by Tara Grayce
Edmund bowed. “Princess. Thank you for gracing us with your presence. With your help, I am sure our two kingdoms will be able to put aside our differences and build a lasting peace.”
Essie barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Edmund could be such a charmer when he wanted to be.
Jalissa stared at Edmund coldly, even as she made the elf mouth to forehead greeting gesture with one hand. “It is my hope we can halt another costly and fruitless war caused by Escarlish aggression.”
Essie tightened her grip on Farrendel’s hand. The last war had started twenty years ago when her father’s advisors convinced him to attack Tarenhiel. Now, the trolls were trying to make it look like Escarland was again the aggressor.
Instead of showing any offense, Edmund smiled brightly, as if the insult went right over his head. “As we have no aggression toward your people, this should be a simple matter to clear up. Now, the train is waiting to take us to Aldon.”
Essie stifled her yawn, more than ready to board. It had been a long day, even with her nap. After a night on the train, she would wake just before they reached Aldon.
She led the way past the Escarlish soldiers standing next to the train as the guard escort. Their hands straying to their muskets, the soldiers eyed Farrendel, Jalissa, and the guard.
Essie tightened her grip on Farrendel’s hand and worked to keep her smile in place. Hopefully seeing their princess holding hands with an elf and looking happy would reassure the soldiers.
Strolling past the caboose, the baggage car, the passenger car where the soldiers would ride, and the car with the staff and kitchen, they reached the two, luxury sitting and sleeping cars. After boarding the train, Edmund pointed to the largest of the three sleeping compartments in the car. “This one has been prepared for you, Your Highness.”
Jalissa nodded, glanced at Farrendel, then stepped inside, followed by her guard. The stoic female elf guard closed the door firmly behind her. Staying up and talking late into the night wasn’t the elves’ cup of tea.
That left Edmund, Essie, and Farrendel standing in front of the remaining two sleeping compartments.
The train jerked forward, the wheels grinding against the iron tracks. Farrendel winced at the screeching, tipping his head as if to minimize the noise.
After the quiet of the elves’ forest and magically powered train and boat, the coal-powered steam engine would be achingly loud to Farrendel. And, for all Essie knew, elves probably had better hearing than humans. It wouldn’t surprise her, at this point.
“I was sleeping in this compartment, but if you both need a compartment, there is room in the crew’s bunks where I can sleep.” Edmund glanced between Essie and Farrendel, his gaze evaluating.
Essie breathed out a sigh. This was going to get embarrassing. There wasn’t a delicate way to go about telling her brother that, no, she didn’t mind sharing a room with her husband. It was something that would normally be assumed, but their situation wasn’t exactly normal. And, really, if it was set up like a normal train car compartment, it had bunks built into the sides. “We’ll take the other compartment.”
Edmund gave a short nod. “Very well. I was probably going to stay up for a while longer in the sitting and dining car, but feel free to retire. I know it has been a long day.”
Longer than he knew. Elves were early risers, and thanks to Farrendel’s nightmares, they had risen even earlier than most elves.
But Essie caught the note in her brother’s voice. He wanted to talk, if she had a moment.
She gave him a slight nod, then gave Farrendel a nudge toward the compartment. As soon as the door shut behind them, Farrendel’s shoulders sagged, even as he swayed with the movement of the train.
The compartment was tight, barely big enough for their travel bags to sit on a bench and two bunks to fill the far wall. After the night and day they’d had, Essie ached to curl up in a bunk and fall asleep.
“You’re tired, aren’t you?” Essie rested a hand on his arm. Farrendel was probably even more tired than she was. He usually went to bed earlier than this.
He nodded and flinched as the train’s whistle pierced the evening.
“Would you mind if I stayed up a little longer to talk to Edmund?” Essie didn’t want to just abandon Farrendel here, especially after the nights of nightmares he’d been suffering. “Do you need me here for the nightmares? Sorry it is so loud. You’re probably going to have trouble sleeping, aren’t you?”
She forced herself to stop asking questions long enough for him to actually answer. It was a bad habit of hers, talking too much.
“Yes.” Farrendel pulled something out of a pocket. It looked like two pieces of moss. “Spend time with your brother. I will be fine.”
He stuffed the pieces of moss into his ears, surveyed the two bunks, then swung into the top one with a swift, easy movement.
Yes, he would be all right. He was a grown elf. She didn’t have to babysit him. Besides, she wouldn’t stay up that much longer. She was nearly as tired as he was.
Easing out the door, she closed it behind her and made her way down the narrow hallway past the sleeping compartments, across the swaying connection between the sleeping and sitting cars, and entered, timing her steps to the rhythm of the wheels on the tracks.
Gaslights flashed by outside the square windows behind the plush benches lining the sitting area. A marble-topped, low table sat in the center of a cluster of upholstered chairs. If not for the clacking wheels, chugging boiler, and swaying rhythm, it could have been a sitting room in Winstead Palace.
Edmund lounged in one of the chairs, cradling a mug of coffee. How he managed to sleep after consuming coffee, she would never understand.
Another mug waited on the table in front of the chair across from Edmund. Essie sank into the chair and picked up the mug. Its warmth seeped into her hands. She breathed in the rich, savory smell of chocolate. “I missed our late-night talks. And hot chocolate. How I’ve missed hot chocolate.”
“They don’t have hot chocolate in Tarenhiel?” Edmund leaned back in his chair.
