Twenty-Seven - Mina
Twenty-Seven
Mina
???
A guardsman arrived in Skorsa the evening before I was to leave. Dressed in civilian clothing, he pretended to be a relative here to escort me back to the city. I informed him that I had revealed my identity, listened to his lecture about the risks of doing so with no guards present, and let him summon the rest of my escort into the village.
The other guards wore uniforms, their jobs clear. The people who had wondered if perhaps my confession the day before had been an elaborate prank recognized the truth. With the guards installed in the limited rooms of the tavern, the last bit of comfort I had in the village disappeared. It was one thing for people to learn I was the princess. It was another for them to see it.
In the morning, I pulled Sam into a tight hug after I had said the rest of my farewells. “I need you to promise me something, Sam.”
“Of course. What do you need?”
“I need you to convince the village council not to be fools. I know my revelation distracted everyone from the situation with Powell and Alan, but when the council meets again, they can’t dismiss Alan’s years of work here.”
Sam leaned back, trying to get a good look at my face. “Shouldn’t you be asking me to trick the council into driving him out, pushing him toward Haiwella? ”
“No. If he comes to Haiwella, I want it to be because he wants to, not because he has no other choice.”
“Then I’ll do my best to make the council see reason.”
“Thank you, Sam. If anyone can do it, it’s you. I’m going to miss you.”
He chuckled. “You’ll see me again in a few weeks. There is no chance I am missing your ball.”
“Cole and Gemma promised they’d come, too.”
“Plus Jeff and Kayla. You’ll wish you could have left Skorsa behind completely.”
“No,” I said quietly, “I don’t think I’ll ever wish that.”
???
I returned to the palace without fanfare, as was my custom after traveling through the various parts of the country. I loved dressing like the women of the lower classes—I found their fashions more comfortable and practical—but I also understood the importance of clothes among the court. Until I bathed and armored myself in the proper silks and jewels, it was better to be an anonymous body slipping through the palace corridors.
Knowing my habits, my maid had a steaming bath waiting for me, along with a tray of food. Gathering my dusty riding clothes, she left me to soak in solitude. She returned just as the water turned cool enough that I decided to end my bath.
“Let’s keep it simple today,” I told her as she pulled out a fresh chemise. “I only plan to see my family.”
Simple, of course, meant something entirely different in the palace than outside these walls. The gown my maid chose for me was still a beautiful confection of silk, requiring the special underpinnings I had forgone for the past month. At least the dress didn’t require panniers. I needed to ease myself back into wearing court attire .
The gown was a pale spring green, with ribbons crossing back and forth over the bodice. The skirt split down the front, displaying an undecorated lavender underskirt. It was lovely, but most ladies would disdain it for being understated. I wasn’t immune to the allure of a beautiful gown, but there was something to be said for comfort and simplicity.
Once I was dressed, I dismissed my maid and debated how to spend the remainder of my day. Father would be busy until after supper, but I could probably find my mother and brother without having to brave the court. Before I could decide who to seek out first, the decision was made for me.
A gentle knock on the door was followed by my mother’s voice. “Charmina, are you recovered from your journey?”
I pulled open the door. “The trip from Skorsa to Haiwella is hardly a journey.”
My mother smiled at me. She had the same blond hair as me, but the emerald green eyes she had given my brother. “A month in the village is a journey, though.”
“Then yes, I am recovered.”
My mother’s lips thinned. She must have sensed the lie beneath my words. Physically, I was fine. The ride from Skorsa to the capital had been easy. But emotionally, I didn’t know if I would ever recover from my journey.
“Is there anything I need to know about?”
I shook my head. “Not yet, Mama.”
She didn’t pry. “In that case, we have some ball details to discuss. Come, let’s walk in the inner garden.”
I followed my mother through the wing of the palace reserved for the royal family and out into a courtyard accessible only from said wing. She waited until we were out in the sunshine, the scent of roses surrounding us, to continue the conversation. “It is time for you to make some decisions about your ball, my dear. No more avoidance. ”
I sighed. For the most part, my mother had been happy to plan this ball, seeking out my opinions, but not minding when I claimed indifference. Not that I had done so often. I never brushed off the questions about how to balance men and women during the event, or how much help the crown should offer for people who might not be able to travel to the city without support. I understood the importance of the ball, but what did it matter how we decorated?
