Pompous ass. Who was he to tell me how to behave? He would be my husband, but that did not make him my master. “I’m sure I am up to the task,” I said through gritted teeth.
I felt his stare as he looked down at me. He continued to lead me down the hall until we reached the large front doors of the palace. “Have I offended you?” Cathal asked.
“Forgive my brusqueness, King Cathal.” I managed to respond in a cordial voice. “I did not sleep well and find myself in a foul mood.”
“I like a woman who has a little fight in her, Allete. Breaking you in will be much more interesting.”
He had spoken so softly that I knew my sister and Lidia could not have heard him. I clenched my free hand into a fist and slowly counted to ten. Otherwise, I would have smacked the smug look off his face. I had no response to his comment, at least not one that wouldn’t jeopardize the prospect of my upcoming nuptials and, thereby, the fate of our entire kingdom.
“Where are the gardens?” he asked after we had stepped outside in silence.
I pointed to the left. “Just around the corner.”
Cathal turned in that direction, his large strides difficult to for me to keep up with. He did not seem to notice.
“Do you have gardens on your palace grounds?” I asked him, attempting to engage in conversation.
“Of course.” He snapped. “A man should take pride in the land he owns. Having pride in something requires making it shine. Speaking of,” he said as he looked down at me again, his gaze wandering over my form. “We will have to do something about your clothing—it is much too plain for a queen of Tara. I expect you to look like the prize you are.”
Dayna’s gasp indicated she heard his words. I glanced over my shoulder at my sister, giving the younger girl a warning glare. The last thing I needed was for my sister to anger the king.
When we reached the gardens, he paused, scrutinizing them as his eyes roamed over the area. “Tis a bit small, isn’t it?”
“What the grounds lack in size, they more than make up for in beauty,” I offered, working to keep my voice soft and my tone light.
“I am not taking you as my bride so I can hear your opinion on the appropriateness of castle grounds.”
I could not hold my tongue any longer, consequences be damned. “Pray tell, my Lord, what do you need from me?”
His lips quirked in a smile, though there was no warmth in it. “I need you to warm my bed and bear my heirs.” The hunger in his eyes as he looked over me awakened an intense need to take a scalding bath with several bars of soap. “You have perfect birthing hips and breasts that should be more than adequate for nourishing my children.”
Dayna was not the only one to gasp that time.
“Sir, such comments are not appropriate.” I desperately wanted to fold my arms across my chest to keep him from looking at me.
“I am a king, and I am your husband—”
“Beg your pardon, My Lord, but you are not yet my husband.”
He tightened his lips into a straight line. I could tell he wanted to snap at me but was trying remain composed. “There is time for you to learn your place,” he said, and it almost seemed as though he was reassuring himself.
I continued to walk with him in silence, only bothering to nod my head when he asked me questions, or giving him curt, one-word answers. By the time we returned to the palace, I was ready to put a quarrel into the man I was destined to marry.
“Shall I accompany you to your room and help you ready yourself for this evening?”
Dayna stepped forward, unable to hold her tongue any longer. “Your highness,” she said in a syrupy tone, “that will not be necessary. Lidia and I have spent half our lives preparing my sister for royal events. We are certainly capable of the task.”
Cathal did not look happy with the offer but did not press the issue.
“Given the state of her, some might disagree,” he said in a clipped tone, “but your backward ways will have to do for now.” He leaned down to me and pressed his lips against my cheek, and I fought the urge to gag. I was screaming inside, and now I would have to scrub my face until the first layer of skin peeled away.
As soon as he stepped back, I turned on my heel and hurried away, with Lidia and Dayna only a step behind me. I was so very thankful for their presence, and I dreaded the moment I would have to be alone with the king.
We reached my room, and I slammed the door shut and locked it the instant we all clambered inside.
“That insufferable pig!” Dayna growled. “How dare he treat you in such an awful manner? Who the hell does he think he is?”
“He is the king of his nation.” I pointed out. “Who is there to stop him?”
“You cannot marry him, Allete.” Dayna pleaded. “Tell Father how awful King Cathal is; he could not possibly expect you to marry such a person.”
I walked to the window and looked out over the kingdom I called home. I still yearned for adventure but not with Cathal. Certainly, a life with him would be miserable. I was beginning to believe it was a mercy that his previous wives died rather than having endured a life with him. Still, it was odd that a king so young had already been married three times, and each of those wives had met their untimely demise. Regardless, Father could not stop the wedding now. Agreements had been made, plans laid, and treaties signed. It would be seen as an act of war to withdraw the transaction. I would not be the reason our country went to war.
“I could not ask such a thing of him.”
“So, you are just going to marry him?” Dayna challenged. “What will you do when he loses his temper with you and lets his hand fly? He will not put up with any amount of argument or opinion. What will you do then?”
I knew what my sister said was true. Cathal was the kind of man who believed it was okay to strike a woman to keep her in her place.
“If I want to keep peace for our father and our kingdom, I have to marry him.”
“Then you are not going with him alone,” Dayna declared. “I will go with you.”
“And I,” Lidia added.
“I cannot ask that of either of you,” I said, shaking my head, even though my heart swelled with love for the two women in front of me.
“You, dear Sister, are not asking,” Dayna said. “We are telling you—there is no way you are going to live with that abomination of a man without us.”
Lidia nodded her head, her lips set in a tight line—the face of determination.
“Out of the question.” I continued. “I, at least, will be the queen, affording me at least some protection. You two will have even less, especially you, Lidia. There is no predicting what could happen to you.”
“But we know what will happen to you.” Dayna countered. “And we will not allow it. I am going. I don’t care if I must sneak aboard his ship or if I have to seduce one of his guards and convince him to bring me along.”
I gasped. “You wouldn’t.”