55. Nora
55
Nora
I ’d barely slept all night, excitement and anticipation keeping me awake. The morning sun sprawled across this attic room, and I realized how eager I was to leave this house behind.
It hadn’t been a home in over a decade.
Melody had spent the night with me, and I felt bad for the dark circles under her eyes I no doubt gave her by tossing and turning relentlessly. Nevertheless, she glowed once she awoke. An exchange of no words, only eager smiles and disbelieving blinks over the day ahead.
“Do you know when the wedding is to be held?” she asked, resting her face on the back of her hand while she adjusted on a pillow to face me.
“A week from today.” Nick had told me the other night, after our throes of passion that’d left my lower back scratched by bark.
But fuck if it wasn’t worth every scrape and scab.
“I can’t believe this is happening. What will be your first decree as Queen of Highcrest?!” she asked, as if that question wasn’t insane.
“Melody, I’m going to be so unequipped walking into this position, I’m sure I’ll have a hundred things to learn before I can even attempt to suggest changing anything.” Resting my hand over my forehead, I tried not to think about it too hard. It was a whole new world I’d be stepping into, one I had no knowledge of or training for. A task I highly doubted my daggers could help me work through.
“You’re going to do great, Nora. I agree it might take some time, but you’ll have Nicholas to guide you. He won’t let you fail, that’s plain to see. And I’ll be by your side, noble lady of the court!” She tossed her arms high into the air, proclaiming her newly self-imposed title. We both laughed, mostly over how wild it was to even have these conversations. She lowered her hands with a thud onto the blanket. “He really does love you.”
We locked gazes.
“I saw it the night of the ball, while you two danced.” She exhaled a deep sigh. “I hope to find something like that one day.”
“You’ll have your choice of suitors, I’m sure. After all, who won’t fawn after the Noble Lady of the Court ?” I poked her side, and we giggled. “Maybe I’ll make that my first decree. Miss Melody Burton, official Noble Lady of Highcrest Court. Wait, does Highcrest even have a court?”
A laugh ripped past her lips, and I couldn’t help but join. There’d be so much to learn. Despite being on the third floor in my room, with the door open, we heard the resounding knocks at the front door.
Melody sat up faster than lightning. “Your gown!” She tossed the blankets off, and her excitement spilled over onto me. We nearly raced each other in our nightgowns down the stairs, laughing the entire way.
I reached the door first. Melody stumbled to a stop, nearly ramming into me after I opened the door, revealing the last person I expected to see. The air in my lungs turned frigid, seizing at the sight.
“Jenta,” I choked down a breath, my heart still racing from running down the stairs. She held the beautiful box topped with a bow I’d recognized from Lady Smythe’s shop. Her smile felt venomous, even before she uttered a word.
“I just wanted to congratulate you on your impending nuptials.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes.
Crossing my arms, I assessed her. “Since when do you make dress shop deliveries? Did you get a job working for Lady Smythe?”
My question was genuine, though the mere suggestion that she’d subject herself to labor made her chuckle. “When I saw the delivery man pulling up, I insisted that I be the one to hand it to you.” She extended the oversized box.
I took it, eyeing her suspiciously.
“That was very kind of you, Jenta,” Melody said in a questioning tone.
Jenta shrugged with a smile sweet as honey and sauntered back down the steps. “Couldn’t miss my opportunity to offer my respects, could I?” she called from where she turned onto the sidewalk.
Maybe my new position inspired her to change up her attitude. I should probably come to expect that since people loved to earn favor with those in high society. Fake or not, I didn’t mind Jenta’s switch up.
Melody closed the door, swinging on her heels to face me.
“Open it! Let’s see!” She clapped while bobbing on her tiptoes.
I smirked, rolling my eyes. I set the large box on the ground and lifted the lid.
Melody gasped, and I took in the sight before me. The familiar blues and swatches of fabric were buried under a layer of mud and dirt. My heart sank like a pebble dropping into a bottomless ocean.
I wanted to resist the rising irony, how this probably suited me better. Someone like me shouldn’t be dressed in fashion such as this, for both reasons that I was too lowly to deserve it, and it didn’t feel like the true me.
“Oh, Nora…I’m sure we can try to clean it up before the luncheon,” Melody joined me on the floor, inspecting the damage with a closer eye as if she could salvage it somehow.
