Because green was Anwen’s favorite color, but as usual that was something I wasn’t supposed to admit. “What an observant husband you are, Liam dear.”
His puzzlement melted away as he chuckled. He stood and came over to take my hands in his. “When I’m with you, it’s impossible not to pay attention.”
He lifted my hands and pressed a kiss on the back of each before lowering and then rubbing them with his thumbs. He stared at me for a moment, his expression incredibly tender, before he glanced at something over my shoulder.
“I see they’ve uncovered the connecting door. My room is through there.”
He motioned with his chin and I glanced behind me. My heart leapt. We could access one another’s rooms as easily as crossing the threshold. The door had stayed resolutely shut during our honeymoon, but after Liam’s admission last night that he was ready, I wondered how long I could keep that door closed here.
“It’ll stay closed until you’re ready,” he murmured, as if he’d read my thoughts. With each passing day he seemed to become more attuned to me. I felt my heated blush reappear. Liam caressed it with his fingertips. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“Never.” I pressed myself against him and sighed contentedly when he embraced me and held me close, his head nestling against my hair.
We spent some time alone before the feast, a final taste of our honeymoon that I never wanted to end. We eventually wandered to the settee and settled on it, arms still wound around each other as we played with one another’s hands.
I laid my head on his shoulder. “Now that our honeymoon is over, I’ll be getting responsibilities as the new crown princess, won’t I?”
“Yes,” he said. “Most will be similar to the duties you had as the Princess of Lyceria, with several new ones that you’ll need to receive training for. Not to worry; Mother will take you under her wing and show you everything.”
I took a steadying breath at the thought of the new tasks I’d be expected to perform, some I was aware of due to my service to the princess and many which still remained a mystery. But rather than feeling nervous for them, a strange flutter of excitement filled me. I liked to keep busy, and after helping the peasant family on our honeymoon, the possibilities of all the good I could do in this temporary role thrilled me.
“Could I perhaps choose additional duties?”
Liam hooked his fingers beneath my chin to raise my gaze. “Such as what?”
“The fire in the village caused me to ponder the state of your—I mean our—subjects. Is there something more we can do to help? Perhaps we can create charities, or visit some of the poorer villages in order to lend our aid, or…” I trailed off, my cheeks warming at the perplexed look Liam was giving me. “What is it?” I whispered.
He slowly grinned. “That’s a fantastic suggestion. Goodness, just when I think I’ve gotten used to how wonderful you are, you continue to amaze me.” He pressed a soft kiss to my brow. “May I join you in your project?”
“Certainly. In fact, you should be the one in charge of it.”
He lifted his eyebrow. “Why? It was your idea.”
It needed to be him, so that when Princess Lavena eventually returned, he could continue doing good for his people without me. “It’ll help you realize what a fine crown prince you are.”
His expression softened. “I’ll accept as long as you’re an intricate part of these plans. We’ll do it together.” He was silent a thoughtful moment. “You’ve just given me an idea for my own project; I can’t let you be the only one to have all the fun.”
“What kind of project do you have in mind?”
His eyes lit up. “Well, I thought I was rather handy with a hammer when we rebuilt the village family’s burnt house. I’d love to get my royal hands dirty building more useful things. Maybe we could go to each village and see what the people need—homes, a larger school, a nicer church…I could appoint men in each town to be in charge and show up when my schedule permits in order to help them.”
I smiled. “What a wonderful idea; that would be perfect for you.” Such a project would build up his confidence and give him the opportunity to make a difference as the crown prince. He’d undoubtedly make a fine king.
He gathered me close, and we settled into another comfortable moment of stillness, basking in one of the last moments alone we’d experience before rejoining the real world. Liam must have been thinking something similar.
“It’ll take some getting used to, not having every moment be like this anymore,” he whispered. “Starting tomorrow the honeymoon is truly over. I’ll return to attempting to fill a role that was never meant to be mine and you’ll have your princess duties to attend to. We’ll have to steal moments throughout the day to spend together.”
