Chapter 30
Gwen
The Evernean winter had graced us with a day of sunshine, and though it was still quite cold, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. My ankle was feeling much better. I couldn’t run or ride yet, but it was a significant improvement over having to hobble along everywhere.
I took advantage of the nicer weather by having my morning tea out on the veranda, overlooking the gardens. I poured myself a fresh cup of the herbal tea and held it in my hands, hoping that it would warm my fingertips.
The taste of the tea was soothing, and I took frequent sips while paging through the latest book I’d borrowed from the library.
This particular book was a romance, and while I preferred my tales to be more on the adventure side, it was a nice change of pace.
Although I always found it frustrating when the two main characters took such a long time to get together when it was so obvious they belonged with each other.
The door to the veranda opened behind me and I dropped the book in my lap, looking back.
Lance looked equally surprised to see me.
“Pardon me.” He let out a cough. “I didn’t realise you’d be here.”
We hadn’t spoken since our last conversation in the library, when Lance had been extremely drunk, and I’d insulted him beyond reprimand. For the first time since I’d come to live at the Palace of Levernia, it felt as though he’d been avoiding me.
Not that I had much to complain about. But it was strange to see Lance so out of sorts. I almost wanted him to go back to normal so I could stop the pressing sensation that I should feel guilty for the way I’d acted.
“Just having some tea.” I held up my cup somewhat awkwardly.
“All right then.” It was clear he’d been planning to sit outside as well. “I shan’t bother you anymore.”
“No.” I used the table to pull myself up. “This is your palace. I shall get out of your way.”
“Technically it’s Elara’s palace,” he said with a hint of a smile as I grabbed my book.
“Still, you’ve lived here your whole life. It’s your home as much as it is hers.”
“I suppose.”
I left my teacup on the table, not being able to walk with more than my cane and book. Lance was still standing in the door as I passed him. As I stepped inside, he took hold of my arm, urging me to look back.
There was a moment of silence as his eyes searched me, as if he were looking for the right words.
“I don’t want you to hate me.”
I certainly couldn’t have anticipated him saying that.
“I don’t hate you.” I strongly disliked him and his manners, but I didn’t think I’d ever truly hated anyone.
“Yes, you do,” he insisted. “You don’t talk to me. You don’t want to be in the same room as me. You can hardly look me in the eye.”
I let out a sigh. “That doesn’t mean I hate you.”
“Then what does it mean?” he pressed.
I thought about what to say and how to say it, but the words did not come easily.
“It just means I don’t want to talk to you.”
I tried to pull my hand away, still clutching the book, but Lance did not let go.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to, Lance. Isn’t that reason enough?”
“No, it’s not.” Damn him and his persistence.
I was starting to grow agitated. Part of me feared that if he pushed me far enough, we’d only have a repeat of our conversation in the library.
And then he would look at me like a dog who’d just been kicked.
I wanted to despise him for it. For everything.
“What did I do, Gwen?”
“Nothing.” I had no interest in continuing this conversation with him in the least bit.
“Well, I must have done something because I’m the only person around here that you treat with so much resentment.”
How could I not when he clearly thought so little of me that he remembered nothing at all?
“Why do you care anyway? I don’t want to talk about this.”
“To hell with what you want. I’m not leaving until you tell me.”
“Well, if you’re not leaving, then I am.” I pulled my arm hard enough that Lance wouldn’t be able to hold on without hurting me and started to walk away.
Of course, this did nothing to prevent the spoiled prince from following me.
Naturally, I wasn’t able to walk very fast and so he easily stepped in front of me, blocking my way.
I let out a groan of frustration, contemplating hitting him with the walking stick.
“Do you want me to beg, is that it?”
“No,” I cried out. “I want you to leave me alone.”
“I will if you tell me what’s the matter. Why do you detest me?”
And I was so desperate to get away from him that before I could think better of it, I blurted out, “Because, you incompetent, selfish bastard, you stole my first kiss.”
* * *
I was sixteen years old when I last saw the Prince of Everness.
He was tall for his age back then, with sharp features to accompany his midnight hair.
We were all gathered in the throne room of Mistwood when King Magnus and Prince Lance came to visit Norrandale.
