The King's Wife

13

Elena set ale and fresh bread on the table, as Ismay sighed at her sister. "I asked you not to tell Gabriel of what happened yesterday. It wasn't needed."

"Of course, It was needed, very much so. I had to know if he'd allowed Lord Hugh to speak to you in such a manner."

"What would it have mattered? Gabriel is the king."

Penelope grinned. "And? A king is still a man, and I know ways to make a man feel regret, even to the depths of his soul." Elena giggled as she gathered clothes for the wash and Penelope turned her grin on her. "You agree, don't you? I couldn't have ignored such a slight on my sister?"

She glanced to Ismay before answering. "Yes, I do believe so. The lord spoke out of turn about something he had no place to speak of."

"See," Penelope replied.

"Fine. If that is what you wish to believe," Ismay said, admitting defeat against her sister's argument.

"Speaking of the king, my queen," Elena said, picking up the basket of wash. "He has asked that I remind you he wishes to see you today. He'll be in his study."

Penelope lifted a brow. "Something wrong?"

"No, no," Ismay said, waving her hand and nodded to Elena that she was free to go. "I suppose he only wishes to continue our negotiations. Since this debacle with Lord Hugh, he seems very keen on continuing."

Penelope gave her a bewildered look. "Negotiations? You're negotiating with your husband?"

"Yes, it was his idea, I ask a question and for the answer, I fulfill a request from him."

"A request? My dear sister, what have you been up to?"

Ismay gave her an unamused stare. "Nothing of which you are no doubt thinking. The first was to spend the day with him, seeing the country. Others were to hold his hand or sit next to him."

Her sister grinned. "And what have you been asking him?"

"Darug's history, the history of his family," she replied the explained what Gabriel had told her.

"That's horrible, and what of his family now? Where are they?"

"I don't know, I think I'm going to ask that today," Ismay replied. "Though I'm afraid, I might know the answer already. He does not like to talk about them and that can only mean they are lost to him."

"So sad," Penelope said, shaking her head. "Who do you think is responsible?"

"I suspected the four kingdoms at first, but we love peace. Nothing in history indicates that they were hostile towards Darug. My leading suspect now is pirates. Darug funds the pirates, and I couldn't understand why they'd do such thing. Now I believe he's keeping them from returning."

"Interesting," Penelope said then grinned again. "Quite a mystery. I can help. Try to see if I can get anyone to tell me more."

"I'm not sure they'll know more than the king."

"You'd be surprised what knowledge a servant can obtain over the years of service. So many high born ignore them so completely, most forget they're there," Penelope told her.

"Perhaps you're right. I see harm from it, so go ahead. There is something I've wanted to ask you since you've arrived. Why are you no longer in King Francis' service? I had heard you his favorite above all the other courtesans in his employment."

Penelope scowled, tearing off a piece of bread and stuffing it into her mouth. When she was finished chewing angrily she said, "Because he refused to allow me time to come visit you."