Chapter 7 : Berries and Arrows

Poppy’s POV

“Pardon?” I asked, my mouth falling open at the boldness of his claim. “That is absolutely none of your business.”

“Really? I think it is. After all, we are expected to share a bed in the next few months.”

A horrid wave of heat washed over me, pinkening my cheeks. My eyes flickered down to his silk tunic, buttoned tightly around a toned midsection. Even the long sleeves couldn’t deter my imagination.

How good did he look under that?

And Dear Gods, why on earth was I thinking about that now? I released a shuddery breath and Eirikur’s lips twitched upward. Now that he was much closer to me, I could see the yellow in his eyes flicker. A devious curve in his mouth.

His words were purposeful.

And every time he spoke, I swear I got a whiff of brandy.

But that could have been from my glass. I had one of the servants sneak a nip of it into my drink earlier to lessen my nerves. Not that it helped at all. My hands were still shaking. My heart still pounding.

I still felt downright flustered in his company.

Nervousness was something I never wanted to feel again.

It didn’t help when Eirikur’s gaze dipped down to the modest showing of skin along my collarbone. I swear his eyes made my hair stand on edge like the cold. Would his hands feel as cold as his eyes? Were they as demanding as he seemed?

A foreign sensation of heat flooded my belly, making my thighs squeeze together under the table. Oh, I didn’t like that at all. My hands curled into fists under the table and I cleared my throat. “I could ask you the same question. Over here accusing me of affairs when your people are known for them.”

Eirikur tossed his head back and laughed, a decadent rumbly noise that made my belly feel all sorts of quivery. “You Alder Elves know nothing about Myrkr. So forgive me for asking, Princess,” he stated with condensation.

“You’re not sorry at all. I will not forgive a man with no sense of remorse.”

He scoffed, chewing on another cherryreed berry. A morbid idea fluttered into my head and I ignored it.

Growing up in the High Elf Court, the other children of high status would frequently tease one another. Playing jokes on one another. And we were all of high enough status that we could get away with it.

There was nothing else I wanted to do but delve back into that. I wanted to make him feel like the dullest person in all of Aldermor. I wanted everyone to view him as a foolish king in retaliation for how he just insulted me.

No.

No.

I owed him a little leniency. I wanted to give him one more chance before I unleashed that intrusive thought. Before I started this game.

Eirikur tossed a braid over his shoulder, silvery as the storm clouds. Indicative of his personality. Didn’t matter how attractive he was. That beauty was only skin-deep.

“I have little remorse for you or your people, Princess. I’m only here for duty, not because I feel anything for your people,” he practically growled, nose crinkled in pure distaste. “If I had my way, we’d push through this stalemate and conquer your kingdom.”

Another chance. Just one more.

“Why do you wish to fight me, Eirikur?”

“It’s in our nature to fight,” he snapped. “My people thrive in war. We fight through hardships. We aren’t weak.” His eyes flickered up and down over me. “I pity your leniency. Your softness.”

“Then you’re a fool,” I muttered, standing up from my seat, and scraping the chair along the wooden floor. This conversation was over. It wasn’t productive.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Princess. Do you not like the sound of the truth?” Eirikur declared smugly as I felt his eyes follow me to the door.

I paused, acknowledging the start of the game. He would not get another shot. If this was how he’d wanted to play…he’d learn to regret it.

I turned around the look at him. “I made a joke earlier this week that I’d marry an ogre if that’s what it took to end this war. Now, I’m starting to think that would be preferable to you. At least an ogre has more bite.”

The smile fell off his face and I felt a surge of satisfaction. I turned back to the door, barely giving him my eyes over my shoulder.

He reached into the bowl to pop in another berry and a slow grin pulled at the side of my mouth.

“Slow down on the cherryreed berries, will you?” I suggested gently, feigning concern.

“Why?” he inquired, slowing his chewing.

“It’s fine. They shouldn’t make you too sick,” I said offhandedly. “You should be done retching by the ball. You’ll be escorting me. Don’t be late.”

I held back my laugh when his face completely fell and a green berry rolled out of his mouth onto the plate as his eyes widened with horror.

Was it a little mean?

Yes.

Did I regret convincing Eirikur that cherryreed berries would make him sick?

Not at all.

“W-What? Why…why didn’t anyone tell me?” he whispered, guzzling water like he was trying to dilute a poison in his system. Has he been poisoned before? Wouldn’t surprise me.

I didn’t care enough to inquire further.

I shrugged nonchalantly. “You should get to your accommodation quickly. I’d hate for you to make a fool of yourself more than you have already. The berries work fast.”

He threw himself out of his chair as fast as he could, nearly falling flat on his back as he scrambled out of the banquet hall, knocking into several servants and guards.

“Erik?” the Myrkr Elf with the dual-toned eyes said as his prince ran down the hallway.

He glanced at me and I offered him a sweet smile and wave before he went after his prince.

Ah. Sweet. Sweet. Satisfaction.

