By evening Sir Lucian was my new valet, and Master Gabriel was my new squire. Lucian was from Panait, the late Lord Marian's Burgraviate to the west. He had light brown hair and eyes, rather than the almost ubiquitous blond with blue eyes of the nobles, and was a few inches shorter than me with a stocky build. While he'd been a cavalier for four years, he wasn't in a hurry to marry and still was looking for the right woman. I could appreciate that sentiment in this world where marriage seemed to be the goal of so many.

Gabriel was everything his father said he was. He looked twelve years old, complete with a cracking voice, but his thinking was older and in keeping with his years. He was not quite five feet in height and scrawny, but those would change if I could keep him alive for a year or two.

The same went for keeping Lucian alive. They both seemed pleased and a little surprised they were selected.

Both of them should work for now. I didn't have the energy to hunt around and see what others might be out there. Lord Calin was sapping me of that. He'd caught me alone after I interviewed Mihai and broke down completely, apologizing profusely for his failures in security both in the keep and in town. It didn't seem to help much when I told him that the attack was unprecedented here and he shouldn't have been able to anticipate something like that.

Guards had been increased significantly throughout the castle grounds, plus a couple of contingents patrolling the town, though I heard Emil gave those orders. I knew Calin's wife wasn't doing well, which was heavy on his mind, along with all the other deaths and maimings. She'd taken a wound to her abdomen, which was almost certain to end with her slow death. I wasn't sure how Calin would handle her demise. Unlike his snideness from the pre-dawn morning, he seemed to have nothing left.

I considered all of this as I sat out on the balcony of my new...apartment? Rooms? Chambers? Instead of the single area of pallets like my previous quarters, this one had separate outer rooms for the valet and squire, with only the pages on pallets by my door waiting for my orders. Likewise, I had multiple rooms in my chambers. The largest was set for my private meetings, though with the ubiquitous four-poster bed. The other rooms were for any family I might have, my Lady in the one and a nursery for any kids on the other, with room for the Lady of the Nursery.

There was a second outer entrance for the Lady's chamber, with extra rooms for her Ladies and Maids. I had that outer door locked as there was no reason for that area to be used in the foreseeable future.

All three rooms opened to the balcony that stretched most of the way across that end of the building, looking out to the west. The sunsets should be lovely, though I missed tonight since I was interviewing Lucien after supper.

Right now, a cool breeze filtered through the growing darkness as more stars continued to appear. No modern lighting meant that the night skies were dazzling. I went to the edge of the balcony to see the stars.

How did these worlds work? Were those different planets out there? That didn't make sense. How could this have the same terrain as back home?

Was it some quantum mechanical thing? Take a left at the five billionth electron and duck behind a quark? I snorted. Ellie tried to explain that stuff to me. Superstring theory and some other Bosonic theory with ten, eleven, or twenty-six dimensions. She liked it, but it made my head hurt.

"Milord K-K-Kevin."

I jumped slightly, then turned to see Stefan at the doors, and he bowed.

I sighed. Visitors, if he was being formal.

Radu stepped in front of him and also bowed. "Maid Elexus of the Realm and Maid Sorina wish to visit you."

I suppressed a smile. Stefan was working this nicely. I needed to talk with Gabriel in the morning about how to work with Stefan on his stutter. They should've been settling in since they'd already had their baths.

"Please escort them in."

Radu ran off while Stefan brought a small tray to the table. A bottle of wine and three glasses. I looked at the bottle as he stepped back. It had been opened, but the bottle itself was a bit dusty. Out of the cellars, fit for the leader...ruler or this Baemardis?

Ellie and Sorina came into view, and Ellie ran the last few steps and hugged me. "How are you holding up on your first day of being king?"

I bumped my forehead lightly into hers. "It seems that way, though even Uncle John never declared himself as more than Crown Lord of the Realm here. I'm not even going to do that. Lauretti never said I was the leader. She just said to move in here, and you to move next door."

I looked over to Sorina, and she nodded. Radu had set a lantern on the table next to the tray.

Ellie pushed back and gave me a slight smile. "Whatever it means, we have wine here to celebrate whatever we now are." Her face screwed up a moment before she found her composure. "Let's find out what fine wine means here."

We let go of each other, and Sorina began pouring the wine, looking a little nervous. She handed a glass to me with a smile and curtsey, then to Ellie before taking her own, sitting after we did.

"Will you quit that," Ellie said with a smile. "You're here because you're Kevin's girlfriend. He's wearing your favor for everyone to see, and that means a lot more here than it does back home. Going steady, or whatever that old-fashioned thing was. Scoot your chair next to him, hold hands or something."

Sorina blushed but moved her chair next to me, and I took her hand and kissed it.

