Reign of Madness (King's Dark Tidings Book 2) Read online

  Rezkin bowed slightly and inquired with a pleasant smile, “Lady Shiela, how do you find your accommodations?”

  Shiela’s composure slipped as she fanned her face with a lacy hand and fluttered her eyes with overly dramatic distress. “Well, I am sure that little can be done, but it is most disconcerting to be sharing a room with a bunch of commoners.” The disdain with which she said the word commoners made it sound as if she had been assigned a room filled with livestock.

  Rezkin’s smile dropped, and he directed an uncertain and disapproving frown in Malcius’s direction while flicking a glance at Frisha. Malcius flushed at the unspoken rebuke. As General Marcum’s heir, Frisha was due all the respect of the nobility, and to demean her publicly was unbecoming behavior for a lady. Rezkin’s comportment as a nobleman of the highest standard encouraged Malcius to uphold the standard, as well. Malcius cleared his throat as he gave his sister a penetrating look. “Sister, I am sure you misspoke.”

  Shiela was startled by the reprimand and glanced over to see Rezkin’s disapproving stare. She blushed slightly and replied, “Oh, yes. I meant a couple of commoners and our dear cousin. Forgive me, Frisha, I meant no offense,” she said with feigned regret.

  Frisha rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “I’m sure you didn’t,” she remarked. “I must say, Shiela, I find myself greatly concerned for your wellbeing,” she said, her brow furrowed with worry.

  Shiela’s eyes widened in trepidation of some unidentified threat, “Oh, why is that?”

  “I had not realized your constitution was so delicate that the mere presence of other human beings could render you so senseless,” Frisha remarked fretfully. “I worry that this journey could cause you an inordinate amount of stress. Perhaps you should reconsider attending.”

  Reaylin snickered behind her hand as she held back a giggle, but Palis and Brandt burst out laughing. Even Malcius wore a sly grin, which immediately fell when Shiela scowled in his direction. Shiela’s face reddened, and she turned her attention to Rezkin. He observed the young lady with a somber face but a glint of laughter in his eyes. Shiela knew the handsome nobleman was watching to see how she would react. The heat slipped from her cheeks as she grinned wickedly. She sidled up to Rezkin and wrapped her arms around one of his muscular biceps as she turned to face Frisha. She then gazed up at the young warrior with doe eyes and said sweetly, “I am sure, dear Cousin, that I will be quite well during the trip. From what Uncle Marcum said, Rezkin, here, is quite capable. I will be in good hands.”

  Rezkin lifted a brow and cast a feral grin down at the young woman. Frisha was fuming but felt a shiver crawl up her spine at the look. Rezkin appeared as a lion that had just sighted his next prey – and not in a good way. Shiela interpreted the look as a different kind of hunger and smiled suggestively. Malcius cleared his throat just as another sound reached their ears.

  “Do not drop that, now, and hurry up! We do not have all day, you know,” said a familiar voice. Frisha and Tam’s eyes widened as the late arrival stomped onto the deck. “Ah! I did not realize I would have the company of House Jebai. What is this? House Gerrand, too, I see.”

  Malcius bowed low as did Palis and Brandt. “Lord Tieran,” Malcius intoned, “I did not know we would be traveling with such esteemed company.” His eyes glanced at Rezkin who was mostly blocked by the others. He was pointedly not bowing. Malcius added, “Or, rather, additional esteemed company, I should say.”

  “Additional?” Tieran queried with a furrowed brow. His eyes fell on Rezkin as the young warrior stepped from behind the other young men. Tieran’s face paled, and his jaw dropped slightly. “Oh, ah…I see. Lord Rezkin,” he sputtered as he bowed slightly in greeting, “it is…ah…good to see you, again.”

  Malcius glanced between the two, his interest piqued by the superior lord’s strange behavior. “You two already know each other?” He immediately thought better of his question and waved it off, “Of course, you do. Introductions are not necessary.”

