Page 36 of Once Upon a Midnight Clear

“We can get something to eat there when we arrive,” he said.

She broke off a piece of scone, examining the baked blueberries inside. “Will they allow that?”

“Of course, they will,” he said around a mouthful. “Why wouldn’t they?”

She peered up at him under her lashes. “It seems odd they would allow that for commoners like us.”

He chuckled. “They will be glad to serve us.”

She tipped her head to one side. What a curious thing to say. How did he know this? He seemed sure the royal family would be happy to take care of travel weary visitors.

“Besides, the king and queen are not in residence this time of year,” he added.

“Oh?” She popped the small piece of scone in her mouth and chewed.

He nodded. “They both have duties elsewhere they have to attend.”

“Then who’s left in charge?” she asked, genuinely curious, for she never understood how those things worked.

“There’s a steward who takes care of things when the royal family is not in residence.” He took another bite of the biscuit.

There was something niggling at her about the way he said it with such confidence. As if he knew and understood the inner workings of the home of the king and queen of Rovenheim.

“Do you really think Malvina will destroy the village if she doesn’t get what she wants?”

He paused, his mind working as he held the half-eaten biscuit. “I hope not, though I certainly wouldn’t put it past her. She dislikes this time of year.”

“Why?” She simply couldn’t fathom anyone disliking this magical time of year.

He gave her a faint smile and ate the rest of the biscuit. “She has darkness in her heart. Let’s keep going.”

She followed him as she finished her scone. Now that she rested, she felt as though she was able to continue.

As they crested the hill, she saw the gleaming towers outlined against the brilliant blue sky in the distance. She assumed this was the royal castle and their destination and her heart quickened. It was nothing like the royal palace back home.

No, this was grander with tall white towers glistening against the evening sun. The heraldry flags were stiff in the breeze at the top of three turrets in bright, cheerful colors of red and green plaid, reminding her of the bow that was wrapped around the box the glass slippers were in.

“Is that the royal castle?” she asked.

“Yes, Rovenheim Castle.” He turned to her and grasped her hand. “Not long now.”

Her heart thudded hard as they continued on their way. The closer they got, the quicker he picked up the pace. He seemed to be ready to be there.

As the sun dipped toward the horizon, and the sack bounced against her aching hip, she realized she, too, was ready to be there. The castle was made of white marble, shining in the waning light as though it were a welcoming beacon to all who approached.

Around the castle, a wall made of white stone and look-out turrets every several feet for guards. An iron gate was opened, welcoming travelers. Beyond the gate, she couldn’t see much but she heard happy voices raised in song. She cut a glance to Nicholas, who had a faint smile on his face, his cheeks and the tip of his nose were ruddy from the cold. There was no mistaking the joy on his face as he approached the gate at a wicked pace. It was almost as though he forced himself not to break into a run.

As they approached, she looked up at nearest tower and saw two guards standing on the edge of the wall peering down. Their helms hid most of their faces. They were dressed in full armor with thick cloaks around their shoulders to ward off the cold. A sword was strapped to each of their sides and they both held bows at the ready.

One gave a nod to them as they passed. A quick glance at Nicholas as he nodded back and gave a brief wave. The guards seemed unconcerned with his arrival. Almost as though they knew him.

Perhaps they did. Perhaps Nicholas was well traveled and had been here before. There was much she didn’t know about him and yet she was willing to trust him with her life.

As they entered through the gate, she took in the surroundings. There were people milling about doing chores and taking care of animals. One side boasted a twenty-foot tree decorated in gold and plaid ribbon for the holiday. A gold star sat atop it. She gasped when she saw it.

“The tree is magnificent, isn’t it?” he asked. “My fa—er, the king has one brought from the countryside every season.”

“It’s wonderful,” she breathed, her breath pluming in front of her.

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