Voices Behind Walls Ch. 03

Lady Lahri was terrible at card games, no talent whatsoever. But she was a little bit decent with strategy board games. In fact, she asked Vansoth for a few tips on how to play one particular game with better results. She asked with a timid, uncertain tone, but the fact that she was showing interest was enough to make Vansoth happy. For the next few days, after he would sing for her, Vansoth would teach her a few methods to make a game easier for her. However, he reminded her that he could often figure out when an opponent would use such methods. So, it was best to be creative.

Her smile... her sweet, fevered smile... Lahri was so innocently happy with the thrill of learning a new activity. There was also a wild revelation hidden in her eyes. Vansoth could almost hear her mind. He imagined she thought, "Why in the world didn't I play this game before? All this time, I could have been having so much fun!"

Vansoth assumed she didn't wear any perfume. He couldn't smell any. She smelled clean, however, with a hint of... well... a baby... and breast milk. It wasn't bad. It was actually a little soothing.

And her hair was nice too...

Fresh and light...

Lahri didn't put her hair in braids or anything similar. Those pretty red curls were always tumbling around, looking as if she had just rolled around in her mattress.

He'd pay quite a price to see that.

One night, Vansoth was thinking that he'd like to go to the straw, but then he thought that he might sneak a chat with his new favorite maiden. Carefully, he looked around to make sure that he was the only man in the general area. Then he went to where he thought Lahri would be. There were a few small chandeliers putting a little light in the hallway, but it was still mostly dark. He pulled some walls into the hallway, giving him less space but more privacy.

He wanted to pull a woman's wall away, but there was always that chance that it was locked. Besides, that would have been extremely rude to do, unless there was an emergency or other exception.

So, he tapped his knuckles against the wood, and he called with a gentle, imploring tone, "Lady Lahri, would you please come to me?"

A bit to his left, he heard the voice. "A moment, please."

Dashing little footsteps. Then an upper wall before Vansoth was partially moved aside to reveal Lahri. He saw a bit of light in the woman's hand. She was holding a small oil lamp. Her face was halfway covered in shadow. Most of her hair was tied away with a plain ribbon. "What do you need, Your Highness?"

Vansoth dared to put two fingers over the top of the lower wall. He noticed that Lahri nervously looked down at his fingers, but she didn't say or do anything about them. Vansoth tried to distract her with an adoring statement. "My Lady, I'm so pleased to see you before I sleep. May I ask, is your sister or child nearby?"

"Lady Tarabell and Meia are a few feet away." She jerked her head to her right, Vansoth's left. "There isn't a wall between us."

Vansoth nodded. "Oh, could you please create a room for yourself? I only want your attention."

Her brow scrunched down, but she agreed, and she left to push a few a walls around. She returned and looked up at him with somewhat distrustful eyes, as if she was expecting him to insult her.

But at least she was willing to give him her time!

Vansoth kept his voice as soft he could. "I'm so pleased, My Lady, that you would honor me with your sweet eyes."

"His Highness is brimming with flattery."

"Perhaps, but only for you." He let his fingers rise a little, waving them at her. "I don't know how aware you are of the intentions behind my actions. You're still new to this land."

"I'm stupid, but I haven't reached that point of stupidity." Why did she sound so bitter?! Her tone put a jolt of fresh despair in Vansoth's hearts. "You should know that if you marry me, you won't be happy."

He blinked a few times. "I... I don't understand."

She pushed the wall aside completely. Then she held out her lamp. "Please hold this."

Vansoth removed his hand from the lower wall and took the lamp.

And Lahri did the most fascinating thing. She said, "Study me carefully," and then she pulled her long sleeve up, revealing her arm.

Her...

Arm...

Vansoth's jaw fell. The flame in the oil lamp shook because he had difficulty keeping his arm steady. He had to hold his wrist up with his free hand.

Thin fracture scars...

And thick burn scars too!!

Large and mottled, some uneven and some looking suspiciously symbolic as if given from a branding iron...

It turned his stomachs into bubbling sacks of illness.

He put the lamp back in her hand.

Then he turned to his left and vomited onto the dirt floor.

When he was straight again, hiding his now smelly mouth behind his hand, he noticed that Lahri had pulled her sleeve back down and taken a few steps backwards. All Vansoth could think to say was, "This didn't happen to you here... is that right?" His voice was unstable.

