“Ride down to the docks this evening. Bryant and I will take you with us.” Rone’s voice was almost stern in his seriousness. Minerva gathered her towel and sheathed her blade. Her stomach was churning. There was no way she was going to let herself get caught if she was in trouble. The punishment was too gruesome being a prison maid. Even though she was practically second in command to the king, it would not stop anyone from pouncing. Her position was too sought after.
“We’ll see. It might be nothing. I have no idea if it was a servant or someone from Beau’s court spying on me.” She hurried out the door with him right on her heels.
“I’ll stay with you to speak on your behalf,” he offered.
“No, no. That won’t do any good. Just go about your day. What time will you be leaving?”
“Six.”
“Okay. I’ll send someone if I’m not there. Now you better go.” She waved him away as she continued down the damp corridor. He stood motionless with a concerned scowl as she left.
She ran around a few more corners and through one more doorway until she was in the large swimming hall.
“Minerva. Just the woman I wanted to see.”
Her nerves prickled at the sound of King Beau’s voice. She turned to find him swimming up to the edge. He was a lean, strong young man with a wild temper. One never knew what side they were going to see.
“King,” she nodded. She had no idea if he’d already been told of her and Rone being alone together. “What are you doing going for a swim after such a long night?” She asked the question pleasantly, however her face was still hardened into a glare.
Beau seemed surprised. His handsomely boyish eyes seemed to glow in the dim lighting.
“Just looking to clear my head. Swim with me? I see you were at the hot springs. Why don’t you come cool off?”
Minerva took a subtle deep breath. He didn’t know. Whoever the spy was must not’ve been able to find him. Making sure to keep her blade hidden under her robe and towel, she quickly and gracefully got in. It felt very cold compared to the hotspring, sucking her breath away for a moment. She began treading water to stay warm.
“It didn’t go well, did it?” he asked. There’d only been a few other times he had shown vulnerability. Minerva thought he might be quite a good king if he would portray more of it, taking the advice of others around him.
“No, it didn’t.”
“I know you were trying to end it, but we can’t let them take advantage of us. We have to be firm.” He let his lips sink under the surface as he waited for a response. She knew he was asking more than declaring.
“We are in no position for that economically or militarily. I know how you would like us to be seen, but we must make friends before we start to stand stably on our own two feet. Your father had to wait for many, many years for Ghrathar to be where it is today, I’ve heard. And I would not go pointing fingers when it comes to the raids at the border. King Archen is too preoccupied to be doing petty things like that. The Wild Rogues are growing in numbers, trying to become their own army. We will need Archen to help stop them, so we can’t go blaming him for their horrific acts.”
“Why didn’t you say these things during the meeting?”
“I tried. Your protocol doesn’t allow the council to speak unless you aren’t. The few times I tried, you interrupted. Trident had also attempted to redirect but was met with the same thing.” That was as much as she was going to reprimand. He would take some criticisms, but not many. Not as much as he needed.
“I don’t like Trident.” Beau’s eyes seemed to be swimming in the dark, deep water as he complained. “He’s too old… And so is Lena, but there is no way I’ll be able to get the rest of the court to vote them off.”
Minerva could hardly believe what she was hearing about the other council members, but she wasn’t surprised. “You would do well to listen to them sometimes. Your father put them in position for a reason, as he did me.” Although she was really only five years older than Beau, she felt more like Trident and Lena’s age. Much older.
Beau cocked his head. “Why did my father make you a council member?" His question implied more than she would allow.
“My father fought alongside him,” she cooly answered. “After meeting me and hearing my opinion on politics, he decided to give me the position.”
“It wasn’t anything else?”
Minerva felt her blood boil at such an inquisition, but they were abruptly interrupted before she could respond.
“My king! My king! I-” a boy about twelve years old came scrambling in, but stopped when his eyes caught Minerva’s. By the look on his face, she knew he had been the one spying on her and Rone. She didn’t know the little fly’s name, but she knew he’d been the king’s ward for about two months now. At first she only saw him as annoying, trying to win Beau’s approval, but now he was a threat. And she would remember that.
“What is it, Wendell?” Beau turned, kicking his feet up to the surface, reclined in the water.
The boy could only stare. “Umm. I-”
“Spit it out.”
“It’s of a matter concerning Miss Minerva, Your Highness.”
Beau looked between her and Wendell. “And?”
Wendell seemed to be second guessing himself now, shifting from one foot to another with his eyes locked on her like she might rise out of the water and smite him. She tried using this to her utmost advantage, glowering at him confidently.
