Chapter 4
First Week of Faire: Opening Celebrations
A sea of cars filled the parking lot by the time Lilian arrived.
Even though it was an hour before the gates officially opened, a line the length of a football field stretched out from the ticketing booth, filled with men and women dressed in expensive costumes that looked straight out of a historical film.
There were families with their little ones dressed like pirates and princesses.
There was even a dog dressed for the occasion as a furry dragon.
The other neighboring shop was a stationery stall, selling beautiful wax seals, ink, and handmade candles. It smelled faintly like lavender and smoke.
Before stepping inside her own store, Lilian took a moment to stare at the exterior.
The sign hung proudly above the doorway, bold against the faded yellow paint.
She inhaled deeply, letting the moment sink in.
The cool morning breeze, the distant sound of drums and fiddles warming up somewhere beyond the trees.
Everything felt so familiar, yet new enough to make her chest buzz.
This is gonna be my home for the next ten weeks.
The thought propelled her forward as she unlocked the door and opened Bodice and Brawn.
Margo arrived shortly after, letting out a dramatic gasp as she stepped inside. “It’s as beautiful as I remember.”
Lilian laughed under her breath. “If it looks good, that’s all you and the sign.” Compared to the other shops, hers was still relatively bare bones. But it had everything it needed. Merchandise. A shopkeeper. And a damn good sign.
The excitement and nerves had been bubbling all week. If nothing happened, and today turned into a flop, she might actually combust.
Within an hour, the entire faire was open to the public. People flowed down the paths, their eyes bright with excitement as they took in all the decorations, costumes, and shops.
Lilian didn’t know what she’d expected the first day to be like, but it wasn’t to have her entire shop overflowing by noon.
It didn’t take much to fill up the Bodice; ten people made the small space feel cramped.
But it also gave the impression of popularity.
Men, women, and children all stopped to see her books.
She sold a dragon novel to an excited child and an old paperback of The Fellowship of the Rings to a man who was a collector.
But her romance novels were the biggest draw.
Women practically squealed when they saw the shelf space dedicated to the old paperbacks.
She got compliment after compliment, and Lilian was sure her heart was going to burst with pride.
It was a whirlwind that kept her busy for hours.
When she finally found the time to look down at her phone (hidden behind the counter in her purse) it was well past lunchtime, and she hadn’t eaten a thing.
“I’m gonna take ten,” she called to Margo.
“Take thirty, you need a break!”
She smiled to show her appreciation, but there was no way she was going to be away from her shop longer than she needed to be. She grabbed a water bottle and the lunch sack she’d packed before setting out. She found a picnic table down the road where she could sit and still keep an eye on things.
She’d barely sat down when a trumpet blared across the treetops. Lilian froze, the sound catching her off guard, before her brain realized what was happening.
The royal parade!
Everyone turned toward the top of the hill, where the red cloth of the king’s banner peeked over the ridge.
A crier led the way, announcing the arrival of the king and queen, followed by a gaggle of nobles.
Ladies-in-waiting wore wide, bustled dresses.
Men followed in tunics topped with oversized frumpy hats.
Behind them all came a line of stoic guards, closing ranks around the king and queen.
The king waved and smiled at the visitors, bidding them a good day at the faire.
Russ and the couple from the stationery shop stepped out to bow as the procession passed.
The king’s eyes passed over the shopkeepers, sliding past them until they lingered where Margo stood, and Lilian was very noticeably absent.
The smile never left his face, but there was something cold in his gaze as he took everything in. Then his attention landed on the small picnic area. On Lilian, frozen in place like a startled rabbit.
Shit.
The rules didn’t say shopkeepers had to be present at the parade. But she’d heard enough stories about Hawk and the king berating vendors for not partaking in the spirit of the faire.
He stopped short. The sudden halt rippled backward through the parade, an accordion effect that brought the entire procession to a standstill.
He didn’t seem to notice. His focus stayed locked on Lilian as he broke away from the crowd and started toward her.
Oh god. What did I do? Panic seized her at the newfound attention, but the years of faire training kicked in. She gave a deep curtsy in greeting. “Your Highness.”
