Chapter Fourteen #2
“That’s right,” came a voice from the doorway.
It was Larz, looking fiercely angry as he stood there, glaring at his father.
“So now the question is, what are you planning to do about it? I agreed in good faith to come here to meet with you and try to settle some of the issues between us. Vannos and Stefan assured us this would be a safe place for my family.”
Vannos’s face turned red and Blake quickly put an arm around his shoulders to comfort him. Since Vannos was almost twice his size, it should have been an absurd sight, but it wasn’t that at all. The love that Blake felt for all of his children was too obvious, too intense.
Larz must have seen it too, because he quickly rushed on.
“Vannos, I think you and Stefan have done all you can to ensure that. Please don’t misunderstand.
” He turned his wrath then on his father and older brother.
“But Father, first you try to arrest my mate behind my back, and now you’ve brought a murderer into the palace. One of your own men!”
Davos and Mikos were both on their feet at that point, and Mikos started to charge around the table to confront Larz, but Blake threw himself in front of him.
“Stop this right now. There’s been enough violence, and Larz is right.
You and your father should never had gone behind Larz’s back and taken Janos into custody.
I told you so at the time. I can only imagine what you’d do if someone did that to you.
So don’t try me, Mikos. You are not going to brawl with your brother here in Vannos’s home.
I forbid it.” He gave Mikos a furious glare and then transferred it over to Larz/
Mikos’s face was like a thundercloud, but to my surprise, he backed down and even gave his omak a brief nod before turning away.
Blake shifted his attention to Larz. “Larz, this is Vannos’s home, so don’t come charging in here like you’re in some low-class tavern, itching for a fight.
I know you’re angry about these attempts on your mate.
Anybody would be. But before you go throwing out accusations, I might remind you that you happened to bring along a murderer of your own when you arrived, so I wouldn’t be throwing stones, if I were you. ”
Another obscure human reference, but everyone else seemed to understand it and I got the gist of it myself.
And if some of the details about the other attempts on Janos’s life might still be in question, it was an undeniable fact that Luc Dimitri had just tried to kill Janos with that pillow.
Larz’s own son had witnessed it, so Blake had him there.
Larz had the grace to blush at the consort’s words.
I was again amazed at how these men responded to this small but fierce human.
If my own omak had stayed with my father, would I have had a similar relationship with him?
I guess I’d never know, and I felt an old, familiar ache in my chest at the thought of him.
I didn’t even know where he was or even if he were still alive.
“Come over here and sit down with us, Larz,” the consort continued in a more conciliatory tone. “Please, darling. I’ve barely had a chance to talk to you. The rest of you should sit down too.”
After a slight hesitation, Larz came over to sit down with his family. Mikos, who had just been served a large plate of the ribs and hadn’t yet touched them, pushed the plate over toward his younger brother.
“Do you still like taragg ribs as much as you used to?”
“I-I confess I haven’t had any of them in years.”
“Then you’re in for a treat. Have a glass of this Moravian wine too.
It’s one of Vannos’s favorites and not half bad.
I’ll have another glass with you.” He leaned across the table to pour a drink for Larz, as every other family member watched in stunned silence.
These may have been the first cordial words Mikos had spoken to Larz in years.
Mikos’s consort reached over and squeezed his hand as he sat back down.
Larz just looked surprised and a little wary.
King Davos cleared his throat. “What I would like to do is to put your entire family under our protection for the time being and take you all back to Tygeria, son. Janos can appear in front of the council and explain what happened when you were kidnapped years ago, clearing his name of any wrongdoing concerning the actual kidnapping for once and for all. You can be there with him, of course, as well as the rest of us. We’ll issue a statement of support for Janos and speak on his behalf. ”
“Forgive me, Father,” Larz said, in a tone that wasn’t exactly angry, but a bit condemning.
“But you should have done that years ago.”
“I’m sure you’re right. But as my consort tells me, ‘Seeing behind you is twenty.’”
Blake smiled. “I think what your father means is ‘hindsight is twenty-twenty,’ a human phrase, which means that we can always clearly see what we should have done in the past. But our child had been kidnapped. We didn’t even know if you were still alive, and then we got the word that you were being used as a slave, and that Janos could have told us he had you all along, but he never did out of some kind of spite or revenge.
