Chapter 7 #4
“Hey.” I reached out and took her hand to stop her. “Are you okay?”
Serra’s eyes welled up with tears, so I pulled her into a warm embrace.
“I’m sure that was scary for you,” I murmured.
“I’m fine,” Serra sniffed and pulled back to give me a brave smile. “It was just…”
“A lot?” Tanell offered.
Serra nodded and leaned in to kiss my cheek.
“I’d like to wash and change into my nightgown before we eat,” she said. “If that’s alright?”
“Of course,” I said and gave her another hug. “You don’t need my permission for stuff like that.”
Serra’s eyes filled with tears again, but she smiled warmly at me and kissed me before she headed into the bedchamber. She was in there for a moment before she came out and went into the bathroom.
“Is she really okay?” I turned to Tanell. “She seems pretty shaken.”
“She’ll be fine,” Tanell assured me, and I believed her. “I think she’s still learning that she’s so safe with you.”
“Well, of course she is,” I said in amazement. “Did I do something to make her think otherwise?”
“No, no!” Tanell placed her hands on my chest in a comforting gesture. “It’s not you, Ken. Oberis was just… cold, and while we never understood the full extent of what he was doing in the kingdom, we knew he wasn’t the kindest man. He took what he wanted from us, and that was our place…”
“Serra put up a lot of walls,” Yori explained.
“I think she’s still learning to let them down for you,” Tanell added. “It takes a lot of mental work to relearn that you’re safe after years of having to protect yourself and your heart.”
My chest tightened with a storm of overwhelming emotions, and I longed to snap my fingers and fix everything for the beautiful women who’d come into my life.
“Is there anything I can do to…” My face scrunched with uncertainty. “To help her with that?”
“Just keep being you,” Tanell said in a sweet tone. “And give her time.”
That wasn’t the most ideal answer. I wished there was something tangible I could do, but I saw the wisdom in Tanell’s advice.
She smiled sweetly at me as she pulled the last pins from her hair, and the golden-blonde locks cascaded down around her shoulders like a waterfall. She carded her fingers into the heavy mass and sighed in contentment as she massaged her scalp.
A knock on the door drew my attention, and when I answered it, Merryl was standing there with a massive tray in her hands.
“Your Majesty.” She dipped her chin much lower than I thought possible while balancing the tray. “I’m so sorry for your experience this evening. I promise, this inn is a reputable place–”
“It’s okay, Merryl,” I assured her with a light chuckle. “It’s not your fault. I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.”
“Oh…” Merryl’s eyes went wide in surprise. “Um… I, uh, I have your dinner here.”
“Thank you.” I stepped aside to let her pass.
Merryl carried the tray over to the coffee table, and another maid who was probably twenty years older than me brought in a second tray.
“Is there anything else I can get for you, sire?” Merryl asked.
“No, that’s good,” I said. “Thank you.”
“Enjoy your evening, Your Majesty.” She curtsied, and then the two maids left the room.
Serra joined us a moment later in a white cotton nightgown, and we all settled around the coffee table to finally enjoy our dinners. Despite the multiple delays, the food was still hot, and it filled our bellies after the chaotic events of the evening.
We all slept deeply after the hearty meal, and in the morning, we took a little extra time to get ready before we headed back out to the carriage.
Palchur checked in with me about the fight, and I was pleased by his mild reaction.
The most he said was praise for Anders and his team, as well as a bit of admiration for how I’d handled the situation.
After that, we all loaded up into the line of carriages, and Carissa rejoined my queens and me for the last leg of the journey.
“We should arrive in a few hours,” Tanell informed us as we headed away from the inn.
“Wonderful,” Carissa sighed.
“I can’t wait to see the other royals,” Yori said in excitement. “What do you think the Silver Coast Royals are like?”
“I don’t know,” Tanell admitted. “I’ve never met them.”
“My father used to praise the queen,” Carissa said with a scowl. “So she’s probably awful.”
“Probably,” I laughed.
We threw out a few predictions and guesses about the other nations’ leaders for a few minutes before we settled in to pass the next few hours. None of us wanted to play any more cards, so we mostly chatted and enjoyed the scenery.
The time passed swiftly with such pleasant company. Eventually, excited shouts started to reach us inside the carriage from the front of the caravan.
Yori pressed her hands to the window as she squished her cheek to the glass to have a look ahead.
“Can you see it?” Carissa asked.
“Not ye–” Yori gasped. “Yes! Oh, my god! It’s amazing!”
Anticipation itched inside my mind, and I leaned forward as the carriage began to loop around. Finally, I got my first look at the tent city that had been constructed for the meeting of the royals.
“Wow,” I breathed.