The Carnelian Tyranny: Savino’s Revenge Page 3

  He hesitated. “It was—my fault.”

  “Your fault?”

  He nodded sadly.

  “I can’t believe that. How was it your fault?”

  “One day, when I was fifteen, I discovered that my father had enlisted me in the Carnelian Academy without my consent. I confronted him, and we had a dreadful quarrel. He thought that I needed to learn discipline and duty to become a good monarch. He said that I could only learn true humility by becoming a soldier.”

  “And?”

  “I respected my father, but it angered me. The last thing I wanted was to be told what to do.” His eyes grew distant. “He seemed to control every aspect of my life then.”

  “So what happened?”

  “I ran away.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “To Queen Sophie’s. Her family was in residence at the winter palace.”

  “Savino’s castle?”

  He nodded. “I climbed on my horse and rode toward Abbadon. But my decision to leave was hasty and ill-planned. I was already cold and tired by the time I reached Andrésis, so I used all the money I had just to rent a room. I sat in my room at the Blue Boar Inn, nursing a jug of ale and contemplating where my life was going.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “Later that evening, my father discovered that I had run away, and somehow he knew I was headed to Abbadon. He set out with some men to find me, and early the next morning, while I was still asleep, the party raced straight through the village, without stopping.

  “After the effects of the ale had worn off, I came to the realization that my father was right. He was only trying to help steer my life back onto the road. But of course I was too stubborn to admit it. I went home with my pride severely damaged. But when I reached Crocetta, my mother told me that my father had gone off in search of me.”

  “And your father?”

  He swallowed hard. “His party attempted to cross the Mychen Pass during the most treacherous time of the year. Nobody ever crosses it in winter. But my father’s concern for me drove him to take chances that he never should have taken.

  “One of the horses triggered an avalanche, sweeping my father and four of his men down over the cliffs. Three other men survived and returned to tell the story. My mother was devastated.”

  “Oh, that’s so—awful,” she whispered.

  “I was the reason he died that day.”

  “But it wasn’t your fault.”

  “I joined the Academy the following spring, vowing to devote my life in service to the kingdom and hoping to redeem myself. But, no matter what I did, the guilt would never go away.”

  She grabbed his hands. “Darian, it was not your fault.”

  “I have been trying to convince myself of that ever since. But when I see the sadness in my mother’s eyes, it fills me with guilt.”

  “She doesn’t blame you, does she?”

  He shrugged. “She says not, but I am not so sure.”

  “You’ve got to let it go.”

  “That is much easier said than done. My last words to my father were spoken in anger. I can never take them back.”

  His gaze broke away from the harbor, his eyes locking on her face. “I suppose that is why I always struggle to maintain control. In all situations.”

  She smiled. “But you can’t control everything that happens. Isn’t that what you keep telling me?”

  His lips curved into a sheepish grin. “Yes, I suppose I do.”

  “And at least you’re talking about it. That’s a step in the right direction.”

  “I never had someone to confide in.”

  Her hand moved to gently cover his. “You can always talk to me. You know that, right?”

  “Yes.” His lips brushed hers softly. “And for that, I shall always be grateful.”

  “It’s nice to be needed,” she whispered against his lips.

  “Come. I need to get some work done before my appointment in an hour, and you should let others know that you are still alive.”

  CHAPTER 3

  PERSUASION

  Spotting Darian and Marisa at the end of the corridor, Uncle Al strode over to meet them.

  “Ah, there you are,” he said, giving his niece a kiss.

  “How are you today, Baron Macario?” she teased, knowing how much her uncle abhorred the pompous titles.

  “Very well, Your Highness,” he answered with a wry smile.

  Ever since Alistair MacCallum had returned to Carnelia, he started using his birth name of Alessio Macario. Although he would always look back on his time on Earth with great fondness, it was time to pick up the pieces of his former life again. At last, he had returned to the place where he belonged, and that name was a part of his unique heritage.

  “How are the archery lessons coming along?”

  She shrugged. “Okay, I guess. But I can’t understand why I even need them, living in this guarded prison all the time.”

  “Here we go again,” Darian muttered under his breath.

  “Trouble?” Alessio asked, arching his brow.

  Darian rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Like it or not, you are the Princess Regent. You must remain under the protection of the citadel at all times. It is just not safe at Castle Beauriél!”

  “You know he’s only trying to keep you safe,” Alessio offered. “After all, it’s what your father would have wanted.”

  “Then why did he let mom live out at Beauriél?”

  “They only lived there until it became too dangerous,” he explained. “Once your father realized that, he brought all of you back to the citadel.”

  “But can’t we just get more guards to protect the place?”

  Alessio shook his head, touching her shoulder. “Don’t you understand? Savino is out there, plotting against you. We have to be ready for him, not sitting ducks.”

  “Your uncle is right,” Darian agreed. “Although we have spies in Abbadon tracking his movements, it is just too dangerous.”

  “Okay, I get the point! It’s not safe. But what about Matilda? How long will she be living with us?”

