I thought of Lord Evergreen, but I didn’t know why.
“And they wish for me to stay as well? Or are they, too, offended by–”
“They wish for you to stay,” he said. “They know it’s what I want. My friends support me.”
There was a silence.
“Please, beautiful Svana, I do not wish for our evening or our marriage to be blundered by burning horses or by the differences in our cultures. Deliver me a second chance. Allow me to prove my devotion, starting with tonight.”
I nodded.
“Yes?” Sam checked.
I nodded again. “Yes,” I said. “You seem sincere.”
“God be good, thank you,” he said. He clapped his hands together and shook them at me. “We will have such a lovely evening, my love.”
Ser Elías stepped closer; he craned toward me and asked, “Are you alright?”
“Yes, Ser,” I said, standing. “I was just bothered by the meat.”
“The meat?” Sam asked.
I danced on my shoulders indifferently. “Yes, sir. The horse. Meat bothers me. Especially when it’s been…cooked, I guess.”
“You eat raw meat?” he asked.
“What? No. I’m a vegetarian,” I said.
“You’re a vegetarian?” Sam nodded diligently. “I didn’t know. I’ll inform the staff of that immediately.”
“No. There’s no need to make adjustments. I-”
“No,” he pressed. “No, Svana. My princess will feel at home in my home, and that’s the end of that. Now, excuse me. I’ll see to it right now.”
“Wait–”
With a noble half-bow to myself and the other two, he exited the room in a flurry. I gawked. Josie stifled a girlish laugh, and Elías scowled at both of us.
“You are so cruel,” she teased. “The poor man was actually on his knees, miss.”
“He waswhat?”Elías huffed.
“She meant when he was apologizing,” I told him. “God, Elías. For a knight, your mind travels to the seediest of realms.”
“I was young once,” he said. “And as it is, my mind must, if I am to protect you from all the horrors of the world or the greedy hands of princes on their knees.”
After a second, I laughed. “I’m not sure I understand the image, Ser,” I said.
“Good,” he replied.
Confused but wildly impressed, I twirled around in place, letting my skirt whisk around my body once in one direction and twice in the other. In a daze, I walked to the mirror and sat down to fuss with my hair.
“How long before I can start getting dressed, do you think?” I asked.
Josie joined me, plucking one of the tiny flowers from my vase and holding it to my braid. She said, “We can dress you as soon as you should like, but that may mean waiting in all that fabric for a while. There are a few hours yet.”
I caught my knight’s reflection as he paced a few feet.
