Chapter 16

Two of the guardsmen were standing outside of her door, as was always the case, and as the three young women bounded down the hallway, the men fell into step behind them. Kit glanced over her shoulder to see if she recognized them. One was a large, musclebound brute of a man with flowing blond hair which he kept in a knot at the base of his neck when he was on duty. She’d seen him before when he was not, though, and remembered how attractive he looked with his hair flowing freely around his broad shoulders. She timidly smiled at him when he realized she was staring, but he kept his eyes straight ahead, as if he weren’t allowed to regard the woman he was protecting.

The other man was tall and not as muscular. He had a hard set jaw and eyes that were small for the width of his face. Kit had noticed him before, too, but only because she found him particularly unattractive compared to most of her guards. She thought he was nice enough, but she certainly wouldn’t consider him for a pleasuring. But then, she thought he was married to one of the women who worked in the kitchen, so it wouldn’t matter. She realized it was a shame she knew neither of their names and decided she needed to try to learn the names of all of her guards. After all, during her Choosing, she’d have to learn the names of each Representative from all forty-two provinces, so she may as well start practicing with her guardsmen.

“All right,” Avinia announced, drawing Kit right up next to the window. It was one of several that covered a large expanse of the wall in this section of the castle. It looked out on a courtyard surrounded by other exterior walls of Wrenbrook, so there was little threat of anyone invading the castle and using these large windows for their first entry point. Three such windows ran in intervals along the hallway here, and Kit enjoyed pacing this hall on days when it was misty so she couldn’t go outside but needed as much sunlight as she could soak in. She had never thought to stand here and watch a bunch of shirtless men run around outside. But now that she was doing so, the idea didn’t appall her as much as she let on.

Not all of the men were without tunics. Only about half, and it seemed to depend upon what they were practicing. There were several different activities going on, including jousting with wooden poles, swordplay, also with wooden weapons, while others were doing calisthenics or running. She could tell that Galter was giving most of the orders, as she would’ve expected. Of the fifty or so guardsmen she had at in her service, there were perhaps thirty here, which she assumed meant the others were either on free time or otherwise protecting her in ways she likely knew nothing about.

“All right. It’s quite simple, isn’t it?” Avinia asked, leaning in close to her ear. “I’m not saying you have to choose a guardsman, but you need to choose someone who can show you a thing or two, that’s all.”

“Yes, you want someone with some experience,” Isla agreed.

“Now, which one is this Dullen?” Avinia asked, and Kit immediately hushed her cousin, looking over her shoulder at the other two guards. Though they had stopped down the hall a bit, one leaning against each wall at attention, she was certain they could hear, and she didn’t think it was pertinent for any of them to know what she and Dullen had done. “Why are you hushing me?” Avinia asked. “They’re not going to say anything. They are in your service.”

“Yes, well, not saying and not knowing aren’t the same, are they?” Kit asked, and her mind immediately went to the Proem. What if the ugly guard was the one who knew her intimately? Then she remembered he was married, so it couldn’t have been him. Her eyes flickered to the other one, the handsome one with the flowing blond tresses. Now, that wouldn’t be so bad….

“Katrinetta, which one is he?” Isla asked in a sharp whisper that stung her cheek.

Kit scanned the yard for a shock of red hair and soon found him, though he wasn’t the only redhead amongst the men who had to be a good twenty feet below them and far enough across the courtyard that they hadn’t yet noticed their audience. “There. That one,” she said, pointing at him.

Immediately, both of her ladies began to giggle, and Kit felt her face going crimson all over again. “Beg pardon, Princess. I don’t mean to laugh,” Avinia said, though she did it just the same.

“He truly is a boy child,” Isla snickered, quietly. “I am so glad nothing more happened than a bit of booby grabbing.”

“Isla!” Kit scolded, glancing over her shoulder at the guards. She thought she saw a hint of amusement in the stoic brute’s expression but didn’t know for sure. The other was clearly smiling, though he fixed his face as Kit looked at him.

“All right, darling dearest,” Avinia said, taking Kit by the elbow again. “Look at that fellow over there, the one who looks as if he’s twice your age and could pick you up with one finger. That’s the sort of gent you want in your chambers, particularly early on. He certainly knows what he’s on about.”

“Yes, indeed,” Isla concurred. “Or that one.” She pointed at a stout figure with short black hair and dark skin that glistened in the sun. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and Kit felt a tingling sensation as she stared at his bare chest. He was fighting another man and besting him, and Kit’s tongue darted from between her lips of its own accord, causing Avinia to giggle again.

“Why ever are you laughing at me?” Kit asked, determined that her face would just stay beet red for the rest of her life. “You said I should find someone that piques my interest.”

“Yes, well, I guess we’ve found a likely candidate,” Avinia snickered.

“There are certainly many pros to choosing a well-endowed gentleman for your first pleasuring,” Isla continued, her voice low as if that might keep the guards from overhearing, though Kit didn’t think it likely. “While it feels much better than a smaller member poking around, it will also help get all of the stretching done at once.”

Kit was confused. “I thought the whole purpose of the Proem was to take care of that.”

