Villainous [Wattys 2021 Shortlist]

MALEVOLENT 20: Bone Of My Bone

"Lord Ern," King Gaol announced, "and Princess Delilah are to be wed one month from now."

Polite applause and cheers rose from the crowd. Bile rose in Delilah's throat as she looked at her betrothed through the crowd. He was almost Gaol's age but looked old beyond his years, with a heavily lined face and a grey, receding hairline. His short beard was patchy and silver. The lord looked about him with pride, but didn't deign to throw a glance in her direction.

It had been a while since she'd wanted to kill someone so badly. She'd known of this lord all her life, and he was exactly how he looked: a pale, spineless worm with no substance to him. This was Tiberius's man?

Her uncle stood by the king, but wouldn't meet her eye. Why was everyone refusing to look at her? They must remember her old betrothal to Finias, and maybe they were wondering just how disappointing her wedding night would be –

Don't think about that.

The ballroom was too stifling. Delilah found the nearest exit and fled to the gardens, where the night air was heavy with the perfume of flowers. She gulped it down, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes. Hard. Harder. Until lights bloomed, until...

Minutes or maybe hours passed as she stood alone trying to master her emotions. A rough voice broke through to her.

"Where were you all this time?" Gaol was striding towards her.

"Walking in the gardens," she said automatically, because it was true.

"Hm." His amber eyes, darker and less pure than her own, marred with too much ordinary brown, narrowed ever so slightly. "You use that explanation a lot, yet my guards can never seem to find you." He cleverly avoided using the word 'excuse'. He wasn't a complete fool.

"It's not my fault you installed a maze. After... everything... I like to find quiet spots in the greenery to read."

"Of course. You need your peace, now more than ever." He gestured for her to follow him through the topiaries.

As they walked, Delilah waited impatiently for him to dismiss her, but he didn't.

"Daughter..." he began.

Delilah instantly wanted to balk. Daughter? Weren't they beyond these terms by now?

But then a lithe figure in blue and silver robes stepped from the shadows, and Delilah wanted to hide behind Gaol. The world parted around her like water and dark hair cascaded down her back. Delilah saw herself in the cheekbones, in the high brow.

"Oh, Delilah." Those eyes wanted to drink her up, consume her, and Delilah felt pinned. "You're really here and well again! I couldn't believe it, after the council, I thought..."

"Mala?" Gaol sounded choked with surprise, and Delilah darted a glance at him. "You're here? I thought you were sending an embassy!"

"I heard you were betrothing my only daughter," Mala replied, "and I had to see her."

Tension thickened the air between the two old lovers.

"I thought you wanted nothing to do with Pelenu. Is that not why you returned home and left her under my care?"

"My people needed me." Mala stood her ground, pain shimmering in her face. "Gaol, I had to leave to assume leadership, as I told you two decades ago. My heart was torn between you – between Delilah – and Anloch. They were crying out for a strong leader, and it could only be me."

"That is the excuse you gave, yes."

"Excuse? I told you my life could never have just revolved around you and Pelenu! My people always had a place in it, but you could not see that."