Chapter 40: Empty Threats

By the time Talia awakened, it was almost morning. The windows were starting to turn a lighter color, indicating dawn had almost arrived.

Talia shivered. Was it her imagination or had the temperature dropped precipitously?

Her shivering awakened Cedric, who noticed the chill immediately.

"It's gotten cold in here. Let me get the fire going."

He slipped off the bed and fumbled about in the semi-darkness of the train until he was able to get the fire started in the pot belly stove across from the seating area.

"What happened to the electric heater?"

Cedric poked his head back in through the curtains.

"I just turned it on, but I lit a fire too because I prefer the softness of a real fire."

Within a few minutes, the dancing shadows created by the fire began to warm up the train car.

She got up and threw her pajamas back on. Then she went to check on Devin. He had thrown his blanket off in the middle of the night, but his one piece pajamas were keeping him fairly warm.

She covered his small body and stood there watching as he slept. The noise of the train hadn't bothered him at all. In fact, there was very little that frightened him.

As long as she was nearby, he seemed to be perfectly happy.

They took turns showering so one of them could watch over Devin. By the time he awakened, the nursemaids had arrived to give him his morning bath.

"We could go to the dining car and have breakfast if you wish, or I could have the maids bring something to our car." Cedric offered.

"Is that woman and your brother—"

"They might be at the dining car, or they might decide to eat in their rooms. I don't know."

Talia sniffed. "Well we can't just live our lives in fear of everyone around us."

Cedric smiled. "I agree. Let's just go and live like a normal family traveling to a new destination."

With that, The Grand Duke Cedric, his mate Talia, and his nephew along with the two nursemaids Anne and Portia entered the dining room for breakfast, even as the train barreled down the tracks towards their final destination, the shining city of Faria.

Inside the formal dining car, it was warm. There was a nice fire that had been lit, burning with a nice stead flame which bounced off the polished mahogany wood of the tables and chairs.

The dozen linen-covered dining tables were empty of people since the wait staff and guards ate at the much more informal cafe car.

There were no other guests since the entire train had been appropriated for the purpose of transporting the King of Faria, the Grand Duke, and the little Lord Devin back to the kingdom.

The table they were seated at had a large picture window that looked out onto the early morning scenery of a white snow-covered wonderland.

"You said Faria is south of New Orleans. Why is it snowing?" Talia stared out the window in amazement.

Cedric grinned. "Faria is south of New Orleans, but it's not really part of your world. We're in a different world now."

She was about to ask him to explain what exactly did 'different world' mean when several guards appeared at the car's entrance, signaling the impending arrival of the King of Faria.

"Cedric. Talia. Good morning" King Cecil entered the room. He turned towards them. "May I join you?"

Cedric smiled. "Whoever heard of a king asking for permission to sit at the table of his subjects?"

"I was merely being polite." Cecil sniffed.

A servant prepared a place for him at the head of the table, facing the picture window while Cedric sat opposite of Talia and Devin, on either side of him.

"The first snowfall of the winter is always the most anticipated. Fresh, new, bright. It is the most beautiful." Cecil sighed and stared out at the passing scenery of rolling hills covered in white.

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"Yes, but by the time winter's end rolls around, it's so dreary, the lack of color, that your eyes seek greedily for any signs of color, even if it's fake color." Cedric smiled.

Talia took a gulp of her orange juice. "Why do I get the distinct feeling the two of you are not talking about snow?"

The men roared with laughter. Talia was such an astute woman that she was a delight to be around.

"We missed you at dinner last night." Cecil smiled as he sipped on the hot coffee that a serving maid placed before him.

"We?" Talia spread hot butter on her waffles.

"The Countess Evelyn Larabee and I ate dinner together last night." Cecil pursed his lips.

"She and I do not get along that well. It would not have been a good dinner time."

Cecil smiled. "Just as well. It was a rather dull affair."

"And yet, you wished her on me for the rest of my life. Are you trying to extinguish my joie de vivre forever?" Cedric gave him a baleful look.

"Oh stop being so dramatic Cedric." Cecil waved a hand. "I know you and Talia are a mated pair. You've both made that abundantly clear."

He leaned in. "You just need to figure out how to deal with your fiancée in a way that will be acceptable to her family for the near future."

"No I don't." Cedric turned to him with a dry look. "You pushed her onto me. It's your problem to deal with it."

"It's about to be Talia's problem if you don't deal with it in an appropriate manner." Cecil admonished.

"What do you mean?" Cedric's eyes narrowed.

"Evelyn told me last night that her family will be requesting a firm wedding date from you, and it must be within six months. Talia will not be allowed to continue to stay with you if she is deemed to be a threat to Evelyn's impending marriage."

Cedric beamed a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"Who are they to allow or not allow my mate to stay with me? In any case, all will be clear once I throw a huge wedding within the next couple of months."

Cecil's eyebrows raised.

"For me and Talia, of course."

Cecil shook his head. "That would go against the marriage decree you are bound to."

"I don't care." Cedric sat back against the chair rest. "What are they going to do to me?"

"They control much of the northern military forces. At any time, they can march down and flex their military might against the royal forces. I've been trying to mollify them for decades."

Cedric sniffed. "And how's that been working out for you?"

Cecil shrugged. "We've been living in relatively peaceful times, aren't we? It's a constant balancing act but somebody has to do it."

"Cecil. Why do you allow them to bully you?" Cedric sighed. "Just raise an army and show them who's in charge."

Cecil shook his head. "War is not the answer. There are other solutions. This marriage is most likely the least bloody route since they won't strike against the royal palace if their daughter is living there."

"But I don't want to be your sacrificial lamb."

"You are hardly that, Cedric. You're a smart man. I'm sure you can figure out a way to accommodate everything."

"I'm a straight-forward man, Cecil. If Count Larabee gets in my way or tries to bully me into doing his bidding, he will see just exactly how straight-forward I am."

Cecil shook his head. "Just do me a favor. Don't give him any reason to strike directly at you."

Cedric bared his fangs.. "He'd better damn well watch his back because if he keeps threatening the crown with military action, it could be me who will strike directly at him."

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