I rarely ate dinner with my brothers, but I did so tonight. Leon’s faction would have to get involved if it got to the point of war. Clavis, Nokto, and even Luke were good at reading people, but I should evaluate the others’ reactions as well. Especially Leon’s. If I got him on my side, the rest would follow.
“Where are Yves and Licht?” Clavis asked as everybody filled their plates. All the rest were present and accounted for.
“They went to a cafe in town,” Leon answered.
“A cafe? After all that baking last night?” Nokto asked.
“That letter from Obsidian is really messing with Yves,” Jin grumbled.
“Oh, good, he did tell you guys,” Luke said. “So, we can talk about now.”
“Yeah, he filled us in after Chevalier got it out of him,” Leon confirmed. “Can’t have his own faction in the dark about something everybody in Chevalier’s faction knows about,” he added, glancing at me.
“It is a matter of foreign affairs,” I reminded Leon coolly.
“Can you believe Gilbert, calling Yves ‘cousin?’” Luke complained.
“The term is technically correct, and Gilbert is known for his ability to get under people’s skin,” I commented.
“Do you think he’s really stupid enough to come to the goodwill gala?” Leon asked.
I shrugged. “If he does, he’ll have a very good reason that is far from stupid.”
“I don’t like it,” Jin said. “This is supposed to be our annual goodwill gala with Benitoite. We weren’t even expecting Benitoite to send their own prince, and now Gilbert’s coming? Obsidian hasn’t even made an effort to talk to us for the past ten years.”
“And Yves still isn’t over that,” Nokto commented. “He can’t forgive himself for freezing up on the battlefield.”
“He was only sixteen,” Leon reminded Nokto.
“And Licht and I were only fifteen,” Nokto said vehemently, his crimson eyes flashing. “It was our first time at war, too, but at least we were able to fight.”
“You aren’t half-Obsidianite. Yves had to kill his own people,” Leon said, narrowing his amber eyes. “That’s a lot to ask from an inexperienced kid.”
“And he did kill them,” I added.
“Only the leftovers you and Leon tossed at him,” Clavis said.
“It can’t have been that bad,” Luke interjected. “Was it?”
“Bloodstained Rose Day was worse than bad,” Jin said. “Yes, Yves froze, and yes, Chevalier and Leon had to watch out for him, but we always watch out for each other on the battlefield.”
“We wouldn’t have lost as much ground if Yves hadn’t been distracting our two best fighters,” Nokto said bitterly.
“Yes, we would have,” I snapped. “Obsidian threw everything they had at us. With or without Yves, we were fighting a losing battle.”
“The only thing that saved us was reinforcements from Benitoite,” Leon added glumly.
“Hence the importance of the goodwill gala,” I continued. “And, even if Gilbert comes, Yves will be in attendance this time.”
“Getting a little worked up about this, aren’t you, Chev?” Clavis commented.
“Yves is one of us. When it comes to Obsidian, we stand together, or we don’t stand at all,” I said firmly.
“Here, here!” Jin said approvingly, raising a glass.
“Benitoite won’t like Yves being there,” Nokto reminded us.
“So what?” Leon asked, shrugging. “It’s about time we stopped catering to the whims of idiots who think he’s a traitor just because his mother was an Obsidianite princess. And he’s not going to freeze, not this time. Seeing him standing up to Gilbert may be just what the people need to finally be convinced of his loyalty.”
“Our leaving him out is not helping his case,” I added.
Luke grinned broadly. “We might actually put some weight on with all his baking, though.”
Leon chuckled. “Yeah, you may be right. He’ll be able to handle it, for sure, but he’s probably going to be doing a lot of stress baking.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it,” Jin said, grinning. “But before that happens, we’re going to be treated to beignets courtesy of Yves and Ivetta.”
“They aren’t making them for you,” I reminded him coolly.
“No, but can’t you just imagine our little Evie stumbling around the kitchen, trying to impress her?” Nokto asked, his crimson eyes glittering mischievously.
“She’s really pretty,” Luke commented, repeating his statement from earlier in the afternoon. “Do you think she made those cookies she brought to King Highness’ office today?”
“I doubt it. Chev doesn’t let her out of his library for long,” Clavis replied, glancing over at me meaningfully.
