ETAN

Married! Today? Not having to wait for the Peace Accord? No longer hiding…

It sounded like bliss. But Etan knew how desperate Falek must be to suggest it. He was a traditionalist. Borsche had spoken to Etan at length about not pressing the man further—that he already found himself hanging by a thread at the, er, intimacies between Ayleth and Etan.

Falek nodded when Etan asked if he'd correctly understood that they spoke of marriage, but he didn't stop staring at Borsche, whose jaw rolled back and forth, as if he was literally chewing the idea.

"The risks from your Kingdom's perspective?" Borsche asked Falek.

"The greatest risk is that the King would simply have Etan killed. Remove the union in a permanent sense. Beyond that, if he thinks he can use the union somehow, he might have the witnesses killed so he can manipulate the Summitrans by using Etan as leverage."

Borsche nodded thoughtfully. "And after that?"

"Both of them might be killed. It's unlikely, but I cannot deny that the King in a rage is… not always balanced in his thoughts."

Ayleth snorted. Etan squeezed her hand. Her father's temper was, apparently, slow to build, but once he reached his limit, his rage was legendary.

"I believe that is the least likely," Borsche remarked, watching Falek. "Ayleth is a primary pawn in his quest to conquer the Continent. Even in a rage I don't believe he'll remove that opportunity from himself."

Falek's lip curled. "The man has a good head on his shoulders, but when he is angered—truly angered—he loses all perspective. The man would slice his own nose off to spite his face.

"Is the risk high enough to shift our decisions in this?" Borsche asked Falek.

Falek rubbed his chin. "If I could be sure the King had had more than a day between learning the truth, and actually seeing Ayleth, I would say no. But in truth, we are wisest to keep it in mind and guard against it—especially if the King is faced with his daughter and heir suddenly married when he didn't anticipate it. I can see him losing himself enough to want to remove her from being an asset to the Summitrans, yes. I think Etan will be his first target, but Ayleth would not be far behind."

Etan turned to look at Ayleth who was calmly listening to the debate over whether her own father would murder her, as if it was mere strategy. "What they think is secondary," he said as their men tossed ideas and cautions back and forth. "Would you marry me today, Ayleth?"

"You know I would, Etan," she said quietly.

"Then… what do you think of how your father will receive that?"

Ayleth bit her lip, staring at the ground. "It's true when he's in a temper he can completely lose control. But he does that very infrequently. This is something that would threaten to tip him over the edge… I do not believe you should approach him alone. Without something to give him some kind of accountability or… second thought, it will not go well for you."

"Is it a risk for you to return, though?" he asked. "Should we be planning to hide you until I have cleared the path with our parents?" Etan pushed her hair back over her shoulder.

"I don't want you to face this alone, Etan. I think both of us are safer if we're both there to deal with our parents and be involved in convincing them that our union is a good thing."

"I will happily face them alone if it keeps you safer," he said, and meant it. "Your father cannot attack me without meeting my sword. I suspect my lovely wife-to-be would struggle to bring herself to land a blow on her own father?"

Ayleth grimaced. "I truly don't know? The only thing I'm certain of is that I don't wish to stay here, hiding, like a damsel in distress, while you ride off to meet death alone. If we must fight, Etan, we should do it together."

His chest swelled with the determination in her tone, the sharp light in her eyes when she lifted them to meet his, daring him to challenge her.

"I agree," he said softly. "Now we just have to convince these two."

"Isn't that the beauty of being royal?" she said with a sly grin, "We can just pull rank."

Etan's smile rose on one side. "I do love your brilliant mind," he said with a chuckle.

"You find this amusing, Etan?" Borsche snapped.

Etan looked up from Ayleth and shook his head. "No, I find my soon-to-be wife very entertaining though. But laughter aside, we have made a decision."

"Neither of us believes there is value in allowing the other to face the wrath of our parents alone. We will present a united front. We will both return to the castle," she said simply.

"Ayleth," Falek began, "We must treat this like the beginning of a war—"

"I do, Falek," she said, leaning past Etan to meet his eyes. "But this is also my life, and Etan's life, and our marriage. No matter what we do, or how we do it, we will return to the castle together in body and intent. We will not let them force either of us into hiding."

"And if that ends one, or both of you in the dungeons?" Borsche snapped.

"We have amazing men at arms to help us," Etan said quietly, a warning underlying his tone to his man. "I appreciate your concern for my welfare—and Ayleth's—"

"But not enough to consider how you might be more difficult to protect when you're both in the lion's den and we must split our resources?" Falek asked pointedly.

"No," Etan said. "Our parents need to see that we're serious and ready to face this—and them—down to make it happen. They must hear us both so neither of us can become the victim—or the scapegoat." Borsche was about to speak, but Etan shook his head and continued. "And especially if we are to marry now… before we return… all the more reason we have to return together."

Borsche and Falek looked at each other skeptically.

*****

PLEASE NOTE: As I find my feet with three books on the go, there will not be posts to this book over the next two days, however I do have chapters already written and scheduled for early next week. Please be patient with me! And thank you for your very, very generous gifts! I am humbled. (Etan sends a very intense stare and sultry smile just for you!)