“No, that’s just to break the barrier, to introduce you into the world so that you may not think of any of your suitors as more worthy of your affections than any of the others,” Avinia reminded her.

Of course, that had all been explained before at least a dozen times, but somehow Kit had gotten the impression the stretching had also been part of it. There had certainly been stretching, though she remembered how gentle the man behind the veil had been with her.

“Now, in my case,” Isla recounted, “the man I chose to invite to my chambers first was large, and since Mikali performed my Proem, the first time was very painful.” She looked grieved, and Kit wanted to remind her it wasn’t necessary to go over the story again. She’d already heard it many times before. “But after that, nothing was uncomfortable, and I was able to enjoy myself immensely each time.”

“The more partners you have, the better off you’ll be when it’s time for your Choosing. You’ll know what to expect from the various Representatives, and you’ll know who isn’t worth a second invite,” Avinia noted.

Kit’s head was spinning. “It all seems quite embarrassing, actually,” she admitted.

“Don’t think of it that way. This is your right as a noblewoman of royal blood,” Isla reminded her.

“And the men want to please you. Most of them find it satisfying as well.” Avinia smiled down at her, and Kit nodded, thinking that may be true. Dullen seemed to like their interaction for certain.

“I just can’t imagine asking a man to join me in my chambers, that’s all,” Kit admitted, placing a hand against her cheek to tell if the heat was radiating off of it. She did feel a bit of warmth.

“It’s simple. You’re the princess. You look him squarely in the eyes and say, ‘Your presence is requested in my chambers this evening,’” Avinia said with confidence.

“Yes, and he will most certainly be grateful,” Isla nodded.

“And—as for the fact that you should start with these fine specimens of your own guard, well, they are all regularly checked by the doctor. You shouldn’t need to worry about catching anything.” Avinia wrinkled up her nose.

Kit hadn’t truly considered that a possibility. “I thought… isn’t it a crime to have relations with a woman knowing you’re infected with a disease? And… isn’t it punishable by death if that woman is nobility?”

“Yes, but some men will do anything in order to have a chance to pleasure a noblewoman, I’m afraid.” Isla shook her head, morose again.

“I would think any nobleman who comes to pay a visit would also be of little risk. And Mikali swears the sheaths will catch most everything, particularly if that special cream provided to you is used generously.” Avinia patted Kit on the shoulder lovingly.

“Yes, I have heard that is true.” Kit’s nerves settled down a bit, but stories of women who had been infected with awful venereal diseases entered her mind, and she was bound and determined never to let that be her. “Can you tell?”

“If a man is ill?” Avinia asked. “No, not usually.”

“Not unless he has sores or puss,” Isla added, making an awful face that displayed her disgust.

The idea made Kit’s stomach churn. “All right. I think I would notice that.”

“Yes, but sometimes it takes a bit of time for it to show up. Which is why the physician will check all of the Representatives when they arrive, and then you will have several days before there are any relations between yourself and the men.”

“They are checked regularly. Mine have already been checked twice,” Isla noted.

From the sounds of it, there must be an epidemic out among the provinces of men spreading disease to poor unsuspecting women. Kit wondered how in the world she could possibly choose several men during her Exploration if there was a chance they would leave her nether regions itchy and bleeding.

“Don’t worry, love,” Avinia said, clearly seeing her worried expression. “It is all a precaution.”

“The men know the law, and they will abide by it, I’m certain. That’s why there are safe houses for those who are infected to go.” Isla’s smile seemed reassuring.

“And those places are not running over with so many of the afflicted there is no room in their beds,” Avinia noted.

Kit nodded, but she was still worried. In an attempt to take her mind off of the grotesque images that had filled her thoughts, she returned her attention to her guards. It was a warm spring day, and many of them were glistening in the late afternoon sun. A tingling sensation between her thighs brought a smile to her face. Whether or not she wanted to admit it, her cousins were correct—the men whose biceps rippled as they swung their swords, the ones with taut leg muscles that carried them easily on their feet—were more appealing physically than poor Dullen who still had a lot of growing up to do. Kit realized she’d felt comfortable with him because of his lack of experience. She knew he couldn’t possibly laugh at her or tell her she was inadequate in any way. Yet, having a man with a vast amount of experience teach her what to expect would also have its benefits.

“We should go,” Avinia said as a few stray glances from the yard focused in on them. “Not because they realize we are watching but because it is nearly time to visit your mother, and you do not want to be late.”

Kit glanced around, but there was no clock here. She didn’t question how Avinia knew; her cousin was almost always aware of the time somehow. It was one of her many gifts.

“Very well,” the princess said with a nod. “Thank you, ladies, for your lessons. I shall consider them.”

“You shall choose one of these grown men and invite him into your chambers in the next few days,” Isla said, her assertiveness a rarity and nearly foreign to Kit. “Otherwise, I shall not be around to hear what happens,” she said in a quiet whisper, next to the princess’s ear.

Kit giggled. Whether or not she’d repeat what transpired in her private chambers to her cousins was another matter to consider entirely, but it was nice to know they were excited about her journey. She only hoped she could find that excitement herself soon. So far, there had been nothing but butterflies of the trepidatious variety.