“I don’t think there will be time. We still have to get ready, and the carriage will be here in an hour.” I glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. I may not have chosen a dress like that for myself, but in a way, it was armor. The perfect battle uniform to walk into a space I didn’t belong. Any outfit we could put together now would look pathetic in comparison, and wouldn’t live up to the standard for such an announcement. Stress that I had been ignoring or suppressing suddenly made its debut, and heat pricked the back of my eyes.
“Well, a dirty dress simply won’t do. I know none of mine are of this caliber or quality, but let’s go find you one. You’ll look beautiful in anything, Nora.” She rested a hand on my shoulder. “As queen, you’ll need to problem solve. Consider this your first lesson.” She tried to carve something useful out of this situation as I felt myself start to drowned in inadequacy.
I said nothing in reply, only nodded as I rose to my feet.
Another knock at the door. My anger flared, and I stormed toward it. If Jenta had returned to gloat and see the expression on my face, she’d be leaving this doorstep with a bloody, broken nose.
“Nora, don’t!” Melody called in warning, knowing me all too well.
I swung the heavy door on its hinges, the wood feeling feather light from my rushing adrenaline. Only, I didn’t find Jenta standing there.
“Evenita,” I breathed, almost disoriented.
“I have that gift for you now.” She smiled in that way of hers.
“Oh, Nora. You look…” Melody was lost for words.
This time, when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t see myself in the dress of a queen. I saw me . The shimmering silver fabric twinkled in the same way the sun’s reflection does upon the waves. Instead of layers of bulk at my sides, the dress swept toward the floor, sheer panels embossed with luminous silver thread designs trailing like a waterfall from my hips.
A jewel encrusted oval brooch sat at the height of my navel, securing the panels together before they flowed apart. The tops of my shoulders sat exposed, ruched fabric wrapping from one side to another.
“The kingdom’s official colors are blue and silver. Most people often forget that. Two people do not need to be the same, in order to stand cohesively,” Evenita said.
The sentiment brought tears to my eyes. That other dress had been trying to fit me into a mold, but this one, this one represented me. Wearing silver that matched the steel of my daggers made me feel like the capable weapon. At first, I looked at her through the mirror, but turned to face her instead before saying, “Thank you.”
She leaned in, her soft hands caressing my arm. “You are exactly what this kingdom needs.”
I lunged for the elderly woman, embracing her in a tight hug. She would never know how much I’d needed to hear that—or perhaps she knew exactly that.
She chuckled in my ear, returning gentle pats on my back. Melody dabbed a handkerchief under her eyes. This house hadn’t been so full of love since my father passed.
Through the window of this upper level, I spotted Highcrest Castle in the distance. It had never looked more beautiful, the afternoon sun reflecting off the sturdy stone, knowing who waited for me there.
The carriage pulled up to the castle, all four of our household in attendance. The door opened for us, and the waiting hand extended toward me set my heart on fire. Nicholas stood, handsome as ever, with a lover’s smile plastered on his perfectly tan face.
I nearly leapt from the carriage. When I exited, hand in his, he took a step back. His gaze drank me in from head to toe.
“You look…” The words floated on a stolen breath. His hand rose to his chest—no, his heart.
“You’re not bothered it’s not your matching blue? There was a hiccup with the other gown,” I said, glancing at him from under my lashes, a smile tilted to one side.
He stepped intimately close, his lips grazing my ear. My breathing faltered, feeling the heat from his breath against my skin where my hair had been pinned up on that side.
“I don’t give a fuck what you wear, because you look beautiful in everything. And I’m going to be ripping it off as soon as this is over.”
He receded to a respectable distance, leaving a stain of pink across my cheeks and a pulsing beat between my legs. More servants rushed out, assisting the others from the carriage. Nick extended his arm, and I wrapped my hands around it as he led us inside.
“This is all yours now,” he whispered, gesturing to the high walls and decorated tables.
For a moment, my legs nearly gave out. The immensity of what all this meant still hadn’t fully settled, only blasting me in brief waves of unbelievable realization.
“Ours,” he corrected, sensing the daunting reality that’d come over me.
I gazed up at him, my only steady constant. “What if—” I started to voice the string of doubts that crept up my spine.
“Not possible,” he said, coolly.