  Darian did a double-take. “At which point did Lady Matilda become the subject of this discussion? We were explaining the folly of you living alone at Beauriél.”

  “Uncle Al mentioned Savino, and it made me think of her.”

  “Fair enough,” Darian answered. “Lady Matilda shall be staying with us for as long as is necessary. I could not in good conscience send her back to the brother who tried to poison her.”

  “So now her stay is indefinite?”

  He stared at her. “You are not still jealous of her, are you?”

  “No,” she said defensively. “But she is a Fiore. Maybe Savino thinks you’ll change your mind and go back to her.”

  His eyebrows shot upward. “Is that what you think?”

  There was a moment of awkward silence between them before Alessio clapped his hands, rubbing them together.

  “Well, this conversation has taken a turn I don’t care to navigate, so I think I’ll be moving along.”

  “See you later,” she said softly. Her uncle waved, disappearing around the corner.

  “We need to talk,” Darian said, gently steering her down the corridor and into the Jade Room.

  Darian opened the doors of the balcony and, as they stepped outside, a blast of cold air hit Marisa’s face. Pulling her cloak tightly around her, she gazed out at the breathtaking mountains bright with snow, marveling at the way the jagged peaks turned into steep hills that sloped all the way down toward the harbor. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Darian studying her thoughtfully.

  “What was the meaning of that?” he asked finally.

  “Meaning of what?”

  “Something is troubling you. Do you plan to tell me what it is, or must I tickle it out of you?”

  Smiling, she stared at the ground. “No, that won’t be necessary.”

  “What is it then?”

  “I, uh—�
� She felt ridiculous even bringing it up, but she would have no rest until she knew the truth.

  “Yes?” he said, gently coaxing her.

  “I was just wondering—was Matilda ever under the impression that the two of you would be married?”

  “What!?”

  “Well, I—uh, mean, as a casual observer, it seemed obvious even to me that you would marry her,” she stammered. “She must have been pretty disappointed when she found out that we were engaged.”

  “First of all, you were never just a casual observer. Second, I have known Mattie all her life, and I have never left her with the understanding or impression that we would someday be wed.”

  “Oh.” The tension in her shoulders eased a bit. “But it must have crossed both of your minds, right? I mean, once Princess Maraya was out of the picture and all…?”

  He crossed his arms across his chest. “Why are you suddenly so insecure about my feelings for you?”

  “I don’t know.” She avoided his eyes. “Maybe because the two of you have a history together.”

  “History?” He threw his head back and laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Ah, my dearest, do not forget that we too have history.”

  “That’s different. We were kids back then. In fact, I can hardly remember any of it.”

  “Do you mean to tell me, madam, that you cannot recall the time that I pulled out your frilly hair ribbons and tied them to the roast pig’s tail at the Feast of the Ordination?” he asked, gently tugging on a long lock of her chestnut hair.

  She smiled. “Of course not. But that sounds like something you’d do,” she said, pointing at him accusingly. “And don’t change the subject.”

  He sighed. “Although a match with Matilda had been suggested by others, it was never my intention. I was never attracted to her in that way.”

  “So you wouldn’t have married the beautiful Barbie doll even if she were the last Fiore princess ever?” She eyed him skeptically.

  “Bar-a-bee doll?”

  “Forget it.” She waved it away. “Just answer the question.”

  He paused for a moment, wiping a smudge off his boot.

  “I must admit, there was a time several months ago when I briefly entertained the idea of marrying her to keep Savino off the throne. But I never said a word to her, and I never misled her in any way. Of course, I never assumed that love would be a factor in any marriage I might enter into.”

  “So if I’d been a common girl, you would’ve married her?”

  A mischievous smile spread across his lips. “The day I discovered you up in those woods, the notion of ever marrying anyone else vanished completely.”

  She stared at him accusingly. “So then, why did you ignore me and pay extremely close attention to her? You sat next to her at every meal. You escorted her on the hike up to the falls.”

  “Now wait just a moment there—”

  “Even on my birthday boat trip, you avoided me like the plague but never left her side! When she got sick, you took on the role of the concerned boyfriend…”

  “If you would just—”

  “That in itself told me that you two were—uh, together. Why would you go to such lengths to mislead me if you really loved me?”

  “Are you finished yet?” he asked, crossing his arms with an amused smile.

  “Yes.”

  “I was sending signals to someone else. Or at least trying to.”

  “Signals?”

  He sighed. “I was ignoring you on purpose.”

  She stared at him blankly. “What?”

  “I could not let Savino discover the truth. There has always been a bitter rivalry between us, especially with women. If he were to discover that I loved you, I knew that he would try to steal you away.”

  She stopped. “But what about his marriage proposal?”

  He looked at her skeptically. “Did you not think it strange that a man should propose marriage to a woman so soon after they had been introduced? Especially since said scoundrel believed your station in life to be so completely beneath his own?”

