Iron Knight - Clan of the Rim Chronicles #2

2

I WAS ESCORTED AGAINST my will back to my chamber, but not without a fight. I knew there would be bruises on my arms from how hard the knights were gripping me, something Calder would have caused an uproar about. As we reached the door I jerked myself free from them and gave my disapproval.

"I'm your princess, you do know that right? You're to listen to my orders, not Eeira's or the Clan's. Disobeying me is its own treason, is it not? Because I can certainly have you all demoted if I wish."

The two beefy men laughed, "Only the captain can discharge us, and that's only if he has orders from Madam Eeira or the Clan. You have a lot to learn when you become queen, mouse."

I felt my cheeks boil at the man mocking my size. "It may have been that way for seventeen years while I was gone, but I'm here now. And you can bet things are going to change even before that crown is on my head. Calder didn't let a single one of you breathe without his order, and neither will I."

Thorne glanced between me and his guards, breaking up the tension before it went any further. He could probably tell I was ready to jump on their backs and snap their necks.

"Alright boys, I'll take it from here."

"Madam Eeira told us to guard the princess's door," the other man said.

I watched a look of annoyance cross Thorne's face. "And I told you to dismiss your posts. Go fondle around with the maids in the wash room, I know how much you like to do that."

Their faces turning red and hanging their heads low, the men scurried off. A scoff left my mouth at their exit, crossing my arms.

"Great. I won't be able to get the image of my guards "fondling" with my maids out of my head now."

"At least you don't have to hear them talk about it in extreme detail all the time," Thorne shuddered. "I might as well have been the one in the act."

"Well, I will definitely have a strong talking to each of the maids to stop that," I declared. "So you shouldn't have to hear any more about it."

"I don't know if that's the best thing to do," Thorne objected. "Some of the guys and maids are together. Some have declared to the other that they love them, so they're bound."

A heartstring tugged inside me remembering that Calder had told me he loved me in my dreams while I was out. Maybe if he had really told me that, or I to him, he couldn't have left me. . .

"And as for the ones just playing around, well if you stopped that it would only stir up things," Thorne explained. "After it was discovered that Calder is Sylvi's son and considered a traitor, a maid mentioned to one of the guys that she saw Calder coming from your room in the mornings and going in at night several times. She'd be happy to spill to everyone here. You don't want to risk the chance of ruining yourself with that little secret."

"We didn't do anything so there's nothing that could ruin me," I spat at him in offense. "And even if we had, that is no one's business but mine and Calder's."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you out here, Princess. Eeira was furious enough when she found out you and Calder had been together all this time."

I felt a sickness churn in my stomach, and I dismissed the conversation before I broke down in front of him. "You need to leave. Now."

I turned to the door and pushed it open, slamming it in Thorne's face before he could get out another word.

I heard him sigh from the other side. "Fine. I'll check on you later. I'll cover for you with Eeira so you can truly be alone."

His footsteps then echoed along the hall as he left, and a sigh of relief left me. I slid down the door and brought my knees to my chest, gazing around the dim lit room. Tears burned in my eyes like acid and fell down my face. I buried my head in my thighs as my body shook, the sound of my sobs drowning out the silence.