The queen blinked in apparent shock before turning her gaze to the note.She read aloud, “My dearest daughter Adelheid, I am so delighted to hear of your safe delivery of your little girl.I bet she is as beautiful as you, ma belle fille, with long dark hair and eyes.I hope she is filled with your curiosity and intelligence, and that she seeks the same adventures you did as a wee child.
“It is with deepest sympathy that I will not be able to come visit you or my new granddaughter.I hope you understand.Please accept the gifts that will soon be headed your way.
“With love, Papa.”
The queen nodded her approval.“The seal is the king’s, and the letter I hold is exquisite.Finer paper I have not beheld.Look you at this delicate gold scrolling in each corner.”
Riven felt his heart fill with hope.“So, there is no issue with us marrying?”
His mother smiled.“Royal blood is royal blood.I care not which side of the blanket she’s from, and neither will your father.”She looked at the new pond and added coyly, “He has bigger fish on his plate to deal with.”
“Harsh, Mother.Harsh.”
She smiled at her pun.
Riven picked up Bella, hoisted her against his body, and swung her in circles.“I am marrying the woman I love!”
Everyone around them cheered.
He lowered his head to kiss Bella again.“And, like they say in the storybooks, together, we shall live happily ever after.”
“I cannot wait for our story to begin,” Bella said, joining him in another celebratory kiss.
When that kiss ended, Riven said, “Let us start planning our future.”He claimed Bella’s hand, led her over to Nocturne, and hoisted her into the saddle.He mounted behind her and said, “Henriette, you of course will make our wedding attire.I hereby elevate you to the Royal Clothier.Mother, I leave you to pass the day’s events along to Father.For the rest of you, let us get started with the merrymaking!”
More cheers erupted at the promise of ale, wine, and good food.
Together, they rode off to the castle to start their new life.
ONE YEAR LATER
Bella supported two children on her lap as she demonstrated how to draw the letter A.“Your turn,” she told the girl, Marie, and when she scrawled it on the slate, Bella congratulated her and then offered her older brother his turn.
“Why do we have to do this?”Gustav grumbled.
“Because we wanna be smart,” Marie, said.
“That is correct,” Bella told her, then answered her brother.“An entire world opens up for you when you can read, and write, and run sums.It gives you an advantage in life, opening up options you may never have considered before.”
“Papa says learnin’ letters is dumb.”
“Now, I know he doesn’t believe that,” Bella said with confidence, “because he’s been coming here every night this past week to learn, just like you.He wants to make more money, which means a better life for you two, with more food, and warm clothes, and even toys.”
“We’re getting toys?”
“Maybe,” Bella hedged.“Once your father has learned what we teach him here, we will help him apply for new positions in the castle.And then, we help your mother do the same.”
“Mama gonna learn, too?”Marie asked.
“Yes!”Bella said.“In fact, you can go home tonight and teach her how to draw the letter A, even if it has to be in the dirt.Come, show me what you will teach your mama tonight.Then, we shall move on to the letter B.”
Marie grabbed her chalk piece with enthusiasm and drew three letter As, each lopsided but confident.
“Excellent.”
“Hello, darling.”
Bella smiled as Riven entered the tiny school hut that had been built specifically for teaching the peasants in the fields.She still caught her breath whenever she looked at her husband.Riven was everything a fine prince was supposed to be—gentlemanly, scrupled, disciplined, and kind.The fact he was handsome to boot, with his tousled sandy-brown hair and hazel eyes, was merely a plus for her.And the fact he did everything in his power to make her life enjoyable and filled with purpose made her love him more every day.