Lahri nodded to him. Her face was mostly dark. "I was... injured in Raobet."

"But... how?" He could barely imagine it. It was absurd. It was basically unheard of. He shook his head. His nostrils were pinched. His body was tense. "Was it a ridiculous series of accidents that caused this?"

The woman... shook her head... and a sandy exhale came from her.

The quietest, bitterest, most acidic rage popped and bubbled in Vansoth's form. Closing his eyes, he inhaled, then exhaled, and did it all again. Then he looked away, and he said, "Please forgive me. I should retire. This... this insanity has overpowered my ability to think rationally." His head jerked up as he remembered the reason behind the sour odor in the hallway. "Oh... I'll ask a servant to clean that mess I left." He bowed. "I sincerely apologize for letting you see such a distasteful thing."

"There's no need to apologize. I'm going to bed now." She rolled the upper wall across herself. "Goodnight, Your Highness."

***

On the following morning, just outside the keep, Vansoth had a private conversation with the Count. Apparently, Count Arkson admitted that he knew about the injuries, but he didn't know who was responsible. Lady Lahri refused to tell anyone about her previous life. She wouldn't even say if she had ever been married to anyone.

"All I can do is keep her as my daughter," the Count said. He wasn't cheerful at all, which made sense. "I wish I could do something about the unfortunate woman's past."

Vansoth thought he had an idea, however.

He said to the Count, "I'd want her to feel safe." He stopped his line of thinking so he could reassure the Count. "You're doing a fine job. She's as well cared for as your natural child. Still, I want her to visit the Royal Castle for a time."

The Count stepped back and bowed to his prince. "I'm honored by your kind proposition."

Vansoth shrugged at that. "Lady Tarabell should come too. She'd love to have my brothers' attention."

Of course, the Count was elated. The only problem was convincing Lahri to go.

Later that day, when Vansoth presented the idea to her, she retreated and left the common area as if the idea of being around the Royal Family was very disconcerting.

Some hours later, Vansoth heard rumors buzzing among the servants. The Countess and Lady Tarabell had apparently screamed at Lady Lahri for a long time, which led to the baby crying.

That night, Vansoth went to his new favorite location right outside the women's quarters, a part of the hallway that he hid with the interior walls. He rapped on one of the women's panels and hissed out, "My Lady Lahri? Would you please come to me?"

It took a few moments, in which Vansoth worried almost painfully, wringing his hands together, but the upper wall was eventually slid away. Lady Lahri was there again, holding her clay lamp, looking at him with sad but still beautiful eyes.

Vansoth gave her his sweetest tones. "I'm so thrilled to see your face. At the risk of seeming petulant, I must ask this question. Have you reconsidered my offer?"

Her face downcast, Lahri said with a tired voice, "I don't know what to say. People have been telling me the oddest things."

"Odd things? Please elaborate." He hoped nobody had been vicious to her.

She sighed again and put her lamp on a small table. Then she uncomfortably folded her arms against herself. "The Countess insisted that, should His Highness humble me by taking me as his wife, then my Meia, would have a claim to the throne." She made a dry, joyless laugh. "I don't know why she'd say such a thing."

Vansoth blinked at her. His head tilted to one side. "That's not odd. That's simply the law here."

Lahri's sleeves patted the floor as her arms fell. Even in the darkness, Vansoth could still see her eyes popping in pure confusion. "But... but Your Highness, how can that be?"

He tried not to grin like a villain. This was all going far too well. He had a massive, massive advantage here, and he was about to drop it on her like a pail of water. "When a child is adopted into a family, it's the same as if it came from nature, and the Royal Family is no different."

He firmly nodded at her slackening jaw. "Inheritance laws concern the order of the children's arrival, including those adopted. A boy adopted by a king, for example, could also become a king one day if he was the first child." He gave a short chuckle and raised a hand in a mild shrug. "Although, a girl is more likely to be adopted than a boy."

Lahri interrupted him, leaning into the lower wall, putting her naturally lovely scent into his seeking nostrils. "But can a female be a reigning queen here? In my homeland, only males inherit the throne. Queens are only consorts."

