Chapter 20 #2
“Awkward that she followed him here,” another said disdainfully. “Obviously he’s finished with her if he’s calling her a sponge. As if the prince would ever be serious about someone like her.”
Xavier felt his hand clench into a fist, and his sister had to once again pull him back from striding around the hedge.
“Don’t involve yourself,” she told him firmly. “She can clearly hold her own just fine. You intervening won’t do her any favors.” She took a sip of tea. “I’m impressed how poised she is, actually.”
Xavier didn’t answer at once. Anger was still thundering through his veins at the things those girls had said about Alina.
He knew they were the most empty-headed, spiteful group in the court, and most of the courtiers would know better than to take seriously anything they said regarding the prince whose crown they all coveted.
But he still hated to think of them spreading such lies.
He let out a long breath, finally responding to Miriam’s comment.
“Yes, she knows this world.” Xavier’s voice was a little curt.
He’d accepted that his sister was probably right about his involvement, but he didn’t like it.
“She’s had plenty of experience navigating it.
It’s been a long time, but some habits go deep.
And she’s more confident now than she was at fourteen, not less. ”
“Well, good for her,” Miriam said.
Xavier turned to his sister, glancing between the princess and Alina, whom he could partially see at the refreshments table.
“Mim, can you…take her under your wing?”
“Alina?” Miriam seemed surprised. “I can, but why do you ask, particularly? As we’ve just established, she seems fine. Very confident, very cheerful. I like her.”
Of course you like her, she’s warm laughter and an unquenchable spirit wrapped in physical perfection, and she smells like wildflowers. He didn’t say the words aloud.
“Just show her a good time, will you? Take her to that fancy bathhouse the girls all love, feed her something exotic we can only get in the castle, give her a reason to think positively of the capital instead of just remembering the sad parts of her history here.”
“What sad parts?” Miriam asked, intrigued.
Xavier made an exasperated noise. “Can you just do this for me, please?”
She studied his face. “I’ll be glad to,” she said.
“But don’t expect me to ask no questions after this is done.
I’ve watched you charm, cajole, flatter, and downright hound more girls than I can count.
Sometimes using absurd tactics that seemed to me far more effort than they were worth.
And in all that, you’ve never once asked me to lift a finger to help you win over a girl.
In fact, I’m sure you would have balked at the thought of involving me, or anyone else you had a shred of respect for. ”
Xavier took a moment to answer. She was right, but he wasn’t going to get into it now.
“I have a great deal of respect for you,” he told Miriam.
“And for Alina. This isn’t anything like that.
I just want this to be a good experience for her, and I know I won’t be free to make that happen.
If I’m going to convince Father that I’m serious about this investigation, and he doesn’t need to remove me from it, I have to give it my focus. ”
Miriam’s surprise at this sudden desire to be responsible was palpable. But there was something else on her face, too.
“How delightful,” she said, her gaze unseeing as she stared at the ice melting in her drink. “After years of doing whatever you want, all you need to do is lift a finger in order to be instantly useful, dare I say indispensable.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xavier asked, frowning.
“Nothing.” She gave him a quick smile. “Nothing to do with you, anyway. I’ll look after Alina, don’t worry.”
Over the next few days, Xavier was increasingly grateful to his sister for keeping her word.
For the first time in his life, he threw his energy into convincing his father that he was responsible enough to be trusted with his duties, with the result that his time was as occupied by official business as he’d predicted.
Not just on the investigation, either. He took every opportunity to fill the role of crown prince, so much so that Miriam started teasing Theo that he might need to go away to the seaside in all his spare time.
When Xavier did see Alina, it was almost always in a setting where his persistent admirers made communication near impossible.
The closest they got to real conversation was when he asked after Benji’s application, and Alina told him with glowing features that he’d felt the assessment went very well, and they were daily expecting to hear the outcome.
She was so pretty when she was happy, he reflected wistfully, as an advisor claimed his attention immediately after this disclosure, and Miriam stepped up to join Alina instead.
True to her word, the princess was spending time with Alina each day.
