Page 4 of Straw and Gold
The marriage contract between the King of the Citrine Cliffs and the Ravenfae Princess of the Brackish Wood had been odd in numerous ways. For one, there was a direct escape clause. The contract said that upon or after my twentieth year, if I were to spin a cop of yellow wool into yarn and send it to the king, I could choose to release myself from the contract.
Another oddity was that no family was to accompany me to my wedding. I would be allowed to visit, of course, and they could visit me, but the first three months of the marriage was to be without the comforts of visitors.
Lastly, after that first three months, either the king or I could withdraw from our marriage entirely should we choose to do so. We could go our separate ways of our own will, even if the other did not agree, and no longer be married.
Not only was that rare among marriages in Revelry, it was probably one of the only real reasons Korven hadn’t shipped me off to the Silver Isle to be hidden from my betrothed. That last bit gave him hope that I’d return home when I discovered the disappointments of married life to a stranger.
In our room, Korven pulled the wine-red velvet dress from my trunk, holding it up to get another look. “I guess it’s time,” he mumbled with a frown, draping the soft gown over the dressing screen.
I stepped behind the panels, shaking with excitement as I slipped out of my dressing gown and into my wedding dress.
The gown had draped sleeves that hung off my arms and the back was cut low with a few ties. The front bodice boasted no embellishments except for the cut, which was a heart-like shape that pronounced my breasts without becoming too vulgar. It had been custom made to accommodate my wings and even though Seraphine had steered me far away from choosing the traditional white gown, she had been surprised at my choice of dark red velvet.
I stepped out from the screen and twirled around. “Well? What do you think?”
“Beautiful,” he hummed.
I beamed and turned so he could help with the ties. “I truly wish you could be there. When the first three months are over, you and Seraphine and Avici can travel to my castle and we will have a proper celebration!”
He tied the strings and turned me around. “And if we arrive and find you miserable?”
“I won’t be!”
“How will I know?” He squeezed my shoulders. “You said you’d write once a week, but what if this king is a right asshole and reads them beforehand or forces you to say nice things?”
I laughed loudly, grabbing onto his arms. Korven had always been protective—overly so—but I knew it came from a place of the love he had for his only sister. The same one he had practically raised in place of our cursed mother.
“Korven,” I started, lowering my voice sternly, “do you really think I’d let my husband do such a thing? Fuck that.”
“Add something to each letter then. Find a way each week to just…tell me you’re alright.”
I frowned at the idea. I was leaving for many reasons—one of them was getting out of the reach of the long arm of my brooding brother. I loved Korven with all of my heart, but I needed to be able to fly on my own.
I sighed. “Thistle nut.”
“What?”
“Thistle nut.” I shrugged. “Each letter, I’ll find a way to addthistle nutand you’ll know I’m not being coerced to write nice things.”
He nodded, pulling me in for another tight squeeze. “Alright. Thistle nut it is. Promise?” He held out his pinky and I wrapped it with mine.
“Promise.”
CHAPTER 4
Killian
I stoodin the room my soon-to-be wife would occupy for her stay in my kingdom. Fedir leaned against the doorframe, flicking his hunting knife between his fingers. The last few maids fluffed the pillows on the enormous four-poster bed and stocked the dressing table with a brush, hand mirror, and hair pins.
“The sun sets,” Fedir taunted.
I glanced out the west-facing windows, a pit forming in my stomach. I turned over my shoulder. “What are the chances she doesn’t show?”
Fedir tossed his knife in the air, catching the handle and placing it back in his boot. “Zero, Your Majesty.” He folded his arms and grinned mercilessly. “Word is, a carriage traveling from Moonstone Wood has arrived at The Miller’s Daughter in Cenmar. And two Ravenfae were in it.”
I scowled, grunting in acknowledgement. The maids took that as their cue to exit, swiftly shuffling out the door, each leaving a smile for my rake of a Captain. Fedir stepped further into the room, nodding in silent approval at the comforts I’d made for Morella. “It’s only three months, Killian,” he murmured, tracing his hand over the golden brush at the dressing table.
“Three months is all I have left, so you’ll excuse me if I don’t want to spend them with a stranger.”
