It was late in the evening when Tait reached the village of Vremore. He was dressed in his armour with a heavy fur cloak on to ward off the chill in the air. His new sword strapped to his hip. He noticed the excitement in the air quickly. The villagers were all heading to the grand hall, which was attached to the palace. He would find the King there. Tonight, the royal family was holding a feast to celebrate the return of the men. With so much activity, no one noticed him. For the moment, Tait preferred it that way. Going unnoticed was best until he could feel out the situation.

Tait made his way to the grand hall with the other villagers, and he stood in the back, watching everything going on around him. He even enjoyed some of the food and ale the serving wenches were passing around. Tait looked to the throne. There was a man in his midlife seated on the throne. He had long blond hair, and the left side of his face was scarred. Tait wondered how he had gotten them. The crown on his head identified this man as the King. He was a powerful looking figure, and with his smile, he did not seem the vicious heartless tyrant his mother claimed he was. Then again, sometimes first impressions could be deceptive.

Tait watched as the King talked and smiled at the beautiful woman next to him. She was a vision with her dark hair and a bright smile. The gold circling her dark head identified her as the Queen. Strange, she looked good-natured, and they looked madly in love. His gaze drifted along the table closest to the throne, where the royal family was sitting and enjoying the food.

Then he saw her. Tait stood up a little taller, and the breath left his body. It was Seri, and she was seated at the royal family’s table. Around her head, a thin gold band… Seri was royalty. In nine years, he had never known. She had never told him she was the princess. All these years, he had despised her family, never knowing who she truly was. Now he felt conflicted. How could he kill Seri’s father? She was the most important thing in his life. If he murdered her father, she would never forgive him.

***

Seri sat at the table, enjoying her meal and watching the festivities going on before her in the great hall. She had dressed for the night in the red muslin. Her father had brought the fabric back last year and had the seamstress make her a lovely frock. She had braided sections of her long blond hair and left other sections down.

The feast had been going on for some time, and Seri was feeling nervous because she knew that soon, her father would make his announcement that he was looking for his successor. Soon she would be on the marriage market, and she had to admit it scared her. Seri had never spent much time with any male outside her family except for Tait. Oh, how she missed him.

The idea that soon suiters would be clamouring for her attention was intimidating. What if she chose the wrong man to be her husband… essentially she was choosing the next King. That was a lot of pressure.

Then it happened Cain rose from his throne and demanded the attention of all those in attendance. A hush fell over the vast room. “It is no secret that I am getting long in the tooth.” A burst of rousing laughter rumbled through the hall. Cain was only 45, but in a world where anything could kill you at any time, he had lived a long life. “Settle down. The time has come to name my successor.” He now had the undivided attention of the whole village. “Since I have not been blessed with a son of my own to leave my crown to, I have the unpleasant responsibility of choosing the man that will take my throne upon my death. I have given this choice some serious thought. I have decided that the fairest way to choose is to give the throne to the man my daughter agrees to marry.”

A murmur swept through the hall.

“As of now, Seri is on the marriage market. To prevent any chaos, only men I give my blessing to will be allowed to pursue the Princess. I will only give my blessing to four men. There will, of course, be qualifications — men within her age range. Respectable men. Men who I believe have the qualities to make a good king and husband. Now I will consider anyone wanting to be considered. I open the floor. Rise and speak your peace.”

Seri looked out over the hall and waited to see who would make his stand. Off to the right, a young man rose to his feet. He was an attractive man. His blond hair was tied back in a ponytail, and the sides of his head were shaved to the skin. His jaw covered in a short growth. “I am Alof the Revenger, son of Hugo. I offer for the Princess’ hand.” He said loudly with pride.

She knew this man, he was only a few years older than her, and he had a very strong reputation. Seri looked to her father to see the consideration on his face then Cain spoke. “Alof son of Hugo, you have my blessing.” Alof pounded his fist against his chest and bowed his head respectfully in thanks. Then he sat back down. “Anyone else?”

