Chapter 9
A Gussied-Up Guest
T am stood almost completely squished into the back wall of the throne room. A woman with a light-green gown and very bony shoulders pinched his left arm, while another, rounder lord wearing a gray jacket kept swaying back into Tam’s front. Then on his right side, awkwardly shoved because there was no space to be elsewhere, was Eli.
“I thought this event was invitation-only,” she murmured beside him irritably.
Tam raised an eyebrow and slid a casual glance in her direction. A refreshing breeze brushed along the back of his neck from a stained-glass window that had been propped open behind him.
“It was. However, the coronations in Daxaria are normally held at the castle in Sorlia. They are holding it here in Austice because this is where Kat grew up, but the throne room and banquet hall here in Austice aren’t as big as Sorlia’s, so… here we are.”
Eli winced as a young woman in a sunny yellow dress happened to crunch her toes with the low heel she wore. “Do you think the ceremony will start soon?”
Tam risked lifting his eyes to look over the sea of people toward the doors. There, guards stood waiting, sweat already rolling down their temples from under their steel helmets.
“Mm. Maybe. My guess is the boys are being difficult about wearing their official clothes.”
Eli let out a long breath.
Tam lowered his attention to her. She had donned the clothes he had picked: a powder-blue vest with a fine silk coat to match. There was a linen tunic underneath, and tan trousers.
It was a becoming color on her, only…
Tam looked away hastily.
To him, it was plain as day she was a woman. Her delicate neck, the glow of her skin, the high cheekbones, the full mouth…
He cleared his throat and blinked.
Gods. He always was terrible around women, but hiding the fact that Eli was one made everything thrice as awkward.
Tam was spared from further rumination when some very poignant whispers seeped through the crowd. “So he doesn’t have seven children?” one young woman asked with a gasp.
“No! Have you seen him? He is obviously too young for such a thing. No, he is one of Reese Flint’s children, but from his time in Zinfera! I hear our former bard pulled every string in the book so that Lord Tam’s assistant could come work here in Daxaria. With Reese Flint’s backing, of course the Ashowans would take him in!”
Tam subtly chewed on the corner of his mouth as he felt Eli turn, ever so slowly, to stare up at him.
“My word! That does make sense! Though the Zinferan… he does look rather feminine for a boy, doesn’t he?”
Tam looked to the ceiling and squinted, his magic only fluttering slightly as Eli’s wide-eyed stare scorched the side of his face.
“My lord,” Eli managed through gritted teeth.
Tam plastered on an innocent smile. “Yes?”
“Is this what you meant by harmless fun? People think I’m related to the bard that is famous for bedding every other woman in every kingdom.”
“People were going to wonder about your parentage regardless! Reese Flint has so many children, it really isn’t that outlandish a guess.”
Eli emitted a faint growl in the back of her throat before turning to gaze angrily ahead again.
Tam fought off a laugh, but he didn’t succeed in stopping his smile as he looked toward the thrones in the hopes that Eli wouldn’t notice how humorous he found her irritation. He was vaguely aware of two young noblewomen observing their interaction and whispering fervently behind their fluttering lacy fans, but couldn’t be bothered to care much.
“Announcing the arrival of His Majesty King Norman Reyes!” Mr. Kevin Howard, the king’s assistant, shouted over everyone, instantly silencing the room.
All eyes swiveled to the doors, which opened with a loud clack.
Due to the king’s shorter stature, Tam and Eli couldn’t actually see him as he ascended the bright-red carpet of the aisle that led to the thrones.
That suited Tam fine.
He closed his eyes and simply enjoyed the feeling of the breeze behind him… until Eli’s elbow found his ribs.
It had been subtle, but it made Tam’s dark eyes slide back over to her. “I can’t see anything,” he murmured back as explanation.
“This is still not the time for a nap.”
“I wasn’t napping. I was concentrating.”
Another huff from Eli succeeded in motivating Tam to fully open his eyes again. Which turned out to be a good thing, as Katarina and Eric arrived next, and they were significantly easier to spot.
Kat wore her official knight’s uniform, adorned with two gleaming silver and gold medals she had earned: one for her contribution to Troivack’s civil war, and another for her protection of Alina, the queen of Troivack and her best friend, as she had guarded the monarch on several occasions while putting her own life at risk. Not that she ever thought a reward to be necessary after any of those events—Katarina simply believed that was how things were meant to be.
Overall, the coronation proceeded remarkably smoothly. Even the three young princes followed their parents without anyone physically restraining them from getting into trouble.
At one point Antony yawned, earning a warning look from his grandmother, Duchess Annika Ashowan. Then Asher started tapping and scuffing his boots, until both Eric and Kat shot glances over their shoulders at him while they waited, kneeling, before the king as he began the process of abdicating his crown.
