by Kristen Reed
After getting dressed, Muirigan squared her shoulders, which had become less delicate from years of cutting through the surf daily, and marched downstairs to meet the countess. Upon entering Christoffer’s office, she was taken aback by her visitor. The elegant woman sitting in the innkeeper’s chair had caramel-hued skin, which was positively luminescent thanks to her golden dress, and large, round eyes as dark as coffee. Though Muirigan recognized the countess’ name, the fact that her new queen’s closest friend was born a slave slipped her frazzled mind.
At first glance, Muirigan decided that she possessed the same beauty and poise as the noblewomen of Villriket who had never known a master’s cruel hand. On further inspection, she noticed that Liesel, who nervously fiddled with the lace that trimmed her left sleeve, hadn’t quite grown the thick skin that most courtiers developed to endure sensitive situations and pervasive gossip. Whether because of her natural temperament or the nature of her visit, the lady appeared to be as anxious as Muirigan was.
Remembering her manners, Muirigan curtsied low and gave the Countess of Vakrevet a welcoming smile, receiving one from Liesel in return as she stood up.
“Hello, my lady,” Muirigan greeted. “Mr. Hansen said that you wanted to see me.”
“Yes, His Highness Prince Halvard has invited you to live at court to express his gratitude to you for saving his life.”
What?
“I have enough room in my carriage for you to return with me and bring a few belongings. If you’d prefer taking your time to pack and prepare, I can send a carriage to transport you to Havetkongen at a later date.”
Muirigan’s mouth parched as she imagined living in the gorgeous palace … and being so close to Halvard. Yes, she spent many days longing for the familiarity of privilege and her once dear companion, but with that dangerous proximity came the risk of exposure and unshakable disgrace.
Halvard likely didn’t recognize her the previous Friday because months of near starvation and six years of maturing had thinned out her once cherubic cheeks. Though she’d never gone hungry in the Hansens’ care, her face never regained its childlike fullness. In addition, the sun had simultaneously darkened her skin and lightened her hair from light brown to a shade some called blonde during her many hours at the beach. In spite of her changed appearance, would he still manage discern who she was if court life forced them into one another’s company on a regular basis?
“I-I need to think about this,” Muirigan said, rubbing her arms as goose bumps covered her skin.
“Of course,” Liesel replied, searching her troubled eyes. “Forgive me for being forward, but I can see how frightened you are. I know that tales of the prince’s … abrasiveness have been swirling around the kingdom, but I have seen with my own eyes that he’s a very different man now. I don’t think you have anything to fear from him if that’s your concern.”
“I’m sorry, but I still can’t leave today, your ladyship. I need time to think.”
Liesel picked up a letter from the table and handed it to Muirigan. Her pulse quickened when she recognized the Villriketian royal seal emblazoned on the envelope with vibrant cobalt wax, but she managed to remain composed.
“If you decide to accept the prince’s offer, have this delivered to the palace with a note detailing the date you’d like to depart, and we will send a carriage for you.”
“Thank you. Would you like me to walk you out, my lady?”
“No, I can find my way,” Liesel smiled. “I hope to see you again soon.”
The countess glided out of the office and left Muirigan alone with her swirling, anxious thoughts. The maid sank into the chair closest to the door and rested her head in her hands, her chest heaving as she gasped for air.
She could never accept Halvard’s offer.
Even if he somehow shed his petrifying reputation as Halvard the Hound and transformed into a compassionate, humble man as his brother, Viggo, had during the war, he would never embrace her as he once did. If Muirigan dared reenter the lavish society of nobility and royalty that misfortune ripped her away from, Halvard or another nobleman would eventually discern that she didn’t belong. Although noble blood coursed through her veins, Muirigan wasn’t worthy to clean the Villriketian royal family’s stables let alone live and dine with them like an equal.
Rising to her feet, Muirigan trudged over to Christoffer’s desk. As she dropped the message into the wastebasket with his other rubbish, Muirigan vowed never to set foot in the palace at Havetkongen.
That evening, Muirigan avoided her guardians by picking up supplies in town. Of course, the chore could have waited until the next morning, but Christoffer and Andrea didn’t question the timing she chose. Instead, the couple set aside a portion of meat pie for Muirigan and left her to her own devices for the night.
The next morning, however, was a different story.
Muirigan awakened with dawn’s first light, quickly prepared herself for the day ahead, and hurried downstairs to tend to her duties. As she dashed past Christoffer’s office to check the milk supply in the kitchen, the innkeeper called out to her.
“Muirigan?”
The young maid stopped and closed her eyes, groaning inwardly before back tracking to pop her head into the modest office.
“Yes?”
“Sit down for a moment.”