“She was alone in her hot spring with Rone Athlet just now!” he exclaimed all of a sudden. “Not only that but she told him she would leave with him to the Briers because you were leading a ‘dying kingdom.’” The weasel gained more confidence with every word he spouted. “And you would never be able to seduce Queen Kurta!”
King Beau’s eyes were as wide as two hard boiled eggs as he whipped his head at her.
“What?!” he roared. “Get out!” He splashed at Wendell. “Wait, get back here!” He easily heaved himself over the edge, calling after the boy.
Minerva swam to the edge as well in case she needed her blade.
“Yes, Your Highness?” Wendell peeped out from the corner.
“You will not speak a word of this to anyone,” he said after a while. “Understand?”
Wendell’s mouth almost dropped open. He’d caught a council member breaking an indecency law and committing treason, but there would be no reward?
“Do you understand?” Beau loudly demanded an answer, emphasizing every word.
“Yes, Your Highness, of course.” He bowed.
“Thank you. Now leave us.” The king eased back down into the water.
There was no end to Minerva’s dread today. She felt like she was doing everything she could to keep her head above the cold water, even hanging onto the edge. Beau slightly pushed off to tread water again. He sighed.
“Is it true?”
“It is.” She firmly held her ground, however she allowed a little emotion to tinge her voice. It was never her intention to hurt anyone. And King Beau, whatever kind of leader he was, was hurt. But that didn’t take away the fact that her punishment was much worse than death, and would be for the rest of her miserable life.
“I don’t have to remind you what your fate is.”
“No.”
“There are a few ways this could go…” He was now purposefully going to draw it out, sapping her compassion in an instant. “You could go. Leave your home to that vagabond country under the impression that you are fleeing, as you apparently said you would like to do, and report back to me as a spy, or… you could stay,” he treaded a little closer, “and be my secret mistress.”
Minerva couldn’t help a small smirk. “Ha, really?” she accidentally laughed. It was almost too comical for her. King Beau laughed as well, putting a hand next to hers on the edge.
“It’s all I got,” he smiled and shrugged coyly, still inching closer. Minerva smiled.
“And what makes you think I would agree to become your secret mistress over leaving?”
“Because if you leave, Wendell will be accompanying you. Just to make sure you’re sending me correct information… and not getting into too much trouble. Rone Athlet is quite a specimen… Did you invite him to your hot spring?” Beau’s sculpted lips were inches from hers, but she nonchalantly rolled her eyes.
“He invited himself. He wanted to speak about the meeting so he could actually have something to take back to his king.” Her barb stung him a little but he only raised an eyebrow.
“And what answer do you have for your king?”
Minerva knew exactly the kind of answer she would’ve loved to give him, however she held back.
“The boat leaves at nine tonight,” she lied.
“I thought it was earlier?” Beau countered. She shook her head.
“Rone said they pushed it back.”
“And what was that about me not being able to seduce Queen Kurta?” There was an irritated tone in his voice as he tried melding closer to her. Minerva firmly put a hand to his chest and tried pushing him back, but he had a firm grip on the edge, keeping himself in place.
“If you’re trying to get some practice in, this is not the way. And no, I do not believe it’s possible. She’s too alert.”
“Then show me how it’s done,” he cooed, moving in. She thrust her arm back for her blade and in the next moment had it braced under his Adam's apple. There was a light little splash behind her, sounding like some water fell from the ceiling.
“You’re going to have to find a different teacher,” Minerva barked. The look on Beau’s face could have melted all the snow gathering on the mountain. With his body perfectly still, his eyes darted up past her then quickly returned.
“Get out of my sight,” he seethed.
The venom in his words sent a chill through her, as if the water wasn’t enough. Although he was young, he could exude a strange sort of power when he wished, which aided him immensely as king. It was a dangerous power that she felt could almost crush her if she didn’t leave at once.
She nudged him back with the blade still at his throat, needing space to hoist herself out. The darkness around him quickly marinated her in fear, which she didn’t experience all too often. He could easily lunge forward and drag her down into the water like a waiting crocodile.
Her breathing became shallow until she turned to find Rone standing behind her with a small hand crossbow aimed at the king. She couldn’t help a sound of relief as he stooped to take her by the arm and hauled her out in one easy motion.
“I would advise you to guard your borders more heavily,” Rone growled. “Anything we need from now on, we will take.”