Map of Ember and Moonlight

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The following three weeks were filled with laughter and screams of delight, something Lyv missed when the children were not at the palace. She kept up with her training with Balian and denied his subtle and not-so-subtle advances. Finally, he got the hint she really wasn't interested, but that didn't stop him from flirting. She was used to it, though.

The healers at Stadely House did take advantage of Lyv while she was there, having her work with some of the sickest in the surrounding lands. It gave her time to be out riding, rather than stuck inside, so it was welcomed.

Avice finally got her new pony the second week they were there, along with her own riding gear, though it was far more girly than the leather pants, boots, and shirt Lyv usually wore. She was in love, though, and Lyv helped her with learning how to take care of the tiny beast, which she named Armeria...a name that came out of the blue and had them all stumped as to where she'd heard it before. By the time those few weeks had gone by, the little girl had learned how to properly ride, though she was still a little hesitant. She grew more confident with every day.

Of course, there were tears when they left. Lyv was the last one Avice and Elia held tightly, tears streaming down their cheek.

"I'll be sure to visit sometime soon, all right?" she told them, kneeling down to their level. "Or maybe you can get your mommy and daddy to come to the city to visit."

"Promise?" Elia sniffled. "Why can't you just stay here, though?"

"Because I have to get home with your grandmother and grandfather," she told her, reaching up to wipe away her tears and kiss her cheek. "I love you both."

After hugging her sister and brother-in-law goodbye, Lyv hauled herself up on her horse and started after the carriage that carried her mother away, led by her father and Balian. She looked behind her and waved at the girls who had run to the gates to see her off, blowing them kisses before disappearing into the tree line.

***

Lyv opted to not stay in the large tent with her mother and father like she had on their journey before, but rather out under the stars. They were a two-days' ride out from the city and Lyv was more than ready to get home. First thing would be to bath and change, then go to the tavern to see Jules.

Hearing the deep laughs of the guardsmen around their own fire, Lyv sat up from her bedroll and went to join them. It was late, so both her mother and father were sure to be asleep and she knew she should have been, too, but she wasn't tired at all. Why not enjoy a little entertainment?

Of course, men being men, they were talking about the women they'd bedded, though most of them sounded like horror stories about the crazy ones. When Lyv sat down beside Balian, the men quieted, thinking their stories inappropriate for a princess to hear, but she just grinned and said, "Are you honestly going to leave me hanging? She sounded like a real bitch."

And their conversation continued...after their roaring laughter quieted some.

It wasn't until the moon was hanging high and half covered by the clouds that they all began yawning and finding their bedrolls. Lyv stood, Balian following suit, and stretched her arms over her head while smiling at him.

"Well, goodnight," she told him, stretching up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

She made way for the camp border, which was being patrolled by two blurry-eyed guardsmen.