Chapter 7
W e quickly made our way through the castle to the ballroom.
Ivy, Amyra, and Ethan were all expected to enter ahead of me.
Father agreed to meet me near the entryway, and we would enter together; the outgoing king escorting the soon-to-be queen, to an event designed to choose the new soon to be king.
Over a dozen men were here to try to earn my good favor.
I quickly filled Father in with my three preliminary choices and then selected two more that I randomly recalled from our hours of research.
He intended to have conversations with these men this evening, to evaluate their commitment to our kingdom.
He would tell me the next morning what his take was on the men prior to a council meeting to announce the selection.
Father, and the Council believe I intended to choose one man at the meeting in the morning.
I didn’t think telling them differently would go well.
They might have said no, giving me a bigger problem.
But I hoped that by presenting the list of three men in a way that feels spontaneous to them, they might have agreed to a time to get to know them longer.
The band played the queue we knew to listen for, causing Father to glance at me. “Ready?” He asked, reaching for my hand on his elbow.
“As ready as I could be,” I replied. The question and reply had been our little ritual for these events.
It was comforting to go through it one more time.
I blinked back another tear. As we turned to the doors, they opened.
We heard our names announced, and in unison, we stepped forward and started our entrance.
All eyes turned to us, and I scanned the crowd.
I quickly found Amyra and Ivy standing near the bottom of the stairs on the right, and Ethan was not far away from them, standing with Lady Katelle and Lord Denenbaum.
They appeared to have been talking to a man I didn’t know.
I suspected he was Prince Egan. On the left side, I noticed Spencer standing with his father.
I recognized other faces from past travels.
As we reached the top of the stairs, we paused, allowing for the room to bow and curtsy.
I never could get used to seeing people defer to us in this way.
Perhaps this was a custom that I could change.
I’d rather people see me as their peer, not someone they ought to put on a pedestal to worship.
We made our way down the stairs, and as we touched the bottom, the crowd finally rose out of their bows and curtsies.
Father and I stayed together as he steered us towards a couple of gentlemen I didn’t recognize.
They greeted us with practiced grace as Father introduced them.
The only one I made a note of was Prince Frederick.
He was far more handsome than I expected.
But, not in the flashy way of younger nobles eager for attention, his attractiveness came from a deliberate, polished manner that caught the eye without trying.
His sandy blond hair was neatly combed back, not a strand out of place, and the warm lighting of the ballroom brought out subtle gold tones in it.
His had high cheekbones, a clean jawline, and a mouth that seemed always poised on the edge of either charm or calculation.
It gave him an air of quiet authority. But it was his pale blue eyes, steady and assessing beneath straight brows, that truly caught me.
They didn’t flinch or fawn the way so many others had tonight.
Instead, they watched me like a man who already understood that power was best won with patience.
We exchanged the usual pleasantries until Frederick, with a small, knowing smile, asked me to dance.
I glanced at Father. He gave me a brief nod.
Not permission, that wasn’t needed any more, this was acknowledgement of our shifting roles.
I no longer needed his leave, and that small freedom felt more satisfying than I expected.
Frederick offered his arm, and I accepted, letting him lead me toward the dance floor.
We continued our small talk as we moved, his words light and well-chosen, slipping in a story about a mischievous nephew that drew a genuine smile from me.
But as the music swelled around us, I felt his gaze sharpen, studying me not with the idle interest of a man seeking favor, but like a strategist reading a map.
“Princess Lyla,” he said at last, his tone dipping into something quieter, more intentional, “I fear I’m boring you with stories of my family. My aim was to put you at ease, but you are not a woman easily disarmed.”
I tilted my head slightly, intrigued despite myself.
“You’re guarded — rightly so,” he continued. “I imagine it’s no simple thing to weigh a lifetime of partnership from an evening of dances. If I may ask something a touch bold?” He paused, waiting for my nod of permission. His restraint, I noted, was deliberate. He was drawing me in, not pushing.