I wasn’t privy to the reason for their visit, but I believed it was regarding some political matter.
The heat from the fireplace was warm against my back as I watched the prince saunter in with his father. His eyes met mine as they passed, and I quickly looked away.
I had always sensed he was trouble in one way or another, but I did not know better than to avoid it.
Lance didn’t show much interest in spending time with Cai or Thatcher, or even with his father and the royal council. It was as if he’d been forced to tag along on this trip and he’d rather be anywhere else instead. Until the day he’d caught me dancing alone in the ballroom.
My dance teacher had left an hour before, but I had yet to get the steps right and I refused to stop until I did so.
I turned about the room until my eye suddenly caught a figure standing by the door.
Mid-step, with my arms still up in the air, I stopped to take in the unwelcome viewer.
“Can I help you?” He was a mere guest at the palace while I practically lived there. If anyone was intruding, it most definitely was him.
“What are you doing?” he asked curiously.
“What does it look like I’m doing, I’m practising my dancing.” My intention wasn’t to be rude to the Prince of Everness, but I’d felt quite embarrassed at being caught dancing alone. Besides, he’d made no effort to be polite to anyone here at court.
“You’re doing it wrong.”
“Well, if I could do it right, I wouldn’t need to practise now, would I?” Did he intend to leave or just keep standing there and invading my privacy?
To my disappointment, he stepped into the ballroom.
“You do know who I am, don’t you?”
“Of course,” I scoffed. “You’re the future king of Everness.”
“And did they not teach you that people of my birth rank should be addressed by their titles?” What an entitled jerk. He clearly got most of his traits from his father.
“They did,” I responded. “But if you insist on me using your title, then I must insist you do the same.” And then I added, “Your Highness.”
“Which is?”
I realised that instead of chasing him away, I was aiding him to continue our conversation.
“You may call me Lady Gwen.” I gave a small curtsy only because I had to. “My father is a close friend of the King.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance then, Lady Gwen.” He’d drawn out my name.
“Well then, I’d better be getting back to my practice.”
“I could show you how to do it, if you’d like?”
The idea of suddenly dancing alone with the prince unnerved me. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I replied, “Well, I can hardly say no to the future king.”
Prince Lance had stepped in front of me. His arm wrapped around my waist while his free hand took mine.
My dancing practice was to prepare me for when I would come out to society, and I’d never actually danced with a boy before. I had to look up to meet his eyes. They were the lightest shade of blue I’d ever seen.
“So first, you’re going to step back with your right foot.”
“I know that.”
He looked down at me with amusement and something in my stomach fluttered.
Lance started to count the steps. One back, one right, two front, two left.
Then came a turn, and this was the part where I usually messed up the number of steps I had to take.
“Now step out with your right foot so you can rest your weight on your left.”
I tried as he suggested while he spun me around, and surprisingly, for the first time, I did not lose my balance.
I was too satisfied not to give the slightest smile. Our steps echoed across the quiet ballroom accompanied by the sound of Lance’s counting.
The more we danced, the easier it became for me to keep up with him. When we finished the last turn of the dance, Lance surprised me by suddenly dipping me, his arm still wrapped around my waist while I clung to his shoulder for fear that he would accidentally drop me.
He quickly pulled me back up, as if I weighed nothing, and it took me a moment to catch my breath. I was unsure if it was because of the dancing or our proximity.
“Thank you,” I said, quickly taking a step away from him to a more appropriate distance. “For helping me.”
“You’re very welcome, Lady Gwen.”
“Well, I’d best be going or I’m going to be late for my riding lesson.” I curtsied before hurrying out of the room, but not before looking back as I crossed the threshold. Lance was still standing in the middle of the ballroom, the right corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile.
From then on, I saw Lance more frequently in the palace — at dinners, a royal picnic and court gatherings.
One night, the King held a musical event in the ballroom. All the finest musicians in the kingdom had been invited to perform. The atmosphere was lively as the melodies filled the large hall.
As I was not yet old enough to attend such events, I would usually sneak out to one of the small balconies that overlooked the ballroom.
Back in the day of Cai’s grandfather, the ballroom would be used for operas very often and the most important guests would sit and watch from their private balconies.