“Since I can remember. When I first got to Chalke, I thought they were acquaintances, but, well, he was a young man, and your engagement did not exist. It was not long before he came to me for advice. Had it not been for your fathers…”
“He would have married her?” I asked.
“At first chance,” Cyrus said. “Now, because I am a fair man, I shall trade you a secret for yours so that you are certain that you are safe with me. Sam had a ring.”
“To marry her?”
“Yes,” he said. “His mother’s. And I shall be punished if you tell anyone that fact. I’m the only one who knows. He told no one but me. Especially not his father.”
“You… You trust me?” I asked.
“You trusted me, yes?”
“Not exactly…” I knit my brow. “But I– I feel awful for being here. For ripping them apart.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said. “You made no decision. Sam knows that.”
“The age to marry in Chalke is sixteen,” I said. “He was older when we–”
“He thought he had more time,” Cyrus explained. “We all believe we have more time with who we love.”
“How horrible for him. I feel sick for my reaction,” I said, hovering my hand at my heart.
I ignored whatever it was he muttered, hexed by the strange desire to apologize to the Prince and his Agatha, but before I could formulate another thought, Mr. Evergreen redirected us toward the Palace.
“It’s getting cool outside,” he said. “Would you like my coat?”
“N-No, thank you.”
We started our return.
Cyrus broke the air next. “Tell me about these books you read,” he said. “Are they romantic?”
“Ah, yes. I should have known you’d tease me for such fantasies,” I said meekly, trying to hide the tear that had fallen down my cheek.
“Why would I tease you?” he asked. “They sound exciting.”
His tone had changed; he was coddling me. Out of a want to right the scales between us, I said, “Every tale began with impossible odds and closed with incredible love,” I said. “Despite the reality of a hero’s circumstance, lovers chose each other and no one else. You must think I am a silly girl for that? You must think it’s pathetic for me to cry in such a pretty place over a man I hardly know and will never know like that?”
“If I offended you with my silence, I am sorry,” he said. “It was not my intention.”
“I had this idiot’s notion that– Forget it.”
Cyrus looked back at me as I came to a reluctant stop.
“You’re not an idiot,” he said. “What you’re feeling is not silly. I do not think you’re a silly girl.”
My stomach writhed. “I had this… I had this hope that the Prince and I would be…newto intimacy. Together.That our wedding night or some unseenforcewould unite us in an unbreakable matrimony… I know it’sfarfetched,” I said. “I know most men have known women before their vows, but. But I-”
“It’s not farfetched,” he uttered. “Virginity is so crucial back home; it’s not surprising you’ve held onto it so long. It’s not silly or stupid to have wanted it to matter, either. You’ll hear no such words from me.”
“But Sam has been with Agatha,” I said.
“And I have been with more women than Sam even knows,” he said. “Despite what you’ve been raised to think, your virtue is not the only worth you offer, nor the only thing that defines a relationship as worthy.”
“But it’s a gift?” I said. “Do you not agree?”
“You’ve truly never been withanyone?”he asked.