“But what if—”
“Still not possible.” He shrugged.
My stare turned glaring as I squinted, my look souring.
He caught sight of it and chuckled, that deep soothing sound. “Nora, whatever you were going to say, it doesn’t matter. We’ll learn how to navigate ruling together. Luckily, I’m fairly seasoned, you know.” A cocky smile flashed my way.
“It’s a good thing I’m here, then,” I breathed.
He laughed again, then pressed a kiss to my temple. “Good thing.”
He led us into the ballroom, only this time, a long running table centered the black-and-white checkered floor. Vases filled with flowers sprawling toward the ceiling dotted the middle, and the same amount of finely dressed staff as was at the ball appeared. Lining the room, servers waited for their cue near the staff corridor.
Fragmented light from the crystal studded chandeliers kissed every surface, even Nicholas’s beautiful face as I peered up at him. “I’m having a hard time believing this is real,” I admitted, hearing the echoes of gushing remarks from Kenzie and Eucinda trailing behind.
“Just wait until you taste the food. I made sure they put spinach artichoke puffs on the menu again.”
A few well-dressed attendees stood near the head of the table that I hadn’t seen beyond the garden that adorned the center. The cherub-faced man looked like he may burst, his cheeks rosied to vermillion against his fair skin, the bald spot on the top of his head shining from the light. Beside him, a devious, white-haired prince. Both of them bowed as we approached.
“Am I going to have to watch my back around you tonight?” I asked Nick’s cousin.
A child-like grin stretched across his face, and he raised a hand in the air, the other over his heart. “Future Queen of Highcrest, I solemnly swear to you, I shall only nudge you in the right direction if you’re taking too long to do it.”
Nick drawled, “That’s the closest to an apology you’ll ever get from him. I’d take it.”
I sized prince Marco up for a moment. He could barely contain his amusement. “I think, prince Marco, if I ever need to be nudged…” I glanced up at Nicholas, my arms still wrapped around his strong, centering muscles. “That I will trust your judgment.”
The cherub-faced man held in his breath long enough, essentially squealing with delight when he finally burst. “Oh, Lady Ellanor, I am so honored to be in attendance with you tonight. My name is Herschel Rickson, First Counselor to His Royal Highness. I can see why our beloved prince saw through the masses right to you. Elegant and sharp-witted. Excellent. Excellent !”
You’d think this was his own engagement lunch with how he was barely able to contain his excitement. He made a humming noise while he gestured toward the high-back chairs seated in the center of the long table running perpendicular to the one in the center of the room. “Please! Please, have a seat.”
Nicholas and I exchanged a glance. My first steps toward this new journey. I didn’t release him until we rounded the table and he pulled out my chair. Once I sat, I took in the sprawling view before me. Opulence and luxury, a prime view of every person in attendance, much different to how it would look actually sitting at the table, with a cornucopia of decorations blocking the way. All designed for the two people taking seats at the head of it.
Being favored in this way seemed extravagant, and something about it felt too…privileged. Nick took his seat beside me, scooting his chair marginally closer to mine. Hand extended toward me, palm up, I smiled and placed mine in his. I wasn’t in this alone.
A nod from him instructed the guardsmen across the room to allow our party to enter. I hadn’t noticed they’d been halted at the door, waiting for approval.
Their eyes sparkled in wonder at the gorgeous setting. Castle advisors and leaders I had yet to meet followed soon after. One, decorated in formal military wear, approached as our attendees began filling the room with conversation.
“Your future Majesty.” He bowed to me. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Commander Sebastian Druller, Prince Nicholas’s head military advisor. Ms. Shen, was it?”
I nodded. “Yes. Someone’s done their homework. Lovely to meet you, Commander.” A surreal moment, realizing I’d just repeated the same formal introduction I once mocked Nick for.
He chuckled, his rusty facial hair framing his attractive smile. “Wouldn’t be very good at my job if I didn’t. I look forward to getting to know you better. It takes a special woman to tolerate this one.” He gestured to Nicholas beside me, and all three of us released amused laughter. “But I am so pleased he has found someone to share the mantle. I won’t take up more of your time. Enjoy your party.” As if he sensed the growing line behind him, he left us to the wolves. A string of introductions followed: the host of the treasury, the matron of staff, the royal seamstress.