To her left, another young man rose. His blond hair was long and loose; his jaw was shadowed. It was not a full beard, but it was clear he did not shave often. He was not a very big man. He was fairly average, but she knew his saga. He came from a good family; his father was a friend of her father. “I am Erp the Conquer, son of Blyn. I offer for the Princess’ hand.”

“Erp son Blyn, you have my blessing,” Cain said with a nod of his head.

Suddenly a young man at the table near the throne rose to his feet. He was older than the other two. He was pushing the limits of the age restriction. His flaxen hair was scruffy and his beard longer than the other two. He was not a bad looking man. He was tall and strong. “I am Vidar, the Victorious, son of Fargo. I offer for the Princess’ hand.”

Cain nodded. “Vidar son of Fargo, you have my blessing.” He then looked around the hall. “I will consider one more.”

Seri looked around the room, and then in the back of the hall, a man rose to his feet. He was the only man in the hall dressed in armour. She watched as he reached up and removed his helmet. He tucked it under his arm and looked up at the throne. A smile curved Seri’s mouth as she recognized Tait. He was far larger than the other three men offering for her hand. He looked around like he might be nervous. He took a breath and straightened his back as he squared his shoulders and lifted his chin with confidence she had a feeling he did not feel. “I…” He paused and cleared his throat awkwardly. “I am Tait…” He trailed off because he did not know how to introduce himself given; he had no name and no father. “I offer for the Princess’ hand.”

Laughter rumbled through the hall. Her countrymen thought him ridiculous. He was a stranger to the village. “Who are you?” Cain asked, raising his voice to be heard over the commotion; the other men were protesting, allowing a stranger to make a bid for the throne.

“I am Tait.” He said again.

“Who is your father?” Cain asked.

Tait was quiet for a long moment. “I have no father,” Tait confessed.

One man rose. “Your Majesty. He is an outlander. He has no saga, no father, and no name. He is nobody. He cannot be considered for the throne. Not when we have men far better suited to the crown.”

Seri looked at her father and could see the thought in his eyes. Finally, he sighed and spoke. “I appreciate the courage it took to stand up, but Finn is right. I am sorry, you are welcome to stay and partake in the festivities, but I cannot consider you for the throne. Tait… you do not have my blessing.” Cain said apologetically.

Seri turned to look at Tait. She could see his jaw clench with anger, then he pulled his helmet back down over his head and left the grand hall as another young man rose and made his bid for Seri’s hand.

Seri stood up and excused herself from the table. She had to find Tait. She had to explain herself. Seri rushed out into the darkness of the night and looked around, trying to see where Tait had gone. She rounded the corner of the building. “Princess.” She heard his voice. Seri turned around to see Tait leaning against the building in the darkness. His face hidden beneath the helmet. She had to admit he looked magnificent. All decked out in his armour. His dark eyes fixed on her. He certainly did not look like the boy she knew. “You never told me you were the princess.”

“I did not think it was important.” She said, moving in his direction.

“Not important? You are royalty.”

“Yes, I am.”

“And I am no one.” He said, standing up tall.

“You are my friend.”

“Your friend!” He barked, his voice boomed like thunder, and for the first time, Seri saw rage flashing in his dark eyes. “You abandoned me. You sent some else to tell me I would never see you again.”

“I did not know how to tell you.” She said sincerely.

“Seri, you are my only friend in the world. I feel like I never really knew you.”

“You knew me better than anyone.”

“It does not matter. Our friendship is over.” She knew he was right. No man was going to allow her to continue being his friend.

Seri smiled. “You bid for my hand.”

He smiled and turned away. “I did.”

“Why did you do that?”

“I thought, for the briefest of moments, that maybe you could be mine.” His smile faded. “I was foolish to think so.”

“Are you staying in Vremore?”

“I have not decided.”

“Please stay.”

“Why?”

“You have never seen the ocean.”

“I have not.”

“Maybe tomorrow we can take a walk, and I can show it to you.”

