The word ‘courtship’ burned her eardrums. She preferred ‘trial’. It sounded far less intimate.
‘It is not a bad thing,’ Queen Fayre continued. ‘It helps us know where we stand. If for some reason the arrangement does not work out, we will reduce the entire thing to rumour and part as friends.’
That was the only reason Lyndal was even considering it—because she still had an out.
Fayre studied her over the rim of her cup for a moment. ‘It was always you, you know. From that very first meeting. Lady Kendra was simply a means to you, the merchant girl with the enormous heart and impossibly high expectations.’
Lyndal fought to keep her foot still, a nervous habit. ‘There’s still the matter of meat.’
The queen mother laughed at that. ‘Let us take one thing at a time. Right now you must focus on winning over my son.’
Lyndal’s eyebrows came together. ‘I thought you said he was agreeable.’
‘He is agreeable to my plans, not yours. You have your work cut out for you, so I suggest you use the next few weeks wisely.’
The sound of approaching footsteps made Lyndal look over her shoulder. There was Astin, breathing heavy like he had come at a run. He glared in the direction of the defender standing by the wall, the one Lyndal had instructednotto fetch his superior because she feared he would talk her out of what she was about to agree to. Guilt hit her as their eyes met across the terrace. He had been there for her since the day she had arrived at Eldon Castle, despite their differences. And she had repaid him by shutting him out.
‘Good timing, Fletcher,’ Queen Fayre said, gesturing him closer as she rose from her chair.
He appeared next the table, his hard stare on Lyndal as she stood also.
‘So we are in agreement,’ Fayre said, concluding their conversation. ‘Three weeks.’
Lyndal’s mouth was dry, but she found herself nodding. ‘And if it doesn’t work out, we part as friends.’ She needed to hear that part again.
Fayre only smiled. ‘I have complete faith in you.’ She turned to Astin. ‘Now, I thought perhaps you could take Lady Lyndal down to the butts. King Borin will be heading there shortly for practice, and I thought she might like to watch.’
Astin bowed his head.
It all felt a bit rushed suddenly, but time was ticking. If the queen mother thought applauding the king while he shot a few arrows was the best way to proceed, then she could do that.
‘Lady Lyndal and the king will be spending a lot of time together over the coming weeks. I am counting on you to keep her safe during that time.’
Lyndal lifted her eyes to gauge Astin’s reaction to that and met his hurricane stare. It seemed he was filling in the blanks well enough.
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘Are you ready,Lady Lyndal?’
She fought the urge to be sick on the ground. ‘Yes.’ She curtsied before the queen mother.
‘Meet me here at the same time tomorrow,’ Fayre said. ‘One cannot improve their game without practice.’
Lyndal nodded. ‘Very well.’ She avoided eye contact with Astin as she stepped past him.
‘Fletcher,’ Queen Fayre said behind her. ‘Guard her like you would a queen.’
Chapter 18
Astin walked a pace behind Lyndal down the corridor, trying to calm himself. Three days she had shut him out, ignored his requests to speak with her, accepted trays of food from the maid before closing the door in his face. He had been patient, despite a persistent urge to break the door down and shake the words from her.
‘Guard her like you would a queen,’Fayre had instructed him.
It was abundantly clear that the part Lyndal was to play was bigger than any of them could have fathomed. When she slowed her pace to walk beside him, he lengthened his stride, not ready to hear the words from her mouth.
She emitted a large sigh before running to catch up with him. ‘So, I have news.’ She lifted her skirts higher so she did not trip in her efforts to keep up with him. ‘Can you slow down please?’
‘We don’t want to keep the king waiting.’
Another sigh, her feet moving faster still. ‘Queen Fayre has it in her head that I could… that I could be queen. Isn’t that crazy?’
