Igov sat in a caravan hidden with in the other’s a mirror glittering to life where he’d managed to fit It. The image of Shon’s ruler appeared his long swirls of dulled grey hair tinged with the fading memory of blood colored hair. He was often told by those who saw him and the King next to each other that he was nearly a carbon copy of the man. Which was why it made so little sense to most how Igov wasn’t immediately placed as the son of the King.

  He didn’t mind the mistakes though, his life was skirting the lines, shifting through misconceptions in order to protect his king, his country and his family.

  Igov had been a teenager when he’d left his mother’s people and knelt before his father searing his loyalty insisting that he had no desire in the crown on his father’s head. His father had welcomed him and for a while tried to push him to accept being more a son. Eventually though he’d accepted the fact that he trusted Igov more as someone who didn’t shoot for power then he did any of his other children or Grandchildren.

  It was why Igov was given so little boundaries when dealing with things. Why his father trusted him enough to drop a bit of that royal persona.

  “How are things going Igov?” His father rumbled. And why Igov in turn was blatantly honest with his father and king.

  “Your course of action seems to be quite off.” Igov informed. He had a small square of wood and a knife to keep his hands and his mind busy. He’d searched the swamp for just the right peace of wood earlier that day when he’d been attacked by a tree he’d tried to duck past.

  “Off?” His father asked his lips turning down. Igov nodded, holding the wood up into the light to decide exactly how to start it off.

  “From your preparations, I was left with the understanding that we should strategize towards beauty and a be prepared for an over show of physical strength. That my biggest worry should be having to deal with a brawl.” Igov listed to his father who took in his words and nodded.

  “That fits all I have heard about the Enchantress.” His father pointed out. The comment grated on him.

  “Are we trying to impress the Enchantress? Or are we trying to impress her daughter?” Igov clarified. His father straightened, taking the slight blow of his words.

  “I have heard nothing to say that she is any different then her mother.” The king offered. Oh, but she was. Igov thought. Seeing them next to each other he understood what Mesa meant about command. It radiated off the woman in a way that almost made one’s knees buckle. He’d only just been able to function through it seeing as he’d known about it ahead of time.

  The Enchantress looked ready to tear them to shreds but held back and her daughter took control. He had to admit he’d looked at the muscular woman and assumed she’d also attempt tear them to shreds. Instead her eyes sharpened like blades and she’d laid them out with eloquent and diplomatic, if rather irritated words. It was a slight to have shown up with such a flimsy reason. To not have had foresight into their goals. She’d taken insult in stride not bubbling over with rage but pointing out the flawed thoughts of Nogo as a candidate and signed his ticket home.

  He had to admit he’d thought Nogo, Penton and Berry were decent candidates before they arrived at the thick of the swamp. Nogo despite his blunder had resources beyond compare. On paper he was an asset to receive. Penton to had many resources and when he wasn’t irritated he was a very charming man and had many wide set connections and then Berry was sweet harmless the type of person that could exist by someone’s side and just be content talking to people.

  They were all described as pretty which was underlined as a common place thing in this swamp. Pretty and of nobility.

  Arriving there Igov could see how wrong the choices were. Nogo couldn’t hold his tongue to save his life. Penton had been fully against coming so he was refusing to hold his tongue and Berry seemed to be the only chance at a hope.

  “Berry?” His father asked nodding.

  “She at the very least seemed to like speaking to him. She also was not too found of the person as payment. And another complication arose.” Igov told him and his father’s eyes sharpened.

  He went through the Destron delegation the things he’d managed to collect information on and the things he still didn’t understand. The biggest thing though was they were offering a more permanent offer then Shon was.

  “I wasn’t aware that the girl had a Harem.” His father commented. Igov shook his head he was usually more careful with his phrasing then that.

  “She doesn’t it was an assumption made by Destron.” Igov indicated. This job was getting to him. His nephew’s whining. The intrigue of the area he couldn’t afford to fully explore. He wouldn’t be so tied either if they’d evaluated the situation correctly but he constantly had to combat the wrong assumptions.

  He’d thought flattery of her strength was the right way to start and saw quickly it did nothing for them.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  He hadn’t expected to have prepared the correct supplies to keep up with a verbal battle. Not the quick evaluation of situations that made it feel like she understood them far more then he even began to understand her. She’d pointed out how truly laughable it was to present someone who couldn’t even pretend to be comfortable with the swamp to someone who solely lived in a swamp.

  Igov hadn’t been prepared for their meeting because he’d been sure after irritating her she’d make them wait as long as she could. And though she did make them wait it was for a rather reasonable amount of time. Igov hadn’t had enough ime to build a new plan and he had to rush to see what damage might have been done while he was focused on other things.

  He’d been furious to hear Berry apologize to her thinking they’d lost another candidate. But she’d offered him a small not political but genuine smile and dismissed the idea that she was angry.

