“You’re really being unusually quiet tonight, Lavena.” Princess Elodie’s comment caused my attention to snap back up.
“I’m sorry,” I stuttered. “I—I’m just not up for conversation. I’m rather tired.”
“And rather concentrated on your embroidery,” Princess Elodie said. “It’s no wonder; your skill is unparalleled. I always love seeing your masterpieces. What are you working on now?” She leaned forward eagerly and her expectant expression faltered as she took in the mess in my lap. “What is it?” she asked with an overly polite tone.
“Uh…” As had been my problem for most of the evening, no words were forthcoming.
Princess Aveline bit her lip, as if to suppress a laugh. “What a…unique design. You must be very tired.”
My stomach churned. Would my obvious lack of talent for embroidery—so unlike Princess Lavena—reveal the truth?
Princess Rheanna stared at my embroidery, her expression surprisingly kind for how hideous it was. “I think it looks rather nice,” she offered quietly. Bless her for her obvious lie.
Princess Elodie tipped her head from side to side, examining the piece from different angles—even readjusting its position so it was upside down at one point. “It must be a style I’m unfamiliar with. I suppose your skills are far too advanced for the average embroiderer such as myself.”
Another far-too-kind statement, one that made me want to cry with relief that despite my horrible portrayal of Princess Lavena, the sweet Dracerian princesses were finding excuses to explain it away rather than assume an imposter. And why would they expect one? No one outside Princess Lavena’s family and close servants even knew of the handmaiden who so closely resembled her. This thought caused the anxiety that had been tightening my chest to slowly loosen. Perhaps I wouldn’t get caught after all.
Princess Aveline wrinkled her nose at my pattern. “What’s it supposed to be, exactly?”
I was spared answering by the arrival of Liam and the king. My tension melted away at seeing Liam again. I beamed and he returned my smile, seeming surprised but undoubtedly pleased.
“Hello, darling.” He settled beside me and smirked at my embroidery. “Another secret code?”
“No, another gift for my husband.”
He laughed and wrapped his arm around me. Once again I let him; I felt more secure with him touching me. “Perhaps I’m too good at this husband thing if you’re feeling compelled to gift me with another of your delightful creations.”
“It’s in your best interest to continue all the same,” I said with a teasing smirk. “Unless you’re feeling brave enough to face a displeased wife.”
“So this is your way of telling me you’re pleased with me?” All humor left Liam’s eyes, replaced with a smoldering look that ignited my insides.
“You’re getting quite good at reading me.”
His grin broadened and he placed a quick kiss at the tip of my nose. Although I welcomed his kiss, I remembered our audience and felt my shyness heat my cheeks and choke my voice. I lowered my gaze to my lap. Liam gave me a side squeeze.
“What is it, Lavena?”
If only I could explain. I cast an uncertain glance towards his family. Once again, the queen was surveying me with concern.
“You really do seem out of sorts tonight, dear,” she said. “Perhaps you should retire early.”
Although I felt much calmer with Liam beside me, I gratefully pounced on the invitation to end this anxiety-riddled evening. “Yes, Your Majesty, I’d love that.”
I rose and Liam immediately leapt to his feet. “May I escort you, dear?”
The worry filling his eyes compelled me to nod. I curtsied to the king and queen and bid good night to them. Liam took my hand and led me from the parlor, but rather than escort me to my room, he gently tugged me into a tucked-away alcove, where he took my hands and examined my expression.
“You’ve been so different tonight, Lavena. You seem almost…frightened. Are you quite alright?” He caressed my cheek, which had a rather soothing effect on me, not to mention finally being away from his kind but rather intimidating family helped to calm me.
“Not to worry, I’m feeling much better.”
He frowned. “So you were feeling unwell?”
I glanced towards the parlor we’d just left. How could I explain my behavior? My nerves to accurately portray the princess had caused me to perform dismally, which only made me appear more suspicious.
