The Cold King (9 page)

But it still hurt the young man to lose it and the king saw that. “I will accept your watch as payment,” he finally said. “And I hope that you will share with others so inclined to steal from me to impress their loves that I will always take what is most valuable.” Again Calia narrowly avoided rolling her eyes. Of course the Cold King would value a trinket over love or time.

With that he excused the young couple from the garden and went to sit on a bench in the sunshine. Calia stood with her arms wrapped around her chest, unsure of what to do. Finally the king waved her over to sit beside him.

She sat as far from him as she could, intensely disliking being so close. Even seated, the king towered over her and she could faintly smell his soap and the mint leaves he liked to chew. She was surprised to feel the warmth coming off him in waves. She had been sure he had been carved from ice.

The king toyed with the watch for several minutes before throwing it in the dirt. “Excellent judgment,” he finally said.

The poor treatment of the man’s heirloom made her heart sink a little. “You think so?” she asked.

“I do. It is a true and just punishment.”

Calia shook her head. “For a flower.”

The king looked at her sideways and she had to work to avoid gazing into the hateful, glittering mask. “Flower or gold, he stole from me.”

Calia glowered. “You know our engagement custom is to present a rose during proposal. We cannot grow roses in the valley! I’ve never even seen a real one. So we make do with paper flowers while our king sits on a garden full of real ones.”

The king sat back against the bench. “I do. I work hard to grow those flowers. Each one is a seedling I plant myself. I look over them, make sure they are tended to and weeded, make sure they are given water when there is no rain. I’ve worked very hard to get them grow in the cold mountain weather. Why should it be tolerable for someone to steal them from me?”

Calia gritted her teeth. “No one should steal. But neither should anyone hoard. If you can provide engagement flowers than you should do so. I am not saying allow people to steal them or give them away for free. But if you have so many you should be able to allow a few to go for a fair price and a good reason.”

“And what do you think is a good price? A gold coin? Ten gold coins?”

Calia did not hesitate. “Something that is precious to them. The price would be different for everyone. Not everyone could afford to pay with money but they could pay with something else that is dear.”

He sat for a long time before saying, “I will think on it. Now it is time for you to retire.”

She nodded in relieved agreement and made her way to the door but a faint, musical sound stopped her and she looked around. At the very far end of the garden light reflected off a rippling surface onto the stone wall. She edged towards it, fascinated by the rushing sound.

In a corner almost totally obscured by roses was a pool carved out of the rock. She could see where the warm water flowed in from a natural underground spring and where it flowed out in the back. The holes were cleverly placed so they created a natural current and a person would have to be adept at swimming to stay afloat.

“You must never come here.” The king was so close his breath tickled her ear and she jerked away. He grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him. She expected anger but curiously, he seemed afraid. “This is my own personal space. Whatever you do, never come here again.”

She swallowed and nodded, trying not to look around. He eased his grip a little but didn’t let go as he led her back into the castle. He said nothing the entire way back to her room and Calia wondered what was so special about his pool that it would anger and frighten him that she knew of its existence.

“You did well,” he finally grated out, as if giving her a compliment pained him.

And with he left her at her door and slammed through his.

Calia let herself into her room and sat shakily on the bed, wrestling with her emotions. While it was true she was a slave to a mad king, at least she was no longer just mother’s chore girl. At least she was no longer invisible. Right?

Chapter Six

A
lthough it had felt like
winter for several weeks already, when Calia woke up the next morning she could feel it was about to truly descend. The sky was milky white and sharp but still. She rushed to the window, disappointed to still just see the crumbling fall leaves mixed with a thin layer of frost.

She dressed in her new favorite gown, a soft violet one with a silky undershirt and slipped on her blessedly comfortable boots. She would have to find a way to thank Marchello.

The kitchen was a flurry of activity and she stood in the entrance for several minutes, shocked.