“Wait, hold on, she brought cookies to Chevalier’s office?” Jin asked. “Why would she do that?”
Luke shrugged. “Just to be nice, I guess.”
“Just to be nice?” Leon laughed. “I still don’t get how she ended up with Chevalier.”
“It’s not like she had a choice,” Clavis replied. “She was hired to work in the library. Chev saw an opportunity and took it.” His golden eyes gleamed as he glanced over at me again. He really wanted to get a rise out of me. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.
“I thought you didn’t want a maid,” Leon said, his narrowed amber eyes meeting mine.
“This one is competent,” I replied dismissively.
“I bet. It’s too bad you’re not utilizing her to the fullest of her abilities,” said Nokto, his crimson eyes bearing a gleam very similar to Clavis’.
“Well, it’s a good thing she didn’t end up with you,” Luke retorted.
Nokto chuckled. “I’d never leave my room.”
“She’s too good for you.” Luke frowned, his green eyes flashing at Nokto.
“Too good for me? And who do you think would better suit her?” Nokto teased.
The discussion about Yves had been important, but that wasn’t why I chose to eat dinner with my brothers tonight. It sounded like Leon and Jin would be on board with another war with Obsidian, if such an unfortunate event were necessary. But I wasn’t going to learn anything else of value unless I changed the topic.
“Nobody here,” I interjected. They all looked at me. “If you recall, she’s a maid, and we are all princes.”
“Ouch,” Luke said. “So, you mean I gave up a chance at getting her when I moved in here? I should have stayed a commoner.”
“She’s not off limits, Luke,” Clavis said. “Nokto’s had his fair share of maids, haven’t you?”
Nokto shrugged. “They make an enjoyable diversion from time to time.”
“Yeah, but she doesn’t strike me as the type who’d settle for being a diversion,” Jin commented. “Although if I’m wrong, I get first dibs.”
“Is that all you think about? Alcohol and women?” Leon asked, amused.
Jin smiled broadly. “What else is there?”
“There’s food,” Leon replied, grinning. “Speaking of which, tomorrow is Rhodolite Foundation Day. Anybody going to the festival?”
Maybe this would get the conversation away from Ivetta.
“Sure am,” Jin said. “I’ll probably end up in a tavern, though, so don’t look for me.”
“Yeah, it could be fun,” Luke said.
Clavis shrugged. “I’ll ride through for a bit. How about you, Chev? You normally go for a few minutes.”
“We’ll see.”
“Try not to run anybody over this time,” Leon chided. “Or threaten drunken idiots with your sword.”
“If everybody stays out of my way, there will be no problem,” I replied. The only reason I ever went was for the book sales. Unfortunately, there was no avoiding the idiotic festival-goers who clogged the street with no regard for those on horseback.
“Are you going to take Ivetta?” Clavis asked slyly.
“Why would I do a foolish thing like that?”
There was no getting away from it. They were obsessed with her.
“Just to see her smile,” Luke volunteered. “She’s got the prettiest smile.”
“I’d like to see her in something other than a maid’s uniform,” Nokto commented. “It doesn’t do her justice.”
Jin laughed. “You’d just like to see her naked.”
“And you wouldn’t?” Nokto asked, grinning.
Now they were going too far.
“Knock it off,” Leon said, before I had a chance to say anything. “She’s a sweet lady. She doesn’t deserve to be talked about like that.”
Jin shrugged. “Yeah, you’re right. But I was just saying what we’re all thinking.”
“Except Chev,” Clavis pointed out.
I stood up.
“Aw, leaving so soon?” Clavis asked.
“It seems that nothing further of importance will be discussed, and while the rest of you were wasting your time in useless chatter, I was eating. It’s pointless to stay.”
“We didn’t say anything to upset you, did we?” he pressed on as I headed for the door.
“Don’t be absurd.”
The days were lengthening with spring, and the gardens were still bathed in sunshine when I stepped outside. I could have brought a book, but, between the matter with Yves and Obsidian, and the inappropriate comments about Ivetta, I was in no mood to read.
