Feathers of Snow: A Goose Girl retelling (Kingdom of Birds and Beasts Book 1)

by Alice Ivinya

  The city was overwhelmingly brown. Muddy roads weaving between two story houses insulated by clay and reeds over bricks. Even the people wore mostly brown leather or pale undyed wool. There was no parade or joyous welcome, and I hid my face under my hood and kept my eyes forward. I didn’t want to feel their scrutiny.

  The castle courtyard was a continuation of the mud, and animals were penned alongside the walls. A gaggle of geese batted their wings as they dived from the path of the horses. It was a far cry from the immaculate white paving slabs and gardens of Hava. Falada was whisked away and I only just managed to relay his command for oats to the stable boy when a man dressed in black bowed to me and whisked me towards the doors. He was armed with a sword, even though he appeared to be a servant. I was glad Jeremiah remained close on my heels as the other men were led to the barracks.

  The castle was gloomy and a muddy narrow carpet lay down the center of the corridor. It was cold, even inside, and I wondered if it would be rude if I left my cloak on. The man in black bowed to me. “Your Highness. The King, Queen and Princes are waiting to receive you in the Grand Hall.”

  My mouth dried and I had to force my words so as not to stutter. “Can’t I change first?”

  The servant gave me a firm smile. “There is no need, Highness. They merely wish to welcome you before you are led to your rooms. They know you have been days on the road.”

  I bit my lip. I hadn’t looked in a mirror since Hava and I wasn’t even wearing a corset. This was not how I’d imagined meeting my future husband and his family. The first thing he would notice would be my attractiveness, surely? He would want to know whether he was to marry somebody pretty, and here I was looking like a mess. And if he disapproved of me, that would make me seem more disposable in his eyes. Easier to hurt. Elyanna had always been the cruelest to those she found distasteful.

  I could hear my governess’s voice in my head. ‘The thing about first impressions is you can’t make them twice. You must always be presented to impress.’ Elyanna wouldn’t have found herself in this situation. At least she wasn’t here to know.

  The servant didn’t wait for a reply and started to stride down the corridor. I turned to Jeremiah. “Do I look alright?”

  He seemed taken aback and then grinned. “Beautiful, your Highness.”

  I felt myself blush, but his confidence helped. I turned and started after the servant.

  Jeremiah came to my side. “Don’t let them stand close enough to smell you, however.”

  I stumbled but let myself chuckle despite my thudding heart. “It’s their choice to see me straight away. I can’t help that you men didn’t bother to transport a bath for me.”

  He didn’t see through my false confidence and snorted in amusement.

  The servant in black stopped at a tall pair of doors and waited for us to catch up. He rapped on the wood and they were flung inwards by unseen hands. A huge hall gaped in front of me lit from above by second story windows that did little to expel the gloom. Fires burned in every wall and in a great pit in the center. I blinked through the flames and smoke and made out four people on the far side. A man and a woman were seated on two thrones, and a pair of men stood beside them. My heart thundered in my ears and pins and needles shot down my legs. One of those men would be my husband.

  I forced myself to move forward and circled the fire, keeping my eyes on the flagstones for courage. The flames were hot and did little to steady my dizziness. I lifted my eyes and focused through the smoky air on the King and Queen. Both were draped in furs and neither had a crown on their heads. Their thick hair was as black as ebony, their eyes were elegantly tilted, and they had the tall stature of the Old Blood. The Queen stood and walked towards me, a warm smile on her lips. Her dress was in a wrap-around style I’d never seen before, lined with thick fur and sleeves that touched the floor. Behind her the King rose with a pensive expression, his outfit surprisingly simple.

  I bowed into a deep curtsey, but the Queen grasped my hand and pulled me up. “There is no need for that amongst family.” Her accent was strange, lilting. She smelt of smoke and pine and wore large golden discs as earrings that twinkled in the firelight. “You are very welcome, Princess Elyanna. You must be exhausted after your journey.”

  I returned her smile and tried to hide my nerves. “I am certainly eager for a bath. Thank you for the honor of your welcome.”

