I’ll visit soon. I have a good feeling about this union. Trust me.
Your brother, Nolan
I sighed as I crumpled up Prince Nolan’s letter and tossed it aside. Short, vague, and pointless. He was the only one who could help me, and yet my plea for assistance had fallen on deaf ears.
I pressed my forehead against my desk in defeat, a headache already pulsing behind my temples. What could His Highness’s motive possibly be for not intervening? Didn’t he realize that the longer we waited, the more difficult it’d be to untangle me from this mess? It was likely impossible now, for surely Liam knew me well enough at this point that he’d notice if the princess and I switched back; I was completely trapped.
Strangely, the more I came to know Liam, the less distressing that thought became.
I released a long sigh as I forced myself to straighten. My eyes lingered on the offending letter once more. I’d waited so long for a reply, hoping it’d be good news, but instead it’d been utterly useless. I retrieved it, smoothing out the wrinkles marring the parchment so I could reread it, not just once, but twice.
My brow furrowed over a particular line: I have a good feeling about this union. What did the prince mean by that? Did he truly think this arrangement was for the best? Would he try nothing to wriggle me out of the princess’s tangled web? He had to know that his sister would eventually come back and claim what was hers. Surely he’d do something, wouldn’t he?
But from the letter in my hand, I could see that that something would be very little—possibly nothing. I sighed as I re-crumpled it, this time tossing it into the fire, where the flames consumed it, and with it any chance of someone stumbling upon this rather unconventional letter from a brother to his supposed sister.
My thoughts automatically drifted to my own brother. Archer had never been far from my mind, especially after his unexpected visit the week before. I’d tried not to think about him too much, a task made easier considering how well things were going with Liam. My heart wrenched with guilt at just how easy it’d been not to dwell on my brother’s worry.
My mind repeatedly drifted to Prince Nolan’s letter and my own brother’s distress all throughout breakfast, where I scarcely touched my food and listened to Liam’s charming conversation with only half an ear.
He paused in his current story to search my expression. “Are you alright, Lavena? You seem out of sorts this morning.”
My heart lifted that he’d noticed. I fiddled with the ring on my hand, trying to find an adequate excuse, but before I could, we were interrupted by a footman.
He bowed crisply. “Forgive the interruption, Your Highnesses, but I’ve been informed that a family in the nearby village has just lost their home due to a fire.”
Liam’s expression instantly became solemn. “Was anyone harmed?”
“No, Your Highness.”
“And were any other families affected by the fire?”
The footman shook his head.
“I’m relieved no one was hurt, but what a tragic event for the family who lost their home,” Liam said. “Of course we’ll lend our aid. Prepare for supplies to be sent immediately.”
The footman bowed again and left to execute Liam’s orders while I gaped at my husband. Supplies? Was that all he would do? Surely, there was more we could do in our position. My heart immediately reached out to this family I didn’t even know, even as a memory from my childhood returned: when I’d been a young girl, our village’s crops had flooded from a season of unusually heavy rains, resulting in a long, hungry winter. While the Lycerian royal family had sent some aid, it had done little to ease our physical suffering, let alone our mental distress at our dire circumstances. The whole village had felt neglected by our monarchy.
I refused to allow this family to endure the same experience, especially now when I could finally do something to help. I stood. “We’ll go at once to see how we might offer our assistance.”
Liam blinked up at me from where he sat unmoving in his own seat. “Wait, what?”
I was already halfway to the door. “We’re going to help the village family whose house has burned.”
I glanced over my shoulder to see whether or not he was following. Liam stared after me for another baffled moment. “We’re already helping. I’m sending servants and supplies to––”
“Sending servants and supplies is helpful, but there’s more we can do to assist. We must survey the situation ourselves.”
His forehead furrowed as he pondered my words. “That’s a good point. But it’s our honeymoon.”
“Your duty to your subjects comes first. There’s a need for our service now and we should provide it, despite any personal inconvenience.” I gave him a teasing smile. “Besides, isn’t dealing with the aftermath of a fire a grander adventure than another garden stroll or afternoon in the library?”
He gave me a rather desperate look, as if he didn’t want me to leave without him, but also as if he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to go.
“Don’t you want to come along?” I asked. “You should. You’re the crown prince, and the members of that family are some of your subjects, our subjects.”
I briskly left the dining room to go to my room to change, wondering whether or not he’d follow. To my delight he did, easily catching up to me and maintaining my rapid pace with his own longer stride. As we walked, he peered into my face with a look like he was trying to decipher a complicated puzzle. I raised an eyebrow and he grinned.
“We’re to jump into the heat of it, are we? Get our royal hands dirty doing something useful for a change? Excellent.” His eyes lit at the prospect of an adventure, even though the day that lay before us would likely be anything but adventurous. My heart swelled. He was such a good man.
“You want to come?”
“I want to help our people almost as much as I want to spend the day with you.” He blinked rapidly—as if his words surprised him—before he nodded to himself. “You could drag me anywhere and I’d come.”
I smiled at his sweet declaration. If only I could spend the rest of my life with him at my side.
