Page 74 of The Queen's Crown
“Then we need to marry and crown you as soon as possible.”
“What about the Avoni delegation? And the approval from the League?”
His shoulders rose and fell. “Those are two complications I’ll deal with once I know you’re safe.”
ChapterSeventeen
The second the door to her bedchamber closed, Sabine sank to the floor. The weight of the day crashed upon her. Someone had tried killing her. If it hadn’t been for her brother teaching her a few basic things, she’d be dead right now.
Memories of Alina inundated her. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep the images at bay to no avail. The two of them playing hide and seek as children, running through the fields chasing their brothers, riding horses together, fighting over a piece of jewelry. And then, the last time they danced together. Her dear, sweet sister. Murdered.
Sabine glanced down at her hand—the one that had dried blood on it. It had to be the blood of her attacker, possibly the man who’d killed Alina. She scrambled to her feet and ran over to the wash basin, scrubbing her hands clean.
In her current state, she didn’t want to be alone and was thankful she at least had Harta at her side. Every noise she heard startled her. She feared the assassin would burst out from behind a closet door or from under the bed to try to stab her.
She splashed water on her face, trying to calm herself. Her stomach ached with nausea. She needed to pull it together. She was going to be the queen of Lynk. It would not be good for anyone—even servants—to see her behaving so emotionally.
Going over to the large canopy bed that reminded her of her mother’s bed, she climbed on top of it, Harta jumping up alongside her. She curled on her side, her arms around the dog, and fell fast asleep.
She awoke, the room bathed in warm sunlight from the windows. She sat up, and Harta licked her face. Her stomach growled and she realized she didn’t have anything to eat last night before she fell asleep.
“We need to go and find food,” she mumbled to Harta, scratching her side.
A soft knock resounded on her door. She called out for the person to enter.
An older woman came in carrying a tray of food, a smile on her face.
“You must be Cassie, Lance’s wife,” Sabine said.
“Yes, Your Highness.” She curtseyed. “I brought you something to eat. I will take the dog downstairs with me where we have something prepared for her as well.”
Sabine slid out of bed and stretched. “Thank you.”
“While I’m here, I am to get the late queen’s wedding dress from the closet for you.”
“I’m going to wear King Rainer’s mother’s wedding dress?”
“Yes. She kept it here and I think it’ll fit you beautifully.” She went inside the dressing closet and emerged a few moments later with an off-white dress.
Sabine went over and took it, surprised by its weight. She’d assumed she would be wearing a flimsy dress based on the current Lynk fashion. However, if this one was made before Rainer was born, then that would explain why it was so different. This dress had an abundance of pearls covering the bodice and there were yards and yards of fabric for the skirt. “It’s beautiful.” She went over to the canopy bed, laying the dress on it. It was even more gorgeous when spread out on the bed. “Why is it here and not at the palace?”
“Her Majesty preferred this castle over the one on the mainland. She always felt like she was on display there. Here, she could be herself.”
The admission surprised Sabine. Not only did it shock her that Cassie was being so forthright, but she found this tidbit about the queen to be interesting. She wondered at which residence the queen spent most of her time. “This castle does feel a bit like home,” she admitted. “I like it here.” There was something comforting about the stone walls and floors, the dark wooden beams along the ceilings, the curtains hanging at each window, and the thick glass windows. Sabine blinked, realizing it reminded her of her own home in Bakley.
The woman smiled. “I’m glad. The king wishes for you to get ready. He left early this morning. Oh, I almost forgot.” She reached into her pocket and withdrew a letter. “He left this for you.” She handed it to Sabine.
Opening the letter, she quickly read it. Rainer said he’d gone to the mainland to get a marriage binder and would be back later this afternoon for the wedding. An odd sensation jolted through her. It seemed she was getting married today.
“Would you like my help dressing?” Cassie asked.
“I’d like to get ready on my own. If I need help, I’ll come and find you.” In other words, she needed to be alone to process everything.
Cassie smiled. “Of course, Your Highness.” She bowed and left with Harta trotting along after her.
Knowing this was the queen’s room and that the queen preferred this residence to the palace, Sabine observed the quarters with fresh eyes. This room was the opposite of the one in the palace. It had a canopy bed with heavy blankets. Even the rugs covering the floors contained deep, rich colors instead of whites and tans. She meandered over to the dressing closet, wondering what all it contained. Opening the door, she found it filled with dresses. She went into the room, browsing the large selection of clothing; some in Lynk fashion, others more along the lines of what people in Bakley typically wore.
She turned to exit the room when her shoulder bumped one of the dresses, making a clinking sound. Curious as to what made the noise, she shook the dress and felt it hitting something. Reaching back behind the dress, her fingers came across a sword. She wondered why it was there and who it belonged to. She shoved several of the dresses aside, trying to see the weapon. With the clothing out of the way, the back wall was on full display revealing daggers, knives, arrows, and swords.
