[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.”Emily scowled, inwardly.Even without obedience spells, the maids wouldn’t have been able to say no if the princes had wanted to have some fun with them.God knew that plenty of kings and princes on Earth had managed to have bastard children, often healthier children than they’d had with their wives.Henry VIII had even tried to have his bastard son put into the line of succession, although that had been before the birth of his sickly legitimate son.He had probably rolled over in his grave when he realized that both of his daughters had sat on the throne after him.But the princes might not have cared all that much about the maids.It was easy to imagine one of them giving gifts to his favored maid, or simply using her and then pushing her aside.And why would the maid become infatuated with Prince Hedrick? Why not his considerably more handsome elder brother?Maybe you’re just being shallow, Emily told herself, and snorted.“We will accept that, for the moment,” Lady Barb said, finally.“King Randor has instructed us to continue with the progression, despite the fact that we are already running late.With your permission, Your Majesty, we will depart for Red Rose.”“Hedrick should be ready to go with you,” King Jorlem said.He gave his son a sharp look.“And I’m sure that he will be a credit to the kingdom.”Emily doubted that, but held her tongue.“We will leave in twenty chimes,” Lady Barb informed Hedrick.“Be there–or you can catch up with us.”“I think we can forgo the full departure ceremony,” King Jorlem said, standing up.His sons followed him a moment later.“It has been a pleasure seeing you again, Alassa.You were barely knee-high when I last saw you.”Alassa stood up, walked around the table and gave him a formal embrace.The crown prince wrapped her in a bearhug, then whispered something in her ear that made her giggle.Hedrick didn’t even bother to hug her, although that might have been protocol.He was going to be traveling with them.Emily had listened carefully to all of Alassa’s lectures, but she knew that she didn’t have all of the protocols fixed in her head.“And it was interesting to meet the famous Necromancer’s Bane,” the king added, looking at Emily.“The Allied Lands owe you a great debt.”“Thank you,” Emily said.She stood up and then curtseyed as best as she could in the traveling clothes.“And thank you for the hospitality.”Lady Barb shot her a sharp look–clearly, that was pushing the limits–but the king merely laughed.“I wish you were staying for longer,” he said.He certainly sounded sincere, but he’d been king long enough to know how to lie convincingly.“There is so much we could have shown you–and many of the sorcerers wish to talk to you.But it is not to be.”He waved his hand in a ritual pattern.“May the gods continue to smile upon your journey,” he added.His voice softened as he looked at Alassa.“And may the life of two become one.”Emily watched him walk out of the room, followed by his two sons, then looked at Alassa and raised an eyebrow.“He’s expressing the hope that I will marry soon,” Alassa said.She turned and started to walk towards the door.“Come on.We’re going to spend most of the day in the carriage.Again.”Chapter TwelveNIGHTINGALE MET THEM AS THEY WALKED out of the castle and into the courtyard, drawing Lady Barb aside for a frantic conversation.Emily heard enough to realize that he was annoyed at having been left out of breakfast with King Jorlem, although she couldn’t tell if he thought he’d been insulted or if he’d thought he should be there to support Alassa.Lady Barb’s response was quiet, too quiet for Emily to hear, but it managed to convince Nightingale to shut up.Emily was almost impressed.Prince Hedrick had a coach of his own, along with a small troop of soldiers as an escort.Emily was relieved; she’d worried that they’d wind up sharing a carriage with the Prince, which would have prevented them from talking openly.She scrambled up into the carriage and watched as Alassa waved goodbye to the castle’s staff, before she scrambled up to sit beside Emily.A moment later, the carriage lurched into life.“We’re several hours late,” Alassa observed.“We may end up spending two days in Red Rose.”Emily shrugged.“Is your father going to be happy?”“Probably not,” Alassa muttered [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl trzylatki.xlx.pl
.”Emily scowled, inwardly.Even without obedience spells, the maids wouldn’t have been able to say no if the princes had wanted to have some fun with them.God knew that plenty of kings and princes on Earth had managed to have bastard children, often healthier children than they’d had with their wives.Henry VIII had even tried to have his bastard son put into the line of succession, although that had been before the birth of his sickly legitimate son.He had probably rolled over in his grave when he realized that both of his daughters had sat on the throne after him.But the princes might not have cared all that much about the maids.It was easy to imagine one of them giving gifts to his favored maid, or simply using her and then pushing her aside.And why would the maid become infatuated with Prince Hedrick? Why not his considerably more handsome elder brother?Maybe you’re just being shallow, Emily told herself, and snorted.“We will accept that, for the moment,” Lady Barb said, finally.“King Randor has instructed us to continue with the progression, despite the fact that we are already running late.With your permission, Your Majesty, we will depart for Red Rose.”“Hedrick should be ready to go with you,” King Jorlem said.He gave his son a sharp look.“And I’m sure that he will be a credit to the kingdom.”Emily doubted that, but held her tongue.“We will leave in twenty chimes,” Lady Barb informed Hedrick.“Be there–or you can catch up with us.”“I think we can forgo the full departure ceremony,” King Jorlem said, standing up.His sons followed him a moment later.“It has been a pleasure seeing you again, Alassa.You were barely knee-high when I last saw you.”Alassa stood up, walked around the table and gave him a formal embrace.The crown prince wrapped her in a bearhug, then whispered something in her ear that made her giggle.Hedrick didn’t even bother to hug her, although that might have been protocol.He was going to be traveling with them.Emily had listened carefully to all of Alassa’s lectures, but she knew that she didn’t have all of the protocols fixed in her head.“And it was interesting to meet the famous Necromancer’s Bane,” the king added, looking at Emily.“The Allied Lands owe you a great debt.”“Thank you,” Emily said.She stood up and then curtseyed as best as she could in the traveling clothes.“And thank you for the hospitality.”Lady Barb shot her a sharp look–clearly, that was pushing the limits–but the king merely laughed.“I wish you were staying for longer,” he said.He certainly sounded sincere, but he’d been king long enough to know how to lie convincingly.“There is so much we could have shown you–and many of the sorcerers wish to talk to you.But it is not to be.”He waved his hand in a ritual pattern.“May the gods continue to smile upon your journey,” he added.His voice softened as he looked at Alassa.“And may the life of two become one.”Emily watched him walk out of the room, followed by his two sons, then looked at Alassa and raised an eyebrow.“He’s expressing the hope that I will marry soon,” Alassa said.She turned and started to walk towards the door.“Come on.We’re going to spend most of the day in the carriage.Again.”Chapter TwelveNIGHTINGALE MET THEM AS THEY WALKED out of the castle and into the courtyard, drawing Lady Barb aside for a frantic conversation.Emily heard enough to realize that he was annoyed at having been left out of breakfast with King Jorlem, although she couldn’t tell if he thought he’d been insulted or if he’d thought he should be there to support Alassa.Lady Barb’s response was quiet, too quiet for Emily to hear, but it managed to convince Nightingale to shut up.Emily was almost impressed.Prince Hedrick had a coach of his own, along with a small troop of soldiers as an escort.Emily was relieved; she’d worried that they’d wind up sharing a carriage with the Prince, which would have prevented them from talking openly.She scrambled up into the carriage and watched as Alassa waved goodbye to the castle’s staff, before she scrambled up to sit beside Emily.A moment later, the carriage lurched into life.“We’re several hours late,” Alassa observed.“We may end up spending two days in Red Rose.”Emily shrugged.“Is your father going to be happy?”“Probably not,” Alassa muttered [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]