Page 51 of Kingdom of Feathers

“This is Sir Gelding,” King Lloyd said, sounding a little begrudging at being required to perform the introduction.

“Well, Sir Gelding,” Basil said amicably, “if you’d like to…look over any others from my group, I’m sure they’d all be glad to cooperate.”

King Lloyd narrowed his eyes, perhaps trying to decide whether Basil was being insolent. But he made no comment.

“I trust you are comfortable,” he said instead, in clipped accents. “As you are already aware, I am not at liberty to meet with you again today. I expect I will be similarly occupied all of tomorrow, as well.”

“I understand perfectly, Your Majesty,” said Basil cheerfully. “There are many demands on a king’s time. I’m sure I’ll occupy myself quite effectively while I await your convenience.”

King Lloyd looked more annoyed than ever, but apparently he could think of no appropriate retort. With a stiff incline of his head, he turned on his heel and strode from the room, Sir Gelding in his wake.

Chapter Thirteen

“Well,” Basil said, turning to Princess Wren, “if I didn’t know better, I’d—”

He broke off. Wren was watching the retreating pair, her eyes fixed on Sir Gelding’s back. Basil would have described her expression as fearful.

She seemed to suddenly notice his regard, because she turned to him, looking flustered. She raised an eyebrow in a clear question, gesturing for him to finish his thought.

“Oh,” said Basil slowly, pulling his thoughts back to the conversation he’d just had with King Lloyd. “I was just saying that if I didn’t know better, I’d think your father was disappointed I wasn’t more offended by his unavailability.”

He saw a tiny wince cross Wren’s face before she smoothed out her expression. She put a hand in the pocket where Basil knew her slate rested, but paused, biting her lip.

Basil smiled. “It’s all right,” he said softly, having no difficulty reading the conflict in her eyes. “You don’t have to defend him, I understand.” His gaze became unseeing for a moment, and he let out a sigh. “Heaven knows my father was much more unreasonable than yours, and I still loved him.”

Pulling himself together, he gave his head a little shake before focusing back on Princess Wren. Those dark eyes were at their most expressive as she watched him. He could see her sympathy, and it sent a strange thrill up his spine. But he could also see uncertainty, even confusion. He smiled ruefully.

“I imagine you were brought up to think of my father as a monster. But he wasn’t, I assure you. He was just much too short-tempered a man to bear a debilitating injury with patience.”

A cleared throat reminded him that they weren’t alone, and he turned to see a disapproving Lord Baldwin on his other side. Clearly the nobleman thought it was unseemly for Basil to speak so honestly about his late father, and perhaps he was right.

“Thank you, My Lord,” he said lightly, “you’re free to pursue your own activities. The princess and I intend to further discuss our situation.”

“King Basil,” said Lord Baldwin, a definite scold in his tone. “You intend to once again go off without any other member of our delegation? I must protest in the strongest—”

“Yes, thank you, Lord Baldwin, I understand perfectly,” Basil cut him off genially. “Your counsel is noted. That will be all.”

The nobleman’s jaw worked for a moment, but in light of Basil’s unequivocal dismissal, there was nothing he could do but take himself off. Basil watched him go with a small twinge of regret. He wanted his people to trust him, and to feel that he valued their input. But remembering their conversation in the garden, he considered it unlikely Princess Wren would confide in him if he had his retinue in tow.

Turning back to the princess, he saw that one elegant eyebrow was arched slightly. He couldn’t quite resist flashing her a grin.

“There are some perks to being king,” he commented. “Now, Princess. I’m once again in your hands. I will simply have to trust that you won’t set your swans on me this time.”

She smiled, shaking her head and rising to her feet at last. As she stepped out from behind the table, she tilted her head, inviting Basil to follow her. The gesture drew Basil’s attention to the elegant line of her neck. Sometime since he’d last seen her, someone had rearranged her hair, because it was once again drawn up onto her head, the two ends of the blue ribbon dancing becomingly against the warm brown skin exposed by her elevated hairstyle and her scooped neckline.

He realized she was staring at him in confusion, and he hastened to follow her, feeling uncharacteristically wrong-footed. He thought she would lead him back to the garden where they’d sat that morning, but she instead made her way around the castle’s inner perimeter, taking him all the way to the furthest point from the dining hall, on the opposite side of the complex. A few times, as they walked, Basil once again caught sight of a swan mirroring their progress from the outside of the building. He wondered if it was the same one as before, or one of the others. He couldn’t tell them apart, but he had a feeling Princess Wren would be able to.

The princess paused in a doorway he’d never seen before, fixing the two guards behind her with a stern look as she flicked her eyes first to the room beyond, then to the ground under their feet. They exchanged glances, clearly confused.

Basil smiled. “I could be wrong, but I think Princess Wren is requesting you to stay here.”

The guards observed him with hard eyes, but any offense they might have taken at him speaking for Princess Wren was rendered foolish by her emphatic nod of agreement. The two men shifted on their feet, clearly unsure whether to do as instructed.

With a sigh, the princess pulled out her slate and dashed out a few words. Basil pretended to be absorbed in looking through the doorway in question, but when no one was watching him, he snuck a glance at her message.

So you can watch not listen. We want our guest to speak freely.

After another moment’s hesitation, the guards stepped back, their eyes settling on Basil with suspicion.

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