I breathed a sigh of relief seeing how intimate they’d kept this event. Nicholas no doubt had a role in that, so I wouldn’t be overwhelmed. It basically felt like this was simply to acquaint myself with the staff, and the staff with their future queen—still weird to think. Marco sat on Nick’s other side, and after all the introductions were made, Herschel sat next to me.
“I hope the decorations are to your liking, Lady Ellanor—”
“Please, Mr. Herschel, call me Nora.”
The correction seemed to zap him before he regained his composure. “As you wish, Lady Nora. I apologize for the error.”
“Oh. No, just Nora is fine.” I waved a dismissing hand.
His lips twitched in thought before he leaned closer. “You know, His Highness took to calling me Ricks over the years. At first I thought it somewhat rude, but now I actually see it as a term of endearment. I don’t mind you calling me by my first name, but if you ever refer to me to anyone else, they may look at you sideways. I’m half certain most of the staff doesn’t even know my first name. And you, Lady Nora, are more than welcome to call me Ricks, if you wish.”
He straightened in his seat to flag down one of the servers standing still as a statue along the wall. The server carried a water pitcher in his white-gloved hands and made quick work filling the cups along the table. All seats in front of us were now occupied, and Prince Marco rose, tapping his silverware against his glass.
“I would like to take this opportunity to be the first to say, to my dear cousin and his intended, congratulations. Some in our position are blessed in this life with faithful partnerships, acceptable companions, and strong friendships. Rarely, though, do we get to bear witness to something greater. A love match sits before you, a rare occurrence indeed, especially upon a throne.” He raised his glass higher in the air. “Prince Nicholas and Lady Nora, we wish you many years together in wedded bliss.”
In a steady rise, all the attendees lifted their glasses.
Marco continued, “And once I return home, I expect to hear the roars of your vigorous love making from my castle across the ocean. Cheers!”
Nicholas shook his head, but a humor filled smile graced his lips, as if unsurprised by Marco making such a crude statement for a formal event. My fiancé tipped his glass toward mine, and hell if I didn’t clink to that.
“And if you ever get sick of him, he’s got a couch to crash on an ocean away.” Marco winked at me before downing his flute of sparkling wine.
“Good to know,” I said into the cup as I brought it to my lips, giving Nick a sly look.
Nick snickered into his own drink, shaking his head. “By the time I’m done with you, you’ll never want me leaving that bed.”
I choked on my wine, droplets spilling down my chin. The blue fabric napkin was over my mouth a split second later. “I’m going to make you pay for that,” I whispered.
“I’m counting on it.” He flashed me a seductive smile full of promise, his gaze wandering to my collarbone. A look of hunger flashing in his eyes had me wanting to strip down and mount him in that seat.
“Are you alright, Lady Nora?!” Ricks fumbled for his own napkin, offering it to me.
“Yes, I’m quite alright. Thank you.” I softened my smile, wanting to ease the worries of this high-strung man concerned for me, like a mother hen. I already anticipated he would be one of my biggest trials. I’d need to quickly come up with a list of tasks to send him on when his pestering became overwhelming.
The synchronized staff fulfilled their duties as the first round of appetizers was brought out and served. When that first bite of buttery spinach and cheese filled pastry melted on my tongue, I lost all care for keeping up polite conversation.
I tilted my head back and moaned, this time causing Nick to choke on his sip. Ricks cleared his throat beside me, shifting restlessly in his seat, clearly uncomfortable by my display. Not very queenly, I’d admit.
“Sorry.” I winced at Ricks, and he shook his head with a dismissing smile, but his furrowed brow remained tight.
“Note to self, bring those to bed,” Nick whispered beside me. I shot him a teasing glare, and he laughed under his breath.
The staff collected the first round of plates, and others brought the next course. A steaming serving of roasted chicken with green herbs sprinkled over perfectly crisp skin. Charcoal singed vegetables spread over the rest of the plate. I had to actively suppress the moan this time, letting not a second pass before cramming the delectable sight into my mouth.
Someone had approached the table, granting their well wishes before indulging Nick in a polite and boring sounding conversation. Seeing I was clearly busy, the man didn’t try to involve me. I made a mental note to advise Nick that if he indulged in his food faster next time, perhaps he could escape the monotonous conversation until after he’d gotten a chance to eat.
