The Forged King

Garret was absolutely giddy throughout his shift. He was officially courting Ivy now, not that the information was too public, but it wasn’t too private either. He’d also passed his probationary period with flying colors, which Endra assured him had nothing to do with his seeking asylum or who had offered, as that information was kept from most.

He loitered around the library when his shift ended, thrilled at the chance to actually read the texts. He focused on the councils since Solam’s appearance in the court of Phoenix, along with any other texts where he appeared. If anyone found this behavior suspicious, Garret hadn’t caught wind of it.

After a half-hour period, Ivy entered, and began reading whatever text she fancied. They weren’t allowed to leave together, as a precaution. If enough people caught that Princess Ivy’s suitor looked like Solam’s son, rumors could reach Phoenix.

They stayed where they could see each other though, until Garret finished his text and made his way out. After about 15 minutes, Ivy would find him on the edge of the wards separating the library from the moving forest.

“Where shall you take me now, your highness?” Garret asked. Apparently Ivy's family had generations worth of secret locations all over Ilva. He’d seen a few caves, many tree-houses, and the inside of a moving tree.

“The most special place yet.” She grabbed his hand in both of hers, bringing him to the wall of Sylvan Palace and making an opening. He clung tighter to Ivy’s hands as if he could lose her, but the plants obeyed the whims of their future queen.

She stopped at a statue of an elf and a dwarf in a marriage ceremony.

“The peace that founded Ilva,” Garret noted.

“The legacy I am bound to,” Ivy said, “And the back entrance.”

“Back entrance where?”

Ivy let go with one of her hands, placing it on the stone, which moved to show a deep hole underneath.

“Back entrance where?” Garret asked again.

Ivy just pulled him down as she jumped. Garret pulled her close, making the air slow their fall until it took a sharp turn and they tumbled into a hallway of stone. The slide behind them closed.

“What was that?”

“You didn’t warn him, did you?” Oak asked. Garret took a step back.

“You’ve met all of us already,” Oak insisted.

At a cursory glance, Garret could see all of Ivy’s siblings, except for the baby, a rare sight even for servants who worked in the castle.

“You could have warned me,” Garret whispered in Ivy’s ear.

“Then you would have been too nervous.”

“I’m nervous now.”

“Oooh,” Nightshade said, “Couple secrets.”

“Everyone insisted on officially meeting you as Ivy’s suitor and deciding if they approved.”

“Why?” Garret asked.

“Because the closest she’s had to a previous suitor is Avery, who, though pleasant enough, was a diplomatic match. They want to know if Ivy’s taste is good enough.”

“What’s all this ‘they’ talk?” Celandine, the sibling a year younger than Ivy asked.

“I don’t need to check any of this. I have been our sister’s trusted confidant for years. Besides, I was at the dinner.”

Garret watched all of them. In a way, they were all his peers: As Solam’s younger son, he was technically a prince. In a way they were all his superiors, as even with minimal interference, the scribes served the royal family, all members of it. What he had to worry about was the prospect of becoming their brother-in-law.

“What do you wish to ask me?” Garret asked.

“Do you even know our names?” Belladonna, Nightshade’s twin asked.

“Oak, Sumac and Nettle, Ivy, Celandine, Calla, Nightshade and Belladonna, Hemlock,” He pointed at each as he named them, “And Crocus is not here to question me, presumably with one of your mothers.”

“We haven’t called him Ivy’s scribe for nothing,” Oak explained, “Part of his contract requires knowing our family tree. He probably knows more of our cousins then we do.”

“I could recite those too,” Garret offered, “But I don’t think that’s what you want me to do with our time.”

“What will you do if Ivy becomes queen today?” Nettle asked. Everyone except Oak and Ivy stared at them like they said too much.

“I will do what I must to support her, and act as whatever companionship she needs.”

He had no intention of saying he’d immediately work to conceive an heir, which seemed like an inappropriate thing to say around your partner’s younger siblings.

