Queen Of My Heart Read online

  "Come, come, what is this, your king has arrived get yourself together." Father came into the room full of excitement not long after the others had scattered.

  "I will not see him, if ever I should lay eyes upon that one again it would be his last day on this earth." I turned away from him in anger, how could he so easily forgive? Maybe his love too had been false, why else would he be so willing to give me over to one who had treated me so poorly? Men have died for less under my father’s rule. But I, his beloved daughter, the one he calls the apple of his eye was to be thrown to the wolves without a second thought. Men.

  "Why me, why me? Rhiannon, stop this nonsense at once and heed me. My child does not speak like this, she has a forgiving heart she has understanding. She was raised in such a manner, what has come over you girl?" "I will not see him." No flowery words will sway me, if my father thought it was so easy to throw off the mantle of disgrace then he truly had no concept of what it meant to be a woman scorned. I folded my arms and turned a deaf ear to his pleadings. “The king can just get back on his horse and return from whence he came.”

  "Bah, do as you please I'm only trying to secure your crown for your obstinate head. Why couldn’t I have been blessed with sons? Sons are so much more obedient to their fathers, they care more for their father’s plight as a king." Hah, that will not work this time; always he uses that ruse to get his way with me when I’m being particularly stubborn about a certain issue. We both knew what he was up to, and where in the past I would give in to the old reprobate’s shenanigans this time there was too much at stake for me to play along.

  He went back the way he came after it was evident that he wasn’t getting anywhere. Leaving me alone with my thoughts.

  Shane, my Shane was here, oh to look upon his face once more, those eyes of his that told such tales. To hear his voice as he quoted some prose, no I will not think on it, he was lost to me. Let him go back to his side- piece, for whatever political reason he now found himself here I had no interest. Though the man I had come to know would not bow to the pressures of such things. Not to take back a wife he’d discarded. If only I knew the reasoning behind my putting away. Alas it was too late for that, the time for explanations was long gone. I had no more interest in empty words from my tormentor.

  I heard the rustling of silk, maybe one of the palace women come to talk me into seeing the traitor of my heart. I wonder what they would do if I started acting the lunatic? Should I howl and rail, throw ashes atop my head maybe? Will they then leave me alone to grieve for my broken heart, as I should, as is my right?

  "You tell Shane the knave to go straight to the bowels of hell, I have no wish to see him." Well, at least my spirit was back from hiding. I had despaired of ever finding that girl again, no not the silly twit who had fallen so easily for his pretty lies and simpered at his mere touch like a new foal with its mother. But the girl who had roamed her father’s lands freely as she pleased, beholden to no one but herself, innocent of the evils of the world. The girl who had dreamed before her dreams became a nightmare.

  "Have you no greeting for your mother in law little one?"

  "Lady Elizabeta..." I flew up from my chair to face her, and just that easily the floodgates opened up at the sight of one who had shown such kindness in a land where there was hardly any to be found. She only made my dilemma that much worse when she clasped me to her bosom. Of all the things I had missed most about my husband’s palace I would have to place her among the very top of the list.

  "Hush now child. I am here to see things set right." Her warm motherly arms wrapped around me offering comfort as I bawled like a newborn babe, with no shame whatsoever all over this fine lady's silk clothing. I was finally able to release the hurt and the pain that had been locked away inside. Here was someone who knew of my true feelings for her son. The one who had seen my heart and helped nurture that budding love that had been snuffed out so callously.

  "I hate him, he's dead to me." I pulled away as I wiped the betraying tears from my eyes and found my seat once more. Mad at myself for giving into them and showing that weakness that still dwelt inside.

  "Yes I know, my Cassius have been dead to me on plenty of occasions over the years; there were times when I even tried to make it a reality."

  "What, what do you mean?" I sat back as she dried my tears.

  "Ah, that's for another time, right now we must go meet your husband."

  "I have no husband, he cast me aside..." my breath hitched as I uttered those dreadful words.

  "A dire misunderstanding on his part yes, but did we not discuss the vagaries of men? Since you have no mother did I not take it upon myself to teach you about the shortcomings of men? Dolts all of them." She always could make me laugh with her wit.

  "I shan't forgive him ever."

  "So don't." She climbed to her feet and paced across the room and back.

  "What, but I thought..."

  "If you don't want to forgive him then don't, but you would be a fool to let your enemies win. Tell me now Rhiannon, before this unfortunate happenstance, were you not happy with my son, did you not find him at all appealing?"

  "Of course I did you know that, but that was before he turned into a monster. Did you know he didn't even have the decency to tell me himself that I was to go? Instead he sent that...Stefano viper, his mistress no less to impart the news. You laugh, you laugh at my humiliation?" How dare the lady Elizabeta make light of my affliction? Was the whole family daft, had she too deceived me?

  "No child, I laugh at the wiles of that one, I can assure you that my son would never have sent her to do his bidding. He is many things but stupid he is not and she's never been in his bed and never will be. Bah Shane can barley stand the woman."

