Damask & Deception (Spellbound #2)

Chapter 1: Times Like These

Ossol, Kingdom of Breoch
Year 108 of Leahra, Second Age

"I'm not sure I believe that this is a good idea." King Baudwin of Breoch braced his hands on the sturdy table in the cabinet chamber as he stood up to stretch his aching leg. He looked over to the adviser that had been addressing him with a frown.

"Your Majesty!" Golen glanced down at the stack of papers in front of him, as if they would somehow make his argument for him. "This is the best way forward. The kingdom is fractured after you dethroned your parents two years ago, and some noble families are banding together in protest."

Baudwin grimaced. "But marriage?"

"It's a time-honoured tradition to settle disputes between the peerage." Donauld, another of his advisers—why did he have so many?—leaned forward in his chair and smiled blandly. It did nothing to improve the old man's leathery face.

Frustrated, restless energy was coursing through his body demanding that he pace around the room. Unfortunately, his useless injured leg prevented him from such extravagances. Unless he wanted to hobble around with his cane. Which he did not.

"What makes you think a marriage will stave off a rebellion?" he asked instead, clenching his hands into fists on the table.

"With the most prominent family's daughter as Queen, they will feel that they have the influence they so badly crave. The one they lost with your parents." Golen was looking hopeful now, as Baudwin hadn't blankly said no. The older man's brown eyes were twinkling as if he was a boy in britches about to get his first taste of sweetmeat.

"It makes sense, Baudwin." It was his sister Braithe's soft voice that made him stop scowling. Or at least he was scowling less. Marginally so. 

She sat on the opposite side of the table, one of his top advisers since he became king. While the presence of a woman at the table had been frowned upon by many of the older men, Baudwin didn't really care. His sister had a lot of excellent ideas. A lot of bad ones too. But he took the bad with the good. And they were no worse than any other advisers'. Mostly better.

"You're not listening to me." She was frowning now. Her silvery-grey eyes, so much like their mother's, narrowed at him.

"I beg your pardon." He released his fists and flexed his hands before placing them palm down on the rough wooden surface. His right leg was aching from standing for so long. It ached when sitting. It ached when standing. There was no escaping the pain.

"Lord and Lady Delen belong to one of the oldest and most powerful noble families in Breoch. We do not want them to oppose you. There are several other families that they are close with that would most likely follow them."

Baudwin looked at his sister and nodded slowly. He understood what everyone was saying, and why this was a good idea. He just didn't like it. Marriage? He wasn't ready.

"You getting married will solidify your claim to the throne when you have an heir, and it will stave off a potential rebellion," Golen said, pressing on while they had the advantage. "We'll be killing two imps with one stone."

"Right. If one imp is an unfortunate woman and the other a cripple."

"She's hardly that unfortunate if she's to be Queen," Braithe muttered, but made no effort to dispute the cripple statement. He raised an eyebrow at her, and she just smiled blithely in return.

"I thought she was estranged from her family?" Baudwin was grasping at straws. He might be King, but he found that he had less power to do as he damn well pleased than he would have liked. At least without repercussions. "Will her marrying me really change anything if they're not close?"