“A very sweet answer,” Oak said, “But we were looking for ‘I would marry her.’”

“I hope to,” Garret admitted. Ivy squeezed his hand as she leaned on him.

“Do you like him?” Hemlock asked Ivy.

“I like him more than any of you.”

“But we’re so likable,” Calla insisted.

“Which just goes to show how much I like him.”

Garret felt more comfortable now, but he certainly wasn’t going to join in any insults.

“Are you safe?” Belladonna asked, “We’re providing asylum to you. That means you’re running from something dangerous.”

“Where did you hear that?” Ivy asked.

“The documents were on mom’s desk.”

“I don’t know if I’m safe,” Garret answered honestly, “I don’t know if what I’m running from has any idea who I am, or what they’ll do to find me.”

“What will you do if you aren’t safe?” Belladonna continued.

“I’ll do whatever Ivy and the Queen ask me to do for the safety of Ilva.”

Obviously he’d thought about it. Ivy mentioned the possibility of war enough for him to think about where he could move to, or if he had to hide at the cabin forever. They hadn’t even discussed the logistics of marriage when they still had to hide Garret’s existence. Solam didn’t seem unpleasant, but he hadn’t proved himself trustworthy. Reuben was much the same.

“Do you like Ilva?” Hemlock asked, “For more than just Ivy.”

“I’ve wanted to work at Everin since I first heard of the library system. The Cabin is larger than our apartment in Armath. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to the moving trees. I only had one tolerable coworker at Kitaba, while I get along fine with everyone at Everin. I don’t like needing to hide, but it was inevitable. Obviously Ivy knocks every qualm out of the water—”

“Do you always talk this much?” Oak asked.

“He’s trying to give an accurate answer,” Ivy defended.

“‘Yes’ would still be accurate.”

“Do I talk too much?” Garret asked.

“Not usually,” Ivy said.

Garret caught a few of the siblings rolling their eyes.

“Do you want to be consort?” Nightshade asked.

“I want to be with Ivy.”

Ivy squeezed his hand again.

“If you manage the household,” Oak began, “How will you treat the rest of us?”

“What?”

“The consort manages the royal household: servants, children, and extra residents. What do you plan to do once we’re extra residents?”

Garret hadn’t been told of this responsibility.

“That job hasn’t been the consort’s in decades,” Ivy argued.

“What other job is he supposed to have?”

“He’s a scribe. When did you become so antagonistic to him, Oak?”

“It’s my job to make sure the consort doesn’t gain too much power.”

“You are the only one who can prompt a divorce. That is not the same—”

“Princess Ivy, Garret Kitaba,” the stone around them shuddered with the message, Garret squeezed Ivy’s hand, “General Mistletoe summons you to her office.”

“What did you do?” Calla asked.

Garret’s mother was also in the room when they arrived.

“What is this about?” Ivy asked.

“Keeping the queen’s hands clean,” General Mistletoe said, “And yours.”

Ivy moved in front of Garret.

“King Solam will announce Garret and Ariana’s fugitive status within the next few days,” Mistletoe explained, “But he will not be able to do that.”

“What do you mean?” Garret asked.

“You and I will surrender to Phoenix,” Ariana said, “And hopefully survive with little punishment.”

“Has it become less dangerous to go there?”

“It is too dangerous to keep you here,” Mistletoe said, “Hopefully this won’t be our last meeting. If all goes well, you and Ivy may resume courting if Solam permits.”

“So after all you’ve said about him, you trust him with our fates?” Garret asked his mother.

Ariana sighed.

“I will not start a war just to escape that castle.”

Of the places they might move to, Garret never thought Phoenix was an option.

How did Solam even know?

“Reuben vowed not to tell anyone.”

Garret had felt that vow bind.

“This wasn’t Reuben,” Ariana insisted.

“You haven’t spoken with him.”

“I have.”

What?

“Reuben managed to contact me. We didn’t say much, but there’s no way—”

“Maybe he was so overjoyed his mother was alive he had to tell his father. Even when I told him the court was dangerous, he didn’t believe me.”

