Legends of Osaire Box Set

Chapter 2-1

Chapter 2Solna sat back into his chair and gaped at King Tylele for a long time. “That is absolutely diabolical,” Solna finally offered at last. “Well played.”

The King shrugged as much as he could while prone. “It keeps assassins at bay and makes it impossible, from a practical standpoint, to plot treason.”

“How?” Solna asked, confused. “Someone has to know you are the same person.”

With a sigh, King Tylele rolled slowly to his side, facing Solna. He must have been very tender, even though the wounds he had sustained, the one in his shoulder that Solna could see anyway, were shiny with large pink scars now. Ke’s healing was miraculous to behold, no matter how many times Solna saw the end result. The elf pulled the bolster down and clutched it to his chest, face and damaged shoulder resting on it.

“Very few would know. The King wears a mask for Court.” King Tylele grimaced. “I hate the thing, but it’s necessary.”

“None of your subjects have seen your face while you acted out your duties as king?” It was unheard of in Sumentan. A ruler that couldn’t show their face could not be trusted.

“Only once I have a Consort.”

Solna quashed his next question at that because he needed to know. “Why?”

“Because then it does not matter if someone makes an attempt on my life.” He shrugged again and winced when his shoulder moved. “The way a Mage bonds and an elf bonds is so deep as to be one life with their chosen. It’s also why our rulers are always drawn to a warrior, with three exceptions throughout our entire history.”

That made a surprising amount of sense, when Solna thought about it. A ruler who was vulnerable alone amongst a species that could nurse a plot to overthrow their ruler for half an age? Anonymity was a great shield in that environment. With a Consort to anchor them to life, a strong fighter to watch their back, facelessness was moot and worse, potentially harmful.

Maybe a treaty could do more than just stop war.

“And you have no prospects for a Consort either?” Solna had to ask, had to be absolutely certain before he offered his idea. It was a long shot that this would even work, but he wasn’t going to back away from the attempt.

King Tylele snorted with an inelegance that Solna thought elves were incapable of. “No. When would I have found the time?”

“Surely you have some free time to meet people?” Solna did, as short an amount as that time was.

King Tylele frowned up at him. “There is a rumor circulating in my kingdom that one of my subjects is involved in some sort of—” He faltered, brows wrinkled. “I doubt it is a plan for an evil purpose, but someone is planning to interfere in this kingdom.”

“And you’ve been hunting for the source?” The elf nodded. “Why would you care what happens to us?”

“I despise secrets,” the King growled. “And underhanded tactics. No enemy worth their salt would stab at someone’s back, only villains of the worst sort.”

“All the more reason to reach an accord,” Solna interjected. “Without our kingdoms at war, whoever is going to cause trouble will not find it so easy when we are at peace.”

King Tylele gave him a thoughtful look. “True, but how would we accomplish this? Our peoples have hated each other for so long, a standard treaty would do very little.”

That gave Solna pause. How to present his thoughts on the matter without sounding completely touched in the head? “I think the breach should be healed in the same manner that it was caused.”

Brown eyes widened so large, Solna thought they were going to fall out of the elf’s head. “Your great ancestor stole an elven Consort. I doubt us stealing a human Consort would endear Osaire to your people.”

“It’s true. However, a marriage of love and devotion would.”

The King’s sharp features smoothed out to blankness again. “Why not a political marriage?”

“Once upon a time,” Solna said, “my great, great grandmother Geeva ascended to the throne. She was unmarried and had been harassed about finding a strong husband to rule at her side. Of course, she knew that all the suitors presented to her were to usurp her throne as soon as she was crowned.”

“Your grandmother had an astute mind.”

Solna smiled. “She did. Well, after she came to the throne, she decreed that no ruler of her blood could ever wed for anything less than love. The suitors and their families were thwarted from their attempt to gain a crown that time but Geeva’s children only married out of love at her insistence. After that, each subsequent ruler upheld that decree.”

“A good practice, to be sure.” The King’s face kept that blankness though. “You could simply remove that decision.”

“No.” Solna scowled, mostly to himself. “My heir is my brother’s daughter. Anrah does not yet have a spouse, nor has she chosen one. I won’t force her into that position. Besides, political marriages only cause strife. Look at the mess such a union made of the Dragon Kingdom to the north.”

The Great Dragon, King of the Glittering Desert to the north of Solna’s borders, had wed a young woman half a century before. Rumor had it that the Dragon was uneasy about her, but eventually succumbed to the demands of his Court. Once she carried a child, she began poisoning him, slowly. Enough of the Dragon’s family was suspicious of the wife that it led, in the end, to open civil war for the Dragon Throne. A catastrophe.

“Sound reasoning, my Lord.” As King Tylele pushed himself up to sit properly, Solna reached for him.

He caught the elf’s slender left hand in his own and cradled the right shoulder in his palm. King Tylele winced as Solna helped him sit up, but clenched his teeth instead of complain. Solna admired such grit in the elf and tried his best to gently ease the King up. He studiously ignored the dampness on King Tylele’s long lashes, as well as the way the coverlet fell away from the creamy smooth skin of his chest and belly.

“And it’s Solna,” he added after the elf was comfortable. “Since we’re really talking about a possible marriage between us.”

Slow and deliberate, King Tylele extended his hand. Solna took it in his own, careful to keep his grip light. “Then I am just Vius.” His mouth twisted into a moue of distaste. “And I think we should table any further discussion of the matter until after I’ve eaten and bathed.”

Solna chuckled, but didn’t let go of Vius’ hand. “I can remedy both easy enough if you have no objection to leaving the infirmary?”

Vius’ face lit up. It really transformed him from a severe elf to a luminous, otherworldly being, the sharpness of his features softened into beauty instead of an imposing visage. “I assume you will be taking me to your quarters?”

“Yes. Until we have an agreement, it would be best if no one beyond Ke and Allag know you are here.” Solna stood and c****d his head. “Can you walk, or should I carry you?”

“That would be the question,” Vius murmured. He shifted on the bed and winced again. “Carried, I think. My guts feel like they want to fall out of me.”

“So be it.” Solna finally let go of Vius’ hand and helped Vius pull the coverlet around his shoulders. Once Vius was wrapped, Solna took his time to shift the elf from the bed into his arms. “Ah. A familiar position to find myself in. I can’t say I don’t enjoy it.”

Vius groaned. “You are not allowed to joke about this.”

Solna was too busy watching his step out of Ke’s domain and up the stairs to look down at Vius, but the tone sounded as though Vius spoke in jest. “It would certainly add romance to the tale we will have to spin if we decide to act on my plan.”

A thoughtful silence was the only answer Solna received as he made his way deeper into the manor.

* * * *

After escorting Vius into the bathing room in Solna’s personal quarters, he called for his personal servant Cia, a sturdy, mousy girl that he had found near dead on Helano’s streets one day. He tried to use her service as little as possible, but he had a feeling that today would be an exception.

Cia blew through the doors to his rooms like a tornado, a peevish glare aimed at him. If Solna had been a lesser man, she’d have flayed him alive with that look alone. “You’ve been running yourself ragged, I see.”

Solna laughed. He loved her blunt nature. “There was a battle down past the walls, in case you didn’t notice.”

“A ridiculous pissing contest you mean.” She planted her hands on her hips and stared him down. “Good lives lost over something most can’t even remember.”

“Well,” Solna drawled, though Cia’s reminder weighed on his heart. “That’s what I’m hoping you will help me with.”

Cia’s arms dropped limp to her sides even as her mouth opened in shock. “How is that possible?”

He motioned for her to follow and went into a little alcove that held a small table with chairs. It was where he usually took his breakfast, when he felt the need for solitude. Cia swept her plain brown skirt against her legs as she sat and propped her forearms on the table. “Well?”

Solna shushed her quick and glanced back at the door that Vius was behind. Cia’s green eyes were wide when Solna looked back. She was as close to a confidant as he had. He settled into the seat across from her. “I found the King of Osaire injured on the battlefield and brought him here. King Tylele says he’s as heartsick of this war as I am and wants to negotiate a peace treaty.”

“All well and good, but how can I help?”

“We need privacy,” Solna said. “Probably until the pyre lighting in two days, which means I need you to put in a little more work than normal.”

Cia flapped a hand at him. “I barely do any work at all. Seriously, for a King, you are the most self-sufficient one I have ever heard of. What do you need me to do, exactly?”

“For now, meals at the normal times, but for two and brought here.” Solna racked his brain for other necessities and drew a blank. A sudden thought popped into his head. “I also need you to hunt down male clothing for someone who stands to my shoulder, I think.”

Cia quirked an eyebrow. “That’s not nearly as helpful as you think, my Lord. How broad are the King’s shoulders? How long are his legs compared to his trunk? Arms?”

Solna floundered for answers for her, but beyond the initial glimpse while caring for Vius, he didn’t try to look at Vius’ body. He felt it wrong for him to appreciate a body when that person was so vulnerable.

“Perhaps,” Cia interrupted, surely aware that he was mystified on the whole issue, “I should get the King robes like the Mages wear? Can’t go wrong with that, with what little you can tell me.”

“You are the best.” Solna reached across the table and gave her hands a little squeeze in gratitude. Cia leveled a fond and exasperated look at him.

He sent Cia to get breakfast for him and Vius, then settled down for a moment of quiet. The next few weeks, at the very least, were going to be very busy, regardless of the outcome with Vius.

Then the door to the bathing room opened. Vius stepped out in a gentle puff of steam, radiant even though he was only wearing a bath sheet. Dainty bare feet peeked out from the bottom edge, the ambient sunlight in the room filtered through the damp sheet and Solna could see the lean lines of Vius’ figure. Dark tresses fell in a beautiful curtain to frame a glass sharp jaw and cheekbones and the delicate points of his ears, vibrant eyes immediately coming to rest on him.

Solna’s c**k started to thicken at the stunning sight and he breathed a sigh of relief. At least Vius aroused him. That wasn’t the case with every beautiful person he saw, and this would make life so much easier.

He cleared his throat as Vius walked towards him. “Sit, please. Cia is bringing food to us and something for you to wear for the moment.”

“Oh?” Vius’ pursed his lips. “I could eat as I am. I would hate to burden her with another’s demands on her time.”