Her smile returns. “Not a bit of it. I’m intrigued by the split skirts your kin wear. It seems infinitely more practical than the layers upon layers we wear in Nunia.”
Cerian glances at her full skirt. “I’m not an expert on fashion.”
The princess’s smile fades. “No. Of course not. Forgive me for babbling on.” She turns to look out the window, and Cerian follows her gaze as rolling fields pass to the incessant clacking of the locomotive on its rails.
Neither of them speaks, and Cerian exhales slowly, happy to be left to his own thoughts again.
MuchtoRominy’sdismay,Princess Elowyn plants herself right beside him on the train car, and no one in either of their families is merciful enough to join them.
“You can calm down, Prince Rominy. I don’t bite.”
“What makes you think I’m anything but calm?” He clears his throat when his voice comes out at a much higher pitch than he intended.
“Your heart is racing.”
Right.
“Your sister must be much more sedate than you are,” Princess Elowyn continues. “Either that or you exert yourself regularly in physical exercise. Cerian says he rarely feels anything but calm coming from Princess Arisanna, but you often make my heart race.”
She probably has no idea the connotation her words carry to a native speaker of Nunian.
“D-do I?” he asks.
“Indeed. I’ve been eager to meet the person who affects me so.” A thoughtful expression fills her face. “I’m sorry my existence has come as such a shock to you.”
Rominy studies her in the light from the gas lamps hanging nearby. It will be dark by the time they reach Levina.
“I owe you an apology,” Rominy says. “I hope you didn’t take any of our earlier interchange personally.”
“Not at all. I’m grateful to you for your willingness to bind with me despite the short notice.”
Rominy exhales slowly and nods.
“I’m intrigued by your locomotive. Will you tell me how it works?” the princess asks.
Relieved at the change of topic, Rominy launches into an explanation of the steam engine and how it propels the train cars along parallel tracks laid throughout Nunia.
Princess Elowyn listens in rapt attention, asking all sorts of questions that he does his best to answer. To his surprise, no time at all seems to have passed when the train slows, and he looks out the window to see the lights of Levina swiftly approaching.
“We’re here,” he says, and the princess leans across him to see out the window.
What is she doing?
“This is your city?”
“Y-yes.” He presses his back farther into the backrest to avoid touching her.
“Fascinating. Do you live in that castle?”
“I...I...yes.”
“I’ve heard about castles, but I’ve never seen one in person. I can’t believe I get to live in one now.”
Stars above. She’s going to live with him.
He needs air.
As soon as the train stops, he scrambles away from her and makes a beeline for the castle and the private balcony outside his chamber.
