A Price Paid Ch. 09

She had to agree with Sylanna in one respect: Veil spells certainly had their uses.

They were a useful tool for much of a mage's work. They let one slip from notice and, occasionally, slip into notice. Years before, Bryana had used such a spell to catch the eye of Prince Kudan of Kressin. Once, the man had been part of the same plot to corrupt Neral Jaye to kill her queen and plunge Erette into chaos that had eventually involved Bryana herself. Once she'd turned, she and Deres had systematically snared, used, or undone all involved. As long as justice was brought to the people that would never see it otherwise, all was as it should be.

Kudan was once a brash slave to his own urges, namely drink, women, and reveling in his own ego, Royalty was often the same in that way simply because they could afford to do as they pleased, as the only real accountability for an unfit sovereign was a blade clean through the neck. And, as much as subjects could grouse about taxes, corruption, or the royalty over them being poor examples of humanity, they would tolerate a great deal over a long period of time before they reached their breaking point.

Bryana simply shifted his slavery from his own urges and penchant for ego masturbation to her, and quite successfully, if she were giving a brutally honest appraisal of things. She had demanded of what was hers that he change the course of his life. No more was he some part of drunk most days, now only taking alcohol when ceremony required it and nothing beyond that. She had demanded that he grow his power and his reach and he had done so carefully and thoughtfully. She interceded indirectly from time to time to make certain that he was growing his power not at the expense of others, and to see to it that the people prospered as much as himself.

Even though she kept him within her reach, it wouldn't have taken a spy to know that he had recently ascended to the throne following the passing of his father or the fact that he was set to soon marry who was, by all accounts, a stunning young woman. When Bryana knew that she might make use of him, she sent word that she wanted his complete, to-the-minute schedule for the foreseeable future and he had been anxious to comply. Knowing where he would be and when, she walked the street in a black dress with red lace trim at the neck and cuffs. She wanted to stand out in the crowd and made sure that she would. People in the street let their eyes linger now and then as they passed and smiling politely, with some of the men letting their gaze linger a bit too long, as this new face was also exceptionally heavily painted, as it was the night she took him. He had served well and she had not visited personally since that night, so, she decided he had earned at least that much for his obedience.

So, she simply enjoyed the walk along the main thoroughfare before the castle, pausing for the occasional gaze into the shop windows. She didn't often buy baubles such as those offered in shops such as these. She had always been a practical woman and most of them served no purpose beyond being pretty, and, spending much of her life traveling the world alone, moving from contract to contract, there simply wasn't room for such unnecessary baggage in her life. But they were pretty and worth appreciation if not ownership.

Aside from that, there were more than enough such things in her home already and no more were needed, Neral enjoyed them, as did Khylen. The little one liked the small bits of crystal or glassware that caught the light and Neral seemed drawn to anything small, fragile and with etching, carving, or anything else that displayed attention to detail. Bryana and Deres always thought she was drawn to them because a soldier's life could be a harsh one and they were expressions of the gentleness in the soul that crafted it.

Her ears catching the rhythm of her footfalls she realized she was marching. It was a bit more casual, of course, but too much time walking with the woman who spent her life marching took its toll. It had its advantages though. Once she took that stride, the distractions of the occasional polite greeting disappeared entirely, all seeing her as someone who wasn't searching for such niceties.

Reaching the buffer between the city and the castle that was the outer gardens, she began the task of waiting patiently, finding her own path around those exploring the gardens with her so that she remained unbothered by others. The timing for the trip was nice for this aspect at least. She found some lovely and unusual variations of color among the flowers that horticulturists in Erette hadn't seemed to manage and in another week or so the fragile things would be transplanted indoors, so she would have missed them. Deres would appreciate them and she suspected she'd have little trouble convincing Kudan to gift them to her.