“I’ve heard you are as intelligent as you are formidable. I doubt you’d step into a hall like this without a strategy. Surely you already have names in mind, perhaps even a quiet ranking. Do you?”
His question didn’t surprise me, but it impressed me. He understood the game. He understood me . I merely inclined my head, hoping my silence would encourage him to continue.
“If it isn’t too bold, I’d like to know, is there a chance? Or should I just enjoy this visit to your kingdom for what it is, and look forward to strengthening our relations in other ways?”
When positioned like that, how could I not want him in the competition if the Council allowed it? His stories and his respect for me definitely elevated him above the others, even if he wasn’t part of my original selection, to entice Lord Luther into accepting the tournament .
I realized my thoughts left me silent a beat too long. “Yes, sorry, I had planned to seek you out this evening, and you are indeed on my short list. I have heard good things and intended to understand more about you.”
His lips curved in a small, knowing smile. “Then allow me one more question: is there space on that list for me? Or should I content myself with enjoying your kingdom’s hospitality and look toward strengthening our nations in other ways?”
His smile deepened, not triumphant but genuinely pleased.
“Then I am glad I did not squander this moment. I won’t take too much of your time, but know this — while the idea of a betrothal at dawn is daunting, if this dance were our last moment tonight, I would leave it content.
Knowing you spared me a thought, knowing you spared me a smile — it would be enough. ”
The band swelled into the first notes of a waltz. He gave a slight tilt of his head, his timing impeccable. “I’ll take the end of this song as my cue to release you back to your court. May I have the honor of bringing you a drink before you move on?”
I nodded, warmth rising to my cheeks as he bowed low, pressing a light kiss to my hand before he stepped away. My gaze followed him, lingering longer than I meant it to.
There was something about him — something I hadn’t expected. Clever, certainly. Calculated, yes. But beneath all that polished charm and diplomacy, there was a quiet fire, a man who knew exactly how dangerous the game was and played it anyway. I wasn’t sure yet if that made him a threat or an ally.
Perhaps both.
Either way, I found myself wondering what it would feel like to stand beside him — not as adversaries, not even as allies, but as equals.
As I looked away from him, my eyes landed on Ethan, who was leading the man I saw earlier towards me.
I looked beyond them, noticing Katelle and Lord Denenbaum watch them until another guest took their attention from us.
I took a breath to clear my mind from Prince Frederick, and smiled as Ethan and the man reached me.
Ethan spoke first. “Princess Lyla, you look stunning tonight! You must be pleased with Eliza’s creation. She really outdid herself this time.”
I smiled at the compliment. He may have seen me earlier, but he certainly knows how to play up the charisma at these events. “Yes, she really has. I’m forever indebted to her for this look.”
I glanced down at my dress, admiring a specific orchid in her detailed embroidery once more. As I raised my head, Prince Frederick returned with my glass. He reached for my hand, and said, “Your Highness, as I promised.”
I took the glass of wine from him, and he turned to Ethan and the man, saying, “Gentlemen, I apologize, I shall not interrupt or monopolize our fair Princess’s time,” and then turned to leave.
I stared after him, wondering how much of his kindness was real, and how much was an act to charm.
I hadn’t met many men who were truly kind for the sake of kindness, but it was still hard to know which way any person could lean.
That Lord Luther chose him gave me appreciable pause, but his actions tonight spoke more in line with my values.
How much is an act, and how much is genuine?
I brought my attention back to Ethan and the man, just as he spoke again, “Lyla, please, let me introduce you to Prince Egan.”
The Prince bowed before me. “Princess Lyla, it is entirely my pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
His stiffness in speech revealed his nerves.
One downside to coming from a kingdom like his, where your court isolates itself and protects their activities, must be this awkward lack of confidence.
I noticed Ethan offer a small nudge, which seemed to signal him to rise from his bow.
Before I could mask my emotions with a sip from my drink, a hint of a smile escaped, despite my best efforts.
I decide at this moment to play nice and help him guide the conversation.