Valiant (*On Hold*)

10 Allegiance - Adelaide

"Not enough meat in the stores," I repeated as I bustled through the hall of the busy palace, the head cook following in my wake as I handed a broach to a nearby servant for cleaning and she took it and ran off. "So send another hunting party to fetch some more."

We entered the foyer and I saw a group of guards milling about, laughing with one another at some shared joke.

"Surely there are some strong men about willing to hunt some game for their King," I called out, loud enough for the guards to hear, and watched as one of them nudged the other. I turned to the cook and winked, lowering my voice so that only she could hear. "That should do it."

She grinned madly back at me and that was when I heard his booming voice call out from behind us.

"You heard the princess! Gather your things and off to hunt!"

I turned and beamed. "Ridley!"

"Princess," he greeted, smiling, and then to the cook. "Lenora."

The cook beamed and ran off to hide her flushed cheeks. I turned and headed off down the hall toward the next task of the morning that needed my attention as Ridley fell into step beside me. 

With my husband and the King both off in battle, the responsibilities of running the household and ruling the kingdom both fell to me. And I'd had scarcely the time to breathe since they had left. I would have asked Lady Kyla to help but she had taken great pains to avoid me since our last interaction and I had to admit that I had not quite forgiven her for the remarks she's made concerning my marriage. Though true they were, she had been out of line in speaking them.

"What do you think of him?" I said so suddenly that I surprised myself. Ridley glanced sidelong at me, caught off guard by my question.

"Who?"

"The warrior from Vyndoli. Tyne."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," he recited the old adage and I nodded, considering it's value. "But I did not care for the way in which he looked at you."

I stopped and turned to face him. "Pardon?"

"Perhaps you did not notice. Men look at you that way all the time. But none so low as Tyne of Vyndoli."

"You think him low."

"In comparison to the nobles who ogle you, yes. He is more dangerous. He does not follow the rules we live by. And he is arrogant. I can see it in him. Like most young warriors with reputation."

"I have handled my fair share of arrogant soldiers before, Ridley. I can do so again."

"I know that you are capable of protecting yourself and I have never seen you practice anything but good judgment. Still, I would rather see this man prove his devotion before you enter into any sort of negotiations with him."

I opened my mouth to agree but saw a familiar face approaching from over Ridley's soldier. I broke out into a smile but it was short-lived for I saw the look on his face a moment later. My brother was making his way up the hall, undoubtedly toward his study, unfastening his cloak and handing it to a servant as he went, scowling all the way. Something flipped in my stomach at that expression and, though I knew I would not like to hear what he had to say, I knew I must hear it all the same. So, as he passed, I reached out and touched his arm. Before I could voice my question, he answered it in a low growl. "We've lost."

I blinked in surprise as he walked past. I turned back to Ridley who shook his head and then I was off, picking up my cursed skirts and trailing after my morose King.

"What do you mean we've lost?" I asked as we entered his study, doors slamming shut behind us. "You were defeated? How? The border has been encroached?"