Page 18 of The King’s Bodyguard (Catkin Trilogy #1)
As for the rest, everyone knew that the platitudes streaming from Lord Berran were just that—balderdash and silliness.
Neither Princess Erellia nor Landis had shown one iota of interest in the preparations.
Poor Madame Rathe and Lady Hartford were managing the entire affair on their own with little to no input from the participants.
Princess Erellia spent most of her time socializing with the high houses or gamboling through the countryside.
Landis was more focused on the affairs of the state than on what color his vest was going to be.
If it was any other wedding, I might have laughed at the sheer lunacy of it, but this was Landis getting married.
Landis was marrying for the sake of his people even if it meant the sacrifice of his heart.
At least he wouldn’t go to the marriage with no fond memories behind him.
If I had my way, we would spend at least one more night together, where I would show Landis what a good tumble could be like.
Perhaps our few times together would give him the strength and light he needed as he moved forward with the wedding.
Once Lord Berran stopped talking, Landis nodded, coughed, and said something like, “Yes. Quite so.”
Then he dismissed the entire conversation about the wedding and moved to the final topic of inviting the Circle to the palace as wedding guests.
The Circle. Those would be the Wise mollies of the Munni.
That would include my mother. She might be here for the wedding.
I wonder if she’ll notice whatever lies between Landis and me.
I recalled her words: There is a hidden garden there, neglected, I fancy, that needs tending. Dammit… Mother.
It was difficult to keep focused after that, but I paid as much attention as I could.
A debate over inviting the Circle ensued, mostly between Lord Elthorne and Lord Berran.
Lord Berran protested, but Lord Elthorne pointed out that this would have pleased the late king.
There was a thoughtful silence. Once again, Landis asserted that he wished to carry out his father’s legacy.
Lord Berran was overruled. Everyone agreed that the Munni Wise mollies ought to attend.
Lord Elthorne, ever the diplomat, volunteered to send messages to the Circle.
For the first time in centuries, Munni would be invited to a very important royal function as guests.
I smiled at Landis, unable to hide my gratitude.
Clearly, when I had shared about my mother and her dreams, Landis had been listening more carefully than even I had expected. My heart skipped a beat as Landis smiled back.
The meeting wound to an end. The three older lords quickly departed, no doubt called to their wives and their beds. Gareth, Hugh, Landis, and I lingered.
“You have set them about the ears, Landis,” Gareth said, rising to his feet.
“I like it,” Hugh interjected.
“Of course, you would.” Gareth snorted. His gaze hardened. “Be careful of your step, my king.”
“I am,” Landis said, also rising to his feet. He glanced at me and smiled. “I know I am in safe hands.”
Hugh muttered something about hands. Gareth raised an eyebrow. Landis turned red. I kept my face neutral, refusing to give anything away.
“I should escort you to your chambers, your majesty,” I said.
“Of course,” Landis said.
With that, Landis left the room and walked down the hall, but instead of turning toward his rooms, Landis led me out to the garden where we had met the day I had arrived.
Here, the flowers no longer bloomed. Fall had come to Sumarene, bringing with it rain and mist. Tonight, fog had rolled in yet again.
Beneath the oak tree, a bed of leaves now gathered. Hunkering down on one of the oak’s great roots, Landis sat down with a sigh. I sat beside him. For a while, he leaned against my arm in silence. I said nothing either, simply glad to be able to spend a quiet moment with him.
“It’s really happening.”
“Seems so.” My voice sounded foreign to my own ears.
“After that, everything will change.”
“It doesn’t have to,” I said mildly. “I will remain as long as I am needed.”
“It won’t be the same.”
Landis’s voice quavered, but he refused to shed any tears. He was no longer alone with me in a forest lodge. Here, where the walls had ears, where lords and ladies watched for any sign of weakness, Landis could not afford to show any vulnerability.
“It won’t be the same,” he repeated.
“Then, we appreciate what we have here and now,” I said softly.
Landis glanced up at me. His blue eyes glittered with unshed tears. There was a definite droop to his golden ears. It made my heart ache as well, but I could not give in either. I had to be strong as well for him.
Recognizing the despair and sadness welling up in me, I did the only thing I could.
I pushed him backward off his precarious seat into the cold pile of leaves.
Leaves of yellow, orange, red, and purple.
A bed fit for Sumarene’s king. I lightly wrestled with him, ignoring his soft cries of surprise and then hilarity.
I fluffed up the leaves about him, burying him except for his face. Landis’s blue eyes stared up at me expectantly. His soft lips opened a little, and his pink tongue flicked out to run across his top lip. My arms now framed him, pinning him down among the leaves.
Landis didn’t move. He didn’t say anything.
He didn’t have to. His eyes said everything.
I knew what he wanted. I leaned forward and inspected the flush of his cheeks surrounded by colorful leaves.
Landis wriggled a little but remained still for the most part.
I bent down and gave him what he desired—a kiss.