Page 6 of Love Letters & Lemon Drops

"You can try."

He reaches into the basket and carefully picks up Felicia. He moves her over to the cat tree and puts her on one of the middle levels.

She stretches out her legs, shaking them off. She sniffs at the cat tree before running up to a higher level and settling on a cushion there.

"She likes it," he says, a wide smile on his face.

"It's wonderful, Arthur," I say. "Thank you for getting it for her."

"I wanted you both to feel at home."

"This is a lot more impressive than anything she has at home." I frown. "Hadat home. That's going to take a while to get used to."

A concerned expression crosses his face. "I'm sorry you had to leave your home."

"It's fine," I say in response, but it's partly because I also don't know what else to say. "I've been prepared for this my entire life. I've always known my parents would want me to make a foreign marriage."

"That doesn't mean that it isn't sad. I'm glad you're here, but I also wish you didn't have to leave your home for our marriage."

I lift my hand and reach out as if to touch him, but think differently of it. We've been sending letters for years, but this is an entirely different thing. Especially as we're standing in the room alone, even though we shouldn't be.

Except that's not what Arthur said. It seems that some things are different in Falhaven already.

"Would you like to see the rest of the apartment?" he asks.

"Oh, yes. Is there much more to see?"

"There's your bedroom. And I suppose there's mine, but there isn't anything in it right now. An office that we can share, or you can use for yourself if you want..."

"What would you do if I used it for myself?" I ask curiously.

"I could find one somewhere else in the castle," he says.

"I don't want you to have to do that."

"Please don't worry about that, Solana."

My heart skips a beat as he says my name. Very few people have ever said it without my title in front of it, and even though I've read it in his letters to me, it's entirely different to hear him say it out loud.

"We will have plenty of time to work out those things."

I nod. "Yes, I suppose so."

He flashes me a winning smile that makes my stomach flip around in the best way. "I should leave you to get settled. If you want anything, please let the servants know. I believe the kitchens are having meals brought up for you and your aunt."

"We're not eating with everyone else?"

"My father thought it might be too much after the journey," he says. "But there'll be plenty of time for that. You've arrived in time for the Solstice Banquet next week. And the Winter Fair starts tomorrow."

"That sounds lovely."

"We can go," he says. "If you'd like."

I nod, not really knowing what else to say. I would like to go to the Winter Fair. We don't get snow in Someil other than at the very top of the mountains, and I've been looking forward to seeing it here, especially from the descriptions that Arthur gave me of the snow in his letters. I know that the Winter Fair doesn't mean there'll definitely be snow, but it feels like it's one step closer to it.

"I have duties to attend to in the morning, but I hope I'll see you in the afternoon."

"Oh, yes." I'm a little disappointed that he won't be around tomorrow morning, but I suppose it isn't too much of a problem. He is a prince and does have things to attend to.

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