Vansoth shrugged again. "Of course. Centaurs are very accustomed to women ordering them about. My father is the regent, but he tends to heed my mother whenever he can." Feeling lofty, he looked down at his fingernails as if he was worried about a manicure, but he wasn't. "I have no children, and if a woman I marry has children, then they'd become mine. Therefore, assuming you'd marry me one day, that sweet little Meia would be finely educated and become the queen regent."

The woman stared at him, putting the back of her hand to her lips. Vansoth loved how her pale skin glowed in the little bit of firelight. "Your... Your Highness... my child is my life."

Gods! He wanted to touch her! His fingers were jerking, silently begging him to reach for her. He didn't want to be rude, though. That could ruin all the progress he'd made with her. "I'd gladly keep the child safe." He meant that. He really did.

Those lovely little fingers of hers curved over the upper wall. Her voice lowered. "What if my husband comes for the child?"

"Husband?" Vansoth whispered with an amused tone. He moved in close enough to steal a kiss if he wanted. He thought he could taste the intensity between them. "Were you still married when you were sold to a Purveyor?"

"Yes." Her lips trembled. He wanted to lick them. She said, "A few men in my husband's employ... they helped me to run away. But, my horse kicked me off while I was in town. A woman found me, and she sold me after I gave birth."

No longer amused, his brow furrowing, Vansoth said, "Run away? Why did you run away?" He thought he knew the answer, but he didn't want to say it out loud. It was too horrifying.

She was the one to lick her lips, although she did so with clear anxiety. It made both his cocks twitch, regardless.

Lahri said to him, "I had great difficulty when trying to please my husband. I've... I've been punished many times."

He wanted to vomit again, but he managed to keep his stomachs calm. He took a deep breath and let it out. "I don't know any man who would do such... unspeakable things."

She... her fingers... reached...

For him...

Vansoth's eyes were so wide open that they nearly dried out.

Her fingertips lightly, oh so lightly, tapped his cheek.

That was it. She broke the boundary. She touched him.

That meant he could touch her!

Rapid, craving everything, his arms flew beyond his assigned space in the castle. They crossed over into the women's quarters. They enveloped Lahri's torso, holding her closely.

She almost squealed, but Vansoth kissed her. He put his tongue right in.

Damn... she was scratching the silk on his first back... and moaning as if she had been starving for a kiss for years.

Although... she didn't really seem to know how to kiss... she just... let him lick and smack all over and in her. When Vansoth pulled away, he admired the dazed shape her lips took. But he snorted and laughed when she asked, "What in the world was that?"

"A kiss, of course." He put a more chaste version on her cheek.

Her head shook back and forth, bouncing her hair around. "I can't compare that to any kiss I've ever had. Your tongue was in my mouth."

"Oh, come here, Pudding." He put his long fingers over her cheeks and moved back in, kissing her again.

Some short moments later, Lahri pulled away and said incredulously, "Pudding?"

"Certainly." He patted the side of her head. "You're a serving of carrot pudding."

"Oh... well... " Lahri pinched and tugged on his tunic, making his golden charms ring. "Would you kiss me again? Please?"

He wasn't the type to try to deny a woman anything reasonable. He sunk his fingers into her soft curls and kissed her once more. Then he purred down to her, "Will you come to my home? Please? Only for a few weeks, unless you decide to stay as my wife."

"Ah... Your Highness... I'm still... I'm not convinced."

Vansoth ran his thumb across her wet lower lip. Then he said, "Are you still afraid of your former husband finding you? Breden doesn't normally return any females it gains."

Her body tensed under his touch. Her face was even warmer than when he had kissed her. "I... but... oh," here, she trembled, which was concerning, "I want to tell you who my husband is, but I'm terrified that I could be sent back to Raobet."

Vansoth wanted to carry her off to the men's side, find the closest piece of furniture that could support her, rip her clothes off, and love every single scar of hers with his tongue. Poor, frightened little Carrot Pudding! "No, My Lady, even if you never marry me, that wouldn't happen. It would set a dangerous precedent that no man here would endure. All legal purchases are final, and there's nothing illegal in purchasing a woman that ran away from her husband."

Lahri tried to turn away, but he took her chin with his fingers and refused to let her break the eye contact. She was hiding something important about her former husband, and that's how he thought of the man, as the former husband. He wanted to know exactly who he was. "For this man to be able to find you in another country, he must have significant reach."

