Chapter 7
Elara
“This is so exciting!” Anesta practically leaned halfway outside the carriage window. “Isn’t this exciting?” Her eyes were wide with wonder and part of me let myself think about what Norrandale must have looked like. But I didn’t dare look out the window. I couldn’t afford to get distracted. I had to prepare myself mentally for what lay ahead, and even though I was exhausted from several days of travelling, I didn’t allow myself to sleep as we got closer to the palace.
I had to ask a king for his hand in marriage, and not just any king, but Cai of all people. How was I going to see it through without my nerves getting the best of me?
“This is not a holiday, Anesta,” I reminded her. “We have a very important matter at hand and I’m going to require your help every step of the way.” Technically, that wasn’t true. Although I would have been more than willing to let her do the proposing for me, should it have been appropriate. But I needed her to help me look my best, and more importantly, I needed her as a friend.
“Right.” She nodded but I could see she wasn’t listening. This was her first time outside the kingdom of Everness and I couldn’t blame her for being excited. I’d never set foot outside Everness myself, but I had plenty of reasons to be sick to my stomach.
“What do you think he’s going to say?”
“Who?”
“His Majesty, of course,” she said, as if it were obvious.
I didn’t want to think about how Cai would react or why he hadn’t reached out since the rebellion. Though there was obviously something between us at Fairfrith, our circumstances had changed so drastically, there was no guarantee that he would still feel the same.
“Do you think he’ll take your hand with a smile or perhaps pull you into his arms and spin you around in the air?”
This was exactly one of the many reasons I didn’t take pleasure in reading the same way Anesta did. It filled your head with foolish notions and unrealistic expectations.
“Well.” I pulled at my bodice, attempting to make it sit more comfortably, but it was useless. “Hopefully he will see that this is a smart choice for both of us and will agree without hesitation.”
“I cannot believe I actually get to witness this. It’s so romantic.” She clasped her hands together.
“I wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s romantic.”
Anesta suddenly met my eyes, and I watched her expression grow into some form of understanding.
“This is a political agreement. Nothing more and nothing less,” I said, knowing that was the only way I would allow myself to think of the situation. Allowing any kind of personal feelings to get involved would only complicate the matter so much more.
“You’re right, I’m sorry,” she apologised. “I have spoken out of my place.”
“There is nothing to be sorry for,” I reassured her. Anesta looked so hopeful, I would hate to be the one to ruin her mood. But we also needed to stay focused. This alliance was important for all of us.
“Could you tell me about him?” she asked with a hint of caution, folding her hands in her lap. The carriage continued to bump along the rocky road.
“About whom?”
“About His Majesty. What’s King Cai like?”
I sighed and crossed my arms in thought. “He’s... he’s kind.”
Anesta smiled softly.
“He’s a good soldier. He cares deeply for his kingdom. He loves the outdoors.”
“He sounds lovely,” she replied.
“I expected him to be stuck-up and spoiled.” I chuckled at the memory of my first encounter with Cai. Back before I knew he was the crown prince of Norrandale. “But he can be very sweet and caring.”
“You should see the way your eyes light up when you talk about him.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoffed. “We’re here for a political alliance, remember?”
“Right.”
“We’re almost there, Your Majesty,” Rhen called from outside the carriage, where he was leading the party on horseback. I relaxed a little, thinking about Rhen’s presence. I had no doubts that he would give his life to keep us safe. If it hadn’t been for him, that girl with the knife might have... I shuddered, not wanting to think about it. At least with him and Anesta, I didn’t feel quite so alone. Before I was queen, being alone was a normality. And yet, I’d become dependent on these two people. Elara, the Masked Bandit, needing someone... what an ironic thought. Part of me wondered if I should have left Rhen to keep an eye on things in Everness. There was no telling what would happen while I was away. I pushed the thought from my mind. Sitting here with worry wasn’t going to change anything anyway.
Focus. Focus. Focus.
When we entered the palace gates, I finally dared to look outside the carriage window. I wished I hadn’t. I gulped at the majesty of the large building, boasting tall towers and massive gardens. It made the palace in Levernia look small.
“It’s incredible. Have you ever seen a palace to equal it?” Anesta was in awe as well. I didn’t quite allow my mouth to hang open as hers did.
We made our way up a long gravel road and then around a large fountain, splashing with crystal-clear water.
When we finally stopped, Rhen dismounted, looked around and walked to the carriage door, where he stood ready to help. I reached for him before stepping out.
“Your hands are shaking,” he said under his breath.
“Shut up.” I didn’t need him to point out the obvious now. Of course I was terrified. Even if I didn’t know what exactly I was so terrified of. Rejection maybe? No. This was only Cai. The prince whom I’d spent days on end with. My friend. The man with the blond hair and enchanting green eyes.
You haven’t spoken in months , my mind reminded me. We were no longer the same people — we were a king and a queen.
Rhen announced us to the palace guards, highlighting the importance of our visit.