“I scheduled a series of performances for the first day of the festivities. On the third, we’ll keep things simple, since the ball is that evening. You need to pick an entertainment for the second day, however. Something active, preferably, since the men vying for your attention will only be spectators on the first day.”
I tilted my head back, letting the sun wash over me. “I’m not sure there is any one activity I can suggest that will accomplish what you want, Mama. Nor do I want to be the lone woman while they show off. It has to be something that allows the female guests to participate.”
Though I was the one who had suggested three days of activities instead of a single ball, I was no longer convinced it was a good idea. Three days wouldn’t allow me to get to know hundreds of men any better than a single evening. Not that I wanted to get to know them.
“Fine, but if you include the women on the second day, then I insist you mingle with the men on the day of the ball, Charmina. You can tour the gardens and socialize.”
“I will,” I promised.
“Then what would you like to do the second day?”
I thought it over. Mama wanted some sort of competition where the men could show off. I wanted something that didn’t leave me feeling like a prize to be won. I also wanted to make the festivities fun. This would be a once in a lifetime event, and several people would be present simply to have a good time with no interest in marrying me. The second day should give visitors the chance to explore the city and make the most of the experience .
“A scavenger hunt,” I announced after a few minutes. “We can invite the merchants, tradesmen, and temples throughout Haiwella to participate. Everyone can see different parts of the city while still taking part in the hunt.”
My mother tapped a slender finger against her lips. “A novel idea, but if everyone is touring the city in small groups, you won’t be able to get to know more than a handful.”
“Nothing we do will allow me to get to know everyone, Mama. But, since it is supposed to be a competition, I’ll make supper with me that evening the prize. The first dozen men to finish will be invited. And the first dozen women can dine with Noel.” I felt no remorse in offering my brother up as a prize. I knew my mother would protest if I allowed women to be included in the supper with me, so it was only fair that they could win a commensurate prize.
“That sounds reasonable. We’ll have to get to work organizing the scavenger hunt quickly.”
“I’ll give Willow and Hayden the task.” I said, naming my secretaries. They’d enjoy the novelty. “I have a few ideas about how it could work.”
“Then I’ll leave it in your hands.” Mama leaned down and sniffed a rose. “Only a few other things to decide, then.”
“Let’s get it over with.”
My mother gave me a chiding look. “You are the one who has put this off for so long, Charmina.”
“My dress,” I said. I had promised Mama I would choose a fabric for my dress when I returned from Skorsa.
“Indeed. I understand you don’t care about how we decorate for the ball, but I cannot make such decisions for you if I do not at least know what you will be wearing. It would be a travesty if you clashed with the decorations.”
For whatever reason, while my mother was willing to decide the decorations for the ball, she was adamant that I at least choose the colors for my gown, though the final design would be in the hands of my modiste. Mistress Dawes knew what shades complemented my coloring and could be trusted to provide an exquisite gown without my input. I cared about as much about the color I wore as how the room was decorated. But Mama’s words made me rethink that for the first time.
She didn’t want me to clash. She could coordinate with the seamstress, but there was one thing that I would wear the night of the ball no matter what. My thumb pressed against the underside of my rose ring, which I hadn’t removed. My dress and other jewelry had to suit the pink-gold or my maid would throw a fit. No, that was an excuse. I wanted the rose ring to match my outfit for the ball.
“Midnight blue, with a blush underskirt,” I said in a burst of decisiveness. “And I want roses decorating the ballroom. Pink, not red. Maybe a few white. Gold accents rather than silver.”
My mother blinked, but she wasn’t about to object to finally getting an answer. “Perfect. I’ll have Mistress Dawes bring a few samples tomorrow for your gown. Any other opinions on decorations?”
“No.”
“In that case, the last thing you need to decide is who to invite.”
I tried to make sense of the words. “Isn’t every eligible commoner invited?”
“I’ve decided that in addition to having inns accommodate men at the crown’s expense, we will house twenty invitees at the palace. I will send special invitations to a random selection of men throughout the kingdom to fill ten of those rooms. You may write personal invitations to ten other men you have met over the years. They must be eligible, though, Charmina. No using your invitations for that elderly scholar or the young peddler who married last year.”
I ran through a quick list in my head. “I only need six rooms, then. You can fill the other four with random invitees.”
“Excellent. Be sure to send out your invitations by the end of the week.”