  She looked over my shoulder at Jeremiah and her eyebrows rose. “Is this all of your retinue?”

  I nodded, resisting the urge to shift my feet. Jeremiah bowed low at the Queen’s attention. The silence stretched and I stumbled to fill it. “My maid wished to remain in Sybera, Your Majesty. She turned back part way through our journey. I didn’t wish to force her.” I took a deep breath. “Besides, it might help my integration here if I have a Borderlander maid?”

  The Queen’s smile was wide and genuine. “Of course. I will arrange one immediately.”

  “The rest of my guard wish to return tomorrow before there is any risk of snow blocking the pass.”

  The King stood up, and I turned my attention to him as he swaggered towards me. I noticed he had a pronounced limp, though he still carried an enormous greatsword on his back. He didn’t smile like his wife, but there was no hostility in his eyes. His hair was bound in a strange style that left half of it cascading around his shoulders. He nodded to me and I gave him a small bow.

  “Your Majesty.” I said, doing my best not to be intimidated by his height and build. It was not often that people were taller than me.

  “Welcome. I hope you settle in quickly,” he said gruffly. “There should be plenty of time for you to get acquainted with my sons.” He angled his shoulders to gesture to the two silent men by the thrones. “Prince Kai Han and Prince Kai Jian, your betrothed.”

  I looked at Prince Jian as he stood behind his father. His arms were clasped in front of his crisp dark green uniform and his face was as blank as a guard on duty. His hair was short, unlike the rest of his family, and he wore no personal touches. He glanced at me and our eyes met, his cold gaze doing little to ease my nerves. He gave a small nod of acknowledgement and looked away again, seeming bored and uninterested. I felt my cheeks heat and looked at the floor. I felt small, as if I was nothing more than an unwanted, and possibly embarrassing, present. The story of Lady Hesta flickered through my mind. If I’d been the real Elyanna, would he have reacted the same way? She wouldn’t have stood for it, but fought for attention tooth and nail until everyone did as she asked. I wasn’t her, though, and had no wish to be. But I also didn’t want to be weak.

  I lifted my gaze to the Prince again and studied him while he focused on his father. He was tall, even for somebody with the Old Blood, easily the tallest man in the room, and slender, contrasting with the broad shoulders of his brother. His dark hair fell across his eyes with a long fringe as if to shut everyone out and his military uniform was immaculate, giving little away as to the person beneath. He stood still as if being inspected on parade.

  Did he even have the slightest interest in me? The Queen followed my gaze and gave a worried frown to her son before stepping over to take my hands. “I know it must be strange, being so far from home and everything you know, but I’m sure you’ll settle in quickly. Do let me know if there’s anything you need.”

  I tore my gaze from my future husband and smiled at the Queen. “Thank you. I must confess, I’m very tired.”

  The Queen’s voice warmed, and her eyes rounded in sympathy. “Of course, let me show you to your rooms. If anything is not to your taste, the housekeeper can rearrange it. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable.”

  For some reason her kindness made pressure build up behind my eyes, breaking through the determined shell I’d built around myself. The Queen took my arm to escort me from the room, and I glanced at the Prince who was still looking away. “When… when is the wedding?”

  She glanced at her husband. “We were thinking about hosting it in tw
o months to give you a chance to settle in and get to know Jian first.”

  My shoulders sagged as I sighed in relief. “Thank you. I was worried that it would be straight away.”

  The Queen waved my words away. “No, no, I remember what it’s like meeting your betrothed for the first time and trying to find your way in a strange place where you don’t know anyone. Besides, I’m sure you’ll have some opinions on the celebrations?”

  I hadn’t even thought about the actual wedding, I’d been so preoccupied with what would come after.

  The Queen must have seen the worry on my face. “Don’t worry, my dear, we don’t need to discuss that now. Come, let’s get you to your rooms.” She patted my hand which was laid on her arm and led me out of the hall. “Rest or explore as you wish for the rest of today. Tomorrow evening we have planned a banquet in your honor.”

