Page 69 of Under the Lion Star

“Perhaps we could revisit the betrothal in a few years,” I offered.

“There will be others who would seek her hand,” Doran raised an eyebrow at me.

“Understood. It will not be perceived as a slight if she were to wed someone else.”

“Things are going to be different than they were between our parents,” King Doran said with a determined stare. “We cannot undo what has been done, but we can move forward.”

“I would like that,” I replied.

Zialda asked more questions of both the queen and princess. Aydra was a kind woman but appeared hesitant to speak her mind. Each word was carefully calculated before it left her lips. Kira remained silent, offering one-word answers whenever directly spoken to.

I hated to see it as I imagined Sanna possessing the same lack of self-confidence as the human princess. To speak up on her behalf would potentially put her in danger as well as weaken the threads of trust I was weaving between Krannar and Fjorn.

My mind considered if this was how my parents felt when they ruled—knowing that the right thing to do for an individual would go against the good of the realm as a whole. Still, my stomach clenched as I kept my mouth closed. Something was weighing on Princess Kira, yet I couldn’t risk helping her. Not now, at least.

After we had finished eating, King Doran tilted his head to pull me aside while Zialda spoke with his wife and daughter.

“She’s a good one,” he said, appraising my wife.

“The best.”

“I looked into your parents’ deaths,” he said in a low voice. “While I can confirm my father ordered the attack, I believe he may have had help.”

“In what way?”

“There was limited correspondence to be found, but in one of his letters to the group of soldiers he had assigned to the task, he reassured them that the palace would be ready for them.”

“Ready for them?” I asked, my throat growing tight.

“I don’t know if that meant he had another group ensuring that your castle guards would be dealt with or if someone on your side was helping them.”

“Thank you for telling me.”

“Of course. And as for the marriage alliance, I’m sure you’ve heard things of my daughter.”

“I can’t say I’m aware of any gossip concerning the princess.”

“Well, there’s enough throughout Krannar to keep me awake at night,” he huffed humorlessly. “You should know she isn’t a virgin.”

“Elves don’t care,” I assured him.

“That’s why I think Prince Orin might be her best possible match.”

“Humans truly would not wed a woman over such a thing?” I asked incredulously. “Sorry, I do not mean to insult your culture.”

“It’s fine,” he waved me off. “She’s a rather dull girl if I am honest. What I’m trying to say is that if you’re worried about your brother’s feelings, Kira would not likely care if he had mistresses. She knows she can’t hope for better given what she’s allowed to happen.”

I did my best to school my features as I tried to imagine a world where I would ever say such things about my own child. Kira was a child herself, and to know her father would happily sell her into a marriage where she would be treated so disrespectfully made my skin crawl.

“Orin is loyal to a fault,” I responded coolly. “A match between them would be good, but the timing isn’t right.”

“I understand. We can revisit this in the future, yes?”

“Of course.”

With that, I took my leave, wondering why humans were so obsessed with virginity. More aptly, a woman’s virginity. As if it had any merit over all the other qualities she possessed.

“Everything alright?” Zialda whispered as she hooked her arm in mine.

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