Twenty-Four
AURELIA
“What the actualfuck, Aurelia?”
Margaret rounds on me as Princess Beatrix shuts the door to the parlor she led us to, far from the prying eyes and ears of the ballroom. She had said something to one of the palace guards who was standing at the entrance to the hall, and I hope it was a warning to keep others away. This is about to get bad.
The princess strides to the middle of the room, standing between my best friend and me. Margaret looks angrier than I’ve ever seen her before. Any minute now, smoke will start billowing from her ears.
“Lady Margaret, I will not have you talking to my friend in that manner in this palace,” Princess Beatrix says firmly.
“Yourfriend?” Margaret screeches. “She’smyfriend. Or I thought she was.”
Her words are icicles straight through my heart. “Of course we’re friends, Margaret,” I plead.
She scoffs. “Really? Because friends tell each other when one is shagging the goddamn prince.” I have never seen Margaret so angry, and the woman is not known for being particularly level-headed.
“Whoa,” Princess Beatrix still stands in the middle of us, arms outstretched as if to hold us back if one were to make a lunge for the other. “Everyone, just grab a seat.”
She glares between us, staring us into submission, and we sink onto velvet upholstered loveseats opposite each other. Nodding with satisfaction, the princess opens a carved wooden cabinet against the wall, rummaging for a moment, then coming up with a black flask with rose-shaped pearl inlays. She unscrews the lid and takes a long drink, then holds the flask out to Margaret.
“Both of you take a drink and chill the fuck out for a minute.”
Her tone doesn’t leave any room for argument or noncompliance, and Margaret takes the offered beverage, downing several hefty gulps before passing it off to me, her glare still fit to kill. I don’t even ask what’s in it before taking a huge sip for myself. It burns pleasantly all the way down, and I have another couple cleansing drinks.
“There,” Princess Beatrix announces, taking the flask back and securing the top again. “Brandy fixes everything.” She settles herself gracefullyinto a rather uncomfortable-looking chair at the end of the loveseats, folding her hands sedately in her lap. “Now, I would like Miss Aurelia to begin, as she seems the least likely to erupt at the moment.”
I take a big breath, steeling myself for the talk with my best friend that has been a long time coming. “Margaret.” My voice shakes a little, and I clear my throat and start again. “You know I’ve been casually seeing someone for a little while now.”
“You don’t do casual, Aurelia,” she interrupts, and the princess fixes her with a look that has her clamming up again.
“You’re right, I’m not a casual kind of girl typically, but I’m turning over a new leaf.” I stare at my hands, unable to meet the gaze of the woman who should have been my sounding board through all this. “I met Prince Friedrich at Minister Bertram’s victory ball a month ago. It was him that you texted back at the pub that time.” I click my thumb nails back and forth as I speak, but my voice is getting stronger. “We got to know each other a little better during the tour the next week, and I kind of asked him to…”
I’m not sure how to phrase it. I look to the princess who has been in on this whole thing from the beginning. She gives me a reassuring nod but doesn’t help to elaborate.
I clear my throat again and press on. “You know that I’ve never really been, uh, intimate,” I say with a cringe. “Never really allowed myself to think about those kinds of things either. But… I don’t know. I don’teven know why I thought now was the time to start. I think your books are partly to blame.” I make an abortive sort of chuckle that my friend does not reciprocate. “There’s just… Something about the prince.”
I trail off again, remembering the ease of our conversations early in our meeting. The way his touch lights all my nerve endings on fire. The way his eyes scream desire and makes that spot between my legs quiver. The way he makes me feel safe and wanted and cherished and secure, even knowing this is a temporary fling. And criminy, it makes my heart swell and my head dizzy.
“We have an end date, I know. Heck, how can I not?” I huff out a self-deprecating little sound. “We are literally at a ball so he can pick his future wife. The future queen, for goodness’ sake!”
“Your innocent little mouth really is quite endearing,” Princess Beatrix puts in. “Sorry, please continue.”
I nod. “But, Margaret, this thing with Friedrich, it’s been the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” I say, finally looking up at my friend. She’s wearing her perfectly blank boardroom mask, and my chest feels tight. Margaret doesn’t hide anything from me, but she’s keeping her emotions on a tight leash right now. This night is so beautiful, and my nerves are still a little fuzzy from the mind-blowing orgasm Friedrich gave me earlier. But the high is starting to wear off.
“May I speak now?” she asks, her eyes still fixed on me.
“Are you finished, Aurelia?” theprincess asks.
I extend a hand to Margaret to give her the go-ahead.
“I’m worried about you, Aurelia.” Though there’s concern in her tone, her body language remains impassive. “Your childhood gave you some pretty fucked up views on sex and purity and shit, and now all of the sudden you’re just casually fucking a guy who is about to get engaged.”
“We’re not having sex,” I interject.
“You’re doing something, Aurelia, and it’s happening fast, and I don’t want you to look back with regret or anger.”
“I went into this with eyes wide open.” Agitation is starting to creep into my tone. Margaret is treating me like some naïve little child, and while I know it’s because she wants to protect me from heartache, I want my friend to be excited for me. I was hoping for support when I told her about Friedrich, not this... condemnation.