  "But he did, she told me so." Had I been played for a fool? No matter he still sent me away without a by your leave and she is his mother so of course she would lie for him, hide his sin from the foolish gullible wife who had believed his lies.

  "I dare say, she might've used her cunning to intercept the one sent to you but Shane would never have sent her. As to the other, she used an old woman's trick to bring friction between you and your love. Jealousy my dear is a most vicious and accurate weapon. You've seen my son in action, think you that he would've married you if his heart belonged to another?"

  What she say is true but still there was the way in which he had handled me so carelessly to think of. Had he borne me any feeling as I had come to believe, to hope. He never would’ve abused my innocent heart in such a manner. "Either way it doesn't matter, he sent me away without any explanation, I've been hidden away here in shame..."

  "I know child and believe me I've given him a good tongue lashing for his stupidity and you may do the same and worse if you choose; but first you must greet him in the hall, you wouldn't bring shame on your poor father by refusing now would you?"

  "Drats, fine, but you tell that son of yours that it will be a cold day in hell before I speak to him again."

  “Kids, bah, what do you know?”

  Chapter 4

  Shane

  Thank you mother, for at least getting her to come down. I had to rush away before I was found eavesdropping. My father in law had been kind enough to let me sneak into the room leading to the parapet. I'd heard every word; there was hurt and anger but no distaste. No real hate in her voice though there was plenty of venom, I could work with that. I had my work cut out for me, the damage was worst than I’d thought, I’d foolishly convinced myself on the way her that her soft woman’s heart and the love she had come to bear me would soften the blow of the wrong done her. That she would be so overcome with that love and gratitude that I had come all this way to right that wrong that she would willingly fall into my arms and all would be forgiven.

  Instead, I find a kingdom almost in mourning for their princess who it seemed had gone into hiding. The whispers were plenty since my arrival though none dared approach, but my men who had made quick use of the castle wenches had broug
ht the news back. She was given to walking the parapet in solitude refusing the company of any except her father and sometimes the boy my mother had spoken of. No one knew her thoughts as it was said she refused to speak of what had befallen her in my kingdom, only that they all had deduced that she had been sent home in disgrace.

  I was even more interested in the fact that she had barely eaten since her return. It was as if she meant to starve herself to death. The evidence of my actions was almost more than I could bear but I had to put those thoughts aside for now and deal with the matter. I had no issue with the groveling that laid ahead of me in this situation. I had only myself to blame after all. My hot blooded ways had finally caught up with me and I had almost paid the ultimate price. It wasn’t too late though, of this I was sure. Though she proclaimed her hate for me, I would not accept it. And where did my sweet Rhiannon learn to speak like that?

  Rhiannon

  "Oh lady Rhiannon, may we still not call you my queen?"

  "No, I will not answer to that lie." He thought to shame me before the known world, hah, he can take his crown and shove it."

  "As you wish my lady, as you wish, might I say you look grand, the most beautiful woman in all the kingdoms?”

  I used the looking glass, a new invention that catered to the vanities of silly women if you ask me, now they had something else other than their big heads and bloated egos to lie to them.

  I did look quite pretty though, not the raving beauty that my ladies in waiting would have me believe but, more than passing fair if I do say so myself. Enough of that, I had a king to fry, it's funny how I've been down in the doldrums these many weeks, fighting despair and heartache. But with his arrival my old fighting spirit has returned. I'd tried so hard to be the lady my king deserved and not the hellion I'd been labeled my whole life. I'd been pleasant and kind even in the face of adversity. I'd smiled when I wanted to bash a face in or ignored a slight instead of trampling with my horse and look where that had got me. Well king Shane was in for a surprise; come to fetch me home did he? We’ll just see about that.

  Shane

  "So tell me young Jason, how has your mistress been faring since she's been home?"

  "Your majesty, I'm not sure I should be talking to you, no disrespect but if she should catch me consorting with the enemy..." The young man made the sign of a knife across the throat. He seemed to suffer from a bit of the theatrical as well. All throughout our conversation he has alluded to this side of my sweet maiden that I had never seen and was quite sure was just his way of standing up for his sister. Perhaps he tries to convince me that she was strong and not overly hurt by what I had done to her.

  "Nonsense, my little dove would never do such a thing, why she's so gentle as to barely touch the ground as she walks." He almost fell off his horse with laughter.

  "What is so funny Jason?"

  "Gentle...she's...are you sure we speak of the same fair maiden, your wife, the one you wed in these halls not too long ago?"

  "Of course, what kind of question is that?"

  "I mean no harm your majesty, it's just…she is so not as you describe her. The Rhiannon I know would spit in the devil's eye as they say."

  "But that cannot be true, she was ever gentle and soft spoken...now what did I say?" He was off on another round of choking laughter and it's beginning to feel like I'd fallen down a rabbit hole or maybe I'd drunk too much ale, something was amiss. First, her words to my mother, and now her own brother seemed to speak of another woman other than the one I’d come to know.

  "Tell me, did she never lose her temper?" His eyes were laughing with humor as he asked. What was this nonsense?

