Chapter 79: Completely Defenseless

Because of Talori's English lessons, Aila's abilities did improve slightly. She also managed to get somewhat of a read on most of her husband's devoted guards since they had been present as well. 

The one she saw least often was the one that spent the most time with him. Beck. His personal guard. 

Aila had maybe heard him speak twice in all her time here. He was silent, expressionless, and rarely left Zale's side. He was like a shadow. 

Talori mentioned once that Beck knew him best because he had known him longest. He was also the most loyal because they had grown up together. Personal guards took their oaths of loyalty very seriously. Former crown prince Merrick's had been given the option of swearing to serve the new merking or die and chose the latter. 

Getting into Beck's head would help her understand her husband better and possibly win him over but Aila wasn't hopeful about that. Talori hadn't managed to do it and she had known Beck her whole life. 

It was unlikely she would be able to get her husband's right-hand merman on her side. She hadn't managed to sway any of the other guards and she had been spending more time with them. She was polite to all of them but they didn't treat her the way they treated Talori. 

Of course. They had known her longer and she was the most precious treasure of their master. 

After Talori declared they were friends she noticed the guards relaxed around her a little more and smiled at her often. What she said touched them. 

Why wouldn't it? She was a lovely mermaid with a sparkling personality once you got past how odd she could be. These mermen had likely already known her tendency to have strange interests since they had been around her for so long. 

Aila may be the merqueen but Talori had the true power in this palace. She had far more influence because she had managed to win over a good portion of the staff. She wasn't actively trying to either. Unlike her brother, she was no schemer. Everything she did was genuine now that she was no longer following his orders to act crazy for her own protection.

Those siblings truly were polar opposites in terms of personality. Perhaps that was part of why Zale adored her so much. She was everything he wasn't. Sweet, enthusiastic, and innocent. 

She lightened him up. Aila had seen that personally. She was the only one who could make him laugh, though he occasionally smiled at things his mermen said to him as well. They were all obviously good friends. 

That helped explain their intense loyalty to their master. He treated them very well. 

It wasn't that he treated Aila badly. He simply didn't pay her much notice. She was here to be watched and provide an heir. Associating with her for anything beyond that didn't seem to be on his list of priorities, especially with how busy he was. 

She couldn't help but wonder if this was how things would always be. If he couldn't be bothered to make time for a wife, she doubted he would for a concubine. The only one he loved was Talori. Other concubines were likely to get the same treatment Aila was getting now. The thought didn't cheer her as much as it should.

"Your Majesty, the merking is looking for you," a grave voice spoke up after knocking on her door, as she was lying around in her chambers. She hadn't felt up to seeing anyone because she had too much on her mind. 

She told them to come in and was surprised to see Beck. Zale had sent him personally to fetch her? That was new. What did he want her for in the middle of the day? 

"Did he mention why?"

"No."

Aila was filled with apprehension. Had she done something wrong? 

She didn't have an option but to follow Beck to the throne room where Zale was just dismissing one of the royal advisors. "You wished to see me, Your Majesty?"

"No need to be so formal. There isn't anyone who cares here," he said with a wave of his hand. "I have been informed that your studies are going well. I want to see how much you have learned. Go on and speak in English." 

Aila knew she was being spied on but which one of her study companions had told on her? Though, come to think of it, it may have been Talori simply making conversation. It sounded like something she would do. But why would Zale care whether or not her English lessons were going well? Was he disappointed that they weren't going better? He hadn't said anything before!

"I am still learning," she said slowly in English to be sure she pronounced everything correctly. "But I am making more progress now that Talori is teaching me."

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He replied in English as well and she could understand what he was saying. "I have heard that your private tutoring sessions have turned into a full class. A clever idea. The more contact we have with the surface-dwellers, the more of us that should be able to communicate with them."

"It was Talori's idea."

"Of course it was." His tone was undeniably fond when he said that. 

"She is a very good teacher. She said she learned how from her friend Brennan," Aila continued. 

Zale nodded thoughtfully. "Brennan is an interesting fae. A useful ally to have. I am glad he is willing to work with us." 

It seemed that her earlier belief that everyone was either an ally, an enemy, or irrelevant hadn't been that far off. The problem was that she didn't know where she fell on the scale. 

Aila had helped him once in a major way, which was part of why he had married her, but he had done it because he was suspicious of her too. He was afraid of her turning on him so he had taken away the option. 

"Talori is lucky to have him as a friend," she said, not knowing how else to respond. 

"Indeed," Zale mused before changing the subject. "Your English is coming along quite well. You have only been studying it for a few months so do not be too hard on yourself. I am sure you will be fluent given enough time. You already seem to know enough to get by when our allies return. Be sure to keep practicing."

Was that a compliment and encouragement at the same time? Not at all what she had come to expect from her husband. 

"Thank you, Your—Zale." 

He seemed like he was stifling a laugh. What was that about? "You may return to whatever you were doing. I shall see you at dinner." 

"Until then," she said as she swam away feeling rather perplexed. 

What was all that about? Had he truly only summoned her to see how her English was coming along and compliment her on it? That didn't seem like him at all. She didn't know what she was supposed to think.

But Aila didn't want to return to what she had been doing. She wanted to do something that made her feel productive since she had just been praised for her efforts. 

There were palace duties she should attend to. She needed to send her personal maid to track down the head maid. She had household reports to look over and staffing issues to solve. Royalty never rested. At least not when they took their jobs seriously. 

Zale took his job seriously. He hardly had a moment to himself but he had still spared time to talk to her when he didn't have to. If someone had told him she was doing well already, why had he felt the need to verify it for himself? That seemed like a waste of time to her and he wasn't the type to do that. 

There she was thinking about the strangeness of their meeting again. She needed to focus on the task at hand once the head maid arrived. 

Her husband may have confused her but that was no reason to slack off. She was determined to be the best merqueen she could be so her husband would see her as more of an asset than a liability. It was her only defense right now. 

Aila could protect herself by making herself useful and trying to find allies. She had already succeeded somewhat with Talori and was trying her best with most of the royal guard. What more could she be doing? 

If she knew what Zale liked, she could try to cater to him better but she didn't dare ask. Observation could only do so much though. The only thing she had seen that he truly seemed to like was his sister but emulating Talori wouldn't work. It was possible he cared for her solely because they were blood related. 

Was there some other way she could please him? She had to be very careful not to push her luck. Taking the initiative could have the opposite effect of what she wanted if he found her to be annoying. 

Aila wished she knew what she was supposed to do in this situation.. She had gone into this marriage completely defenseless and hadn't made nearly as much progress as she had wanted in the past few months. Would she ever feel secure here with all of the palace politics and not knowing who to trust?

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