. She tried to salvage it. "Have you been made aware of the hostilities, King Erich?"

"Yes," Erich said. "The skirmishes are one of the reasons I decided to make this journey. King Robet and I had finally agreed on a treaty between our two kingdoms. I would hate to think the problems at the border would interfere with our peace."

Cassia frowned. Before he'd left, her father had told her he was worried about the treaty and wasn't sure when they would reach a resolution. There were things Erich wanted removed that Robet refused to concede and vice versa. Robet had been unhappy with Erich's insistence of a marriage between Torr and Cassia finalizing the treaty. He hadn't been totally against the wedding, but had said he hadn't made up his mind. He'd refused to sign the treaty until it was perfect because Cassia's future was on the line.

"Our people are very upset about the death of their king," Eb said.

"Vespera is not to blame for his death." Tasha leaned forward to make her point.

"He died there." Eb turned to Tasha.

"We don't blame Vespera for his death," Sarahann assured Erich.

"We'll have to show the people that," Erich said.

"It isn't just our people fighting," Eb said.

"Our people are reacting to yours," Tasha said.

"What are you recommending, King Erich?" Sarahann asked.

"We need to fulfill the treaty King Robet and I signed," Erich said.

"It was signed?" Cassia spoke up for the first time in the verbal sparring.

"No, it was not," Eb stated with a shake of his head.

"Yes, we made the final changes and agreed it was the best it was going to be," Erich said.

"We had serious problems with the last revision," Eb said, voicing Cassia's own racing thoughts.

"We worked through those problems." Erich reached out to Tasha for the scroll she pulled from a pocket in her dress. "Here's the treaty we agreed on."

Cassia took the treaty from Erich and quickly unrolled the document. Sarahann shifted closer to read over her shoulder.

"The people won't care about a signed piece of parchment." Eb continued to protest.

Cassia frowned at the final note on the scroll.

"Torr and Cassia will marry to bind the treaty," Erich said.

Sarahann's finger traced the line on the scroll –
Prince Torr of Vespera and Princess Cassia of Karah will connect the Kingdoms of Vespera and Karah forever by marrying within a year.

Cassia darted a look at Torr. He remained silent. Torr hadn't spoken at all in the last couple of minutes and had only said a few words in greeting when he'd come into the dining hall. He must have known what Erich was going to say.

"King Robet was never happy with your insistence on the marriage." Eb looked at the treaty over Sarahann's shoulder. "I know he intended to remove it."

"He didn't." Erich glared at Eb. "These are hard times for both of our kingdoms."

"Indeed they are," Sarahann said before Eb could add another comment. "You've given us much to think of and we'll let you know our decision shortly."

Erich bowed his head, but clearly wasn't satisfied with her answer.

****

Cassia's head pounded in rhythm to the argument surrounding her. She sat behind her father's desk in his study with Sarahann, Eb, and the other two Karahan advisors. It wasn't the first time she'd had to sit in on a meeting in here.

She loved this room. It was where she felt closest to him. He hadn't liked trappings and this was the only room that held simple but sturdy furniture. The tapestries were hung for the purpose of warmth instead of decoration. They all depicted famous hunts of his father and grandfathers. A large hearth held a dancing fire keeping out the evening's chill.

"He told me he was removing that clause," Eb said.

"Well, obviously he didn't," Karahan Advisor Abiga said. The oldest of the advisors in her late fifties, she was the only woman advisor in the Karahan court and most people overlooked her power because of her plain looks.

"You believe him?" Eb asked his astonishment clear in his tone.

The treaty was spread out on top of the large desk and Cassia tried to read and understand what it meant. Distracted, she traced her father's signature with her finger.

"My husband signed it," Sarahann said. "That's his signature and seal."

"King Erich is correct," Abiga said. "Our people won't stop blaming the Vesperans unless we make it clear we don't."

"Princess Cassia shouldn't have to marry to do that," Eb said.

"It would be the quickest and most efficient way," Karahan Advisor Donaly, the youngest of the advisors in his early thirties, said.

"The marriage will occur," Sarahann said.

"What?" Cassia looked up at her mother in shock.

"It's what your king wanted." Sarahann paced over to the window to gaze out at the small village. "The people need a symbol of our faith. Your marriage will be it."

"I never met him until tonight."

"I never met your father until our wedding day," Sarahann said, not looking back at her daughter.

****

Cassia slipped by her guards and made her way to the stable. So much had happened over the last couple of hours, she couldn't wrap her mind around the gravity of everything. She needed to escape and not think about it. Torches flickered against the castle walls as she stepped out the side door, and made her way across the yard to the stables.

Her mare would most likely be in a stall. Luki had been training her. Cassia regretted not being able to train the mare herself, but she didn't have the time to do anything but visit nightly when her duties were done.

As if expecting her, the mare nickered as she entered the barn and she quickened her step until she reached her. The mare's warm breath washed over her and she sighed in relief.

She rubbed the mare behind her ears just as she liked. Cassia thought briefly of letting herself into the stall, but reluctantly dismissed the idea with the huge dress she was wearing. Ula would scold her until winter came if she ruined it.

The mare huffed lightly warning her someone else had entered the barn. Cassia looked over her shoulder more in curiosity than alarm and smiled when she saw it was Luki.

"Princess," he said with a small bow before walking over to them. "You're out late."

She shrugged. "I needed some air."

"The Vesperans take up too much?" Luki said with a smirk.

His comment immediately brought the thought of her impending marriage back to the front of her mind and she frowned in irritation. She didn't want to talk about it.

"How's she doing?" Cassia asked.

He looked over the mare. "Well, incredibly well, actually. I've never known a horse to learn so quickly. It's like she knows what I want her to do without actually training her."