New Responsibilities?

Nythana’s impression of Daromir was that he was a hard-headed man; stiff as a board and set in his ways. He clearly cared deeply for his king and his people, but his dislike for dark mages almost seemed to outshine that care.

“You’re really going to force yourself to put up with this man?” Mycelium asked in her head.

“For the sake of thousands of years’ worth of life energy?” Nythana thought back. “Yes.”

“At least ask how often you’ll need to use all of these ‘skills’ that you’re going to be forced to learn.”

Nythana nodded and said, “When will I be expected to act with this etiquette?”

“At all times that you are in public,” he said. “Preferably in private as well. You never know who may be watching.”

Nythana sighed. “So be it.”

This is just like when I was a noble girl’s playmate when I was twelve, Nythana thought. Hopefully I’ll be able to pick up on things better now than I did then.

“Oh, yes,” Daromir said. “The Tributary Bachelor Tournament is to be held one month. That will be the first big event that you and His Majesty will attend as the King and future-Queen Consort.”

“Understood.”

I hope we can talk during the tournament, Nythana thought. I’d like to know him better as a man, not just as a king, and I’m not sure I could sit through an entire tournament otherwise.

“It’ll also be the last of the Tributary tournaments, so we’ll need to make it count,” Basil added.

“Actually, Your Majesty,” Daromir said. “Perhaps we should put Gerenda under her and have them oversee large events in our stead.”

“We’ve somehow transitioned from merely supporting the king to planning events on his behalf,” Nythana thought.

“I can’t say I didn’t see this coming,” Mycelium said.

“You fully intend to throw her straight into deep water, don’t you?” Basil asked with an accusatory side-eye at Daromir.

“I do, Your Majesty. If you’re intent on taking her as Queen, I intend to take full advantage of it. I’d like my next marriage to last longer than five years.”

Basil sighed.

“And speaking of events,” Daromir continued unabashed. “The magical beast hunt is in five months, so you’ll be appearing there as well. You’ll be Queen by then.”

“Magical Beast Hunt?” Nythana asked.

“It’s a culling of magical beasts in the Basilisk Forest that takes place every year to prevent the magical beasts from growing too powerful,” Basil explained. “It’s a competition to see who can kill the strongest beast with the winning community receiving one year free of taxes as a prize.”

“Clever,” came Mycelium’s heartfelt compliment. “A perfect incentive for the towns and cities to send their warriors out for dangerous drudgery.”

“It sounds exciting,” Nythana thought. “I’d love to go out and hunt magic beasts in a forest with Basil.”

“Of course, that assumes that His Majesty’s team doesn’t win,” Daromir said. “If His Majesty wins, taxation resumes as normal for the next year for all provinces.”

“You participate as well?” Nythana asked, looking at her new fiancé.

“Of course,” Basil said. “My eyes aren’t my only weapons. I can use a spellsword and casting rod.”

“Ooh,” Nythana said. “That sounds like a grand time.”

“You won’t be participating, though,” Daromir said.

“What? Why not?”

Why would you tell me about something entertaining only to turn around and tell me it’s not for me? Nythana thought to herself. “This man has no manners.”

“It took you this long to realize?” Mycelium asked.

“Because we’re going to keep your status as a dark mage secret from the people for as long as physically possible,” Daromir said without a shred of remorse in his voice.

This man… Nythana forced herself to calm down. “I can’t be angry at him when I hate dark mages just as much as he does.”

“You’ve never actually said that aloud,” Mycelium noted. “Maybe it would help.”

“Oh, and one more thing,” Daromir said before Nythana could even open her mouth. “There is a deep-seeded tradition in Basileus for the king and queen to consummate their marriage under The Goddess’ blessing on their first night together.”

She started to narrow her eyes but caught herself and forced a neutral expression.

“He’s trying to get under my skin, isn’t he?” she thought. “What other reason could there be to bring up something like that at this moment?”

“Perhaps he’s testing you?” Mycelium suggested, but Nythana could sense that they didn’t believe it.

“Well, he won’t get what he wants out of me. I’ve already made my decision.”

Nythana touched her hand to her chest and said, “If consummating the marriage on our first night is part of the arrangement, I will perform my duties.”

“Really?” Basil asked.

“Of course,” Nythana said, thoroughly confused. “Is it truly that surprising?”

“No, it’s just… I thought you’d be more resistant to it.”

“It doesn’t seem to be her first time,” Daromir said.

Nythana didn’t stop her eyes from narrowing this time. Some lines shouldn’t be crossed.

“That was uncalled for,” she said darkly. “And for your information, it will be my first time.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

His voice and expression oozed doubt.

“It is,” she said. “There aren't a lot of people aside from dark mages in The Northern Wastes, and none of my owners ever called on me for nightly services since I was such a late bloomer.”

There was a short, stunned silence as Basil’s clenched-jawed glare at Daromir shifted into a wide-eyed, slack-jawed stare at Nythana.

“And there’s that unnecessary information again,” Mycelium remarked.

Lium’s right, Nythana thought, lamenting her foolishness. I definitely let Daromir get under my skin,

“Owners?” Daromir’s brow furrowed again.

“You were a slave?” Basil asked.

I should've kept this to myself for the time being. It’s too late now.

“For six years starting when I was eleven,” she said.

“You certainly talk of it easily,” Daromir said flatly.

Nythana would have ignored his barbed comment, but Basil bobbed his head in agreement.

Urk…

“It's no surprise he'd be curious,” Mycelium said.

“Yeah,” she thought back. “Anyone would be if they found out their betrothed had been enslaved before. I guess I’d best explain it.”

“I was mostly used as a maidservant,” she said with a sigh. “Though I was once a playmate for a noble’s daughters until she grew bored with me. What little etiquette I know was learned during that time. Perhaps I talk easily about it because I got off easy…”

She let her voice trail off.

What am I saying? she thought.

“Perhaps you should rectify your blatant lie before misunderstandings arise,” Mycelium suggested.

“At least until I was sold to a dark mage, I mean,” she said.

Heavy silence filled the room. Even the cantankerous Daromir didn’t have a snarky response to that. It was no secret what it meant for a slave to be purchased by a dark mage. Not even Nythana herself had made it out of a dark mage’s enslavement with her heart still beating.

“Rest assured,” Basil said after a horribly awkward pause. “There is no slave trade in Basileus Kingdom.”

“Indeed,” Daromir put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest. “His Majesty abolished such things shortly after the war, punishable by death.”

Nythana almost smiled. Despite his prickly demeanor, Daromir always spoke with an unmistakable tone of pride when he talked about Basil’s accomplishments.

“Since then, all slaves have been freed, and criminals that would otherwise be sold as slaves are sent to the mines as penal laborers instead,” Daromir continued. “The degree of their crimes determines how deep in the mines they’re sent. Simple debt will put people closer to the surface while murderers and the like are consigned to the depths. Also, selling one’s children is not allowed. Children that can’t be taken care of may be sent to the orphanage but selling them is illegal.”

That fits Basil’s image well, Nythana thought with a smile. My husband-to-be is looking to be quite the catch… though what he sees in me is a mystery to me.