CHAPTER XVII #2
Lord Dacre extends his hand to the middle of the long table, angling Keane and I to take a seat while he moves to the other side.
Our group follows the King’s lead, fanning out along the bench while the Knowledge and Warrior soldiers take up the side with the Woodlands Lord.
Canon is close to the King’s side while Holis takes a seat at my left with Cal and his brother next to him.
I take a quick peek at my friends, noticing that their features are just as perplexed as mine.
Dacre sits when Keane does, the man next to him the same man that I spotted earlier who alerted the Lord of our arrival.
He looks like the standard Woodlands Discerni, pale blonde hair flowing at the sides of his shoulders wearing a satin shirt and with a small collar.
He smiles when I catch his glance, giving me a small tilt of his head before turning his gaze on Keane.
“Sir Kylan,” Dacre introduces the man, “good friend and head of the guard here at Fensby.”
“Your Grace,” he nods, “we’ve met once before. I appreciate the men you sent from Brassard.”
“I’ve been trying to convince a few of them to stay here,” Dacre laughs easily, leaning back on the bench as a beautiful Woodlands girl approaches him.
“We’re ready for dinner whenever you are, Bethany.”
The girl smiles down at his flirtatious grin, her long blonde hair flowing behind her as she turns to Keane with a small bow before walking away.
“You want my men from Warrior?” Keane smirks at the Lord, hand reaching out to the ale on the table as his thigh pushes firmly against mine.
“Who wouldn’t,” Dacre salutes his mug to the King, “hardened men. Ready for battle.”
I have the distinct feeling that Lord Dacre is, too, and have to remind myself that this was the second Lord installed by Zander that Renate mentioned.
He’s a younger man of the next generation, ready to bring about his own slow change in whatever way he sought.
He’s also the man who quickly announced Fensby’s defection from Woodlands Court after hearing of the events in Dankworth.
A man that Keane and Desmond were both familiar with, already wanting to bring this northern city firmly into the Court of Warriors for themselves.
Lord Dacre is an ally in Woodlands. So then why doesn’t he embody anything typical about the court?
“You’re not from Fensby, are you Lord Dacre?” I give him a friendly smile, my glance genuinely curious.
His lips turn up in a large grin, tilting his ale at me now.
“No, Lady Alexis. You and I share the Court of Knowledge as our original home. I was born and raised in I’Nir.”
My brows lift yet again in small surprise. It wasn’t any day that you heard of someone making the switch to Woodlands.
“How did you find yourself in Fensby?”
“My father passed at a young age,” he leans forward on the table, elbows resting casually with his glittering gaze on me, “and my mother followed shortly after. I was ten at the time. The only next living relatives who could take me in resided in Dankworth.”
His hazel eyes cloud for a brief moment before he shakes his head. “I have a personal interest in that city, Lady. Dankworth raised me for the next twelve human years of my life before I moved to Fensby-”
“-Chasing another Lady,” Kylan chuckles next to him.
“Of course,” Dacre smirks, eyes still on mine. “So hearing about what happened there does not sit well with me. If the King hadn’t killed Merrick, I would have gone out on my own pursuit to find him.”
He turns his gaze to Keane, his eyes going hard. “Fensby is with you, Your Grace. As you well know.”
“I do,” Keane nods to the man.
I’m going to hunt, Alexis, Stormfall’s deep voice fills my mind, you are in good hands.
Will you come back before we head inside?
Yes, his wings stretch across my back, should be enough time. I have a feeling your group will be up for a while.
As do I, I grin.
Storm pushes off into the night, his black body soaring through the white planks and into the woods beyond.
Lord Dacre’s eyes lift from my now bare shoulder to catch my gaze, his grin widening even more as he gives me a small smile in approval.
Keane is quick to reach his hand for my thigh, also seeing Dacre’s glance and giving it a firm and playful grip.
His fingers trail up my leg slowly as I take a deep drink of ale, smiling back to the flirty Lord.
“I’d like to hear more of you, Lady Alexis,” Dacre sits back with that sparkle in his eyes just as Keane’s hand stops on my hip. “A woman of Knowledge finding herself under both eyes of the Queen and our late King. A traveler, as I’ve heard, amongst many other things.”
“All good, I hope?” I laugh.
