The evening felt similar to my first night here, except I didn't have Estelle to dress me, and to make matters worse, when I asked the maid she said there had been no letters for me. So now not only had I not heard from Estelle, I had also not heard from my father or this mysterious friend, Elias
Since the Queen requested that we dress nicely, I chose one of the last fancier dresses I had with long sleeves, since the already frigid temperature had dropped a few more degrees. This dress was probably my favourite out of all the ones we had ordered.
It was a dark, velvet purple with a high bodice and long sleeves. The skirt was almost straight, and since it wasn't heavy it allowed for more movement, just in case there was any reason to run or hide in uncomfortable positions.
For a second I debated wearing my pants underneath my skirt, but that may have been a step too far.
I decided that my hair would be in a simple knot at the nape of my neck, and looked in the mirror to see the completed look. Estelle would have been proud at the progress I made.
Hearing Aria coming down the hall, I stepped up and opened the door as she raised her hand to knock. She looked at the door in confusion and then at me before laughing. 'I see you are all dressed, just as Mother commanded'
'As are you, your Highness' I dropped into a mock bow and only stood when she pulled me up. Truly she did look beautiful. Her dress was also long sleeve, but it had an intricate lace pattern over the top of burgundy underlay. I looped my arm through hers and we began the walk to the dining room, a guard following us a few paces behind.
We came to the door and the guard informed us that we were the last to arrive. We walked through the open doors and I saw him before he saw me. Mason looked very handsome in his dinner suit. His dark hair was slightly damp and his cuffs were undone, looking every bit the arrogant Prince I had at first thought he was, though the traces of his humour were evident to me now. Of course Caleb stood beside him, looking almost handsome were it not for permanent boredom on his face when Aria wasn't around.
'Aria, Eve, you two look beautiful!' The Queens exclamation made Mason and Caleb turn to greet us. My curtsy was perfect and I rose up, letting my eyes travel from the ground up to Masons face.
The look I saw was similar to when we had been fighting, like I had some kind of power of him. There was also a hint of something lying underneath that, but he looked away before I could decipher it.
'Dinner is served'
The housekeeper stepped back and six maids came forward with our dinner. To my relief my plate held a small portion of venison, and some green vegetables.
'I noticed you did not particularly take to the quail, Eve' the Queen commented, and I smiled ruefully 'it is not something I have eaten very often' I admitted. 'What do you eat in Bazea?'
'My mothers cook always made simple meals for me growing up, with a lot of meat and vegetables, I'm afraid I never grew accustomed to eating more delicate things'
The King nodded in understanding then suddenly smiled fondly 'I remember the first time Aria tried pork. She loved it and declared she would eat it every day, until she went out to see her favourite pig in the yard, and found out where her food has come from'
The Queen laughed as Aria protested 'It still makes me sad that we ate Mr Piggles, he was such a pretty pig!'
Caleb snorted with laughter and she sent him a death glare across the table. 'Oh come on Ari, you only liked the pigs because you were always covered in dirt, they were your kindred spirits'
'Well, I didn't want to bathe. My old governess was mean and scrubbed too hard' she was pouting but it was playful.
The family laughed and I chuckled along, looking around at the faces of the people that I had spent the last few weeks with. The King and Queen were smiling at each other lovingly, no doubt remembering the younger days of their children, long gone but not forgotten. Caleb was teasing Aria and Mason was joining in. Even the maids and butlers seemed to be in good spirits. The events of the day had made everyone realise that the time they spent with each other was special.
A feeling of sadness washed over me as I realised that while I was here now, I could be moving on at any time.
'I was not the only one who did silly things!' Aria exclaimed 'Mason used to let the horses out because he liked watching the old stablehand chase them in the yard'
Masons head shot up and his eyes were wide.
'That was you?!' The Queen was shocked but the King was barely hiding his laughter. His shoulders shook, 'Poor old Earl, he couldn't understand how they were getting out. He must have replaced that lock 5 times'
I giggled at the look on Masons face, like he was caught in the act. My laugh captured his attention and he turned to face me. 'Surely you did silly things to annoy your family when you were young!
My face went blank and the laughter stopped, Mason immediately looked apologetic and Aria, worried. 'I am so sorry Eve, I did not think...' My hand rose to stop his apology. 'It is fine. When my parents were alive, I was very much a nuisance for them' I saw the Queen raise her eyebrows when Mason had called me Eve and she looked between us with interest.
Aria punched Mason on the shoulder 'Bad move bro', her whisper had never been that much of a whisper.
I smiled at the uncomfortable faces around the table 'Did Aria tell you what she did at school a few months ago?'
Aria gasped, her eyes panicking. 'Eve, no! You can't tell them'
Caleb grinned ear to ear 'Well now you must'
'We were outside for riding lessons, when Aria decided that she would rather gallop than the slow walking we were doing'
'It was so slow!' She interjected
I shook my head, 'But I don't think she was ready for how much energy her horse had, and he took off with her across the field'
The Queen was beginning to giggle and Caleb was smirking at Aria, they all hung on my word.
'And before she could react, she was thrown off into... a pile of mud!'
Mason began to laugh harder than I'd ever seen 'Well she does love mud!'
With everyone laughing I felt relief that the mood had shifted away from the lies I'd made up about my family. While I was my parents child by blood, this family had treated me more like kin in the time I'd been here than my own blood had done in my entire life. Even Ingrid, the kindest of my siblings, did not stand up for me in front of my parents.