Liam’s frown deepened as he followed the line of my gaze. “Was it my family? Do you not like them?”
“I like them very much. It’s just…I was nervous dining with them for the first time since the wedding.”
His brows constricted. “Nervous? Whatever for? You’ve always gotten along with them in the past, I daresay more than you ever got along with me. Now you’ve been behaving as if they were strangers; I’ve never seen you so on edge.”
Oh dear. “It must be my exhaustion. It’s been a long day.”
Remorse filled his previously worried expression. “Of course. I should be a better husband and escort you to your room rather than interrogate you.” But he looked as if he wanted the interrogation to continue.
“I’m not too tired to pass up an opportunity to spend time with with my husband,” I said. “It’s nice to be alone with you again.”
I expected him to smile but instead he bit his lip. “Are you sure you’re alright? Because it wasn’t just your nerves around my family that’s worrying me. You’ve been rather aloof and cold, like you no longer welcomed my affections, almost like you were before.” He hesitated. “For a brief moment, I was afraid everything we’d built during our honeymoon had…I don’t want to lose you.”
My stomach jolted and I silently cursed myself. In that regard, I’d performed a bit too well as Princess Lavena. Remorse filled me that I’d given him such a wrong impression.
I cradled his cheek. “I’m sorry, Liam. Of course I welcome your affections. I was just shy about receiving them in front of your parents.”
His face softened in relief at my explanation. “They don’t mind, especially in a private family setting. They actually seemed pleased that things are going so well for us. My father even said so after dinner.”
And then I’d made it seem like things weren’t well at all with my ridiculous anxiety. I rested my hand against his chest, relishing the beat of his heart against my palm before I slowly scooted it up to hook my arms around his neck.
His eyes glistened and he grinned widely. “Lavena?”
“It seems I owe my husband an apology for how I treated him at dinner.” I stood on tiptoe and brushed my lips against his. Despite the gentle kiss I gave, I received a passionate one in return, one that ignited my insides. I pressed myself closer, thrilled when his arms tightened around me, as if he needed to keep me close. It was such a beautiful, heated kiss, one I wanted to last forever, but all too soon we broke away.
“Wow,” he murmured. “It appears I have no need to worry that you don’t welcome my affections.” He kissed me again. “Why did you resist before?” he murmured against my lips. “Are you shy, Lavena? It’s strange, but you were never shy before—”
I kissed him fervently, hoping to distract him from his suspicions, and by his responding groan and the way he eagerly burrowed his fingers in my hair, my ploy succeeded. I allowed myself to push my fears away and melt into his kiss, into him.
In this moment, everything was perfect. Despite my nerves causing my performance to be the complete opposite of Princess Lavena, I’d survived the first night in the second half of this production, although I hadn’t emerged entirely unscathed—the many baffled and suspicious looks from Liam’s family swirled through my mind. It’d take a miracle for me to fool them for much longer, and then the wonderful relationship Liam and I had created would come to an end, a thought even more unbearable than getting caught.
But for now we were together, and it was beautiful.
Chapter 16
Beginning the next morning, Liam became swamped in his duties as the crown prince, and I began mine as the crown princess. An advisor helped me learn my many responsibilities, and to my relief I found I was a quick study; at least in this one regard, it was easy to be convincing as Princess Lavena.
When my duties were finished, Liam still had many meetings he needed to attend to, which left me far too much time to miss him. During our honeymoon, Liam had eclipsed all my attention, but now the time apart from him prevented me from being distracted from another I missed fiercely: Archer.