I nestled closer, resting my head on his heart. “I hate having to share you.”
“You’ll always be my priority, even when my attention is forced to be diverted…like now. It’s time to get ready for dinner.”
I scowled at the clock. “Time with you speeds by, whereas I’m certain the moments we’re apart will slow to a crawl.”
“At least we can use the time we’re separated to plan more adventures for when we’re together.” He stroked my hair back. “I know it’ll be difficult returning to the real world, but we have a lifetime together, and unlike before, it no longer feels like a sentence, but rather a marvelous adventure just waiting to unfold.”
He pressed a soft kiss on my forehead before standing and going to the connecting door. I followed him, keeping my hand woven through his until the last possible moment. He turned to me.
“I’ll return to escort you to dinner.” He hesitated before dipping down and kissing me softly, this kiss more shy than our others, but just as lovely. I kissed him back, trying to communicate all the feelings in my heart that I couldn’t express. By the time he pulled away, he was grinning. “I’ll see you soon.”
He disappeared into his room, his gaze lingering on mine until the door had closed, separating us. I missed him immediately. I stared at the closed door for a long moment before turning around to survey the room that was now mine. I frowned. Pink, frilly, and totally not to my taste.
I sighed and went to pull the cord that would summon my maid so I could prepare for the feast with Liam’s family, for whom I was now expected to perform. Nerves knotted my stomach, but a single glance towards the connecting door reminded me of my motivation to continue the charade—Liam, always him.
Chapter 15
By the time Liam arrived to escort me to dinner, my nerves had escalated, twisting my stomach into anxious knots. I took a fortifying breath before opening the door in answer to his knock and was rewarded when Liam’s expression immediately brightened as he looked me over, his expression appreciative.
“Why, Your Royal Highness, you look particularly lovely tonight.”
I smiled. When Liam spoke my title, I sort of liked it; it almost made me feel like a real princess. I looked like a princess, at least, dressed up in my golden silk, jewelry, and fancy hairdo. Hopefully I’d be able to act like one as well—a task that felt daunting, especially when I was dining with the king and queen. My fear threatened to swallow me whole.
I took his offered arm and allowed him to lead me down the corridor. “Will only your family be at dinner?” I asked shakily.
“Yes, it’s a private dinner, so thankfully we won’t have to brave court.”
Despite that small mercy, apprehension squeezed my heart with every step closer to the scrutinizing audience I’d have to perform for. I’d managed to fool Liam, but could I fool the royal family of Draceria?
Liam hovered outside the door and peered inside, where his family chatted easily around the dining table as they awaited our arrival. He sighed. “As much as I love my family, I already miss our meals from our honeymoon when it was just us.”
“It’s not too late to escape.”
He chuckled at what he undoubtedly considered a joke and sq
ueezed my hand with a reassuring smile, which I managed to weakly return. Despite the daunting performance before me, at least I would face it with Liam at my side.
He escorted me into the dining room. His family looked up with “we can’t wait to hear how your honeymoon really went” expressions. I stiffly sank into my seat at Liam’s right, so different from how we’d sat across from one another at the summer palace.
I cast a nervous glance towards the king and queen, both relaxed and wearing friendly looks, which didn’t change the fact they were the King and Queen—royal, regal, and formidable—and I was a common girl posing as a princess. My stomach tightened.
The interrogation began with the first course. The queen smiled at us as she took a dainty sip of soup. “Tell us about your honeymoon, dears. What did you do?”
“We went on all sorts of adventures,” Liam said with his usual exuberance. “Didn’t we, darling?”
Memories of our time together flittered through my mind like snippets from the most beautiful of dreams. Adventures seemed too inadequate a description, but I managed a brief nod.
“Adventures is so vague,” Princess Elodie complained as she swirled her finger in her glass, stirring its contents. “I want details.”
