“We embrace a different set of rules here, Alexis, rules that I suspect you’d quite agree with if given more time to stay within our Kingdom. If there’s anything I can do to help you with your search while you are here, please do not hesitate to ask…”
“Now,” she laughs and leans into me, blue eyes sparkling again, “let me tell you about how this brute of a man stole me away from my home and demanded that I become his Princess.”
The rest of the evening continued well. Dinner was served over more ale before the tables were cleared and the full of court made its way back to the balcony. A small group of musicians played from the corner aswe all drank and danced and socialized on the side of the mountain. I quickly found my way back to our group after dinner and tried to enjoy the rest of the night despite the thousands of questions running through my mind.
Keane and Desmond weren’t part of that group, however. The two brothers were passed between the different members of McQuoid’s court as custom dictated, both Princes greeting those that McQuoid deemed important and engaging in all manners of conversations. The men of Pyre took easily to the two brothers, while all the women of the court openly flirted and batted their eyes at the two. They were the center of everyone’s attention for the entire night… two foreign Princes who were unwed, wealthy, smart, and easy on the eyes.
At one point I watched as a beautiful woman leaned into Keane in front of the barrels at the corner of the balcony. I happened to be heading that way to get a drink and watched as Keane returned her gesture with a smile and dip of his head to hear whatever it was she had to say. The act itself could have been innocent or it could have been more, but I immediately turned around and started walking in the opposite direction to expel the sight from my mind.
“That is Lady Noir speaking to your Prince,” Clair moves to my side, “she is a very ambitious young woman. Her father is one of the richest crystal traders in our Kingdom.”
I hide my grimace and snag two mugs of ale from a woman passing by with a tray.
“She’s very beautiful,” I nod, offering one to the Princess.
Clair shakes her head with sparkling eyes, “no, thank you. Normally I would be drinking with you into the night, and I hope one day we can enjoy a night like that together, but tonight I cannot.”
I glance at the water in her hand and then to her other resting softly on
her belly.
“Princess!” I exclaim softly, “are you expecting?”
Clair’s eyes light up as she gives me a secretive nod. “We haven’t announced it to the Kingdom yet, so please do not share.”
“No, of course not.”
“Though, I don’t think we’ll be waiting much longer. The round will come any day now and there’s only so many excuses I can give the court as to why I’m not drinking with them.”
“That is amazing, Princess. Congratulations!”
Clair beams in happiness, “thank you, Lady Alexis. Have you given any thought to having children of your own?”
“Here and there,” I smile, “I do love children. Their innocence is so precious. But my age and the nature of my travels for the King truly do not allow me to dwell on the thought for too long.”
“They are precious,” Clair smiles in return, “and I guess I can say that at your age I was certainly not thinking of settling down with children either. You are what, around twenty-two or twenty-three in human years?”
“Twenty-five,” I laugh, taking a sip of ale, “you must be the first person to tell me they weren’t thinking of having kids at my age. Nearly all of the girls from court that I grew up with are now married with children.”
“But not you,” she laughs softly.
“Not me,” I shake my head, “at some point I got too old to remain single as a Queen’s Lady in Wait. Shortly after that I took up my position with the King.”
“Women with souls like ours rarely ever do things in the time that’s expected,” Clair looks over my shoulder to the barrels behind me, “but I think it will come for you sooner than you think.”
“What will?”
Her gaze moves back to mine as she caresses her belly. “Love.”
I flush over my ale.
“I’ve thought it over tonight,” Clair continues in thought, “and I’ve decided that I’d like to show you around the library tomorrow morning and give you a general tour before leaving you on your way.”
“I would very much appreciate that,” I nod gratefully, “I spend too much time navigating the layout of the libraries when I could use that time searching. Your tour will help greatly.”
“Especially since you only have three days in its depths,” Clair grimaces.
I choke on my ale.
