Chapter 22
Many traditions were tied together when it came to the ceremony of the Blood Knight.
From the battle itself, over the countless dinners, to the smallest rituals like bathing, they followed one another as pearls threaded onto a necklace.
Day by day, step by step, I grew more accustomed to the knight who walked behind me.
But I could never grow accustomed to the fact that he was that Lysande.
It was as though I had erased every day we had spent together from my mind and torn them from my heart with all the strength I possessed. I threw them into the sea, just beneath that little stone wall, where they would remain buried beneath shells forever.
"Your Highness, your knight is waiting for you," one of the maids said while Welme and the others dressed me.
The scent of rosemary, gathered at dawn while the leaves were still covered in dew, had settled into the layers of fabric they carefully pulled over my body.
Welme fastened the expensive ruby necklace around my neck, a gift from some lord, brought back from one of his journeys, before lifting my hair and securing the clasp.
The others slipped rings onto my outstretched fingers while the last maid dabbed perfume from my ankles all the way to my neck.
"Thank you. You may go." I dismissed them with a small wave of my hand, and they bowed before quietly leaving my chambers. Welme remained by the window, her mind drifting somewhere she only knew.
I ran my fingers over the strange carving in the wooden beads of Sando's bracelet before sliding it over my wrist, just as I did every morning.
"Thank you, Welme." A gentle smile touched her lips as she lowered her head.
"Don't worry, Princess. The people will love you."
I turned toward the window instead, absentmindedly brushing my fingertips across the sprig of rosemary hanging beside it.
When she saw I wasn't going to answer, she continued.
"It's only tradition. Besides, all the princesses will be there with you. The commoners love this ceremony."
Yes. They loved it because every new princess scattered gold coins among them—coins handed to her by her own Blood Knight. But the truth was... They hated me. Princess Isolde of Celesta. And they had every reason to do so.
Selfish and childish for years, I had taken advantage of every privilege that came with being a princess while secretly playing at being a commoner.Out of every princess in the kingdom, I was the most disliked. The greatest snob. Sando was their Good Prince. Meera was the People's Princess.
The rest of my siblings, except, of course, Faran had never even needed nicknames. They were greeted with warm smiles wherever they went. But whenever I passed by... People simply fell silent.Their eyes lowered.Eventually, I earned a nickname of my own.The Sugar Princess.
A symbol of luxury... And of the belief that I would melt at the first drop of water.
Nothing more than a spoiled little princess.
My wrists heavy beneath gemstones and my hair woven with gilded silk ribbons, I met Meera, Corian, and, of course, Lys. The two men bowed.
Meera simply looked me over from head to toe before offering a faint smile.
"Sister." "Are you ready?" I smiled back, keeping my chin high.
Corian, wearing his dark helmet and the pale pink cloak he always seemed to favor, stood patiently behind her, waiting for us to begin.
Only Lysande didn't move. He stood completely still, as though rooted to the stone beneath him, staring directly at my face.
Even with his helmet hiding much of his expression, I could still see that his pale pink lips were slightly parted.
His eyes seemed strangely fixed.
When he realized all of us were looking at him, waiting, he quietly cleared his throat and tightened his hand around the hilt of his sword.
Without saying a word, he stepped past me in a single stride, his heavy leather boots scraping against the stone beneath us.
His familiar scent drifted past me, overpowering even the rosemary that clung to my dress.