Page 6 of Straw and Gold
He bowed out of the room replying, “Tick tock, my king.”
My heart softened a little as he left and my mood lightened.
Yes, if she was hard to look at, this would be much easier. I would let her down gently and after a few months of marriage, I’d convince her that we were just not compatible. Maybe then I could set her up in a nice country house nearby and she could be taken care of for the rest of her life, regardless of what happened to me.
I took a deep breath and pulled on the lapels of my gold embroidered jacket. Morella’s room was ready and beautiful. I wanted to make her life comfortable in the castle while she was in it, and hoped the hapless girl would find some peace in the beauty of the castle and its lush grounds.
I swept my hand through my red waves, borrowing a pin from her table to tuck them away for the ceremony. I was readyto meet my betrothed and start the process of letting her down easy.
CHAPTER 5
Morella
Korven kissedmy cheek one last time and reminded me of my promise before I shifted and flew off to the castle gate. I soared up to the few clouds in the sky, my golden feathers glinting in the last sliver of sun. In my Ravenfae form, my feathers were tipped in shimmering gold—a contrast to Korven's pure raven black and our Ravenfae Goddess mother’s—which were tipped in silver.
But when I shifted, I became a golden raven entirely, which had always seemed odd since for my mother it was not so. She and Korven looked almost identical as ravens, and I stuck out like a glinting piece of jewelry in any sky.
My future husband was a Forestfae, contrary to the Changelingfae he ruled over in the Citrine Cliffs. I wondered what the story was there.
Actually, I was obsessed with someday discovering what the story was. I’d spoken to Fiola about it before. She was the Forestfae Goddess who ruled over Moonstone Wood and raised Seraphine. All I’d gotten from the exchange was a a heftyharumphand mumble about his unusually great power to change one thing into another.
Whatever mysteries I had yet to discover about my royal husband, I was dying to know them. I was dying to knoweverythingabout him.
What did he look like?
What were his hobbies?
Did he care for his subjects?
Did he have a favorite nut?
Was he a good kisser?
These questions and many more had been wandering through my mind on occasion for the last thirteen years. I was naturally very curious about my betrothed and even more so ready to get him to like me.Hopefullyfall in love with me so that I could convince him to change Seraphine, and then we could really begin our lives together.
As the castle gates neared, I descended, shifting back to Ravenfae and startling the three guards on duty.
“Hello!” I greeted them cheerfully. “I am Princess Morella, Ravenfae of the Brackish Wood!”
All I received were blinks and gaped mouths.
Finally, one of them bowed, clearing his throat and replying, “Of course, Your Highness! I’m sorry, we were startled by the…the…”
“Shift,” another replied, unlocking the gate and allowing my entrance.
I chewed my upper lip before internally scolding myself for doing so and possibly smearing the dark red lip stain. “My apologies for startling you, uh, good sirs. Please direct me toward the castle doors so that I may attend my own wedding.”
The last one chuckled, followed by an elbow to the ribs.
“It is us who apologize, Your Highness. You see, we expected you to arrive in a carriage and expected you to be wearing…”
“White?” I suggested.
“Well, yes. And again, I apologize, but we’ve never seen a Ravenfae and you-your wings…”
“Are gold?” I provided.
“Yes, yes, so sorry.”
