Chapter 16
Everywhere Nymiria went for the next day and a half, petals were stuck to the soles of her shoes and the bottoms of her skirts.
The cherry trees were in full bloom and with each breeze, a blizzard of pink and white blossoms coated the ground, every street, every store looking as if it had received a fresh blanket of colorful snow.
She hadn’t seen Everand since their exchange and received word that he was going to retrieve his parents in Alvaros.
Thankfully, Aziel hadn’t demanded for her to attend any lessons, believing that she needed rest for what they were going to attempt next.
He also had not returned to the palace the night before, leaving her to wonder if the unsolicited hug she’d given him in the forest had scared him off.
“There you are!” A deep voice called from behind her.
Nymiria turned, a smile blooming across her face when she saw Trio jogging to catch up with her.
She paused, waiting for him before they both continued walking at the same pace.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you—your father wanted me to invite you to his palace tonight for dinner. ”
Nymiria nodded. “I’ll be there.”
Trio glanced around at the market. “There has been a dress delivered for you. It should be in your rooms when you return home for the day.” He flicked a cherry blossom off of his shoulder. “Aziel told me what happened with Everand. Are you alright?”
She considered this for a moment and then shrugged.
“I must admit that I’m still slightly angry with Everand.
I’ve become rather defensive over all of you, you know?
I don’t like the fact that anyone would deem you unworthy based upon the shackles you all once wore.
” She folded her arms around her waist, incisors scraping over her lower lip.
“You are quite the conundrum, Nymiria Celentas.” Trio chuckled.
She gasped, placing her hand to her chest. “Me?”
“Yes, you.” He jabbed, nudging her side. “Have you ever considered taking your own advice or simply showing yourself the same grace that you give others?”
“I’m learning to.” Over a month had passed since she arrived in Eadyn.
When she first came to this place, she’d been so trapped in her self-hatred that she could hardly see beyond it.
There were moments, many like these, where she saw glimpses of who she could become.
“I was once terrified to show my face here.” She confessed.
“I believed that people would see me and only remember the horrible things that happened to them, but… it seems as if they don’t even know who I am anymore. ”
Trio looked down at her, wearing a small smile.
“They don’t.” He began. “They don’t know who you are anymore.
They know what you did was not your fault and they have no reason to blame you.
The people here trust your father and they know, despite everything that happened, that you were just a child. ”
Nymiria remembered the day she’d been crowned as queen.
She was awoken by her mother’s advisors in the dead of night, hauled out of her mother’s palace in nothing but her sleeping clothes, and carted to the courtyard.
They did a fast ceremony, so speedy that they’d skipped over anointing her with Greia’s Nectar, and placed that crown upon her head.
The next morning, she was rushed from meeting to meeting, asked to make decisions that she didn’t even understand the concept of. Eventually, they told her that her mother was gone and wasn’t coming back. That she, a fifteen year old girl, would stand in her mother’s place.
It was then that she attempted something so horribly foolish by running to the very people that would eventually imprison her people and asking them for help.
Noticing the rigidity of her shoulders, Trio placed a hand upon one of them, offering her a warm smile. “Let’s focus on something else, shall we? I’ve come across some particularly wonderful information about you finally gaining control of your abilities.”
Nymiria cast him a playful sidelong glare, lips kicked up at the corner. “Oh, really? Have you been spying on me again?”
“I wouldn’t constitute it as spying, per say. But it is my job to ensure to know the happenings in the kingdom. From the mundane to the extraordinary. Spy is not my official job title—as I recall, I believe that title belongs to you.”
Nymiria turned her head, hoping to hide the heat that was surely tinting her cheeks a pale pink color. “As if either of you would ever let me forget it.” She grumbled. “I wasn’t purposefully spying that night, just so that we are clear.”
Trio held up his hands in mock defense. “I’m not teasing. I commend you, honestly. For staying quiet as long as you did behind that buffet.”
“Did both of you know that I was there the whole time?” She nearly squealed.
