The Betrothed

Mother turned around to look at me, assessing even as we approached the head table. I’d kept my golden gown on, and she’d let me borrow one of her headpieces, so I had a string of jewels across my golden hair.

“It’s not really showing up,” she said, looking at the headpiece. “I don’t know how your hair came out so blond, but it just ruins the look of jewels across your head.”

“Nothing I can do to help it,” I replied. As if I didn’t know already. My hair was a shade or two lighter than that of most of the crowd, and more than one person had noted it across my lifetime.

“I blame your father.”

“I wouldn’t,” he snapped.

I swallowed, seeing the tension of the moment was truly getting to them. It was a well-observed rule of the family that all bickering was reserved for the privacy of our apartments. Suddenly remembering this, they bit back their bitterness as we approached the head table.

“Your Majesty,” Father greeted him, a false wide smile on his face. But Jameson hardly noticed they were there. His eyes rested solely on me.

I curtsied low, unable to look away. “Your Majesty.”

“Lady Hollis. Lord and Lady Brite. You look in good spirits. Please, come and sit.” He held his hand out, gesturing for us to come behind the table. My breath sped up as I settled beside the king, ready to weep with joy when he kissed my hand. Turning around, I saw the Great Room as I’d never seen it before.

Elevated on the dais, it was easy to see everyone’s faces, to watch as rank dictated who took which seat. Surprisingly, where all the attention as I walked in left me uneasy, taking in those same stares when I was beside Jameson gave me a thrill. From his side, I could see the same thought lingering in every gaze: I wish it were me.

After a few quiet moments of staring into my eyes, Jameson took a deep breath and turned to my father.

“Lord Brite, I hear your estates are some of the prettiest in all of Coroa.”

My father’s chest lifted. “I would say so. We have a magnificent garden and good, comfortable lands. There is even a tree with a wooden swing that I used as a child. Hollis climbed up the ropes once herself,” he said, then made a face like he wished he hadn’t. “But it’s hard to make time to travel back when Keresken is so beautiful. Especially for the holidays. Crowning Day in the country just doesn’t compare.”

“I imagine not. All the same, I’d like to see it sometime.”

“Your Majesty is always welcome.” My mother reached over and touched Father’s arm. A visit from a royal meant lots of preparation and money spent, but it was quite a win for any family to earn a visit to their estates.

Jameson turned back to me. “So you climbed up the ropes of your swing, did you?”

I smiled, thinking back to the moment fondly. “I saw a nest and very much wished to be a bird myself. Wouldn’t it be lovely to fly? So I decided I would go live there, with the mother bird, and see if she took me into her family.”

“And?”

“I was scolded for ripping my dress instead.”

The king roared with laughter, drawing the attention of most of the room. I could feel the heat of a thousand eyes on me, but all I could think about were his. Delicate crinkles lined the corners of his eyes as they lit with joy; it was beautiful.

I could make Jameson laugh, and very few people possessed such a talent. It amazed me that such a silly little story entertained him so.

I’d actually climbed up the ropes of the swing many times, never getting too far, partly because I feared the height and partly because I feared my parents’ reproach. But I remembered that day in particular, the mother bird with her little ones, flying off to get food for them. She seemed so worried for her babies, so ready to meet their needs. I had to ask myself later how desperate I must have been to want a bird for a mother.

“Do you know what I want, Hollis? I want to hire someone to walk behind us and ink down every single word you say. Every compliment, every story. You are endlessly entertaining, and I don’t want to forget a second of it. I’m already looking forward to what tales I’ll hear at dinner tomorrow.”

My smile came back to me. Tomorrow. It seemed Jameson intended to keep me at his side for a while. “Then you must tell me all of your stories, too. I want to know everything,” I said, resting my chin on my palm, waiting.

Jameson’s lips lifted into a devilish smirk. “Don’t worry, Hollis. You will know everything soon enough.”

Four

“WHY DIDN’T YOU COME TO dinner? You could have attended still,” I said, wrapping my arms around Delia Grace. The palace halls were empty, and that made our voices echo even more than they usually did.

“I thought it would be easier to just not be there rather than go with my mother and explain why I wasn’t sitting beside you for the first time in ten years.”

I made a face. “My parents . . . sometimes I think they’re too stuck-up to even be seen with me.”

She giggled a little. “Have they ordered that I stay away, then?”

I crossed my arms. “If they did, it wouldn’t matter. Seeing as Jameson said you should be with me always.”

Her face lit up. “Really?”

I nodded. “After you left, my parents made their case for setting you aside—as if I could ever find a better friend! But I calmly reminded them that you help get me through my days now, and if that pleases the king, then it ought to be good enough for them. So, of course, my mother brought the issue up at dinner, citing your reputation, as if you had anything to do with it.”

Delia Grace rolled her eyes. “Of course she did.”

“But listen, listen! Jameson asked, ‘Is she truly such a good friend?’ And I said, ‘Second only to you, Your Majesty.’ And then I batted my lashes at him.”

“That man loves to be flattered.” She crossed her arms, waiting for more.

“I know. So he asked, ‘Do you really consider me your friend, dear Hollis?’ And—I still can’t believe I dared to do this in front of so many people—I lifted his hand in mine and kissed it.”

“No!” she whispered excitedly.

“Yes! And I said, ‘There is no one in this world who shows me such respect and care as you . . . but Delia Grace is close.’ He stared at me for a second, and, oh, Delia Grace, I think he would have kissed me had we been alone. Then he said, ‘If it makes Lady Hollis happy, then Delia Grace must stay on.’ And that was the end of it.”

“Oh, Hollis!” She threw her arms around me.

“So there. I’d like to see my parents try to wriggle their way around that.”

“I’m sure they’ll try.” She shook her head. “It sounds like he’s willing to give you anything you want.”

I looked down. “I wish I could just be sure of what he wanted.” I sighed. “But even if I was, I don’t know how to win people over, and I’d have to do just that to make the lords happy with his choice.”

Her eyebrows knit together in thought. “Go get some sleep. I’ll be in your room in the morning. We will figure this out.”

She’d have a plan. When had Delia Grace ever not had a plan? I hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Good night.”