The King's Wife

7

Gabriel cursed himself as he watched Ismay hurry into the castle. This wasn't how he wanted their day to go. She was showing curiosity for him outside of duty. He sighed and ran a hand over his face. Gabriel didn't expect her to ask so soon about his family and he certainly didn't expect the pain that clawed at him.

"Fighting already?" Hugh asked a hint of a smirk on the edge of his mouth.

"Not fighting," Gabriel replied, looking from where Ismay had gone to his friend. "I can't wait until you fall in love, Hugh."

"You'll be waiting for a long time, my friend. I will admit I agree with your wife, or at least in part. Love is something not meant for someone like me. Now we have news, come."

They walked into the castle, Hugh leading him straight to the council room. A room not very large by any standards, but enough that he could meet with Godfrey and Hugh comfortably. The large, oval table took up most of the room. A map of the realm was spread out over it. Godfrey was leaning over it, hands gripping the edge, and setting two pieces of carved bone on Darug's borders.

"Good, you're here. I hope the trip to town went well," Godfrey said, looking up at them.

"I think not. If the way Ismay stomped away from him is to judge," Hugh replied, barely containing his humor.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at his friend. "It went perfectly. Now, what news have you."

"We've received two embassies so far. Verun and Amika. They're not happy they've been stopped at the borders," Godfrey explained. "I believe we should expect Saminas soon. King Andreyus enjoys pitting Iber and Verun against each other through diplomacy and trade. I do not doubt they'll want to do the same with us."

"What of Iber?" Gabriel asked, looking down at the map.

"They'll never come to us. Two hundred years haven't changed their opinions of us. King Francis knows we're a threat to his power. Unless we go to him, we will never treat with each other," Godfrey explained. He, unlike Gabriel or Hugh, spent many years traveling and learning of the four kingdoms. He knew their ways well.

"Perfect," Gabriel said, looking over the map. "Keep the emissaries waiting. Send them my apologies but as I'm newly married, I must take time to be with my new wife and make sure the messenger stays vague on the exact meaning of those words."

Hugh chuckled, clearly enjoying the game, but Godfrey frowned. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"I want them curious and wary. I want to them to ask themselves are we here for peace or war."

"Yes, I understand that, but what about Ismay?"

Gabriel returned his frown. "What about her?"

Godfrey glanced to Hugh then back to him. "Doing this, staying vague like that, could have repercussions for her."

"How so?"

"You know very well, Gabriel that allowing the kingdoms to believe in the possibility there may be more to your relationship than prescribed by their rules will damage her reputation."

"Then it's good she's no longer held by their rules or what they think of her," Gabriel replied.

Godfrey's expression turned to chiding. "Gabriel, I've held my tongue, but I feel I need to ask — What are you doing, marrying her and bringing her here?"

"What do you mean?" Gabriel asked, glaring at him in a silent warning to watch his words.

"Continuing this marriage is a mistake. Your attempts to make her into the wife you want is only going to destroy her," Godfrey told him.