The Kindreds, Volume 1

The Sixth, Pt. 2

When she lifted her chin again—still shuttering her eyes—the king was smirking smugly. She recognized the look; she had seen it not on the face of her father, but on the faces of noblemen who were easily fooled by false courtesies and flattery. Her manners had pleased King Caprius.

"Mortal curtsies are just as lovely as they are written to be...Who trained you in the customs of court to result in such a charming one?" he asked, eyeing her mud-stained dress.

She resisted the urge to pull her cloak back over her shoulders, which had shifted to expose not only her dirty gown, but her chest and arms as well. She also resisted the urge to flush, though her face did not yield to her desires.

"My father holds a prominent position within the royal court of my homeland's king, Your Majesty. I have found that it is quite challenging to endure a life lived in court without acquiring the proper decorum."

He grinned at that. "Indeed, you say it true. I'm rather fond of this title you have used for me as well—Your Majesty.'Don't you agree, andrótes?," he asked his archers. They obediently nodded their agreement. "I believe I shall keep it."

Despite the prickling in her palms, Sada put on her best smile for the towering man—or rather, Elf. "I am pleased this title finds favor with His Majesty. However I must confess, the honorific is not of my own creation. My etiquette was not attained through accident alone, but through a rigorous childhood of lessons in court."

"And what is this court, and its kingdom, which you speak of hailing from?"

"My kingdom is known as Califia and the king's court is in our capital city, Ettedon."

"Intriguing," King Caprius murmured. "And which lands do you come from?"

"The Americas, Your Majesty."

Drath looked to Kartinar then, but the shorter brother was staring intently at Sada. His lips were moving slightly, like he was mouthing a word or words, and he was frowning so hard it looked almost painful. King Caprius didn't notice. He just tapped at his temple, his nail tink tink tinking against the metal band of his crown.

"The Americas...interesting. I would know more of these lands. Where are they located?" the king asked.

Sada's face grew hot. "Well...I know great seas surround us on three sides, and we are settled near the westernmost one, but I admit this is the extent of my knowledge," she said, laughing. "Yet now...I do not know how far away either my lands or my kingdom are, nor even in which direction to search."

The king appeared thoughtful, though his eyes, which seemed to be ever-burning fires, were hard to read. He was nodding, arms crossed over his chest and one hand on his temple, repeatedly lifting his crown up and letting it slide down his braids again. He wore more than any of the others, and they gleamed in the sunlight like copper cords.

"Unless you are a remarkable liar..."

The king bent forward then, dipping his head down to her neck. The scent of leaves and moss washed over her as he leaned in, then the spiced scent of his forest, and then...lemon. She froze completely. She didn't even dare to breathe as his braids grazed her shoulder and she heard him sniff twice.

Then he pulled away, the cold metal of his crown brushing her temple, and said, "No...you bear the scent of fear, not wickedness. A human maiden adorned with the perfume of both fear and virtue, a true rarity indeed.

"You, on the contrary..." The king strode away from her, and she granted herself a moment to draw a trembling breath. He came to a halt before the brothers, and a sneer graced his lips. "I need not even approach to catch its scent; the stench of miscreancy guided me through my forest to you."