Aunt Claray said, petting Dude, her head cocked to the side, “Niece, ye were born tae be royal, and I can see it in ye that ye are up tae the task. Maximillian as well.”
“Max is sacrificing a lot right now.”
“Aye, I ken, we werna certain what he was going tae do, but I am relieved he has made the decision he did. And I see he is his father’s son. Nor was verra strong and wise, and devoted tae his family, ineverything. He considered the plans of his ancestors, and the needs of his descendants, against his own preferences. Sometimes the duty weighed heavy on him, but he remained loyal to it.”
I nodded. “The duty weighs sometimes. I have been in charge of a large estate, an old house. I honestly thought I was all who was left at the end of a family.”
I adjusted my skirts. “I think that’s why I spent so much time researching my family tree. I traced my ancestors, looking through burial records and birth certificates and seeing how far back I could go. I was searching for cousins so I wouldn’t be so all alone. It seemed like it was my duty to get the record straight.”
She shooed Dude off her lap and stood and came over to me. She carefully adjusted the fabric at my shoulders.
I added, “I didn’t really realize that I was tracing the wrong people.”
Her brow drew down. “They fostered ye, they werna the wrong people. Ye are a dutiful daughter whether ye were tied by blood or nae.”
I nodded. “I would like to trace my new royal bloodline though, see who my ancestors are.”
She smiled. “Well, ye winna need tae do a thing, Alexandria. Yer bloodline has been traced back tae the beginnin’ of Alba, from the beginnin’ of history itself, tae the throne of Riaghalbane, and down tae yer children and grandchildren. Because ye are a time traveler, we ken all of it. Well,Idaena,Idaena want tae look. I think it goes against God tae change the past or see intae the future.”
She turned me around and took stock.
“It’s a big family?”
“We hae many descendants.”
My skirt fell, heavy with beading. I looked down on the embroidered interlocking thistles and traced the stitches with my fingertip. “These are… beautiful.”
“Aye,” Claray said. “Yer mother loved a thistle pattern — tis protective.” She cocked her head to the side. “Yer beauty will remind those men what they’re fightin’ for.”
I gulped. “No pressure.”
She nodded. “Tis the duty of which we were speaking.”
I pulled my toiletry bag near and dug through it. I wasn’t at all sure I had princess makeup in it.
But I hadsomething.I smeared some foundation on, while Aunt Clary pulled my hair back and began putting it up into a twist. I put on some mascara, smeared a bit of lipstick on. I decided to go for just a sweep of color on my cheeks.
She said, “Yer neckline looks lovely, dost ye want a necklace instead of yer locket? I brought ye a verra fine one from yer mother’s collection.”
I held the locket. “No, I think I want to keep this one on, it feels important to me, traditional, plain.”
“Good.”
I asked, “Were you and my father very close?”
“Aye, ye might not realize it of me, niece, as we hae just met, but I was once verra silly. Nor had the chance tae marry me off tae the most borin’ man in all of Alba, and ye ken what my brother did? He decided that horrible man would not be a good match for me; he let me wait until I met Ryan, the brother of Livvy. Nor allowed him tae marry me, because he knew I would be less silly with a good man who loved me instead of an insufferable man who wanted tae lord over me. And I did get much less silly. I am not always serious enough but I do try.”
“I like hearing that, thank you.”
“My brother, Nor, was a good man, a good duke and an even better king.”
“Do you think he would approve of my match?”
“Aye, I do, I heard my brothers speak verra highly of Torin and Max thinks on him as a brother. I believe Nor would hae been verra pleased. Torin is speaking on this battle as his own, tis a good quality I think.”
I swallowed down my tears. “And my mother?”
“She was the most beautiful woman I ever saw and och, she had a fine wit and a lovely laugh.” She stepped back. “Here,” she picked up a narrow leather belt with a simple buckle. “For yer dirk — that is the one truth of war, Alexandria, even if ye are married tae a man who is carrying a sword for yer honor, ye canna be bare-handed. Tis another thing about yer mother, she was verra brave.”
