Page 25 of Crown of Hearts
When I got back to my chambers, I locked the door behind me. I couldn’t remember the last time that I had locked my bedroom door. But I needed to be alone. Even if it was for a few seconds. It was a hot day, though we were well into the autumn season, and I pulled off my jacket with frustrated impatience. I opened one of the windows and sat on the bed. Lying back, I tried to enjoy the breeze that entered through the open window. There was the undeniable scent of wild thyme in the air. It grew vigorously in the meadows close to the palace, in clusters of purple during the summer months. I didn’t know flowers, but I’d know wild thyme anywhere because its sweet scent reminded me of Lara.
I didn’t have any appointments scheduled until much later in the day and I was perfectly happy to hide away. I needed time to think. Needed to make sense of everything that had happened in the past few days.
The matter regarding the Argonian spies weighed on me like a chest plate that was too heavy and constricting.
Across the ocean, Argon was a kingdom that’d been after our land for centuries.
Our forefathers had battled each other on and off until the time came for me to step onto the battlefield myself. King Aries had barely inherited the throne at that time. Though I’d met him on a few previous occasions, it was his younger brother whom I faced on the bloodied field. I knew Aries couldn’t easily forgive me for the act of killing his only sibling, but had I been a fool to hope the peace treaty would be a standing agreement?
I wasn’t alone in my room for long before there was a knock at the door. I sighed heavily. Maybe if I pretended to be sleeping, whoever was there would go away.
“Your Majesty?” It was Jack. Jack didn’t make a habit of asking for me if it was not important.
“Yes, Jack, what is it?” I called out.
“I think Your Majesty should come downstairs.”
“Why, did the Argonian spies finally decide to speak?” I sat up quickly.
“No, Your Majesty. I mean, I think you should come down to the throne room.”
The throne room? What kind of matter required my presence in the throne room at this time of day? No events had been scheduled as far as I could remember.
“What’s the matter?”
Jack hesitated on the other side of the door. “You have a visitor.”
I really didn’t feel up to socialising. Nor could I think of any possible guest who would immediately require my attention.
“Tell them I will see them at dinner when I have finished my other duties for the day.” I waved a hand in dismissal even though Jack couldn’t see me, and rolled onto my stomach, pressing my face into the sheets. Sleep. Sleep would be so wonderful.
“I really think you should come down now, Your Majesty.”
With a huff I stood up and marched to the door. “Who is it, Jack?” I unlocked the door and yanked it open. “Who could possibly be so important that they need to see me right this instant?”
Jack looked at me with his mouth slightly open. He shifted from one foot to the other nervously.
“Queen Elara, Your Majesty.”
Chapter 7
Elara
“This is so exciting!” Anesta practically leaned halfway outside the carriage window. “Isn’t this exciting?” Her eyes were wide with wonder and part of me let myself think about what Norrandale must have looked like. But I didn’t dare look out the window. I couldn’t afford to get distracted. I had to prepare myself mentally for what lay ahead, and even though I was exhausted from several days of travelling, I didn’t allow myself to sleep as we got closer to the palace.
I had to ask a king for his hand in marriage, and not just any king, but Cai of all people. How was I going to see it through without my nerves getting the best of me?
“This is not a holiday, Anesta,” I reminded her. “We have a very important matter at hand and I’m going to require your help every step of the way.” Technically, that wasn’t true. Although I would have been more than willing to let her do the proposing for me, should it have been appropriate. But I needed her to help me look my best, and more importantly, I needed her as a friend.
“Right.” She nodded but I could see she wasn’t listening. This was her first time outside the kingdom of Everness and I couldn’t blame her for being excited. I’d never set foot outside Everness myself, but I had plenty of reasons to be sick to my stomach.
“What do you think he’s going to say?”
“Who?”
“His Majesty, of course,” she said, as if it were obvious.
I didn’t want to think about how Cai would react or why he hadn’t reached out since the rebellion. Though there was obviously something between us at Fairfrith, our circumstanceshad changed so drastically, there was no guarantee that he would still feel the same.