"There. Much better, right?" Ellie grinned at her, and she, in turn, smiled at me. I took advantage of that to give her a quick kiss.

"Enough of that for now, Kevin. We haven't even done a toast yet."

I rocked back into the chair, the taste of her lips in mine, and picked up my wineglass and sipped. It was more rosé in color. Sweet, but not cloyingly, and too fruity to be grapes. "Nice."

Occasionally we'd have wine with supper at home, but I didn't know much about these except that red went with steak and spaghetti and white went with chicken and fish. Rosé went with...? I let that thought go.

"It's a blend of plums and prickly pear fruit," Sorina said. "At least that's what the bottle says."

"Works for me," Ellie chimed in and took another sip. "Shit, we didn't toast. To Lord Kevin of the Realm, who has taken residence in what seems to be the ruler's chambers, whatever that means, long may he live." Her smile broke for a second.

"And to Maid Elexus of the Realm, who's also moved up to a chamber that equals Lady Lauretti, whatever that means. Long may she live. And to Maid Sorina, just because."

Sorina hid her face with her glass as we all took sips.

"Sorina and I had a good discussion about what she walked into this morning and promised she won't embarrass Doina, especially since that was all my fault. And we discussed condoms and why you should be using them right now. Babies can wait a while."

Ellie smiled at Sorina, who nodded.

"Anyway," she continued, "What about Oana at supper? With all the shit going on, I thought she was with you."

"And vice versa," I chuckled. "Who would've thought she'd go find a job in the kitchen? When she brought the pitcher of that yaupon tea, dressed in boy's clothes, I almost gave her away."

Ellie laughed. "Me, too, but why?"

"She tried to come help in the infirmary," Sorina said, "but the ladies thought she was too young. I guess she wanted to help somewhere but couldn't look like herself."

Ellie shook her head. "The cook did seem surprised to see that all of us were sitting around a single table."

"I was trying to make a point," I said, gesturing with my wine glass. "We're more than just masters and those who wait on us. That's why we were eating family-style. And not that they knew it, Oana incognito with the kitchen staff was the icing on the cake."

"It was like family," Sorina said. "Zoe seemed happy to join us, even if she didn't eat much."

She sounded sad, though, with everything that had gone on lately, I could understand.

"Well," Ellie said, then drained her glass and stood up. "I'm going to bed. Sorina is welcome to stay if she wishes."

I stood as well and hugged Ellie. Ellie hugged Sorina with a peck on her cheek, then left.

Gabriel opened the door a moment later. "Will there be anything else, Lord Kevin?" His eyes widened when he saw Sorina standing next to me.

I sighed. I might as well get it in the open. "No. I'll be turning in shortly. Tell Stefan that I don't want to be disturbed until morning."

"Yes, Milord," and he closed the door.

"Maybe I should...." Sorina let that trail off.

"Only if you want," I replied with a smile.

She shook her head. "I'll stay."

"I want you with me, and I assume you didn't leave with Ellie because you wanted to stay with me."

"I'll do anything you want—"

"Don't say that. I don't know if you want to be with me or Lord Kevin of the Realm. Which is it?"

"You," she replied, "and Lord Kevin."

I took off my vest, which she took and hung on the valet next to the bed—the same with my shirt and pants. I peeled off my armor, which she lay on a chair.

"This is what you've got," I said, feeling the cool evening air on my body coming in from the balcony. "Nothing more, nothing less."

She kissed me. "You're a lot more than that. You're Lord of the Realm, and maybe Crown Lord of this Realm. Lady Lauretti made it sound like you'll be here...for a while, anyway. You don't need a new regent while you stay. He was appointed because the Realm was away. Lord Emil can go back to Bacea and Tiber to Moise once you figure out who will be Burgraves for the other two Burgraviates. You and Ellie can rule here or take me, Stefan, and Mara with you when you leave."

"Mara?"

"She's like Stefan and me, only worse. Our mama died years ago, but her mama and papa were just killed by Sobecks a few days ago, and...and Adrian yesterday. She and her sister are alone with nobody to take care of them. Her papa's status as a cavalier is gone, and she's not even marriageable yet. She and Eliza are like younger sisters to me. I'm the oldest, and I've taken care of them all my life."

She pulled her clothes off and tossed them on the chair.

"I want to be with you, Kevin, but I will do whatever I can to make sure that they are safe. I will do whatever is necessary with Lord Kevin of the Realm or whoever else to make sure they're safe."

Her eyes blazed in the dim lamplight. I pulled her close to me, feeling her warmth against me. "I'll do everything I can to make them safe," I heard myself say, then sighed. "I just haven't done a very good job of it so far."