Muirigan sank into the seat across from Christoffer and clasped her trembling hands in her lap. Apprehension hadn’t gnawed at her in the benevolent innkeeper’s presence since they first met years before. When Christoffer beheld his ward’s unwillingness to meet his eyes that morning, his tender heart ached. Saying a silent prayer for the girl, Christoffer opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out and envelope emblazoned with the royal family’s seal. Muirigan’s shoulders slumped upon recognizing the epistle.
“I found this in the trash last night. Would you like to explain why you threw away an unopened message from the royal family?”
“Halvard invited me to live a court,” she grumbled.
“And you don’t want to?”
“Would you?”
“Yes, I would, and I’ll tell you why,” he began, leaning forward and attempting to capture her gaze. “You’re stronger than any woman I’ve encountered since I met Andrea, and you gained your strength by fighting to survive and working to thrive in this cruel world. You pour yourself out day and night for us and our guests, and you’d rather be in the shadows or by the sea than have others notice you. While I appreciate everything you do for us here, you were born for more than a stiff mattress and patched up dresses. Andrea and I have done our best to help you recover from the tragedy and darkness in your past. Now, it seems as if God has decided to go a step further by restoring what the proverbial locusts have eaten.”
“What about Halvard?”
“What about him? He’s wallowed in sin for longer than you have. Also, it’s not his opinion that matters but God’s, and the Lord already forgave you for everything. Furthermore, he didn’t just forgive you grudgingly or indifferently. He loves you immensely. What can a prince do to you when you have God on your side?”
“But you and Andrea need my help,” Muirigan protested weakly.
“We survived before you came into our lives, and we’ll manage without you when you go. Besides, the prince sent us a pretty sum of money for tending to him. We have enough funds to hire a flock of maids.”
Christoffer placed a finger under Muirigan’s chin and forced her to look at him.
“Don’t let shame keep you in the dark when God wants to bring you into the light.”
“All right,” she sighed. “I’ll go, but I’ll ride there myself. I don’t want a royal escort.”
“Perfect,” Christoffer grinned. “Now, go on and start packing. I’ll at least have Endre ride with you to the palace gates to make sure you arrive safely. Bandits frequent the road to Havetkongen, and your beauty makes you a target. I can’t let you ride there alone.”
Chapter 3
Endre’s pleasantly predictable reticence afforded Muirigan the peace she needed on the journey to Havetkongen the next morning. She spent most of her time during the two-hour ride recounting her joyful childhood and adolescence at court. The mere thought of the delicious food, stylish clothing, decadent balls, and distinguished company was enough to fill her heart with longing and take her breath away. Alas, Muirigan’s active imagination also conjured up images of the prince’s justified disgust upon learning her identity. Those dark daydreams cast out her joyful nostalgia and inspired fervent prayers that Halvard would see himself so high above her that he’d never give her an ounce of attention.
However, upon approaching the great iron gates surrounding the royal palace, Muirigan realized that neither Halvard nor Liesel knew her name. Andrea and Christoffer both respected her privacy by not revealing her name to Halvard, and that courtesy likely also extended to Liesel when she arrived.
With her name still a mystery to the royals, she could start over.
Of course, nothing would change Muirigan’s status as a common servant in his eyes, but she didn’t care about being fawned over like a noblewoman. If she could simply be counted as an innkeeper’s orphaned ward, she could avoid the prince’s derision and become unnoticeable among the glittering throng of courtiers who buzzed about the palace seeking the royal family’s favor. In less than two minutes, the idea grew from a fleeting thought in Muirigan’s mind into a firm conviction … Yet she couldn’t set her plan in motion with Endre riding beside her. If he heard her lie about her identity, he would surely correct her or tell the Hansens about her deception.
“We’re less than five minutes from the palace,” Muirigan said, breaking their journey’s long silence. “I think it’s safe enough for me to travel the rest of the way on my own.”
“Christoffer said not to leave until you reached the palace.”
“I know, but the gate is straight ahead. I can see the two guards from here. With them at their posts and you remaining here, no one would dare accost me.”
Endre studied Muirigan for a moment before speaking.
“All right. I’ll wait here, but I’m not leaving until you’re through the gates.”
“That’s perfect. Thank you, Endre.”
With that agreement, Muirigan advanced with renewed joy in her heart. By the time she reached the gate, she had the perfect name in mind. Not even the two guards’ silent, critical assessments of her stained gray dress could discourage her! After dismounting, Muirigan pulled the message Liesel delivered from her bag and handed it to the guard on her right.
“My name is Sonja Voigt, and Prince Halvard invited to live at court,” she announced. “His Highness offered to send a carriage for me, but I decided to ride on my own.”
The guard took her letter and broke the seal, quickly skimming the epistle. Arching his eyebrows in disbelief, he passed it to his fellow protector, who squinted up at Muirigan and studied her once more before speaking.
“Leave the horse here and proceed through the gate,” he instructed, handing her the letter. “We’ll make sure he finds a home in the stables.”
“Thank you.”