We separated at our bedrooms to change into simpler clothing. Before emerging from my room, I glanced into the mirror and sighed at the fake princess staring back at me, all signs of Anwen completely hidden away. Even after several weeks, the thought that I couldn’t see myself still bothered me. How much longer would my true reflection remain hidden beneath this mask?
I met Liam in the hallway, and together we went down to the servants’ quarters to organize the labor force and supplies. Despite his sweet willingness to help, poor Liam seemed at a loss as to what to do for a peasant family who’d just lost everything. So I took charge of gathering the supplies—blankets, clothing, cooking dishes, flour, dried fruit and potatoes—as well as arranging for a labor force that would help rebuild the family’s destroyed home.
Since the carriages held the supplies, we opted to walk, a half-hour journey on foot. Liam made no complaint about walking. He merely wove our fingers together and whistled cheerfully as we went. I glanced down at our connected hands and then up at him. He paused mid-whistle, a blush filling his cheeks.
“Is this alright?”
“Of course.” His inquiry surprised me. After all, we’d been holding hands on all our strolls for several days now.
He released a breath of relief. “I was afraid my attentions wouldn’t be welcome, considering you’re coming to discover they come from a useless prince.” A frown tugged at his mouth even as he gave me an admiring look.
“You’re not a useless prince, merely an untrained one.”
“Perhaps, while you’re obviously already a dutiful and compassionate princess.”
My cheeks warmed. “Isn’t it my duty as a princess to help?”
“This is more than a duty for you,” Liam said gently. “I can see it in your eyes. You’re relishing the thought of helping this family. You’ll make an excellent queen.”
“A
nd you’ll make an excellent king.” By his solemn expression, I could tell he still doubted himself. The thought broke my heart. I squeezed his hand assuredly. “I think you’re going to surprise yourself today. You claim you didn’t really know me before our wedding, but you clearly don’t know yourself either.”
His brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“You’re a good man, Liam; you just haven’t allowed yourself to embrace your new role as the crown prince. But you will, starting now.” I smiled gently. “I’ll help you.”
After all, Liam would one day be king, no matter who stood at his side. If I did nothing else in our precious time together, I’d help him see himself clearly and embrace who he was so that when the time of his reign came, he’d fulfill his role with confidence.
We soon reached the tiny village, comprised of small wooden homes and a bustling market of villagers. They blinked in astonishment at our presence before sweeping into bows and curtsies, each villager greeting us with a reverent, “Your Highnesses” or “Prince and Princess.”
My cheeks warmed at the gestures I didn’t deserve, and I felt even more an imposter now than I had during this entire façade thus far. If only they knew I was really one of them.
With our carriage rattling behind us, we wove through the crowd, following the scent of smoke that still blistered the air to a tiny makeshift house burned almost entirely to the ground. The laborers we had sent had already arrived and had been joined by several villagers to help remove the charred remains. I could do little to help with that. I found my purpose the moment I spotted two little girls clinging to their mother’s skirts, their faces tear-stained and covered in soot.
I choked back a sob. “Oh.” I released Liam’s hand and knelt before them, ignoring the soot marring my dress. I took the little girls’ hands. “Hello, darlings, are you alright?”
One immediately buried her face against her mother while the other gaped at me before offering a shy smile. “Are you Crown Princess Lavena?”
No. But I forced myself to nod. “Yes, I am. What are your names?”
“Erin, and this is my little sister Anea.”
The girl didn’t even peek out from her mother’s dress.
Erin’s lip trembled. “Our house burned.”
I removed my handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears and soot streaking her cheeks. “I know, and I’m terribly sorry. But Crown Prince Liam and I are here to help you.”
Erin’s eyes widened further as her gaze darted towards Liam, who’d already crouched down beside me with a sweet look as he stared at the girls. “You want to help us?”
He gave her his usual charming smile. “Of course. It’s a prince’s privilege to help two fine maidens in need of assistance.”
Erin blushed and tugged on her mother’s skirt. “Hear that, Mama? The prince and princess want to help us.”
She smiled through her own tears. “Thank you kindly, Your Highnesses, we’re ever so grateful.”
“We’ll help in whatever way we can.” My most pressing concern was these two little girls. I focused my attention on washing their sooty faces, hands, and bare feet before arranging for their breakfast and ensuring they had what they they needed. As I worked, I strove to lock my emotions away so they wouldn’t overcome me, but soon the heartache and worry filling their faces became too much. My eyes began to burn, and not from the smokey air.
I needed a moment. I excused myself and hurried a few paces away to lean against a nearby oak, taking several shaky breaths that did little to quell my tears. They escaped anyway and trickled down my cheeks.
I fumbled with my handkerchief before remembering it was dirty after I’d used it to wash the girls’ faces. Liam appeared at my elbow with his own, but rather than handing it to me, he used it to gently dab at my teary eyelids.
“Are you alright, Lavena?”
I glanced towards the family, who were eagerly accepting the supplies we’d brought, even as the two little girls looked on in wonder at the laborers already rebuilding the walls of their home. “They’ll be alright, won’t they?”
“Of course they will.”
“Really? Because I need them to be.”
