Page 30 of Of Snow and Sapphire

“My conversation with Sveta last night just rattled me a bit,” Ludelle said honestly, though it was not just that. She wasn’t expecting another element to this Undertaking, another thing to worry about as she fought for her life.

After Sveta left, Ludelle kneeled down and prayed, even though she hated doing it. She asked for a safe Undertaking and that they guided her through whatever test she would face and who her consort should be. She knew who the smart choice was. The one the people would applaud her for making because he was part of a family that helped the court prosper. The sapphire hidden in the mirror only confirmed that. A sign from the Gods that she needed, she supposed.

Twirling around a spoon from her breakfast, Ludelle inspected her own gaunt face. She slept horribly, unsurprisingly. Zimyn’s parting words to her replayed in her head over and over again.

Helena came up behind her and grabbed her shoulders. “You’ve prepared for this all your life. You have nothing to worry about.”

Ludelle snorted. “That is easy for you to say. You will be comfortably drinking warm cider while wrapped in furs.” Ludelle raised a brow. “Or perhaps Villeta.”

Helena ducked her head, but a blush stained her cheeks. “Maybe.”

Ludelle’s face turned serious as she faced her cousin and lifted her chin. “I am happy that you will be happy.”

“I think I’m owed it after having to deal with your pining for years.”

Scoffing, Ludelle playfully slapped her arm, doing her best to stop the stinging in her eyes. “Yes, well someone deserves for all that pining to turn into something good. I am truly sorry for not noticing it sooner. It was right in front of me, and I allowed my own troubles to get in the way.”

“Can’t blame you, really. If I found men attractive, then I wouldn’t have been able to keep my eyes off him either.” They both chuckled. “I should go before you’re called.”

Ludelle nodded, grateful that at least these last moments could be filled with light. It would serve as a reminder of what awaited her after she survived the hardest challenge she would face in her life.

Sixteen

Ludelle followed Balvan and Sveta up the mountain, her legs already starting to ache, which she didn’t think to be fair. She should be starting with full energy. Though maybe it was a sign that her Undertaking would be less physically demanding. Knowing the Weather Gods, she didn’t hold out hope.

Balvan and Sveta were side by side, exchanging a few quiet words as Ludelle looked at the back of their heads wondering what it would be like to smash them together and run away from all this with Zimyn. Ludelle almost gasped at her outrageous thoughts. Never in her life did she actually consider shirking her role before. The nerves must be getting to her.

She also had the realization that she never had seen Balvan and Sveta in the same room before, much less having a conversation. It was strange, if Ludelle was being honest. She didn’t like it, the two of them conspiring together as she walked to her Undertaking. Shouldn’t they be offering her words of advice?

“We’re almost there,” Balvan yelled over the roaring wind, the climate only getting worse as they reached higher altitudes. At least her fighting leathers were lined with fur.

Sveta gave her a nervous glance, the bottom of her robes soaked in dirt.

They reached the mountain caves, and Ludelle could hear the crowd inside. Her people would be waiting for her as she completed her Undertaking, excited for another year of prosperity and power. Ludelle gulped down her doubts of not delivering.

“I must go,” Balvan announced ceremoniously, as if Ludelle cared where he was. “I have a few matters to attend to before you start.”

They both nodded, watching him go and getting lost in the people.

Ludelle surveyed the crowd for a familiar face—hating that she did. Of course he wouldn’t show. Zimyn was likely packing up his things, passing on his duties to whoever would be taking over for him.

“Don’t get distracted now,” Sveta reprimanded. “He’s not here. And you look like a hungry child desperate for milk with the way you’re craning your neck.”

If Ludelle weren’t moments away from her Undertaking, those words would be enough to send Sveta to the dungeons. Once Ludelle came out of this, she needed to find a way to scold her lack of respect.

“Who says I am looking for him?” She would never be more grateful than she was now to see Zimyn’s father. “I wanted to speak with our former Captain and ask if he had any words of comfort since he spent a lot of time with my father to prepare for his Undertakings.”

Sveta didn’t seem impressed, but she scurried off, giving them both some privacy to chat.

The man’s face, one that looked so much like Zimyn’s with the same colored eyes and whose arms showed scars of where his scales once rested, seemed wary, as if he was hesitant to speak with her. Strange, since he had no issue reprimanding both his son and her when they acted out as children. Sometimes, he acted more like a parent to her than her own ever did.

“Say it,” she said, tapping her feet against the cold stone. Her surroundings left little for comfort, and she tried guessing what her Undertaking would involve.

His eyes drifted behind her, getting lost into his own head. “Your father always had a ritual before his Undertakings.”

“Yes I know. We all go to pray to the Gods for luck.” Since it was her first Undertaking, Ludelle also submitted Lord Cirrus’ name for her consort, so he would be on the other side of all this for her.

“Not that,” he shook his head. The crowd began to situate themselves into clusters. Her time was running out, and she didn’t care about hearing about her father. “He wrote letters, ones he would hand to me for safekeeping in case things didn’t go well. I never read them nor did anyone else, as he would have me burn them in the cold flames after he survived, but they were addressed to his wife, to Balvan, to you of course, to me even, and surprisingly, to Zimyn. I never knew why my son was included, since I know your father did everything in his power to keep you two apart.” Ludelle snorted. That was an understatement. One time, he locked them in separate rooms after they were caught stealing from the kitchen. Well, Zimyn was stealing some chocolate cake on her behalf, but he took the blame with her. “I would like to think he ultimately had a soft spot for Zimyn, that even he understood that he would ensure you were safe on the throne.”

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