the bride of a Karien Prince. She doesn’t have any interest in politics; she’s far too self-indulgent. You should have thought about that before you arranged the marriage.”
“Oh, you think so?”
“You know as well as I do that Cassie would have gotten herself into serious trouble within months of marrying Craytn. She doesn’t think beyond her next meal, most of the time. I can’t believe you were fool enough to think such an arrangement would work in the first place.”
“Is that right?”
Deciding attack was the best form of defence, Adrina carried on recklessly. “Of course, I’m right. Whoever you send north has to have their wits about them. Cassie wouldn’t seal a treaty, she’d cause a war.”
“I’m glad you feel that way,” Hablet said, his eyes narrowed. “Because the only way to redeem this situation was to offer another daughter as a bride and hope the Kariens would accept her.”
“Well, Lissie is probably the prettiest,” Adrina noted thoughtfully. “But Herena has the better head on her shoulders, although she’s still quite young...”
“So I offered them you.”
“You
“As you so rightly pointed out, my petal, whoever I send to the Kariens needs to have their wits about them. They are mightily offended at the moment. The only way to appease them was to offer them the jewel in my crown. My eldest legitimate daughter.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Would dare and have dared,” Hablet announced with an evil grin. “I offered the Kariens a bride, and a bride they shall have. Fortunately, Craytn has only met you once and he doesn’t speak Fardohnyan, so I can still hope your reputation hasn’t preceded you. I can blame Tristan for the fiasco at the wharf easily enough.” He chuckled softly. “Seems they thought I should have offered them my eldest daughter in the first place. It may even work out better than my original plan.”
“You can’t do this to me!”
“Care to wager on that?”
“I won’t do it!”
“Oh yes you will! You’ll marry the Karien Crown Prince and make him as happy as a pig in a wallow.”
“I refuse!”
“Suit yourself,” her father said, his voice dangerously calm. “In that case, I’ll be forced to deduct the cost of your little escapade from your allowance. And while I’m at it, I’ll see that your half-brother is demoted to a common foot soldier and I’ll transfer him to watching the eastern passes, where he’ll more than likely be killed fighting bandits in the Sunrise Mountains. Of course, should you
“That’s blackmail!”
Hablet sighed happily. “It is, isn’t it?”
“Daddy...” she pleaded, hoping to appeal to his softer side. Hablet was a scoundrel, but he loved his children, all thirty-seven of them. He made no distinction normally, between his legitimate daughters and the sons he had fathered on countless
“I can’t afford to
“I’d
“Promise! Hah!” Hablet scoffed. “You promised me you’d marry well and you’ve rejected every suitor I’ve ever proposed.”
“Well, what did you expect? All you’ve ever offered me were simpering boys or scabby old men!”
“That’s beside the point!” he retorted. Then he sighed heavily, as if he could not understand where he went wrong. “Haven’t I given you everything you ever wanted, Adrina? Haven’t I indulged your every whim?”
“Yes, but...”
“There are no buts, this time,” Hablet announced decisively. “This time you have gone too far and you can only redeem yourself by doing as I wish. And I
“But he’s a child...”
“He’s twenty-three,” Hablet pointed out, unconcerned. “And at twenty-
“Daddy...” she tried, one more time.
“Don’t bother, Adrina. Your charms won’t work on me. You are going to marry the Karien Prince and that is final. They’re leaving in a few days so you’d better get packing.”
If appealing to his better nature wasn’t going to work, then she might as well try appealing to the politician.
“I can’t marry him. It’s far too dangerous.”
“What nonsense! How could it be dangerous?”
“I might have a son. The Kariens might expect you to name him your heir.”
“Bah! I’ve got plenty of sons. I don’t need any whelp of yours.”
“They’re bastards, father.”
“Then I’ll legitimise one of them!”
“Which one?”
“Whichever one I choose!” he snapped. “Stop trying to defy me! You’re going to marry Cratyn and that’s final!”
Adrina scowled at her father. “I’ll find a way out of this, I swear. I’m not going to spend my life bowing and scraping to that obnoxious little Karien worm.”
“You do that. In the meantime, you have a trousseau to pack.”
Adrina turned on her heel and left the room in a rage. As she stepped into the outer chamber, she passed Lecter Turon, and suddenly knew who had planted the absurd idea that she should marry the Karien Prince in her father’s head. The little toad would pay for that one day, she decided.
As for the boy prince of Karien, he’d live to regret the day he ever set foot in Fardohnya.
Chapter 3
“Her Most Serene Highness took the news well?” Lecter inquired cautiously of the King as he slipped through the door.
Hablet glared at the eunuch. “Of course she didn’t take it well. She’s livid.”
“In time she will adjust to the idea.”
“She’d better,” the King grumbled. He pushed himself to his feet and walked to the window. The gardens below were a riot of colour and the faint sounds of children’s laughter drifted up from the fountain in the centre court. The sound soothed him. He wondered what it was about his children that meant he only seemed to like them before they reached puberty. Once they grew up, they were no fun at all. They learnt to manipulate and grew greedy and caused him no end of trouble. But the little ones – ah, now they were his true joy in life. He had adored Adrina when she was ten. Now he was almost frightened of her.
“Might I suggest you place a guard on the princess? She could decide to defy you.”
“She won’t defy me,” Hablet assured him. “It will occur to her soon enough that she’ll be the Karien Queen one day. Adrina isn’t stupid, Lecter. She’ll do what I want, but not because it pleases me. She’ll do it because it pleases her.”
“I hope your trust in her is not misplaced, your Majesty.”
“Trust has nothing to do with it. She’s been dying to escape the palace, and I’ve just given her a crown.”
