“But if you like,” he said gently, “we can buy you some new clothes.”
Relief washed over me. “Yes! I would like that! I mean, of course I know that noble Prince Aldian would not be soshallow as to judge me on my velvet doublet, but I would feel better—more confident, that is—in something new.”
“Come on then,” Elowin said with a smile. “I know just the place.”
We headed back into the bustle of the market.
“Elowin!” a woman exclaimed as we reached a clothing stall on the southern end of the market. “You made it! Teon was sure you’d get distracted by a new type of seed, or a special kind of sheep, and we’d never see you again!”
They embraced, and Elowin rolled his eyes. “Sparrow, this is my sister, Rowan. Rowan, this is Sparrow. He’s the Fyreham Lathian.”
Rowan smiled and held out her hand for me to shake. She was almost as tall as her brother, and her eyes were the same shade of green as his. She wore her dark hair braided down her back. Extraordinarily, though, the hair on the sides of her head was cut short and dyed pink, like the plumage of a pink-browed rosefinch. It lookedlovely.
“So you’re the reason Elowin’s late to the market and couldn’t help me set up my stall,” she said, though she was smiling. “I had to beg Teon’s help instead. Luckily, they’re a better worker than Elowin.”
“Isn’t Teon supposed to be guarding Aldian?” Elowin asked.
“Oh, please,” Rowan said. “As though Aldian doesn’t have enough guards that he can’t afford to spare a few here and there. He let Teon come early with me. He’s been delayed, by the way, if you didn’t already know. He’s not expected until tomorrow at the earliest.”
I didn’t know whether or not I ought to be disappointedthat our meeting would be delayed. Surely, it was only my nerves that made me glad, and not the fact that it meant spending more time with Elowin.
Elowin shrugged. “Well, we’ll make do without him, I suppose. I’m sure we can find some way to entertain ourselves.” He smiled at me, and my stomach flipped in a strangely pleasant manner. “Maybe a balloon ride?”
I gasped at the thought of it, both thrilling and terrifying at the same time, and wondered if Elowin would hold my hand if I was scared. I was certain he would. And perhaps… perhaps he would even hold my hand if Iwasn’tscared?
While I was sorting through that complicated and dangerous idea, Elowin clapped me on the shoulder. “In the meantime, Sparrow needs some new clothes, and I figured you could help him with that.”
“Of course!” She gave me a smile that was an echo of her brother’s. “What are you looking for?” She steered me over to a hanging rail that was filled with clothing of all colors, and I stared, overwhelmed with choice.
I pulled out a sage green tunic and held it up. I thought it was quite fetching, but what did I know? I put it back. “I don’t know what I need,” I said helplessly.
Elowin placed a hand on my shoulder, more gently this time. “Don’t worry. Rowan is the best at what she does. She’ll have you dressed fit for a prince in no time.”
Rowan exchanged a look with Elowin, then made me turn around slowly twice while she looked me over. “You’re a pretty one, no mistake,” she said.
My face grew hot. “Oh no, I’m not really. Plain but pleasing, that’s what my mother always called me. But my hair is the longest of anyone in all of Hillstowe, and anyone I’ve seen here.”
Rowan blinked slowly like a cat. “What do you mean?”
I felt my braid anxiously. “It’s longer when it’s loose!”
A tiny divot appeared in her forehead as her brows tugged together. “No, I mean, what do you mean you’re not pretty?Ithink you are. Elowin, what do you think?”
My face was already burning. Now I was afraid it would burst into flames.
“He’s pretty,” Elowin said, sounding a little gruff. I couldn’t read his expression because it was suddenly very important that I stared at the ground instead. “Now find him some clothes, Rowan, and tell us all the news from the market. What’s this year’s scandal?”
“Hmm.” Rowan picked up the sage green tunic I’d put back and held it up against me. Then she took a sky blue one and did the same. Then she held them both up at the same time, some silent calculation taking place behind her shrewd gaze. “Well, the big news is that someone very important has gotten engaged to an elf from a settlement that nobody has even heard of, and of course the parents are apoplectic! Thanafern from the inn says that he heard it’s a noble elf from Dun Steorra whose parents are on the council, but I think he’s talking bullshit as usual.”
“What’s bullshit?” Elowin asked. “That they’re from Dun Steorra or the whole thing?”
Rowan shrugged. “The whole thing, probably, but it’s fun to speculate.” She set the sage green tunic down. “The blue definitely goes best.”
I took the blue tunic, marveling at the narrow panels down each side that were made of lace. They reminded me of the fretwork in the grand pavilions I’d seen earlier. “Won’t it be cold?”
Rowan winked. “Charmed thread. You could wear it in the middle of winter, and the cold couldn’t touch you.”
“Oh!” I said reverently, stroking the fabric. “How wonderful!”
