The Princess Search: A Retelling of The Ugly Duckling (The Four Kingdoms Book 5)

by Melanie Cellier

“You succeed marvelously which is why you’re such a raging success, of course. I got all sorts of complaints from the other girls at court when they heard I was stealing you away for so long, you know.”

  I flushed with pleasure at the praise.

  Once I had fastened the costume securely in place, I stepped back to get the full effect. A slow smile spread across my face. It was even more magnificent than I had hoped.

  The inspiration for this design had come from the islanders’ own fashion. Most wealthy women here wore dresses of light flowing material that draped elegantly across one or both shoulders, often gathered at each shoulder with some sort of elaborate clasp, and fell in soft folds to the ground. A wide band under the bust, usually in a contrasting color, gave it shape. The dresses generally had two or three layers and were worn without petticoats to combat the heat. I had always admired the elegant simplicity of the design, requiring so little sewing.

  I had taken the concept and gone even further. Celine’s bathing costume was crafted from the lightest silk, so fine as to be almost—but not quite—sheer. Three layers gave it a full, floating look, and the material broke from the usual pastel shades chosen for such gowns. The band below her bust was a deep orange-red, while the material itself started at her shoulders in an orange so deep as to be almost red, gradually lightening through several shades of orange and peach before finishing on a soft yellow at her feet. And it was her feet that were the real triumph of the design. The flowing material wasn’t a true skirt, although it was full enough to look like one if she stood still. Instead, I had sewn the material into two separate legs which gathered around her ankles in solid yellow bands. She looked like a sunset, or like living flame, and she would be lighter and more mobile in the water than the local girls without ever revealing any part of her legs.

  “And this is the best bit,” I said, producing a final piece from my bag. The soft single layer of silk matched the color shades of the costume perfectly, and I showed Celine how to fit it around her torso, securing it under the fiery red band. Once it was in place, it covered the trouser legs completely so that she looked as if she simply wore a striking gown.

  “That’s for you to wear until we reach the beach.”

  Celine examined herself in a mirror and shook her head. “Whatever we pay you, I’m sure it’s not enough. It feels like the most outrageous thing I’ve ever worn, but I can’t see a single thing my mother could complain about.” The reflection of her eyes took on a wicked twinkle. “And, of course, you could not have devised a more fitting revenge for the awful things Monique said. She’s going to die when she sees us tomorrow. Which reminds me. You haven’t told me what that was all about.”

  I sighed, the rush of excitement from seeing Celine in my design instantly disappearing. I decided to keep my story as simple as possible. “When I was fourteen years old, the viscount took me in as a ward, and I lived here on Catalie in this house. Monique and her cousin Marcus didn’t appreciate my inclusion in their family, so when I was seventeen they accused me of stealing a piece of jewelry. A family heirloom owned by the viscountess but loaned to her eldest daughter for her coming out ball. Sure enough, it was found beneath my pillow. The viscount refused to listen to my pleas of innocence—as if I would be so stupid as to hide such a thing beneath my pillow—and immediately turned me out of his home and island.”

  “Evie, how awful,” said Celine softly.

  I shrugged, meeting her eyes in the mirror. “I traveled to the capital and was able to get work that left me enough time to take on extra dress commissions. It didn’t take long after that for me to save enough to open my little shop. And without my shop, I would never have had the opportunity to dress royalty. So it all worked out for the best.” I tried to keep my voice light, hoping she couldn’t see the extra moisture in my eyes. My emotions had been far too near the surface ever since we’d stepped on board the royal yacht.

  “Evie…” Celine said again, turning from my reflection to look directly at me. But something in my face made her pause and put on a smile. “You’re right. Not meeting me would naturally have been a terrible fate.”

  “Of course, Your Highness,” I said demurely, grinning when she stuck her tongue out at me. Sometimes when she was particularly sensitive and thoughtful, as she had been just now, I forgot she was still half child.

