Page 1 of Love Letters & Lemon Drops

Chapter 1

I dip my pen into my inkwell while thinking about what I want to write to Prince Arthur. After years of writing letters to one another, it's strange to think that this will be one of the last I send to him. At least like this. In ten days, I'll arrive at Falhaven Castle and we'll start preparing for the wedding our parents have been planning for the past two years. Even though I know I'll be seeing him soon, I still want to send a letter ahead of me. Perhaps it's foolish of me, but I like the idea that it will arrive before me.

The letter flows from me. There's not much to say other than that I'm looking forward to arriving in Falhaven and hope that my journey doesn't take too long.

I sign my name at the bottom of the letter and blot the ink, before folding it up and closing it with a wax seal, wondering as I do whether I'm going to be replacing it with a different one once I marry Arthur and become a princess of Falhaven instead of a princess of Someil.

I push the thought aside. I'm certain that kind of thing will become evident soon. I shouldn't devote too much of my timeto it. I place the letter in a box with a bag of lemon drops that the cook made at my request. They're one of my favourites, and I've been sending them to Arthur ever since he asked me about my favourite sweets and then said he enjoyed them. He'd sent me some candied cherries in return, which had been delicious, and made me look forward to the food I would get to try once I arrived in Falhaven.

The door opens, and I turn around in time to see my maid enter. She drops into a curtsy. "Your Highness, we didn't realise you were here. We have instructions to pack this room into a trunk for you."

I nod and get to my feet. "I'm done here, thank you, Maria. Would you please have this sent to Prince Arthur?" I touch the top of the parcel.

She nods, but not before giving me a slightly confused look. No doubt it's because she doesn't understand why I'm writing a letter to someone I'm about to go and see, but that doesn't bother me. People can be confused all they want, I know that this is the right thing to do for me and Arthur, and that's what's important.

I pick up a small box containing all of the letters Arthur has ever sent me. Worthless to most, but meaning the world to me. And in barely over a week, I'm finally going to be able to see the man who writes such sweet words to me in person. We've met before, but that was years ago, it's going to be different this time.

I make my way through to my bedchamber, forgetting that there are people in here too. Maids are packing my dresses into trunks and removing every trace of me from the room that's no longer going to be mine. There's a part of me that feels displaced by it, but the rest of me is excited for the adventure to come.

The maids barely respond to me, probably because they're too focused on their tasks and I'm kind of just in the way. I take my box of letters over to the bed and sit down, opening it upand running my fingers over the pages bundled there. Maybe it's sentimental of me to have kept them all, and there's a part of me that worries Arthur won't have done something similar, but I don't care. I know that what we have is real, even if it has only been via letter so far.

The bed creaks slightly and I turn to see my cat searching for the proper spot to sleep. I'm surprised she's in here with how many people are coming in and out, she normally hates that. With all the preparations going for the delegation coming with me when I leave, it might mean that her other safe spots are full of people and noise too.

I reach out to give her a scratch behind the ears and she pushes her head under my hand, purring loudly.

"We're going to be in our new home soon," I tell her. "It's colder than here."

She gives me an unimpressed look that might be because I've interrupted her attempts to find a good place to sleep rather than anything else.

A scurry of feet and the sound of the doors opening makes me look up in time to see Mamá heading into the room. The maids curtsy as soon as she passes them, but she doesn't give them a second look.

"Solana," she says to me as she sits down, a solemn expression on her face.

"Mamá," I respond.

"It pains me that you're leaving us so soon."

"You were married when you were sixteen," I point out. "I would hardly consider twenty-two to be soon."

"Perhaps not." She reaches out to touch my face, a sad smile marring her features. "Do you have a moment?"

I nod, not really knowing how else to respond when she's already sitting on my bed and doesn't look as if she's about tomove. I pick up Felicia and put her on my lap while I wait for Mamá to explain whatever it is she came here to talk about.

She clears her throat. "I wish you weren't being taken so far away."

"It's only ten days travel, Mamá. And most of that is by ship," I remind her. "And Arthur is not the crown prince, we will be able to visit often. He has said as much in his letters." My gaze strays back to the box. It's strange to think that the feelings I have exist for a prince I've only met once, but we've been writing to one another for years and I feel like I know him as well as I know myself.

"I know." She reaches out to cup my cheek in her hand. "But it will also be different. You'll be visiting as a married woman and not just as my daughter."

"I don't believe anything will change that, Mamá. I'm always going to be your daughter."

"Perhaps." She sighs. "You will write to me?"

"As often as I can," I promise.

"Good."

A servant approaches and dips into a deep bow. "Your Highness, a letter has arrived for you," he says, holding out a platter with an envelope placed in the middle.

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