Page 51 of The Masked Princess

General Anar’s eyes were deep brown, matching most of his hair, although Soren could see the faintest gray at the man’s temples and sprinkled throughout his mustache and beard. He judged that the general was approximately the same age as his father. The knowledge didn’t give him any relief—he’d heard tales of the Rhinnean military command and wondered if the man in front of him was the same one his father liked to curse for the death of so many Dovean soldiers.

“Fine, I will allow the Doveans into Rea, but they won’t be allowed free liberty of the city. A Rhinnean guard will shadow each of them at all times, and none of them must leave the barracks except by your express permission, General Anar,” King Nelan finally said.

It was a concession, but not a good enough one for Soren. “You may give me a shadow, but I must be allowed access to the palace to guard the princess,” he said.

“You dare to make demands of me?” King Nelan’s voice boomed on the final word, and his face twisted in his anger. The part of Soren dedicated to observing his opponent filed away the swift change in emotion for later review—if the Rhinnean king was hiding a hot temper under his icy mask, it could be something to exploit.

“King Nelan, Captain Kierson is only seeking to do his duty.” Annalise’s cultured voice filtered through the air between them like a tender caress. “In my experience, many underestimate the effect of my curse. As much as I am looking forward to getting to know you and your people, I fear I may not always be on my guard enough to prevent any… incidents. With Captain Kierson as my shadow, it will enable me not to worry incessantly about men or women who wish to test their luck against my curse, or who wish to use it for their own gain. You called my men dogs earlier; if that’s truly what you believe of them, then let Captain Kierson be my guard dog to protect both myself and your subjects from anything that may cause harm.”

Her words appeared to soothe King Nelan, and he relaxed, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “A leashed dog… yes, I think I like that imagery. Fine then, you may have your pet. A dog to go along with the horse that I have already gifted you.”

“I will ensure that he is still shadowed by at least one Rhinnean guard at all times to guarantee that everything remains within the bounds of propriety,” General Anar said.

“Propriety? What are you insinuating, General?” Annalise’s voice turned biting at the slight.

“I mean no disrespect, Your Highness, but you are a foreigner, and the Rhinnean people may become suspicious if you have strange men hanging around your chambers unsupervised,” the general said.

Soren put a hand on his sword, a growl lacing his words. “Princess Annalise is the epitome of ladylikeness, graciousness, and righteousness, and does not deserve such foul things implied about her character.”

General Anar raised an eyebrow as his own guards drew their swords at the perceived threat. “As I said, I meant no disrespect, only to inform the princess that she will be under intense scrutiny from here on out and that her top priority should be to quash all appearances of impropriety.”

Annalise cut a sharp glance at Soren, and he winced internally. He could already imagine the gentle-yet-devastating way she would reprimand him later about causing problems with their hosts, never mind the way they wielded insults like poison darts. Soren put both hands behind his back and stood up straight, although kept his weight shifted over his toes. He’d play nicely, but if anyone attempted anything, it would take less than a second to draw his sword and run them through.

The princess folded her hands in front of her and nodded demurely, her blue eyes as wide and innocent as a child’s. “I see. Thank you, General Anar, for caring about my reputation. I’m sure I will have much to learn in the coming days, and I appreciate your foresight and care. It’s obvious that this Rhinnean court is a proper one, and I don’t wish to offend any sensibilities when I am so newly arrived. Now, may my men and I enter Rea?”

CHAPTER 40

Raucous laughter rang from the walls of the Rhinnean Great Hall, the waves of sound pounding into Annalise’s head. After the relative quiet of the woods, the noise made by the crowd was almost oppressive. Compared to her aunt’s court, which was best described as merry, or her father’s, which was much more reserved—loud noises brought out King Everet’s temper—this court was like a squawking murder of crows.

She’d chosen to wear her wood-and-wool half-mask for the meal, breathing a silent prayer of thanks to the Goddess for Amelia Lennil. Because of her gift, Annalise could eat with minimal fuss while still keeping a barrier between herself and the others.

The ride through Rea had gone fairly well—the most surprising part was the cheers from the crowd. After so many wars and skirmishes between Dovea and Rhinnea, Annalise had been sure her reception would be less than effusive; but whether it was King Nelan riding at her side, the thought of a royal wedding and continued stability between the two realms, or the handfuls of coins they threw to the masses, the result was the same. News of their procession into the city spread faster than their actual progress, and by the time they’d reached the inner portions where the wealthiest guildmasters and merchants lived, their column was showered with flowers.

After they’d entered the castle grounds, King Nelan had dismounted and bowed to Annalise before making his excuses and handing her and her retinue over to the head butler. The king sat beside her now, cutting a fine figure in his crimson tunic and black pants. He’d kept the gold circlet, and up close, Annalise could make out the intricate etchings that covered it.

He caught her looking and leaned toward her. “You are quite fetching tonight, Your Highness, although I believe your mask does you a disservice.”

She dipped her head. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Wearing the mask is my custom at mealtimes because I do not wish to risk harming anyone.”

The king studied her face for a moment with the same expression as if he were assessing the qualities of a broodmare. “Take it off.”

“Your Majesty⁠—”

“Do as I say or I’ll be rather cross with you. You wouldn’t want to cause a diplomatic incident on your first day in Rea, would you?”

Annalise did as he asked, untying her mask and setting it to the side of her plate. The heat of the room from four burning hearths, the hall packed to the brim with people seeking to catch a glimpse of the new royal couple, the strong wine, and now the anger at King Nelan dismissing her concerns so easily, all combined in a great rush of blood to her face.

He apparently took her blush for demureness. “Don’t be shy. As I said, you’re beautiful, and I think you’ll soon realize that we Rhinneans are made of stronger stuff than your countrymen…” his voice trailed off as he tapped a finger against his lips. “Although you do have a point. Perhaps you had the right idea in wearing a mask so others may know who you are at a glance. My ambassadors spoke highly of the skill and craftsmanship of the ivory mask you wore in Dovea. Tomorrow, you may wear that one.”

“I’m afraid that mask was broken, Your Majesty, when the bandits captured me during our journey here,” Annalise said after taking a fortifying sip of wine, privately resolving to never wear the ivory half-mask again.

“Was it? A pity. In that case, I will order a new one made for you. Only the best is good enough for my wife, the queen.”

Annalise swallowed her anger and pasted a smile on her face. “Whatever pleases you, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Princess Annalise. Your compliance and biddability are quite appreciated.” King Nelan patted her hand like one would pat the head of a dog before returning his focus to his food.

After the meal, King Nelan and Annalise opened the festivities for the evening with the first dance of the night. While she started out rather rusty, King Nelan was light on his feet, and by the end of the dance, Annalise almost had fun. Her amusement was lessened once she returned to her chair and saw Soren dancing with a Rhinnean lady. Afterward, he took a break at the side of the room, and Annalise watched him flirt with one of the maids before another lady drew him away. His new dance partner was rather busty lady with a low-cut dress who seemed all too willing to bat her long eyelashes at Soren and titter at whatever he said, and he smiled at her as if he enjoyed looking at her too-red painted lips and overly large jewelry. Annalise pretended to clap along to the music and enjoy herself, even though on the inside, she wanted to curl up into a ball and have a good cry.