Chapter 7
Seven
My rooms are quiet when I crack open the door, though all the ladies are present.
Two of them are reading on the window seat, three are doing embroidery on the couches near the fireplace, and a pair have pulled a second chair to my writing desk and are playing cards.
Marian is in the corner speaking to a woman I don’t know.
As soon as I widen the gap enough to step inside, the women jump to their feet and drop into low curtsies. It’s the most formal greeting I’ve seen from them, and it makes me take a step back.
“Your Highness.” Marian rises from her curtsy, then walks toward me, the other woman following behind her.
The newcomer didn’t curtsy, and though all the gowns on my ladies are elegant, she’s dripping in pearls and sparkling diamonds. I probably am supposed to bow to her.
“Princess Sabina, this is Duchess Drathmore. She’s the late empress’s mother.”
I incline my head, completely unsure of what I’m supposed to do.
In my brief overview about being a royal, I was told to act the part and make sure I curtsy to the emperor.
That’s about as much as I know, and I’m realizing it is not enough if I want to keep this charade going. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” she says as she moves closer to me. “They were right. You are quite beautiful. You and the prince will have gorgeous children. My daughter would have been pleased. She always wanted to be a grandmother.”
The whole conversation is odd considering this woman, the prince’s grandmother, doesn’t look like she’s much older than Marian.
The emperor is said to be immortal, but when his wife of over a century died, it gave the rebellion hope.
If he couldn’t keep his bride alive, surely it means the magic isn’t infallible.
But if that is the case, how does this woman appear so young? Was she even older than the emperor? Were all the nobles immortal?
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to meet her. I am terribly sorry for your loss.” I do my best to appear sympathetic while contemplating how I could overcome the magic that keeps them alive.
“You honor her by bringing peace to our empire. It was her dream to see a time without war. I hear there’s already a truce at the frontline. That for the first time in sixty years, there’s no fighting at the border.” She smiles.
“That’s good news.”
“Quite. Now, Marian, who did my grandson hire to dress her for the Darkfall ball?” the duchess asks.
My brow furrows. “Darkfall ball?”
“Every five years when the moons retreat, we hold a celebration,” Marian says. “Did they not have this in Iskvaland?”
Most of the year, both our moons are visible, but for part of the year, we get one or the other.
Once every five years, they both vanish from the sky for two weeks.
Growing up, it was a time to lock your doors and be inside before sunset.
We left offerings of food near our home for any creatures that might pass through the veil.
Extra firewood was gathered in advance to keep the fire burning all night.
I can only remember going through it once with both of my parents. Before I moved from our home in the mountains to the city where my life changed forever.
Our first Darkfall after my father’s death was spent in a rebellion safehouse.
My mother tried to continue some of the traditions from our old life, but there was always so much work to do.
Even so, there was joy. It was the first time I saw her smile again.
I could almost see my brothers around our modest fire.
Felix had just started leading his own missions, Arthur always by his side.
My mother was so proud. That was about the time I started helping with maps and documents.
Last Darkfall I spent most of my time with Lee, but I don’t want to think about that, either.
I blink away the memories. “It’s a little different where I come from.”
“That’s because the Iskvalandians are superstitious and fearful of the dark,” a male voice says. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“What an unexpected surprise.” I smile at Caiden as he walks into the room.
The duchess’s whole expression softens, and she greets her grandson with a hug. “Don’t you look handsome.”
“It’s nice to see you, Grandmother,” he says.
“Your bride is very beautiful.” She glances my way. “You’re lucky. I’ve met my share of homely girls from Iskvaland.”
It’s both an insult against Iskvaland and praise for me. “You’re very kind.”
She hums, not removing her gaze from me. I think she expected me to react differently.
“What are you doing here?” he asks, ignoring her remarks.
“I arrived back in the city two days ago, and you had yet to call upon me.”
I’m grateful her attention is no longer on me.
“I’ve been busy.” Caiden picks a piece of lint from his sleeve.
“Yes, so I hear. Running an empire? Nobody has seen your father in three years,” she says. “There are rumors. None of them good. They make you look weak.”
“I am not weak. And father is currently overseeing some important operations for us,” he says. “Plenty of people have seen him and those who haven’t aren’t important enough to merit a visit.”