  Rezkin greeted Lord Tieran wearing the same feral smile from a moment ago, only it looked decidedly more dangerous when directed at the duke’s eldest son. His other prey had arrived. Rezkin had seen the Duke’s request for passage for his son and had taken it upon himself to assign the young man to their ship. He had also sent a missive to the Duke, in the general’s name, explaining the security that was already assigned to the vessel, so Tieran had not come with his own guard. Since the duke already had a number of men assigned to the tournament, Tieran’s personal guard would be pooled from them upon his arrival in Skutton. Tieran and his manservant were to share the final room. It was not inappropriate for a manservant to share quarters with his master when traveling, and contrary to popular belief, many of those who served the upper Houses were of lesser nobility. Tieran’s manservant was the fifth son of a minor landless noble.

  Tieran gulped as he received the full brunt of Rezkin’s heated gaze. While Rezkin played the amiable upstanding noble for the others, he kept Tieran firmly in his place through fear. “So, ah, Lord Rezkin. Does this mean your lovely girlfriend is around here as well?”

  Rezkin’s grin lost its edge and suddenly became as bright and pleasant as it had with the others. He brushed off Shiela’s grasp and turned abruptly. With a sweeping motion he presented Frisha, “Yes, you are quite right! My sweet Lady Frisha is attending the tournament, as well, escorted by her cousins, of course.” All eyes turned to the startled young woman, and she blushed at Rezkin’s recognition of her as his girlfriend once again.

  Shiela’s jaw dropped. “She’s your girlfriend?” The young lady’s shocked inquiry was accentuated by a shrill whistle and the sudden rocking of the ship as it began drifting away from the dock.

  On sure feet, Rezkin strode over to the stunned Frisha and took her in his arms as he gazed longingly into her eyes. Somehow, the performance did not seem as difficult as he thought it would be. Rezkin had spent some of his time in Kaibain studying the interactions between men and women. He even attended a few stage performances during the night that were classified as romances. The exchanges seemed strange and foreign, but he was practiced at mimicking behavior, so he was confident he could pull it off.

  “How could I not be completely besotted by this stunning woman? She is a brilliant diamond in the rough.” He paused theatrically. “Well, I suppose it is not that rough considering her father is a shrewd and extremely successful businessman. I am quite sure his acquired wealth exceeds many of the smaller Houses, in fact. Not to mention she is the heir of Lord Marcum Jebai.” Rezkin intentionally referred to the general as lord and added his family name for emphasis.

  Tieran furrowed his brow. “Really? A commoner has been so successful?”

  “Quite.” Rezkin remarked. “We must not forget, gentlemen…and ladies,” Rezkin said as he bowed slightly toward Shiela and Frisha, “that, while the nobility serve as the mind and voice of the kingdom, the commoners are the kingdom’s blood. Without them, the kingdom would cease to function.” Rezkin then grinned smugly, “And, I, for one, prefer my blood rich and plentiful.”

  The duke’s son narrowed his eyes suspiciously, “Yet, you would choose to bind yourself to one of common blood?”

  Rezkin laughed heartily. Frisha and Tam jumped. It was the first time they had heard him laugh, and to their ears, it did not quite sound genuine. “Oh, please, Tieran,” Rezkin said, waving off the lord’s concern while intentionally dropping his title. “Is noble blood so weak as to be defeated by one commoner parent? Both the count and general are as strong as any noble can be,” he remarked as Malcius and Palis straightened proudly. “Do not doubt that Lady Terissa is just as formidable and respectable.” Frisha jerked her head to stare at Rezkin. What did he know of her mother? Rezkin stroked his jaw as he mused, “Considering her father’s intelligence and success, I would not be surprised to find that he was actually the remnant of forgotten line from a minor house.” Frisha frowned. She knew full well her father did not belong to any noble hous
e, and she was sure Rezkin knew it, too.

  All the nobles looked at Frisha appraisingly, as if seeing her for the first time. Rezkin was pleased as he observed their contemplations and lightly remarked, “It is a shame I have not been able to convince the general to accept my proposal.”

  Shiela’s jaw dropped. “You proposed? For Frisha?” she questioned with scorn and disbelief. The young men all scoured Rezkin’s appearance trying to process the information.

  “Why would Uncle Marcum reject your proposal?” Palis finally asked. “He speaks so highly of you.”

