A week or so passed, and freedom began to take on a new meaning to Alleyni. Her typical resentment and stubbornness had been replaced with whimsical smiles and sun kissed laughter. Her days were filled with Varyn's training session and long periods of time spent with Kyald. Their courtship had been announced, to Ghael's delight and Lyssa's chagrin. Even Luiz had confessed his happiness concerning their blooming relationship. Varyn had lived up to his typical bitter arrogance, throwing gripes and sword thrusts intermittently. His sarcasm and barely masked hatred of royals fell on deaf ears; Alleyni learned to ignore his quips. Her fighting was improving although Varyn occasionally remarked that Kyald had taken all of the fight out of her.

"You traded yourself in for power, money, and some lovesick child-prince."

Regardless, Alleyni's focus was on dances and dinners and she even managed to enjoy a banquet or two. Every moment spent with Kyald was easy. He was kind, debonair, and constantly attentive. Vinrys kept his distance, content to see Alleyni's mild, love-struck behavior. She was far too happy to consider anything but her growing fondness for Kyald. He was so intrinsically kind; he softened her. She had always been angular—sharply edged, constantly on-guard, in a permanent state of pertinacity. With Kyald, she was softer, more like the princess she was supposed to be.

After their royal courtship was announced, rumors flew across all of Brenlyn and Sari. Alleyni knew that their potential marriage would alter the future of both Savyl and Sari and perhaps all of Zeina. While the idea of spending the rest of her life with Kyald was the best thing she could ever imagine, she was terrified of Vinrys's greed. She knew that he wanted to use their future union to control Savyl, but she was concerned that his grip would not stop there.

Corrina.

A few weeks ago, Alleyni would have thrown on leggings and boots and been out the door to the stables in an instant. However, she was now a loyal servant of the crown. If there was anything she despised about the goings-on of the past few weeks, it was how she was now forced to ask permission rather than beg forgiveness later. She was planning to visit Corrina, partially out of her desire to see her aunt and partially to update her on the political tension brewing in Savyl. If worst came to worst, Alleyni wished to be on her aunt's side of the matter. Corrina was, above all, just. Alleyni just hoped against hope that Ghael would see it in his heart to allow her to visit Corrina as a whim rather than a preconceived political conspiracy. Which, I suppose, it is. I can't even behave when I try. It was nearing the anniversary of her mother's death, and Alleyni was unscrupulously planning to take advantage of the event as an excuse to visit her aunt. The guards announced her into her father's chambers, and Alleyni was surprised to see Ghael, Luiz, and Vinrys huddled over a map of some sort splayed on the table before them.

Before her curiosity could get the better of her, Alleyni curtsied and offered the royal greeting, "My lord Vinrys, Father, Brother. It is my honor to serve the crown."

Luiz threw a hide to cover the map from her sight as she grew nearer. Vinrys was eying her shrewdly as he always did.

"What can I do for you, Alleyni?" Ghael responded, "As you can see I'm quite busy. Did you need my permission for another of your outings with the Crown Prince? I have heard only good tidings; you haven't managed to run him off, have you?"

Ghael guffawed heartily but stopped when he realized Vinrys did not seem to share his humor. Alleyni struggled not to glare at him.

"I would say the Crown Prince is quite taken by her majesty," Vinrys responded coldly.

"What do you want, Alleyni?" Luiz asked, easing the tension for once.

"Father, I was hoping I could have your permission to visit Queen Corrina. It is nearing the date of my dear mother's death, God rest her soul, and I was hoping to pay my respects to her royal highness. And if it's just the same to you, I was hoping I could tell her about Kyald...er, the Crown Prince."

Alleyni prayed that her flushed cheeks would show embarrassment rather than her blatant lies. Vinrys, at least, appeared convinced as he smiled. Ghael, per usual, was cynical.

"Alleyni, you realize we have highly esteemed visitors to the castle. Now is possibly the worst time for you to go on a friendly jaunt to see your aunt. And it's dangerous as you know. Regardless of our safety precautions, thieves and vandals are flagrant."

"I just wish to pay my respects to Aunt Corrina, Father. I know her and Mother were close," Alleyni lowered her head, wishing to disguise the smoldering hatred she now felt for her father after the revelation of his role in her mother's demise.

Ghael's face colored a little. "I suppose that is an adequate enough reason. I shall send a cohort to accompany you."

"Please, Father, no guards. If we were belayed on the road, a few would be less conspicuous and more easily able to escape than many. Evyn is to accompany me." She gestured to her friend, standing solemnly in the shadows.

"I can't send you gallivanting across the countryside with a young man. It is indecent, especially considering your courtship with the Crown Prince!"

Alleyni bit her tongue to refuse the sharp rebuke. Her father was only putting on a show for Vinrys; he knew Evyn's role and would have offered no protest were it not a sign of tribute to Vinrys. Everything's political for you, isn't it, Father. Even Mother.

"Evyn is my best friend. Besides, let me take a guard."

"Fine, take that swordsman who is teaching you to fight. And let him be informed that if any harm comes to you, his head will be strung from the belltowers." Ghael gestured broadly, and Vinrys looked on with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Surely he isn't fooled by my father's games. Alleyni curtsied quickly and fled the room before one of the three conniving noblemen would catch onto her lies.

"It is my honor to serve the crown."

