Page 56 of A Tale of Ice and Ash
“Mostly she wanted me to check you were all right.”
Cole’s chest clenched, gripped by an unfamiliar warmth and an old kind of guilt. She was far too good. Too good for him. “What… what did she tell you?”
“Not much, but it wasn’t hard to piece together. So, what are you going to do now?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean,” said Marie, lowering her voice even further, “are you ready to take a stand?”
“Against my mother?”
“Know any other tyrannical monarchs in the vicinity?”
“Fair point.” Cole sighed. “What… what would I need to do?”
Marie shrugged. “I’m not sure. Are you free tonight?”
“Nothing’s been arranged. Why?”
“We’re going undercover. Meet me by the servants entrance one hour after dinner.”
∞∞∞
Straight after dinner, Cole arrived back at his room to find a pile of plain clothes folded neatly on his bed, together with an instruction to change. He did so diligently, meeting Marie by the back door at the allotted time, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable. She was dressed in a simple maid’s attire, her skirts frayed and patched, her brown hair covered by a cap.
She sighed when she saw him. “No.”
“No… what?”
“You’re far too clean. You stick out like a sore thumb.”
“I’m wearing the clothes you sent!”
“It’s not enough.” She leaned down into the flower beds and scooped up a handful of mud.
“What are you doing with that?”
“What do you think?”
“You’re going to put that on my face, aren’t you?”
“Don’t worry, Prince,” Marie smirked, “it’ll wash off. You’ll be just as handsome tomorrow as you are now. And Eirwen won’t mind what you look like.”
Cole’s heart thumped, his chest tightening. He still wasn’t sure where they were going, hadn’t been entirely certain Snow would be there at all. It took him too long to realise what Marie had just said. “Why should I care what Snow thinks of me?”
Marie grinned. “Why indeed?”
She slapped the mud in his face, streaking it across his cheeks, through his hair, into his fingers, finally wiping off the remnants on his clothes. Cole tried his best not to cringe.
“Better,” she announced finally. “Now come on.”
Niamh met them at the gate.
“You’re coming too?” Cole spluttered.
“Of course!” She pulled up his hood, lowering her voice. “Keep your head down. Your face is well-known. Try not to look anyone in the eyes.”
“Yes ma’am,” he said.
