Queen Of My Heart (3 page)

"No, I will not answer to that lie." He thought to shame me before the known world, hah, he can take his crown and shove it."

"As you wish my lady, as you wish, might I say you look grand, the most beautiful woman in all the kingdoms?”

I used the looking glass, a new invention that catered to the vanities of silly women if you ask me, now they had something else other than their big heads and bloated egos to lie to them.

I did look quite pretty though, not the raving beauty that my ladies in waiting would have me believe but, more than passing fair if I do say so myself. Enough of that, I had a king to fry, it's funny how I've been down in the doldrums these many weeks, fighting despair and heartache. But with his arrival my old fighting spirit has returned. I'd tried so hard to be the lady my king deserved and not the hellion I'd been labeled my whole life. I'd been pleasant and kind even in the face of adversity. I'd smiled when I wanted to bash a face in or ignored a slight instead of trampling with my horse and look where that had got me. Well king Shane was in for a surprise; come to fetch me home did he? We’ll just see about that.

 Shane

"So tell me young Jason, how has your mistress been faring since she's been home?"

"Your majesty, I'm not sure I should be talking to you, no disrespect but if she should catch me consorting with the enemy..." The young man made the sign of a knife across the throat. He seemed to suffer from a bit of the theatrical as well. All throughout our conversation he has alluded to this side of my sweet maiden that I had never seen and was quite sure was just his way of standing up for his sister. Perhaps he tries to convince me that she was strong and not overly hurt by what I had done to her.

"Nonsense, my little dove would never do such a thing, why she's so gentle as to barely touch the ground as she walks." He almost fell off his horse with laughter.

"What is so funny Jason?"

"Gentle...she's...are you sure we speak of the same fair maiden, your wife, the one you wed in these halls not too long ago?"

"Of course, what kind of question is that?"

"I mean no harm your majesty, it's just…she is so not as you describe her. The Rhiannon I know would spit in the devil's eye as they say."

"But that cannot be true, she was ever gentle and soft spoken...now what did I say?" He was off on another round of choking laughter and it's beginning to feel like I'd fallen down a rabbit hole or maybe I'd drunk too much ale, something was amiss. First, her words to my mother, and now her own brother seemed to speak of another woman other than the one I’d come to know.

"Tell me, did she never lose her temper?" His eyes were laughing with humor as he asked. What was this nonsense?

"She doesn't have one, she has the most pleasant disposition of anyone I've ever met. In fact there were times when I wished she had more spirit, it made it hard to envision certain things she was so skittish...never mind that now, what is it you say, my Rhian is not like that?"

"You'll just have to wait and see. Now are we going to talk all day or are we going to spar? l haven't had a good sparring partner since, well never mind that your majesty, I feel the need for a good bout."

"Are you sure Jason, I will not hurt you?" I had sought him out immediately after mother had done my bidding for me and got my wife to agree to come down to the hall later this day. I needed to see for myself if all that she had said was true, to judge for myself the depths of my perfidy. I had seen what my mother had spoken of, his disability and his height; he was a strapping young lad, of fair countenance yes. But when he spoke of my queen he spoke with reverence and just a bit of youthful adoration but not the burning lust I was led to believe they shared.

Lies all lies, which I will deal with later. As soon as we returned to my lands, I will get to the bottom of this without delay for it was nothing short of treason against my queen and against my throne. For surely all knew of the great love I had come to bear her in the time she’d spent among my people. They had surely seen the way I looked upon her at the king’s table, the way I showered her with gifts, the loot I brought back from foreign lands. There could’ve been no doubt as to the feeling I bore her.

But first things first, I must win her favor again, regain her trust. A task that I now saw was going to be quite challenging. Nevertheless I will withstand whatever may for I will take my queen home with me no matter what.