  Then she’d explained offering the fact that she was not the type to judge his parentage. She’d admitted her own was similar and searched him to see if he was embarrassed by his own. If he would judge. He wouldn’t. He’d never minded how he came to be but he’d seen if he had it would be another negative against them.

  He’d assumed that titles would be important to her. He’d taken her small smiled explanation as confirmation in that assumption. Then though her diplomatic persona faltered into surprise when he’d used her title. He couldn’t pin why and he’d found himself distracted by the look in her eyes that told him that she’d leave if things didn’t start moving.

  It wasn’t even based in impatience but almost nerves.

  In everyway she seemed thoughtful and capable and he re-laid most everything to his father.

  She’d accepted Penton’s slight without any hesitation and moved on without issue.

  Igov didn’t tell his father about her use of his technical formal title or her amusement and is ill contained distaste for it. He didn’t tell him that it was the reason he realized he’d made the wrong conclusion, just that he’d figured that she didn’t prefer full formal titles.

  Then getting into her ability. He describe to his father her mother’s abilities. It wasn’t a surprise to Igov or his father. The Enchantress was infamous and her abilities were wildly catalogued. It had confused him at the time why if she claimed her abilities weren’t the same as her mother’s she felt the need to explain.

  She’d held this quiet sort of worry in the explanation that he didn’t understand either. When he volunteered himself for being tested on it seemed completely natural.

  Then his heart thudded as her eyes trained on him. Igov couldn’t deny the tingles that ran along his skin as her eyes trailed him in a steady inquisitive regard. He found his normally impenetrable ability to be ready for anything titled of kilter not gone. Then he’d felt it all fall away when she reached out not quite touching him.

  He didn’t go into all that detail with his father focusing more on him easing to the point that his mind wouldn’t even consider aggression or defense.

  He didn’t tell his father that when she reached out his breath escaped his lungs and the whole time he was mesmerized by her as well as the ability. Her touch was gentle, her healing was warm, he knew how her breathing sounded and how she smelled. He was viscerally aware of it. It couldn’t have floored him.

  It made him regret this mission.

  He shook that thought away.

  He then revealed the slip of Aleste’s name and the immediate recognition.

  “She is deny the offered request claim calming a shadow beast simple and only asking for the standard commission fee.” Igov admitted. His father leaned back.

  “Simple? No of our mages could offer any ideas but sedation which didn’t work and death which is not an option.” His father stated his face growing hard. Igov nodded he’d questioned his father’s judgement when he’d come home with the preteen girl who locked herself away. After a while though she came out of the room and lit up the world with her antics. She deserved to be happy and needed to be protected. They were lucky that if someone was going to recognize her that they seemed fond of her. “She knows Aleste.” Father breathed. “Did she say how?” He asked.

  “No, she didn’t.” Igov admitted. His father nodded.

  “Arrange the deal as she states it and once it’s accepted offer her a choice of a submission to this harem that may or may not exist. I want a line to her how ever we can forge it.” His father state freezing Igov.

  “You know Penton will be even more displeased and Berry.” Berry had agreed to go on this adventure only because it wasn’t romantic. “Berry will never be happy with a woman.” Igov reminded his father.

  “I never said it had to be them. I will compile a list suited to the roll.” His father assured and soon after Igov sat silent and alone. He looked down at the perfect piece of wood he’d found he’d just started forming it into a bird he’d been surprised by as it soared past. It’s feathers blended perfectly in with the swamp and within seconds it had been lost.

  It stayed on his mind though.

  Igov placed it down with his knife. Then a knock sounded at his door. He paused it wasn’t a common occurrence he always made it rather annoying to get to his caravan. Igov toed his way over to the door and opened it. A man scarred and grizzled looked him up and down didn’t say a word simply through something at Igov.

  Igov caught it without difficulty and the man nodded seeming to approve of him and then left without a word. It wasn’t the first time he’d found someone in the grouping of caravans silently poking around. When someone would call them out for being there they’d glance, raise their brows and duck away without any explanation or apology. Since Mesa had arrived home though the presences were more frequent and in harder to reach places.

  Mesa hadn’t left them to wait long but he’d receive report after report of noticing someone.

  Igov wondered if the man had tried to listen in he would have heard nothing seeing as that was what the caravan was spelled for.

  It was a warning dance. Igov thought.

  And Igov understood the warning.

  Mesa was loved. Mesa was valued. And Mesa was protected by people who could and would appear silently caused their wrath and then disappear without anyone ever knowing.

  Igov didn’t usually doubt his capability to complete a mission but this one left him wondering if it should be.

  Igov looked down at what was thrown at him. Bark decently preserved. At closer inspection it was a formal invitation. He ran his thumb across the carved emblem at the bottom. A blade laid in front of a snake that wrapped around a sharp detailed flower backed by the known signature of the Enchantress.

  He read through and wondered what in the world a Shannocky was. Igov didn’t know but he knew they would be attending.