The men opened the gate and Muirigan passed through the iron perimeter for the first time in six years with her head held high and her spirits higher. Her middle name and her mother’s maiden name were common enough not to arouse suspicion at court. Plus, who would deign to delve into a piteous drudge’s affairs? She could live in the luxurious residence free from any speculation since any curiosity about her unplanned heroics would die down as soon as the latest news or drama arose. Being a plain commoner and old news provided invisibility that Muirigan considered almost as valuable as anonymity.
Upon reaching the palace’s front doors, the guards immediately barked at Muirigan to use the servant’s entrance. She showed the epistle once more, but the second pair of protectors proved far more cynical than their counterparts at the gate. Rather than allowing Muirigan to enter the royal family’s astonishing abode, they sent the letter inside with a servant, who would confirm its legitimacy. Suppressing the burgeoning embarrassment in her heart, the blushing maid distracted herself by studying her surroundings.
Over half a decade had passed since she last viewed the pristine, light gray walls and saw the silent sentries who wore royal family’s crest of blue and yellow wolves and hawks. Though Muirigan couldn’t bring herself to see the magnificent building as her home just yet, she still welcomed the familiar sight now that her fear of rejection was gone. Seeing the doors opening out of the corner of her eye, Muirigan faced the entrance again. In a wink, the peace that she found during her travels evaporated.
Halvard himself had come to fetch her.
After recovering her wits, Muirigan curtsied in greeting and waited for the prince to speak, keeping her green eyes on the ground lest he see her terror.
“Please come with me,” he beckoned.
Muirigan climbed the stairs into the palace and attempted to fall in step behind the prince. Unfortunately, he intentionally matched his stride to hers so they could walk side by side.
“So, your name is Sonja?”
Muirigan nodded.
“I should’ve made sure I learned your name before I left the inn. When I explained your act of bravery to my brother and his wife, I realized that I only knew where you worked and that you shun conventional swimwear.”
The maid glanced at the prince and saw amusement in his eyes rather than judgment.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. It was very rude of me not to introduce myself.”
“Please don’t apologize. You were too busy saving my wretched life to think about propriety,” he dismissed. “Most of that day is a fog for me anyway. All I remember between the shipwreck and waking up in the inn is lying on a beach with you looking down at me. If you hadn’t appeared in my doorway, I would’ve thought you were an angel or a mermaid.”
A strange pang piercing her heart, Muirigan avoided Halvard’s gaze by taking in the portraits of Villriketian monarchs that lined the hall.
While she admired the paintings in an attempt to halt their exchange, Halvard welcomed the opportunity to study her unnoticed. Her hair trailed down her back in a simple braid instead of being curled and plaited to perfection, and the simple gray dress she wore was slightly discolored from long-past spills. Despite his heroine’s unadorned appearance, Halvard admired the understated strength she naturally exuded without seeming unfeminine.
Though Halvard met countless striking women in his homeland and in the foreign nations where he mercilessly fought for his kingdom, something about the girl captivated him. In fact, Halvard had scarcely been able to think about anything or anyone else since the moment she appeared at his door. That unforeseen preoccupation frustrated him because more important matters demanded his attention … like proving to his family that he was a changed man.
Remembering his brother’s unforeseen marriage to Ingrid during the war in Schlagefilde, Halvard wondered if God was repeating the same miracle he performed for Viggo. Contrary to the prince’s vehement protests during his brother’s engagement, his sister-in-law was a woman of integrity and faith. Ingrid helped his brother exchange his abrasiveness, bitterness, and wrath for compassion, gentleness, and love. With that transformation came Viggo’s decision to demote his brother, which inspired over twelve months of travels for the crestfallen prince. Halvard escaped his profound disappointment at sea, but his vexation soon turned into self-hatred before ultimately inspiring sincere repentance.
Reading about Viggo’s happy marriage in his correspondence and facing his own loneliness awakened a long buried desire for lifelong companionship in Halvard’s softened heart. However, as he watched the quiet maid, he wondered if God was orchestrating a swift, transformative marriage for him under equally unexpected circumstances.
Shaking his head, Halvard berated himself and focused on the path ahead. He would always be grateful to the girl for saving him, but he hardly knew her! Furthermore, the love and joy in his brother’s marriage was nothing short of a miracle. After all, Viggo bullied the blonde beauty into agreeing to marry him the day they met. Halvard already rebelled against God enough since his parents’ deaths. He didn’t want to test the Lord further by giving into his unwarranted, distressingly intense infatuation. For all he knew, yoking himself to the strange woman could potentially be his undoing.
With his resolve strengthened, the prince cleared his throat and spoke again.
“You will stay in a room near Queen Ingrid and her secretary Lady Liesel, who you’ve already met. Since I wasn’t expecting your arrival today, your wardrobe isn’t ready yet, but the staff will bring you an appropriate dress before supper. The rest will come later.”