Tenderness filled Liam’s gaze. “Oh Lavena, you compassionate, remarkable woman.”
He gathered me in his arms and I nestled against him, burrowing against his cinnamon-scented warmth. He pressed a soft kiss on the top of my head.
“This is my favorite day of our honeymoon thus far,” he murmured. “It’s allowed me to come to know you even better.” He gently cupped my chin and lifted my teary gaze to meet his own, glistening with an incredibly special look, one I couldn’t put into words but which made me feel cherished. His thumb lightly caressed my wet cheeks. “You’re so sweet, Lavena.”
My heart felt on the brink of flight at his words, and it beat even more wildly when his caressing gaze lowered to my lips. Fear compelled me to reluctantly extract myself from his embrace before he could act on the desire I’d seen fill his eyes.
“We should return to work.”
We spent the remainder of the day in the village. While I remained with the women volunteers sewing and cleaning, Liam rolled up his sleeves and jumped into the process of rebuilding the ruined home. Sweat and dirt quickly lined his brow as he lent his assistance with contagious cheer and enthusiasm, immediately putting the village men at ease as they worked together on the cottage. Laughter and banter soon filled the air, along with shouts of, “Hey, Prince, pass me that log,” and “Who knew a prince could wield a hammer?” By Liam’s wide smile, I could tell he was enjoying himself immensely.
He only took an occasional break to dote on all the little village girls, who were drawn to him like bees to honey. Liam made it his personal mission to get every child to laugh and smile. Each of his tender gestures caused me to lose more of my heart to him. I tried to ignore him and concentrate on my tasks in order to protect myself, but I couldn’t close off my ears to the sound of his sweetness and laughter with the children and his good-natured ribbing with the laborers. Several times throughout our work we exchanged shy looks, always smiling before hastily looking away.
As I washed what had survived of the family’s sooty laundry, Erin sidled up to me with a mischievous grin. “You love the prince, don’t you? You keep staring at him with a mushy look in your eyes.”
My heart jolted, then pattered wildly, especially since we were close enough to Liam that he could hear our conversation. Love…I forced the word from my mind. No matter the role I played, I was still a handmaiden. As such, loving the crown prince would only lead to heartache.
Erin was still waiting for an answer; by her expectant smile, it was clear she didn’t doubt what it’d be. The heat in my cheeks deepened. “He’s a good man. I’m very fortunate to have him for my husband.”
I glanced shyly at Liam again, desperate to see his reaction to my words, and was pleased to discover him staring at me with his usual tender look. What did that look mean? I was almost afraid to analyze it. Shy little Anea—whom Liam had managed to convince to sit snugly on his lap—was also watching me, her eyes wide with innocence.
“Your princess is really pretty,” she whispered loudly to him. Liam beamed, his tender expression growing even softer.
“She is, but more importantly, she’s the sweetest woman I’ve ever met.”
My heart lifted before I could school its reaction. At this point, losing it to Liam was inevitable, though it would make our eventual separation all the more torturous.
As the sun began to set, we bid our goodbyes to the family and other villagers and made our way back to the palace. Despite the carriage now being empty of supplies, I wanted to walk and Liam made no objections. He sent the carriage on ahead and we strolled in silence for several minutes, allowing the settling dusk and the day we’d shared together to create a reverence around us.
Liam broke the stillness first. “I’m surprised how much I enjoyed helping that family and interacting
with the villagers.” His gaze met mine in the golden-rose light. “It must have been because we did it together.”
“Partly, but it’s also because you’re so naturally compassionate and enjoy helping your subjects—not to mention you’re exuberant and love doing new things and staying busy. You really will make a wonderful king.”
“That was the hardest day of labor I’ve ever done, but also the most satisfying.” He tugged us to a stop and cupped my cheek. “You helped me take a step forward in fulfilling my future role of king. Together, we’ll make such a difference in our kingdom. I caught a glimpse of that potential today.”
I stared up at Liam with his sweat-caked face and dirty clothes. He’d never looked more handsome to me than he did in this moment.
I ached for a future together—to be by his side and witness firsthand all the good he’d do for his people—but I knew that was impossible. For now, I just needed to help him realize that he was capable of standing on his own.
“You’re an amazing crown prince because of who you already are,” I said. “You once confided that you’re afraid your role will change you, when in reality you already possess the traits that you need to fulfill it. You’re so compassionate.”
“Not as much as you.” He enfolded both my hands in his. My own heart flared to life at the contact. “In addition to teaching me how to be a king, you’re also helping me realize what marriage really is. Before, I only saw it as something to be endured, whereas now you’re showing me it’s a partnership where we help better one another and work side by side. I’m already a better man because of you. It’ll be a privilege continuing to come to know you more.” He pressed a soft kiss to each of my hands.
My pulse pounded painfully, especially at the tender look filling his eyes. The energy between us hummed. He wrapped his arms gently around my waist, drawing me closer as his gaze, now lit with purpose, flickered down to my lips.
For a moment I almost gave in, but I couldn’t allow myself to become any closer to the man who wasn’t mine to keep. I pulled out of his arms.
“It’s getting dark,” I whispered.
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