  "She doesn't have one, she has the most pleasant disposition of anyone I've ever met. In fact there were times when I wished she had more spirit, it made it hard to envision certain things she was so skittish...never mind that now, what is it you say, my Rhian is not like that?"

  "You'll just have to wait and see. Now are we going to talk all day or are we going to spar? l haven't had a good sparring partner since, well never mind that your majesty, I feel the need for a good bout."

  "Are you sure Jason, I will not hurt you?" I had sought him out immediately after mother had done my bidding for me and got my wife to agree to come down to the hall later this day. I needed to see for myself if all that she had said was true, to judge for myself the depths of my perfidy. I had seen what my mother had spoken of, his disability and his height; he was a strapping young lad, of fair countenance yes. But when he spoke of my queen he spoke with reverence and just a bit of youthful adoration but not the burning lust I was led to believe they shared.

  Lies all lies, which I will deal with later. As soon as we returned to my lands, I will get to the bottom of this without delay for it was nothing short of treason against my queen and against my throne. For surely all knew of the great love I had come to bear her in the time she’d spent among my people. They had surely seen the way I looked upon her at the king’s table, the way I showered her with gifts, the loot I brought back from foreign lands. There could’ve been no doubt as to the feeling I bore her.

  But first things first, I must win her favor again, regain her trust. A task that I now saw was going to be quite challenging. Nevertheless I will withstand whatever may for I will take my queen home with me no matter what.

  Chapter 5

  The sparring match between young Jason and I was going well. We started out slow so that I could test his mettle since I was not sure of his skill and had no wish to harm the boy. He had the sweet innocence of a child yet, being all of fifteen summers. To think I'd been jealous of the boy that I'd almost destroyed her in my haste. Please let it not be too late. I won’t let it be, yes the fault was mine and I will make reparation but no matter how she fought me she will return by my side as my beloved queen.

  "Jason, I think you're a fraud."

  "Your majesty?" We were both slightly out of breath and I must admit to being pleasantly surprised by the young man’s skill. Though no match for mine he was still above that which I had expected from one so young and with an impairment no less.

  "Yes, I think you use your impairment to lull others into a false sense of security but you're rather skilled with the sword. Your leg does not hamper you at all, does it?"

  He beamed with pride, his chest swelling at the praise and I could see why she loved him, why she had taken him under her wing. I had not been wrong in my assessment she did have a heart of gold.

  "The one who taught me said there's no fairness in fighting. I must use every trick, every advantage and always go in for the kill."

  "He taught you well." He was back to laughing again but I ignored it this time; instead, I thrust and parried. No longer hindered by my fear of causing him harm I found in him a worthy opponent who gave as good as he got. It had been some time since I’d enjoyed the sport as much, having been lost in my head these many days when I believed my beauty had wronged me.

  The loud scream came from out of nowhere and before I could react, I was attacked from behind. I barley had time to avoid the sword coming at my kidney but was not fast enough to avoid being tripped and falling to my arse. A sword was thrust as close to my throat as any had ever been and the most magnificent sight stood over me. "King or no, I will kill you if you touch my bother again." She was breathing fire and spitting mad as she gazed down upon me in all her fiery glory.

  I could not help the roar of laughter that escaped me and thankfully my quick reflexes saved my hide. It seemed my queen did not take kindly to being laughed at and tried to carry through with her threat to do me in.

  "You dare raise a sword against your king and husband?" I was on my feet and well out of her reach by this time.

  "I have no husband and my father is the only king I swear allegiance to. I see before me a scurvy dog."

  "RHIANNON, watch your tongue. I will make room for your tender feelings but had you addressed me as such in any company other than young Jason, I would've had to
admonish you most severely." Such anger, such fire, such beauty. Yet I could not allow her to disrespect her king in such a manner. Her husband yes, for the way that he had so carelessly used her heart she could rail to her heart’s content. But to her king there must be complete obedience.

  "Think you I care? I care naught for you or your people and what they think. Go home to your concubine, I hope you catch the pox and your member rots off." My mouth fell open in shocked surprise. Where were these words coming from? The young maiden I had sent from my presence was a docile and genteel lady. One who had hardly spoken above a whisper in all the days and nights I had known her. It could not be that my one act of cruelty had unleashed this fire-breathing dragon that stood before me now.

  "There's your gentle bride." Jason whispered out of the side of his mouth to me, and well out of his sister’s hearing. The young pup was having a hard time keeping his laughter in check I could see even as she spat fire at me with her eyes.

  "Come away from there Jason before I run him through. It would be just like you to pick on a helpless innocent, you, you...mongrel."

  I rolled my eyes at her as I sheathed my sword; seems my little dove has the talons of an eagle and the sweet vocals of a harpy.

  "We were but sparring Rhiannon, your husband did not harm me."

  "Sparring, how came you to know him? he's only just arrived, come let me see you, did you hurt yourself? The brute didn't harm you you're sure?" She rushed over to him clucking like a mother hen, now he was the one rolling his eyes at me.

  "No, he didn't harm me in the least, and he sought me out that's how we came to be here, so if there're any heads to be bashed let it be his. I'm tired of you beating what few brains I have to a pulp."