My stomach knotted in distress; he was undoubtedly worried sick. I needed to write to him and assure him of my safety, even though the power of the contract ring brandishing my finger prevented me from telling him all that had happened to me. Still, if I could at least ease his heart that I was alive…
I sat at the desk in my room, toying with the end of my quill as I scribbled out my first attempt to write my brother: Dear Archer, I’m so sorry to have disappeared so suddenly. I currently find myself in quite the predicament—
Searing heat spread from the ring and up my arm, forcing my silence. I groaned, crumpled up my failed letter, and started again: Dear Archer, you’re undoubtedly anxiously wondering what’s become of me. I’ve been forced into a situation that—
Once again, the ring’s power overcame me, burning more than the last warning. I startled and dropped my quill, splotching my letter with ink. I growled in frustration, crumpled this failed attempt, and tossed it into the fire before pressing my head against the desk with a sigh. If I couldn’t tell Archer where I was, how would I ease his worries?
I considered the problem from all angles before straightening and dipping my quill into my inkwell for attempt number three:
My Dear Archer, I’m so sorry not to have written before now, especially as my absence from Lyceria undoubtedly has you quite worried. Please be assured I’m safe, although I can’t tell you where I am or what’s become of me.
I blew the ink dry and read what I’d written so far. I frowned. It was too vague, leaving too many unanswered questions that would cause him to worry all the more and likely try to find me.
I sighed as I crumpled this most recent failure and tossed it towards the fireplace; the letter bounced off the mantle and landed on the hearth. Before I could retrieve it and burn the evidence of my attempts to soothe my frantic brother, someone knocked on the door.
My heart immediately flip-flopped. Liam, back early from his heir duties. I quickly checked my appearance in the mirror and smiled. I looked quite lovely in my favorite fern-green gown…or rather, my favorite gown of the princess’s. It was strange not only how accustomed I’d become to my new wardrobe, but how much I now enjoyed dressing up.
Perhaps I belonged here with Liam after all. Eager to see him, I flattened my hair and turned towards the door. “Come in.”
The door opened to reveal not Liam but his three younger sisters—Rheanna, Aveline, and Elodie. They flounced in with smiles of anticipation.
“There you are,” Elodie said. “You’ve been cooped up pining for Liam far too long, hence we’re here to kidnap you for a fun distraction.” She came over and tugged me to my feet, while Rheanna searched my expression with a concerned one of her own.
“Are you alright, Lavena?”
“I thought you were Liam,” I admitted with a heated blush.
Elodie giggled. “And we just disappointed you, didn’t we? I know we’re not your dear husband, but would you welcome our company anyway?”
Instinctively, my nerves from last night flared, but I forced myself to push them away. Acting anxious would only rouse suspicion, not to mention the princesses seemed quite friendly. Although handmaidens didn’t spend time with princesses, in this charade they were my sisters-in-law. I’d always wanted sisters.
I smiled shyly. “I’d love to spend the day with you until Liam is finished. Is he still in meetings?”
“He is, likely bored to tears,” Rheanna said. My heart clenched with another worry that Liam suffered not just from boredom but from feeling inadequate as the heir. I ached to see him to ensure myself he was alright.
Elodie looped her arm through mine and practically skipped towards the door, her sisters following…until Aveline caught sight of the crumpled up letter to Archer. She scooped it up, wrinkling her brow. “What’s this?”
“Wait, don’t, that’s—”
Too late. Before I could stop her, she unfolded the letter and read it. “My Dear Archer?” She glared at me. “Who’s Archer?”
Elodie released me and scampered over to read over Aveline’s shoulder. Her mouth popped open. “Are you writing a lover?”
My stomach lurched. Of course that’s what this looked like. “Of course not.”
“I think Liam needs to see this,” Aveline said. “He deserves to know that his wife’s pining for another man.”
My cheeks burned at the implication. Why did I have to impersonate someone with such an unflattering reputation? “I swear it’s not what it looks like,” I stuttered.
“I’m sure it’s not.” Rheanna bit her lip doubtfully.
“Of course it isn’t.” Elodie snatched the unfinished letter, crumpled it back up, and tossed it into the fireplace, where the flames consumed it. “Things are going too well with Liam for Lavena to want anyone else. She was likely writing to tell him off. Weren’t you, Lavena?”