  My heart sank but I gave her a smile. “That is very kind. Are there… any traditions I need to be aware of?”

  She shook her head and her large golden earrings twinkled again. “It will be a simple feast with dancing. I will arrange for a seat for your new maid beside you so she can advise on anything you question.”

  I relaxed a little. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  She waved my words from the air. “Call me Fei.”

  A maid was already waiting in my new rooms. Ruo was a motherly woman probably in her fifties with rounded cheeks and grey hair plaited around her scalp. She had a comforting air and I liked her immediately as she paused from stoking the fires to introduce herself. I hoped she would be a friend and ally in this strange place.

  The rooms were very different from my ones back in Hava. The stone walls were unplastered and only adorned with a single faded tapestry of men fishing with long poles on a river. The receiving room contained only a simple desk, a dining table and four quilted chairs with no backs. Thankfully there was a woven rug on the floor to offer some warmth.

  The second room was a bedroom. The four-poster bed was made of dark wood and was much lower to the ground than I was used to. There were no silk covers, only mounds of furs stitched together. A wooden barrel sat in the corner for washing, and Ruo was already busy filling it. Other than that, there was merely a large wardrobe and a vanity table. Elyanna would have passed out in horror. The thought made me smile.

  Ruo bobbed her head. “I’ll have the servants bring your chest in here, Your Highness. I know the Queen has already placed some dresses in your wardrobe as a gift. I would be happy to adjust any to fit you, as you wish. Is there anything else you need?”

  “A new corset and some shifts, if I may. Mine got ruined on the journey.”

  The maid eyebrows twitched down for a second. “Of course.”

  “What is this?” I asked, pointing at two wide wooden pegs fastened to the wall beside my bed.

  “That is for your sword. It is easy to access there if you need it during the night.”

  My mouth dropped open. “Am I likely to need a sword in the night here?”

  She smiled and chuckled. “It’s a tradition left from more dangerous times, Highness. The Border didn’t used to be so effectively maintained.”

  I frowned. “But the Border is miles away.”

  Ruo’s face saddened. “As I said, we used to live in much more dangerous times. Prince Jian has paid the Border Forts a lot of attention these last ten years and they are close to impenetrable, so don’t fear. Most folk still believe, however, that not sleeping with your sword to hand is asking for trouble to come.”

  I looked back to the empty hooks and firmed my lips. My own sword was still in my chest, but this seemed an easy and sensible tradition to adopt. I would probably feel safer for it too. The wind made strange moans around the outside walls and the window shuddered.

  Ruo poured the final bucket of warmed water into the barrel and left me to wash. It seemed they were more conscious of privacy here. The water was lukewarm and the tub slowly leaked water onto the floor. It felt wonderful to gradually become clean again. Ruo had left a plain linen dress and thick fur robe for me on the bed. When I was clean, I dried myself as fast as possible in the chill air before running for the clothes. The fur was soft and I hugged myself.

  Ruo was not in my receiving room anymore, and I assumed she had gone to collect food. I brushed my hair as close to the fire as I could stand and watched the gentle waves return as the water evaporated. I studied the pure white of my hair and wondered what our children would look like when Jian’s was pure black. Would they have one or the other, or a mixture of the two? My thoughts started to slide to less pleasant places, and I distracted myself by going to the window which was already dimming with dusk.

  I leant on the windowsill and breathed on the glass to melt the gathering frost on the outside of the panes, before wiping away the condensation. A stray flurry of snow swirled past the window, and I pulled my cloak tight around me. If the weather was this bad in early autumn, what would winter be like?

  My window didn’t look over the town, but faced the endless slopes of dark pine, stark against the snow-dappled ground. Here and there I could make out the shining lines of waterfalls and rivers, the weather not yet cool enough to turn them to ice.

  As I stood back, I froze, a tingle running down my spine. Something whispered, right on the edge of my hearing. I pressed my face back against the glass, sure I was imagining it, but not able to step away. The breeze blew around the catch and hinges of the window, kissing my cheeks with ice. ‘Brianna.’ A child’s voice, distant and faded.

