Chapter Twenty-Six

“Cijan City is so pretty – look at all the colors of the houses.” Jasper smiled up at his husband. After ten days on the ship, as they’d idly cruised up and down the strait, he’d gotten a lot more relaxed, both with being on the ship, and being with Avalon and his friends. Facing his fears in the cave, with his husband by his side had settled his magic. Now Jasper was too tired when he fell asleep at night to remember any dreams he might have, and every morning was an adventure with new things to see, and people to meet.

There were quiet times, too, where Jasper learned the value of true friends. Just the night before, he and Avalon had played cards with Duncan and Merlin. Jasper had never played the particular game Avalon and his friends enjoyed, but he must have learned fast, because within half an hour Duncan was muttering about him cheating.

Jasper didn’t take offense. He knew his magic ability to sense what other people were feeling gave him an edge, especially when Duncan tried to hide his triumph if he believed he had a winning hand. Rather than get upset, or want to run away and hide, Jasper just grinned, winked, and carried on playing. He won so much coin that Avalon declared he was paying for the next meal out they had.

Because that was something else Jasper was learning to have fun doing – going out. Such a simple thing for most people, but for Jasper, just the simple pleasure of eating out with friends was a new experience. On the odd nights they pulled into a port, they would venture into town, stay at public houses, and dine in bars and eateries.

The first couple of times they’d done it, Jasper instinctively wanted to hide behind his husband’s broad shoulders. But Avalon was always so proud when he introduced his new husband to people he’d met before. Jasper felt cherished, valued, and appreciated, which, in turn, made it easier for him to chat with strangers, too.

Now his eye was restored, Jasper didn’t wear his eyepatch, and he quickly learned to ignore the second glances his white iris inevitably caused. Once people relaxed around him, something Jasper picked up through his magic, it was as though it was easier for those people to ignore the fact one of his eyes was a different color to the other.

But apparently, the honeymoon was over, at least for the next week. The King of Cijan had insisted on their presence for the ball he’d arranged, playing host to the society families of Cijan and visiting royal representatives. “Are you sure I’m invited?” Jasper asked when he heard they were going. He couldn’t work out why Avalon laughed so hard, until his husband reminded him, he’d told Jasper about the event the day they got married, and again when they’d left the shores of Lowenthorp after the cave incident. They were meant to be the guests of honor.

“Yes, well, I had a lot of other things on my mind at the time,” Jasper had mumbled and then he purposefully put the event out of his mind because he didn’t want to get anxious about it. Merlin had already sent off his measurements so a uniform could be made for him in the Cijan colors, so it wasn’t as though he had to worry about what he was going to wear.

“There are those that consider the City of Cijan to be gawdy,” Avalon said. “The blues, reds, yellows, and purple paint shades might not appeal to everyone, but the people here have a lot of pride in their houses. An added benefit, given that most of the roads twist and wind through the hills around here, it’s easier to give directions if you’re saying, ‘you can find the message office beside the purple house with the yellow roof,’ or ‘turn left at the blue house with white stripes.’”

“I see that one.” Jasper chuckled as he pointed. “So where… Oh, there. The castle’s on the top of the hill. You must get a lovely view from up there.”

“It’s handy for my Father because he can always see when I’m coming into port,” Avalon agreed. “Look, Jasper…”

“Sire. Have you told him yet? The guards are ready.”

Avalon sighed as Duncan came barreling up to them. They were on the wheel bridge, and Jasper frowned as he noticed all the additional guards were lined up on the main deck.

“If you had given me two clicks more, I would’ve already done it,” Avalon said to Duncan, before turning back to Jasper. “You’ve probably noticed when we’re on land Duncan serves as my bodyguard, and Merlin is my personal advisor. They accompany us everywhere except when we’re in our private quarters.”

“Yes, I had noticed that. My brother Luigi has his own guards and an advisor when he leaves the castle. I assume it’s normal for Crown Princes.”

“It’s also normal for Crown Prince Consorts.” Avalon took his arm, turning him sideways, lowering his voice. “Merlin is capable of advising us both, and most of what we do will be together anyway. But you should have your own personal bodyguard who will work alongside Duncan and Merlin, accompany us on the ship at all times, and basically go where we go. Duncan is happy to appoint one or two people from the extra guards we have here if that’s easier for you. But with your magic, I believed you might like to make that decision for yourself.”

“The extra guards assembled on deck are usually based in Cijan, aren’t they?”

Avalon nodded. “They aren’t usually part of our crew.”

“Hmm. So, some of these men and women might already have families and sweethearts in Cijan. I wouldn’t want them miserable if they were just following orders.”

“It’s what they signed up for. There’s a lot of honor to be had, guarding a member of the royal family.”

“Yet another reason why the choice has to be made for the right reasons.” Jasper thought for a moment and then smiled. “It’s not that I don’t trust Duncan’s advice, because he knows these people well, while I have only a passing acquaintance with any of them. But that person, or persons, would have to be completely trustworthy and comfortable with my use of magic. So, I agree with you. We’ll see what my magic says about all this.”

Wandering over to the railing, Jasper looked out at the faces. Most of them were watching the City of Cijan get closer. There was anticipation on some faces, a sense of sadness on others. One, the man who wanted to shoot the whales, was agitated as if he couldn’t wait to get off the ship, and there were a couple of others who noticed Jasper watching them and quickly averted their eyes.

Jasper instinctively singled out the young guard who’d spoken to him the morning after he’d jumped off the ship. He would be a good pick, and Jasper was just about to say so when he caught that same young man glancing quickly over his shoulder, before looking straight ahead again. The guard wasn’t looking at the brightly painted city, he was looking at an older soldier – someone who wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding how much he was watching the younger man.

“Two guards would be better, don’t you think?” Jasper asked Avalon quietly as his husband stood beside him. “You and I are a couple. Duncan and Merlin are married. It’s only fair on those long nights at sea, or when we’re in port somewhere, that my own personal guard has someone to play cards with, grab a bite to eat with, or do whatever guards do when they’re off duty.”

“Your magic is seeking out possible relationships between members of my guards?”

“Maybe. Could be wishful thinking, too, but it’s important we all get along with each other. Duncan, the gentleman down there, front row, third from the left, and the man on the back row, fourth from the left. Are they on your list of possible choices?”

“Another Duke and Earl. We’d be a matched set.” Duncan chuckled. “You have a good eye, Your Highness. I believe Roger, the Duke of Paxton, will be a perfect mentor for Oliver, the Earl of Hinton. Oliver has got a good head on his shoulders and is keenly intelligent, so Merlin would likely help encourage him in an advisory capacity as well. I’ll go and let them know their new appointments.”

“Offer it to them,” Jasper warned. “Don’t force it. My magic is not an oracle, but it does have a good feeling about those two.”

Duncan bowed quickly, his boots clattering down the wooden steps as he made his way to the main deck. “Is that the issue you were worried about last night?” Jasper asked his husband. “I knew something was niggling you.”

“It was bothering me a bit.” Avalon slid his arm around Jasper’s waist. “If you recall, the last time I asked you about guards on the door to your own room in an inn, you were very much opposed.”

“And yet I haven’t complained once about it when we’ve stayed a night on shore since.” Jasper patted his husband’s chest, watching as the crew threw out the long ropes that would secure the ship to the dock.

“Admit it. You thought those guards were protecting me.”

Avalon wasn’t wrong. “It’s the price I pay for a good night’s sleep in my husband’s arms,” Jasper said instead. “Are you sure your father’s going to like me?”

“Absolutely.”