She knew Kudan was returning well before she ever bothered to look up, the sound of the hooves of the horses that carried his escort beating against the street and the rush of air as people hurriedly moved past her to catch a glimpse of their king returning from a meeting with a gathering of nobles. They didn't know the why, of course, they only knew that there was the chance to glimpse him as he went by and perhaps be noticed with a wave or a smile. After allowing two children to run past her so quickly she suspected they were hoping to fly she moved with purpose to the street.

Then she could hear the wheels of the carriage moving with the usual rhythmic squeaking as she moved behind several others. The street was the usual crowded for a royal city near noon, so that meant that, while there was no shortage of onlookers, she was able to mostly pick her place, and she did so just outside the outer gate, though she did have to push past several others to find that place, ignoring their looks of annoyance at her rudeness. Such things were forgotten anyway as the carriage drew closer, none of them wanting their king to see them frowning.

She locked eyes on where the center window would be when it passed her. Bryana didn't have control over him to the point that she could simply think the thought and will him to take an action like looking in her direction, but, even veiled, she could always rely on her belief in herself as an immutable force of nature when need be in order to draw attention to herself. Between that and the dress that was crafted to stand out, she had no doubt of her ability to be spotted.

And spotted she was. He surveyed the crowds with interest, eschewing waves of his hand in favor of smiles and nods with his eyes scanning and pausing, making it look to them that he was making personal contact with them with his betrothed at his side, head turned toward her window arm extended. Bryana could tell that she was waving energetically. From what she knew of Keyla, she seemed much more a woman of the people. His eyes scanned the street and found Bryana's and she saw his features go from that practiced amiability to shock and excitement. He stuck his head out the window just to get that much closer to try to prove to himself that he wasn't daydreaming of her as he often did.

But she was there. She was truly there and when she smiled at him and gave him a small wave, the sun emerged through the clouds for him even though the actual star was still under a thick patch. He would have noticed her in any event with so much her being so much a part of his life she was even without her physically in his presence. She'd been in his mind and he hadn't been able to escape her since their one night together years before when he was a lesser man.

That person disgusted him now. He was a vile thing concerned only for his immediate desire for gratification and giving no care for the safety of his kingdom or future of his people. So much so that he was willing to hatch a plot to indirectly attack Erette by depriving it of its queen and hoping to gain from the chaos. He told himself it was for Kressin, but, even before that night, he knew it was for himself His father's health had been failing even then and he had seen the possibility of being king, using the turmoil to expand Kressin's reach if not its land.

But that was before he met Annissa. When he first saw her, it was as just another in the stream of endless whores in the river of endless bars. When he met her, he had to have her simply because she was beautiful, beautiful enough to be a courtesan to nobles and not some bar trash receptacle for drunken men with money left at closing. So he did what he always did when he met women he could use: he met them, groped them, and made arrangements to meet at one of the many rooms available for such rendezvous.

He went there already half drunk to meet and fuck a whore, but, when the sun rose the next day she had changed the direction of his life. The sex was thrilling; the stuff of erotic dreams. She knew how to pleasure a man better than any woman in the world, that he would wager every bit of his wealth on. It was so much more though. Between bouts they talked about what seemed like everything. She was as intelligent and articulate as any ten of his advisors, and she could see through him. She could see past all of his lies and self-delusions and forced him to see the truth about the world around him and about himself, as painful as that was. She showed him that he owed his people decency and dignity, and that he owed those things and had to give them to himself as well.

And she was right. She was right about everything, and, with the sun, he resolved to be the man he could be and the one his people deserved. But now he was that man and he was proud of it, and hoped she would be as well. She traveled the land, not the type to stay somewhere for long, but he knew their shared night moved her as well. Annissa had stayed in touch, sending messages or sending friends to offer counsel in her name, and they were, to a soul, as wise as she. Her advice was truth and taking it had put Kressin on a path to prosperity and steered it away from tragedy. Kudan had reached a point where he knew he would probably never see her again in the flesh, but he had made peace with it because that night lived in his mind every day and with each message and each small request made of him, he knew she still thought of him and Kressin and valued both. Yet, there she was again and life was perfection. He tracked her until he passed beyond the gate, heart threatening to break at the thought that she might vanish once again.

