Chapter 38
Thirty-eight
Edwin
I was tidying up, the workday coming to a close, when Princess Helena walked into the office. Not an unusual occurrence, but she looked distinctly peeved, which wasn’t a good thing.
“What ails the princess?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes expansively. “I’m glad it’s just you in here because I need to vent. I just had to rescue Royce. Again.”
“What, did he get surrounded by nobles again?”
“He did. He’s gotten better at fighting his way through them, but this time he used me as cover to escape. It galls me, truly. Not a single person has taken me seriously. Apparently, no one thinks I’m capable of ruling a country.”
I groaned. James had been campaigning hard to get Princess Helena some kind of foothold or at least recognition, and while people acknowledged her efforts in the country, they seemed to take it as a given?
Not something praiseworthy or worth any respect.
Which was ludicrous—if Prince Royce or Victor had done a single thing she’d already achieved, they’d have been heaped with praise.
The double standards were obvious, and I didn’t blame her for being vexed.
Blinking, she glanced at James’s empty desk. “Where is he?”
“With Titan.”
She snorted, a laugh crinkling up her eyes. “Do you see him at all?”
“Sure I do. When he’s working. Or if I go to the stables to fetch him home.” I shrugged in a sort of amused resignation. “He did warn me he’d do this for a few weeks, as he needs to bond properly to his war horse.”
“I understand from the staff he’s basically glued to his horse.”
“They’re not wrong. James and Titan have been training, or riding, or even just taking naps together.”
“I also understand Titan has a special latch on his stall door so he can let himself in and out?”
“Also correct.” I rolled my eyes. “I was actually there for the argument. Apparently, there is not a stall door in existence strong enough to stop that horse. Titan hears James coming, he’ll kick the door out in order to reach him. He even did it on their first meeting.”
Her jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”
“I’m not. It was very much love at first sight. On both ends, mind you.” Well, James remembered Titan, so it was a bit skewed. I suspected Titan somehow remembered James, though I didn’t understand how, but the way those two had instantly clicked was suspicious. It smacked of tampering.
Still snickering, Princess Helena asked, “So James told them to make a latch on the door so his horse can come greet him, and the stable manager said yes?”
“Well, Titan had already destroyed about six doors by that point…”
She doubled over laughing.
It was funny. Ridiculous, but funny. Absolutely nothing was going to keep those two apart, and this past week had resulted in negotiations every night when James had needed to come back in.
He had to give Titan an apple, put a blanket on him, and tuck him into his stall with Titan’s pet cat in order for all to be well.
Only then did the stallion relax and allow James to sleep.
I’d get my lover back from the horse. Eventually.
“I have to meet this horse,” Princess Helena choked out.
“Well, come with me,” I said in invitation. “I need to ask James a question anyway. He bolted out of here before I could catch him.”
She nodded and took the arm I extended to her. I didn’t have the right sort of background to escort a princess about, but no one stopped me.
While we walked the hallway, she said, “I never got the chance to properly thank you for what you did. With the engagement.”
“You’re welcome. Truly, it was my pleasure. No one should be married to him.”
“Indeed not.” She gave my arm a squeeze. “We must find time to get to know each other better. I have a feeling you’re very fun. In fact, I’m glad we met later in life. My mother would not have let me play with you.”
I laughed. “That she would not have. Will still likely frown at it.”
“Ha! Like she’s proven to have such good judgement of character.
James encouraged me to make my own decisions and not let our parents do so, and I see the wisdom in his counsel.
So I’m taking it. Starting with you, because James has excellent judgement of character, and if he loves you, then there’s a very good reason. ”
Well. That was flattering. Also very helpful, to have her so solidly in my court. “I’d love to be friends,” I told her honestly.
“Then friends we shall be. Will you call me Helena?”
“That will get me into worlds of trouble, Your Highness, but I appreciate the offer. We can be less formal with each other, though.”
“You call James by name.”
“I can’t do anything else. He refuses to work if I try to use his title.”
Her nose wrinkled. “So, I need the right leverage to get my way is what you’re saying.”
“That’s not what I said.” It wasn’t entirely wrong, though.
“I’ll find the right leverage, then.” She tilted her head, looking cocky. “For now, I’ll let it be, and I’ll help you tonight by dragging James away.”