Liam turned to me expectantly, inviting me to speak, but my throat had sealed up. When I remained silent, he turned back to his family. “We did many fun things—made paper boats, went on picnics, read in the library, watched the sunset, strolled the gardens, searched for haunted settees…”
I smiled at each of his recollections. As terrified as I’d been before our honeymoon, it had turned out to be rather incredible. I yearned to return to that magical time and the security I’d experienced when it had been just us.
Liam launched into additional details while holding my hand beneath the table and tracing swirls along my palm. Each touch escalated my heart, already pattering in nerves. The sensations soon became too much and I slowly withdrew my hand from his.
He paused in his recitation about our adventures tracking down the haunted settee to frown at me, confusion lining his brow. “Do you not like me playing with your hand?” he whispered, a whisper that was loud enough for his surrounding family to overhear.
My cheeks warmed in a blush and I cast another apprehensive glance at the royalty surrounding us. The queen leaned forward, eyes lined with concern.
“You’re not eating, Lavena dear. Aren’t you hungry?”
How could I possibly eat beneath their scrutiny when one wrong move would certainly expose me? The thought caused my stomach to swirl in nausea.
Liam’s touch went to my cheek. “You’re a bit pale, darling. Are you alright?”
I took a deep breath. I was being ridiculous. My nerves were only causing more attention to be directed towards me, attention I didn’t want.
I nodded and shakily picked up my spoon. After a few timid spoonfuls of the creamy chicken soup, I noticed that Liam’s family’s attention was still riveted to me. My cheeks burned further. Was I using the wrong spoon? Slurping too loudly?
“What is it?” I squeaked. The queen tilted her head, studying me, as if searching for evidence of my authenticity.
“You seem…different tonight, dear. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine, Your Majesty.” I wriggled in my seat, waiting for the accusations, which thankfully didn’t come. One by one, each dropped their curious staring. I slowly released my pent-up breath.
The agonizing dinner continued. The food’s tantalizing smells tickled my nose but I scarcely tasted any of it, too busy overanalyzing every gesture to make sure I didn’t do anything to shatter the façade that I was Princess Lavena; picking at my food and remaining a silent observer quickly seemed the safest option. I knew I was doing a terrible job imitating the confident, chatty princess, but my nerves seemed to have paralyzed me; it was all I could do to not have a panic attack.
Our salad was swept away by the attending servants and the third course began. After a few more polite questions concerning our wedding trip—questions once again answered exclusively by Liam, while I remained mute and anxious beside him—the conversation turned to how Liam’s family had spent the past month. I thought I could safely not participate in this particular topic, but unfortunately by the fourth course, my silence once again didn’t go unnoticed.
The queen set down her fork. “Are you sure you’re alright, Lavena? You’re being so quiet. You’re normally quite the conversationalist.”
I frantically scrambled for an excuse, but words weren’t forthcoming.
“Perhaps you’re tired from your travels?” she asked.
I seized this excuse gratefully. “It’s been a long day,” I managed to squeak.
“Poor dear. We should have allowed you to rest longer before dinner. We were just eager to hear how your honeymoon went. We’ve been so anxious…but it appears we needn’t have worried; you both look as if you had a wonderful time.”
Liam grinned. “We had an amazing time, didn’t we, sweetheart?” He wrapped his arm around me and I stiffened. Was such a gesture appropriate in front of Their Majesties? Furthermore, the real Princess Lavena would have shaken his arm off. Would my not doing so crack the charade that I wasn’t really the princess I claimed to be?
I slowly tugged myself away. Avoiding Liam’s surprised and wounded eyes, I cut up my chicken, my hands shaking so badly it took several attempts to get a single bite. When I was finally brave enough to raise my gaze, I noticed his family—the queen especially—once more studying me closely.
Don’t panic, Anwen. I took several long, deep breaths to steady my nerves, but my pulse quickened and didn’t settle even after they turned their perusal away and began conversing again.