Yes, everything was proceeding according to plan…
That is, until both Kat and Eric rose as the new king and queen of Daxaria and faced their vassals with their prepared speeches. They didn’t even get as far as opening their mouths before a series of shrieks sounded among the crowd.
Kat and Eric dropped their gazes to their sons, their expressions flat.
Antony, being the eldest, had long ago learned how to school his features to look as guiltless as possible.
Charlie was still developing this skill, and so he instead made an expression that was remarkably like his mother’s when she was in trouble, looking away with his tongue poking the inside of his cheek.
As for Asher… He was already fidgeting nervously.
Tam immediately started scanning the crowd, pushing away from the wall.
“Do you see what’s happening?” Eli asked him. The nobles in the audience were starting to sidle toward them, away from whatever trouble the three princes had caused.
“Nothing yet. My money is on them having accidentally released some mice, or—”
“Godsdamn—HAROLD! OUT!” Katarina roared while already descending from the dais toward the family donkey. Harold was looking quite lovely with a wreath of white flowers around his neck and more in his mane, behind his ears, and… a bow on his tail.
“Ah, it’s just Harold,” Tam finished with a grin as he observed the donkey start to nibble curiously on an older noblewoman’s pockets. “Huh. She must have brought snacks to the coronation.”
Laughs and more awkward shuffling took place as Katarina started trying to wrangle the donkey out of the room.
Eric was already standing in front of his sons with his arms crossed and eyebrows raised, making them squirm even more the longer he failed to say something.
Tam slumped back against the wall comfortably, still smiling, though he closed his eyes to start laughing.
It wouldn’t have been a proper Ashowan event if there weren’t at least some absurdity.
◆◆◆
“B-but—”
“No buts! Honestly, Antony! I told you, of all days, today really isn’t the day for pranks!” Kat said, her volume casual, if her tone was more than a bit incredulous. She had already removed the mantle from her shoulders as she spoke to her eldest son in a quiet corridor without anyone nearby to overhear.
“W-we thought you’d find it funny!”
“And I do! You’re making me regret not dressing Harold up for the day I was crowned princess, but… he should have been left outside.”
Antony started to sniffle, and his head dropped.
Kat didn’t hide her look of anguish at her son’s tears. She slowly knelt down in front of him.
“Listen, my little ryshka, I know this is one of those times when you genuinely thought you were doing a kind thing. Personally? I think this is wonderful, but Harold—as lovely as he is—isn’t able to understand that eating a noblewoman’s dress is frowned upon. Someone could have been hurt if Harold got frightened. And what is it people with the Ashowan blood do?” Kat asked gently.
“P-protect people.”
“That’s right. Remember, we have to consider what might hurt others. I understand it’s hard to tell sometimes, but especially when there is a crowd, you need to ask an adult if it’s a good idea.”
“Someone like Ass Fuks?”
“He is only thirteen. He isn’t an adult. You can ask Les Fuks, though, or your Uncle Tam!”
“What am I getting roped into?”
Both Antony and Kat looked up to see Tamlin Ashowan striding over to them.
Antony hastily wiped away his tears. “Mam was saying that if we have an idea that involves a crowd, we should ask you if it’s safe.”
Tam stared at his sister sardonically. “You’re making me be the voice of reason to your children?”
Antony started to cry again.
Kat’s stare turned uncharacteristically angry. “I just meant that if they wanted to plan a surprise for a crowd for their father or myself, they should ask you!”
Chastened, Tam flinched apologetically before looking back to Antony. “Sorry, monster, absolutely you can ask me in the future. Though I will be away for the next while, so maybe ask someone else, like… erm…”
“You honestly need more friends,” Kat remarked with a sigh while standing.
“There are a lot of people he could ask! I’m just trying to think about who is going to be around him in the future once you move to Sorlia,” Tam defended while patting his nephew’s shoulder affectionately.
Kat rolled her eyes as, upon mention of their move, Antony burst into fresh tears and hugged his mother’s legs.
Tam bit his tongue guiltily. He knew the eventual move was a touchy subject for the boys.
“You’re really helping me out today,” Kat informed her brother sarcastically.
Tam sighed. “And here I was coming to share the good news that Harold is happily grazing outside, and food is starting to be served.”
Kat perked up brightly at the idea of feeding the bottomless pit she called a stomach, but was distracted from saying anything on the matter as a tail twitch drew her sight downward to where Pina, her muted calico familiar with a darling freckle upon her pink nose, was wrapping herself around Antony. He crouched and hugged her as she nuzzled his tear-soaked face worriedly.
The familiar to the queen of Daxaria was as famously cute as Kraken, Finlay Ashowan’s own fluffy black cat familiar, was brilliant.
“Thanks for helping out, Pina.” Kat addressed her familiar sincerely, though she craned her neck to look around her brother.
“Is Sir Cleophus visiting for the coronation?” Tam guessed.
“Yeah, he arrived this morning. I’m surprised he let Pina out of his sight on the first day he’s here…”
“PRINCESS!”
