Chapter Two #3
“So you’ll understand the reasons for my antipathy toward this sorry excuse for a man.”
“Yes, sire.”
“This is what my brother Larz calls his mate and his nobyo. And he refuses to put the devartus aside, thereby disrespecting his family and all of Tygeria.”
My husband had used a word that didn’t translate to Earthan very well, which they were speaking in deference to me, I suppose. But suffice to say it was a filthy word that I’d rarely heard him use.
“My brother’s behavior has become even more erratic lately, and I plan to urge my parents to put him in some kind of mental care facility, until he regains his senses.”
“Excuse me sire, but is it possible Prince Larz is seeing another man? I observed him on the scans hugging a young, dark-haired man wearing an old red Alliance coat.”
Prince Mikos turned to me in surprise. “A human?”
“No, Your Royal Highness. It was a young Laltanan male, I believe, wearing an old Alliance coat.”
“I’m unaware of any such person. When did you see this?”
“Earlier this afternoon when I was observing the palace on the scans.”
“Interesting. See what else you can find out about that, Vargarra.”
“Wait,” I interrupted, “let’s touch back on that idea of yours for a mental health facility for Larz.” I made a growling noise in the back of my throat, as I was choking over that little piece of news. “You can’t be serious.”
Mikos glanced quickly over at me and then away. My eyes were boring into him though. I was not happy with him, and he knew it.
“Pah,” he said, making a disgusted sound. “Unfortunately, my father has refused to even consider it. At least so far. And now we’re here wasting time with this meeting on Moravia, and my brother Larz thinks he’ll be able to dictate terms to me. To us.”
“Your father told you that you didn’t need to be here at all, Mikos,” I said, interrupting again. “And Blake told you that you weren’t needed, and he wished you would just stay away.”
Mikos’s face darkened at my tone, but his voice remained level. The only sign that he was bothered at all was the quick glance he shot at me.
“Fortunately, my omak doesn’t run things in this kingdom, does he?
” Mikos snapped. “Nor, I might remind you, do you. There will be no so-called ‘Royal Guard’ on Laltana,” Prince Mikos said, slamming down a hand for emphasis.
“When my father is through wasting time with Larz with this meeting on Moravia, the Imperials will take him into custody and proceed to Laltana where they’ll take control.
My brother and his consort will no longer be in command. ”
I was seething, but I managed to keep my tone even. “You mean, if you have your way.”
Ignoring me, he glanced directly into the General’s eyes. “I’d like you to be in charge of that, General Vargarra. Can I count on you to do that for me?”
“Of course. Whatever your require, Your Royal Highness.”
“Good. My father is supposed to arrive tomorrow, and I told him I’d wait for him to get there before any of us approached Larz.
But I believe I’ve changed my mind. I’m thinking that perhaps I should send some Imperials down to the palace tonight, just to make my intentions more clear. I’d like you to lead them.”
“Of course, sire. Do you want us to secure the area? Should we restrict his movements in any way?”
“Oh…no,” he said, with a quick glance over at his consort. “That won’t be necessary. Not yet.”
“Nor would it be possible,” I said, angry now and breaking in to interrupt again. “The whole idea of meeting on Moravia was to be a meeting held on neutral ground. King Stefan would be highly insulted if you and your father tried anything of the sort.”
Mikos gave me a long, disapproving look.
“I remind you that Moravia is part of the Axis. And the Axis is run by Tygeria. General, I’ll send my brother Vannos a message asking him to give you and your men a bed inside the palace and to show you where this conference of theirs will take place.
I’ll tell him that we’ll be sweeping the area for explosives and setting up the usual precautions for a visit that will have several separate heads of state attending. ”
I sighed and shook my head at him. “That’s still awfully high-handed, Mikos. This is Stefan and Vannos’s palace and despite what you say, that has nothing to do with Tygeria. You’re not in charge on Moravia.”
Mikos glanced over at me and then away. “That’s where you’re wrong, nobyo.
Moravia is a member of the Axis and as such is subject to our control.
There’s no reason Stefan and Vannos should mind letting my Imperials do this.
You never know who might have caught wind of us being at a meeting on Moravia and decided this might be a good opportunity to try something.
I’ll send a message down to the surface now, General, to let them know you’re coming. ”
“Larz will think you’re trying to intimidate him,” I said. “You’re only going to escalate tensions before your parents even arrive. Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“I would do the same for any meeting that my father and I were both attending. There are many who wish us harm.”
“Yes, but not on Moravia. The palace belongs to your brother Vannos. And your younger brother Larz and his family are staying there.”
“All the more reason that it should be secured. As you say, Larz arrived earlier today, so he’s had full access and time to do whatever he wants.”
“Oh, Mikos.”
“I’ve already told you I’m afraid his mind might be disordered,” he snapped at me.
He turned back to the general. “I’m not seriously worried, but I don’t want to be too complacent either.
Along with Prince Vannos and his family, my mate and my omak will be there.
I can’t take any chances with their safety.
” He reached out to put his hand over mine, and I would have jerked it away, but he clamped down on it.
“Of course, sire.” The general tossed back his drink and stood up. “I’ll go and inform my men, and we’ll be on our way.”
“Good. I’ll make sure Prince Vannos is expecting you.”
The general bowed and turned quickly to leave the dining area. I watched him go.
“Please let go of my hand, Mikos.”
“No, nobyo, I don’t believe I will.”
I gave him a withering look. “I think you’re making a huge mistake with all this, Mikos.” And I didn’t mean forcing me to hold hands with him because he knew I wouldn’t make a scene. Mostly because he’d make one right back.
“I know you do, darling.” He rarely gave me that name, so I knew he was trying to make up.
If I didn’t give in here, then he’d take me to bed and make sure of it there, but I wasn’t quite ready to make nice with him yet.
I would, or course, because he was hard to resist, and I didn’t want to anyway, but for now, I was feeling stubborn.
I knew it would only make him redouble his efforts later.
He began speaking to me in a soothing tone.
“Larz is no longer the child you still think of him as, nobyo. And he’s setting a bad precedent for anyone else who might think they can get away with similar behavior. We need to make an example of this situation.”
“You’re making a mistake, Mikos. Mark my words. I just hope you don’t come to bitterly regret it.”