Queen of Nothing 4 Chapter: Drake

As soon as I was sure that she was asleep I called for two guards stand watch at her door so that I could find a place to bathe. I hated the smell of blood and even more the feel of it on my skin. I found a different bath than the one the princess had used and had the maids, what remained of them, fill it with steaming water.

Once I was alone, I unbuckled my armor and stripped out of my clothes and stepped down into the water. I sat with a splash on the submerged ledge and watching as the dry blood began to wash away on its own. I sat for while with my head resting against the cool stone, eyes closed, trying to get comfortable with the fact that I was thousands of miles from home in a country full of people who'd happy see me dead, including the princess whom I was to be with at nearly all hours of the day.

"Princess Arabella Victoria Amell..." I shook my head. She was a beautiful woman for sure, with skin the color of a fresh winters snow, long curling raven hair, and violet eyes that could see straight through me. She must have been terrified being brought before my king but yet she showed no fear nor did she back down. She even had the nerve to make an enemy of me. No one in Althea would dare speak to me the way she did, let alone throw a sponge at me.

I laughed remembering how angry and shocked I was in the moment that the sponge hit me in the head and then I stiffened as I remembered turning around to see her bare. She might have only been sixteen but she had the body of a woman.

I shook my head. I couldn't allow myself to think of her as anything other than someone to protect. I had to separate my emotions from my job. And, she was to be the wife proper of my king. Granted he had two other wives back in Althea, it would still be treason to consider her.

I sighed sinking lower into the water, letting the heat take the sting from my aching muscles. I needed to get my head right. I would not be free from danger so long as I was in Morea and if my mind was focused on some stubborn woman than I would surely end up dead.

I sank beneath the water until I could hold my breath no longer and then I lathered honey shampoo into my hair. I scrubbed until I was sure the smell of blood would be masked, rinsed my hair, and shampooed it again. I washed two more times and then got out of the water drying off with a fresh towel. After changing into fresh clothes I went back to the princess' chambers and laid down on one of her couches closing my eyes for the first bit of sleep I had gotten in two days.

I woke to a sudden weight on my chest and piercing violet eyes. "I do recall telling you to be at home but I wasn't aware you'd do it so thoroughly."

I looked down and groaned. "You dropped a book on me?"

"The Compendium of the Seven." She shrugged. "You should know the gods you anger."

I sat up smiling. "How very generous of you, Princess."

"Perhaps tomorrow we'll start with the Record of the Amell Royal Lineage. That way you may know the names of my ancestors that you've disgraced."

I couldn't stop myself from laughing, this woman was incorrigible. Even as she glared at me I found her intriguing. "I'm more aware of your gods and historically superior bloodline than you may realize."

Her eyes narrowed for a moment before a look of recognition overtook her sour gaze. "Ah yes, House Savita. My... my lady in waiting was of House Sativa... she could have been of relation to you." She said softly as if her words came before her thoughts.

"What was her name?" I asked.

"Cassidy."

My heart stiffened and I had to bite my cheek to keep my face from betraying my emotion. "She... was my niece. My eldest sister's daughter. Tell me how she died?"

She said next to me on the couch and stared at the floor. "We were in the temple with the other women and children when your men came for me. One of them decided he was going to grab me by my hair to drag me to the throne room... Cassidy tried to stop them... they cut her down and then beat me when I tried to heal her."

Without thought I reached over and grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry, Princess. They were given orders not to hurt you or any anyone else. We had already taken the city and the throne there was no reason for further violence."

"Who gave those orders? It surely wasn't your king." She said as she looked at her hand still wrapped in mine.

"I did. They were my orders. Who did it? Which one killed her? And which hit you?"

"The one in blue and grey, with the black hair."

I knew exactly who she spoke of but I wasn't sure there was anything I could do. "I'm sorry princess, that's the king's half brother..."

"So, no one will pay for the death of my friend?" She said her eyes sad and her shoulders deflating.

"Perhaps not for Cassidy... but once my king hears that his wife was beaten, there will be hell to pay."

She stood up pulling her hand from mine absolutely disgusted. "I will never marry that murdering bastard!"

I stood squaring my shoulders to prepare for the fight we were about to have. "Mind your tongue! He is..."

"Nothing to me! And I will have his head. I swear it on my magic."

I sighed. Perhaps she needed more time to adjust to her new life but swearing on her magic was a serious deal. "Princess..."

"I'm going to my room! If you've not killed all the maids, have someone bring my meal." She went back into her bedchamber slamming the door shut.

I sighed slumping back on the couch. I had thought we made progress today, but perhaps I was wrong.

Chapter end