Master of the Region

Chapter 4

                We travel through the night; I cannot help but to doze to sleep. When I awaken the sun is high in the sky and the air has already gotten cooler. The carriage comes to a stop and the footman comes to open my door. I take his hand and exit. “Lady Barclay-Gillingham, we need to allow the horses to rest. The High King is inside the tavern requesting a table should you desire to join him for a meal before we continue on the road.” I nod and retrieve a knitted shawl from the carriage before entering the tavern. When I walk in, I am stopped by three guards in my path. “This tavern is closed,” one of the guards states. “Oh, I was told…” One of the guards steps forward and grabs me, “woman, you were not instructed to speak. Leave this tavern now before I show you what we do to insubordinate woman.” He shoves me hard and I fall back against the door letting out a yelp of pain.

                In an instant, the High King is there, offering his hand to me. He helps me up and turns to his guards. “How dare you lay your hand on her. Who do you think you are to treat my guest so?” The guard who shoved me opens his mouth and looks at the High King. “Answer me, do not just stand there mouth agape.” He stutters, “I’m sorry, I was not aware that she was your guest. I assumed…” “Who said you had a right to assume anything! You are relived of duty… indefinitely. Leave, now.” The High King interrupts him, his voice booming. The guard walks out of the tavern immediately. The other two guards stand aside and give me a slight bow as the High King guides me in and to a table. We sit and a bar maiden comes with two large plates of food. She then takes food outside; I am guessing to feed the footmen and the two guards who follow her out.

                “I feel as thought I have misled you Lady Barclay-Gillingham. In order to cover our true intentions I must have a reason to bring you that makes sense. Unfortunately the only reason that made sense was as… a prospective bride. You will be expected to meet me for a few meals when we arrive, this will be beneficial as we can discuss the best way to proceed, then when we take strolls, I can show you the areas of the castle that are never used where you will be able to host classes. I will then introduce you the help with children and you can start recruiting them. I can pretend I have no knowledge of this if this somehow comes to light before we are ready, and I can then dismiss it as something you did to waste time. No one will get in trouble and I will not have to explain to my uncle why it is we went against the director’s wishes. Does this sound acceptable to you?”

                Now it is my mouth that is agape. I was not aware that I was joining him as a potential bride. Is this how I want my life to be, full of more lies? I must take into consideration my ultimate desire, which is to save my parents. In order to do that, I must gain favor with the High King. “I accept.” Is all I can say. We eat in silence; I am only able to eat a small portion of food from nerves and this ungodly corset. I finish eating and sit patiently waiting for the High King to finish. He looks up at me, his piercing green eyes burning through me. “If you are finished you may return to the carriage. You don’t have to wait for me. Please, let us not stand on formality.” I smile, “as you wish.” I begin to stand and he gestures to me, “no, I didn’t mean you had to leave. I just want you to do as you wish.” I sit once more. “Then I believe I will sit and wait for you. It is quite cold out.” He nods, “Yes the chill will increase as we travel. Should you need anything to keep you warm please let me know, I brought more than enough to share.” I smile and nod.

                He continues to eat and I can not help but to look at him. I have been so overwhelmed with the whirlwind that I have been swept up in that I have not really look at him before. His piercing green eyes seem to glow from inside, as if there is an energy within him that can not be contained. His skin is tanned, and his strong jaw is lined with a light bearding. His teeth are very straight and white, he is as near perfection as one can be. His hair is longer on top and falls into his eyes from time to time, but he pushes it back out of the way each time. He finishes eating and drinks the last of his mead before placing a small leather bag of coins down. He rises and I follow, standing. He offers me his hand and I take it, preparing to begin the ruse that he is a suitor. He guides me to the carriage. I climb in and he closes the door behind me. I open the basket with the food my aunt had packed for me and remove a book I had been reading. Suddenly the carriage door opens and I cannot help but jump.

                “Apologies, I just thought you might like this for the ride as it is to get colder very soon.” He hands me a large blanket that smells of heather. I take it and blush. “Thank you, High King, that is very kind of you.” He smiles. “Should you not feel as though it is too presumptuous, you may call me Niko when we are alone.” I can not help but blush further. “You may call me Abby if you like… Niko.” He nods, “I think I shall. What pray tell are you reading?” He nods towards the book in my hand. I look at it and hold it up, “it was one of the few things my mother had from my aunt. It was her favorite story about a faraway land and an unexpected adventure. I think my mother read it to me every night to feel closer to her sister. She gave it to me when I was readying to leave with you… my own adventure in a faraway land.” He smiles, and my breath is taken away, “seems very apropos.” I nod at his words. He closes the door once more and I cannot help but watch as he walks to his carriage ahead of us.

                As the carriage begins to pull away, I look at the window to see the guard who was rough with me leaning against the wall of the tavern. He glares at me as if I have wronged him in some way and I know that this will not be the last I see of him. We ride all day until the sun begins to set once more. I read to pass the time and snack on the provisions provided by my aunt. The carriage slows down and I peer out the window, but the footman does not come to open my door. I sit, anxious that something may have happened, but my anxiety is relieved when I see Niko exchanging things with a man outside. He approaches me and opens the door. “I apologize, but we must ride through the night in order to get to my palace in time. There is much unrest and I cannot afford to delay my return. We are exchanging horses and then will be on our way.” I nod, accepting his words. “Here,” he hands me another blanket that I lay across my lap, then hands me some warm food and a warm glass of drink. I take it and thank him. He smiles and again I feel myself loosing breath.

                He closes the door and returns to his carriage. I finish eating and drinking just as a bar keep comes to collect the plate and cup. Soon we are off once again, the steady clatter of the hooves begins to lull me to sleep. I grab the first blanket that the High King gave me and place it on the side of the carriage next to me and rest my head on it, wrapping the other blanket around me. It is as comfortable as one could hope to be while traveling, and I drift to sleep. I dream of the changes I will make, about teaching young children to read and write. Opening up an entirely new world to them that they would have never had access to before. I dream of bringing my parents to the palace to work as a baker and financial advisor, restoring them to the life that they once knew. I dream of returning Lukomorye to the prosperous region it once was. There is a loud thud and I am jerked awake. I blink, my eyes trying to adjust to bright day light streaming in.

                I realize we are no longer riding on a dirt road but a road paved with cobblestones. The road is rough and we bounce along as we travel. I look out the window and realize we are in township with large buildings and people bustling around bowing as we pass. We must have reached Biarmaland. The carriage continues to move through narrowing roads. My nerves begin to rise and I pull out some bread from the basket to ease my stomach. It is very cold. My aunt was right to give me her warm coat as my shawl would not have been near enough. I immediately regret pulling my hands out of the warmth of the blanket as my hands ache from the cold temperature. I wrap myself up in the blanket once more and try to hide myself from the eyes trying to look in the carriage windows as we pass. I know that I must look a mess having slept in a carriage for the last two nights. We stop at outside of a large stone wall and I wait anxiously for someone to come, but after a minute we begin to move once more and I realize we are entering through a large gate.

                The carriage rides on for a few more minutes and then we come to another stop outside of a massive palace. The carriage door opens and I am reluctant to get out and leave the warmth of the blankets. I relent and remove the blankets and quickly put my aunt’s coat on. It is warm enough to get me inside, but not warm enough to be appropriate for outings. I take the footman’s hand and realize he is wearing gloves. I am envious of the warmth his hands must be feeling in this moment. I stop and wait, unsure of where to proceed, but my wait is short as Niko approaches. “Here,” he smiles as he hands me a pair of small fur lined gloves that I eagerly put on. It is so much better. “Better?” He asks. All I can do is blush and nod. “Wonderful. I will have the staff take your chests down to your room. Let me take you in. Be warned, you may have to answer some questions.”

                I nod and take his proffered hand. He leads me up the stairs and two guards open the door, allowing us to enter the palace. We walk in an I am awe struck. This is the most gorgeous place I have ever seen. It makes the palace at Opona look like a hovel. He guides me into a massive room where people are running around in a frenzy. They spot Niko as he is stepping in and they all stop instantly and turn to him. Suddenly they swarm us greeting him and introducing themselves to me. It appears to be mostly staff of the house, but they take the time to each introduce themselves to me. Niko clears his throat and everyone quiets down. “Hello everyone, I am please to introduce you to Lady Barclay-Gillingham. She will be staying with us while her and I get to know each other.” He turns and looks down at me, I look up at him and the expression on his face pulls at my hear. “I know this may be overwhelming for her, so please, let us give her some time to adjust. I am happy to be home and eager for us to get started making improvements.” The crowd erupts into cheer and start returning to their activities but still waving to us as they pass.

                A sallow man approaches us from the back of the room. He is tall and thin, grey hair and sunken eyes. “Hello High King. Welcome back. I am glad to see you had a nice time visiting provinces on behalf of your uncle.” Niko nods. “Yes, I had a wonderful time. Lady Barclay-Gillingham, this is Mister Bartinmorgan. He is the Director of the school here in Biarmaland.” I curtsey, but secretly already hate his man. He sneers slightly as he regards me and bows his head ever so slightly. It is a sign of disrespect to my station that he does not bow at the waist, but I ignore it and simply pluck up my eyebrow at him. “Pleasure Lady Barclay-Gillingham. If you don’t mind, I have to work do. High King.” He nods instead of bows to Niko as well, then walks away, not waiting for Niko’s response or to be excused.

