“Soria may have something different to say,” I reply, the hair she braided with such care now a frenzied mess from the falls, the ride back, and everything in between.
“I would say let me ready you a hot bath, and we can deal with this later.” She gestures to my savage mane with a mix of kindness and exasperation.
The steaming hot water of the bath reminds me how well my dear friend and companion knows me.
The day was inspiring and otherworldly; it also exacted a toll on me. Sinking into the large tub—more intimate than the one back at the Hold in a way that feels all the more welcoming for it—I feel the exhaustionloosen free from me rather than dragging me down as it so easily could.
I do not feel as though the magic I witnessed today took anything from me. It’s the weariness that comes from experiencing so much all at once that grips at me now.
Vale cleans lightly, changes for dinner, and takes a seat at the desk in the private library to go over news that arrived from the palace. The doors within the suite remain open so we still feel connected despite our varying tasks. I savor the way heat envelops me a while longer, washing my hair with the soap set nearby before rising from the tub to dry off. With a robe cinched around my waist, I join Vale’s side as he pores over the scrolls. I am still pressing my strands with a towel to keep them from dripping when I notice a shift in his mood.
“What is it? Is something wrong back home?” I catch myself on the word for only a moment. Home means so much more to me now. I feel a protectiveness rise inside me and urge Vale to share what news he received.
He opens a scroll, and I read the words aloud.
“As per your request, the select vintage from the wine cellars will arrive tomorrow. The guards will be informed of the couriers’ movements.
—Odrin.”
I look at Vale. He gnaws at the inside of his mouth, and I can sense something brewing.
“I don’t understand—why is your Lord Commander and Warden of the Crown concerned with what graces our dinner table?”
“He’s not,” Vale says with a heaviness that concerns me. “It’s our code. One of them, at least. Now more than ever, there are times we cannot speak freely in our communication. We have select phrases, innocuous to anyone foolish enough to break a royal seal or try peering over a shoulder toward words intended only between us.”
I feel myself start to shrink away, suddenly aware that I was just peering over his shoulder myself.
“That doesn’t apply to you, my love. This message was meant for the Crown, and that includes you, my queen.” I lean back into him, thankful for the trust we share so implicitly.
“Select vintage lets me know that Odrin has matters far too delicate. If he is letting the guards know to expect an arrival, then there is a messenger or delivery meant for me—one best made under the cover of this ruse.” He folds the scroll and taps the desk, pondering. “He could call for me back in an instant if action were needed. But whatever it is must still be of the utmost importance.”
I rub at his shoulders, kneading at the knots the size of boulders snarled across his broad back. As relaxing and stimulating as today was, the burdens he carries are undeniable. I wrap my arms around him and whisper, “Whatever it is, we will face it tomorrow.” I press a kiss just behind his ear. “Together.”
In an effort to distract him from the impending message, I pick out the most intricate of the dresses Soria had sent to the manor—one with enough lacing up the back that assistance is required to fit it to me properly. Vale sees right through my game but is happy to join in so long as he can kiss up along my neck as he does.
I know the matter is far from forgotten, but I hope it lingers a little further from his mind for the time being.
Joining the others in the dining room, Soria takes in the appearance of the more formal attire with my very informal way in which my hair is swept up. Thankfully my hair doesn’t drip onto the gown, but it’s a far cry from being properly tended to.
“Looking quite lovely, m’lady,” she says, breaking into a snicker before she can finish the line. I see a flash of panic in her eyes at the uncharacteristic slip from decorum that makes me think she has either been sampling the wine early or is truly at ease here—perhaps a mix of the two.
“I think our queen could set off the latest fashion trend, if I do say so myself. Though I am not sure anyone can pull off the earth mother goddess look quite as well as you, Mira.”
“Why, thank you, Ace,” I let out with a laugh. The banter is precisely what I need right now—the feeling of family rich around us, the way humor melts away any formality. I can see why the manor is so cherished. This place allows us to breathe a bit more deeply, laugh far more freely, and connect much more intimately.
With the plates cleared and another round of wine poured, I beginto explain what I experienced today—to the best of my ability. Soria and Ace shake their heads in a mix of disbelief and awe. Vale smirks smugly from the head of the table, having the rare gift of witnessing the splendor through my reactions earlier in the day.
We speak softly, and I offer things in somewhat vague descriptors, but they can tell from my tone that the pool did not, in fact, merely shimmer.
When the staff retires to their quarters for the evening and our group explores the bottom of the wine bottle in the relaxed comfort of the parlor, I will speak more plainly on the true nature of our day.
“I think I’d like to spend some time in the garden tomorrow,” I mention to Soria, knowing the kitchen is still brimming with activity.
“I think that’s a splendid idea.” Vale tilts his glass up in approval. “It will help pass the time before our courier arrives.” He turns toward Ace. “Odrin has a special delivery coming our way.”
Ace’s eyes widen with understanding, a slow, dramatic nod as he takes in the hidden meaning.
“I will be at the ready to assist as needed, of course.”