  After I had helped her back into her regular gown, she took me by surprise with a quick hug. “Don’t worry, Evie,” she said, “we believe you.”

  Back in my tent that night, I lay awake for a long time feeling the weight of her arms around me and hearing her words again and again. Sometimes my mind wandered back further to the beach. The feel of Frederic’s arm beneath my hand was still vivid, along with the intensity of my relief and gratitude when he backed me up, stark against the humiliation of the moments before. But I found I couldn’t dwell on that moment for long, it awakened something in me that I wasn’t ready to look in the face.

  Do you really still think they’ll drop you eventually, like children who grow tired of a new puppy? asked a small inner voice. But something else in me rebelled. I had been given many promises before, and I had grown too experienced to be taken in again.

  Chapter 8

  My hands trembled as I dressed myself in my own bathing costume the next day, glad the tent had already emptied of its other occupants. I didn’t usually dress so lavishly, but the spark of defiance that had awoken on the beach gave me courage. I had sewn the costume for myself not really thinking I would get the chance to wear it—just creating it had felt like a small rebellion. But here I was about to face both my old tormentors and royalty, and I knew I needed to look my best.

  The material I had brought with me had come from my personal stores, and I had reminded myself that the commissions I received for my creations were making me into something of a wealthy woman. Even after I had hired assistants some months ago, I had been left with no shortage of coin. It was time I dressed the part.

  But still I gulped twice and had to stop to gather my courage before exiting the tent. My own costume had been made in shades of blue, green, and aqua, also starting dark and fading down to a pale pastel at my ankles. Bearing in mind the queen’s orders, I had made Celine’s costume to drape across her collarbone. I, on the other hand, wasn’t fifteen. Mine gathered at each shoulder, the material coming down to cross at the bust. It gave me a v-shaped neckline only slightly higher than I might have crafted for a ball gown.

  Moving through the tents, I heard a few whispers following me, but I held my head high and walked quickly to the front terrace of the manor house. Most of the rest of the group had gathered already, meaning I had missed the initial response to Celine’s outfit. But from the satisfied look on the young princess’s face, I suspected she had made a splash.

  “Evie!” she called, waving to me. “We’re to ride to the beach.”

  A group of horses along with several grooms—a couple carrying large, covered baskets—waited to one side of the terrace. I might have suspected Monique of trying to discomfort me, except she already knew I could ride well. A moment’s further reflection suggested the truth. She wanted to limit the time she spent in her own less-than-comfortable costume.

  Looking around, I realized we were only waiting for the princes. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind, than the two of them stepped through the front doors. They strode toward us, nodding greetings to the various members of the assembled group. They still wore their sparring clothes and looked comfortable and relaxed. Their matches against Julian had obviously gone well.

  Frederic came to a sudden halt when his eyes fell on his sister. “Celine, what in the kingdoms are you wear…” His eyes traveled on to me, and his word trailed off, a dumb-struck look on his face.

  Yes! I barely restrained a celebration. I didn’t usually get to witness the effect of my creations at the various occasions they were crafted for, so it was satisfying to see the reaction for myself. To get such a response from the u
sually serious crown prince was even more of a triumph. Even the detached Cassian looked visibly shocked. Even with the covering skirts, the outfits looked impressive.

  “We’re to ride,” I said, moving over to them. “So you’ll have your cool dip, soon enough. Did you triumph in your matches?”

  “Matches?” Frederic looked confused for half a moment before shaking his head. “Oh, against Julian.”

  “We had some success,” said Cassian, helping him out. “Although Julian is a formidable opponent.”

  Julian, who had emerged just as I approached, nodded his acknowledgment of the praise. He had raised both eyebrows at sight of our costumes, which I considered a compliment coming from him.

  We were all soon mounted and winding our way through the trees. The children of a local baron, ranging from Celine’s age to older than me, had joined us, and one of the girls started up an island ditty. Other voices soon joined hers, and I surprised myself by singing along. I had never felt so free with this group of people before, and I wasn’t sure if it was the time that had passed away from the island, my stunning costume, or the presence of the royals. But somehow my heart felt much lighter than I would have thought possible.

