The Ugly Princess by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 0000000000000
Published: 2024-04-14T18:54:23+00:00

CHAPTER 15

Ted Truville ordered the company to break camp as soon as they had eaten the next morning. Chris, who had slept in a borrowed blanket on the floor of the tent he’d shared with Ted and his second-in-command, was forcibly reminded why he hated sleeping on the ground by his sore back.

Though his impulse was to dress and go immediately to the queen's tent, he forced himself to work the kinks out by running through his sword forms instead. The Moldori would make sure nothing happened to her, and she likely needed some extra sleep after all the unaccustomed exercise—not to mention excitement—she'd had.

The chill morning air on his bare chest and back felt quite pleasant by the time he was halfway through his drill. Though being surrounded by a large body of armed men packing to move on offered all sorts of distractions, he applied the kind of focus to the movements they demanded if they were to be done correctly; and the noises and smells and sights of the bustling encampment disappeared. He was one with his blade—until some sense of intrusion broke through his concentration and alerted him he was being watched.

He spun around. Queen Jahmelle, flanked by the two Moldori who had arrived first the night before, stood silently under the pink glow of the dawning sun. The light breeze ruffled her veils and the folds of her skirt. Her escorts were gazing at him with undisguised appreciation, their eyes traveling all over his bare chest and down to his boots. They exchanged a glance and a grin. He felt like a side of beef being considered for dinner.

Suddenly remembering his manners, he dropped to his knee. He'd had the etiquette of his office drummed into him practically from birth, and the monarch’s being a woman just made them all the more important.

“Your Grace,” he said. “I didn't think you'd be awake yet, or I'd have—”

“Sir Christopher, I appreciate your devotion to duty,” she interrupted, “but I really don't think you need hover quite so much under present circumstances.”

It would have sounded like criticism if he hadn't heard the laughter in her voice. She was right, of course. There were certain to be times in the coming days when he would need to be her shadow, and likely her patience would wear thin at his constant presence very quickly. It would do them both good to take advantage of any chance to be apart. He did wish those bloody women would stop licking their lips, though.

He got up and put on his shirt and arming doublet, uncomfortable to be half-naked in front of his monarch and beginning to feel the chill now he’d stopped working. Just then Ted returned from whatever commander's errand he had been on, leading his mount and followed by Marvaya and the ehtan. The chieftain led a gorgeous dappled Moldori mare in addition to her own traditional black.

“Come, daughter,” she said. “Take horse, and we will go.”

Chris sighed softly. He had anticipated this and before falling asleep had wrestled with how he would deal with it.

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