Elder Born

5. Cultivation-1

5

Cultivation

Elizabeth sighed with relief as she walked into her own private domain. It had been a long day and while she did not begrudge William the time to heal, she wished the process was faster. Hearing a throat clear behind her, she turned to see Abby.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but Lord Kastler is here to see you.” Abby gestured into the public-facing sitting room.

Elizabeth stifled a groan. Of all the lords to seek an audience. There were times she felt like the man was mentally undressing her. He was a tedious, grubby lord of a once great house who’d lost its relevance generations ago. Successive scions had squandered their fortune, and now they wallowed in their past glory without facing their current reality. She also strongly suspected their moral compass to be well off track.

“Thank you, Abby.” Elizabeth plastered a pleasant smile on her face and walked into the sitting room.

Lord Kastler looked up as she entered, his eyes tracking down her from head to toe. Elizabeth suppressed her irritation. She knew very well the man had pressed her father to make her his consort a time or two since she’d come of age, a request that her father had denied on every occasion. All talks of consorts were off the table with her father’s death, but she doubted William would have a different position on that score. She fully expected that once the current situation died down, her brother as king would endorse the contract between her and the son of the Speaker for the Heights Protectorate.

Elizabeth ignored the lord’s hungry eye and took a seat opposite him.

“Please sit. What is so pressing that it could not wait or have been said in council, Lord Kastler?” Elizabeth almost winced as some of what she was thinking was reflected in her tone.

“Your Highness, it’s a delicate matter that I thought best to bring to your attention privately.” Lord Kastler sat down, his eyes darting around the room.

Elizabeth gazed at the man, instantly on guard. Something about the lord’s manner made her wish that Alex, Kyle or Jess were present. As diffident as the man seemed to be, there was just something about him she did not trust. He made her skin crawl.

Of course, it was probably nothing. Still, she’d spent enough time training under the weapons master’s tender mercies and felt the flat of Jess’s blade in training often enough that she was confident she could defend herself against him should he get inappropriate. That and she knew very well her guards were just on the other side of the doors. Her thoughts about having to defend herself against him gave her pause, unaccountably causing a shiver to run down her spine.

“Go on, my lord.” At least her tone was a little smoother this time.

“It’s about Prince William. It is such a shame he was so badly injured in the fight that killed our king.” Lord Kastler licked his lips, his eyes darting over to her before looking away again.

“Indeed, Lord Kastler.” Elizabeth wished the man would get to the point. Although at this odious little man mentioning her brother’s name, the skin on the back of her neck crawled, and a sharp protective instinct rose in her.

“Perhaps it is time to admit he is not suited to ascend the throne, Your Highness.” He hastily held his hands up. “It is far from his fault, but I think I speak for many of us in saying you would be a better candidate for the throne. I would support you as the Queen of Vallantia.”

Elizabeth felt her back stiffen in response to the lord’s suggestion and took a moment to throttle down her anger.

“What you suggest amounts to treason, my lord. I will never usurp my brother’s throne. You have my permission to withdraw. I’d suggest you retire to your estates for a time.” Elizabeth stood, turning her back on the flustered lord and swept back into her private domain, fuming at the man’s cheek.