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I give her another kiss at her words. I have never been called a prize before. I will have to work to live up to the way she sees me.
The door opens and Dura and I hastily pull apart, looking at the intruder in our bittersweet, private moment. It is Adalind, her awe-inspiring face wreathed with smiles.
“Well,” she says as her guards close the door behind her, “that went just as well as could be expected.”
Dura puts both her fists on her chest again. It must be some sort of gesture of esteem since she keeps doing it when she sees ourrulers. “Queen Adalind,” she says, “allow me to. . .”
“There’s no need for all that,” Adalind interrupts, walking forward and gently pushing Dura’s fists down. “We are family twice over. Let us not be formal when we are all alone.”
“We played our part well in your plan, I take it?” I ask.
Adalind turns her smile on me. “You did brilliantly. I never expected you to have such a silver tongue, Marvik. Politics suit you.”
I mock shudder. “Say it is not so.”
My sister laughs, completely different from the cold, impartial judge she was earlier. “Itistrue. The court followed your every whim. You masterfully guided them toward sympathy for your cause. You will do well on the Council of Thirteen.”
That confuses me. “The Council? What are you saying?”
Adalind’s smile becomes a little more devious. “Dura may have lost all her titles, I’m sorry for that by the way, butyouhaven’t. With the deaths of your parents, you are the new Duke Grimble and Dura is your duchess. The crown has held all your lands and holdings and we relinquish them back to you. You are the steward of Grimblton and the surrounding lands and with that comes a seat on the Council, if you want it. I hope you do, because I can always use more allies on the Council.”
My head spins. “Then that was your plan? Dura loses all her influence in Orik, but we gain it back in Adrik?”
Adalind nods. “Of course. I couldn’t let you both be banished, not if I had anything I could do about it. If we could have gotten away with it, you wouldn’t have been punished at all, but the law is the law and, as rulers, we must abide by it or there will be chaos. This way, though you lose Dura’s titles and holdings, you both gain yours and still can be members of mine and Rognar’s court. We will still be able to see you regularly. Though, we will wait a few days before announcing you as the new Duke Grimble, just to let the furor die down. House Strand’s holdings will be divided at the sametime and two new Houses raised up to the Council. We have chosen House Mallay and House Kopex to receive the holdings and replace House Strand and House Howser on the Council.”
“House Mallay?” I ask. “Lady Ursa’s house?”
“Yes,” replies my sister. “She has been heading up the War Bride effort and has executed her duties admirably. In recognition of her service to the crown, we are making the Mallay barony a duchy. Her brother will be the first Duke Mallay, and House Kopex has always been an ally to me. Lady Wothea Kopex is currently in charge of the house until her grandson is of age and I expect her to raise him well.”
“It sounds like you don’t really need me,” I tease.
Adalind gets serious. “I will always need you, my brother. I can’t tell you how happy I am that you are back, that I can speak to you like this, that I can give you back your lands and make you Duke Grimble.”
I grimace.Duke Grimble.That will always be my father to me and he was an evil man, worse than I ever even thought, now that I know he was part of an abhorrent secret society. I want no part of that man. Truly, I want no part of politics. I am a warrior at heart, but perhaps this is only fair. Dura received her punishment and now, though I know that it isn’t Adalind’s intention, I am receiving mine. Leaving behind my days of knighthood so that I can become someone with the power to protect the one I love. I will miss the freedom I experienced when I was living in the forest, just me and Dura, but, perhaps, I was never meant for a free and simple life.
“I will accept your generosity on one condition,” I tell Adalind, taking Dura’s hand in mine.
“What is that?” Adalind asks curiously.
“That we retire the Grimble name. Truth be told, I have never felt close to my family, and now that I know the extent of their crimes toward you and Adrik, I have no desire to carry on their name. I will never give my parents the legacy they desired.”
“That is understandable,” my sister says, cocking her head. “Butwhat name will replace it?”
“Woreki,” I declare, squeezing Dura’s hand in my own. “I will take Dura’s name as my own and we will forge our own new legacy. We will be a symbol to everyone of Adrik and Orik, working together and becoming one country.” Dura squeezes my hand back and in the bond, and I feel that she is touched by my words.
“It will be done,” Adalind says, nodding slowly. “Then you will be Duke and Duchess Woreki, a new house with both the cultures of the humans and the orcs. That will be a potent symbol indeed.”
My sister gives me an apologetic smile. “You really are quite good with politics, my brother.”
Some bitterness fills me as I think of all the lessons my father taught me, the lying, the manipulating, the power struggles. But they are as much a part of me as my honor and sense of duty. They have saved me more than once in my life, and perhaps it is time to stop fighting against them. To use them for the good of the country instead of the way my father intended.
“I will work to use my skills only for the good of our people,” I tell Adalind solemnly.
“I expected nothing different,” she replies simply. She then gives both me and Dura a small smile. “I must go,” she says, “there’s still much I must do before the evening meal. I’ll have the servants send your meal here for tonight, as I’m sure that you don’t want to deal with the stares you would receive, but I’ll see you on the morrow.”
With that, Adalind leaves the room, leaving Dura and me alone once more. Dura turns to me, a rueful smile on her face. “I don’t know that I’ll ever get used to how your sister looks,” she tells me. “I never knew that beauty could be such a weapon. It robs me of my words to look at her.”
“It gets easier over time,” I remark. “You’ll always be a little awe-stricken by her, but you’ll be able to function.”