Chapter 5

The sparring match between young Jason and I was going well. We started out slow so that I could test his mettle since I was not sure of his skill and had no wish to harm the boy. He had the sweet innocence of a child yet, being all of fifteen summers. To think I'd been jealous of the boy that I'd almost destroyed her in my haste. Please let it not be too late. I won’t let it be, yes the fault was mine and I will make reparation but no matter how she fought me she will return by my side as my beloved queen.

"Jason, I think you're a fraud."

"Your majesty?" We were both slightly out of breath and I must admit to being pleasantly surprised by the young man’s skill. Though no match for mine he was still above that which I had expected from one so young and with an impairment no less.

"Yes, I think you use your impairment to lull others into a false sense of security but you're rather skilled with the sword. Your leg does not hamper you at all, does it?"

He beamed with pride, his chest swelling at the praise and I could see why she loved him, why she had taken him under her wing. I had not been wrong in my assessment she did have a heart of gold.

"The one who taught me said there's no fairness in fighting. I must use every trick, every advantage and always go in for the kill."

"He taught you well." He was back to laughing again but I ignored it this time; instead, I thrust and parried. No longer hindered by my fear of causing him harm I found in him a worthy opponent who gave as good as he got. It had been some time since I’d enjoyed the sport as much, having been lost in my head these many days when I believed my beauty had wronged me.

The loud scream came from out of nowhere and before I could react, I was attacked from behind. I barley had time to avoid the sword coming at my kidney but was not fast enough to avoid being tripped and falling to my arse. A sword was thrust as close to my throat as any had ever been and the most magnificent sight stood over me. "King or no, I will kill you if you touch my bother again." She was breathing fire and spitting mad as she gazed down upon me in all her fiery glory.

I could not help the roar of laughter that escaped me and thankfully my quick reflexes saved my hide. It seemed my queen did not take kindly to being laughed at and tried to carry through with her threat to do me in.

"You dare raise a sword against your king and husband?" I was on my feet and well out of her reach by this time.

"I have no husband and my father is the only king I swear allegiance to. I see before me a scurvy dog."

"RHIANNON, watch your tongue. I will make room for your tender feelings but had you addressed me as such in any company other than young Jason, I would've had to admonish you most severely." Such anger, such fire, such beauty. Yet I could not allow her to disrespect her king in such a manner. Her husband yes, for the way that he had so carelessly used her heart she could rail to her heart’s content. But to her king there must be complete obedience.

"Think you I care? I care naught for you or your people and what they think. Go home to your concubine, I hope you catch the pox and your member rots off." My mouth fell open in shocked surprise. Where were these words coming from? The young maiden I had sent from my presence was a docile and genteel lady. One who had hardly spoken above a whisper in all the days and nights I had known her. It could not be that my one act of cruelty had unleashed this fire-breathing dragon that stood before me now.

"There's your gentle bride." Jason whispered out of the side of his mouth to me, and well out of his sister’s hearing. The young pup was having a hard time keeping his laughter in check I could see even as she spat fire at me with her eyes.

"Come away from there Jason before I run him through. It would be just like you to pick on a helpless innocent, you, you...mongrel."

I rolled my eyes at her as I sheathed my sword; seems my little dove has the talons of an eagle and the sweet vocals of a harpy.

"We were but sparring Rhiannon, your husband did not harm me."

"Sparring, how came you to know him? he's only just arrived, come let me see you, did you hurt yourself? The brute didn't harm you you're sure?" She rushed over to him clucking like a mother hen, now he was the one rolling his eyes at me.

"No, he didn't harm me in the least, and he sought me out that's how we came to be here, so if there're any heads to be bashed let it be his. I'm tired of you beating what few brains I have to a pulp."

"Stuff it Jason, oi, why are you with him then if not avenging your sister's honor?"

"Now Rhian, sister I wasn't doing anything wrong, I was just feeling him out...yes that's it, I was feeling him out to see what he wants here."

The little liar mouthed the words sorry at me over her head. They were a sight to behold, he was almost twice her size and yet she had him backing away with his hands up in surrender. Then again I was a great many inches taller than he and she saw no danger in coming after me with her sword either had she? I rather liked this new side to my wife, though I might have to tame her with a few smacks to her backside on occasion to curb her tongue.

