Sacrifices

Chapter 1

Are you sure that you’re ready for this? Eryk asked, leaning forward to brush his queen’s long brown hair back from her face before the baby in her arms could grab it.

I’m positive, Aislynn replied, smiling at him thankfully.  I’m so tired of being cooped up in this suite, if you don’t let me out soon, I’m going to scream.

It’s not the suite you’re tired of, the king corrected her with a chuckle. You just want back into the barracks to exercise.

That would be nice, she agreed, brown eyes sparkling.  At least I can already wear my weapons again.

Eryk, the king of Bacovia, laughed at his wife’s comment, picking up the other baby from his cradle. He looked over at Aislynn, his assassin and magically-bound bodyguard, amazed at how quickly she’d managed to regain her figure. She was taller than most of the women in the court, her body lean and muscular, with just a hint of a belly left over from her recent pregnancy.  Their twin sons had taken their toll on Aislynn’s body, but he knew that it wouldn’t take long for her to be back in top shape once she started her regular morning practices again. And she was right about the weapons — the matched sword and dagger Eryk had given her hung once more around her trim waist, something that had been impossible for the last number of months.

Aside from those first twenty-four hours of well-wishers, it’s customary for mother and child to remain confined for the first month after the birth, he reminded Aislynn, a small smile teasing his lips. And considering the circumstances, it was likely the best choice for you and the boys anyway.

Aislynn grimaced, and Eryk agreed with her unspoken displeasure. There’d been numerous attempts on both his and Aislynn’s lives before the birth of the twins at Midwinter, though the queen’s difficulties hadn’t ended there. He knew that feeding and caring for twins was a lot of work, but their… unusual circumstances made it impossible to find a nursemaid that suited their needs. The magical pact that bound Eryk and Aislynn together, as well as their home kingdoms of Bacovia and Evendell, produced a few children each generation who were destined to train as assassin-bodyguards to protect Bacovia’s monarch. These children were marked at birth with an eagle-shaped birthmark and the appearance of the magical eesprid , companions in the shape of animals.  The women who’d attempted the nursemaid job just couldn’t seem to deal with the pair of bear cubs that came along with the boys, leaving Aislynn to do everything herself, something that was rare among the nobility and unheard of for royalty.

"I have to admit that I have slept a lot these past weeks, getting caught up I guess, but I’m finding myself pacing more often than not now, Aislynn stated. Now that their feeding schedule is sorted out, things aren’t quite so hectic."

Eryk looked her over again, grinning in a positively masculine way. I do appreciate what feeding these little monsters has done to your figure, he commented with a smirk. Aislynn slapped him on the arm, but not too hard, and Eryk chuckled.

If you’re ready, your Majesties, I do believe your guests are waiting. 

Stephanie, Aislynn’s maidservant, came into the bed chamber with her arms full of fur — the eesprid . One of their boys, Drake, had the all-important birthmark on his left wrist like his mother, a birthmark that indicated that he was magically chosen for the special assassin training. Given the mark, it wasn’t really a surprise that Drake had a magical companion, but for some reason, Viktor had a bear cub, too. 

The young woman placed the cubs gently into one of the cribs beside Aislynn’s bed and stood, flipping her long brown braid back over her shoulder. After a lot of discussion, the king and queen had decided to keep the existence of the eesprid a secret from the court, and so the cubs would remain behind while the boys were introduced to the rest of the Bacovian nobility.

Thank you Stephanie. Eryk turned away from the bears and started for the door, but glanced over his shoulder at Aislynn.  Which one do I have?

The queen laughed. You have Viktor, she answered.

Aislynn and Eryk carried the princes from the room, Stephanie slipping ahead of them to open the door. Their guards, Jayce and Mateo, were waiting outside in the hall and fell in behind the royal couple while Cheta, Aislynn’s wolf eesprid , led the way to the staircase. Honestly, now that the pregnancy was over and Aislynn was able to defend herself again, Eryk knew that the pair of guards was actually for him rather than both of them, and he made a mental to note to talk to the captain of the guard about that. He’d seen, time and again, the benefits of Aislynn having her own protector, regardless of how ludicrous it seemed to give an assassin a bodyguard. And the boys – they needed a guard of their own, too, now that they wouldn’t be constantly in the presence of their mother.