Liam didn’t join in, instead casting me several confused and rather hurt looks. Guilt that I’d distressed him pierced my already clenched heart. When His Majesty began discussing an important meeting Liam looked all too thankful to have missed, Liam leaned towards my ear.
“You seem upset. What’s wrong?”
I subtly shook my head, dismissing his question, and with a sigh he withdrew.
He didn’t make another attempt to show me affection until the next course, when his arm wound back around me, much more hesitantly than the first time. The king’s eyebrows rose in surprise and the queen and Liam’s sisters all lit up in pleasure. Once again I stiffened, but I didn’t have the heart to reject him again. When I made no move to pull away, he relaxed.
After several minutes when Their Majesties didn’t scold us for sitting in such a way during the meal, I managed to relax my tense posture and snuggle closer to Liam. His arm looped snugly around me helped to steady my wild heartbeat and my tangled nerves.
I became even more calm when Liam began casually playing with a loose strand of hair that had slipped from my updo. With each twist of it around his finger, Princess Elodie and Princess Rheanna—who watched each of his movements with growing smiles—exchanged knowing looks and heaved romantic sighs, each of which caused my blush to deepen.
Despite my growing embarrassment, Liam’s attentions helped me endure the rest of dinner. It was a relief when the king and queen rose from the table, formally signaling the end of the meal.
“Shall we adjourn to the parlor, dears, until your father and Liam join us?” the queen asked.
Me? Alone with Her Majesty and Their Highnesses? The panic that had been dispelling swelled up again. Liam unwound his arm from around my shoulders. I seized his hand. “Where are you going?”
He gave an exaggerated groan. “Oh, just the traditional after-dinner drinks and dull political talk before rejoining you ladies in the parlor. Don’t worry, I’ll escape soon.” He swept a kiss across my cheek—earning another happy sigh from Princess Elodie—but in my heightened emotional state I flinched away, causing Liam to frown. My heart wrenched that my nerves had inadvertently hurt him.
“I’ll see you soon?” I asked hopefully. He managed a half smile
.
“I look forward to it.” He kissed my hand—this time I let him—and followed the king from the room, casting me a confused glance as he left, leaving me feeling adrift in an ocean without an anchor, left at the mercies of his extremely royal and rather intimidating family. I turned to face them. What scene was next in this performance of mine?
It turned out to be an evening of embroidery. My slowly abating nerves not only returned at this news, but escalated into full-blown panic. I, a terrible stitcher, was expected to do embroidery in front of an audience who had undoubtedly witnessed Princess Lavena’s unmatched skill. I may have fooled Liam on our honeymoon, but I could in no way fool the queen and her daughters.
I was going to be sick.
We entered the amber parlor and I rigidly perched at the edge of an armchair. I took in the bright, cheery room of pastel yellows, searching for any escape routes. The queen and three princesses relaxed into their seats, chatting easily, while I clenched and unclenched my fists in an attempt to keep my hands from shaking. They quickly became sweaty but there was no place to wipe them; my silk evening gown and the satin seating were both out of the question.
A servant handed me an embroidery hoop, but it remained untouched in my lap until the light conversation of my companions ceased and they turned towards me, their foreheads furrowed.
Princess Elodie lowered her gaze to my empty hoop. “What’s the matter? Don’t you want to embroider? I thought it was one of your favorite pastimes.”
I struggled to control my frantic breaths. I was certain if I opened my mouth to respond I’d do something ridiculous such as cry. The queen, who sat nearest me, rested a gentle hand on my arm.
“If you’re not in the mood to embroider, perhaps you’d be willing to entertain us on the pianoforte. I love your music.”
I winced. Considering I couldn’t even play the pianoforte and I could at least fake my way through my stitches, I opted for the embroidery. I shakily picked up my hoop and made as delicate stitches as I could muster in a pattern that I hoped resembled something floral but which, in reality, turned out looking like nothing more than a jumbled mess. I ignored the cheerful conversation surrounding me as I impatiently fiddled with my thread in a futile attempt to salvage the project.
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