  “Alas, you have struck on the conundrum that has become the bane of my existence,” he said dramatically with a heavy sigh. He shook his head and continued, “I can tell you for certain that Marcum definitely recognizes his niece’s worth. Perhaps he is holding out for someone more active in the court, perhaps a duke,” he mentioned offhandedly as he waved in Tieran’s direction. The young man shifted uncomfortably, and Frisha blushed furiously. “For all I know, he could be holding out for a prince! What I do know is that, despite my promises of wealth and power and protection, he continues to deny me.” His face fell, and he looked away in heartfelt shame.

  Frisha placed a hand on his arm as she gazed at him sympathetically with tears in her eyes. She knew that much of what Rezkin was saying and doing was an act, but she could see his sincere distress over his rejection. Even Shiela’s face softened at the young romantic’s plight.

  Malcius shifted uncomfortably before he remarked, “The general is a cunning man, Rez. Perhaps he only hopes to test your resolve.” Shiela scowled at her brother as she elbowed him in the ribs. Prompted by his aggressive sister, he continued, “I am positive it has nothing to do with you, personally, and I am sure that any House would be elated to join with you.” Shiela gave her brother a pointed look, and he added casually, “My own included.”

  Frisha sent Malcius a dark look, and he winced as Shiela smiled smugly. Rezkin turned back to the group as he gathered his composure. He pretended not to catch Malcius’s implication. “Yes, you are probably correct, Malcius.” He straightened proudly and gripped his doublet over his heart as he said, “I shall remain steadfast and determined. The general may yet change his mind.”

  Rezkin glanced over at Captain Jimson who had been standing not far away eavesdropping on the conversation while presumably reviewing paperwork. The warrior had not informed Jimson of his plans, and Jimson really had no idea what Rezkin was up to with this whole charade. The captain recognized a signal when he saw one, though. Rezkin’s look was his cue to interrupt the conversation.

  “Lords, Ladies, now that we are underway, the ship’s captain asks that we all meet on the quarterdeck for instructions in safety and ship’s protocol. If you would, please follow me,” Jimson said as he turned and led the way.

  Captain Crowleson spent nearly an hour explaining the layout of the ship, a bit of sailing terminology and what everyone should do in the case of an emergency. To the men, he explained where they should take up positions if the ship came under attack. Being a passenger ship, rather than a warship, the carrack had little in the way of defenses. Most of the space that would be used for weaponry had been designed as quarters for the crew and passengers. The captain explained that there had been no attacks for as long he had been sailing the Tremadel, but he wanted to be thorough.

  During his speech, the captain also made it quite clear exactly who was in charge while they were on the ship. Tieran and Malcius sniffed in disdain, but Rezkin piped in with exuberance, assuring the captain that everyone understood the need for certain protocols when on the vessel. Chastened, the young men nodded their assurances, as well.

  In the short time Rezkin had been in the presence of the nobles, he had effectively manipulated them into viewing him as the leader. He left open the implication that he was of very high standing without ever divulging his House affiliation, not a small feat among nobles. General Marcum’s assurances had gone a long way in generating that trust with the Jebais. Rezkin wondered just how hard the general choked on his words when he issued such praise. Rezkin had successfully cowed the duke’s son through fear during their previous encounter, but the Jebais’ assumption of Rezkin’s superior status encouraged Tieran to believe the same. Tieran simply assumed the Jebais knew with whom they were traveling.

  Gaining control over the traveling party was only one part of Rezkin’s plan, though. He could have done so through a number of different methods. The easiest would have been to simply state that the general had placed him in command and left them to wonder as to his status in the hierarchy of the kingdom. That would have done nothing to further his second goal, though, which was to aid Frisha. If Rezkin could rewrite the opinions of the young nobles of Houses Jebai, Gerrand, and especially Nirius, then Frisha would have a much higher chance of being accepted as an equal in high society. If Rezkin could not keep Frisha for himself, then he could at least help her make a smooth entrance into society and hopefully have a happier life.