Moments later, Varyn was sent for and ordered to meet them at the stables. Alleyni quickly changed from her tight corset and gaudy dress into her more comfortable attire: boots, leggings, a sword, and a light shirt. It felt freeing to wear her clothes again; it had been several weeks since she had gone running or visited Corrina, and she only dressed like this for her training sessions for Varyn. This journey, however, was of far greater importance. Corrina needed to know of the political developments in Savyl before they negatively affected her. Evyn trailed behind Alleyni as she briskly marched to the stable. At any moment, one of her father's soldiers could apprehend her and prevent her from leaving, and she felt as if her secret mission of betrayal could be discerned by every passerby. The heels of her boots clattered against the stone and the sound echoed through the cavernous hallway. Betrayal? Is that what this is? Of Kyald? Of Father? Of Corrina? Of myself?
Varyn was leaning against the doorframe of the stable awaiting them, his typical jeer marring his expression. "You called, my lady?"

"Don't think I want you as a traveling companion, Varyn," Alleyni growled darkly, quickly throwing the saddle blanket over her horse.

"Apparently your father thought you and your friend here needed a chaperone. For whatever reason, I was deemed most fit. What do you know about that."

Alleyni frowned, and wrestled to get her horse's saddle from its resting place onto the back of her house, expelling her barbed respond in between huffed breaths, "Propriety is supposedly my priority these days. I need to get to Queen Corrina's, and you, unfortunately, are my chosen protector, the cheapest sword for hire in the castle. Congratulations."

Alleyni heaved the saddle up, wincing as it slid from her horse's side against her slight frame, nearly collapsing her. Varyn laughed and easily lifted the saddle and set it on the horse, brushing shoulders with her brazenly.

"What's wrong, Scrapper?"

Alleyni looked up at him, standing nearer to her than she would have liked. His eyes, dark like a pool of black water at midnight, were staring straight into hers. There was a laugh there, but there was also something not so obtrusively churlish.

Evyn ordered, "Milord Varyn, please back away from Princess Alleyni or I will call the guards."

Varyn smiled again and backed away, and Alleyni finally broke his gaze. There was something so unnerving about him, like there were two of him: one that was arrogant and jeering and incorrigible, and one that was hiding behind those eyes, one who was looking at her far more intensely than she would have liked.
"It's fine, Evyn. We need to be going," her voice quavered slightly, then steadied.

She did not feel safe around Varyn, but he was currently her best option. A few minutes later, they began their journey to Inzik.

Varyn and Evyn spoke little more through the rest of the trip; Alleyni could almost sense Evyn's distaste for the eccentric warrior. Granted, Varyn showed no respect for her royal status. In other contexts, a man could be executed for such disrespect. Alleyni, strangely enough, needed him on her side. She was debating how to keep the real reason for her visit to Inzik a secret, especially from Varyn. She was not yet sure how reliable he was; he seemed to have no affinity to any of the noblemen, but she also did not trust him to not go and sell any valuable piece of information he might acquire to the highest bidder.

Varyn's unprecedented impudence had not yet waned. "You seem distracted, milady. Is your mind filled with daydreams about your beloved prince? So much that you barely notice your sword slipping from your hips?"

Alleyni felt her face redden; she was ashamed that her thoughts had not been on Kyald, but on her own personal espionage. She had also failed to notice that the belt which held her sword had slipped crookedly under her hips during their ride. Varyn's indecency knows no bounds.
Finally infuriated by the insidious disrespect, she hotly rebuked, "In case you have forgotten, you were ordered to protect me. As long as you are in my country, I am the princess and you answer to me. You have no right to ask anything about my personal life, or frankly, to even address me without using the propriety that I deserve. You have no right to ever touch me or insinuate anything indecent in my presence. In case you have not yet noticed, I am courting the Prince of Sari. You could well be hanged for less," Alleyni knew her eyes were flashing as she glared at Varyn.

His lips quirked slightly and his eyebrows raised, "It is my honor to serve the crown, your majesty. I hope you will pardon any of my actions you have misconstrued as indecent. I am not a lord nor a prince nor a royal of any account; I am but a humbly knave who happens to be uncommonly talented with a weapon."

Alleyni frowned, tasting the sarcasm behind his words. There was much more she wished to say to the man, but she was not eager to berate him in front of Evyn. By the time they had finally reached the castle, Alleyni was nearly frantic to see her aunt. They handed off their steeds to the stable hands and were preparing to be received by the queen when Varyn quickly pulled her into a narrow hallway when Evyn was not looking. His eyes flashed, and she felt as if she were seeing the second Varyn, the one filled with secrets.

"What are we really doing here," he hissed.

"I don't have to answer to you."

"Alleyni, stop. Don't pretend you're like the rest of them. I'm sorry I've been so...hard to deal with. But I'm serious, why are we actually here?"

"You were hard to deal with? You were bordering on scandal. You are only my instructor and that does not give you the right to be so disrespectful," Alleyni's words tasted more torrid than perhaps she meant.

"I'm sorry, Scrapper." His eyes softened for a moment. "I went too far, but I told you that I had secrets, can't you at least tell me what's going on here?"

"I can't tell Evyn. Or you."

"Why don't you trust me?"

"Why should I trust you?"

Alleyni shoved him out of her way and rejoined Evyn, Varyn trailing behind. He lackadaisically ambled after her appearing free of all worries, so unlike the man who had jerked her into a hallway. He was frustratingly complex; a puzzle she did not wish to decipher.

Evyn raised his eyebrows slightly, but said nothing. Alleyni briefly touched his shoulder in solidarity before they were ushered into the throne room. Corrina's grand palace sat on the edge of a cliff over the ocean. At the end of her great hall sat her throne, backed by an entirely glass wall that looked out onto the sea. Her stone throne sat regally in front of the panoramic ocean. Corrina, ever the image of serene gentility, sat on her throne in a gold-encrusted dress, her pacific expression turned joyful on sight of Alleyni.

The herald announced, "Her majesty, Princess Alleyni of Savyl, and companions."  

~~~~~

Woohoo, another update! Let me know what you think and give this story some love!

~ Hannah