The Four Swords

Chapter 71: Reprimands

I walked in from the stable to see Carrion staring at the door from my father's favorite armchair. A sword sat across his lap in a manner far from friendly. My uncle and the girls were nowhere in sight. I assume that the have all found accommodations upstairs. I hope they all are getting some rest.

"Sir Jacobson, have a seat. We need to chat," Carrion stated without a hint of levity in his voice. With my last few encounters with a phrase along those lines being such polar opposites, my stomach turned. What should I expect from those words?

"Certainly, Sir Carrion. Is something wrong?" I hoped that he would ask about where things were in the house or something easily explained. Yesterday's adventures and last night's travel still wore on me heavily.

"That remains to be seen. First off, thank you for keeping your promise from the training field. I am honored that you remembered that I am part of the Princess's council. I was hand chosen to protect her, remember that!" Carrion's tone started light, then slowly gained bite and edge.

Where was he going with this? If his aim was simply to thank me, his tone would not have turned into this threat. If he meant to challenge me in some way, I had no quarrel with him.

His comment about being hand chosen made my mind race back to the King's tirade. I wondered if King Caderyn thought Carrion was simply in the right place at the right time to be chosen for the Princess's Council as opposed to being picked for his skill. I certainly was not going to let him in on that thought, even if it might be true.

"I'm thankful for your commitment to our Princess," I offered. I was thankful and I tried to keep my voice cheerful.

"I hope you are as honorable in all of your commitments," Carrion retorted. It felt like he attempted to insult me, but I missed the point.

"What do you mean?" I could not understand what commitment he thought I broke.

Carrion scoffed as though I was playing the fool. " Think about your actions, Sir Jacobson." He spit my formal title from his mouth like it repulsed him. "You dance with my sister at the ball, her only dance partner, then dance with Princess Alina. The following day you propose to the Princess."

What a strange thing to point out. I waited in silence for him to connect his ideas for me.

"You were the one to allow my sister to be the first woman to train on the fields of the palace with the clansmen, but you didn't stay to watch that unfold. Instead you were off with the Princess," Carrion continued.

I stared blankly at him. I did not see him on the training field the day that I left Cali on the training field. I guess he heard of her powerful display from his family or town gossip. I still did not understand how that might make me dishonorable.

Carrion snorted in derision. "Last night, I saw you hold my sister's hand as a joke for Princess Alina. Flirting at my sister's expense. How dare you treat my sister as a play thing!"

"I think you misunderstand. I was not trying to make Cali a joke at all. We are friends!" The words fell flat from my mouth. Why did that not fully feel like the truth? We were friends, right?

"You are engaged to Princess Alina. You have made a commitment to her. Pursuing two women at once is disgraceful, but you would not be the first powerful man in history to try such a thing. One day you will have authority over me, so I will say this now while that is not the case. My sister is not going to be treated with disrespect. She will not be your mistress and I do not appreciate these little flirtations!" Carrion bounced his knee anxiously. His impassioned speech left energy surging through him that needed release.

I took a deep breath. If I misspoke, I felt as though I could end up at the end of Carrion's sword. He did not know that Alina and I were forced into this engagement. We both were still acting like we had before I proposed, with the exception of one kiss. I could see how that might not give the appearance of me being fully committed to this engagement. In fact, I'm not sure either of us is fully committed.

"I appreciate your loyalty to Cali and to Princess Alina. They are my best friends. I never intend to make either of them feel disrespected. I cannot imagine life without either of them and strive everyday to be worthy of their friendship," I defended myself. Movement behind Carrion catches my eye. Alina was standing at the bottom of the stairs with an unreadable expression.

"He's certainly earned it. From both of us," Alina spoke up. Carrion shot up out of his chair, standing out of respect. I followed suit. Not because I thought Alina wanted or required that level of formality, but because I was afraid of Carrion's reprimand if I didn't.

"I'm sorry, Princess. I did not know you were there," Carrion groveled.

"Clearly," Alina retorted flatly. "Sir Carrion, before you go confronting Jack, you might want to ask Cali how she feels about you being her defender. She generally likes to fight her own battles and it does not seem she's chosen this one."

My heart skipped a beat. What did Alina mean? I never thought of my actions toward Cali as flirtatious. Had Cali? And if she had, Alina just said she didn't want to fight against my behavior.

I heaved a sigh. I think I will never understand what the women in my life really mean. Trying to decipher it makes my head spin.

"Quite right, Your Highness. Forgive me." Carrion bowed at the waist. His manners were graceful and practiced. Maybe the council chose poorly when they chose me to propose to Alina.

A tension hung in the air. Too many confrontations in a row would do that. Luckily we have a brilliant Princess.

Alina smiled and waved her hand as if dismissing the awkward silence royally. "Now that we have that cleared up, what's for breakfast?"