The older woman purses her lips. “I remember when there were still manners in this court.”
“Do us all a favor, darling grandmother, and tell me why you’re really here? Is it to see my father or to spy on my bride-to-be?” He’s smirking, as if he’s amused by her.
She lifts a finger and wags it at him as if she were scolding a child. “You should have invited me to meet her. I should not have had to make the trip myself, unannounced at that. Like I’m unimportant. I may no longer be the mother of the empress, but I am the grandmother of the future emperor.”
He catches her finger, then clasps her hand in his. “I know. And tradition says I was not to show her off until she’d been formally introduced to the court. Which she will be in a few days. Until then, she’s not even supposed to have visitors or leave the castle.”
“Rules that you’ve already broken.” She rests her hand on her hips. “Jacques was my jeweler first, you know.”
“And he’s got a big mouth.” Caiden tenses his jaw.
“Don’t be too hard on him. He only told me.”
Caiden looks over at me, then scans the room, as if noticing his audience for the first time. The ladies all gasp and hurriedly drop into curtsies.
“I asked Perla to come.” The duchess folds her hands in front of her.
“I already have another seamstress scheduled,” he says.
“Cancel. Perla dressed your mother. She should dress the future empress as well.” The duchess pats his cheek, and Caiden flinches.
He sighs. “Fine. But you need to leave her be until she’s been introduced to the court. There’s too much gossip already.”
“Alright,” the duchess agrees. She turns to me. “It was nice to meet you, darling. I will send an invitation for tea as soon as my grandson removes your restrictions.”
“That sounds nice, thank you,” I say.
Caiden stares at the ladies until they scurry away before facing me. “Princess, I stopped by to apologize for not taking you myself today and to formally invite you to dinner.”
“Of course, Your Highness,” I reply.
He nods, then escorts his grandmother from the room.
After a few minutes of staring at the closed door, I let out a breath, and it feels like everyone follows suit. I look around at the ladies, all of their hobbies abandoned. “Were you all putting on a show for the duchess?”
“She’s a very traditional woman.” Marian smooths the fabric of her skirts.
“And powerful,” Charlotte adds. “My mother once told me she had more sway over the emperor than the empress herself.”
“You don’t want to cross her,” Marian warns.
“I heard the empress displeased her mother, and that’s why she—”
“Katherine!” Marian cuts in.
Katherine snaps her mouth closed then looks away, her face pink.
“What do you mean? Are you saying the Dutchess had something to do with the empress’s death?” I scan the faces around me.
“Of course not.” Antonia picks up her abandoned embroidery and drops into a chair. “She’s not a royal and with her daughter dead, her only tie to the crown is her grandson. Don’t let them get to you.”
“Who wants to play cards?” Katherine blurts.
“I’ll play.” I might not have been out in the field for the rebellion, but my brothers sure learned a lot of information during card games over the years. And whatever these ladies know, I am going to find out.
Katherine, Charlotte, and Antonia join me at the dining table. The others go back to their reading or embroidery, and Marian tells us she has to check about the seamstress.
As we play simple games, the ladies talk. They share gossip about their families and speculate on who is pregnant or who might be the next to be engaged. I listen, hoping to hear something I can use.
“June says her brother is going to visit the temple during Darkfall,” Charlotte says.
“Jamison? I thought he wasn’t going to be a legionnaire,” Antonia says.
“He’s not. She said he got a position with someone important enough that they petitioned for him to get magic,” Charlotte explains as she plays a card.
I straighten.
“He’s not from an important enough family,” Antonia says.
“Most of the favored families sent their sons in the last Darkfall,” Charlotte says. “There are fewer to go through this time.”
“That’s true,” Katherine draws a card, “I heard there were a few families who were afraid to send their sons after the accident last Darkfall.”
“What accident?” I can’t help but ask.
“At the temple,” Katherine says. “One of the men they sent to meet the gods died. It was like the gods found him so unworthy of magic that they killed him.”
“I heard it was because his mother slept with a commoner,” Antonia whispers. “She was barely a noble herself. Not enough god’s blood in him to withstand the gift.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Oh, that’s right, you don’t have magic in Iskvaland,” Charlotte says.
“No, we don’t.”