She didn’t even wait for me to answer before she looped her arm back through mine and led me down several flights and out into the gardens. It was a sunny day, with the flowers in full bloom, an environment far too cheerful for the tension now festering between me and the princesses. Couldn’t things ever go well?
But it seemed Elodie couldn’t endure anything uncomfortable for long. As we entered the rose garden, her expression became mischievous. “Guess what I saw last night?” she asked in a singsong tone.
Aveline rolled her eyes towards the cloudless blue sky. “Not another one of your guessing games.”
“That’s not a guess,” she said with a rather elegant pout. “Do you have a guess, Rhea?”
Rheanna shrugged. “Not really,” she said in her usual quiet voice. Elodie sighed and gave me a hopeful look.
“You’ll play along, won’t you, Lavena?”
“Why would she? She’s never done so before,” Aveline said, causing me to swallow my own guess.
“Yes, but Lavena is different now,” Elodie said. “We discussed it at length after you and Liam left last night.”
I automatically stiffened.
“The first rule of engaging in gossip,” Aveline said wryly, “is not to tell the victim of said gossip we were talking about her.”
Elodie waved that thought away. “We didn’t say anything bad. I promise, Lavena.” She widened her eyes in such a way that compelled me to believe her. “And anyway, we were just discussing that you’re much improved from how sour you used to be. Married life certainly suits you.”
My quickening heartbeat gradually settled. Bless her for making excuses to explain my continued poor Princess-Lavena performance.
“We didn’t talk about you for very long…except for when Liam returned from escorting you.” For some reason she smirked at this. “He asked us to get to know you better so that you’d be more comfortable in our family, which is a strange request because you’ve never seemed tense around us before.” Her forehead furrowed in puzzlement before it smoothed out and she smiled. “Naturally, we don’t need his invitation to get to know our newest sister more.”
“Hence this stroll?” I asked.
Elodie brightened. “Exactly. It’s the perfect pastime to engage in, especially on such a lovely day.” She tipped her head back to soak in the sun.
“You’re so easily distracted,” Aveline said. “Weren’t we supposed to be playing a guessing game with you?”
“Ha, I knew you were secretly interested.”
Aveline rolled her eyes again while El
odie gave me a rather knowing look.
“Last night shortly after you and Liam left, I followed and caught you two…kissing!”
My face ignited while Rheanna frowned disapprovingly at her sister. “Oh Elodie, you were spying on them?”
“Yes, I was,” she said without the tiniest hint of remorse. “It was a rather adorable display. I could clearly see you two care for one another.” Her eyes lit up. “For as stiff you were being around him during dinner, I was quite surprised at the level of your affection…surprised but delighted. I’m so pleased. You two deserve a wonderful marriage, especially after your rough engagement.”
Although I smiled at her sweet comment, it suddenly occurred to me that there would be more problems with Liam having three younger sisters than them merely being more people to perform for. I’d have to keep on my toes.
Rheanna eyed my anxious expression and thankfully changed the subject. “We shouldn’t let this fine day go to waste. What would you like to do?”
Elodie tapped her lips before she lit up. “We’ll pick berries. Perhaps we can make a game of it and see who can pick the most. I’ll fetch the baskets, you three go on ahead.”
She scampered off and Rheanna took the lead, guiding us to a clump of strawberries growing in a thicket against the surrounding gilded fence enclosing the palace. I froze, staring longingly at the plump, juicy red fruit. Why strawberries?
Rheanna chewed on her lip. “Oh dear, I’d forgotten you were allergic. Will picking strawberries aggravate your allergy?”
So much for hoping the princesses had forgotten Princess Lavena’s allergy. My gaze lingered longingly at the fruit, hanging like ruby ornaments on the bush, as I fought not to imagine their juicy sweetness. “Picking them is harmless.” Except for torturing me with their tantalizing nearness when I couldn’t eat any.
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