“Oh yes. Very good. Is it true that you killed the Lady Esme of Etter?”
Keane’s fingers dip down the inside of my thigh.
“It is.”
The Lord smiles, his eyes alight. “With a green agate dagger pierced straight between her eyes?”
“Yes,” I reply without shame.
Dacre beams, tilting his mug to me in salute. “Good riddance to the bitch then. She was absolutely horrid. You did Etter a huge favor.”
Kylan nods at his side as Keane continues his movements on the inside of my thigh.
“Where did you learn such a trade, Lady?”
My grin is wide, taking a swift drink to hide the burning flush in my cheeks.
“I picked that up from a good friend. He’s here tonight,” I point down to Cal. “Cal taught me on the road once I began my travels for King Zander.”
Keane’s fingers creep slowly towards my center. I hold back an amused smile and drop my hand below the table, pulling him off.
“And those travels began only a little over two years ago?” the Lord asks curiously.
“They did,” I nod, feeling Keane wrap his hand around mine now, placing us both between my thighs.
“Ancients, that’s impressive,” Dacre’s eyes are completely filled with approval as he gives Cal a salute. “Not even I could hit that mark.”
“I learned from the best.”
“What I would give to have a blade wielding woman at my side,” the Lord chuckles, eyes darting to Keane in playful jealousy.
The King grins back at the Woodlands Lord.
He’s obviously familiar with this man, knowing of his casual banter towards women and whatever reputation he upholds.
He also, obviously, trusts him enough to let those flirtatious glances slide.
But Lord Dacre’s words and glances are never too forward, and always given in just the right amount.
I come to realize throughout the rest of the night that this is just his being, that his confidence and swagger are just a part of who he is.
He’s cocky, yes, and very sure of himself, but he’s quick to share that energy with those around him.
He’s a bachelor and a Lord of the city, using both his charm and strength to fulfill the role.
And strong he is.
Dacre held the status of the youngest general back when he lived in Dankworth.
He served in that position under Sir Merrick’s army, speaking of the man with such disgust that I could tell he despised him.
He left his high status to chase a Woodlands woman into Fensby, with the desire to travel onwards into Brassard and the Court of Warriors.
But something about this northern border city caught his eye, prompting him to stay and make a name and home for himself here.
The moment he became Lord of Fensby, he set to task of integrating the humans and Discerni together, mixing their homes and shops side by side and forcing them to interact.
Apparently, the city had been separated once, with the Discerni living in the buildings that lined the river and the humans living on the other side of the road in the buildings that lined the forest. The news didn’t surprise me one bit, and I found myself liking him and his friend Kylan more as the night went on.
The two of them were avid drinkers and smokers and played dice with our full group, both of them never seen without a grin.
It was a good night under the woods and stars, the most relaxed I had ever been in Woodlands Court.
And although the people here weren’t even close to being as rowdy as those in Warrior, they were genuinely friendly, enjoying the presence of the King of Disce and their Lord.
“I like him,” I tell Keane the next morning.
We’re heading down from Dacre’s residence on the top floor of the inn.
He gave us a guest room next to his last night, our doors so close to each other’s that I had to muffle my screams from all the wicked things Keane was doing to my body.
The King had me begging all night, to the point I started suspecting he actually wanted his friend next door to hear.
He prolonged two orgasms he would have otherwise given out easily, all so I would beg for him a little louder.
“You’re thinking of Dacre after everything I put your body through last night, Alexis?” Keane chuckles.
“He was charming,” I shrug, “and you were just downright wicked, Your Grace.”
“You loved it,” he slaps my ass as I yelp.
“Yes,” I whisper.
Canon, Cal, Holis and Mana are waiting for us at the front of the stables, smiling in their semi-sleepiness as we all greet the morning dawn.
Keane leads us into the woods behind the inn, walking for some time until we find a clearing big enough for the six of us.
As was the new normal, I square off first with Cal on my regular exercises while the King and Mana spar with their staffs.
Canon has taken over Holis’ training with the broadsword, while Stormfall perches high in the trees above us.
I miss Golem in these moments. Miss his silent presence as he lurks in the shadows and looks over us all with pride. I know he’s in good hands with Hirovale and Nolan’s priests, only wish he’d make a speedier recovery so he can get back to our side.