He nodded, eyes judging her hasty curtsy and her lunch sack she still held in hand. “Ms. Bodice, it seems the new addition to our kingdom is doing well.”
Marcus Carlisle knew every actor and shop owner in his faire, but it still surprised her that he knew her character name. She’d worked at the faire for years, and the man had never once acknowledged her presence before.
Her face flushed in embarrassment, but she quickly remembered the character she was supposed to portray. “Yes, Your Highness. Thank you for the opportunity to open my shop in your kingdom.”
The king’s gaze was fixed on the shop and the crowd of people outside of it. His lips pursed, but before he could say anything else, the queen let out a loud exclamation of joy as she joined their small circle.
“Oh, look at that, darling. I knew the bookstore would be a grand idea. It makes a marvelous addition to the faire. Don’t you agree, my king?”
“It certainly makes… an addition.”
Lilian‘s throat tightened. There was no mistaking the disapproval in the king’s tone.
The queen didn’t seem to notice the tension.
A warm smile graced her face as she turned to Lilian.
“I am so excited for your shop to join the faire, Ms. Bodice. My ladies and I will be stopping by when we can.” The queen leaned in close to whisper, “Do you happen to have Jude Deveraux? I do love her medieval stories.”
“Yes, my queen.” Lilian gave another low bow. Unlike her husband, the queen was all warmth. If they hadn’t been playing these parts, she could imagine herself geeking out over medieval romance novels with this woman. But all she could say was, “I’ll set some aside for you, if you’d like.”
“Marvelous.”
The king made a low snort. “Come, my queen. We should be off. There is much of our kingdom yet to see.”
“Of course.” The queen grinned at her husband, then wiggled her fingers at Lilian as they bustled back into the parade.
Within a breath, the procession started again, disappearing deeper into the woods.
Lilian watched them go until the trumpet faded into the distance.
But even after the king and queen were gone, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the king… didn’t like her.
And she had no idea why.
Was it something she’d said?
No, she’d barely spoken two words to the man. There was only one reason why the king would be upset with her.
Hawk had said something.
“Where is everybody?” Lilian cried as she looked around her empty shop.
Sunday was turning out to be wildly different from Saturday.
The opening-weekend crowds were still roaming the grounds, but the foot traffic into her shop had thinned to almost nothing.
Even worse, she could count the number of sales she’d made on one hand.
She sighed and stared out the doorway as patrons passed by without a second glance. “I guess yesterday was the opening day rush?”
“Maybe,” Margo mused. “Sundays usually are a little slower.”
True. But that still didn’t alleviate the disappointment that hung in her stomach.
Maybe she’d been a little overzealous when she’d imagined her bookshop at the faire. Her mother’s store had tons of books haunting the shelves. There had been plans to bring new tubs of books every weekend to restock, but at this rate, there wouldn’t be any restock.
She was staring at her wooden shelves when a squeal interrupted her thoughts. Blinking, Lilian turned to the front of the store, where a group of teenage girls dressed in their best pirate garb were crowding something.
No, not something.
Someone.
Lilian stared at the handsome knight. His clothes were typical of the other knights who acted in the faire.
A light black doublet covered his torso, depicting a yellow rooster.
His arms and legs were covered in gauntlets, and the sword at his hip reflected the sun with a piercing shine.
The combination made a handsome attire, but it was a lot for the lingering Midwestern summer.
At the height of the day, all the knights looked ready to strip off their armor and go join the half-naked Vikings.
Already his blond curls clung to his head with sweat.
Still, he flashed a perfect smile to his guests.
If it wasn’t for the costume, he could have passed for a tan surf model.
She didn’t realize she was staring until the knight caught her gaze. His bright blue eyes danced in amusement before he gave a friendly wink. “M’lady.”
Whoa. A blush scorched her face. That word was thrown around constantly on the faire grounds, but for some reason, hearing it from him made her stomach erupt in butterflies.
It took all her strength to give a friendly smile back and not throw herself behind the counter.
Margo was also openly staring. “I don’t normally go for the chivalrous knights, but damn.”
“Yeah, who knew someone could make wearing twenty pounds of metal look sexy?” Lilian said.