These nephews of mine are terribly cute, Jayce commented to Aislynn as they walked down the corridor. He was Aislynn’s older brother, and they looked similar to each other, though Eryk knew that Jayce favoured their mother, with blue eyes instead of brown, and a wave to his brown hair.  Jayce was also an assassin like his sister, and he was here at the queen’s behest. He’d taken over Aislynn’s bodyguard duties during her pregnancy, but he wasn’t yet able to head home to Evendell because of the winter snows blocking the mountain passes between the two kingdoms.

"I’m glad you think so, since you’re going to be spending a lot of time with them, Aislynn answered. I need help changing diapers and the like, and now that I’m no longer confined to my suite, you can help me."

Aislynn laughed at her brother’s expression, but Jayce didn’t have time to reply before everyone reached the top of the stairs and started their descent to the palace foyer. 

Eryk glanced over at Mateo, the guard’s curly brown hair partially hiding scars that still seemed odd to see. The scarring showed on the exposed skin of Mateo’s face, neck and arms, the result of sacrificing himself in order to save the queen. A mage had thrown a fireball at Aislynn during an attack at the Midwinter Ball, and Mateo had jumped in front of it, getting badly burned but saving Aislynn and the children. The king was grateful for his action, but he knew Mateo well enough to know that the guard wouldn’t want his gratitude. Like Aislynn, when she’d been hurt in the line of duty, he’d been doing his job, and Mateo didn’t expect thanks for that. 

In the foyer, there were guards everywhere, the guard captain apparently taking no chances with the safety of the royal family with so many extra bodies in the castle. Aislynn nodded to Amanda, the guard’s junior lieutenant, as she passed. 

Everyone paused at the closed door of the throne room, where the captain of the guard waited. Byron smiled at them, though Eryk knew that his greeting was more for Aislynn than he.  The captain spent time with the king every day, after all, and Eryk knew that Byron missed his morning practices with the assassin as much as she did. He shook his head, wondering again if he’d made the right decision by letting Byron stay in Eaglecrest after the allegations of an affair with the queen had surfaced. The captain had sworn before the entire court that he’d never had an inappropriate relationship with Aislynn, and that he didn’t intend to, but he’d also admitted to everyone that he loved her. Somehow, it had been easier to deal with the complicated relationship between Byron and Aislynn when Eryk had been the only other one who knew for certain that it existed.

Everyone is gathered, your Majesties, Byron said, gesturing to the closed doors. There are a dozen guards inside, and Chelle and Mortimer screened everyone as they entered.

What would we do without the mages? Eryk mused aloud. They’ve been so helpful, reading surface thoughts and checking for danger. The mages were also one of the reasons he knew that Byron hadn’t been lying to him about Aislynn. The inquiry had been magically confirmed in front of the entire court in order to put the dangerous rumours to rest.

Imagine what you can do in five years, once the first class has passed their journeyman’s test, Jayce commented.

Well, we can’t start planning the future quite yet, the king stated. "There’ll be plenty of time for that after the presentation ceremony." He gestured to the door, and Byron bowed before slipping inside the throne room. Moments later, the herald’s voice rang out, and Jayce and Mateo each pulled a door open.

Lords and Ladies of Bacovia, please rise. Their Majesties, King Eryk and Queen Aislynn would like to present their Royal Highnesses, Prince Viktor and Prince Drake, heirs to the throne.

As the herald’s voice died away, Aislynn and Eryk stepped forward to the polite applause of their courtiers.  Jayce and Mateo followed, allowing the doors to swing shut while they walked the length of the throne room and stepped up onto the dais. The king and queen sat down on their thrones and settled the babies more comfortably, getting ready for the parade of nobles. Cheta settled at their feet, ready to keep curious nobles from getting too close.

