“Knocker-waffle?” asked Alison.
“A story for another time,” said Keir. “Alison Lennox, allow me to introduce you to His Royal Highness Prince Idris of the Kingdoms of Loegria and Wilderise, Duke of Whatsits and Earl of Wherefores, Lord over all of us peons, and heir to the throne.”
“Oh,” said Alison, hearing the joke in Keir’s words but reading something in his face that Rinka did not understand, “you’re serious.”
She curtsied to Drystan.
Rinka laughed.
Keir looked from Rinka to Drystan, seeing something in either their relation or attire. “Oh no,” he said. “Don’t tell me you’ve been Drystan Droswyn again.” Keir’s eyes were sympathetic when they returned to Rinka. “I don’t blame you for not realizing. Who would look at this wanker and thinkprince, after all?” He slapped Drystan’s arm playfully.
Drystan turned to Rinka, his expression sheepish. “Well, I guess the game is up. I’m sorry I didn’t get to hear your third question—”
“Wait,” said Rinka. “You’re joking. All of you are joking with me, right?”
“Friends, a toast to our royal guest!” The fairy who had greeted Drystan clapped their hands together, and several other fairies brought around trays filled with glasses of various sizes and shapes holding a variety of liquids.
Their royal guest.
“I can explain,” said Drystan—Idris?PrinceIdris—softly. He took a pair of glasses from a tray and offered one to Rinka.
Rinka stood still. She was so tired. Could this be a dream? Maybe she’d fallen asleep during their walk.
“Rinka?”
Did Loegria have a prince? Yes, she seemed to remember it did, but… “Didn’t you abdicate the throne or something?”
“Not yet,” he said. He took her hand—she was still too dazed to respond—and pressed the glass into it, seeing their host waiting.
“To the prince!Slàinte!”
“Slàinte!” the crowd responded. Rinka took the glass to her lips reflexively and took a sip. It was strong, dark whisky, and it felt like fire in her throat.
She looked it at the drink and then at Drystan—no, Idris.
And then she downed the entire glass.
“Easy,” said Idris. “They make it strong in this part of the world—”
“It puts hair on your chest!” said Keir. He was laughing, his arm around Alison, who was looking at him as if he was the greatest thing in the entire world.
“I told you,”came a familiar voice in her head. “I told you that you were a fool, girl. A prince! A common orc and a prince. Isn’t that a laugh?”
“No,” said Rinka out loud. “It’s not funny.”
“Rinka? Who are you talking to?” asked Alison. Then she pulled another fairy to the side. “Can we get something to eat for my friend? And perhaps a place for her to lie down?”
The fairy flitted away, careful to keep its wings close in the crowd.
“You like him. Don’t try to deny it, girl; I know how your foolish heart beats. Now what are you going to do?”
The fairy returned in mere moments with an incredible-looking plate of food. Rinka took it and allowed the fairy to lead her to a small table off to the side.
There, Idris joined her with his own plate.
“Fairy food,” said Idris. “Wonderful stuff.” He dug in immediately, starting with a little cup with red and white layers of some kind of jam and cream. “Cranachan,” he said. “It must be raspberry season already. Here, give it a try.”
He took Rinka’s spoon and dipped it into the cup. “The fairies know our tastes, but they don’t know if we’ll like something we haven’t tried yet. You’ll love it,” he said. He held the spoon out for her to eat from.
