Page 16 of Straw and Gold
I stole a glance in the mirror, admiring her work. “Alista, would you be able to help me more often? I mean, at least until I get the routine of things around here.”
“Queen Morella, I have already been assigned as your personal maid.”
“By whom?”
“King Killian, of course.”
“Of course,” I echoed.
As I followed Alista through the halls, I tried to memorize each path that led to the lavish dining room, overfilled with people. Some of our wedding guests mingled with plates full of cheesy eggs and some kind of black meat.
Each bowed as we passed and I nodded, attempting my first impression to be the right one. I’d been born a princess, but that didn’t mean the customs of the Brackish Wood were that of the Citrine Cliffs.
The Ravenfae, though respecting the royal children of the Ravenfae Goddess Reshina, were not exactly formal in their treatment of those in high ranks.
I followed Alista’s bouncing golden curls to my seat near the head of the long dining table—right across from my scowling husband.
“You’re ten minutes late,” he scolded, pushing his empty plate forward.
Captain Fedir remained silent beside him, but watched us both with interest.
A plate filled with eggs, fruit, and rounded slices of the black meat was set down in front of me. Lifting my fork to poke at the runny beans and what looked like steamed tomatoes, I replied, “My clothes were more covered than I’d thought. That ointment got onto everything.”
I took a bite of what seemed to be a harmless piece of toasted bread and met Killian’s gaze with a polite grin. He watchedme chew, his brilliant blue eyes darting from my mouth, to my crown, down to my dress of midnight blue where my breasts were hinted at in the square neckline.
Calling Alista to his side, he murmured something in her ear to which she nodded, bowed, and left. Fedir’s eyes followed.
Killian wiped his mouth and rose from his seat. I bolted from my own.
“I must begin the day’s dealings,” he said, pushing in his chair. “Fedir will begin your tour of the castle and grounds if you’d like.”
“I wouldn’t mind waiting for you to finish so you could give the tour instead.”
His eyes looked me up and down again. “Fedir will suffice. I have meetings to attend and farms to visit.”
He turned to leave but I was already there at his side, taking his arm. “I’d like to visit as well!”
His eyes darted to my hand on his soft linen sleeve. Goddess, he was warm. And his forearm washuge.
Taking my hand gently, he squeezed my fingers, murmuring low, “Perhaps another time, Morella.”
He left without another word and Fedir joined my side. “Would you like to finish your breakfast before we begin, Your Majesty?” he asked.
“No, thank you,” I sighed, suddenly queasy as I watched my husband leave me once again.
CHAPTER 12
Killian
“The herd’s been wanderin’again, Your Majesty. More than usual, but Beireoir here’s got some good days left in ‘im.”
I ruffled the ears of the hound and he licked my hand in response.
Nodding in silence, I surveyed the herd of white sheep dotting the hillside. “They gave a good clip this spring. We should have more than enough wool to last through until next year.” Petting Beireoir again, I switched to the Changlingfae tongue. “And the moss stores?”
The herder known simply as Cú replied with a grunt.
“Good, good,” I said, switching back to the common language in Revelry.