  When we arrived, the grooms took the horses and began to set out the picnic, while the nobles made for the water, the boys shedding clothing as they went. Most of them even discarded their undershirts, diving bare chested into the cool water. The girls followed more slowly, their cumbersome outfits making the water less inviting. I noticed that the younger two of the baron’s daughters had worn plain cotton dresses and secured them in the way used by the common islanders.

  Celine wandered over to me, clearly happy to make a late and sensational entry to the water. I soon had both of our overlay skirts removed, and we walked down to the water together.

  “Look at them,” giggled Celine, “if they don’t close their mouths, bugs will be flying in.”

  I smiled, even more pleased at the look on the girls’ faces than she was. It was very obvious that if I could just convince Celine to organize an expedition to a swimming beach down the coast from Lanare once we got back, the orders would soon be pouring in. I could probably hire a new assistant just to sew swimming costumes.

  The water, cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough not to bite, provided a welcome relief after the hot ride. I soon waded all the way in and was making lazy strokes through the water.

  “This is incredible,” said Celine, not far behind me. “It’s so light and easy to move.”

  “You look incredible,” said Delphine, swimming up beside us. “And so comfortable. How do I order one? I want one, and I don’t even care if it costs me my whole season’s dress budget.”

  I smiled at the baron’s second youngest daughter. She had always been friendly toward me, although she had been painfully quiet when I was last here. Apparently she had gained some confidence in my absence.

  “I made them. You can send an order to my shop in the capital, but I’m afraid I won’t be back until after the Tour.”

  “Oh, of course, I should have guessed! I can’t believe I nearly forgot your skill with a needle. Monique and Shantelle haven’t been half so well dressed since you left.” Her smile faltered, and I could almost see her full memory of the situation returning.

  But I knew the words had been kindly meant, so I smiled at her reassuringly.

  “I didn’t mean…I mean…” She stopped and shook her head. “Some of us were sorry to see you go. Especially in such a way.” She frowned and then muttered, “No one is stupid enough to hide such a valuable item beneath their own pillow.”

  I laughed in jubilation. “Thank you! That’s what I said.”

  “It’s only common sense,” said Celine, now floating on her back. “But some people only see what they want to see.”

  “Or what they planted themselves,” Delphine muttered again.

  I bit the inside of my cheek. I had always assumed either Monique or Marcus placed the jewelry beneath my pillow but had occasionally wondered if a true thief among the staff had stashed it there, happy to use me as a scapegoat if the thievery was discovered. I didn’t like to think it of any of them, though. They had always treated me with respect, even if the noble family had not.

  Celine righted herself and splashed us, and we both swam away, squealing and splashing back in her direction. I checked quickly that I wasn’t inadvertently splashing in Monique’s direction—a course of action sure to bring some sort of revenge—but she seemed to be sulking in the far corner of the cove. So I redirected my attention to Celine, who was pursuing us, chuckling evilly, and took off at a faster pace. Celine had soon pulled half the group into her splashing war, but I continued to duck between them, enjoying the chance for a proper swim. It had been far too long since I had been in the ocean.

  I had never seen the two princes as relaxed as they were now, playing in the water as if they were ordinary young people. Celine, however, was her usual self, sending a wave of water into Cassian’s face. For a split second I wondered if her antics might provoke some stronger reaction than his usual calm, but he merely shook his head, flicking several drops in her direction.

  Frederic, on the other hand—although he looked equally undisturbed—responded by casually brushing his arm along the surface of the water, sending a mini tidal wave to engulf his sister. She disappeared under the water for a moment in a flash of orange and bubbles, and he smiled.

  Unseen behind them, I ducked beneath the clear water, took a firm grip on both his ankles, and tugged. He went straight over with a huge splash and muffled yell. I surged out of the water, grinning in triumph, to applause from Celine.