“Of course we did.” He laughed. “At first, I believed the two of you were fucking. The smell of it was so thick that I could have choked on it.”
Nymiria shielded her face with her hands, groaning loudly into her palms before looking at him again. “I’m mortified.”
“Don’t be.” He glanced over his shoulder before leaning close to her ear. “I’d be lying if I said I have never taken a peak, myself. He’s impressively gorgeous.”
Unable to control herself, Nymiria reached out and slapped his arm. He let out a laugh, throwing his arm across her shoulders as they continued through the streets towards Aziel’s palace.
They walked a while longer, browsing the plethora of stalls lining the streets before Trio looked at the sun and reluctantly bid himself farewell.
He moved into the throng of shoppers and merchants before vanishing into a swirl of shadows.
Nymiria watched after him, wishing she would have asked more questions about him and Desi.
She missed Desi’s comfort, missed them spending nearly all hours of the day together.
She’d learned how to navigate life without having someone always watching over her, but missed her friend.
From what little Aziel had told her in the last few weeks, Desi was a strong soldier. She was determined and diligent, extremely precise with a blade. But even with that to comfort her, Nymiria still feared for Desi’s safety.
Without having any particular place to be, Nymiria made her way back to the palace. She walked to her rooms and closed the door, her chest fluttering when she saw the large box sitting on top of her untouched bedding. When she opened the box, her breath caught in her throat.
The gown was so pale pink that it was almost white, the bodice decorated with blossoms that’d been dyed the same color, their centers decorated with gleaming white gems. A sheer, spidersilk material covered the place where her midriff would be, crystals woven into the delicate threads.
The bottom of the skirt was covered in the same flowers as the bodice, full of blooms at the bottom, but growing sparser closer to the waistline.
The capped sleeves were the same white spidersilk.
She couldn’t imagine that a simple dinner would require her to wear something that beautiful, but her skin tingled with the urge to put it on.
Nymiria never hated dresses. She just hated the ones that Dorid gifted her, knowing that they were rewards for killing, or a costume she would wear to kill. There was nothing about this dress that felt quite as threatening.
She rushed to the washroom, making a quick job of bathing and oiling her skin with a cherry blossom scent before she carefully worked her way into the dress.
It molded to her form perfectly, every inch of the moonflowers along her arms visible.
She turned from side to side, astonished at how well the colors complimented her skin.
“Does it fit well?”
Nymiria released a squeal, snatching her discarded dagger from the top of her vanity and turning towards the intruder.
Aziel was leaning against the arch of the doorway, his dark clothing a stark contrast from her own.
His black horns curled out from his head, his silver hair nearly entirely darkened.
She drew in a calming breath, dropping the dagger. “You should have knocked.”
Aziel smirked. “But you’ve made barging in unannounced look like such fun. I thought I would give it a try.”
She couldn’t even be angry with him about it.
Though she wanted to say something smart in return, Nymiria merely turned away from him and walked towards the jewelry box beside her armoire.
She sorted through hair ornaments and earrings, glancing up when he began looking at the wall of oils and soaps.
“I don’t know what soapmaker you had to rob to get all of those, but I appreciate the thought.
” She bit back a smile, plucking one hair ornament out of the box.
He let out a low chuckle. “She did look rather astonished when I put in my requests.”
“So, it was you, then? You arranged everything in this room?” Aziel approached her with sensual grace. Despite the urge to move away, her muscles, her heart included, would not allow it.
“Down to every fine detail,” his voice was dark, his breath warm against her cheek as he spoke.
She kept her eyes focused elsewhere, but could not control the way her heart responded when he moved her hair out of her face.
“It was rather disappointing to hear you say that you didn’t like this room. ”
It was rather disappointing to find out that he’d had a room made for her when she never asked him for one. She would have preferred his—
“Moonflower.” He tisked, everything about him taunting her. She shivered, desperately wanting to inch away from him, but was only able to manage a twitch. Everything was far too warm—his body, far too close.