Chapter 6

The next morning, I sat alone in the East Salon, breaking my fast and watching the sun rise.

The baby had hiccups. I laughed and patted my belly with every start. The precious little bundle wasn’t even born yet, and she still managed to utterly fascinate me.

It was strange how much I loved her already. Hoping everything was okay in there, I took a sip of my morning tea and stroked my stomach again, trying to comfort her. She was so active today, as if she were already curious to meet the world and start exploring. I couldn’t wait to hold her in my arms and kiss her forehead, then rock her against my chest.

And I really should stop thinking of her as her, I suppose. She could very well be a he. Except something in me screamed girl, and I couldn’t vanquish the notion, no matter how hard I tried. Truly, the gender wouldn’t matter to me either way. She just felt like a girl for some reason, and thus I kept thinking of her that way.

“There you are,” my sister’s voice called right before the door to the salon slammed shut behind her, the loud crack making the baby inside me give a leap of fear.

“It’s okay,” I murmured quietly, patting my belly again. “That was just Auntie Yasmin. You’re okay, little one. I’m keeping you safe.”

“Are you deaf? I said no cape today,” Yasmin muttered as she struggled to remove hers from her throat before flinging it in the face of the apologizing maid trailing her, who fumbled to catch the wad of emerald.

Once the cloak was out of her hands, Yasmin rolled her shoulders as if relieved to be free of it before flashing me a wide smile. “Much better.” She fell gracefully in the chair next to mine and gave a long, exhausted sigh as two more maids rushed to arrange her dress. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere, but I should’ve known I’d find you here. You’ve quite taken over my spot, haven’t you?”

The East Salon was my favorite room in the entire castle. Caulder had built it on recently at the top of the keep when he learned how much Yasmin adored watching the sunrise. No other castle in all the realms had a room quite like this one. One wall was built entirely of windows filled with Donnelly’s famous clear rock, and it faced the east so the queen could sit and enjoy the sunrise every morning with a cup of tea.

The thing was, Yasmin rarely woke early enough to actually see the stunning sunrise. So it had become my place of peace over the past few weeks when sleeping became too uncomfortable and I found myself awake and out of bed this early.

The sun had risen over an hour ago, but I was so comfortable here in this chair that my back didn’t even hurt, and the sun felt good, warming my face. I was loath to move.

“What can I help you with?” I asked as I set down my tea in order to give my sister my full attention. My gaze went across the room to the maid who was trying to fold Yasmin’s discarded wrap. “And I believe that maid really is hard of hearing.”

Yasmin blinked, taken aback before glancing at the maid who watched us with wide frightened eyes. “Really?”

I nodded. “She reads lips, though, so just make sure she’s looking at you fully before you give her instructions.”

Yasmin studied the girl a moment longer before turning away with a dismissive flutter of her hand. “How you remember such trivial information is beyond me.” Taking the cup of tea another maid rushed to deliver to her, she took a sip, set it back in its saucer, and said, “Something must be done about Nicolette.”

“What do you mean?” I took the cup and saucer from her hand after she drank so she wouldn’t have to stretch to set in on the table.

“What do I mean?” she repeated incredulously. “You were at dinner last night, were you not? How can you even ask me that? She was much too forward with the High Cliff prince. It was ghastly and indecent. Caulder should’ve stopped her as soon as she asked that man to sit next to her.”

“She’s only curious, Yasmin.”

“Her curiosity is going to land her in trouble. Why, before we know it, her belly will be as full as yours with a High Cliff bastard in there, and Prince Urban will flee back to his own kingdom, leaving us to deal with his mess. You heard him yourself, he’ll likely lay with anyone now that he knows he can’t have his one true love or whatever he calls his silly mate.” She rolled her eyes dramatically.

My lips parted in surprise, shocked she would even think up such a scandalous idea. “I…” I faltered, not sure how to deny such an outrageous claim. Because, really, it felt all wrong to me. Maybe I was just being too naïve, but I honestly couldn’t see anything of the like happening.

“I really didn’t get the feeling Prince Urban was interested in Nicolette in that manner,” I finally answered as diplomatically as I could. Truth be told, I thought he’d treated her as if she were an affectionate little sister.

“I agree,” a new voice rose from the doorway that had opened without my notice. “My brother might possess a rakish charm, but he has never preyed on innocent girls, nor would he, especially one as young as your princess.”

Yasmin and I whipped our attention to where Princess Allera entered the salon with a dark, calculating smile, leaving the door to the room standing boldly open behind her. “Your little Nicolette is quite safe from him, I assure you.”

“I…” Flushing, Yasmin cleared her throat before bowing her head. “Princess! I beg your forgiveness if it sounded as if I was defaming your brother. I just… I worry about my impetuous sister-in-law. That is all.”

I lifted my eyebrows, surprised. Yasmin had never been so quick to recant before. This was interesting. Princess Allera must intimidate her.

“Accepted,” Princess Allera answered with a small bow. Then she smiled at us, her lips stretched as if she still felt slighted on her brother’s behalf, even though she managed to make it look charming. “Do you mind if I join you ladies? I hear this room has quite the view first thing in the morning.”

