Chapter 45
Mother and Comfort had already disappeared into the crowd, eager to greet old friends and make new acquaintances.
I, on the other hand, didn’t recognize any of my old friends from during my years in the castle.
Curtis was nowhere in sight. Surely he would be either at Aria’s side if she was here or surrounded by a gaggle of girls, each one intent on meeting a prince.
Still, I was surprised at how few girls had gathered.
The ballroom was crowded, yes, and I recognized plenty of villagers, but there were perhaps only a few hundred in attendance, far fewer than I had expected for a summons that should have drawn every eligible girl in the kingdom.
There should have been thousands of girls.
I drifted along the room’s edge, listening to the orchestra and amused amusing myself for a short while, imagining what the castle would look like if thousands of girls had flocked to the ball.
There would be girls swinging on the chandeliers, spilling out of every window, and crammed together so tightly no one would have been able to move.
The king and queen stood near the dais, patiently greeting their endless line of subjects. I caught a glimpse of Comfort as she waltzed past in the arms of some handsome man.
“Miss Truly?”
The voice startled me. I turned and found myself face-to-face with one of my former students—though he now stood a full head and a half taller than when I had last seen him. It took me a moment to recognize him.
“Archie?”
He grinned, stepping forward. It looked like he was coming in for an embrace, but I wasn’t sure if he was going for a hug or to shake hands, so we ended up shaking hands at uncomfortably close quarters. I laughed and Archie’s shoulders relaxed.
“What are you up to these days?” I asked Archie. “Are you still talking back to your linguist tutors?”
“I am the linguist tutor now,” he said. “All thanks to you and your enthusiasm for Avivian tense changes.”
“Congratulations! You’ll be an apprentice court linguist before long. And how is your sister Ani—right?”
His eyes lit up. “She’s very well, thank you. She still talks about the day she helped you and Prince Curtis dig that pit, cover it with twigs and leaves, then lure Prince Hubert straight into it.”
I laughed aloud. “That was a good day. Give her my best wishes, will you?”
“I beg your pardon?” The orchestra had swelled to a thunderous cadence, drowning my words.
“Best wishes!” I repeated, raising my voice.
“Ah!” Archie inclined his head toward a side door. “Shall we continue in the hall?”
Glad for the excuse to escape the noise, I followed him into the quieter corridor.
“So what brings you here tonight?” he asked politely. “Did you come to avenge me taking your tutoring position?”
“Not at all. I actually came to express my condolences that you now have to put up with young twelve-year-old boys. I know just how unruly they can be.”
He wearily shook his head. “I don’t think I ever misbehaved as much as some of the students I have now.”
A laugh escaped from between my lips. “Trust me, you did. I don’t even need to meet your students in order to say that with confidence.”
He let out a bark of laughter. “Let’s talk about something other than my wayward behaviors as a child.”
“I heard Hubert broke his engagement to Aria,” I ventured. In truth, I felt less like the teacher and more like the pupil. How much did I want to know?
“It was…a mutual decision to part ways,” he said smoothly. His relaxed state of a minute before had vanished and was replaced with a cool mask of decorum.
I smiled to myself. I knew too well the art of dressing up ugly truths for the sake of appearances.
“So, it was an unmitigated disaster when they broke it off?” I quipped.
Archie’s mask cracked and he chuckled, “Something like that. Neither had ever been overly fond of their betrothal, so it was for the best, but the Council was panicking. Wars have been started for less.”
“Is there—” I began, but Archie cut me off.
“No, no. Everything is fine. They were just paranoid. Since Aria was the one who called it off and Hubert had no objections, it was smoother than we expected, even if still tense. But the king wants Hubert to find a bride soon, hence the ball.”
There were plenty of maidens who would not care a whit for who they married so long as they could call themselves queen. I shuddered at the thought. After watching the love my parents had shared, I had no desire to wed anyone less than a best friend.
I was just about to inquire after Curtis taking over the engagement when an official stepped into the hall. He had a pointed beard that curled almost as much as his lip. His eyes flicked over me dismissively before turning to Archie.
“Pardon the interruption, but His Majesty requires your assistance.”
Archie straightened, instantly more professional. “Of course.” He gave me a quick bow. “Forgive me but I must take my leave. Enjoy the ball.”
I curtsied in farewell, then wandered down the corridor alone.
I wasn’t eager to rush back into the ballroom.
I didn’t want to be a shadow to Mother or Comfort, both of whom would be thoroughly enjoying this rare night of socializing.
If only I had a mirror to check that my cosmetics still hid my scars.
What I really needed to do was find Curtis and apologize before I lost my nerve.
Already, my courage seemed to be faltering.
The halls were chilly, and I folded my arms tightly across my chest. How could the castle be so cold when it was a warm summer night?
Deciding to forgo the gloomy interior of the castle, I instead turned out into a quiet courtyard.
The air was fresher here, carrying the perfume of flowers from the gardens, and the faint strains of the orchestra drifted through the open windows, underscored by the chirping of crickets and the soft calls of night birds.
I sank onto a stone bench, tugged off Comfort’s fashionable but painfully tight shoes, and stretched my feet with a sigh of relief.
The moon cast a gentle glow, and the stars pricked one by one into existence above me.
For the first time that evening, I felt my anxiety loosen its grip.
I wondered where Mother and Comfort were.
No doubt they were both dazzling admirers with their wit and beauty, just as they had during so many of the balls from my youth.
The thought tugged me back into memory. So many of my best childhood moments had unfolded within these walls.
How I missed those happier, simpler times.
A figure passed by a lit window on the other side of the courtyard. I froze.
Could it be?
I rose from the bench, heart pounding. “Curtis?” I whispered softly to myself. Then louder, unable to stop myself, called, “Curtis!”
The figure halted, then turned. With the light behind him, it was difficult to see his face, but he began walking slowly towards me. “Truly?” he asked, incredulously. “Is that you?”