Page 59 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
Thankfully, those who’d travelled with us were understanding, and we were currently taking a break just outside the snow-dusted arrival site in Stein. The Vermillion knights who’d accompanied us from the estate were long gone, having stayed in the empire’s territory, and as I stepped out of the carriage, I was greeted by the view of just how powerful Stein was under Kalon’s rule.
It was a small bloody army.
Was I being threatened? There was no other reason to send so many knights. Surely, I did not require more than ten people to accompany me to Stein Castle.Nobodyneeded more knights than that unless they were off to conquer another country.
“Goodness,” Bella breathed from behind me. “My lady, are you being welcomed to Stein or threatened with war?”
Both were possible.
Kalon had said that he didn’t know if he wanted to kidnap me or kill me. Perhaps he’d settled on both.
“I don’t quite know,” I replied, looking at the sea of knights.
It was at least one hundred strong.
That was not necessary.
“Lady Alicia.”
“Yes?” I twitched at the sound of my name and turned towards the voice.
The owner of it hopped down from a large, brown horse and removed his helmet, revealing a shock of dark hair. He shook his head, and as he raised it, his long fringe parted to reveal two perfectly blue eyes that greeted me with pure scepticism. “Sir Hayes Talwick, Chief Aide to the Grand Duke and Head of the Stein Knightage at your service, my lady. It’s an honour to greet the future mistress of Stein Castle.”
Everyone around us stilled, and an unsettling air of silence wrapped around us as all attention was drawn by his words.
“Sir Hayes!” Bella stepped forwards, but I held out my arm to silence her.
Mistress.
Ha.
He was quite bold.
And stupid.
Not only did I know this man from the book, but his prolonged eye contact would have explained it even if I didn’t.
He didn’t like me. He didn’t believe me good enough to marry the Grand Duke. He didn’t believe that his respected master would marry someone from the empire when there were plenty of noblewomen in Stein who would be suitable and would secure Kalon’s position.
His own sister was one of them, and she’d been a minor nuisance in the book.
After all, Sir Hayes Talwick was a Stein-born noble in line for a marquessate, and his sister was a fair call for Kalon’s wife. Many of the old Stein nobles who’d survived the war believed their new lord should marry one of their own to strengthen his ties to the land, but it didn’t matter.
The second I’d set foot in this place it was all but the law that I was the Grand Duchess, even before we married. Regardless of my personal feelings or how quickly I wanted to get out of this situation, I had no choice but to assert my authority.
If I didn’t do it now, I would never gain the respect of those around me.
I wanted to leave here, but that didn’t mean I wanted to be miserable before that happened.
Sir Hayes was testing me.
“It’s quite all right, Bella,” I said softly, holding my hand out for a fan.
I’d recently learnt how wonderful they were to strike the fear of God into people thanks to Vivi, and this was a perfect time to test it for myself.
She whimpered as she handed it to me. “My lady—”
I closed the distance between myself and Sir Hayes until I towered over him, giving the fan a good snap against my palm for emphasis. “Forgive me, Sir Hayes, but I must have heard you incorrectly. Did you just greet me as the futuremistressof Stein Castle?”
