The Commander's Desire (13 page)

Elwytha returned to her room to smooth her
hair for supper. Not that she cared what any of this palace’s
ruffians—or her betrothed—thought of her. Nay. For her own dignity
she would retain her regal bearing.

Unfortunately, when she exited, she found the
Commander in his chamber, shaving his face with a small blade. She
spied his open trunk and smiled to herself. So he hid blades in the
box. Now only to find the key.

She fixed a pleasant smile upon her face.
“Good even, Commander.”

He ran the blade down his jaw and looked at
her in the mirror. “Good even.” Elwytha did not imagine the twist
to his lips. He concentrated on his task, moving the blade to his
neck. No doubt he wished to employ care to avoid slitting his
throat.

He had not shaved his head, she noticed.
Short black hair bristled from it, nearing his resemblance to a
normal man of his age.

Elwytha felt vaguely uncomfortable, watching
him perform his intimate shaving task, though she wasn’t sure why.
After all, she had watched her brothers trim their beards on many
an occasion.

“
Verily, that looks hard to
do in a mirror.” Elwytha commented, attempting to sound relaxed and
worldly.

He glanced over his shoulder. “You would be
willing to help me?”

He sported with her!

Very well, she could joust as well as he. She
smiled. “Truly, give me the blade, and I will finish the job.”

He rumbled with quiet laughter.

Uncomfortable with the pleasant feeling
between them, Elwytha fished about for something else to say.
Perhaps she should retire to her room. Better that than forced
civility with her enemy, the Commander.

A thought flashed to mind, and she blurted,
“Everyone calls you Commander. Do you have a normal name?” Then she
felt even more disturbed. Why had she asked?

The Commander turned. “You wish to know my
name?”

“
No. I was only
curious.”

He grunted and turned away again, rinsing his
blade.

“
You’re not going to tell
me?”

“
When you wish to know, I
will tell you.”

Elwytha scowled. What sort of an answer was
that? Now she burned to know even more. The irksome oaf.

She took a breath. It was better this way.
She didn’t need to know. Why assign a name to her hated enemy?
Already revenge was beginning to feel too personal, too
complicated. No quick felling with the sword, as in battle. How she
would have preferred that. But no. Now she knew his face. His
habits. The way he treated his horse, his men…her. She did not need
to know his name, too.

Elwytha crossed her arms and strolled the
room, waiting for the Commander to finish. No more talk with him,
she decided. It was proving treacherous to her purpose of mind.

Her betrothed finally rumbled, “I’m finished.
Are you ready to go?”

Elwytha faced him, chin square, eyes level.
“Of course.”

His eyes scanned her form then, as if
noticing her blue dress for the first time. She scowled and glanced
away in order to endure his perusal.

“
Blue suits you,” he said.
“You look nice.”

“
I’m glad to please you,”
she said sarcastically.

“
Have you misplaced the
brown dress you favor? Or the gray?”

Suspicion reared, and she glared. “What have
you done with them?”

He regarded her steadily, but did not
answer.

“
You told Hagma to throw
them out, didn’t you?” Her voice rose. “Must you strip away every
bit of my dignity? I would have those frocks. They are my
favorites!”

“
Nay.”

“
Nay? Pray, what do you know
of women’s fashion? Or what is acceptable in my eyes?”

“
Speak truth, Elwytha. You
wish to displease me. That is the only reason you wore those
dresses.”

She glared mutinously.

“
Hagma told me your
remaining dresses enhance your beauty. I would like to see you wear
them.”

Elwytha clenched her fists. “Again you order
me about, as if I’m a chattel, or a servant maid, or…or a child. I
will not have it. I am a princess. You will afford me some
dignity!”

“
The gray and the brown
enhance your dignity?”

“
They are my choice,” she
spat. “You would strip all choice from me. I will not have it. I
will not!” Her face felt flushed, and she would stamp her foot if
she didn’t think it would remind him of the child she professed she
was not.