It took about an hour for everyone to pay their respects, the women cooing over the babies and men congratulating Eryk as if he’d accomplished a rare and magical feat.  Twins weren’t unheard of, after all, though having twin boys was certainly a blessing, especially for a royal family. Considering one of the reasons Aislynn hadn’t wanted to marry revolved around having children, it was especially nice that she wouldn’t have to do this again — as long as at least one of the boys made it through his infancy, of course. Unfortunately, children died all the time, and Eryk knew that his children were likely especially vulnerable to an untimely death. A variety of people had been after his throne for quite some time, and his heirs were likely in danger too. In fact, before the queen’s pregnancy had been announced, there had been an ‘accident’ involving his cousin and then heir to the throne.  Davin had been pushed from the top of a castle parapet, a fall that would have killed him if not for his quick thinking and strong magical talents.  And as far as anyone in Bacovia knew, King Jackob of Evendell still hadn’t found out who was responsible.

Finally, the presentation ceremony was over, and not a moment too soon. The babies were starting to fuss and cry, the boys hungry once again, and Eryk followed Aislynn to his study as soon as they could leave the throne room.  She’d apparently decided that she could feed the twins in private there without having to go all the way back upstairs to her suite, and Eryk grimaced to himself. Sitting down on the couch, she took Viktor from his father and settled herself and the boys, the king making his escape by walking across the room to sit at his desk and deal with some paperwork.

Aislynn laughed, and Eryk looked over at her before quickly glancing away. What’s so funny? he asked.

You. I can’t believe that this still makes you so uncomfortable.

He shrugged. "I don’t know why, exactly. It’s obvious that the babies need to eat. I guess I never really thought about how babies eat." When it came right down to it, all of the biological functions of babies were things best left behind closed doors, in his personal opinion. Eryk knew he could leave them here, but then Aislynn would be hurt, and he most certainly didn’t want that . He wasn’t sure if his wife’s rather volatile temper had returned to normal yet, or if she was still a little… unbalanced.

Aislynn laughed again, and then changed the subject.  Would you have any objection to making Stephanie the nursemaid for the boys? she asked. I know that she can’t take over the feedings, but she could certainly do the rest.

No, I don’t think there’s any problem with that, but doesn’t she already have a job?

How much of her time do you think I actually take up?  I’m not exactly a demanding mistress, and she’s been really good with the babies since they were born.

"And the eesprid obviously don’t bother her either. Sure, go ahead, but feel free to ask for another maidservant if Stephanie can’t do both jobs."

A little while later, once the twins were fed and asleep once more, Aislynn sent a servant to summon Stephanie to the study.  When the young woman arrived, she glanced around apprehensively, not sure what to expect. She’d never been in the king’s study before, and Stephanie apparently didn’t know if she was in trouble or not.

Relax, Stephanie, Aislynn chided with a smile. We’re not going to bite. I just wanted to ask you if you’d be willing to take on the role of nursemaid for the children.

Oh! the young woman exclaimed, blushing prettily. I’d be honoured.

Excellent, Eryk proclaimed with a smile. Your first duty is to take these two to their cradles. I’ll send Jayce with you, just to be safe.

Stephanie curtsied and took the babies from the queen.  Eryk held the door for her and passed along his request to Jayce, who was happy to escort and guard the children upstairs.  As the door closed behind the assassin-prince, the king crossed the room to take Aislynn into his arms.

I’ve missed having you near me, he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. It’s been a very long month. 

Aislynn tilted her head up, and he kissed her again before sighing and sitting down on the couch. Pulling Aislynn down next to him, Eryk tucked her under his arm, truly happy to have her with him once more. She was more than a figurehead queen, and more than a bodyguard. She was his confidant, his friend, and his other half. He had no idea what he’d do without her.

This is nice, Aislynn said softly, resting her head on Eryk’s chest. I’ve missed you, too.

So how long do you think we have before everything goes to hell again?

I’d say until spring, with luck. The snow’s been heavy this year, and with the roads nearly impassable, things will hopefully remain quiet for a little while longer. A few weeks, anyway.