When she finally looked toward the windows, she gasped, “My God. I’ve encountered clear rock before but never so much in one place.”

As anyone who’d never seen such a phenomenon before, she drifted toward the windows so she could gently touch the surface of the clear rock and smooth her hand across its plane as if to ascertain if it were really there. It was honestly so clear people had been known to walk right into it before without realizing its presence.

“It’s breathtaking,” she murmured in awe. “So solid and firm, like rock, yet completely transparent.” She glanced our way. “I had my window at home filled with clear rock and accidentally broke it once, so my father had to reorder another.”

“Yes, it’s extremely breakable,” Yasmin told her.

“But still incredible,” Princess Allera allowed as she moved to seat herself among us.

Then she smiled appreciatively at the maid who hurried forward with another cup and saucer full of tea. But when a second maid tried to straighten her skirts, she gracefully waved her away, letting the woman know she could take care of the task herself.

Yasmin and I simply blinked at her. The very air around the princess shimmered with royalty. I had a feeling I’d always come up short if I ever tried to act as majestically as she did. She seemed like a woman who accepted her station and yet also owned it. She knew how to behave accordingly while still managing to reveal her true nature. Something in me craved that same kind of freedom. I’d always been too scared of reprimand if I didn’t say or do what was expected. How she managed to accomplish both discipline and self-expression, I didn’t know, but I found myself in awe.

I believe Yasmin was similarly drawn. Without a single snippet of snark, she cleared her throat. “Apologies, but I believe you’ve missed the best part of the view in here. The colors in the sky are much more vivid and diverse when they first break over the horizon.”

“Pity.” Princess Allera took a long sip as she studied the scene beyond the clear rock. “I’ll have to wake earlier tomorrow then, I suppose.” With a refreshed sigh, she set her drink down and faced us. “Though I can hardly imagine how spectacular it will be then, since this view now is more than grand enough. I must say, your entire castle leaves me speechless. It’s nothing like our drafty old ruins back at High Cliff.”

“You are much too kind,” Yasmin murmured. “But thank you for the compliment. Caulder’s father started construction on the Iron Castle nearly thirty years ago. Sadly, he didn’t live to see it to its completion last year.”

Princess Allera nodded. “I’m sure he would be proud of how well his son saw it through.”

“Indeed,” Yasmin murmured with her own head bowed.

I glanced back and forth between the two as they continued the most boring conversation known to mankind. It was the strangest thing; they were both being so painfully polite, and yet… Yet it felt all wrong to me. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was happening. Maybe the two women were feeling each other out, but it didn’t feel as if they were trying to become friends. More like learning their enemy’s strengths and weaknesses.

Suddenly, Princess Allera veered her attention to me. “Lady Vienne, isn’t it?”

I straightened, not sure I wanted to be pulled into whatever was going on between her and Yasmin. But I cleared my throat politely and hesitantly said, “That’s right. How was your first night at the Iron Castle, Princess?”

“Oh, it was lovely. Thank you for asking.” She brightened and clasped her hands together. “May I ask, when is your baby due? Is this your first? Is it a boy or a girl? Do you and your husband want more?”

Laughing in delight over her onslaught of eager questions, I glowed as I set my hand over my child. For a moment, she reminded me of Nicolette because of her enthusiasm.

But then Yasmin sniffed. “However would she know if it was a girl or boy? Are you daft or something?”

Princess Allera froze slightly, blinking rapidly, before tipping her head at an angle. “I’m sorry, but do you not have soothsayers foretell your children’s genders for you?”

Yasmin snorted. “Of course not. All the soothsayers and other magical kind were banished from Donnelly after they killed Caulder’s parents.”

“I…” The princess let out a small laugh. “Apologies again, but I don’t understand. Did you say soothsayers murdered the former king and queen? Not that I don’t believe you, of course. It just sounds so…well, implausible. I’ve never heard of a violent soothsayer before.”

Yasmin flushed before shifting uncomfortably in her chair. “A soothsayer didn’t kill them directly, of course. But they put the idea into the murderers’ heads by spouting about it to everyone weeks before it happened. Soren convinced Caulder they were nothing but evil and should never be allowed in our kingdom again. So they were banished.”

“Wait. Let me get this straight,” Princess Allera said slowly. “Your soothsayers tried to help and warn you of the approaching demise of your dear king and queen, so you punished them?”

Yasmin opened her mouth to argue the point, but there wasn’t much she could say against it, except, “Their dark magic has no place here. I mean, just look at us.” She splayed out a hand and laughed. “We’re thriving without them. We’re the richest kingdom in the Outer Realms. Even if they weren’t evil, we simply don’t need them.”

Princess Allera nodded politely, but I could see in her eyes that she didn’t agree with what had become of the magic bearers in Donnelly.

“I believe representatives from the magical faction have worked with the king on a compromise to allow a select few to stay in the kingdom with royal permission,” I told her.

The princess glanced at me as if relieved by my reassurances. With a nod, she said, “So, then… You don’t know for certain if it’s a boy or a girl yet. But do you have a sense either way? I hear a mother’s intuition is usually correct.”