All of the servants were there, something she hadn’t seen before and Cato was flinging out plates of hot eggs and toast to all. Marchello and Abelina had cornered Jos at a small table and were reviewing a long list. He looked miserable and was somehow already covered in dust and dirt. Klaribel and Iago were at the counter, arguing over what could and could not go in her horse barn.

“No, the barn is for animals, not for things,” she was saying.

Iago brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen loose from her tight braid and Calia’s eyes nearly bugged out. “It’s only for a time, my dear, until we go through some of the wares. Come now, we do this every year and the horses are always fine.”

Cato caught her gawking and barked out, “Come get your breakfast and then the kings, we have a lot of work to do today.”

Stunned, she grabbed her plate of food and shoveled it in while the cook fixed the kings tray.

“What’s going on?” she asked around a steaming mouthful of egg. Abelina frowned at her and she quickly closed her mouth.

“Our last shipment before winter comes today, the biggest of the year. Here’s the tray, hurry now!”

Calia picked up the tray and then hesitated. “But what do I do, how do I help?”

Marchello cleared his throat. “You do whatever the king tells you to.”

Calia gulped and nodded.

She wanted to rush into his rooms and ask the king what was happening but some of her training was finally beginning to set in and so she made herself calmly knock, enter and place his tray as gracefully as she could. For once he wasn’t scribbling at his desk but seemed to be waiting for her.

Uneasy, she set everything out and served him then took her place on the other side of the table.

“Can I get you anything else, Your Majesty?”

He was quiet for a moment and she fought the urge to look at him. Finally he asked, “Do you know what is happening today?”

She nodded then caught herself. “Yes, Your Majesty. Um, today a large shipment arrives?”

He sighed at her indecision. “Yes, a very large shipment, one meant to hold us over for the entirety of winter, arrives today.” He was silent then added, “You may ask any questions you have.”

Her mind raced but she wisely assumed he welcomed only questions relating to the shipment. “What would you have me do, Your Majesty?”

He smiled, pleased with her. “There are many things coming today, food, fabric, spices and even some livestock. But in all of that there is a box, a very special box, and I want you and you alone to retrieve it and bring it straight to me.”

Calia was a little disappointed with the meager task but did not let it show. “Yes, Your Majesty. What does the box look like?”

“It’s this big,” he said, holding his hands about a foot apart. “It will be polished mahogany and will bear this design on the lid.” He held up a letter and tapped at the intricate swirling at its head.

Calia squinted and memorized it. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Then see to it,” he said, and dismissed her with the wave of his hand.

The kitchen was empty when she came back downstairs so she followed the sounds of chaos out into the court yard.

“Hold!” a man was yelling and several animals neighed and snorted in response.

The sight was overwhelming. Calia counted ten heavily laden wagons drawn by huge horses and led by giant men. She had never seen horses, or men, so big and she watched in wonder as Klaribel reached up to one of the animals and petted its velvety nose. The animal leaned its head into her and nearly knocked her to the ground.

The stable master just laughed. “One day, Hos, you are going to be delivering some of these animals to me.”

The huge man holding the reins gave a grin, revealing some missing teeth. “Not in your dreams, missy, these animals are our bread and butter.”

“Watch it,” Jos hissed, roughly brushing past Calia.

She jumped and apologized but he had already rushed off with an armload.

Uncertain of who to ask, she finally approached the man Klaribel had called Hos and touched his arm.

He turned and she backed away, fully realizing how much bigger than her he was. His long unruly hair twined with his long, unruly beard and the furs he wore only emphasized his mass.

“Excuse me, sir,” she squeaked out and he roared with laughter.

The other men laughed with him and she shrunk back. His riotous laughing slowed and he wiped a tear from his eye. “Sir? That’s the best I’ve heard all year. What can I do for you, little missy?”

Calia gave a tentative smile, warmed by his kindness. “I am looking for a box for my master.”