Not even crowned yet, and already bestowing sage advice to the prince. That thought had me smiling to myself like a lunatic. Melody and Kenzie had taken a break from the meal to visit me at the table, unfazed by the rabid way in which I inhaled my food.
“Lady Nora,” Melody curtsied, and Kenzie dipped in panicked confusion.
I laughed, covering my mouth with my hand as I said, “Stop that.”
She giggled. Kenzie said, “Some others at the end of the table were talking about the wedding, and Melody and I were wondering who you’re going to have in your bridal party?”
I forced down my mouthful, glancing at Melody who flashed me a look that said she was wondering, don’t make her suffer . “My sisters, of course.” I offered a placating smile, watching Kenzie transform into a shining beacon of delight.
“Do you know what the bridesmaid dresses will look like? Do you get to pick the flowers? I once saw this wedding where…” Kenzie gushed on and on.
Melody bit back her amusement, and I simply brought more bites to my mouth. Out of this entire room, only my plate was near empty. Apparently, all the others were used to affairs like this, taking their time to mingle amongst one another. Marco joined in conversation with Nick and the other man, talking about something import related, and Ricks fussed to some servers about the timing for the desserts.
A sharp cramp tightened my lower stomach, and my hand flew to it. Perhaps I’d eaten too quickly. Kenzie still carried on, and I took a sip of wine. When the server with desserts made it to me, to my surprise, I dismissed them. I hoped it wasn’t gas pains. What does a future queen do when that needs to happen? Should I excuse myself? When I began feeling nauseated, I decided it was probably a good idea.
“Sorry, give me a sec,” I said, shoving my chair back.
Nick cut off his conversation. “Are you alright?”
Not wanting to worry him, I forced a smile. “Just need to find the little queen’s room.” I patted his shoulder before stepping away.
“Shall we join you?” Melody said.
I didn’t want an audience for what I anticipated to be a redecorating of the bathroom. “No, no. Go, eat, mingle. Enjoy yourselves. I’ll be right back.” I lost all pretense of feigning contentment when my skin started heating.
With a hand pressed into my side, I held as upright a position as I could, asking a staff member to direct me to the facilities. The girl didn’t hesitate to lead the way, and bowed before giving me some privacy. I threw myself against the door after it closed, breathing out a hard breath. I lunged for the sink, running the faucet and wetting my hands before tapping them against my cheeks, forehead and neck.
A spasm that felt like a punch to the stomach had me crying out and hunched over a second later. I’d eaten way worse things before, things halfway to being rotten and stale, but never had a reaction like this.
I hoped it would pass, but it showed no signs of slowing. Still considering it was a food reaction, I thought over what I’d eaten. No one else seemed bothered. But not many had consumed their chicken yet. The meat didn’t look or taste rotten, and the herbs…
The herbs didn’t taste as flavorful as the amount of greenery promised.
“Hard to care for, and useless for flavor.”
I recalled the plants growing in that dank basement. I’d thought nothing of it when Alejo commented on herbs he couldn’t use for baking. It hadn’t occurred to me then why the plants would be kept hidden away from discovering eyes.
Because they weren’t simple herbs. They were poisonous plants.
The ground shifted beneath my feet, either from the realization or the side effects, I didn’t know. I hadn’t convinced them to change their approach, and I’d given them information about this very event. With a revolving set of serving staff, anyone of them could have been a new hire, or planted by Dee.
I wanted to curl up, to purge my guts until it cleared my system, but shock turned my blood cold despite the fever starting to moisten my skin. Everyone else had poison on their plates with no idea of the danger.
I ran, stumbling through the pain that seized me in violent waves. My heels weren’t quiet against the polished stone floor as I staggered in. My feet could barely lift off the ground, turning into a frantic, clunky shuffle.
Nick’s chair screeched as the wood skidded against the stone. He ran, arriving just in time to catch my collapsing body. My mind felt like the ocean, writhing waves unable to grasp anything solid. I could barely hear Nick’s muffled voice calling my name. His beautiful golden hair came into view, his blue eyes piercing the blurry world for a brief moment.
“T-the ch..icken. P-poisoned.” My lips and tongue lost their ability to work in unison, and the pain ascended to something so unbearable that blackness encroached my vision and swept me under.