With contact made, there was an added glide to her stride as she passed the guards at the outer gates. Bryana knew that ideally there would be a few minutes worth of procedures required to make sure the king was secure and that guardianship had been properly handed off to the castle guard before he would be allowed to roam the grounds, though Kudan was probably chafing at that and the usual time that took would be cut shorter. That still gave her time to put herself in position to be seen again and perhaps amuse herself along the way.

She knew eyes were on her now that she was within the castle walls, but all they sought was what obviously didn't belong. Move like one was meant to be there and they didn't arouse suspicion and, stand out in some way and they aroused even less. No one wishing ill will tried to be easy to sight and track. Walking up the dark, weathered steps that led to the main entrance Bryana couldn't help but look at all the grandeur the all the royals embraced while her kind had to sneak from one abandoned place to the next. There was no anger in the thought, as it was just the order of things, even if she did occasionally dream that it could be more.

The portcullis was raised and an aide stood between two ceremonial guards in gleaming silver armor, all looking their parts with the aide in green and gold that was strategically padded at the shoulders and chest to add the appearance of bulk to his slight frame, his long hair nearly matching the gold. She watched him skim through the leather bound book to find the name of one of the man and woman before him. Those that weren't known to the castle by sight were, of course, in the book. If they weren't, he could direct them where they needed to be. There was one man between the aide and Bryana and she waited patiently at the gate until his practiced smile reappeared just for her.

He blinked quickly as if to be sure of what his eyes were telling him, but recovered quickly. "Greetings on behalf of king Armis Kudan and the Kingdom of Kressin. How may I be of assistance to you this fine day?"

She looked up at the mostly cloudy sky, "It's not so fine this day."

He'd learned long ago to enthusiastically entertain almost any opinion offered by those who stood before him. "Perhaps not, but winter has yet to settle in, and I am happy for a few extra days to be able to be outside to greet those in need. Now, in what way can I help you best this afternoon?"

Bryana looked away and back, appearing to be suitably put back on track. "Oh, yes, of course. I'm here for a private audience with King Kudan."

He paid a bit more notice to her with those words and, not recognizing her, he opened his book to the proper entries, "And you would be?"

"Annissa."

He waited a moment before prompting her for more. "Annissa..."

"Just Annissa."

He glanced down, already knowing what he wouldn't find there. "I'm sorry, I don't see your name here. I'm sure it's a misunderstanding of some sort, but without that I'm afraid it will be impossible to grant you any sort of audience with the king." His head tilted in a show of concern and thoughtfulness, "Perhaps if you were to tell me why you need to see the king I could direct you to someone who could be of more immediate help to you."

"I don't need help at all beyond an audience. He and I have been friends for many years and I thought his impending nuptials would be the perfect time to visit and give him my congratulations."

A look of relief passed across his features, believing the solution was at hand. "And the kingdom shares in your enthusiasm and joy at the impending union between King Kudan and Princess Stevya of Draleth, and, with that being the case, there is no shortage of friends of the king who are thrilled to send their congratulations and well wishes. If you wish to leave a message or a gift for the king or the couple, I'm sure you noticed the spot for all citizens to leave them just outside the main entrance."

She glanced back in that general direction "You know, I did, and those are so lovely, but I think we would both prefer if I met with him in person."

"I'm afraid that..."

"Annissa! Annissa!" Kudan's voice cut through the air, causing many heads to turn to see the king taking long strides on the path, eating up so much ground that his normally sedate and near invisible guards ran to catch up.

She turned and waved furiously before turning back to the young man who seemed well on the way to confused and bewildered. "There he is. Please excuse me."