                Niko looks at me. “He doesn’t respect me as Master…. Or as High King. He was content living under Master Yanicoff because he was nasty and didn’t care for anyone but the nobility. He does not like that I treat the house staff well nor that I want to educate their children. He is watching me like a hawk… Anything he can go to my uncle about, he will… Be wary.” I nod. “He is the one we will have to put on the best show for in order to throw off suspicion of you being her.” I nod. Niko glances at Mister Bartinmorgan who has returned to a table in the back of the room, and then pulls me into his arms. “Might as well start the show off now.” My heart skips a beat as I breath in Niko’s masculine and earthy scent. I blush and look down, embarrassed at my lack of experience in these situations. “I apologize, I must smell horrid having been in that carriage for so long.” I shake my head, “no, you smell lovely. I am so embarrassed that I look so disheveled as I meet everyone for the first time.” Niko leans down, placing his mouth near my ear and whisper, “I think you look lovely.” A shiver of desire runs down my back.

“Let’s go.” He declares as he stands up right releasing me. Niko offers his hand once more and I take it, following him up the stairs, the warmth of the house causing me to begin to feel overheated. I release Niko’s hand and begin to remove my gloves before tucking them into the pocket of my coat, hoping to cool down. Niko stops and smiles, removing his coat and then taking mine hanging it over the railing. He is so intuitive. I hope that he does not suspect that part of my need for cooling is the desire he seems to have sparked within me. He takes my bare hand. I blush at the touch. He guides me down a long hallway to a door at the very end. When he opens the door, we are faced with a vast room with doors scattered around the edge.

                “This is your private wing. You can choose any staff of the house that you like to be in your service. I am having them bring up your stuff. Is there anything you would like?”

                I blush. I don’t want to admit anything to him. As always, he notices my reluctance.

                “Abby, what is it?”

                I look down, “If I am being honest, I am quite hungry.”

                He snickers to himself. “Of course you are! As I am sure you noticed, I eat quite a lot at a time, so I am hungry less throughout my busy day. You ate almost nothing last night; you must be starved. Come, let us go get something to eat.” He tugs me playfully and I begin to follow him.

                He takes my hand and guides me back down the stairs and into the kitchen where the staff is hard at work. He gestures for me to take a seat at a large wood table in the corner of the bustling kitchen as he walks up and places his hand on the shoulder of the very rotund woman directing the kitchen. She turns and smiles at him, kissing him on both cheeks. He points over to me and she nods and slaps his arm playfully and waves him away. He laughs and comes to take a seat opposite me. I have never seen him smile and laugh like this. “Penelope will bring something over soon.” He says as he smiles his amazing smile at me. I smile back and nod but am confused by him.

                “Is something amusing Lady Abigail?”

                I shake my head, “No High King…”

                “I think you laugh at me. Pray tell what it is that has your so amused.”

                “I just never expected a High King to be so informal with his staff. Master Winterbourne is very open with his people, but there is still a line of title between us. With you… It is almost as if you are family the way you treat each other.”

                He raises his eyebrow at me. “I apologize, I again have spoken out of turn.”

                He shakes his head. “No, I am intrigued in your perspective of me. Yes, it is true, I treat my staff as family and I believe, as does Master Winterbourne, that the job of a Master of the Region is to be of service to the people, not to be served by the people.”

                I smile. “I like that.” I say, blushing and looking away. I can feel my chest press against my corset as they swell with desire. I have never had a man ignite such things in me before. It is confusing but exciting.

                “I am glad.” He says.

                I see him reach towards me and my breath catches when I think he is about to touch my hand, but we are interrupted by the rotund woman. “Here we are love, dig in.” She places two large plates stacked with food in front of us with cups of hot liquids. She smiles at me and gives me a knowing look as if she caught us in the midst of something improper and walks away. I wait for Niko to being to eat as is proper, and then begin to eat as well. The food smells and tastes heavenly. I eat more than I have ever eaten before, but still leave most of the food on my plate. I am uncomfortable with how wasteful this is. I will say something about serving me less when I am more comfortable with everyone. Niko pays me no mind as I pick at my food eating what I can while he devours the massive amounts before him. When we are finished Niko rises and offers me his hand once more. I take it and stand, thanking the woman for the delicious food. Niko pulls me into his side in a very intimate display, “Penelope, you will come to realize that Lady Abigail eats near nothing per serving. I think a child’s portion may be more suited for her.” He snickers and I look up at him, unable to hide my anger at his teasing of me. Penelope slaps his chest, “That is no way to speak about you lady. Her body will adjust to the cold and she will be eating more in no time.” She then directs her attention to me. “Do not let him tease you dear. It will set a dangerous precedent for marriage. Trust me, I know!” I smile a genuine smile, I like her.