"Well did you best him at least?"

"Yes, you taught me well, I used all my cunning to best him." It seemed young Jason had an aversion to the truth; I'll have to watch him when we took him back home with us. His bent for half-truths and theatrics were sure to keep me on my toes. He seemed more a mischievous youth than the man he appeared to be because of his overgrown girth. This I will have to keep in mind from here on out.

"Well my queen, are we to leave this day or do you need more time to get your things together?"

"Jason would you kindly inform this specimen that I have no intentions of going anywhere with him unless it's to escort him to the gates of hell." She had the nerve to sneer in my direction after saying this as though I were nothing more than a peasant beggar beneath her feet. Will she never cease to amaze me? I too was having a hard time withholding my mirth.

"I should have your father brought up on charges of fraud." I folded my arms across my chest and prepared for the hell fire I was sure was about to be heaped on my head.

"What is this, how did my father defraud you or do you mean to defame the character of yet another?"

"He pretended to me that you were a lady of high birth, a princess of the highest and finest order, but instead I find myself saddled with a hoyden, a veritable shrew."

Steam practically rose from her nostrils at my well-aimed insult as she turned on me once more, sputtering in disbelief.

"Take that back you rakehell, you cad, you adulterer, I hate you." Of course each word was punctuated by a thrust of her sword. After the initial surprise I realized how skilled she was with a sword, as I had to concentrate so as not to be run through. I barely had time to draw my own weapon to defend myself, as she seemed bent on destruction.

 She was magnificent, hair flying as it had now come undone from the intricate style she'd been wearing when she first came upon us. Her surcoat of deep blue velvet over a lighter blue silk made her eyes shine, the natural cerulean color even more enhanced adding to her already extraordinary beauty.

Better pay attention before your virgin bride guts you on this field. And wouldn't that be one for the history books? Virgin, ah yes yet another delight to look forward to. I had held off taking her for the silliest of reasons I see now. Maybe that had helped farther the cause of our enemies. Whatever the case maybe her maidenhead wasn’t long for this world. It will be a task to see if I left her intact until we reached my holdings and our marriage bed. I had a sneaking suspicion that may not be the case.

I pulled a fast one and got in under her guard, pulling her close to my chest so my whispered words would be for her ears only. "If I'd known you had this much fire I would've fucked you on our wedding night." I pushed her away after that incendiary remark. She was struck dumb with surprise, her cheeks blooming a very fetching shade of pink before she came back to her senses.

"Argh, never you...oooh..." She was quite a sight in her anger as she came at me with everything she had. "Now now my little queen, you mustn't let anger rule your head, that's the surest way to lose the battle." I toyed with her knowing my words would only work to inflame her more. All the while young Jason sat on the grass with a big stupid grin on his face. Of course he was championing his mistress, he wouldn't dare side with me and I understood fully why.

"That's it Rhiannon get him." What an upstart. Of course when I bested her he gave me a thumbs up, behind her back of course. I was going to have to teach the boy not to be afraid of the little hellion.

I soon grew tired of our battle and took her down with one foot behind both of hers. I made sure to break her fall before going down on top of her of course; I couldn’t give her anything more to hold against me. She was winded and irate but none the worse for our little clash of wills. I had a moment to cherish the sight of her after so long without having her near. My heart felt full to overflowing with the emotion I held for her as I gazed down at her beauty.

"I'm sorry Rhiannon." I whispered the words softly with all the heartfelt regret I felt as I gazed longingly into her eyes. I saw the telltale hitch of her breath, and for a second I glimpsed the girl who'd taken moonlit walks in the gardens with me. That innocence that had once held me so spellbound; could I truly have been so lucky to have found that rarest of women? A woman of sweet virtue with a fiery side that fire could keep a man warm at night. Pretty soon that girl was gone she was soon replaced once again with a fiery glare and a spitting hellcat.