  Rezkin’s third goal was to create an acceptable persona for himself. The general was a prime example of how suspicion and fear could turn others against him, and people feared what they did not understand. If Rezkin acted as himself, the others on this voyage would be distrustful and could turn against him. He could have played the role of a commoner and been effectively invisible, but then he would have had a difficult time guiding events according to his plans. Most people seemed to want to believe he was a noble, so he decided to let them believe as they wished. Surprisingly, allowing people to believe he had the utmost power and authority was the path of least resistance. Besides, the young warrior would need a strongly defined and accepted persona if his plans for the tournament were to succeed.

  For the rest of the day, people mingled and chatted. The nobles gossiped about court and courtships. They even invited Frisha to join them when Rezkin was not present. Captain Jimson spent some time getting to know his comrades, and the Jebai House Guard kept to themselves playing dice or bones. Tam found a secluded spot near the poop deck to read his book. He was feeling out of sorts. His friends all seemed to fit into some niche, and he did not belong with any of them. Only Reaylin was in a similar position, and he was not yet desperate enough to suffer her.

  Tam knew that Rezkin was playing a role, although he still did not understand why. The problem was that Tam was unable to discern how much of what Rezkin said was simple acting and how much was truth. Rezkin’s speech about commoners was both complimentary and patronizing, and Tam did not know how to feel about it. On the surface, Rezkin’s affable and joyous conduct seemed normal for a sociable noble, but the excessive jubilance and decorum seemed almost neurotic for Rezkin.

  The warrior was typically defined by a solid, stoic presence that incited feelings of safety and stability. When Rezkin was around, Tam always felt like everything was under control, even when they were in the midst of chaos. The Lord Rezkin simply did not fill him with the same sense of assurance, even though he knew it lay just below the surface. Rezkin’s almost passionate behavior somehow disturbed him.

  Reaylin was just as aloof as Tam. She seemed particularly uncomfortable around the other women. Frisha had gained points with Reaylin when she snubbed Shiela, but now Frisha was spending more time with the nobles, as was Rezkin. Reaylin was astonished by Rezkin’s behavior. Never had she imaged he was capable of pulling off such a flamboyant persona. It made her wonder about Rezkin’s other capabilities and why he was such a skilled fraudster. Just who was Rezkin really, and could he be useful?

  Reaylin still was not happy that Rezkin proposed to Frisha, but she was encouraged by the fact that the deal had failed. She did feel bad for him, but he was a strong man, and he would get over it. Frisha was too weak for a man like Rezkin. Reaylin could tell that he was put off by women like Shiela and thought that she, as a warrior, had a much better chance with such a man. If only she could get him away from Frisha long enough for him to see her.

 
Rezkin disappeared for a while as he secretly scrambled about the ship. He snuck about the captain’s quarters, since the captain was busy on deck. He had already been there before, but he wanted to make sure there was nothing new of which he should be aware. There was not, so he continued with his search. He snuck into each of the guest’s rooms and rifled through their trunks and then went through the mound of useless necessities in the cargo hold. Nothing of immediate import stood out, but he did find a few tidbits that he would file away for later use.

  Two of the Jebai House Guards had gambling debts they were to pay off by performing some unspecified service while in Skutton. The future duke, Tieran, was to attend a clandestine meeting on behalf of his father with a man whose name Rezkin did not recognize. Tieran’s manservant, Colton, had a secret lover who Rezkin was nearly certain was a man. Shiela was not as innocent as she would have her family believe. She had in her possession half a dozen parting letters from potential suitors moaning about how much they would miss her, and two actually pleaded for her to meet them for a private rendezvous while at the tournament.

  When Rezkin rejoined the nobles, everyone wanted to know what he had been up to and how he managed to disappear for so long on a ship. Rezkin laughed and said, “Ah, well, you see I do enjoy a good voyage as much as the rest of you, but we did have to rise hours before dawn this morning.” Frisha arched a brow. She knew full well that Rezkin always rose long before dawn. The man was incessantly restless when he was not moving in some fashion.

  Malcius snickered, “You snuck off to take a nap.”

  Rezkin heaved an overly dramatic sigh and uttered, “You may have seen the truth, and I concede – I feel no shame for my absence.”

  Shiela, not deterred by Rezkin’s intentions toward Frisha, said, “Oh, I wish you had said so earlier. I might have felt inclined to take a nap as well.” She fluttered her lashes and eyed him suggestively.