Chapter 3 #2
“Elowen.” She felt compelled to look up again. “Be plain with me, please.” Theo’s eyes searched hers, and even with the edge of hardness that had entered them, it was an immersive sensation. “Is Torrens reconsidering the alliance?”
“No,” she said quickly, swallowing. “I swear we’re not. The practical details are yet to be finalized, but we remain committed to our alliance, as agreed.”
He frowned, his expression giving her the impression that he was trying to read her thoughts. Of course he was confused. He was no fool, he must be able to tell she wasn’t being entirely open.
“Princess…and Your Highness.”
Elowen barely held in a sigh at the drawling new voice, as her least favorite viscount appeared behind Theo. The drop in respect from the tone of the first title to the second was marked.
“Lord Bertrand,” she said tightly, giving the viscount a nod.
Sophia was only a step behind him, and Elowen greeted her friend with much more pleasure. At least until she got a good look at Sophia’s face and saw the concern lurking there. Abandoning Theo and Bertrand, who were eyeing each other coolly, she went to her friend, dropping her voice.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” Sophia said unconvincingly. She saw Elowen’s disbelieving expression, and bit her lip. “I didn’t sleep very well. I know it’s foolish, but…I had dreams of being crushed under falling stone.”
Elowen made a sympathetic noise in her throat.
Poor Sophia. They’d been friends all their lives, and Sophia had always been the less confident of the two, but as she neared adulthood, her timidity had increased startlingly.
Elowen didn’t like to see it. But she didn’t comment, instead turning to practical matters.
“By the way, Sophia,” her voice was very low, “you’ve probably guessed as much, but I won’t be able to meet as normal this afternoon, because of Prince Theodore’s visit.”
“Yes, I assumed that,” Sophia said. “It doesn’t matter anyway, because Simeon really does appear to have left the capital. I couldn’t find him anywhere.”
“Without asking leave of your brother?” Elowen demanded. “That’s very unlike him.”
Sophia cast an unhappy look at her brother, then shrugged.
“Whatever the reason, he’s not available for our…weekly ride.”
There was no time for more. Patrick had just arrived, along with a few other younger members of the court who’d evidently been invited after Elowen retired from dinner the night before.
A number of grooms were also waiting on the far side of the courtyard, each holding a mount, Elowen’s own mare among them.
Her heart lifted at the sight of Ochre. She preferred being on horseback when she was with a group of courtiers.
It provided a natural and much appreciated barrier from the overeager ones among her peers.
Speaking of whom…
“Princess Elowen.” One of the gathered men, the younger son of an earl, approached her with a spring in his step. “I’m honored to be included today.”
Elowen barely managed to keep her smile neutral. As if she’d been the one to invite him.
“I look forward to competing in your honor at the betrothal celebrations,” the man went on, his eyes shining as they swept over her features. “I hope to prove myself worthy in your eyes, even if…” His voice trailed off, and he glanced darkly at Theo.
Elowen wanted to groan. Why must her parents insist on upholding the traditional betrothal tournament, when the event hadn’t been meaningful in at least three generations? The whole week was bound to be full of mortifying conversations like this one.
“I’m sure you’ll acquit yourself well, My Lord,” she said, her tone polite but firm as she edged toward Ochre, gripping the saddle like an anchor. To her chagrin, she saw that Theo was studying the nobleman with a contemplative air. When his eyes slid smoothly to her face, she looked away.
She was about to mount Ochre when Bertrand materialized at her side, not waiting for any sign from her before grasping her waist and boosting her up toward the saddle.
“I don’t need assistance,” she told him sharply, her eyes flicking back to Theo. Once again, he was observing the exchange in expressionless silence.
“My mistake, Princess,” said Bertrand, his good humor undimmed by her displeasure. She would never understand his idea of charm. The viscount sprang lightly onto his own horse, addressing the group at large.
“What a perfect day it is for our outing. Did I mention that you’re all expected back at my family’s city dwelling for a luncheon after we’ve visited the gardens?