  I stepped back so fast my heel caught my skirt and I staggered to keep my balance. I shook my head. I had never been one for foolish imaginings. What was wrong with me?

  I drew the curtains, even though there was still some light, just to keep the warmth of the fire in, of course, and sat in the furthest chair, where the crackle and pop of the fire drowned out the sound of the wind.

  I hadn’t expected a banquet in my honor and I wished they hadn’t bothered. I wasn’t as familiar with the etiquette of the Borderlands as I would have liked, and what if there were customs Elyanna knew that I didn’t, revealing I was an imposter?

  The first challenge was to decide what to wear. Did I wear a dress that I had brought with me, or would wearing one the Queen had gifted me be more gracious? I knew Elyanna would have chosen her gold gown. She loved how she looked in that and always complained she couldn’t wear it more at court since everyone had seen her wear it twice already. But the neckline was lower than I wanted, and the whole thing was too dramatic. I wasn’t comfortable in it, and just because I had taken Elyanna’s name, didn’t mean I had to take her personality as well.

  I looked at the three dresses the Queen had given me and was touched that they were in the Havan style much more than Borderlander, with bare shoulders and gauzy, floaty material for trains. Maybe it would be acceptable for me to just act as a Syberan for now. I chose one in a pale blue chiffon. It was elegant without being attention-seeking, and was in a cut I was used to wearing. I put it on and let Ruo fix pins around the bodice to bring it in to my size. After I’d slipped it back off, I automatically collected a needle and thread from my sewing box.

  Ruo looked surprised. “No, no, my lady. I can do this for you. I will have it ready in time, don’t you worry.”

  I smiled but took one end of the dress. It was strange to be the princess and not the lady-in-waiting. “I would like to alter it with you, if I may? I’m nervous about tonight and would like to keep busy.”

  Ruo’s expression softened and she gave a small smile. “Of course. No need to be nervous, my lady.”

  We settled down in front of the built-up fire and started sewing the new lines Ruo had marked out. The fires were constantly lit in my room, even though it was just after midday, and I was grateful for the warmth. I listened to the cold wind echoing down the corridors of the castle as I sewed and sometimes jumped when it rattled my door. My lunch of bread and soup remained untouched on the table, despite R
uo glancing at it periodically as if to remind me it was there.

  I snapped a piece of thread with my teeth and didn’t look at Ruo as I dared to ask about Prince Jian. “What’s he like?” It was so much easier to talk now we both had something to occupy ourselves. “My husband-to-be?”

  Ruo tilted her head. “Well, he’s very handsome, don’t you think? A very good height. Especially since you are so tall yourself.”

  I jabbed the needle through the fabric harder than I needed. “But what’s he like? Is he kind? Humorous? Studious? Athletic? Amorous?”

  She bit her lip in concentration as she worked. “Well, he’s quiet and reserved, but that’s not a bad thing, dear. I’ve never seen him be deliberately unkind. He spends a lot of time training with the sword and drilling the soldiers. I’d say that is his passion. He’s a general at the Border, you see, and spends almost half the year at one of the two forts. He leads his men well and is highly respected by them.”

  “Oh.” I tried to envision our future married life. It sounded like he would be away most of the time fighting or training. I wasn’t sure if I would be expected to go to the Border with him. It would be a strange marriage if we barely spent any time together, but who knew, maybe that would be better? The castle didn’t seem too bad so far, just cold and a little depressing. I turned the bodice over to hem the other side. He was a man of war. Would that mean he had a taste for violence? Perhaps damaged by what he’d seen? Broken? I sighed and rubbed my forehead. The sooner I knew more about him, the easier this would all be.

  Ruo patted my shoulder. “Now, now, my lady. I’m sure it will work out. Political marriages can be tricky, and I’m sure you must miss home, but there will be lots for you to do here to occupy yourself before the little ones come. There are many places to find happiness apart from marriage so you can find contentment and patience while your marriage takes time to grow.”