Leoric made another slow round of the room while he waited. The paintings lifeless, book stacked shelves loaded with useless volumes and the droning silence peaceful, in a boring dull way. They were supposed to meet in private to sign the contract they'd agreed to, but maybe Lady Valewyn had bailed out. Though she didn't seem like the person to do such a spineless thing.
A sound clicked behind him and he smiled.
The door sounded closed and he turned to find her standing, head high and composure held. As if this was any normal trade agreement and nothing touched her—not even the daunting reality of what she was entangling herself in.
But there was only one person that could touch her—well not for long, and Leoric bit into that as if it was a challenge.
Valewyn's gaze flashed up, as if hearing his thoughts. Cold blues eyes studying him and he couldn't help but take a step closer and seeing the flash of defiance scorch him—she wouldn't cower to him.
"Eager to entangle yourself with me, Lady Valewyn?" he goaded.
"You accepted my hand because you want my land," she struck back.
"We both know that marrying you doesn't give me any rights to Ravelocke. The king would never let his greatest rival have two of the best strategic land masses of his kingdom."
"So, why didn't you accept the terms before I added my hand?" she asked and he could see genuine confusion there—so she thought about him.
"Honestly, because I am interested in watching you try to convince the king. That and it was too much fun to accept in front of the Crown Prince."
"You men of the north…"
"Don't go thinking that men of the south are any different, especially the prince." Leoric took another step closer, practically leaning over her. "Even if he was king, you'd be sitting on his shelf at his disposal. If he had any intention of marrying you, he would've found a way before his father married you off to whoever was strategic," he said, seeing her hard glare a confirmation that she knew he was right. "You've let yourself become just another pawn on the board, Lady Valewyn, when we both know you're a far more useful piece."
He couldn't work out how much her love for the Crown Prince was loyalty and friendship, and if it went any deeper. But she didn't seem to be a woman with a bleeding heart, but then again, she wasn't like any woman Leoric had met before—at least not in the south.
"Everything you ask him, he does for you, you know?" he coaxed. "If you asked him to marry you, he'd do it—I'm sure."
Leoric couldn't work out her reason for offering him her hand. Valewyn stepped around him and laid out two identical parchments—the contract. His eyes ran over the page, and it contained everything they'd agreed to—even her hand. It was pretty and straightforward—just like her—no hidden clauses or legal language.
She sighed. "No," she murmured, her own eyes studying the page.
He couldn't work out if she was sad, or just lost in a moment.
"I could never ask something like that of him," she said, softening at the edges.
So she knew that he would.
Her eyes snapped up and her composure reset, but Leoric already found what he wanted. She was indeed loyal, she didn't see herself worthy of the Crown Prince, didn't reach for power or appease the entitled boy to gain herself favour. She truly loved him—and gave herself away bit by bit to keep him.
Interesting. But how much would she hang herself for the man? And what qualifications other than the boy's blood, gave him this woman's undying respect?
"Fine," Leoric dismissed the idea.
Plucking up a pen and scribbling his signature on both documents, he stepped back to allow her to do the same. Valewyn's finger touched the page, trailing under his signature, her lips lightly pressed as she contemplated it.
Then, casting the thought aside, she elegantly signed her own name next to his.
"I'll make the announcement in ten minutes," her voice lost its tone as she turned away. "Make sure you're present."
She reached Sir Caerwyn standing by the door and held up the folded parchment.
"Please keep this safe for me, Sir Caerwyn," she paused deliberately. "If anything is to happen to it, I'll dismiss you from my service."
The knight glowered at Leoric, who smirked back.
The man's loyalty matched that of his charge. He would most definitely destroy the contract if it would save Valewyn. That man would walk into hell itself if it would save her life, and Leoric knew that was what she was doing with him—for the Crown Prince.
Once the two left, Leoric traced the line Valewyn had with her own finger, trying to see what she saw—what she was thinking. When he couldn't, he rolled the page up and tied it with ribbon.
"Darly," he called and a young man of his household appeared through a side door. "Take this and store it with my stuff—it's important." Leoric held out the contract for the man to take. "And guard my stuff until we leave, I don't want anyone else near it, understood?"
Darly nodded and bowed before leaving.
Now, it was time to get engaged—Leoric's lips twisted upward. He loved a good bartering and dealing, but this one held something more, it was mystery and shadow in all the right places, and he couldn't help but bite.
The Crown Prince stepped out into the centre of the hall, tapping a silver spoon lightly against a glass, calling for attention and people tripping over themselves to give it.
"Thank you all for coming today," he started, his voice carrying out easily into the obedient silence. "I have called this fantastic party to be held to honour a dear friend of mine, as it is her 21st birthday—Lady Rhosyn?" the prince held out his hand and the room murmured as Valewyn stepped up to stand beside him.
So that was why she snuck the marriage proposal into the contract—time. An unattached woman's 21st was her announcement that she'd marry for the kingdom, because she had to marry someone the crown chooses—within reason of course.
Interesting.
Whispers of party-goers whisked into the air, Leoric catching most of them, but he couldn't help but feel smug at how wrong they were with their presumptions.
"Thank you, Your Highness." She curtsied deep. "And to you all, as today is more than just a celebration of my birthday, but that of an announcement of my engagement—"
Excitement fluttered into the hall, a quiet bustle of speculation. The scene all but sold them the lie and Leoric was eating it up.
Valewyn's eyes locked with his and he could see the prince's sour.
Though the audience wouldn't track the way the prince's face hardened slightly, or the way he moved ever so closer to Valewyn. Clearly, the Crown Prince expected that she'd default to himself. Clearly, with her, he was selfish—something Leoric would have to watch for in the future.
"—to help strengthen our kingdom and build a richer future," Valewyn's words and gaze, soft. She raised her hand, gesturing, "to Duke Leoric Karsyn of Harrowfen."
All eyes followed her gesture and then they were all on him. A new murmuring wave hushed across the crowd and so Leoric put on the show she set up.
He stepped out, joining her easily, stepping into her frame as a new couple would. His hand gentle at her waist angling her toward him and she gazed up at him, eyes brimming with happiness—she was good at acting too. A slight crease dented her brow, killing the illusion for only him.
Then he remembered—time—and he decided to have some fun.
The room ached to be conquered, and before he let either the prince or Valewyn steal it, Leoric slid into the void perfectly—it was what he did.
"I am excited to unite this land in unity and prosperity as soon as you all are, I'm sure," he directed to the onlookers and seeing them drink his words like thirsty nobles, intoxicated and foxed.
Valewyn's mouth opened, but he didn't allow her a moment to insert herself in her attempt to regain control.
"That is why," his voice carried easily and his smug smile, read by the room as happiness. "I can announce that the wedding will take place in three weeks."