Wedding Hells (Schooled in Magic Book 8) (38 page)

E
MILY BRACED HERSELF AS BEST AS
she could as Nightingale escorted them into yet another private office. King Randor was fearsome, but she’d faced nastier people - and, if worst came to worst, she could simply abandon Cockatrice and leave, taking Alicia and Frieda with her. The king rose to his feet as she entered, looking disgustingly fresh for someone who had probably been awake since early morning; his gaze rested on Emily for a long moment before switching to Alicia. If he was surprised to see them together, he didn’t show it.

He may have had a chance to speak to Alassa about what happened
, Emily thought, as she curtseyed.
But Alassa might have done something stupid to him...

“Explain,” the king ordered.

“You got her pregnant,” Emily said, flatly.

If she hadn’t been looking for it, she wouldn’t have seen the flicker of surprise that crossed Randor’s face. Even so, she wasn’t sure if he was surprised that Alicia was pregnant or surprised that Emily had accompanied her to his private chamber. It was hard, so hard, to be sure what the king knew and didn’t know. But if Queen Marlena had guessed the truth, why couldn’t her husband?

Randor switched his gaze to Alicia, who cowered behind Emily. “Is this true? Are you really pregnant?”

“Yes,” Alicia stammered. “There wasn’t anyone else.”

“I should hope not,” Randor said. “You
were
carefully supervised while you were in the castle.”

Emily felt Alicia shake beside her, in anger or in fear. If the king’s servants knew he’d been bedding her - and they probably did - word would get out eventually. And, combined with an untimely pregnancy, it wouldn’t be hard for the king’s enemies to put two and two together and get four. Anyone with a vested interest in destabilizing the kingdom would move to take advantage of the new situation.

And she’s right to fear social shame
, Emily thought.
Being seduced by the king, even a brief affair, will destroy all hopes of independence.

“I believe you were meant to protect her and defend her interests,” Emily said, drawing Randor’s attention back onto her. “You weren’t meant to get her pregnant.”

Randor studied her for a long moment. “
I
believe that the whole affair is none of your business, Lady Emily,” he said, dismissively. “You may go.”

“Alassa is one of my best friends,” Emily said, “and you having another child threatens her interests. This
is
my business.”

“I choose to disagree,” the king said. There was an icy firmness in his voice that chilled her to the bone. “Affairs of the kingdom are none of your concern.”

Emily had to fight to keep her voice under control as anger warred with fear. “You have...
impregnated
a young girl who is in line to a barony,” she said. How
could
Randor have been so careless? “This girl’s reputation will be destroyed by your actions, unless you marry her, in which case your daughter will have good reason to be
furious
at you. There will be civil war within the kingdom,
Your Majesty
; Alassa may not want to trigger a war, but other factions will do their level best to get behind her and start one anyway.”

She took a breath. “You made me a baroness. Affairs of the kingdom that might plunge us into civil war
are
my concern,
Your Majesty
.”

Randor gave her a long look. “Do you know what happened to the last person who spoke to me like that?”

“No,” Emily said. Who
had
spoken to the king so frankly? His brother, perhaps? The same one who had been stripped of his titles and locked away in a gilded cage? “Are you so determined to have another child that you’ll risk plunging an already weakened kingdom into civil war?”

She heard Alicia gasp, but refused to take her eyes from the king. Alassa’s father was cold and calculating - she’d learned that when they’d first met - and she didn’t
think
he’d draw his sword or order her immediate execution, yet if he did...

“I am the king,” Randor said, flatly.

“Your position is dependent upon maintaining the balance of power,” Emily reminded him, simply. Randor seemed almost stunned. “What happens when you have a fissure between yourself and your confirmed heir?”

She wondered, briefly, if Randor had considered the possibility. Alassa was hardly the model submissive daughter and, armed with powerful magic, she’d be a serious threat to the king’s rule if civil war did break out.
And
she had friends and allies from Whitehall...