***

“He’s awful, Dot! Awful!” I vented, reloading an arrow into my longbow for my archery practice. These fields were typically used for guard training, but I liked to use them when they weren’t in use.

I drew the bowstring taut, looking out my dominant eye to my target. Holding my breath. Hands steady.

Unlike the other day when I couldn’t seem to get them to stop shaking.

I released the string and listened to the arrow whistle through the air. Looking away for Dot to pass me the next arrow, knowing I’d already hit the sandbag.

She passed me the next blunt-tipped arrow.

I tensed my shoulders, took a breath, and drew the string back.

“Are you just saying that, Poppy? Trying to find an excuse not to like him?” Dot asked.

I released the string, head snapping over to her. “Of course, I don’t like him. He practically told me he was going to make it his life mission to make me miserable. Am I that hideous?”

I turned around, brushing some sweaty flyaways out of my face and adjusting my arm brace and reinforced gloves.

Dot laughed, handing me another arrow while she sat on the bench behind me. Freshly brewed tea next to her. I preferred to get my archery training in the evening to unwind.

I wasn’t strong. I couldn’t wield a sword or cast a spell, but I sure as the Gods could shoot an arrow. I just wish I could practice on moving targets and hone my skill even further.

But like everything I enjoyed, my father didn’t like it. He would prefer to wrap me in padding and trap me in my chambers. But soon he learned that I would do what I pleased with or without his approval.

So we came to an agreement. Guards followed me around wherever I went. Thankfully, my guards never interfered, just watched for threats.

“You know you’re not hideous, Poppy. If it helps, I got a little intel from his brothers. Those three gossip more than the dish maids,” Dot commented, not unkindly.

“Oh, please. Give me anything. I can’t let this engagement fall through despite how much I’m learning to despise him. He’s going to be my husband. I don’t care if I have to chain him to the altar,” I huffed with a labored breath, grunting as I drew back another arrow, tensing my spine and aiming for the further target.

“Apparently you have a bit of a playboy on your hands,” Dot said, bringing the tea up to her lips.

I groaned, striking my last target and sitting next to Dotty to drink my own cup. “Of course I do. He strikes me as one.” I scoffed. “And he had the audacity to accuse me of…of…” I huffed, face getting red.

More tea.

I needed more tea.

That man got under my skin.

“You? Really? Honey, the men around here won’t touch you with a ten-foot pole much less the pole in their pants.”

I blanched. “Dotty! Please!” I hissed, clattering my teacup onto the bench.

“It’s not that they don’t want to!”

That wasn’t why I was annoyed. “That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m trying to perform a very delicate merging of two kingdoms with a reluctant prince. Get back on topic.”

“He fought his parents hard to cancel this engagement. He even tried to dive out of their boat,” she explained.

“Godsdamn it,” I groaned, burying my face in my hands.

“But now that he’s here, according to his brothers at least, he seems to be taking it more seriously. Like he’s accepted his fate, but he’s not happy about it.”

“Anything else? Anything I could use?”

Dot gave me a remorseful look. “I wish I had something, but I couldn’t ask them directly about their brother without arousing suspicion.”

“I know. I know. Gods, why does it feel like I’m courting him and not the other way around?” I sighed. Then an idea hit me. “What about his riddari?”

“Rid-what-ee?”

“His guard. The one with the multi-colored eyes. I think his name is Magnus,” I said.

Dot’s cheeks flushed brightly. “Oh, that one. He was older than the others…quite handsome.”

“I guess,” I replied, sipping on my tea. “I need you to get close to him. Figure out what I can do to get Eirikur on my side.”

Eirikur didn’t have to like me. We didn’t even have to be compatible. He just had to have a similar goal. The rest I could figure out later.

A flash of Eirikur’s eyes came across my mind. A devious curve of his mouth. Plump lips a deeper shade of gray than his skin. A tingle of heat assaulted my thighs. A man had never caused such a visceral reaction in me before.

I hated it.

Damn it.

I grumbled to myself, getting up from the bench to load the next arrow. I tensed my arms, took a breath, and shot a few bolts before Dot got my attention.

“What should I do? Say?”

“Just turn on that Dotty charm. No male could possibly resist,” I teased. Dot was as cute as a button. I doubt she’d have much trouble getting the information I wanted. “Invite him to the pub. Request his company for pastries. It’s only natural for the lead handmaiden to get to know his lead guard.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“I usually am,” I commented.

Dot followed me to pluck my arrows out of the targets. “Will you join me at the pub today?”

“Not today. I don’t have the energy to put on my disguise to sneak out without the guards.” I sighed. “And to think I have to tend to the fighters under the pits too. I don’t know if I have the temperament to be polite to those brutes.”

I threw my quiver over my shoulder and ripped an arrow from the bullseye.

“You’re a princess, I don’t understand why you work like this,” Dotty said. “You don’t have to.”

I scoffed. “I like work. Nothing satisfies me more than a challenging project.”

And that prince was going to be my hardest project yet.