“And you said you married shortly after?” I ask curiously.
The Prince gives a small laugh, almost as if remembering a joke.
“Aye, much to her dismay.”
“Dismay, disappointment, dissatisfaction…” a female voice teases from behind.
We all turn to see a woman walking toward our group, her blue eyes sparkling on the Prince in jest.
“Lass,” he turns and takes her hand, kissing the top of it.
“Please allow me to introduce my wife, Princess Clair de Fell McQuoid of Pyre. Clair, our friends from beyond the forests.”
I notice Alba standing at the Princess’ side, the snow tiger silently watching me. I give the cat a brief nod before taking in royal.
Clair is much shorter than her Prince, though a little taller than Alanna. Her flaming red hair is twisted in the front and pulled into a thick braid that rests down her back. Her dress is a deep auburn without straps or sleeves, revealing the full of her shoulders, upper chest and arms. Her muscles are toned, much like Alanna, though the red swirls of flames jutting beneath her skin move in calculated movements, not strength. Some of the tendrils even make their way up to her collarbone, the flames licking her skin in striking embrace.
She looks to be around my age but has a tenderness to her that I’ve never been able to master. Her skin is a soft white and her cheeks are full, with freckles dotting across them in every which direction.
“My husband stole me from the forest that day,” she continues, blue eyes fixated on her Prince, “suffice it to say I was not a happy woman.”
“I received this wound,” Prince McQuoid points to the massive scar down his chest, looking at Clair with all the love in his eyes, “from her that day. A forever reminder of just howdismayedshe was with me.”
The two of them speak with such teasing affection that I know whatever unlikely events brought them together in their past led them to their happy marriage now. The two of them look so obviously in love that it’s hard to envision either of them being upset with eachother.
“But I should desperately like to hear of all of your travels,” Princess Clair smiles to our group, “and meet with the girl who King Zander called a Kingdoms Council over.”
Kingdoms Council?
I quickly glance to Keane in confusion, but him and Desmond are looking back at Clair in small shock, the comment new to them as well. The brothers slowly turn to eachother in silent conversation, their eyes remaining passive but somehow telling the other that they’ll discuss this later.
“Come,” Clair smiles at us all, recognizing the Princes’ silent conversation just as I did. She tries to steer the conversation away and turns to her husband with another smile, resting her arm in his, “dinner is ready.”
We follow the Prince and Princess through the balcony, everyone starting up their own chatter as if the wordsKingdoms Councilis no interest to them. I watch as Alba takes a place at the Princess’ side, just as another,larger, snow tiger walks out from of the shadows of the mountain to our left. This one greets the Prince and walks in step with him, the build of it much bigger than Alba but still as white as snow.
We reach the large throne room and step inside, the full of it completely transformed for court. Large crystal chandeliers hang from the mountain walls around us, the candlelight flickering against the gems and creating silver and gold sparkles everywhere we look. Torches are still lining the massive pillars, but they’ve also been affixed with hangingcrystals that shine against their flames. Four long tables are situated in the middle of the room to form a large square, the position of them making it hard to discern which table sits as the head. The throne chairs of molted stone have two large maroon rugs at their front, the seats prompting both Alba and the Prince’s tiger to prance in their direction and sit on top.
Princess Clair looks behind her shoulder and rests her blue eyes on mine. I understand the look and follow behind her to the table closest to the tigers as she extends her hand to an empty seat.
“I would be pleased to share your company, Lady?”
“Alexis,” I nod, taking the seat at her right.
She sits down next to her Prince on his right, while Keane, Desmond and Lord Daniel sit down the Prince’s left. I watch as the rest of our group gets seated to the table at our right, their green and black attire standing out amongst a crowd of red and grey.
Cal catches my glance before sitting next to Alanna, his friendly eyes asking me if I’ll be alright. I give him a grin in return and fan my dress out below me.
“Your friend?” Clair asks with a smile.
I nod, “yes, my friend from Knowledge.”
“He’s a big man. I daresay he has some Pyrenese blood somewhere in his family lineage.”
I laugh at the comment, agreeing wholeheartedly. Cal’s auburn hair and bushy beard fit in perfectly in this room. If it wasn’t for the green and gold of Knowledge he’s wearing, I’d mistake him for Pyrenese.
“And when you say he’s from Knowledge, you are referencing one of the three Courts in your Kingdom, yes?” she asks.
I nod to her as a young boy stops behind us, filling the mugs on our table with a brown ale.