“I do not think your future husband will approve.”

“Since when have you ever known me to care what others thought?” She grinned, and the smile returned to his face.

“Where and when?” He asked.

“There is a servant’s entrance in the back. Meet me there at dawn.”

“You will come, right?”

“I will.” She then stepped in close to Tait and rose up on her toes to kiss his cheek. As she pulled back, Tait turned his face to hers, and she could feel his breath on her lips. His hand came up and gently caressed her face, gently brushing the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip. Tait leaned in, and his lips brushed over hers softly. It was the most stimulating contact she had ever experienced. She wanted another kiss.

The sound of a throat clearing startled them both, and they quickly put distance between them. Seri watched her mother stepping out of the shadows. She realized her mother had seen the kiss she shared with Tait. “Your father is looking for you,” Zahra told her. Seri looked at Tait, and she lowered her eyes with shame, and then she rushed passed her mother. As she approached the door, her mother stopped her. “Seri.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“What were you doing with that man?”

“Nothing, Mother.”

Zahra grabbed Seri’s arm and turned her to face her. “Seri, men do not respect women who give away the milk for free. Besides, you are royalty, and more is expected of you.”

“He is my friend, Mother. I have known him half my life. I met him when I was young in the woods. We played together every day for years. I know him as well as I know you.”

“How is this the first I am hearing of him?”

“I did not think you and Father would approve of me playing with a boy in the woods.” Her mother sighed. “He is my best friend Mother. I adore Tait. He is a good person. He has no father, and no saga, he has not made his name like the other men, but it is not his fault. He had no man to guide him. He might not have what others believe makes a man, but he has a good heart. I know he does.”

“And he fancies you?” Zahra said.

Seri nodded. “It would seem.”

“And more importantly, you fancy him?”

Seri smiled. “I think so.” Seri frowned and began to pace. “But what is the point. We could never be together. Father would never approve.”

“Your father has a lot to consider.”

“I know.” She said sadly. “I wish part of that consideration would be my happiness.”

“I did not love your father when I married him,” Zahra told her daughter. Seri found that hard to believe. Her parents adored each other. “I did not even like him. I thought he was pompous and obnoxious. But your grandfather he saw something we did not, he knew we would be good for each other. I married your father on protest, but I fell in love with him. Madly in love.” Zahra caressed her daughter’s face lovingly. “Trust your father to know what is best for you. You may be happier than you think with whatever man he chooses. Your happiness is his chief concern.”

She did not believe it, but she would trust her parents.

***

“She is in love?” Cain asked as he watched his wife remove the broaches on her shoulders that held her dress in place.

“I saw it with my own eyes.” She said, letting the fabric fall away.

“With who?” He asked with interest as his wife climbed into bed and seductively crawled up the mattress in placed a kiss on his lips. He loved it when she was like this. “Tait.”

“The Outlander?”

“It turns out Seri has been sneaking out every day for years to see him. They have been playing together since they were children.”

“Playing together. How?” He snapped suspiciously.

“Not like that, Dear.”

“Are you sure?”

“Her innocence is intact.”

“Are… you… sure?”

Zahra giggled. “Yes.”

“And she is taken with him?”

“She is.”

Cain sighed and shook his head. “I cannot make an outlander King. Even if the other men did not object; he has no name.”

“Give him time, and he will make his name.”

“He has no father, no lineage.”

“Neither did I.”

“That was different.”

“Why?” She asked, laying her hand lovingly against his face.

“We do not know his saga. He has no story.”

“Perhaps he has yet to write it. He has the body of a man and the heart of a child. And like any child, he needs a man to guide him. Is it not customary for one man to take over the rearing of a boy who has lost his father in battle or at sea?”

“It is.”

“He may be older than most, but should he not get the same consideration?”

Cain felt like an ass. “He should.” Cain grinned when his wife kissed his neck. “I will talk to the boy tomorrow; tonight, you are my only concern.”