No sooner had the words left Aislynn’s mouth then there was a knock at the door. Eryk sighed loudly. Come in.

Byron opened the door and entered the room, looking worried. He ran a hand through his short blond hair, a nervous gesture that made Aislynn sit up immediately, with Eryk following suit. It took a fair amount to concern the captain of the guard, especially after everything he’d seen and been a part of in the past year and a half.

What’s wrong? the queen demanded.

Your Majesties, there is someone here to see you. I think you should see her right away.

Eryk made an impatient gesture, trusting his friend and captain to make good decisions. If Byron felt something needed to be dealt with right away, then they would deal with it. Byron opened the study door wider, and a bedraggled woman stepped into the room, an equally bedraggled child trailing behind her.  What appeared to be a bundle of rags in her arms squirmed and uttered a pathetic cry.

Your Majesties, may I present Queen Tatiana, of Larosia, and her sons.

Chapter 2

Oh gods, Tatiana. What happened to you? How did you get here? Eryk stood up from the couch and advanced toward the foreign queen.

Eryk! Now is not the time for that. Can’t you see that they’re cold? Aislynn pushed her way past her husband, taking Tatiana by the elbow and guiding her over to the fire, shooing Cheta out of the way.

Please, sit here and warm up, she directed Tatiana.  When was the last time you ate?

Aislynn didn’t wait for an answer from the suddenly overwhelmed woman in front of her.  Seeing Tatiana’s trembling lip and shiny eyes, the queen glanced over at Eryk and Byron, and started issuing orders. 

Somebody get a suite ready for our guests, with a hot bath. And somebody needs to get three bowls of soup and some bread.

When the men just stood there looking at her, Aislynn clapped her hands together impatiently and made a shooing gesture.  There will be time for questions later. Hurry up!

With a bemused smile, Eryk went to the door and passed along the necessary orders. When he was finished, the king resumed his seat on the couch and watched his queen interact with their guest. He wasn’t used to seeing Aislynn’s gentler, more maternal side, though admittedly the twins had softened her around the edges… a little.

After getting a chair for Tatiana, Aislynn settled her beside the crackling fire and directed the older child to sit beside his mother.  Seeing the young boy’s wide eyes fixed on Cheta, she called the wolf closer.

Would you like to pet her? she asked quietly. She won’t hurt you, I promise.

The little boy nodded his head after a few moments of hesitation, and then stretched out his hand. Cheta crept forward on her belly to sniff his hand and give it a tentative lick. The boy giggled, and the sound invited the wolf to creep even closer. Finally, the boy sat in front of the fire with Cheta’s body curled around him, starting to doze.

That was very kind of you, Tatiana murmured softly, not wanting to disturb the young boy. Vladimir has been through a lot in the past few months.

Tatiana, how did you manage to get here? Eryk asked, but a knock at the door announcing the arrival of the soup forestalled the queen’s reply.

Eryk and Byron were quick to take the food from the servants, closing the door behind them to maintain Tatiana’s privacy.  Chances were good that nobody outside of this room knew who she was, and for at least the time being, Eryk wanted to keep it that way. Byron placed a bowl of soup and some bread in front of Vladimir, but Eryk hesitated before giving Tatiana her meal.

Give me the third bowl, Aislynn ordered, holding out her hand. When Eryk did as commanded, she placed the bowl beside her and then held her arms out to Tatiana.

Let me take the baby, she directed gently. Eat something.

Tatiana clenched the bundle in her arms reflexively, but Aislynn just waited patiently. Finally, the Larosian queen relaxed and did as Aislynn bid, gently placing the infant boy in her arms.  Taking her food from Eryk, Tatiana settled back in her chair to eat, watching Aislynn soak small pieces of bread in the soup’s broth before feeding them to the young boy.

We walked here, Tatiana finally revealed, answering Eryk’s question though he’d been content to wait while she ate.  Diedrich… Diedrich kept them busy while I got Vladimir and Alexander, and we fled the castle. His men were everywhere, and I couldn’t put any of our citizens in danger by asking them to help us, so we walked.

