twenty
Princess Erralee
Three months later
“I told you they’d love you.” Jon’s smile grew, overflowing with pride. I was getting used to his new chin sprout of facial hair. I wouldn’t say it was better than his clean-shaven look. Different. It did make his face appear extra elongated, and he tended to look quite crescent moon shaped to begin with. I was okay with it though. Getting used to it. Mostly.
I took slow, intentional strides out of the motorcade car, until Jon wrapped an arm around me, pulling me to his side. One thing about him, he always looked for a way to show his affection in gentlemanly ways. It was sweet. I was getting used to that too. We paused, waving at the sprawling—and still growing—crowd of people cheering outside the palace. It was really endearing. Some people had signs held high over their heads that said, “Welcome” and “We love you!” It was heartwarming to see howmany families had brought all their perfectly dressed children out, even on a school day.
This was a huge event for this country as they hadn’t had a queen since King Aswell took the throne twenty years ago. Frankly, sometimes I wondered about that, and why he stayed single so long. I hadn’t yet found anything grossly alarming about him, other than he’d spend an inhuman amount of time reading. As in locked in a room for days, unless I requested to see him. He was always good about taking my requests, and I never doubted I was his first priority.
I was adjusting to this new life. Already tired of waving, I switched hands. I had fans at home, but not like this. “We just pulled up. How’d they even know I’d be here?”
“The engagement announcement your father released last week alerted the media. We’ve had press vans swarming the palace ever since.”
We moved together, intentionally pacing slower toward the grand palace entrance. This was my first time seeing my new home. It was a commanding structure with thick gray walls, reminding me more of a fortress than the palace I was used to. The windows were tiny, square holes without one balcony in sight. If I had been approaching this building alone, I actually would have been fearful of what was inside. It was so dark and devoid of anything green or alive. Today, my stomach didn’t even churn as we crossed the stone walkway adorned with large gargoyles on each side. I had no jitters, as those had seemed to run out days ago. Maybe the stillness inside me was what happened when you finally grew up and left fairytales behind.
I felt nothing.
I saw the nothingness as God’s gift. The stillness I needed to fulfill my mission.
Some days I still wonderedwhythis was my mission when I didn’t seem well suited for it. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wonderwhy my mission couldn’t have been easy, boring and common. A life of common routine.
Other days I tease the fantasy that I never got stuck in a snowstorm. I made my way to America, never having spent that time with Reeves. I never heard about my father’s condition, and I was happy working a nine to five. Perhaps I’d have a crush on a barista, or wine boy, who I enjoyed flirting with in the mornings on my way to work. Or maybe . . . I’d have gone to an American university to study plants. That’s an option I hardly considered, but I didn’t doubt it would have brought me joy.
Life had so many options.
Only one mission.
We waved until we passed the final set of guards and entered the palace. The foyer opened up into more matte stone walls and floors, without a tapestry in sight to soften the echo. “Welcome home.” Jon’s beady eyes were soft as he pressed a kiss to my hand, and squeezed my palm in a light caress. “I figured you would be tired tonight, so I didn’t plan anything. Just dinner whenever you’re ready. Tomorrow, I have a homecoming celebration with everyone you need to meet for the big wedding. It’s going to be sensational.”
My eyelids drifted down. I was finally here, after weeks of preparing, I felt as if fate was boxing me in. I blinked momentarily, losing focus. “Ah, whatever you feel is best.”
He ran his bare knuckle across my forehead and trailed it down my cheek. It took every ounce of my strength not to pull away. “You look tired. Maybe rest before dinner.” His gaze skirted behind him, and for the first time I noticed a few staff members waiting in the shadows. A stout woman with a maid’s apron, stepped forward, and Jon dutifully directed orders to her. “Mavis, will you take Princess Erralee to her suite and help her settle.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.” She bowed on her approach. “It’s right this way, my lady.”
I slipped one foot in front of the other, following her down the long, narrow corridor, until we reached a center door that stuck out as the only white door in the palace. “You’ll love your new suite. King Aswell had it prepared just for you.” Mavis smiled as if she was holding a secret when she turned the knob, letting me in.
My lips fell agape, while a sweeping breath of fresh air washed through me. All I saw was bright light and clean white. A large four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room, dressed in the most beautiful white linen. Vases of fresh lilacs sat on both nightstands perfuming the air with their sweetness. I wasn’t expecting something as pleasant as this, especially after seeing the outside of the palace. This was indeed a sanctuary and best of all . . . there was a large balcony in the corner. I started to make my way to the terrace, but Mavis made a sound that sounded like a hiccup. “Oops, I almost forgot.” She pulled out an envelope from her apron and presented it to me. “A card arrived for you yesterday.”
My brows pinned together in confusion as I hadn’t forwarded any mail here yet, but I received the letter. Before I could ask for privacy, Mavis backed out of the room, calling on her way out, “Just ring the bell if you need anything, my lady.”
I didn’t immediately recognize the handwriting on the letter, but a quiver ignited in my chest. I’d had my share of congratulations since my engagement went public, and this wasn’t the first card I’d received. Still, something about the tiny, boxy scribbles on the front told me this was a different kind of letter.
Careful not to tear it, I ripped the corner first and pulled out a plain card with a fairy dancing on mushrooms on the front.My lips curled for the first genuine time in weeks, and a tear instantly sparked in my eye.
Princess, or dare I say, Queen Erralee:
I was given my discharge orders last night, and although it made no sense to me how I would be relieved of my duties so soon, I knew your hand was on this. The announcement was made this morning to my whole company that we’d all be returning home. . . the opposition pulled out. The war was over.
Obviously, I signed up for this, but as most soldiers do, we quickly find out it’s a nightmare we want to end as soon as possible. Everyone here is rejoicing, but I’m sitting here with a heavy heart knowing the sacrifice you made, and wanting to make sure that you understand how brave you are, and your entire country thanks you. My mother will thank you.
I won’t return to the palace as you are no longer there. I actually think I might try my luck farming as Reeves offered me a position as his hand.
Forever your guard, Weston
With shaking hands, I let the letter fall to my lap. Weston returning alive was a silver lining that I had hoped for, and one giant blessing I didn’t deserve. I’d hold onto in the coming years, as I desperately tried not to become bitter.
