“What is this about you wanting to speak to the princess, Baric? Why is this woman here?”
“Hello, Kerek.”
Kerek stared at that face with all its paint, at that black patch over the right eye, at those huge breasts.
“Come, Kerek. Bid me hello.”
“Oh no,” Kerek said, taking a step back. “You’re not a whore at all, are you? Is it you, Cleve?”
“Aye.”
“Many of the men want to bed you, including Ragnor. By the gods, you’ve disguised yourself well. But it’s over. You must leave. The queen has Chessa hidden. Even I don’t know where she is. You must escape the palace before someone discovers who you really are. I’ve no wish to harm you, but if Ragnor sees you—sees you as you really are—he’ll do his best to see you flayed alive.”
“I don’t think so, Kerek. That’s why you’re here. Baric, shut the door. Aye, that’s good. Stand against it. Now, another trade, Kerek. I have Ragnor. You have Chessa. He dies if you don’t give me Chessa. You have until the tide is in. That’s about three hours from now.”
Kerek just shook his head back and forth and began to moan aloud. “Nothing has gone right, nothing. A simple kidnapping began it, and from that moment, everything turned sour. I had believed only the princess could bring me low, but now here you are dressed like a woman, painted like a harlot, and you’ve teased Ragnor until he’s ready to howl. No one realized you were a man, even I.”
“Don’t tell me you wanted to bed me too, Kerek.”
“No, but my mind has been filled with so many details of late.”
“I’m relieved. Ragnor’s mind is filled only with the desire for my mead. He said it’s better than Utta’s.”
Kerek cursed softly. “You brought Utta’s mead, didn’t you? I should have guessed something was amiss.”
“Of course,” Cleve said. “My only concern is that the queen will refuse to give up Chessa because she believes her more valuable than Ragnor.”
“She’ll give her up. The Danes wouldn’t accept a woman ruling openly. But why didn’t you just leave her? You can have another woman. Why must it be Chessa?”
“Didn’t you tell me you were sorry when you made the trade for Kiri, sorry because I loved her?”
“Aye, but what does love have to do with anything? I’ve seen little enough of it around. Just look at you—Kiri’s mother tried to murder you. Forget love, Cleve, and leave. Chessa will be happy here, you’ll see.”
“Is that why Turella drugged her and has her hidden? Because she’s so concerned about how happy she’ll be? Give it up, Kerek. For the last time, give it up.”
“I must speak to the queen.”
“Why don’t both of us speak to her.”
They found Turella in her garden, on her hands and knees, sorting seeds. She was humming.
“Lady,” Kerek said and lightly touched his hand to her shoulder. She grew very still, then slowly, she looked up at him and Cleve saw that the look on her face was too tender for a queen toward her subject. He wondered how he could turn it to his advantage.
“Ah, Kerek. What have you done? You brought Baric’s woman. Why?”
Cleve said, “I’m really not a woman, my lady. My name is Cleve. I’m the father of Chessa’s babe. I’m here to fetch her and take her home.”
The queen slowly cleaned off her hands and rose. She looked at Cleve for a very long time, then said, her voice irritated, “I want to see what you look like as a man. I want to know what my grandson will look like.”
“Perhaps the babe will be the picture of Chessa,” Cleve said.
“You can’t have her, Cleve. It is done. You will leave willingly or I will give you to my son. He treated you badly before. Just imagine what he would do now.”
“Ragnor won’t do anything, lady. Your son is right now snoring blissfully, drugged to his brows, just as you drugged the princess.”
The queen staggered back. Kerek grabbed her arm to steady her. “Is he telling the truth, Kerek?”
“Aye, he is. I don’t know where he’s got Ragnor hidden. He wants to trade Ragnor for the princess.”