Her voice almost hurt to hear. "You won't leave me be, will you?"

"No, My Lady, and I will learn the truth one day. You might as well give it to me now."

She closed her eyes and whispered her admission. "My husband is... Efsevios Pertre Breibalt, the king of Raobet."

Then the only sounds between them were their breathing.

But he didn't let her go.

He swiped some hair away from her brow. He lightly kissed that spot. Then, in awe, he whispered, "You are Queen Ileana Rozali Breibalt?"

There was no response other than a frightened squirm.

Vansoth's brain twisted and weaved with itself as he considered all the possible layers of events.

Then he petted Lahri's cheek with the backs of his fingers.

She was so vulnerable.

And she actually trusted him.

Vansoth's hearts were so warm with that knowledge. She trusted him with something dangerously important.

He very carefully murmured to her, "If this is true, then for your own safety, you must come to the Royal Castle. I won't reveal your secret to the public, but I do suspect that you will be found out eventually. It would be best if you made yourself an ally to my family for when that day comes, my little Pudding." He kissed the tip of her only slightly upturned nose. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"

She basically gaped up at him.

He wanted to laugh, but he didn't want to be very loud. "Tell your new father that you'd like to visit my home and socialize with my family. Your new sister may come too, to let her have her own opportunities to entice a powerful man."

Lahri seemed loose... as if she was about to fall over. Vansoth held her fast, however, and he told her, "I swear on my life that I will do everything I can to protect you. I don't want you to fret over anything more stressful than whether or not my gifts to you are to your liking."

"Gifts?"

He nodded down to that pretty head of hers. "You were purchased as a family member, not a bride. So, as a native woman would be, you are owed many gifts during a courtship. Otherwise, I wouldn't be a proper suitor."

"Oh." Lahri nodded, but she didn't seem to have fully soaked all this new information into her mind.

A last kiss, and he let her droop back into the women's quarters.

***

It took around two days for a centaur called a Contract Clerk to arrive at the Count's estate. He wrote out three copies of the same contract, all of which were signed by Prince Vansoth, Count Arkson, Lady Tarabell, and Lady Lahri. The terms? Well, technically, the prince was "borrowing" the two young ladies, and he was promising to keep them safe. If they were kidnapped or even killed during their stay under his care, then the prince would be required to pay the Count quite a sum of money.

The morning after that, the young ladies and little baby Meia settled into the prince's carriage, and they were taken off to the Royal Castle. They traveled past forests and farms and many other things. After a few days, they were close.

First, they had to ride through the massive capital. Then, they had to pass over a bridge that crossed a river winding around most of the base of an incredibly huge plateau. There was a spiraling path carved into the highland. At the top, there was a moat, then three separate outer walls, each with their own gate. Inside the innermost circle of stone, there was a mighty castle keep with several grand towers, beautiful banners, and so many windows. Some of those windows had stained glass sections forming a variety of designs.

The women took a smaller entrance to the keep. The interior they were introduced to was soaked in affluence. The mats on the floor were edged with the finest painted silk strips. The walls had the sharpest, most lifelike images painted on them. Some walls were made of fine paper with delicate frames. Quite a number of furniture pieces had shiny precious metals or lovely lacquer decorations.

One of the paper walls was slid away, and a small woman wearing the most expensive clothing the guests had ever seen greeted them. She was young with black braided hair, and the guests knew that she had to be one of the princesses. Both of the guests went to their knees and bowed before her. Lahri bowed more carefully, holding her baby girl's head. Meia was strapped to her bosom.

The princess nodded to them, and she said, "Good morning, Ladies. I am Princess Jorana Lin Geitana, the youngest child of our great king." She sounded even younger than she looked, airy and fragile.

"Good morning, Your Highness," both guests replied simultaneously.

Lady Tarabell straightened her back first, and she was uncharacteristically solemn when she next spoke. "We are honored to be guests here. I am Tarabell Arkson and this is my younger sister, Lahri Arkson."

Princess Jorana's pale blue eyes were glittering and bright. She sweetly smiled at Lady Tarabell, but when she turned to the quiet Lady Lahri, the smile withered and her voice was much less cordial. "Yes, you are the maiden my eldest brother is courting."