We were upset and confused and yes, filled with guilt.
We thought you must be confused and mistaken in your feelings for Janos.
There was just a lot for us to work through when we found you.
It was a long time ago, and I think there was plenty of wrong thinking to go around,” Blake said softly. “It’s time we ended all of it.”
I felt like I should excuse myself because the conversation had become so personal. I was trying to think of the best way to do that, when Blake turned his lethal charm on me.
“General Vargarra, I’m sorry to speak of these personal matters in front of you. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
I bowed deeply to him. “Your Highness, there’s nothing to forgive. I should go and…”
“No, please stay. You know, I’ve seen the way you look at my grandson Taran and how he looks right back at you.” Prince Larz’s head whipped around to stare at me, as his mouth dropped open. I couldn’t even look at Prince Mikos.
“I think,” the Consort continued, “you might be a part of our family soon.” He laughed at the look on Prince Larz’s face, and probably at the one that seemed to be frozen on mine.
“Why be so surprised? Taran is in his late twenties now, and a full-grown man who can make his own decisions about such matters. I personally think it’s an excellent match for both of them.
But we can talk about all that later. For now, Larz, will you agree to come with us and go before the council?
Then afterward, you can return to Laltana and resume your duties there as the King’s Governor, and we’ll have no more talk of treason and other foolishness. ”
Silence fell over the room when he finished, and I noticed King Davos was smiling at his consort fondly. When Blake came back over to stand beside his husband, the king leaned down and said something to him that made him blush. Davos then looked back over at his son, Larz.
He spoke softly, as if uncertain of Larz’s answer. “How does all of this sound to you, son? Will you go with us to Tygeria?”
“What does Mikos say?” Prince Larz asked.
All eyes turned to the royal prince, and he gave an elegant shrug.
“I wanted you to be seen by a physician. I thought some of your behavior was erratic.” He looked at his brother defiantly.
“I still do…but it seems I’m outnumbered.
I’d like you to come home with us to Tygeria, Larz.
I’d love it if you spent more time there.
It would make Omak—and the rest of the family—very happy.
Maybe it would help right an old wrong that was done to you. ”
“And to Janos.”
“Yes,” Mikos said softly.
“Do you acknowledge that he didn’t know about my kidnapping and had nothing to do with the attack on the other boys and men on that ship?”
Davos returned the steady look Larz was giving him. “I do. It’s been investigated thoroughly, and I’ve read all the reports. Though he still should have told us as soon as he knew about you.”
After a long, tense moment, Prince Larz nodded. “Yes. We both regret that very much.” Larz leaned back in his chair, looking deep in thought. “What about my Royal Guard? What would happen to them? They aren’t all responsible for the actions of Luc Dimitri.”
“Darling,” Blake said, leaning forward. He seemed to use that term so often with his family. It took some getting used to, but I thought it was…nice. I wondered if my human omak had ever used the term with me.
“Let’s not get hung up on individual issues, please.
Of course, nothing will happen to anyone not involved in this plot to hurt your consort.
We’ll plan to conduct interviews with all of them under your personal direction.
And perhaps as Janos gets more familiar with the Imperial Guard, he’ll see how well trained they are and how devoted they are to the Royal family.
There have been exceptions but only in rare cases.
Anyone assigned to your palace would be thoroughly vetted, so you can feel perfectly safe.
General Vargarra himself will be there on Laltana to ensure it.
As for your Guardsmen, they would be assigned other duties. ”
“But about my Taran…” He glanced over at me, and I felt my face grow warm. “He’s a member of the Royal Guard. I don’t want him reassigned. I don’t want to lose him.”
That was definitely my cue to speak up. “I’ll make accommodations for Taran personally, and he’ll be there at the palace in Laltana, where he’s always been, if that’s what he chooses. You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll make sure he’s happy about his new title and his…new duties.”
I saw no need to elaborate just yet. Taran would be my business from now on, and I felt sure I could accommodate his needs very well. Though naturally, I couldn’t express that to his father.