” His eyes slid to Theo. “Not that I mean to unduly claim your time, Your Highness. Of course I will understand if your diplomatic duties prevent you from joining us.”
Elowen drew in a breath at the thinly veiled rudeness. Theo regarded Bertrand in cool silence, wisely not responding to his words at all.
“What is Bertrand doing?” The muttered aside came from Sophia, and Elowen was heartened to hear her friend recognizing her brother’s poor behavior for once. When she turned to respond, however, Sophia was urging her horse forward, apparently not eager to discuss it.
The remaining members of the party mounted quickly, everyone eager to reach the floating gardens.
Elowen couldn’t claim much excitement about the outing anymore.
She’d pictured a quiet ride with Theo, and a chance to get a sense of the man she was to marry, not a spectacle for the courtiers.
She knew how it would be, with the girls giggling over her every interaction with Theo, and the men vying to pull her attention away from him.
The group had barely ridden through the castle gate, however, when Patrick was hailed by a man Elowen recognized as a member of his guard. They all drew to a stop as Patrick steered his horse, an enormous stallion, back to where the man waited at attention.
Elowen urged her horse toward her brother, catching only the end of the report.
“—imminent, according to the reports. The duke has already left the capital, and he desired me to carry a message to Lord Bertrand. His Majesty is unable to attend to the matter himself, but has requested that you do so, Your Highness.”
“Certainly, I will,” Patrick said. “I’ll leave immediately.” He dismissed the man with a nod.
“Leave for where, Patrick?” Elowen asked.
“It’s nothing to concern you, Elowen,” he said. “You enjoy your ride with Prince Theodore—please give him my apologies for not joining you after all. I imagine I’ll be back by evening.”
“No.” Elowen’s voice was firm as she reached out, grabbing the stallion’s bridle at an awkward angle. “You and Father are keeping something from me, and I want to know what’s going on, Patrick.”
“Don’t be dramatic, Elowen,” he said, removing her hand. “Nothing drastic is going on. A dam is on the point of bursting its bounds, which would have significant effects for the surrounding farms. I’m going to visit the site and try to avert the disaster.”
She raised her eyebrows incredulously. “They need your expertise on the structural reinforcement of a dam? What are they expecting you to do that local stonemasons can’t? Will you wedge your crown into the crack?”
Patrick just shook his head at her, as if her question was frivolous.
But Elowen was serious. She could sense something wasn’t right.
And her indignation only increased when Patrick pulled his horse alongside Bertrand and murmured something inaudible.
Bertrand’s eyes widened, then he nodded, guiding his horse around as well.
“I regret the necessity of missing our time together, Princess,” he said, a glint in his eyes as they passed from Elowen to Theo. “I’ll have to content myself with the anticipation of taking part in the celebrations in your honor tomorrow.”
Whatever his words, he didn’t look as regretful as she would have expected. He looked tense, his focus clearly on whatever Patrick had just told him.
“My apologies, everyone,” Bertrand called to the group. “But Sophia will still be delighted to host you all for the promised luncheon.”
A glance at Sophia showed that she wasn’t delighted so much as considerably distressed.
Elowen had sympathy for her friend, even if she thought Sophia’s reaction overblown.
She may not like attention, but Sophia was an intelligent, socially adept young woman, perfectly capable of hosting a luncheon for her peers.
The two men prompted their steeds forward, Patrick’s small retinue of guards flanking them as they moved northward around the castle wall.
“Is all well?”
Theo had come up alongside Elowen, but she didn’t immediately answer him. She was still frustrated and, in all honesty, a little humiliated. Not to mention suspicious.
“Princess Elowen?”
Theo’s prompt decided her. She turned her head, eyeing the prince speculatively.
“I gave you leave to drop the title, if you recall.” She tapped her fingers on the saddle in front of her. “I confess that I’ve lost enthusiasm for visiting the floating gardens. Would you instead be interested to see more of our kingdom, outside Toledda?”
Theo raised an eyebrow, sensing that she was up to something. “I was privileged to do so extensively on my ride through Torrens on the way to the capital.”
