“To me.” The new voice rang strong and confident behind Adeline from the direction of the door to the waiting room behind the dais. Bootsteps sounded on the flagstones before Lord Lorne appeared at her side. His head turned to her, his gaze meeting hers, as he held out his arm.
This close, she could see the brightness of fever in his eyes and the flush to his cheeks. But he was standing upright, dressed in a set of trousers, shirt, and doublet that fit him rather well.
While he didn’t wear the Lalsacian colors, his black hair and darker colored skin were distinctive enoughthat there would be no mistaking who she had married.
She laid her hand on his arm, even as the lords before her burst into chaos once again.
“A Lalsacian!”
“You cannot be serious, Your Highness!”
“I will not stand for this!”
“How do we know this marriage is even real?”
Lord Pellier, one of the lords loyal to her, spoke for the first time, raising his voice. “The marriage is quite real. I witnessed it myself.”
“Then you approve of this…travesty?” The other lord gestured to her and Lord Lorne.
“I believe this is our only path forward to peace with Lalsacia.”
“Peace! Lalsacia just killed our king!”
“And we imprisoned their diplomatic envoys.”
“They killed our crown prince and his princess before we were even at war! What we did to their envoys is nothing they didn’t deserve!”
Beside her, Lord Lorne stiffened, but Adeline didn’t dare glance at him. This moment was too precarious for any distraction, even if the words stabbed at her heart.
Forcing her emotions away, Adeline called for silence. The lords took far longer than any of the previous times to quiet, and the low murmurings continued. Most of the men before her had mutinous looks on their faces, and they remained standing instead of sitting.
“I understand your concern over my marriage.There has been a lot of bloodshed and atrocities committed in this war.” Adeline tried to keep her expression and voice neutral and stern. If she showed any weakness now, the lords would exploit it. “But my marriage signals both to you and to Lalsacia that I am resolved to bring about peace between Kelverny and Lalsacia, as is my husband Lord Lorne. It will be a long road, but I will see this through for the sake of our kingdom.”
The lords stared at her, most of them appearing as if they were contemplating treason right then and there.
Her fingers tightened on Lord Lorne’s arm, needing reassurance, even if the only one standing with her was the enemy lord she had married.
Surprisingly, his other hand came up to rest over hers on his arm. When she glanced at him, he gave her a hint of a smile and tilt of his head.
His support stiffened her spine and strengthened her voice as she stared out at her lords once again. “Since I am already married, I became queen the moment my grandfather breathed his last. Now I ask the council to recognize my right to rule.”
Lord Pellier pressed his arm over his heart before he swept into a low bow. “My queen.”
Others made the motion and bowed, holding the bow. Lord Sarlon and his ilk hesitated, but after a moment, they, too, bowed. Although Lord Sarlon did so with a sneer on his face. But even he was unwilling to make his move this publicly.
Not yet, anyway.
Adeline waited another heartbeat, letting them linger in their bows, before she motioned. “Rise.”
The lords stood once again. After making a few final statements, Adeline gathered her skirts. A light pressure on Lord Lorne’s arm had him turning in time with her before the two of them swept toward the door at the back of the dais. Lord Lorne remained a half-step behind her, even as they walked together, falling almost effortlessly into his role as consort.
He opened the door for her, and she stepped inside first. He followed, closing the door behind them.
Yet he didn’t immediately move from the door, gripping the handle with white knuckles. His face had gone white, beads of sweat trickling down his temples.
“Come, you need to sit down.” Adeline gripped him under the elbow, not sure if there was anything she could do if he couldn’t manage to walk on his own.
The physician had pushed to his feet from the chair where he’d been waiting and was hurrying forward.
