Free Destiny by Fiona McIntosh Page B

clothes and she liked him for that. Even in her short time in the palace she had seen quite a number of people who favoured bright, decorated garments. She wondered whether the King had been one of those. Saxon, and indeed her mother, she was glad to see, favoured simplicity, but then looking like Alyssa one would need no other adornment. Gyl obviously preferred the garb of a simple soldier even though he was Queen’s Champion. Nevertheless, for all their simplicity she noticed his clothes were well cut and hung from his body superbly.
    ‘…and they found me chained like that the next morning. If it wasn’t for Queen Nyria, I’d have probably got myself a boot up the arse for being such a nuisance. Instead, I was put in the care of our mother, Alyssa, who was just a palace servant at that time.’
    She nodded, did not want to interrupt him. Lauryn liked hearing his voice. There was a certain wistfulness in it she often felt herself. Gyl was talking about growing up at the palace now and as he did so, she turned her attentions to his face.
    He had a square jaw, a straight nose and dark green eyes. It was a symmetrical face framed by dark, slightly curly hair which he chose to wear short—rather than longer and tied back as seemed the fashion in Tal. His most arresting feature was the long lashes outlining his eyes and she wondered how often he had been teased about those by the other soldiers. Small neat teeth could be glimpsed when he laughed, which Lauryn thought must not be all that often any more. It seemed the weight of his title might have pressed down the young, carefree lad he might have been and required him to be more serious.
    ‘You need to laugh more, Gyl.’ She had not meant to blurt out her thoughts.
    ‘Pardon me?’
    Lauryn was embarrassed but she pressed on. ‘You take yourself a little too seriously.’
    ‘Really?’ he said, the tone in his voice telling her he was anything but flattered. ‘That’s very judgemental for someone who has only been in Tal for a little under one day and who knows me hardly at all. What do you know of my life, Lauryn? Or my responsibilities? Has it even occurred to you to imagine how difficult it is to suddenly be told I have half-brothers and a sister and now I share my mother with two…no three others?’
    Lauryn felt stupid. He was right, of course. ‘I just meant if you were a little easier on yourself—not so tense all the time…’
    ‘You don’t know what I’m like. The only time you’ve spent with me has been during rather dramatic circumstances.’ He stood. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, madam, I have a funeral to arrange. My apologies for my loose tongue.’
    He strode away, leaving Lauryn mouthing to no one, ‘I just meant you have a wondrous smile which would be nice to see.’
    Gyl apparently did not hear her and she did not see him again until the following afternoon under greatly changed circumstances.
    Queen Alyssa of Tallinor arrived in the Throne Room of the Tal Palace shortly after sunrise. She was not a bit surprised to see the hall already full of people, and they were familiar faces; almost all of them she could call friends, having won their faith and trust since her marriage to Lorys. They looked tired from the early summons; many appeared shaken with disbelief at the fact that their King, still relatively young in years, lay cold on a marble slab. And if Alyssa was not surprised by their prompt attention to her request, by contrast they were all certainly surprised at this young woman’s composure. They had never doubted her loyalty and love for the King, and had anticipated her reaction might be one of hysteria, having lost him so tragically and so soon after her marriage. They had not been prepared to be summoned so swiftly or for her rigid control as she graciously accepted their muted welcome.
    She could see Gyl and Herek standing to one side withSaxon in attendance. No one seemed to mind this familiar trio being present and she was