And she might see advantage in allying with the rebels
, Emily thought.
A civil war against the king would undermine the barons too, allowing her to manage the transition into a joint government...

“Alassa understands the need for an heir,” Randor said.

Emily met his eyes. “You cannot make the heir legitimate without marrying the child’s mother,” she said. “You cannot do
that
without putting your wife aside, which will undermine Alassa’s claim to the throne. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that some of your more rebellious noblemen won’t see any advantage in having a child as the country’s nominal ruler,
Your Majesty
?”

“I can finesse the politics,” Randor said.

“You’ll have consumed Alicia’s lands,” Emily said. “The other barons will not take that lightly. I’m sure they would be happy to go to war for Alassa’s rights.”

“They would have no intention of letting her rule,” Randor pointed out.

“She would have few other options,” Emily countered. “And you know it. You cannot raise a daughter to be the heir to the throne, then discard her in favor of an unborn child. The best you could reasonably hope for is praying you survive long enough for the child to take power in his - or her - own name. I don’t think Alassa would give you the time. She
is
your daughter.”

Randor half-smiled. “She is. And would you stand with her, Lady Emily, if it came down to war?”

“I’ll always stand by my friends,” Emily said.

She braced herself, unsure what would happen. Lord Hans would probably have tried to kill them both personally, but Randor was older and
far
more experienced in wielding power. No matter what he said, he
had
to be aware of the dangers in provoking his strong-willed daughter, even if the risk of civil war was minimized. Alassa was unlikely to accept her demotion and just walk away, not when she had magic and a strong claim to the throne. Emily wouldn’t have bet good money on the child - or Alicia - surviving more than a year.

And what will you do
, she asked herself silently,
if Alassa kills an innocent babe to secure her claim to the throne
?

“Very well,” Randor said, simply. His face became expressionless. “What do you suggest?”

Emily blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected the king to concede so quickly...but then, he wouldn’t have lasted so long if he hadn’t known when to fold his cards and surrender the game. Or when to stop throwing good money after bad. Alassa was the only person who could take the throne, if he died tomorrow, and trying to acknowledge another child would only threaten the kingdom’s stability. She wondered, suddenly, if Randor had genuine feelings for Alicia or if he’d merely seduced her because he’d wanted a mistress. But it didn’t really matter.

To someone like him
, she thought,
the politics always come first
.

“Find Alicia a husband,” she said. “Someone who will accept having to raise a son who isn’t really
his
. And give her the lands she inherited from her father.”

There was a long pause. “Alicia,” Randor said. “Would you accept a husband of my choice?”

“I would prefer a handful of options, Your Majesty,” Alicia said. Her voice was very quiet, barely above a whisper. “I wouldn’t want Lord Travis.”

“He is best kept away from any real power,” Randor said, curtly. His eyes flickered to Emily and back to Alicia as he weighed up options. “Lord Barrows, perhaps?”

Alicia scowled. “He...is not supposed to be interested in women.”

“Which would make him the ideal candidate,” Randor pointed out, gently. “You would have a husband, he would have an heir, and there would be no later resentment at a bastard son inheriting your lands. It wouldn’t be the first time a nobleman with such...
inclinations...
was married to someone who had her own secrets to hide.”

And Lord Barrows wouldn’t be touching Alicia
, Emily thought, darkly.
Did you choose him because you thought he wouldn’t touch your mistress?

She glanced at Alicia and was surprised to see she was actually considering the suggestion, even though it would be a loveless relationship. There would be little hope of further children, unless Lord Barrows overcame his distaste for the female form, and Alicia would never know a man as a true husband. But, on the other hand, she’d have her rights and she wouldn’t have to worry about being forced to sleep with a man ever again. It did have its advantages for her.

Alicia took a breath. “Is he genuinely not interested in women?”

“I believe he had a long relationship with Sir Mortimer before he was killed last year,” Randor said. “They were discreet, but very little happens in this castle that escapes my eye. I said nothing because it wasn’t particularly important.”