I toyed with the ring around my finger, which bore the royal crest. Not wanting to appear overbearing, I didn’t wear a crown today. The guards were clad in blue and gold uniforms as they approached us. I straightened my back and tried to keep my expression neutral. The palace guards looked uncertain while Rhen spoke to them, but eventually, one hurried off inside. I eyed the large doors, the clean stone steps and perfectly cut hedges.
Finally, two of the guards led us towards the throne room. The halls were long and wide with more guards stationed around each corner. They stood so still — one could almost mistake them for statues. I attempted not to let my eyes wander too intently over the décor and architecture. It was a distraction, and I needed to mentally rehearse the words I was going to say.
However, once those two doors were opened with a heavy, hollow thud, my thoughts were temporarily forgotten. I had once reckoned the throne room of the palace of Levernia was majestic and intimidating enough to make you feel as though you were shrinking. But that was nothing compared to the vast stature of this great hall. Massive windows lined the walls, allowing heaps of sunlight to sweep into the room as it reflected off the white surface of the marble floor.
I was stuck taking in the canopy of the arched ceilings above when I heard my name and words sounding vaguely like “Queen of Everness” being announced. Bringing my attention back to the people in the room, I made sure my mouth was clamped shut. A few courtiers stood close to the large fireplace and all eyes landed on me as the throne room fell slowly silent. My heartbeat rang in my ears. I was sure everyone in the room could hear it.
It wasn’t difficult to spot Cai’s mother. She looked so much like him, and I wondered what features he had shared with his father. At the mention of my title, she turned away from the conversation she was in.
“Do my ears deceive me or has the Queen of Everness graced us with her presence?” The queen mother’s face formed a smile as she approached me. Though graceful, her steps were slow, and she appeared somewhat fragile. The illness must have affected her quite seriously.
I bowed my head in acknowledgement.
“Please call me Elara. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Well, I admit, Elara, I’ve certainly heard plenty about you.” Her smile remained soft, and I wasn’t sure what she meant by the comment. My cheeks flushed. What kind of news about my reign had reached across the border of Everness? And even worse, what had Cai told them about me?
Don’t flatter yourself. He probably doesn’t even mention your name .
“And here I had come, hoping my reputation didn’t proceed me,” I admitted honestly, trying to hold up my brave facade.
“Good things only, my dear.”
“You must be surprised by my abrupt visit. Especially with no prior notice. I must apologise for this. But you see, I come to Norrandale with a most serious matter, which I’m afraid I could not delay.”
It was an effort not to fidget with my hands.
Stand still, head up high and keep calm.
“I see.” Cai’s mother took in my travelling party before glancing at the throne-room doors. “I’m sure my son has been sent for. Perhaps we can arrange some refreshments for your company. Everyone must be tired and hungry after your journey.”
“That would be very kind of you.”
The rest of the room had returned to their hushed conversations but kept eyes on the two of us.
“Did you have a good journey? Especially across the border?”
I can still remember the feeling inside my chest when Rhen had told us we were crossing into Norrandale. So many times had I planned that very moment, my escape to freedom from Everness. And there I was, riding into the kingdom with a carriage and a royal guard, not as a bandit but as a queen. I could almost laugh at the irony.
“Yes, we did, thank you. The nights are definitely getting colder for travelling, though. I think I’m already starting to miss summer.”
“That’s good to hear. I’m glad you didn’t come across any bandits on your way here.”
I let out an awkward laugh. Oh, if only she knew.
“Thankfully that problem seems to have eradicated itself.”
“I am sorry to hear about the attack in Levernia, though.” She gently placed her hand on my arm that carried the small scar.
“I suppose it comes with the territory.” I tried to shrug it off casually.
“Still, it must have been such a horrid experience. No young woman should have to go through such a thing.” Her sympathy provided me with a sense of comfort, and I was starting to see why Cai cared for his mother so much.
“It was definitely not my finest hour as a queen,” I confided. “But I can only hope such a thing will not happen again.”
With every passing moment, I anticipated Cai walking into the room, and I could feel my nerves growing.
“Yes, let’s hope,” the queen mother agreed. “Everyone’s had more than enough tragedy in the past few months.”
“Speaking of which, I’m very sorry for the loss of your husband and the former king.” My eyes trailed over her black mourning dress. A lovely design but undoubtedly melancholic.
“Thank you, dear.” There was a sadness behind her eyes, which was entirely understandable. “I think it’s been harder on Cai than anyone else.”
“Oh?” Cai didn’t often talk about his father, so I had no idea how close they were.
“There was much he still wanted to learn from his father before stepping into the role. He’s putting a lot of pressure on himself to live up to the man.” That I could believe.
“But I’m certain he will be very happy about your surprise visit.” She turned the conversation back to my presence.
“Oh, I don’t know.” I tried to smile through my embarrassment, wondering how much Cai had told his family about who I was and what the two of us had gone through. My hope was as little as possible.
Before Cai’s mother had a chance to respond, Jack walked through the throne-room doors.
“His Majesty the King.” My stomach did a thousand twists and flips, and I momentarily wished I was anywhere but there.
I held my breath as Cai walked into the room. Apart from the slightly messy hair and his on-edge expression, he still looked the same.
The King of Norrandale’s eyes landed on me.