'Shall we retire the library and sit in front of the fire for a little while? The Queen suggested it and Aria was up from her seat before she'd even finished the sentence 'Caleb, we will be playing a game!' She called out over her shoulder. He followed her with mock impatience but it was clear he was enjoying spending a lot of time with her.
The King and Queen rose much more gracefully, walking together toward the corridor. When I stood from my seat, Mason was there in front of me offering his arm as an escort. I was nervous as I looped my arm around his, but it made it easier that we were walking side by side, and I would not have to look at him.
After a few turns in silence he spoke.
'Please forgive me for bringing up your family, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable' his voice was hesitant, and I could tell he was worried he had damaged our friendship.
We came to the library where the door was left open, but I stopped him before we went in, stepping to face him so that he could see my expression 'I am not hurt. Truthfully, I was a nuisance to my parents, and I am surprised they did not choose to have someone else raise me' that was as close to honesty I could get with him, but I tried to infuse my tone with as much sincerity as possible.
'Surely not' he countered, but I chose not to reply and walked into the library knowing that with parents like his it would take a lot for him to understand.
'Ah, now you're here, who wants to play snakes and ladders?' Aria asked the room. When no one responded she looked back from the games chest and locked her gaze onto Caleb, the only one who wasn't looking away, pretending interest in something else.
'Come on, we have to play!'
I watched Caleb grumble and complain, but still walk over to the table she was now setting the game up on 'I have not played this since I was a child'.
Aria cackled at him and started the game. I moved over to where the King and Queen had sat in chairs facing the fire.
When I was in reach, the Queen grasped my hand to pull me toward her. 'I am sorry for Mason's tactlessness' she apologised, 'But sometimes men are not the smartest' she smiled at me meaningfully and squeezed my hand. I was confused my her tone but I thanked her then sat in a chair opposite Mason on the other side of the fire.
'I know you wanted this to be nice night Mother, but have we heard anything else about the negotiations Father, or the prisoners?'
The King stared into the flame, for once looking his age. 'There has been no other news on the negotiations in the West, but I have some news about the attackers from today'
Clearly the Queen did not know this news either, by the way she looked as surprised as Mason. 'How come you did not tell me William?' She was hurt.
'Because my dear, I had not decided on what to do about the information, and I did not want to worry you'
The Queen took his hand and stared at him fiercely, 'I am your wife and what ever it is we will handle it together' He did not respond, but I noticed he gave her hand a quick squeeze before turning his face toward Mason and I.
'Aria, Caleb, you should hear this as well'
They stopped playing their increasingly boisterous game to come over to where we were sitting. 'What is it father?' Aria looked worried.
He sighed gravely 'I have had a letter from a Kingdom, offering its assistance in our civil matters' I glanced around to gauge everyones reactions, but all I saw was the same confusion I felt at why this was bad news.
'It seems,' he continued, 'that news of our problems has reached Nadora'
The Queens face went white and she gasped, letting go of her husbands hand.
Aria was the first to speak. 'How could they know?'
Panic began to spread through my body, and the edge of my vision went fuzzy, but I waited to see what else the King was going to say.
'I don't know. But the King has offered his assistance, and after todays attack, I have written to accept'
'What?!' The Queens cry echoed my whisper. 'He cannot come here' she claimed, 'Nadora are our enemy and my father promised...'
The sounds around me faded behind the beats of my own heart. The King of Nadora, my father, was coming here? To Corisan? Could this be the reason I had not received a letter or any further instruction since Estelle had left?
My hearing returned in time to hear the Kings explanation to the very upset Queen.
'...There was a warning that there had been rumours of assassins travelling through Teav, toward Corisan. Despite our differences, he has offered to help and I think it is time that we put this war between the kingdoms behind us'
Everything felt like it slowed down, as I realised that Estelle would have told father about the civil problems happening in the Kingdom. What I could not understand however, was how he knew about the attackers from the East, and what his purpose was in warning Corisan. I blankly looked around the room to gauge how everyone was feeling, relying on my observational skills as stress invaded.
Aria was being comforted by Caleb but she had tears on her face. The Queen leant toward the King to whisper in his ear '...you know what this will do...' was all I could hear through her hushed voice. Mason stared at the fireplace in silence.
Selfishly, I wondered what the presence of my Father would mean for me. I had grown accustomed to my place in the palace, and had come to genuinely care about The King, Queen, Aria, and even Caleb!
I looked at Mason and my chest squeezed, because despite my best efforts, I perhaps cared about him most of all. I could see that all the time I spent with him had allowed me to see him as more than an arrogant Prince. All those moments I had with him felt precious somehow, like they were building up to something. Now if my father was here that could all be taken away. The thought scared me so I shut my eyes tightly and breathed.
'Are you alright?' I opened my eyes to see Mason staring at me. I swallowed my thoughts, 'Yes, I am fine, I am just worried about your mother' With my father soon to arrive, I did not see how I could be alone with Mason without raising suspicion over my loyalties. I feared that I had not been careful enough with my heart when it came to him.
He nodded in understanding, but his eyes remained on my face 'I am too, but I feel like there is more to it than that'
I may have been imagining it but it felt like there was a small amount of suspicion in his demeanour. Usually I would brush it off, but looking into his eyes I knew I could tell the complete truth about at least one thing
'I'm scared'
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From awkward moments to the awkwardest moment, Eve's father is on his way!
Let me know what you think and don't forget to vote!! Thanks xx