Ella was standing before the throne, along with her servants. Kava was just a few meters away, also facing the throne. She didn't look her way, waiting for Vasil's decision. King Savi was by his side. They were both serious, facing their children and a council.
"We have reached the decision." King Savi announced. "The peace is still valid, and it will happen via marriage. Great Tundra is offended by the slight, but shall honour the rules. Princess Ella will marry my oldest unmarried son, Lo'ariz'em. He shall arrive within a week and a shortened courting will occur. Kave'le'aha is no longer part of the treaty, but she shall remain as the guest for the wedding. The wedding itself will happen after a week of courting goes by."
"I am unhappy with this arrangement." Kave'le'aha said calmly. "I went through time of courting and bonded with the princess and now you're pushing me away from this event."
"I am also unhappy." Savi said. "I understand your objections, this is against our customs, but this is the decision that has been made and you will honour it."
Ella expected rage again, but Kava put a hand on her heart, bowing her head.
"Do you wish to comment?" King Savi suddenly asked. Ella looked around before realising he was addressing her. King Vasil furrowed his brow slightly but didn't stop him.
"Ah?" She said, unsure what to say. No man has ever asked her opinion in public. "I enjoyed Kava's courting, but I understand the need to change the arrangement."
I wouldn't be opposed to marrying Kava, she wanted to say. I love her and I don't want your son, wanted to jump out of her mouth.
She said nothing more. She was a good daughter.
"Then it's decided." Vasil nodded. "The letter to the prince was sent yesterday evening with haste. He will arrive within days, and for now to quell any rumours you two are not to interact."
"It will be for the best." Savi explained. "For a few days you will stay separated to make sure nobody thinks you're a couple. Then you can resume meeting if you wish in a friendly manner."
Kava and Ella both nodded.
What they didn't know was that Ella didn't need to be herself to meet Kava.
Kava was waiting in the stables, just as Ella had expected. She was disguised as Rose. This was the only way she could meet with him.
"Does it bother you that I'm a woman?" Kava asked right away, avoiding her eyes.
"N- no."
"That doesn't sound very convincing." The huntress said with a sad smile.
"It's just... it changed everything. You can't marry the princess anymore."
"So it's already well known?"
Ella nodded. She knew the rumours reached around the whole city already.
"Would you believe me if I thought me being a woman was obvious?" Kava chuckled, causing Ella to do the same. "You know. My name is Kave'le'aha, and since it ends with a vowel it's a female name. Like Dive'rea. Or Viv'iv'ea. I wear a woman's armour. The princess should have recognized since hers was almost a complete copy of mine!" Kava looked down at herself and blushed. "I know I'm a bit— uh— flat, but the armour is constructed the same way, so she would have seen it was the same as hers. It comes together differently on the chest than men's because it needs to protect the torso differently. And my spear! My spear has a red ribbon tied near the blade. When courting, women present a red ribbon somewhere on them, while men present a purple one. If you're not feeling particularly gendered you can have green, or more than one— Anyway, I had red! So it was obvious."
"For people from Great Tundra."
"Fine. Then what did I do to make Brivs think I was a man?"
She stunned her with that question. Ella propped her chin.
"Ah... Well, people were already thinking you were a man because the only marriages in Brivania are between a man and a woman. The others are unacceptable, so they assumed Vasil talked it trough with your father."
"How behind the times." Kava scoffed. "Go on."
"For one, you call yourself Lord Hunter."
"And? That's my title."
"A lord is a man. So is a baron, and a king. You said you will be King Hunter! Not Queen!"
"King Hunter is a title for a reigning monarch. No matter the gender. If I ascend, I will be King Hunter. There is no Queen Hunter. And Lord Hunter is a title for any hunter that had passed the trial. Besides, we don't use the titles in Great Tundra that often. They are mostly for the foreigners' sake."
"B— but... You also claimed you'd take the title of Lord Husband..."
"I can't argue with your Brivish titles. I assumed everything was obvious and that this is simply the title given to the partner of the princess, no matter the gender."
"Kava– You just don't behave like Brivish ladies do. You don't wear dresses or go to balls, you don't do things normal in Brivania for women."
Kava scoffed again, crossing her arms. Then she sat up suddenly, grabbing Ella's hands.
"But you... you knew, right? This wasn't a surprise to you. We've spent enough time together for you to surely know..."