She hustled down the steps as he bolted up them, taking two and three at a time until they finally met. He took her hands in his, gripping them tightly for fear that she still wasn't real or might slip from him again. The euphoria at the opportunity to feel her again beyond dreams could not be described by the greatest of poets and he said so. "Annissa, there are no words."

"You look well," she said, and she meant it. He was still very tall and very lean, but a love of alcohol and nights that could last days took their toll, even on a younger man such as he. Having given that up, his cheeks and his frame filled in a bit, making him look stronger and healthier than she'd remembered. His beard was darker and more full, but it was still neatly trimmed close to the skin.

Neither of them knew if he was still breathless from the run or from the chance to be near her again. "You haven't changed in the slightest. You are still as beautiful and vibrant as the night we met."

"I'm surprised you still remember. You were quite drunk that night."

The shame he felt at that dissipated almost at once with the realization that it was a tease and not any sort of admonishment. "That was a different man, and one who would still be here without you," he told her, oblivious to the truth of the statement. "I am in a perfect place in life and I would very much like to introduce you to my bride-to-be."

"All I did was speak to you about who you were and who you should be, Armis. You have done wonderfully for yourself and your kingdom. I have heard much about your choice in mates and I wish to meet her. I would have come in order to do so soon anyway, but time is something of a commodity just now. Truthfully, I am here because I need your help."

"Anything." He meant nothing more completely in his life.

"Is there someplace we could go and talk?"

The thought of being able to be her hero was enough to make him willing to face an army single-handed. "Of course. Come with me, Annissa, please."

Before he could head up the steps, his cock hardened as her breath tickled his ear. "You should also leave word for your princess so that she knows where to find us."

"Yes. Yes, you're right, of course."

He offered his arm and she took it, escorting her back up the steps and to the aid who now stopped talking to the woman before him as though she wasn't there once he felt his majesty's gaze upon him. "Yes, my king?" She could tell he still wasn't quite over the display of moments before and neither were some of the citizens, trying no doubt to glean what was going on.

"When you see her, please inform the princess that we will be in the east study." He knew she would be along. She'd been shocked by his sudden departure and, in his haste to find Annissa he had told her nothing of why he had to depart beyond seeing someone he thought was familiar. That level of excitement was unusual for him and, honestly, in anyone she'd ever known but, before she could inquire, he was already gone.

"Of course, Majesty."

He led her down the main corridor, "Is this your first visit to the castle?"

"It is, in fact, so I'll let you tell me all about it." Her smile nearly made him swoon. "Let's just make sure that we're not disturbed."

So Kudan spent the next few minutes on the way talking about its history, its features, and its architecture, dismissing several aides and advisors with needs along the way. She allowed him to go on and allowed him his pride. She asked a polite question or two, but she mostly preferred to be led to where she needed to be while she thought of what was happening out of her sight. Two minutes of shock at his bolting toward the castle and perhaps looking to the guards to find out why that might be. Another two to make it to the portcullis to find out where he'd gone and with whom. And we can probably cut the remaining time in half because, if it were me, I would be stomping rapidly the rest of the way to find out what in the name of the Goddess was going on.

Reaching their destination, he opened the door for her and allowed her to step inside before him to reveal a study larger than many homes that carried the deep green with the gold black accents that were imprinted upon much of the castle. A fire roared at the other end of the room near a desk made of dark wood so lacquered that it reflected the firelight like glass. She entered and surveyed the room. Without yet turning back she told him what she needed first. "Leave the door unlocked. I expect your princess will want to join us shortly."

Anything that she wanted was what he wanted. "Of course." He stood there simply basking in the fact that she was before him again. Each step toward her that followed was reverential, waiting for any command from her at all while she smiled that smile that told him that she knew he loved her and that was the way it should be until the end of time. His fingertips caressed the cheeks that felt like the finest silk. The touch of her sang to him and when she deigned to return the gesture his eyes closed just long enough to revel in the sensation.