In The Shadow Of The Beast Read Online Free PDF Page A

was overcome with a wave of anxiety that for all the
world seemed like it might submerge her.
    Turning to Sigourd, she took his hand in
hers, ‘Have you seen anything that stirs your heart, son?’
    ‘ I can’t say that I am
particularly taken with any of these ladies, mother,’ whispered
Sigourd. Veronique squeezed her son’s hand reassuringly, ‘It must
seem terribly overwhelming, to be at the center of such activity.
It was overwhelming for your father too, but he came out of it well
enough, and so will you.’
    ‘ Yes mother,’ agreed
Sigourd, his expression falling. ‘It’s just that I’d always hoped
to able to choose the woman I’d marry in a less....formal
fashion.’
    It saddened Veronique to see her son
troubled so, but she knew that like it or not, he understood the
necessity of this process. ‘We must all abide by our
responsibilities Sigourd. This is the price and the privilege of
our position in society. We must be steadfast in our undertaking of
its laws and traditions, for we lead by example, weather it is our
intention or not. Always be mindful of that.’
    Sigourd groaned, ‘It seems as if all my life
I’ve been manacled to those responsibilities. Surely as regent I
must be allowed some freedom to live as I choose?
    ‘ You will live through your
people. You will live for them.’
    Sigourd turned to look once more at the
raven haired serving girl at the back of the chamber. His heart
sank as he realized that for all his high hopes his destiny had
already been laid out before him.
    ‘ What if this is not what I
want, mother? What if I were to walk away from it all?’
    ‘ I would not countenance
such a thing!’ spoke a voice deeply leaden with authority. Sigourd
looked up to see his father standing behind him. ‘Your birthright
requires that you meet certain expectations, and you will. The
sooner you accept that the easier this will be for us all,’ said
The Regent, glancing at the serving girl, ‘and that means any
interests you have acquired that are in opposition to your
betrothal will be laid aside, ‘Am I understood?’
    Sigourd followed his father’s gaze, turning
back to The Regent with a defiant gleam in his eyes.
    ‘ Excuse me mother,’ he
said, before jumping up and storming from the dais as the assembled
court turned to watch, their stunned expressions already turning to
delighted whispers.
    The Regent looked on angrily after his son
as Veronique rose to take her husband’s hand in hers.
    ‘ He has the fire of
passionate youth in his belly. I have an idea where he gets it
too.’ She said.
    The Regents hard expression began to soften,
a look of fatherly concern replacing his usual stony mien. ‘I only
hope that fire does not consume what affection he might yet have
for his father.’
    Veronique’s tone was comforting as she
spoke, ‘It will not. Sigourd understands all to well what is
required of him. Just as you did.’
    The Regent gently stroked his wife’s
lustrous golden hair, tilted her face up so that he might look into
eyes that sparkled like pale sapphires, ‘Ah, but my son has a far
harder task than I ever did,’ said The Regent. ‘For me there was no
doubt at all over whom I would take as my bride.’
    ‘ It’s flattery like that
which lured me to you in the first place.’
    ‘ Really,’ exclaimed The
Regent, effecting genuine surprise, ‘I always thought it was the
obscenely huge dowry I paid your brother.’
    Veronique cuffed her husband playfully upon
the arm, ‘You beast.’
    The Regent smiled at his wife, kissed her
lightly on the cheek before looking up as someone approached.
‘Speak of the devil and he shall appear...’
    Veronique turned to see where her husband’s
eyes had fallen, and her playful mood dissipated in an instant.
Moving toward the couple, as imposing as he had been twenty years
previously, The Baron Vincenzo Mortaron strode across the throne
room, the assembled celebrants hurriedly making way before the old
baron like a