Of Swords And Horses (The Ostler's Boy Book 2)

Chapter Twenty

"Oof!" Svana spat, excitedly. "And he just opened the door?"

"He heard my voice. And things flying at me."

"What excuse did my mother give?" And then she worried. "Or did she just yell at him? Do we need to apologize to Ser Derek on her behalf?" she teased.

"Heh," I shook my head. "No. We don't need to apologize to Ser Derek, though I'm sure he'd appreciate the sentiment. And she didn't say anything. She was dumbstruck as I was."

"What?" she tsk'd. "She said something. You just don't want to tell me!"

"I'm very serious" I said. "She was speechless. Nothing was said of the discovery, she just leapt out of the embrace I'd managed, declared that Derek forget what he saw, and he... waited until she calmed down."

"He waited?"

"Ser Derek had intervened in a few fights with His Majesty by now, he knew it was best to simply take the verbal abuse... He waited, she called him a few colorful names; such as nosy-sort, and then when she was no longer yelling, he explained to us how he had come to be in the room. He said nothing of the length of time it took for us to notice him standing by the door, or the symphony of thrashing objects I'm sure had drawn him in in the first place. He said nothing of Her Majesty's panic, her accusations, threats, or overall handling of the scene. Nor that it had been very obvious we had been laying together in the tangled mess of sheets at some point. Nothing of the broken picture frame, or the vanity Eliza had seen to smashing. ...He just informed me, as Commander Elías, that I had been asked to a meeting. The one we had been anticipating and fighting over. Then he bowed respectively to the Queen, and he waited as I picked up my armor. Then we went."

"Unbelievable." She cocked her neck. "Did she make the connection? That you had told him before then? Or did she just assume he was another faithful fool?"

"I don't know," I said. "Eliza was very sharp, but Ser Derek is equally loyal, I've found. And a very private sword. He did not bring it up; even as I dressed in the corridor. I never heard rumor of the night come back around. And neither did she."

"Christ!" Svana cried.

"Hey! Language?"

"Sorry," she sang, shaking her head. "It's just. I'm very invested in this. The way you left him out before, I thought she would be mad! Wonder why he was so relaxed? Why he was so casual? Also. Did you not lock the door? You didn't think anyone would come in?"

"Again, if she knew he–"

"Oh, blow it, Eli. I think it's quite obvious she knew. Especially if you discussed the lack of rumors coming back to you. And why didn't you dress in the room? Why would you get dressed in the hallway?"

"...Because the Queen was indecent," I sang.

"Oh, you fiend. Poor Derek."

"Yes, well. That's what we get for forgetting to lock the door that night," I noted. "But. In my defense, not many men would enter the Queen's chamber unannounced."