The telling roar of the Troivackian knight echoed up to the siblings. His pet name for the cat being Princess had only made things wildly confusing when Kat had, until that very day, also been a princess.
Cleophus was… enormous. He was also utterly terrifying, and rarely spoke more than two sentences unless it was to, or about, Pina. He technically was serving Troivack as a diplomat while spending great lengths of time in Daxaria. Otherwise Cleophus would have abandoned his duties should Pina so much as meow in any meaningful way.
The boulder-sized knight appeared at the end of the hall and started making his way up to the trio.
Antony casually reached out and clutched his mother’s pant leg.
When Cleophus’s booming steps halted in front of the new queen of Daxaria, he gave a quick incline before lowering himself to Pina.
Antony took the opportunity to slip behind his mother entirely.
Cleophus held out his hand to the cat, who, while fully grown, had retained her small snout, meaning when she slept, she had a tendency to snore. It was a trait that had in fact earned her an even greater loyal following. She also tended to let out snorting sighs, which she did when Cleophus happened to scare the very same little boy she had been trying to comfort.
Frowning, the knight was caught between concern and adoration.
“Sir Cleophus, while I appreciate, as always, your concern for my familiar, we are having a bit of a family discussion right now,” Kat said while gently reaching behind herself to pat her son on the back.
Cleophus’s gaze momentarily hardened until Pina turned away from him and once again made her way over to Antony to brush against his legs.
All at once the ferocious knight looked like an abandoned child. He rose and at last issued a proper bow to Kat.
“My apologies, Your Majesty. Lady Dana brought her dogs so I was concerned.”
Kat gave her best understanding smile, and Tam did what he did best and discreetly backed away from the conversation. While he had nothing personal against the knight, he also did not envy his sister having to draw boundaries with the fanatical man…
Antony stared after his uncle longingly.
Tam gave a strained smile toward him, unable to think of a way to get his nephew out of the situation. Kat had obviously been in the middle of trying to teach her son an important life lesson, and he really had no place imposing.
Though of the various mischievous acts the princes had pulled, this one had at least been well intentioned.
“Ah, Antony!” Tam called out, his conscience unable to let him escape alone.
The young boy perked up.
“I need to go tell your father and brothers about the food being ready. Mind showing me where they went?”
Kat put her hands on her hips and stared at her brother wide-eyed, as though wordlessly asking, Seriously? You’re leaving me completely alone here?
Tam gave a half shrug as Antony bolted for his uncle like a desperate soldier toward his own fortress with an army chasing him. The two wasted no time in putting a significant distance between themselves and Kat and Cleophus.
Having successfully escaped both his mother’s lecture and the ferocious atmosphere that always lingered around Sir Cleophus, Antony let out a breath, almost doubling over in relief once they rounded the next corner.
“Thanks, Uncle Tam!”
“You owe me.” Tam raised an eyebrow at his nephew. “If I weren’t leaving tomorrow morning, you best believe I would’ve left you there.”
“Pfft, no you wouldn’t.”
Tam chuckled. Antony sounded exactly like his mother. “Oh? If you keep up that ungrateful attitude in the future, I just might!”
Antony let out an exaggerated moan. “Fiiiine. I owe you!”
Tam nodded, satisfied.
“Are you really going to stay for the whole reception?” Antony wondered aloud interestedly.
It was in fact quite well known how seldom Tam attended official events. Even more seldom were the times he stayed for their entirety.
Tam sighed. “I think your grandmother would have me dragged by horses if I left early.”
Antony smiled excitedly and gave a small skip.
“Why do you even want me there? We both know you’re going to leave me to go cause trouble with your brothers and the other children.” Tam slowed his pace to help Antony keep up.
“Not this time!”
“Oh?”
“Yep! Because I’ll be king one day! So I should speak with the vessels!”
Tam stopped in his tracks. “Do you mean vassals?”
“Yeah!”
Uneasiness brewed in Tam’s gut. Kat and Eric had not told their sons about the problem of Antony inheriting the throne with him potentially being a witch.
As he peered down into Antony’s face, and the boy beamed up at him, Tam could feel his former anger at the coven resurface.
Antony sensed the shift in his uncle and tilted his head, curious. “Everything okay, Uncle Tam?”
Blinking away his dark feelings, Tam smiled down at the young boy’s face. “Sure. Just wondering what magic you’re going to have one day.”
Speculation over such a wonderful event had Antony’s face splitting into a brilliant smile.
“I think I’m going to be an earth witch! But Charlie thinks I’ll be a mutated witch just like you, an’ Mam, an’ Grandda…”
The uncle and nephew made their way back down the corridor, each completely forgetting about the rather exuberant celebration awaiting them as they delved into thrilling speculations in Antony’s case, and hardening resolve in Tam’s.
Gods help me, we better convince that bloody coven to let him be king.