“
Very well,” he said, deep
voice calm. “I will return your dresses if you promise me one
thing.”

She frowned. “What?”

“
Wear whatever dress you
wish during the day. At night, for supper, I would ask you to wear
one of the others. One that enhances your countenance.”

Elwytha glared, no less displeased. “I have
no wish for your eyes to ravage my form,” she returned coldly. “I
would have a needle and thread to fashion modest coverings for the
bodices.”

His lips twitched. She amused him. This
infuriated her still further. “Give me your word,” she
exclaimed.

“
Now you accept my word?”
Humor lurked in the quiet rumble.

She crossed her arms and stared at him.

“
Very well,” he agreed.
“But Hagma will approve the fabrics and alterations.”

“
What does Hagma know of
fashion?”

“
Verily, perhaps as much as
you. Now, are you ready to go to supper?”

Elwytha could not stop frowning. “Of
course.”

He opened the door and offered her his arm.
She ignored it. “Torture me no further,” she snapped. “I will only
touch you when we reach the hall.” She waited for no agreement. She
swept out the door and down the hall, not waiting for him to catch
up.

* * * * *

The Commander spoke little during supper. He
brooded on the unpleasant task before him that even; prying the
truth from Elwytha. Tightness formed in him, thinking about the
upcoming confrontation. The things he would have to say…or do…to
clear the air. He only hoped it wouldn’t make matters worse between
them.

* * * * *

Luckily, the Commander sat silently during
supper. Good, for Elwytha had no desire to speak to him. The Prince
she ignored as best she could.

“
I showed Elwytha our palace
treasures this afternoon,” the Prince told the Commander near the
end of the meal. He sipped his fourth cup of ale, and his eyes
glittered, too sharp and too bright.

The Commander regarded him for a moment
without speaking. “Why would you do that?”

“
He wished to boast,”
Elwytha interjected. “His lust for treasure is clear to me. Perhaps
it is why he continually marauds my land.”

The Prince raised his cup to her. “I have
agreed to peace.”

“
Peace,” she said with
disbelief. She trusted this Prince less than an inch. “Truly, you
must feel desperation to agree to my brother’s peace.”

“
Perhaps it is desperation
your brother feels.”

“
You have lost the last five
battles,” she scorned. “Pray, speak truth to me.”

The Prince and Commander looked at each
other, and a small smile curled the royal one’s mouth. “Your
brother told you this, Princess?”

Elwytha felt uneasy with the unspoken
messages passing between her two enemies. “Of course,” she said.
“He confided our victories to me.”

The Prince smiled wider now, and gulped the
remainder of his ale. “Tell her, Commander. Your bride needs
enlightenment.”

Elwytha frowned as the good side of the
Commander’s face turned further toward her, revealing the
mutilated, scarred side. The fearsome side. Apprehension rose in
her. “Speak no lies to me, Commander,” she warned.

His gaze levelly met hers. “I need speak no
lies. Your brother has lost the last five battles. Even now he
sends spies into our land, although he proclaims peace.” His slate
eyes bored into hers. “Speak what you know of his trickery.”

Confusion and alarm made her trembling hand
almost spill the contents of her cup. Sadly, she didn’t know whom
to believe, either. Then she told herself that she had to remain
true to her brother, her clan. Her two enemies tested her now,
trying to persuade her to break confidence with her own kin.

“
Nay. I don’t believe you,”
she retorted. “You would trick me to accomplish your dark purposes.
Perhaps even now you sport with my brother’s peace agreement. Are
you so treacherous that you would not keep your word?”

Never mind that her brother would not keep
his word of peace. Best to keep a united front before their
enemies.

She stared unwaveringly at the Commander, and
then narrowed her eyes at the Prince. “Waste no more time with your
lies. If you wish no peace, say so. I will gladly leave on the
morrow.”

The Prince glanced at his first-in-command.
“Is it a plan we wish, Commander?”