  “Well, yeah—but I just assumed that was how things worked around here.” Her eyes widened. “You mean he never wanted to marry me in the first place?”

  Darian shrugged his shoulders, smiling apologetically.

  She stopped for a moment to mull it over. “Let me get this straight. You’re telling me that Savino was never interested in me? At all? He just didn’t want you to have me?”

  “I am truly sorry to be the one to tell you, my love, but it was his intense dislike of me and not your charm and beauty that enticed him into making you an offer of marriage.”

  She stared at him, dumbfounded.

  “Somehow he must have sensed that I loved you from the first moment we arrived at Abbadon.”

  “And the whole ploy with the peace treaty…?”

  “The treaty was genuine. At least from my side. When he countered with the proposal of making you his bride, he took a very risky gamble.”

  “How?”

  “He wanted to see whether I would fight for the woman I loved or sacrifice that love for the sake of duty and the kingdom. He was betting all along I would choose you.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t have to do either.”

  “I prayed that he would not recognize you as I had nor discover your true identity. From the first day I met you, I had to make it seem as if I was indifferent to you…”

  “—and convince everyone else that you loved Matilda.”

  “Yes. As far as Savino knew, his sister was the only woman I could marry and still ascend the throne.”

  “Why are you only telling me this now?”

  “You never asked before.”

  She leaned back, studying his handsome profile. “You are quite a talented actor, do you know that? You even had me fooled.”

  “Little did Savino know that another Fiore princess had already stolen my heart,” he whispered, winking playfully at her.

  “So it is my royal title you’re after.”

  “No,” he said softly, pulling her close. “It has always been the woman behind the title that I care about.”

  “You’ve had a tough burden to bear, haven’t you?” she asked, tracing a finger across the silvery scar along his jawline.

  “Indeed. Why do you think I fought so hard for you to stay back in Andrésis? I knew what would happen if you went with us on to Abbadon.”

  “I think I’m feeling an ‘I told you so’ coming on.”

  “In fact,” he said sternly, “I specifically remember saying that you would only end up complicating matters.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ve made a note to trust you more in the future.” She looked at him coyly. “And in exchange, maybe you’re willing to offer a compromise?”

  “On which matter do I need to compromise?”

  “If you let me stay at Castle Beauriél until after Christmas, I’ll move back into the castle the day before my coronation.”

  “What is Christmas?”

  She stared at him. “You don’t know?”

  He shook his head.

  “It’s the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus.”

  Darian said nothing, staring at her blankly.

  “He was a man who lived on Earth more than two thousand years ago,” she explained. “He healed people from their sicknesses and performed miracles. He died a horrible death but came back to life three days later.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “He claimed to be the Son of God.”

  “And your people celebrate this man’s birth each year?”

  “Yes, and it’s my favorite holiday. Families get together and give presents and enjoy delicious meals. Can we celebrate it at Beauriél?”

  He studied her face. “I can see how much this means to you. Perhaps there is no harm in celebrating at Castle Beauriél if we post extra guards. I shall make the necessary arrangements.”

  �
��Oh, Darian—thank you!” She hugged him. “Thank you!”

  “But remember—it is only temporary!”

  Grateful to him for saving her life in so many ways, she gazed lovingly into his eyes. When the warm softness of his lips met hers, she sighed inwardly. As they kissed, soft white snowflakes began to drift down around them, sticking to the freezing surface of the balcony.

  Feeling tiny bits of cold hitting her face, she opened her eyes and squealed in delight. “Look, Darian!” She twirled around in circles, her arms swinging freely as her face tilted up toward the sky.

  “You are the most beautiful winter princess I have ever seen.”

  Big, fat flakes continued to drift down, covering the landscape in a blanket of pure white. She stopped twirling to gaze at him. His stunning grin made her heart stop, and the way his crystal eyes held hers warmed her soul.

  Never wanting to forget this special moment, she took a memory snapshot of Darian’s handsome, masculine form against the beautiful backdrop, imprinting it on her brain forever.

  CHAPTER 4

  HERITAGE

  The next morning, Marisa got dressed with a minimum of help from her ladies-in-waiting. She had decided from the first day she had officially become known as the Princess Regent that she did not want to be shadowed by a group of women. Although each royal before her had multiple ladies-in-waiting and handmaidens to help them bathe, dress, and whatever else was requested of them, she would have none of it. Her first official decree had been for her handmaidens to report in the morning to help her dress and from then on out, to only appear when they were summoned. Some in the castle did not approve of this decision, but since she was soon to be queen, no one dared to oppose her.

  After the ladies had fastened the tight corset around her and helped her get into the multiple layers of thick undergarments, they lowered the rich gown of indigo satin over her head. Edged with crystal beads, the low square neckline showed just a hint of the upper curves of her breasts, flattering her youthful décolleté. The dress accentuated her trim waist that was made even smaller by the corset, and the bodice was decorated with a thin layer of aqua lace. Choosing a pearl choker and drop earrings to compliment her look, she ran her fingers over the silky sheen of the fabric and smiled.