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Chapter 8
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Taryn knew very well what advantages Locrand would bring, but she knew the disadvantages much better. Dealing with a man like Kyros was the worst ruin for anyone and would have marked the end of Elder, she would not have wished it even to her worst enemy. That man was scum, he couldn’t forget the way Kyros treated her when he tried to tell Athelstan to expect a son; the hatred he felt toward his own daughter; the way he treated all those who had no royal blood or who simply were not him. Taryn remembered the words of disgust spit at anyone.
But most of all, she remembered how she had been treated and forced to escape from that Summit before Kyros’ killers got to her and killed her.
“Only the west remains.” Taront pointed to the map. “The Ackards rule Aeris.”
“Elhiàs Ackard has been on the throne for some years and has not yet taken a wife,” Grander said.
“How are the relations between Aeris and Locrand?” Taryn asked Lord Grander.
Taryn knew that their relationship had cracked after the Summit, mostly at the behest of Kyros, but they had tried to maintain the alliance. Athelstan and Elhiàs worshipped each other as brothers and would never close relations between their kingdoms, although their alliance had collapsed.
“King Kyros ended all relations with the kingdom after the incident,” Grander replied.
“From the death of the princess, any bridge of communication between Locrand and Aeris was destroyed by the king.”
“And Elhiàs never had a betrothed?” Taryn insisted.
“Not that we know,” replied Taront. “The young king has not accepted any marriage proposal from anyone.”
“I met Elhiàs a couple of times in the princess’s company. He has a brilliant mind and is an excellent fighter. Every time he and Athelstan practiced, his ass was on the ground.” Taryn put her chin on her left hand, thinking.
She remembered when she was in Althea. She and Aiden had disguised themselves as two servants in order to sneak into the fortress. For Taryn, that was the opportunity to meet someone powerful and convince him to support his northern recovery. At the age of twenty, she believed that the world would be at her feet. What a fool she had been. She had convinced herself that she was truly an adult and that she was able to reach her goal. All she had to do was approach a lord and convince him to help her. But she had wasted time observing the two principles, training, studying, and admiring them. It took very little time to end in the bed of one of them.
“The north and west together would create a huge kingdom.” Grander marked the map.
“But what could the north offer to a kingdom that already has everything?” asked Taryn, more to herself than to the lords around her.
“My informants told me” Taront intervened “that the kingdom in recent years has been prey to various looting by pirates.”
He pointed to the islands around the coast. The coffers of the crown are almost completely empty. “I’m sure the king and the council can’t wait to get their hands on Elder’s mines.”
Taryn stroked her chin with her index finger looking Taront straight in the eye. “Mines that are in my uncle’s hands.”
“The usurper will never come to terms with anyone. The only way for Aeris to get his hands on the mines” Taront continued, pointing to them with his eyes.
“It is helping me to take back the north” Taryn smiled.
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Taryn “It is helping me to take back the north” Taryn smiled. “But could a king ever consider an idea maybe possible? If I were to decide, I would choose a more concrete option, not just a future possibility. If Aeris needs gold, he will need it immediately. We cannot present ourselves only with promises.” “Your Majesty, gold mines are scattered throughout the north, some are in castles of allies. The north has much more gold than it is minted, we can use that as... dowry.” The room burst into chaos again. Taryn rested on the back of her bench while the Lords were fighting again. Taront had dared to touch the most precious thing for those men: their hidden reserves. The men raised their voices, shouting at each other, and as usual, Taryn could not understand how it was possible that they could talk to each other while understanding each other in that way. After several minutes of racket, Taryn turned to Lord Grander. From her gaze, the man understood and began to knock his fist
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Sumon “Lady Castel invites you this afternoon for tea with other ladies,” a maid said, standing at the door of her chambers. Sumon rolled her eyes while Claire, her servant, tied her dress laces behind her back. The last thing she needed was to deal with the lady of the fortress. She had neither the time nor the desire. Claire finished with the laces and smoothed her blue skirt. Sumon turned to allow her to place the rigid band under her breasts, raising it slightly and making it look bigger than it was. Claire turned around and tied it behind her back. When she finished fixing it, Sumon sat down so Claire could fix her hair. “Thanks, Lady Castel, for the kind invitation, but unfortunately, I am forced to decline for today.” And forever, she thought. “There are urgent matters that require my presence,” she smiled. The maid nodded and bowed, then left the room. Sumon snorted while Claire contin
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Both came out of the council chamber, while behind them she heard Kyros giving orders to go and call Queen Reanna. Sumon stood beside Nathan, as they proceeded down the corridor to the main gates from which the two rulers of the west and north would come. "What was that reaction from Athelstan?" she asked Nathan softly. "During the Summit five years ago, Taryn Fahan sneaked into Althea in secret... I think to be able to get the support of some king, but she ended up in the bed of Athelstan. Aislin told me that her brother had completely lost his mind for her, then I don't know what happened," Nathan explained, as they turned into another corridor. "Hadn't Elhias Ackard and Athelstan grown up together?" asked Taryn. Nathan shrugged. "And Elhias married the woman he is in love with?" Her husband shrugged his shoulders again. "A fiery encounter is on the horizon," Sumon reflected after a while. "And Kyros? Why that reaction?" "I have no idea, nothing good, Sumon... nothing good,"
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Nathan turned around, grabbed her by the hips and sat her down on the table, before joining their lips. Aislin immediately brought her hands into his hair and wrapped his waist with her legs, while returning the kiss passionately. Their tongues intertwined, their breaths mingled. Nathan pushed himself at her, trying to be as close as he could, as she moaned in his mouth. When they were out of breath they broke away. Nathan rested his forehead on hers and opened his eyes, meeting her sweet gaze. Aislin rubbed her nose against his and Nathan got goosebumps as his heart pounded. "I missed you," Aislin said gently, looking him in the eye and running her hands through his blonde hair. "You too," Nathan admitted, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, intoxicated with his scent. "Where did they move you?" he asked, stroking her behind her back. Aislin pulled her forehead off his forehead and Nathan opened his eyes. The princess bent