And because it gave you something to hold over their heads at a later date
, Emily thought, sardonically. Homosexuality wasn’t exactly
forbidden
, but the requirement to sire the next set of children tended to mean it was frowned upon.
They’d be laughing stocks if they were ever discovered...

She shivered as the implications sank in. Sir Mortimer was dead. Lord Barrows would be mourning his dead lover, even as he was asked to marry Alicia. It would not lead to a happy marriage. At best, Emily thought, they’d be roommates, sharing the same castle without sharing any intimacy.

Or it might lead to friendship
, she thought, telling herself to be optimistic.
They’ll know each other’s deepest darkest secret, after all
.

“Then I accept,” Alicia said. “When can we marry?”

Emily had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes. Alicia expected Lord Barrows to marry her, just like that? But then, the king would command it...and Lord Barrows would instantly become one of the most powerful and wealthy men in the kingdom. His wife might hold the title and much of the power, but he’d still wield a great deal of influence. He’d have to be out of his mind to turn down the match, particularly if it was presented to him in the right way. A reward for good service, perhaps, or a gift from the king.

“I shall summon him to my chambers tomorrow morning,” Randor said, “and you will be married in the evening. I trust, Lady Emily, that you will be happy to bear witness?”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Emily said.

Randor met her eyes. “The child will not be formally acknowledged as anything other than the son of Lord Barrows,” he continued, calmly. “There will be no claim to the throne, a fact that will no doubt relieve my daughter. The child will be marked as premature, if necessary, although it will not be the first time a bride produced a child quicker than most married women.”

He smiled, rather dryly. “I trust that meets with your approval?”

“It does, Your Majesty,” Emily said.

“There will not be a big wedding,” Randor continued. “If you wish” - he looked at Alicia - “you may have a larger ceremony a month after my daughter is safely married.”

“I would rather have a small ceremony, Your Majesty,” Alicia whispered.

“As you wish,” Randor said. He met her eyes. “I will show no interest in the child beyond the standard formalities shown when an aristocratic babe is born. There will be no attempt to count him as a hidden heir to the throne. You are not, now or ever, to disclose the baby’s true parentage to him.”

Emily frowned. “What will you tell Lord Barrows?”

“A very good question,” Randor said. He paused in thought. “Would you rather I told him the truth, or blamed the pregnancy on one of the younger bloods who managed to get himself killed on the jousting field?”

“The truth,” Alicia said.

Randor nodded in slow agreement. Emily suspected she understood. No matter what he said, Randor couldn’t discard all ties to the child completely. If Alassa died before her father, he’d need the child as a successor.

“I will see to it,” Randor said. He took a breath. “I am sorry about my daughter’s assault on you, Alicia. She will be reprimanded for it.”

The wards did notice
, Emily noted. She frowned as a thought struck her.
If Randor is the one monitoring the wards, did he notice how many spells I cast in the spellchamber?

“It was not her fault,” Alicia said, carefully. “I do not blame her for an angry reaction.”

“Even so, she will be held to account,” Randor said. “Losing control like that could be disastrous when she takes the throne. I sent her to Whitehall to
learn
control.”

Emily shivered. The king didn’t sound pleased.

“Lady Emily,” Randor said. “Alicia may return to her chambers, where she can stay until she is summoned for her wedding. You will be summoned to bear witness at the same time.”

“I understand, Your Majesty,” Emily said.

Randor nodded. “Alicia, you may go.”

Emily blinked in surprise as Alicia curtseyed and headed out of the chamber, looking relieved. It wasn’t the outcome Emily would have wanted, if she’d been in that position herself, but it was the best Alicia could have reasonably hoped for. The king hadn’t made thoughtless protestations of love, or tried to marry her; he’d simply passed Alicia on to one of his cronies and discarded her. He clearly hadn’t felt much of anything for the young girl.

Of course not
, Emily thought, as the door closed behind Alicia.
Royal relationships aren’t about love or sex, but bloodlines.