Page 55 of The Kingdom's Crown

Even her robe is black now, I noted with a frown. We'd reached the tail end of full mourning, and I was sick to death of seeing Bryony in black. It made her look eerily pale, and I'd caught her more than once glancing down at her own skirt during dinner or a game, her face falling as she remembered that her grandmother was dead.

It was earlier than she usually rose from bed, and one of the rare times she'd snuck away without waking one of us.

I waited for the skittish maid to finish pinning a curl before knocking on the frame of the doorway. Bryony could've had the door closed to us, but she never did, just as Aric never shut the door on his study, where an unfortunate number of sounds and smells always seemed to be created. We were all open to one another now, a bond forged quickly and powerfully between the eight of us.

The maid jumped and the guard spared me a glance, but Bryony remained lost in her own head until I crossed the room, pushing a spare pouf closer to her seat and nudging her hip with my knee.

"Should I leave, Your Highness?" the maid asked, and I wasn't sure if she was speaking to me or Bryony, but we both shook our heads.

"Did you eat?" I asked.

Bryony blinked slowly at me. "I don't think I can this morning."

I opened my mouth to chide her and then fell silent as her hand lifted from her lap and fell into mine, fingers turned up and waiting. It took me longer than it should have to clasp her hand in mine, startled by the gesture.

"Be at my side today. I don't…I don't know how to behave. And there will be crowds," she said, wincing.

"Of course."

I hadn't given it much thought, but I'd assumed she would want Aric, Cresswell, Owen…actually, I'd assumed Bryony would want anyone but me at her side today. Bryony and I teased one another, played with and flirted and fucked one another. Weenjoyedone another, but I'd never really felt that sheneededme. I opened my mouth, wanting to address the idea, and then closed it again. She had enough on her mind without having to reassure me of my place with her.

"In my experience, your people will want to offer you sympathy. You don't need to perform for them or console them," I said, trying to remember my mother and father's behavior when my grandmother had died when I was younger. "Be genuine, as you always are. Emotion is not undignified, and I don't think stoicism is unsympathetic either, under the circumstances."

Bryony's gaze was fixed to my face, her fingers close around mine.

"It's good that we have our own carriage," I said.

"Camellia's will be behind ours in the parade," Bryony said. "And since there are only seven of you, I won't have to leave anyone here at the castle like she will."

"Have you considered leaving Aric here?" I asked, lips twitching.

Bryony's eyes narrowed at me, but there was a glint of amusement in them. "I have not."

"He might prove useful in an empty castle," I continued, shrugging and rolling my eyes. "And the crowd may mistake him for your grandmother's Chosen."

Bryony's laugh was sudden and awkward. "Stop! That's not true. Well, maybe the bit about letting him snoop while everyone's away. But no, I want you all with me, please."

I nodded and hid my smile as I ducked my head, kissing the back of her hand. "The funeral and the parade will be simple. Youareprepared for this, Bryony. You don't need to worry."

"I spent all my life learning from tutors and my grandmother how I should behave. Now that she's gone, it feels as though it's all been erased," Bryony breathed out.

I leaned in as the maid finished Bryony's hair, and she and the guard slipped out of the room, leaving me alone with my princess. "Nobility and grace can be taught, but you have those traits naturally. I think you would give your grandmother a great deal of pride today no matter what."

Bryony's eyes blinked rapidly, a soft shudder running through her shoulders until I drew her out of her seat and into my arms. "I never imagined that I would feel so…unmoored without her. I can't imagine…" Bryony cursed and tucked her face against my throat. "I am still thinking of how to become queen, today of all days."

"You're ambitious," I said shrugging. "If you were a Mennarian prince, you'd be applauded for it, regardless of the occasion."

Bryony sighed and went quiet.

I tugged on her hand as I stood from the pouf. "Come. I'll dress you, and we'll walk through the gardens until it's time to leave."

"It's still winter," she said, lips quirking a little.

"You like winter. I'll manage."

Bryony nodded, but instead of moving away, she only wrapped her arms around me, sinking against my chest. A soft shuffling sound came from the doorway, and I looked over Bryony's head to see Cosmo peeking in, dark curls rumpled with sleep. I nodded toward Bryony's black gown, and Cosmo crossed to the dress, lifting it up to cradle in his arms as he joined us.

"I just want this week to pass," Bryony murmured, glancing back at Cosmo.

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