  Frederic reemerged, sending water spraying from his hair with a flick of his head. He came up just in front of me, and the air seemed harder to breathe all of a sudden as I tried to tear my eyes away from the muscles of his bare chest. His skin glistened in the sunlight, and I was suddenly conscious of the way my bathing costume clung to my curves despite its layers.

  But unlike me, the prince didn’t hesitate. Swooping toward me, he scooped me up, cradling me for a brief moment, before flinging me straight up into the sky. I gasped, only just having time to grip my nose closed as I flew through the air and back down to splash into the water. Flailing, I reemerged, making sure that everyone in my vicinity got splashed in the process.

  Frederic laughed, a martial light in his eye. “No one dunks me and gets away with it.”

  My hand, which had been about to send a surge of water in his direction, paused, a grin spreading across my face. Hearing his deep laugh was even more satisfying than I had imagined. A rapid-fire barrage of water hit me from behind, jerking me out of my thoughts and back into the battle being waged across the calm cove.

  Monique continued to hang back, well out of the way of any splashes, a look of haughty disdain on her face, and Carmel stood with her, clearly torn and wishing she could join the fun. Shantelle, however, to my surprise, joined in with a goodwill, ignoring her sister’s glares.

  When we found ourselves next to each other at one point, she said, “I can’t imagine you would consider making me one of those costumes. And I can’t say I blame you, either.”

  “You never know, I might be feeling generous.” I swam away leaving her with a surprised look on her face.

  My words had even surprised me, but the light-hearted feeling remained. And though it hadn’t been an apology, it was closer to one than I had ever expected to get from anyone in their family.

  I swam back toward Frederic, trying to position myself for a stealthy approach, but he was alerted to my tricks now. Instead of sending him sprawling into the water, I found a strong arm wrapped around my waist, and I was flung through the air, shrieking and flailing the entire way. I forgot to plug my nose this time and a rush of water shot up my nostrils and down the back of my throat.

  I got my feet under me and began hacking and coughing, trying to blow out the remaining water. The sound of a swimme
r approaching made me whirl around, suspicious, but Frederic made no attempt to attack, a concerned expression on his face.

  “Are you all right?”

  I smiled. “You clearly need to spend more time in the ocean if you think a little salt water up the nose is a problem. Here, I can help with that.” I aimed a splash upward, directly toward his face, and he tried to scramble back so quickly that he fell backward into the water.

  I laughed, my heart lightening even more, if possible. His trust in me the day before had been a beautiful gift, and I wanted to repay the favor. He had confided in me how heavily his responsibilities weighed on him—an admirable trait in a crown prince—but he needed to let off steam every now and then. Or else one day he would explode.

  And for a reason I didn’t understand, from the very first, something about Frederic of Lanover had made me want to see him laugh. So the sound of his low chuckles, and the sight of the smile on his face—shining from the glow of the sun against the droplets of water which lined his lashes and ran down his straight nose—made my heart sing.

  Once we had all exhausted ourselves in the water, we scrambled back on shore to enjoy the picnic that had been spread out for us. The light breeze and the sun soon dried Celine’s and my silk, although the other girls didn’t fare as well. From the envious glances sent our way, I began to suspect I wouldn’t even need to send Celine out on an expedition from the capital. At this rate, the island girls would have written to their friends and relatives in the capital by the time I got back.

  Once all the delicious food had been consumed, the group broke up. Celine demanded that Julian find crabs for her in a rock pool they had passed the day before, and soon young people were spread all up and down the beach, most out of sight of our picnic spot although I could still hear their voices as they called to one another.

  I had chosen to stay, finding a spot on the sand where an occasional adventurous wave rushed over my outstretched feet. But when I looked up and saw only one other person left, his angry eyes trained on me, I paled. The grooms must still be close by, but would they step in against Marcus if I needed them to? They had come from the manor not the Tour, so I couldn’t be sure. If I got up now and tried to walk away, would he let me go?