He smiled and nodded. “I know just the one.” Hos reached under his seat on the wagon and pulled out a small bundle out. He carefully peeled the felt wrappings away and gravely placed the highly polished box in her hands. “There you have it, now straight to your king with it.” He frowned like he wanted to say something more but then just waved her away.

She nodded and walked back to the castle, wary of the box and its mysterious contents, as if they might explode in her face.

Jos sneered as she passed him. “One box? That’s all she has to carry? I have to unload all this
and
find a place for it!” He angrily waved to indicate all the laden wagons.

Iago frowned at him as he rushed by but Klaribel was the one to say something. “Shut your trap, maid. We help with all of it, just like we’ve done every year.”

Jos pouted. “Well, you do not have to clean out the storage areas.”

“Right, because
you
are the maid. Be glad you do not have to muck out horse shit. That’s my job because I am the stable master but you do not hear me complaining. Now stop whining and get to work.”

Calia turned away quickly, embarrassed to witness the young man’s rebuking. He took off with a very red face and she left in the opposite direction, feeling bad for him.

She climbed the stairs timidly, curious and afraid of the special box. She balanced it carefully on one hand to knock and enter the king’s rooms. He sat behind his desk, and what she could see of his face was very stern. Fear wiggled in her belly. Was he displeased with her?

The Cold King indicated for her to set the box in front of him. They both held their breath as he lifted the lid a few inches. She could not see into the box from her place opposite of him but whatever he saw pleased him greatly.

He smiled and shut the lid, then steepeled his fingers under his chin. “Every day you show me you are trustworthy and of sound judgment.”

She blinked at the unexpected compliment. Never had anyone said something so nice about her and she certainly hadn’t expected him to be the first.

“My lord?” she asked.

His smile widened. “The man who sent me this knows I trust his secrecy above all else. He always fashions these boxes in a way so that I can tell if they have been opened at any time between when he closes it for the last time and I open it for the first.”

She stifled a relieved sigh, glad that for once she hadn’t let curiosity overcome her. Then another thought came. “But what if the men delivering it had opened it? Would you have thought it was me?”

“I would have known it was you. The penalty for opening one of my boxes is death. The deliverers are well aware of that.”

Calia felt as if she had been doused with ice water. Though he could be kind at times, he truly was a Cold King.

“Can I get you anything else?” she asked in a small voice.

“No, you are excused for the day.”

“The whole day?”

His mouth pinched in annoyance. “Yes, that is what I meant.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” she said and rushed out the door.

She knew exactly what she would do with her free time.

Calia hurried to change into the ugly charcoal dress she had first worn at the castle and rushed down stairs, looking for Jos. He was carrying in a wobbling arm load of potatoes, his face set in resentment.

“Here,” she said, taking the top two bags that threatened to fall. “Let me help you with that.”

He looked at her distrustfully but did not say anything as she followed him down to the stores and put the food away. Calia followed him back out to the coaches and asked what she should get next.

Jos turned to her with his hands on his hips. “Why are you helping me?”

Calia shrugged and let her eyes linger over the mounds of good. “Because it looks like you need it.”

He pursed his lips but pointed at the mountains of bagged carrots. “These go in next.”

It was a very long morning. Calia was in and out of the castle, up and down the stairs to the stores more times than she could count. They unloaded vegetables, pounds of salt, enormous jars of spices and heavy skids of butter. The other servants toiled right along with them and Calia began to wonder just how long winter would last in the mountain.

Finally the wagons were empty and the men hitched their giant horses back to them and took back off up the mountain road they had come in on.

Suddenly devoid of physical labor, Calia shivered in the courtyard. Abelina put an arm around her shoulder. “Come, Cato has a warm lunch for us.”

They all gathered around the large table in the back of the kitchen near the warm fires and ate and laughed and bemoaned their already sore muscles. Iago and Klaribel sat close together, Cato filled their bowls continually and even gruff Marchello grinned.