She smiled, though her father controlled her son, she controlled the bride-to-be. Erin Omir was now eighteen, quiet, shy, and unassuming. Lady Tess had long since tired of trying to hold any kind of conversation with her. In the past when she had tried, all she got in return for her efforts were stutters, gulps, sighs, and apologies. She would have to give up the regency, but the game was far from over.
As the meal progressed, Rarg only smiled when it was warranted. Otherwise, he sat at the table looking bored. This expression was something that those who had accompanied him to Racine saw often. The dignitaries from Racine were disappointed. He showed no interest in their presence at the table. Other than the Omarlo looks, which he had, they had expected to see something of Imir, a more commanding presence. They began to worry. They all knew he had been gone a long time and had been raised by Racine’s old enemy. They began to fear he would turn out to be nothing but a puppet ruler, something Racine had never had.
In fact, Rarg was seething inside. So this was home, the heart of the House of Omarlo. One look was all it took, when he arrived, to see a silent, subjugated people. Some of what he had been told by his grandfather over the years was true. Lady Tess was indeed a beauty that cared more for her looks than the running of Racine. These greedy men and women sitting at his table have grown fat off Racine’s profits, which are the result of the labor of a populace that has seen little in return for their efforts. He continued to look down the table at them, noting how they tried to catch his eye with intents of ingratiating themselves before him. They did not know him. No one at the table knew him. Lady Tess would turn over the reins of power to him, and then changes would be made.
Lady Tess would then be made to pay for the death of his father, his brothers, and the state of affairs on Racine. He saw the look of uncertainty she gave him as he passed her on the steps. To her misfortune, she does not know that he knows what had happened here. She would soon learn that he was not one to be influenced by her. He was not the weak, self-indulgent man that all thought him to be. It will take time, but he had that. All would pay—those who took him away, his mother for her deception and treachery, and any who thought to stand in his way. He had snubbed her for all to see and was glad that she chose to leave and lick her wounds in private. Rarg Omarlo smiled at no one in particular. The first round was his.
When Rarg was eight, he was in his grandfather’s study when he found a letter from his mother among his grandfather’s papers. Lord Marlis had sent him there to retrieve his pipe. In the letter was an order directing Captain Nor to delay his return from quadrant five. He was to time his arrival to be late enough so that Imir would not survive the attack on the Keep. A regent would be named, as his heir was a minor. It further stated that arrangements had been made to ship Rarg to be fostered under the House of Marlis. No mention was made of his brothers. Lady Tess Omarlo had signed it.
After reading it several times, he sought out his grandfather for an explanation. Lord Marlis confirmed his daughter’s signature and that he was sorry Rarg had learned the truth of what had happened. He told the stunned boy that his mother claimed that there was a device that would threaten the security of COP, which caused Lord Marlis to go to Racine. Sadly he told the boy he had done so but found this rumor years later to be untrue. That his father had died defending his planet. He added that he suspected his ambitious daughter wanted to rule Racine and becoming regent was the only way.
When Rarg was ten, Lord Marlis confided in him that he suspected that his mother’s greed for control of Racine caused her to remove her other sons. He told Rarg that it occurred from time to time among ruling families, the removal of family members to ensure control of power. Marlis also stressed that there was no proof of this in her case. He told Rarg that she seek to have dominance over the one son, him, when he became of age. That was why when he had asked to go home to Racine for visits, he was always told no. His grandfather said that it was because he was protecting him from his dangerous domineering mother, Lady Tess.
Rarg was his father’s son. He had learned early the position that he was in. There was no loving nurture shown him from his grandfather or his uncles. They cuffed him every chance they could get. So he outwardly became the quiet, moody boy. He was amazingly quick in aptitude but acted as if things were too difficult. He always showed an interest in self-defense and personal fighting skills but was reluctant to join in any competitive contests. If forced, then he performed poorly. Eventually, his grandfather and uncles, tired of the embarrassment of his performance, left him alone. Other boys continued to tease him. When asked by his grandfather’s trainers, who knew his skill, why the poor performance, he would say it was good to know how to fight. It just was not necessary for him to get dirty or sweaty when others would fight for him when he grew up. They would frown at him and shake their heads, and eventually, they too left him alone, thinking him soft. The boy became known as a loner. His free time and he had a lot of it was not monitored.
In truth, there were always people working with him during his years of exile in his grandfather’s castle, men and women who swore him to secrecy. They were remnants of Racine’s spy network with a sworn allegiance to his father. They secretly schooled him on his planet’s history, the system’s political history, and the art of warfare and what it meant to be an Omarlo. At no time during his stay on Urus had he not been under the watchful eyes of those loyal to the House of Omarlo.
He was taught the secret hand language. He was trained over the years to be the best covert spy Racine had to offer. Lord Imir had anticipated that such measures would need to be in place on the chance that the worst happened. He knew Lord Marlis was ruthless enough to take his son and try to mold him into a Marlis puppet, so before his fall, he had sent orders to his agents who were already in place on Urus.
“Please stand still and stop fidgeting,” said an unusually nervous Lady Tess. “I can see that you are not as slow as you act and that you did understand my orders and took exceptional care in your appearance today. It shows. The color of your dress suits you. Rarg should be very pleased, but then I have no idea of what his personal tastes in women are.”
Erin wore a mint green Empire chiffon-layered off-the-shoulder dress. She had the look of an ethereal sprite. Erin dropped her head to her chest, looking down at the floor. She had nothing to say. That Lady Tess so intimidated the young woman as to leave her speechless was a good sign of her control. With a last look, Lady Tess felt she had done her best. Rarg would be arriving soon to visit the women’s quarters for his first meeting with his intended bride. All was as ready as it would ever be. He had delayed this meeting for two weeks until he had run out of excuses.
“Lady Tess, I have seen your son from a distance, and I have asked the servants about him,” said Erin. “It is said that he is frivolous and moody.”
“Shut up! His temperament is not your concern. You are only the vessel out of which his heir shall be born. How dare you presume to talk to me about what you have heard about my son during idle gossip.” Lady Tess, in a rage, was drawing back to slap the stupid girl but was stopped midway by her son’s voice.
“Ah, Mother, are you about to hit the future Lady Omarlo? Have I then come at a bad time?” Rarg could have sworn he saw the girl take a defensive stance but no, maybe not, her hand was moving quickly covering her face. She turned toward him, and he saw that her eyes were large and held a frightened look. He could see that her beauty rivaled his mother’s.
“You may leave, Mother. I wish to get to know my intended,” said Rarg.
“You may not know it, having been raised on Urus without a gentlewoman’s influence, but it is not proper for the two of you to be alone. She may go. I thought that you and I—,” Lady Tess got no further as she was cut off.
“Go. Now!” snapped Rarg.
Lady Tess was stunned into movement. For a second, he sounded so like his father. She bowed and turned toward the door. She was humiliated and in front of the girl. Well, later, she would have her revenge later. She reached the door and as she was about to leave, she smiled and said, “As you wish.”
The door closed silently behind her. Erin watched Rarg as intently