“
No,” the giant said
shortly. “We agreed to peace, and so peace we shall
have.”

The Prince’s head bobbed, the first tiny
indication the liquor had begun to addle his brain. “The Commander
speaks my words for me. But if your brother proves treacherous, I
will cut him down myself.” The black eyes watched her, testing her
response.

Elwytha swallowed. “Your words are pleasing.
In my next missive, I’ll assure Richard that you intend to deal
honorably with him.”

“
Do that,” said the Prince.
He smiled, but Elwytha didn’t like the calculating, mocking look in
his eyes.

She turned away and finished her fruit. “I
would retire,” she told her betrothed. “You need not accompany
me.”

“
I am finished.” To her
annoyance, he rose and accompanied her to his chamber. Inside, she
made haste toward her door.

He rumbled, “I would speak to you before you
retire.”

Frowning, Elwytha turned back. “We’ve done
enough speaking for one day. I tire of your presence.”

He closed much of the distance between them.
Elwytha wanted to back up, but her closed door stopped her.
Besides, she would no show fear to him. Thankfully, he stopped a
pace from her. He said, “We grew closer today.”

Elwytha gazed up at him,
dismayed. She thought back to the hut, and the rainstorm. “No. Just
because I allowed you to warm me doesn’t mean we’re
friends
now.”

“
I know,” he agreed. “You
hate me. Tell me why.”

Did he truly think she would reveal her hand
to him? Nay! Then he would suspect her true purpose in this castle.
“Think what you wish. I care not.”

“
Tell me.”

“
I wish to rest. Leave
me.”

“
I wish to know.” She saw
the steel in his eyes.

“
I have nothing to say to
you,” she gritted through her teeth. Why was he pressing this? Why
wouldn’t he leave her alone?

His large hands reached out and encircled her
arms. “Tell me, Elwytha.” She heard the plea in the quiet
growl.

She tensed. “Unhand me at once.”

“
Nay. We will finish this
now.”

He wasn’t going to release her. With a quick
twisting, ducking motion that her brother had taught her, Elwytha
tried to free herself. It didn’t work. He pulled her closer to
himself. She breathed faster, feeling fear flare. “Release me.”

He took a breath, as if considering it. But
then his voice came, hard and uncompromising. “Tell me why you hate
me.”

“
No.” Rage suddenly shook
through her. All of his orders, all of his demands… She would not
submit to her brother’s murderer. Not on this issue. She would die
before he wrestled the truth from her. No, verily
he
would die!

Viciously, she stamped on his instep. It
caught him by surprise, and then she kneed him in a most painful
place, and twisted free. She sprang across the room, whipping her
dagger to hand. If he would know the truth, he would know she
wanted to kill him. So the battle would begin now.

He stared at her, bent double, face contorted
in pain.

“
Choose your weapon,” she
spat. “I allow you one minute. And then we will finish
this.”

After several more harsh breaths, he
straightened. His face looked hard and fearsome, but she would
allow no fear to shiver through her. If only she possessed her
other blades, how quickly she could finish this. She tried to
ignore the part of her that felt sickened by her actions, and by
what she was about to do. She’d given him a fair chance. It was
time to finish it now.

He pulled a key from his pocket. Watching her
through his squinty eye, he bent and unlocked his trunk. Two
gleaming blades appeared in his hand. Her breath stopped. Her
blades.

“
Which is better?” he asked,
his eyes like slate. “Which the better balanced?”

The breath strangled in her throat. “You
found them.”

“
Yes.”

“
But you missed one,” she
said triumphantly. “This one.”

“
No.” He watched
her.

“
No?” She felt
confused.

“
I left that one for you to
find.”

“
Why?”

“
So you would reveal your
hand. As you have now.”

“
Nay,” she
gasped.

He tossed one knife to the side and advanced
toward her. A trick! It had all been a trick; finding the blade,
accosting her now… Indeed, he wanted to finish this. He had
suspected her treachery all along, and intended to kill her
now.