His Highness the Duke (20 page)

anyone was going to explain it to her. Apparently, Bron couldn‘t even explain their

travel plans.

To be fair, though, she had left him in a rather abrupt state. The thought made

her smile. He deserved it. And, if he started talking to her like a servant, she‘d do it

again. The slight unfulfilled ache in her lower regions protested the plan. Walking away

had been difficult. Luckily, she‘d had her anger to fuel her retreat.

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She glanced longingly at the bed. Still, it would have been nice to have him

coming to her bed, begging her to forgive…

The queen tugged the comb at her tangled hair, pulling it. Aeron bit her lip.

―There.‖ The queen handed over the comb. ―Better.‖

* * * * *

Bron looked longingly at the practice field where his cousin, Prince Zoran, threw

blades at some of the younger soldiers. He remembered the game well. Each throw

would get closer and closer until the soldier jumped back. The man who held his

position the longest without letting the blade embed into his foot would win. There

were a few men with scars on their feet, but a medic was always nearby if there were

accidents.

Instead of joining in the exercise, he turned away from the practice yard toward

one of the palace‘s secret tunnels. Going several feet into the mountain, through the

bare passageway, he greeted the young soldier guarding the elevator. With very few

words, the man let Bron pass the checkpoint. The young soldier pushed a button and

they began to rise with lightening speed, as they took an elevator up to the

communications tower. The tower was located at the top of the mountain in a

manmade-like pyramid. From the bottom of the mountain and from space, the peak

was camouflaged to look like the red rock. However, inside, it was as transparent as

glass. Not even ship sensors from space would be able to detect its location—unless of

course someone made an unauthorized communication during the wrong time of day.

If atmospheric conditions were just right overhead, a communication wave meant for

the outer galaxy could be traced to the palace source. It was an acceptable risk as

precautions were taken against such things.

―Inform Jorne,‖ Bron said to the young soldier.

―Yes, my lord,‖ the man answered.

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Bron stopped near a man who worked next to a floating screen. His fingers

tapped the air, causing it to change and flicker with new information. ―New

equipment?‖

The man glanced back and nodded. ―Installed three months ago. Faster interface

and portable.‖ He pressed a small device on the desk. The screen disappeared into it.

The man picked up the device and bounced it in his hand. ―Durable. Handy for

transporting information. The king has ordered we test it.‖ The man set it back down

and pressed the button twice. The screen reappeared.

Bron nodded in approval. ―With the king‘s approval, I would like to see the

system specs when you are done with your test.‖

―Yes, my lord,‖ the man agreed. He turned back to work.

Bron looked up at the sky. Through the solar shielding on the panels, he could

see an expanse of stars normally hidden by daylight.

―My lord,‖ Jorne said, coming into the tower from his private office. The man

was taller than Bron but of slenderer build. He had lived for nearly four hundred years,

three hundred and eight of those in service to the royal family.

Bron gestured toward Jorne‘s office. The man nodded and led the way into the

private area and closed the metal door behind them.

―The king sent me,‖ Bron began. He quickly told the man the situation before

adding, ―You are to tell no one of this. If an unauthorized ship comes close to our

airspace, you are to report directly to the king, and to me or one of my brothers. This

information is uncertain.‖

―As you wish, my lord.‖ Jorne nodded.

Bron spoke to the man awhile longer, asking after his family. His last son had

found a bride at the ceremony and was, according to his proud father, well matched

and incredibly happy. Apparently the new couple was already speaking of having

children. Bron smiled politely and swallowed down the bitter taste of his jealousy.

He rode the elevator back down alone. The early morning air greeted him as he

stepped back outside. Zoran barked orders in the distance.

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Bron had spent the night on the circular couch, listening to the sound of his

wife‘s breathing in the next room. Aeron slept deeply, barely moving. He had not been

so lucky.

When the queen‘s servant delivered several gowns with the dawn, he‘d placed

them on the table in Aeron‘s room. She seemed so peaceful that he hadn‘t wanted to

wake her. Now, knowing the queen would have her fed and delivered to the stables to

meet him, he hesitated. He gave a wistful glance at the exercise field. Battle sounded

easier than facing an angry wife.

From the ground, because of the angle, it was impossible to see the windows or

balconies of the palace that adjoined the royal family and guest quarters. They were

carved just so, that even from a distance it looked just like a mountain cliff. Within the

surrounding valley, near where the breeding festival grounds had been, nestled a small

village under the protection of the House of Draig. The roads were of rocky earth,

smoothed flat and even. The village was kept immaculately clean, built with almost a

military perfection of angles. The houses were of rock and wood, so that even the

poorest of families were well provided for.

The royal stables overlooked the village. It was a rustic, rectangular structure

filled with some of the finest ceffyl stock on the planet. The stableman waited next to his

wife. For a moment, he stopped walking. She didn‘t see him as she spoke to the man. A

whisper of a smile graced her features. She had always been beautiful to him, but seeing

her dressed as a noblewoman in the fine dark blue gown given to her by the queen, he

felt his breath catch. The color played off her features, adding a rich hue to her black

hair and lighting her blue eyes with an inner fire, magnifying the color.

Seeing the stableman looking at him, he again began to walk. Aeron‘s eyes

turned to him. Her smile held its place. Then, as if catching herself staring, she glanced

to the ground and back up at the stableman.

―My lord,‖ the stableman greeted. ―I was just giving my lady a message for Lord

Alek. I have taken the ceffyl out of isolation and she is doing much better. The

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solarflowers have worked their way out of her system and she is again eating

normally.‖

Bron nodded. He didn‘t know the exact situation the stableman was referring to,

but it wasn‘t unusual to get messages from his brothers. Was that the conversation that

had put a smile on his wife‘s face? Ceffyl care? ―I will tell him. Thank you.‖

The stableman‘s eyes drifted once more to the new duchess before he moved

back to the stall. If Bron wasn‘t mistaken, the man actually started to whistle.