Bloodstained Rose Day had been horrible. I was only twenty then, and my teenage brothers shouldn’t have been forced to fight. Clavis and Leon, maybe. Yves, Licht, and Nokto - they shouldn’t have been there. But our father couldn’t be bothered to join Jin and I on the battlefield, and our younger brothers were all accomplished swordsmen already. Every single one of them had proven themselves that day - except Yves. Leon in particular had set himself apart, though he was only eighteen. His natural charisma and leadership abilities had come to light, and he was every bit as fierce on the battlefield as I was.
But I couldn’t forget Yves’ expression, so very like Ivetta’s the day she overheard Leon and I arguing about the purge. Wide, blue eyes, all color drained from his face, trembling as the blood dripped from his sword. As Jin said, we always looked out for each other in battle, but it hadn’t taken long for me to realize that Yves needed more than an occasional shouted warning of a surprise attack. He was barely capable of defending himself, completely unable to attack. I’d been forced to make the decision to protect my terrified kid brother or press forward and watch him die. He had held me back, not that it mattered. The Obsidianite army was an unending horde, every soldier I cut down replaced by three more, sunup to sundown with no rest. And Yves still would have died, if Leon hadn’t noticed me tiring toward the end of that long, miserable day and come to my aid. I would never have forgiven myself if Yves had died. But he lived, and now, he would never forgive himself for being so helpless. Even though it wasn’t his fault, and he should never have been put in that situation to begin with.
At least our useless father had procured aid from Benitoite at the last minute. We all would have died otherwise, and the people of Rhodolite would have become slaves to Obsidian.
I sighed and dropped onto the bench next to the pond. And now Obsidian was stirring up trouble again. Leon had confidently stated that Yves wouldn’t freeze like that again, but I wasn’t so sure. His birth was supposed to bring Rhodolite and Obsidian together, and it seemed like he still carried that hope with him. He was loyal to Rhodolite, through and through, but he couldn’t forget his Obsidianite blood. Not that anybody would let him forget. Very few outside of the royal family trusted him. He’d worked twice as hard as the rest of us since Bloodstained Rose Day to prove himself, in battle and every other area of the life of a prince, but it was never enough, never noticed, never rewarded.
Ivetta wouldn’t care about his background, though. She’d probably heard what the commoners said about him, and yet, by all reports, she’d been nothing but her usual kind self when she met him. It was no wonder he’d agreed to help her in the kitchen. He was usually much more closed off and haughty to the servants, but her natural charm won him over immediately. As it did everybody. Anybody who didn’t like her either didn’t know her or had to be a complete monster. And Yves was anything but a monster.
I’d thought I was.
Maybe it was her similarity to Yves that had me worrying about her so much. Maybe, but that didn’t explain how offensive I’d found my brothers’ comments over dinner tonight. She wasn’t the only attractive woman in the palace. There were plenty of others. Why was she the object of so much attention?
Maybe it was the way she could stand up to me. Such a characteristic was rare, and I’d certainly never seen it in a servant. Or maybe it had something to do with her expressive face, the way her thoughts plainly showed, even as I knew there was much more hidden under the surface. That wasn’t so uncommon, though. My brothers and I were all skilled in the art of reading others.
The problem was not them. It was me. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. What made her so irritatingly appealing to me?
What was it?
I stood up again, wandering through the gardens until dark, but I was no closer to an answer when I finally retired to my room. One thing I knew for sure. I could never call her by her name. To do so would be to open the door to even more unwanted desire. My reminder to my brothers over dinner was correct. She was a maid, and we were princes. And Jin was right. She could never be just a diversion, a night of pleasure. She was far too innocent for that.
Was that it? Her innocence?
She possessed a level of maturity that far exceeded her age, but she was also remarkably naïve. Her bravery was too great for her stature. I’d felt it when I’d pulled her into an unwanted embrace to anger her before she went to Nokto’s room. It would take nothing to overpower her. Nothing at all. That, with the attention she was constantly attracting, filled me with this strange urge to protect her. It was a feeling I couldn’t write off as being a purely selfish way to look out for my best interests. Yes, she did an excellent job, but that alone was not enough to warrant this near constant worry for her safety. And, unlike Yves, I certainly didn’t see myself as her big brother.
It was wrong to even think it, but I hoped her mother would die soon. The longer she walked those streets alone, the greater the risk of something happening to her. I wanted her here, in the servants’ quarters, as soon as possible. For her sake. Not mine.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpfwdtxemf
