Page 33 of What Fury Brings
“What is it?” he asked.
“Protection. As long as you wear this, no one in Amarra will dare to touch you or hurt you.”
“But what is it?”
“It is an armband; husbands and harem members wear them.”
“I’m not marrying you,” he said, defiance creeping into his voice once more. He tried to reach for the armband, but the eunuchs leaped forward to stop him. One brought a pair of padded manacles for him to wear. Another had a similar set, slightly bigger. The first was meant for his wrists while the other went around his ankles. Andrastus tried to fight them off.
“You will let them put on the manacles or you will go without breakfast, too.”
That didn’t seem to motivate him to stop wriggling out of their grasp like a beached fish. Olerra began to worry. Shecould nottake him to breakfast if he behaved like this. She tried instead, “Let them put on the manacles, and I will forgo the gag today.”
That got through to him. His body stilled as he looked to her over all the eunuchs attempting to restrain him.
“They should be much more comfortable than what you had to wear on our trip to Amarra. These were designed for comfortable bedroom play. Not pain. They are merely a precaution.”
“I am a prince, yet you would parade me about in chains?”
“You’re not cooperating, Andrastus, which means you will be treated like a prisoner instead of a guest. Leave us,” she said to the eunuchs once he was properly secured.
When it was just the two of them, she forced her posture to remaincalm. He didn’t know she wasn’t stronger than he was. He knew she was a trained general. She could very likely take him even if it came to a fight. The only risk was him learning her secret.
Your way isn’t working, Ydra had said.
Her sister-chosen was right. Olerra needed to try another approach to taming Andrastus. Some misbehavior was expected of husbands who were taken from their homes. Olerra’s strength would come through as she showed the court how she could handle him. However, if he behaved as poorly as he had on the road, she would have to discipline him severely and publicly or risk appearing weak. She didn’t want to hurt him. She couldn’t risk him stepping too far out of line. It would ruin their relationship before it could even begin. Worse yet, it could reveal her secret if he overpowered her.
She used the voice she used with her troops. “I’m going to be honest with you, Andrastus. I only took you because I need a husband if I’m to rule Amarra one day. While I have the queen’s favor, my cousin is adored by many of the nobles, since she spends all her time kissing their asses. It is a majority vote of the nobles that determines the next queen, so let me put this simply. If I’m not made crown princess, I have no use for you. If you don’t behave, you will die.”
His face went slack, but she pressed on.
“Good, I see I have your attention. When I am named crown princess, we don’t have to live like this.” She gestured to the door adjoining their rooms. “You won’t have to be so close to me or such a reminder to the people of my dominance. You can go about your own life as you see fit. Perhaps even return to Brutus if that is your desire. But I need to win the favor of the nobility, and I need you to do it.”
He didn’t speak for a moment. Then, “Why do you need me?”
“We Amarrans value strength. Dominance. Fighting ability. Bytaking you, I proved myself. The hardest part is yet ahead of me, though. I have to show the court that I can manage you, exert my dominance. Our relationship doesn’t really need to be that way. I just need for it to appear as though we are that way. Do you understand?”
He drew his eyes together. “You need me to pretend that I’m docile and subservient to you so that you can become queen?”
“That’s right.”
“Then what the hell was last night about?”
Olerra delighted in the way his cheeks reddened as he spoke. “I’m still holding out hope that things can be… amicable between us. I want to be ready for when they are. Besides, we’re going to be married. It isn’t legitimate unless it’s consummated.” Of course, she wouldn’t take him if he really didn’t want it, but she hoped to get him thinking about the idea.
“There will benothingbetween us,” he spat. “And I don’t care about your politics or future.”
“You don’t need to care about that, but I’m counting on you caring enough to save your own skin. Your life is on the line, Andrastus, so make me proud.” She paused. “Do you care for your people? The common Brutes?”
“Of course I do. It is my job as a royal to care for them and see to their well-being.”
“Then you understand that I must be harsh with you for the sake of mine. My cousin is not a good person. She will run the common people of Amarra into the ground to pamper the royals and nobility. She is cruel and self-serving. I would see my kingdom happy and thriving, from the poorest pauper to the richest courtier. Male and female and everyone in between and outside of the binary. I am the only option that does that. Therefore, I must become queen.”
She didn’t bother to tell him the other part. The more importantpart. That sheneededto be queen. Olerra had to prove her worth when the goddess didn’t think her worthy of her Gift. To prove she was the best.
Also, she deserved it. She’d worked her ass off to be Amarra’s best fighter while hiding her secret.
“I do not care for Amarra’s people,” Andrastus said, “but I will not give you cause to execute me.”
