Valiant (*On Hold*)

8 Rumors - Adelaide

I kept my head held high and my dress smoothed flat. That was all I could do these days. Look presentable, elegant, regal. Even though I felt anything but. It had been two years since my first and only battle and men still talked about it in their cups. The Battle of the Brink, they were calling it, both because it occurred at the borders of our country and because it had brought Etzera to the brink of war. I had rather liked the name when I had first heard it but now it mocked me, reminding me that I had been on the brink of glory. Before my grandfather died and my brother became King, before my role was shifted without my permission, before I was married.

I pushed the doors in front of me open to reveal my brother locked in council. He glanced up, annoyed by the intrusion, and his eyes met my own. I forced the silent communication between us, a gift that only siblings shared, and he looked away but I knew he understood that I needed to speak with him. I had interrupted something but, what, I could not say, only that Lord Kenley had been speaking of someone known to have been killing Rirdans throughout Vyndoli. If anything, that seemed like good news to me. Though, from the way my brother received it, it did not appear as though he agreed.

"Adelaide," my brother interrupted the Lord to address me and I plastered on a proper smile as the gathered nobility turned to look at me, most of them only now realizing my presence. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I had hoped that I could speak to you, my lord. Privately."

He held my gaze for a moment as if he could reason out what it was I needed from eye contact alone. But then relented and spoke. "Leave us. All of you."

The lords obeyed, bowing their heads and taking their leave. I smiled at each in turn though I knew they did not care to be addressed in such a way. And normally my brother would not have done so. It seemed that something had him in a rather bad mood. That would not make this conversation easier.

"What is it?" he asked, already turning away from me and to the papers upon his desk.

"It is about my husband."

"Any issues you have with your husband, I trust you can resolve with him."

"Not this one."

"I cannot intercede in your marriage."

"You have before."

He looked up at me then, eyes narrowed at my quip, but I held my ground. I could not back down from him, this was too important and, King or not, he was my little brother.

"What is it?" He snapped.

"It has been two years. I am now twenty years old. I am expected to have produced an heir by now but..." I closed my eyes, took a deep breath. "But he has not touched me in months."

My brother looked away from me then, having the decency to feel awkward. "I sent him to the front weeks ago."

"He had not touched me before that."

"How long?"

"Eight months."

"Eight?" His eyes snapped to mine and I saw the surprise. He sighed. "And before that?"

"Not since our wedding night."

"Twice. In two years."

I nodded.

"There is a rumor..." I started slowly, cautious on how to approach this subject, but thankfully my brother seemed to already know where I was going. He braced himself on the back of his chair and stared at the paper ahead.

"That your husband prefers the company of men," he finished for me. I gave a slow nod. He closed his eyes. "Is it true?"

"I only know that he does not prefer the company of me."