“I might need it. He hasn’t yet tried to sleep in the stable, but…”
She snickered again. “They’ll both calm down, they’re just giddy with each other right now.”
“Trust me, I know.”
I didn’t regret finding Titan, not one bit. He made James happy, with no stress involved or end-of-the-world complications. James desperately needed such happiness, and I felt this need drew him back to Titan, time and again.
We walked to the back of the palace, where the stables and training yards were. A few people gave a double take with us walking arm in arm, but no one stopped or questioned us. Which was telling, was it not?
My fallout concerns had been so much worse than reality. Which, really, was typically the case. What we imagined was always so much worse.
The reality was, people were intrigued by our relationship and gossiped about it, but no one really seemed to care one way or another.
It didn’t impact them personally, and they figured it was our business, so they went along with their lives.
Aside from teasing from Helena, and my colleagues, no one even really remarked on it.
There were a few grumblings from the nobles supporting Prince Victor, but they were easy to ignore.
I was quite pleased with the way our relationship had been taken, and relieved it wasn’t an uphill battle.
James was not in the stable with Titan but instead in one of the corrals, putting Titan through his paces.
The ease with which man and horse moved together was like poetry in motion.
I stopped outside the railings and watched as they glided over a low fence, easily moving at a lope, perfectly in tune with each other.
“Gods above,” Helena murmured, her eyes transfixed on them. “He’s stunning. I’ve never seen a destrier of that size!”
“He’s huge,” I said with an emphatic nod. “The name Titan suits him perfectly.”
“He’s gorgeous, too. Like a hero’s mount.”
And so he was. James had ridden Titan into battle in our first life, so he had lived up to his life’s purpose then. I prayed he wouldn’t have to do it again in this life.
In a more judicious tone, Helena observed, “And I can see how six stall doors lost their lives to those massive hooves.”
I snorted. Yes, well, obvious with the stallion in sight like this.
I heard someone frantically running toward us and turned, then startled when I recognized Captain Rowan. The hell? He was flushed, like he’d sprinted the entire way here.
“Captain Rowan, what’s on fire?” I mentally braced myself, knowing it had to be bad. I’d never seen the man lose his composure before.
He skidded to a stop near me but only said “Get ready to move” before focusing on James and cupping both hands around his mouth. “Your Highness!”
I ran to open the gate, as I was absolutely certain that no matter what Rowan said next, James was going to fly out of here.
The next words out of Captain Rowan’s mouth chilled me. “The warehouse is on fire!”
I nearly tripped over my own feet and my head snapped around. “Which warehouse?”
“King’s Paper,” Captain Rowan said loudly enough James could hear as well. “The one outside the city.”
James’s face was a caricature of surprise and horror. My heart broke for him instantly, because I knew how badly this would impact him. King’s Paper was his pride and joy. How had this even happened?
Nimus preserve me, a warehouse full of paper—would anything even be left?
James turned Titan about and urged him through the corral gate. I lifted a hand, signaling I wanted on board, as he absolutely wasn’t leaving without me.
Realizing the obvious, Captain Rowan hastily followed me. “Wait, Your Highness. Wait! The knights will be ready to go in another minute at most!”
“Then catch up,” he ordered in a black, flat tone, even as he kicked a foot free of the stirrup.
Taking the hand he offered, I used the free stirrup to scramble on board. Not gracefully—I wasn’t used to riding—but I managed. He waited only long enough for me to be seated, my arms tight around his waist, and then he put heels to Titan’s sides and the horse took off like a shot.
I heard the knights yelling at each other to hurry up, then the clattering of hooves behind us as someone took off after us.
I didn’t dare look, my entire being focused on just staying on.
This saddle wasn’t meant for two. I was perched awkwardly on the cantle—my only true seat was my hold on James and Titan.
Gods above and below, this horse could move. It was like Vuheia had given him wings.
Even with the other knights putting saddles on horses ahead of breaking the news, they didn’t even come close to catching up until we were out of the palace’s gates.
James had to slow his pace because we were traveling along city streets, but still, Titan flew.
The sound of his hooves striking cobblestones filled the air with a thunderous cacophony, and more than one person looked to see the source of the noise before wisely scrambling, putting their backs to a building.