9. Nine
nine
He preferred her naked.
Erqis came to the realisation quite suddenly as he watched the princess of Brightmere enter the dining hall, the soldier he had sent to retrieve her a cautious few steps behind. She wore her dress as well as her haughty demeanour like armour, all of her honest emotions buried far beneath the surface. She was dressed dark, simple, in long sleeves and skirts that swept the floor, her hair brushed and cascading down her back.
She stood out like a sore thumb, both among his soldiers crowding the long banquet table in their still muddy boots, as well as against the pristine, white backdrop of the castle's alabaster stone.
"Princess!" Erqis called, waving enthusiastically if only to watch the faint distaste twitch over her pretty face. It was far more satisfying than it probably should have been to have such an effect on her. "Come sit with me, pet."
The princess – Neira , he had to remind himself – was a few years his senior, and even though Erqis was a tall man himself, she was tall enough that she would be able to ram her forehead into his nose if she decided to. Neira was not a simpering, cowering girl but a grown woman who would use anything at her disposal to murder him if given half a chance.
He didn't know why the mere thought excited him. Qavor would no doubt have some disapproving opinions about it, if he were to ask.
Neira walked over as if every step was over broken glass. Her newly appointed guard trailed behind, looking like a chastised dog – no doubt he had taken quite the tongue lashing for daring to disturb her peace.
But leaving her in her own rooms to stew and plot wouldn't do. Winning her over was crucial, even if he ultimately decided to leave this place in embers and ruin.
Erqis made space for her at the head of the table by scooting his own high-backed chair to the side and dragging another into the narrow space. Neira glanced down the long table; every single chair was taken, filled with a portion of the army enjoying an early dinner. Their talk and bawdy laughter was ringing back from the high ceiling.
Gingerly, Neira sat in the offered chair – the only available one – as far over as she could to prevent a single piece of her body from touching his.
Erqis began serving her himself, dragging over an empty plate shovelling food onto it.
"I promise none of it is poisoned," he told her conversationally, ignoring both her and Qavor's frowns, who sat to the other side of him. "Unless you want to do the honours, of course. I'll even turn my back for a moment."
"Is this your idea of a joke?
"Do you not find it funny? I will have to try harder."
"Please. Don't bother."
Erqis sat back down with a grin. "If you don't enjoy fine humour, darling, I can find something else to win you over with. I could regale you with tales of my heroic conquests, if that is more to your liking."
Neira looked like the mere idea pained her. "You believe yourself the hero of this tale?"
He decided to gloss over the derision in her tone. "Of course. So you don't enjoy epic sagas, either? You are a hard one to crack. Eat." When she took a piece of bread, Erqis lowered his voice. "I could spin you an engaging tale of what the queen of Helorn did when I-"
"Again, please . Don't."
"If you grant me a little time, I could even pen a sonnet about our first meeting. Of course, it won't be suitable for children, but it will praise your breasts in great detail." Neira all but choked on her bread, and Erqis turned to Qavor while patting Neira on the back. "What are the rules for sonnets again?"
"Keep me out of this." The huntsman’s flat tone was a match for Neira’s.
"Neither of you are any fun," Erqis sighed, keeping his arm draped over the back of Neira's chair when she leaned away from his ministrations. "I would leave the two of you to get better acquainted if I didn't worry about what mean words you'd find amongst yourselves to describe me. Heartless, both of you."
He caught the incredulous look Neira threw at his huntsman, the sympathetic wince Qavor offered her in return. It gave him more joy than he would like to admit. Throwing his opponents off always did, and ruffling his brother's feathers was a cherished bonus.
"So," Neira started, desperate to change the topic to something she deemed safe. "Is this your entire army?"
“No.”
Erqis didn't miss the brief flash of embarrassment that crossed her face. Surely she hadn’t thought he had overthrown her realm with little more than two dozen men?
"The rest are sleeping, or washing our clothes and tending to the weapons. There are patrols here within the walls, and more outside," he continued, cutting a thick slab off the roast set in front of them. The food was hearty but simple fare, prepared quickly despite their numbers. It had been brought by quiet, pale servants who had squirrelled away as quickly as they had appeared. While it was nothing compared to a banquet back home, it was still a glorious feast after days of stale – yet surprisingly damp – rations and not much else. Erqis wasn't willing to let any of it go to waste. He might even lick the plates afterwards.
"It’s a rotating schedule, so that everyone gets a chance to wash, eat, and sleep."
"I see. How long do you plan to stay?"
"Until the realm is secure, of course." From the corner of his eye, Erqis watched her carefully. How she reacted to these little pieces of information would tell him a lot about the princess, would let him know how to treat her going forward. What flatteries, what gifts she would be most receptive to. What threats.
He found her stone-faced yet again.
"Of course."
"Wonderful. Now that we are all such good friends – how do you enjoy spending your free time, love?"
"I…" Neira looked at him as if she wasn't quite sure whether he was making fun of her or being sincere. It was the most vulnerable she'd yet looked in front of him, and he'd had her naked on his lap in front of his men and hers not a full day ago.
Considering the speed her people had betrayed her with, it was likely no one had ever asked her that. Erqis didn't know how that realisation made him feel, but it did dampen his amusement quite a bit.
"Personally, I am not averse to some refreshing slaughter," he told her, a small act of mercy, loudly stated to the cheering of his men. "You should try that some time, darling."
Neira glanced at his throat, that terrifying smile curving her mouth again. "Are you offering yourself up as tribute?" Her voice had adopted the same silken pitch it had earlier, when she had demanded his death by his own hand.
Erqis grinned. His arm slipped from the back of her chair to curl around her shoulders, and his free hand led hers to wrap around his throat. "Those are thoughts usually kept private," he purred as her fingers tightened, her sharp nails digging in against his skin. There was something akin to a hunger simmering in her. "But, by all means, share with me your depraved fantasies."
Her tongue flicked out to wet her full upper lip. He could almost see himself in the dark reflection of her eyes; his body torn, flecked with blood, his throat a ruin from her teeth, utterly savaged.
He was quite sure he had never been so hard in his life.
But Neira drew back with a soft little cough, and the predator was quickly entombed by stone again, as perfect and smooth and cold as the castle walls.
"You have yet to address me properly, your Majesty.” Her words were clipped, her voice loud enough to draw the attention of the nearest soldiers. "I may be your hostage, but your respect is still owed to me."
A formidable enemy, indeed.
"Apologies, Princess," Erqis intoned, flattening his hand against his chest and bowing his head. He dragged his fingertips against the back of her neck when he withdrew from her, thrilled at the little shudder it elicited. "You are, of course, correct – you can show me your depravities in private."
"We are not all murderous brutes, Majesty . You'll have to find depravities elsewhere." Ice and acid fought in her tone but there was a sheen of rose blooming on her pale cheeks and she knew it; she stood abruptly, having barely eaten, and stormed off with as much dignity as she could muster, her reluctant guard hurrying after her.
Erqis returned his attention to his meal. He didn't need to find the murderous brute hiding in Neira's soul today, after all. There was plenty of time for that.