“Ah, but you didn’t see anything north of here, did you?” she said innocently.
Theo’s eyes traveled northward, along the route taken by Patrick and Bertrand. “No, I didn’t.” His expression was hard to read—she had no idea what he was thinking of her machinations. But for the moment at least, he was going along with them.
“We should rectify that.” Elowen turned her horse again, raising her voice and addressing the rest of the group. “I’m very sorry, everyone, but something has come up to detain both my brother and myself. Please continue to the gardens without us, and enjoy the beautiful day.”
There were a few disappointed murmurs, and a number of the young men in the group looked crestfallen.
With an internal wince, Elowen saw Theo’s eyes resting unerringly on each of her most tiresome admirers in turn.
He didn’t appear to miss much, which made her uneasy.
But on the whole, the group seemed inclined to take her advice.
For the girls at least, it would be more enjoyable in her absence.
She knew a number of them were eagerly anticipating her marriage and departure so that the more eligible of her suitors might turn their attention to lesser targets.
They were welcome to every one of them, as far as she was concerned.
“Come on, Sophia,” Elowen said determinedly. “You’re coming with me.”
“But…the luncheon,” Sophia protested half-heartedly.
“That’s Bertrand’s mess, and I see no reason for us to clean it up for him,” Elowen said.
“If you say so.” Sophia sounded doubtful. “Where are we going?”
“Northward,” said Elowen, steering her mount after the others. “Come on, Ochre.” She caught the uneasy glances her guards exchanged as they followed her. “We’re going after the boys. Apparently a dam is about to burst, and Patrick wants to get there in time to stop it, somehow.”
“Bertrand won’t like it,” Sophia said, biting her lip.
“Bertrand doesn’t have to like it,” said Elowen with spirit. “My movements are no concern of his.” She shot a self-conscious glance at Theo, who’d kept pace on his own mount, but had remained silent.
Sophia gave her a confused look. “I meant he won’t like me following him.”
“Oh,” said Elowen. “Well…Patrick won’t like me doing it, either, but even princes have to deal with disappointment.” She cast a semi-defiant look at Theo. “I suppose you have an opinion on it all.”
“An opinion on whether princes have to deal with disappointment?” he asked dryly.
“No.” She lowered her gaze, an uncomfortable prickling going over her. “I suspect I’d rather not know your answer to that question.” Making her voice more natural, she raised her head again. “I meant an opinion about our change in activity.”
For a moment, she thought Theo looked confused, but his face was so hard to read, she couldn’t be sure.
“If you’re asking whether I’m going to attempt to dictate your actions, the answer is no.
” To her surprise, he sounded faintly amused, but his gaze was perfectly serious as he once again subjected her to that scrutiny that made her want to fidget.
“You seem to think more is going on than what’s been said. ”
Elowen shrugged, urging her horse faster as the road northward widened. “A tower collapse yesterday, and a dam failure today…it might be coincidence.” But if it wasn’t, she added silently, Patrick wouldn’t tell me.
“But you don’t think it is coincidence.” Theo’s words weren’t a question.
He looked very thoughtful, then he gave her a nod.
“Well, I know nothing of the situation, so I’ll defer to your judgment.
If some kind of misfortune is plaguing the region, I’m certainly not averse to discovering what’s happening. ”
Elowen felt her cheeks grow pink. He hadn’t dismissed her with polite reassurances not to worry, like Patrick had.
And when he’d said he would defer to her judgment, she could detect no hint of mocking, as Bertrand would surely have injected into any such declaration.
He didn’t know her at all, and already he took her more seriously than those closest to her.
She was fast losing track of how many times he’d surprised her that morning.
They still hadn’t caught the others by the time they passed through the gates of the city.
The guards on duty took note of Elowen—she could feel their eyes following her—but with the visiting prince by her side and both her own pair of guards and Theo’s solitary guard behind her, they didn’t challenge her.
Patrick would be none too pleased when she caught up to him, but she didn’t think he’d actually compel her to go back. Not in front of Theo.