―Has something happened?‖ Aeron studied him carefully. Her smile was gone

and back was her serious look of concern.

―Overnight?‖ Aeron laughed, but the sound was humorless. He thought of his

long, unfulfilled night on the couch. ―No. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.‖

―Ah.‖ She relaxed. ―I thought maybe, from your expression, that the Tyoe might

have done something.‖

The Tyoe. Of course, that is what she was thinking about. That is all she ever

seemed to be thinking about. Bron suddenly found himself very jealous of this

mysterious, technologically advanced, conquering alien race. He willed one of them to

attack just so he could punch the creature in the face and relieve some of his frustration.

He glanced at the green-tinted sky. No such luck.

―They gave us Ugly again,‖ Aeron said, pointing at her ceffyl. She actually

reached out to touch the animal‘s back and patted it lightly. ―The stableman asked if

you were going to want the same mount, that big beast we took from Alek. I told him

that was probably fine since that was the animal you rode in on, but I wasn‘t sure how

the system works. Do you just take any animal from any stable that you want?‖

―It is fine,‖ Bron said, even though Alek‘s beast was a temperamental creature

that needed a consistently firm hand from its rider. Not exactly the top choice in the

stables. ―Most of the ceffyls belong to my family, but the royal family uses them as they

see fit in exchange for taking care of them. It is an old system, but it works well enough

for all.‖

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Automatically, he helped her onto her mount. When she was balanced and her

dress arranged around her legs, he mounted his steed and directed it to move with a

light tug of the center horn. The creature obeyed and began lumbering forward. Aeron‘s

beast followed him. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her studying his hand as if

trying to mimic his movements.

They rode along the far edge of the practice field, up the overlooking cliff toward

the mountain paths. As the way widened, he moved his mount to the side to let her ride

next to him.

―Do your people always travel this much?‖Aeron asked.

―This much?‖

―I have been on a ceffyl everyday since I‘ve come to your planet. I just wondered

if it was normal.‖ She adjusted on her seat, stretching her back and arms while trying to

maintain balance.

Bron hid his smile as he stared forward. ―No. It is not usual.‖

―I am glad to hear it. I do not think my body can take much more of this

bumping around.‖ She adjusted uncomfortably on the animal‘s back, as if to prove her

point.

There was nothing he could do to make the ride easier for her. ―When we get

home, we will be able to get some rest.‖

―Home,‖ she repeated softly. He felt a wave of sadness wash over him from her.

Their connection was growing and he wasn‘t sure how to stop it, or if he even wanted

to. Her sadness tormented him, but without the connection he wouldn‘t have been able

to detect the emotion within her.

―I desire you,‖ he said, stopping himself. Clearing his throat, he said louder, ―I

desire that you should be happy with your new home. Whatever comfort you need, I

will find a way to get it for you. Life on this world is not as rough as you may think. We

do have technology, if that is what you need to be happy. What we don‘t have, I will

find. All you have to do is ask.‖

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She looked at him in surprise. ―Did I complain? I did not mean to give the

impression—‖

―No, you have not complained, but I can sense the dissatisfaction in you,‖ he

said. The mount, sensing his tension, tried to go faster. Bron forced the creature to slow

to a steady pace.

―Dissatisfaction?‖ she repeated, slowly. She stared at his face. ―So what the

queen said is true. We will be able to feel each other. I‘ve had this really strange feeling

washing over me since I saw you at the stables. It‘s…‖ Aeron closed her eyes. Bron felt

her trying to pry back the mental blockades he had constructed to keep her out. With a

sigh, he opened himself to her. She gasped. ―I feel concern. Not fear, but… concern? Is

that right?‖ She shook her head, confused. ―Are you concerned about the Tyoe?‖

He didn‘t want to answer. No, not the Tyoe. ―I feel your sadness. I know you are

not happy here. I am sorry for it. Just name it and whatever happiness I can give you

will be yours. Food simulators. Servants. Dresses. Jewels. Swords. Lasers. Computers.

Medic Units…‖

―Respect,‖ she inserted when he took a breath.

That surprised him, but he could tell she was serious. In the process of trying to

feel inside of him, she‘d opened herself to his inner inspection. He stopped the ceffyl

and turned back toward the palace. ―Who disrespected you? I will deal with it at once.‖

―Bron,‖ she said.

Anger rippled through him. He should have been by her side.

―Bron, stop!‖ She hadn‘t moved to follow him. The beast protested as he urged

his mount back around to where she waited. ―I meant you. Respect from you.‖

He felt as if she‘d slapped him. No, he would have preferred that she slapped

him. This was much worse.

―If I made you feel disrespected, I will atone for it immediately,‖ he answered.

What else could he say? ―I will find a temple and—‖

―Don‘t be dramatic,‖ she broke in. ―An apology will suffice.‖

―I apologize,‖ he said instantly.

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―You don‘t even realize what you did, do you?‖ She sighed. ―The Tyoe situation.

I am the one who brought you the information. Without me, you wouldn‘t even know

about it, but then you dismiss me repeatedly when I ask about it. You tell me that you

will handle things.‖

―I will handle—‖

―You said I, not
we
.‖ She pointed at him and then herself and then back at him.

―We. I am part of this. I gave up everything I knew to come here because of this. I had a

life. It might not have been exciting or adventurous, but it was mine and it was safe.

You seem to be under the impression that when I came here, my life began. The truth is,