It comforted Xavier for several reasons, one of which was that he knew if Alina left the castle, she would do so in the company of the princess’s guards.
Of course, it wasn’t to be expected that Xavier’s change in demeanor would go unnoticed.
The girls of the court made no secret of their disappointment that he’d returned at last, only to become serious and focused on his duties.
Their efforts to captivate his attention, which he would once have found humorous for their very absurdity, were now a cause of constant embarrassment for him.
Even Zuzu showed a tendency to be offended by his distraction, choosing to roost with the rest of her hatching rather than in his suite with him.
At least he didn’t have to worry about her getting lost while they were in the castle.
They’d been in the capital almost a week when the plans were finalized and the group began to prepare for departure.
Xavier was very pleased with the result of the cooperation between the royal guard and the Craftsman’s Guild.
They’d gone beyond the initial idea of communication magic and developed an enchantment which should create a link between the man who was to act as bait and the craftsman who cast the enchantment.
It should allow them to track the man when he was hopefully taken by the kidnappers, even if he was unconscious or otherwise too incapacitated to use a communication enchantment.
Xavier had promised himself that he’d take Alina to their waterfall before leaving the capital.
He was unable to find a moment to propose the plan to her, so on the morning of their last day, he charged Charles with the message.
Details would have to be worked out at the time, but he hoped Alina would stay around the castle and make herself available.
First, however, he wanted to start the day with a session in the training yard.
He’d had little opportunity to spar during the week, and there wouldn’t be much chance once the investigation resumed.
It was one of the only princely roles he actually enjoyed, and he was generally considered an excellent fighter.
Although not quite the deadliest with a blade in the kingdom, he thought with a shudder of remembered embarrassment.
He passed a very enjoyable hour pitting his skill with a sword against various contenders, coming out on top most of the time, although facing a couple of defeats, as well.
The men all fought without their tunics, and the area was naturally not considered an appropriate place for the women of the court to enter.
Xavier knew from experience that this didn’t stop hopeful young noblewomen from hovering nearby, hoping to catch a glimpse of him in a disheveled state as he was leaving.
He took no pleasure from acknowledging to himself that he’d never tried to discourage this habit. In fact, the reverse.
But he had no interest in being simpered over this time, so his heart sank as he emerged from the training yard to find Lady Helena, the daughter of the visiting Torrenese nobleman.
He dimly remembered that his efforts to impress her were the reason he’d adopted Zuzu.
It seemed incomprehensible now. He’d barely realized she was still in Sindon.
“Your Highness.” She dropped into a curtsy, her eyes lingering on the fully loosened laces of the tunic Xavier had hastily pulled on as he left the training yard. “What a surprise to run into you.”
Xavier grimaced at the appreciative glint in her eye as her gaze passed over his form. He must look very disorderly—he’d been in a hurry to return to his suite and freshen up, hoping to catch Alina for the proposed outing before he could be pulled into any meetings.
He straightened his tunic hastily, summoning a smile.
“Lady Helena. The pleasure of the surprise is all mine, no question.”
Her lovely features wrinkled in a pout. “I hope not, Your Highness. It would be disappointing if you anticipated no pleasure for me from your company.”
The provocative words took Xavier aback a little.
He knew he hadn’t exactly discouraged Lady Helena’s attempts to captivate him before he left for the north.
But she’d just been one of many flirtations, and nothing about her had made a memorable impression on him. He hadn’t remembered she was so bold.
“It’s very unchivalrous of me, isn’t it?” he said. He was itching to get away and prepare to meet Alina.
“And you’re surely not unchivalrous,” Lady Helena persisted. “I can’t believe it of you.”
Impatience rose in Xavier. He remembered the encounter at the luncheon, where his studious efforts not to flirt had prolonged the attempt to get his attention so much that Alina had disappeared in the meantime.
He didn’t want that to happen again. He could just walk away, rudeness be hanged.
But there might be repercussions. He was more aware now of the significance of Lady Helena’s father in certain trade negotiations going on.