Eryk blinked, trying to process just how hard the journey had likely been, and Aislynn studiously continued to feed the baby, Alexander. More awake now with some food in his belly, he kept trying to grab the bread from Aislynn’s fingers, making her smile. She gave him a piece, and Alexander put the bread and half of his tiny fist in his mouth, chewing with his four little teeth.

Can you tell us what happened? All of it? Eryk asked gently. I’ll do everything I can to help you and Diedrich.

Tatiana shook her head. Diedrich is dead, she stated, and Vladimir’s head whipped around to look at her. She reached out and gently stroked his cheek. He gave his life so that we could escape the army.

Whose army?

I don’t know his name. Tatiana leaned over and placed her empty bowl on the hearth. They came from the north, a hoard of barbarians. They overran any of the towns and cities in their way, and laid siege to the castle in Covenshire. When the barbarians finally broke through the gates, Diedrich told me to take the boys and run… and I did.

As Tatiana started to cry, silent tears running down her cheeks, Eryk rose and came closer. Laying an arm around her comfortingly, he spoke in a low voice.

Whatever you need, Tatiana, it’s yours. Let Aislynn take you and the boys upstairs, get clean and warm, and we’ll talk again after you’ve rested.

"All I need is to warn you, Eryk. That’s why I came here.  Tatiana leaned away from the king and turned to face him, brown eyes meeting blue. He’s coming for you, Eryk. Larosia was only a stepping stone."

Taken aback by the warning, Eryk remained silent as Aislynn rose from her spot by the fire and led the queen and princes of Larosia out of the study. As the door closed once again, Byron cursed softly.

So what do you make of that? the king of Bacovia asked, looking over at the captain.

Well, assuming her story is true — and we have no reason to doubt her — I think we need to start making some sort of preparations.  Just in case.

I’ll send for Petyr, and the three of us will sit down and start to plan our defence, Eryk stated, moving toward his desk for the materials he needed.  I’ll need to speak to the Larosian ambassador too. Can you please send a message to him?

Byron nodded, clearly hearing the king’s dismissal, and the captain of the royal guard left Eryk to write his missive to the commander of Bacovia’s army. He knew that there would be a courier riding out into the deep winter snows within the hour, and Byron sighed, wishing that things could be peaceful… if only for a few months.

Chapter 3

Aislynn walked down the hallway toward the back staircase.  She knew that Eryk wanted to keep the queen’s presence a secret for now, so she wanted to use one of the servant stairs, thereby avoiding random courtiers. This particular set of stairs would come out just outside of the royal suites.

The servants have prepared a suite for you and your children, and you can bathe there and get cleaned up, Aislynn told Tatiana. You don’t have to stay there, if you don’t want to. The boys aren’t in the nursery yet, so you can sleep there, if you’d prefer.

When Tatiana didn’t answer, Aislynn glanced over her shoulder to see if there was something wrong. She noticed that Tatiana’s brown eyes were fixed solidly on the sword swinging at Aislynn’s waist. The queen of Bacovia stopped, and Tatiana did the same.

Did you hear me? she prompted gently.

Tatiana dragged her eyes up from Aislynn’s waist to meet her gaze. I’m sorry, she said, shaking her head. What did you say?

I said that you can use the nursery, if you want. Our boys are still rooming with me, so it’s empty.

Do you always wear a sword?

Aislynn smiled. Nearly. And if I’m not wearing it, it’s usually within reach. Why?

And the nursery is attached to the queen’s suite?

Yes.

Then we’ll sleep there.

Tatiana was obviously still frightened, and Aislynn wondered if she was being pursued, or if Tatiana just thought someone was after her and her family. The queen of Bacovia nodded, and then turned to continue up the stairs.

This is the nursery, this is my suite, and this suite belongs to Eryk, Aislynn pointed out as she led Tatiana past the three closed doors. Your rooms are just down the hall.

Opening the door, she ushered Tatiana inside a luxuriously appointed suite. There were thick carpets on the floor, thick curtains on the windows, and