I flushed, feeling silly for even admitting it, but for some reason, I confessed, “It feels like a girl.” Then I shook my head and laughed at myself. “I don’t know why I keep thinking that. I’d be pleased either way. But I just… Yes, she feels like a girl.”

“Which is ridiculous, of course,” Yasmin put in as if an authority on the subject. “You should wish for a boy, Vienne, so Soren will have a worthy heir.”

Princess Allera choked on the next sip of tea she was taking. Face flushing, she coughed violently and patted her chest with her palm, apologizing for the interruption before sending Yasmin a quick, incredulous glance.

Then she smiled my way, as if pleased by what she found in me. Leaning closer, she murmured, “Never be embarrassed by your gut instinct, my lady. In High Cliff, one’s intuition is regarded with much honor. In fact, my little brother’s won every battle he’s ever led because of his gut instinct and keen insight on matters.”

I nodded. So Prince Urban had seen war. I felt a little smug for being right about that, and less embarrassed for my own hunches.

“So, this is your first child?” Princess Allera guessed, interrupting my thoughts.

My face heated as I smiled and then bit my lip, covering my stomach again. “Is it that obvious?”

She merely laughed. “No, not at all. You just have a certain glow about you.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, not sure how to deal with so much attention. I glanced discreetly toward Yasmin, only to find her lips tightened with displeasure.

Time to direct the attention away from me.

Clearing my throat, I turned back to the princess. “I want you to know, I absolutely adore the prince. I just know he’ll make a wonderful husband.”

Pulling back in surprise, Allera blinked at me from parted lips, her expression startled before she croaked, “You… Wait. You adore my brother? I wasn’t aware you two had spoken already.”

My pulse jumped at the question. For a moment, I wondered if her own intuition was so strong it had realized how attracted I’d been to him the night before. Heat covered me like a rash, and I could only gape at her a moment before it struck me that she’d merely misunderstood my meaning.

“I… No…” With a small laugh, I pressed my hand to my brow, and said, “No. I’m so sorry. I meant the prince here, at Donnelly. Prince Brentley. I’m sure he’ll make a good husband to you.” As her shoulders fell and her mouth snapped shut, I let out another laugh. “Please excuse me,” I went on. “I’m not used to there being more than one prince in the castle.”

“No worries. It’s quite alright,” she murmured almost numbly before blinking and giving a sudden smile. “And thank you for the reassurance…about Prince Brentley. I had a suspicion he was a good man. But your word helps ease my mind even more so.”

I nodded, understanding. “The night Yasmin and I became betrothed to our husbands was the same night we met them as well. I just remember how nervous and afraid I was all day, leading up to the introduction. I wondered if maybe you might’ve felt the same—”

“I did,” Princess Allera told me with a grateful smile. “Thank you so much for your perception and understanding, my lady. I almost made myself sick with worry the entire trip here. It’s reassuring to know someone understands.”

“It’s maddening, isn’t it?” I asked, grinning over our similar experience. “Not knowing what you’re going to get but expected to be happy with it for the rest of your life.”

“Indeed. It is.”

Sitting back in my chair, I set my hand over my stomach and sighed. “Thank goodness all three of us ended up with pleasant enough outcomes.”

The princess’s eyes glittered as she watched me. After a moment, she finally nodded her agreement. “Most definitely. Pleasant enough.”

I swear I saw tears glistening in her eyes before she cleared her throat and glanced down at her hands clasped in her lap. I wondered if she was remembering her marriage to her first husband—her one true love—but then she looked up again, and the tears were gone.

“So, I had the most delicious treat for breakfast that a servant brought to my room this morning,” she stated briskly. “And I’m dying to know what it was called. It had to be some kind of fruit, for it was dark blue like a blueberry but sized and shaped like a pear, yet it tasted like a melon, even though I had to peel it like an orange.”

“Oh, you must mean a grumpacker,” I said before groaning in delight and clutching my chest over the mere mention of the fruit. “They’re my absolute favorite food ever.”

“Truly?” she asked with a curious smile. “And they’re called grumpackers? How interesting. We don’t have them in High Cliff.”

I gasped. “You don’t? That’s so tragic. I think I could survive on sweet grumpackers alone.”

“She’s not lying,” Yasmin added with a groan and roll of her eyes. “When we were young, she’d eat so many of them Father was forced to ban them from our home entirely so she wouldn’t get fat.”

Princess Allera’s smile faltered. She glanced from Yasmin to me as if worried about such treatment happening to her.

But I waved a hand past that and kept grinning. “Never fear, Princess. King Caulder doesn’t have such restrictions here, otherwise I’d probably sneak from the castle weekly like I did from home to get my fix.”

A smile returned to the princess’s face. “A girl after my own heart,” she murmured in approval before leaning toward me. “Don’t worry, my lady. From here on out, I’ll join you in grumpacker gorging. That way, we can grow fat and happy together.”

That’s when I decided I rather liked the princess of High Cliff. Grinning at her, I nodded my approval. “It’s a deal.”