Chapter 4: A Complicated King

"It's going to be quite the ride," King Lorcan said to Niamh.

"I've never been one to sit still," she replied.

King Lorcan gave a half-smile, before signaling to his men and then taking off at a slow gallop. Niamh, without looking back, charged along with them into the restless wind of the darkening twilight.

They rode solidly for a few hours, the setting sun beating them to the far horizon. When the moon rose high enough to light their way, King Lorcan signaled the group and left the road to make camp for the night.

"We will rest for the night," King Lorcan's voice was low.

Niamh turned to him, but the king was already walking away. "The grass is soft and the trees broad. Your tent will be up shortly."

"He never planned to travel through the night," Niamh thought with surprise.

Waiting for her tent, Niamh watched the Elves by the fire. They moved swiftly, but respectfully when the king joined them. She noticed however, he didn't speak to them much.

"My Lady, your tent is ready," a gruff voice spoke from her shoulder.

Niamh found herself speaking to a tall, armored elflord who introduced himself as the Captain of the King's Guard, Sir Conri Aengus.

Niamh followed Captain Aengus to a small, but sturdy tent.

"Where is the King's tent?" Niamh asked.

"On the other side of the camp," came the reply.

King Lorcan stood behind her.

Startled by the sudden closeness of her future husband, Niamh simply nodded.

"Very well," Niamh responded kindly. "Good night. Sleep well."

The king just looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before walking into the gathering darkness.

Niamh entered her tent, sitting down and letting the events of the past day settle on her soul. She shed some tears, then wiped her eyes. Sleep came slowly.

In the morning, two young elfmaidens appeared to help her get ready. They were quite helpful and Niamh was ready quickly. She left the tent, which was instantly set on by a group of men who dismantled it. A young armored elflord approached her.

"I see it's time to go," Niamh smiled.

The young elflord smiled back. "Yes, it is."

She turned this way and that, trying to catch sight of King Lorcan.

"The king is already mounted and waiting," the elflord said apologetically.

With a deep breath, Niamh mounted and rode in the direction the young elflord pointed, catching sight of the king. He simply nodded in acknowledgment and continued speaking in quick, harsh tones with his general.

After setting off, King Lorcan fell back to ride beside Niamh for a while. At first, he said nothing, but she noticed he watched how she rode her horse.

"You ride well," he said.

"Yes," Niamh almost laughed. "I learned to ride before I learned to dance."

King Lorcan almost smiled, "Which one do you like more?"

"I can barely dance," Niamh admitted.

They rode over a hill to the relaxing view of a village waking up. Elves were beginning to come out of their houses and open their shops.

"We'll go through the village," King Lorcan called to Captain Aengus. He said to Niamh, "It'll be a good way to introduce you to the people in this part of my kingdom."

His attention was demanded by Captain Aengus and a scar-faced general, and he rode off without another word.

The group rode down a muddy road, where small houses gave way to dark, bleak buildings on each side. Elves were beginning to line the street, whispering, mumbling, and staring. Niamh could see the absence of smiling faces.

The horses plodded methodically down the road while the crowd grew. Niamh guided her horse, into the center of the procession, following the king and his guards. The silence of the crowd made Niamh look around uneasily.

It was a flash of color that caught her eye. She turned her head to look at the brilliant red object in an elflord's hand, and suddenly it flew through the air, hitting Niamh's face.

With a cry of alarm, Niamh looked at the elflord in surprise, then others began to throw whatever was in their hands. Without a moment's thought, Niamh rode forward, shielding King Lorcan from the rotten cabbage hurling through the air toward him. It hit her horse's broad neck and he reared in defiance.

The air became full of rotten fruit and vegetables, even small rocks. Captain Aengus lifted his shield in front of the King, just as one of those small rocks connected with Niamh's cheek. The force of the throw caused Niamh to lean far to the right, but she did not fall. When she pulled herself back up, she felt blood running down her face.

King Lorcan saw the blood too. His face clouded over and he gritted his teeth. As King Lorcan tried to force his way through the people running about, another volley of rotten food was unleashed, and a elflord ran up and swung a thick stick at the monarch's mount.

The King shouted to his men in a fit of anger, wheeling his horse to avoid the blow. "Grab those fools!"

It took less than a minute before two lines of villagers, men and elfmaiden alike, were tied and kneeling in the mud before the angry king and wounded Niamh. She looked at them in concern.

"Why would they do this?" she asked Captain Aengus.

The captain gave a small sigh and was about the answer when King Lorcan strode past.

"They are angry, bitter subjects! Thankless, selfish subjects!" he shouted at those in front of him.

Grabbing a kneeling elflord's face, King Lorcan turned it so Niamh was in view.

"Do you know who that is?" he hissed in the elflord's face. "That is your future queen."

King Lorcan looked around at the crowd still lining the sides of the road. He turned his head back to the people kneeling in the mud before him.

"This is not the way I wanted to introduce her to your… village."

The elflord's face paled and his eyes shifted to Niamh's screaming an apology.

"Beat them," King Lorcan growled. "All of them."

"No, wait," Niamh interrupted, running forward. "We can see the village is struggling, they are unhappy. Perhaps there is a reason for their… behavior?"

King Lorcan stared at his future queen.

"You think I should just let them go?" he asked dangerously.

Niamh swallowed. "…It's just… perhaps… see what the problem is and solve it."

"Perhaps you would like to join them," the king stepped forward and mumbled darkly in her ear. He paused before continuing, "Don't ever correct me like this again, Niamh Aidne Tigherneach."

"My Lady, let's get you out of here," Captain Aengus said amiably.

"Before that, apologize to her. You are a trained soldier, my guard. You should have noticed the upcoming ambush. Now your future queen has blood on her face."

Captain Aengus's face tensed. He nodded.

"Yes your Majesty," the captain said gravely. "I will do better, my queen."

King Lorcan scoffed at the apology and rode off. "Very well."

Captain Aengus watched the king ride away.

Niamh asked, "Is he always like that?"

"Abrupt or harsh?" The captain picked up his reins and squeezed his horse forward. "He has had to be both. Lorcan had to fight for his right to sit on that throne, and get the kingdom under control once his father and brother were gone."

With a small movement of his hand, the captain signaled to Niamh to follow and rode away. She followed, asking herself, "What have I gotten myself into?"