“I was afraid you’d say that.” Ludwig sighed and ranhis hands through his hair, searching the garden as if seeking support amongst the trees.After a few minutes, he seemed to come to a decision. “If at any point I feel your life is in danger, we retreat, got it?”
“You worry too much,” Liane said, hitting him playfully.
She knew Ludwig wouldn’t let her down.Don’t worry, Elias. I’ll get them this time.
5
Rich, dark Sundland wine cascaded into Erich’s silver goblet. As he envisioned the tart and sweet taste of Gauldeen grapes, his mouth watered. The valley province was renowned for winemaking, and in fact, none other could compare. It’d been too long since he’d partaken of such an extravagance. Along with the wine, the maid set down a platter of biscuits and the fragrant cheeses from Porroque. Erich pierced a soft slice of cheese and smeared it over a biscuit before shoving it whole into his mouth. It melted on his tongue in a symphony of buttery, savory ecstasy. Though he hated to admit it, he’d missed this part of royal life. Lifting his overflowing glass, precious drops spilled, rolling down the side as he brought it to his lips. Because he didn’t know when he’d have wine again, he’d intended to relish it, but one taste, and he was gulping it down like a man dying of thirst. After draining the cup, he set it back down with a satisfied smack.
“Is everything to your satisfaction, my prince?” the doe-eyed young woman, his hostess, asked. Hearing the words “my prince” in his mother tongue turned the wine sour in his stomach.
“It is,” he replied, as he waved away the second glass the maid offered.
When he’d come to Ivar’s townhome looking to call in his favor, he hadn’t considered the unpleasant memories being around his people would invoke.
“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you. I hope the Trinity has kept you in their care,” she said, fluttering her long eyelashes at him.
Squinting, he studied her features, but he was terrible at remembering faces. Either they’d met before, and he didn’t recognize her, or they’d never met, and she was attempting to ingratiate herself to him with false familiarity.
“Remind me again, of your name.”
“Don’t you remember me?” Her face crumpled with momentary disappointment, then she scooted closer to him, invading his personal space. “Don’t tease me! How could you have forgotten? You used to bring me sweets when I visited the palace with Papa.”
He remembered now. Ivar’s daughter, a child last he’d seen her, now a woman. No wonder he didn’t recognize her. What was her name? Gertrude? Gilda… it definitely started with a G…
“Greta!”
“I knew you hadn’t forgotten.” She lowered her eyes in a failed, sultry stare as her hand slid across his thigh.
It was impossible to untangle the child he’d known from the woman she’d become, and he gently pushed her hand away.
“You’ve grown well. And you joined your father in Neolyra, I see. I thought you’d be married by now.” She looked about that age.
Her nose crinkled, and she turned away, crossing her arms over her chest. “There’s been plenty of offers, I’ll have you know. But I told Papa one day you’d return for me as you’d promised me. And here you are. You haven’t forgotten your promise, have you?”
Erich looked at his empty wine glass, wishing he hadn’t refused a second as he tried to wrack his brain for a promise he’d made and forgotten. Surely, he hadn’t promised to marry her, had he? But looking back, back then, he’d been eager to please, and as he remembered, Greta used to cry ceaselessly. Might he have agreed to marry her to stop her crying? He seemed to remember something like that. But vows between children couldn’t be taken seriously.
When he met Greta’s gaze once more, she looked at him ardently. Whatever she believed he’d promised her hadn’t been left discarded in her childhood. He needed Ivar’s help, and upsetting his daughter wouldn’t exactly win him any favors. But he couldn’t let her live under the delusion that he’d marry her or anyone and the least he could do was let her down gently. Grasping her small pale hands, he sandwiched them between his.
“Forgive me, Greta. I cannot honor the promise I made. The Trinity has called me into her service, and as part of my mission, I have sworn to take no wife and father no children,” he said, hoping his hunch was correct.
“You’ve become a monk?” Tears welled in her eyes.
“It is her will.” Erich wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumb.
“No, this can’t be. We promised one another.” Her bottom lip wobbled.
“It is the Trinity’s will,” Erich said solemnly.
“What is going on here?” Ivar said.
Erich turned to see the ambassador’s flushed face and dark gaze bouncing between Erich and his daughter sitting much too close together. Erich let go of Greta and put as much space between him and her as possible. But the damage had already been done.
“Papa. My life is ruined!”Greta shouted
“What did you do to my daughter?” Ivar’s furious gaze landed on Erich, his mustache bristling.
“I told her I’ve dedicated my life to service to the Trinity.” Erich held up his hands in surrender.