“If he talked to you, why wouldn’t he know I was alive?”

Right, he hadn’t told her he’d spoken to Reuben. He hadn’t hidden it, but he wasn’t eager to discuss it.

“He said you were dead for fear Reuben might not understand why you ran away,” Ivy explained, “What he isn’t admitting is that Reuben isn’t the only one who found out about him.”

“The scribe?” Garret asked, “She wouldn’t reveal anything.”

Yes, scribes were taught to share information, but they were also taught to know when, where, and to whom that information should be shared. Even Caric didn’t reveal anything, and he barely counted as a scribe.

“You’re more confident in your trade than in your kin,” Mistletoe noted.

“One of those I’m actually familiar with.”

“Enough!”

Ivy glared at him, causing Garret to flinch.

“It is safest not only for Ilva, but for you specifically to surrender now. Whoever’s to blame changes nothing. We’ll arrange things so you can leave tomorrow morning. I’ll escort you myself to extend apologies.”

“Ivy—” Mistletoe tried to say.

“We hid his child, so it’s only fair we trust him with a child back.”

Mistletoe took a deep breath and bowed.

“Yes, your highness.”

Ariana bowed too.

Garret watched Ivy. He’d just promised to do whatever ordered should he turn out to be a danger.

He bowed.

“Yes, your highness.”

He didn’t raise himself up, not wanting to look Ivy in the eye. No matter how much they loved each other, Ivy’s first duty would always be to Ilva.

Ivy lifted his head with the gentlest touch. He could see her tears now. He wiped them away. She did love him, he could be sure of that.

She grabbed him into a tight embrace.

“I’ll begin packing our things,” Ariana said as she walked past them, “You should spend what time you can together.”

They remained in tearful embrace for a few mournful minutes.

“Should we return to your siblings’ interrogation?” Garret asked.

Ivy laughed, though some of it was choked by tears.

“I’ll find somewhere we can be alone.”

They were quiet in the treehouse, eating pilfered snacks and trying not to cry anymore.

“If I survive long enough, I’ll convince Solam to let me pursue you again,” Garret promised.

“You should focus on finding the traitor.”

“I’d like your help as soon as possible for that.”

Ivy hummed in satisfaction.

“Do you really think rooting out this alleged traitor will solve anything?” Garret asked, “King Solam will still be jealous, and have a temper that was turned against his family.”

Ivy sniffled.

“That’s a no,” Garret said.

Ivy gave a weak laugh.

“If one traitor is the cause of every problem in a kingdom, then they’re too influential to solve all those problems merely by ousting them.”

He wished Ivy would have offered comforting confidence, but that wasn’t Ivy.

“All the more reason to pursue you and your wisdom again as soon as possible.”

That made her smile.

“I will do my best to tell you anything we hear from our sources, but they haven’t noticed anyone with undue influence on the king.”

“Perhaps it’s the wrong person using due influence.”

“Now you’re thinking about it.”

Was he letting her influence him too much? She always got whatever it was she wanted out of him.

Except for getting him to stay, and keeping him safe for very long.

He moved to sit next to her, leaning against her.

“I never have anything to give you,” he admitted, “Nothing to prove my gratitude.”

“You kissed me a few times.”

“It never feels like I’ve parted with anything to kiss you.”

As if to prove it, he kissed her, lingering but gentle.

“This is probably a bad thing to admit if I want to be your consort, but I am not leaving for the good of Ilva, or its citizens. I am leaving to keep you safe, and because you told me to.”

She grabbed him by the shirt for a kiss that knocked him to the floor of the treehouse.

“Thank you.”

“I wonder how you’ll kiss me when I return.”

“I’ll marry you when you return.”

Ivy gasped at her own words, backing up.

“I look forward to it,” Garret said.

“You should help your mother pack, and I should tell the queen you’ll be surrendering.”

Garret gave a nod.

“Goodbye, Ivy.”