She stopped when Ella made no attempt to say anything.
"Surely..."
"I'm sorry, Kava."
"I see... So if even you weren't able to see that... then perhaps it is my fault."
"No! It's not that– It's just because you tundrians are so different. It's perfectly fine for you t– to be a woman, and..."
"Would our interactions be different if you knew?"
If she had known, she would have never accused her of sexual advances.
"They would be."
Kava sat there for some time, just thinking. Ella didn't know how to console her. She wanted to grab Kava's hand, sink her hands into the fur and pull her into a kiss, but she couldn't as Rose. She had to be patient.
***
Ella and Kava avoided each other during the days, and Kava avoided Rose during the evenings.
Ella yearned.
She played her harp during the evenings by an open window. Kava watched almost every night. He would sit on his own windowsill, carving in wood until she finished her concerts. Ella didn't know what the huntress thought of those moments, but she knew that she herself was putting her yearning and loneliness into the music. She wished for Kava to come take her in her arms. She wished for the sweet press of her lips.
All that she couldn't have. It was forbidden. She was to marry someone else.
She played and she yearned.
Lo'ariz'em arrived at the end of the week. He rode over on an enormous black horse with four other hunters in tow. Ella watched him come from her room, trying to watch despite a flurry of servants trying to dress her up.
"You have to look wonderful for your new Lord Husband." Robert said, securing her wig on.
She didn't want to. Not if it wasn't Kava. She nodded.
"Great. He— and thank lord that this time it is a he— needs to see you as soon as possible."
Ella gritted her teeth.
"Don't frown like that or you'll get wrinkles."
She stopped.
"Good. Now you're ready. Let's go down to the banquet."
The event was as extravagant as the banquet at tundrians' first arrival. Lo'ariz'em was already there, sitting at his father's side. He was imposing, taller than his father. He was wearing a fox skin and cape, the tails brushing the floor as he raised when she entered. He had blue paint on his face, his eyes the same colour as his father's. The same colour as Kava's.
"Princess Ella." Savi said when she stopped in front of them. "Allow me to introduce my son, Lo'ariz'em."
Hand on heart, the young man bowed. Ella bowed gently in response.
He looked her over from head to toe. She felt like prey.
Kava was not present at the banquet.
This time Ella was taken for the hunt right away. She rode Swiss Cheese, behind his father, her horse even with Lo'ariz'em.
"I'm very glad for your arrival, Lo'ariz'em." She said, hoping to warm up to the man. It wasn't his fault he got dragged into this mess, so she had to be on her best behaviour to her future lord husband. "Did the road go well?"
"Very." He answered. His voice was pleasant, even if bored. "Call me Laem, princess. It will be easier than you butchering my name every time."
Ella blushed heavily in embarrassment. One of the new hunters behind them chuckled.
"I... shall. Apologies. How did you like..."
"A deer." Laem suddenly said, pushing his horse forward. He whistled at his hunters and they rode in a circle, pushing the prey towards him. He fell it in one shot, proudly raising the poor deer by its horn. The kings applauded. "A fine kill."
Full of praise for himself, she decided, but she could work with that. Instead of coming back to her he rode to the very front, railing his hunters up to go for more prey. He started telling some story to the kings, sitting on his horse the other way around to face them. King Savi narrowed his eyes, shaking his head to make him stop talking, but the man just ignored him, gesturing along his story and dragging the deer's body behind him.
Ella had to look away.
A different horse rode up to her when she was distracted.
"How are you finding your future fiance?"
"Kava." Ella breathed out, a smile on her face becoming genuine. The wolf headed hunter winked at her and she blushed. "Uh... Laem seems... very...passionate. I'm sure we'll get along."
She lowered her voice, leaning in.
"Provided he won't put scarabs in my soup."
Kava laughed loudly, covering her mouth to not draw attention to them.
"Yes, I would watch out for that."
"I missed you at the feast. Where were you? Your presence would have made the event easier."
The huntress looked aside, but then shrugged.
"I suppose it doesn't matter now. I didn't feel well, so I had to remain in my room. I raced to catch up when I saw the hunting party leave."
"Oh? You didn't feel well?"
"Yes." Kava left it at that, pulling out her bow. "Did you bring your weapon?"
Ella nodded, pulling out her own bow, the one gifted to her by Kava.
"Do you wish to shoot some game?"
She did.