“Not that I’ve seen. Elves live in the trees, and they tend to only eat hot meals once a day. I think they don’t like making cook fires any more than they have to.” Essie sipped at her hot chocolate, closed her eyes, and gave in to a small moan. “Oh, this is good. I wonder if they have a way to enchant something to heat up a pot of water. I would love to have my cup of hot chocolate in the mornings.”
“If the elves can’t figure it out, I’m sure Lance Marion might be able to do something.”
Lance, a local inventor, worked with Averett frequently when trying to pair magic and machines. If anyone could think of something, he could.
“I’ll have to stop by his shop while I’m in Aldon.” Essie sipped at her hot chocolate, closing her eyes for a moment at the sheer bliss of the warm drink.
“I’ll make sure you are supplied with all the chocolate you need.” Edmund eyed her over the rim of his coffee mug. The light tone dropped from his voice. “Seriously, Essie. Anything you need. I will get it for you.”
“I know.” Essie stared down at the mug in her hands. Edmund would be able to do it, too.
This small talk was nice, but she could feel its sharp edges. Was Edmund waiting for her to open up to him? Or was he figuring out a way to tell her something important? She couldn’t quite read the message in his silence.
She took a fortifying swig of the hot chocolate, set it on the table, and met Edmund’s gaze. “If you have something to ask, then go ahead and ask it. We’ve never been the type of family to tiptoe around.”
Edmund set aside his coffee. “I’m not sure how to ask this. You and that elf seem to be getting along well, and I don’t want to ruin anything between you. Yet...”
“What are you getting at?” Essie tried not to tense.
“After I learned you’d married him, I did some digging. In my way. You know.”
“You did some spying and all that.
” Essie rolled her eyes. Edmund could be so secretive when the entire family knew exactly what he did. As a member of the intelligence office, he had the means to dig up all the facts he wished.
What had he found about Farrendel? There were secrets Essie preferred they didn’t know, for Farrendel’s sake.
“I reached out to my contacts and hung around some of the border towns.” Edmund didn’t smile.
Essie’s stomach tightened. What had Edmund learned? Had he found out Farrendel’s secrets? She didn’t dare ask, in case Edmund hadn’t found out everything yet.
“There were a few things I learned.” Edmund rubbed at his palm, huffed, and shook his head. “I don’t even know how to go about asking this. If you don’t know, I don’t want to wreck anything. But it’s something I think you ought to know.”
Edmund could dance around the topic all night if he wanted to. If he had been in the border towns, he’d probably heard Farrendel’s worst secret. After all, it wasn’t like the circumstances of Farrendel’s birth were a secret in Tarenhiel. The fact that he was the illegitimate son of the late elf king was the biggest scandal the elven court had seen in hundreds of years. The only reason it wasn’t known in Escarland was because elves kept their scandals to themselves. “If you’re asking if I know about the...timing of Farrendel’s birth, then, yes. I know.”
Edmund’s shoulders sagged a moment before he met her gaze. “I wasn’t sure the elves would tell you.”
“Actually, Farrendel’s grandmother told me the whole story the first week I was there. She seemed to think I ought to know.” Essie leaned forward and didn’t continue until Edmund met her gaze. Something fierce beat inside her chest. “Maybe I needed to know to understand him, but, please, Edmund. This isn’t something Avie needs to know. It does nothing to help the alliance between Escarland and Tarenhiel if Avie were to find out he’d married me to the illegitimate elf prince. Farrendel was fully recognized as a part of the elven royal family. As Laesornysh, he has earned himself a respected place in their court. And if the scandal of his illegitimacy still plagues him there, I don’t want it to follow him here. He should have at least one place where he isn’t defined by it. Please, Edmund.”
Edmund leaned his elbows on his knees. “He will have a hard enough time in our court without this hanging over him as well. I will quietly bury my file on this, if that’s what you wish. I see no reason why anyone else needs to know. But, Essie? If this ever does get out, I’ll be sure to get ahead of it.”
“Thank you.” Essie picked up her mug of hot chocolate again. She would never take her brothers’ loyalty and love for granted. They had protected her for her whole life, and they were still looking out for her now, even if she was in a different country.
Edmund also reclaimed his mug. “You are falling in love with him, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” Essie grinned and gulped down her hot chocolate now that it had cooled. “You know me. I was bound to fall in love quickly. I am too determined to be happy to spend time moping around. Estyra is beautiful, and Farrendel is so sweet. I know he doesn’t look it. He puts on that hard, warrior mask and doesn’t let people in easily. I’m hoping he will relax enough that all of you will see the real him instead of only his mask.”
“Maybe. But I’m not surprised. You always were the sunshine in our family.” Edmund reached over to tweak her nose like he used to when she was little. He glanced down at her tunic and trousers. “You’re wearing trousers.”
Essie grinned. “I wondered how long it would take you mention that.”
“It’s rather noticeable.”
“It’s wonderful.” Essie swung her feet. “In Tarenhiel, both males and females wear tunics and trousers for everyday clothing. In their treetop walkways, dresses would just get in the way, not to mention awkward if anyone happened to look up. It’s just more sensible for them. Besides, tunic and trousers are so much more comfortable.”
Edmund chuckled as he lounged in the chair once again, all tension gone at the change in topic. “You always begged Mother to let you wear trousers. And tried to steal some from us, if I recall.”
“Yes.” Essie laughed at the memory, even as she had to suppress a yawn. How stifled she’d felt back then. She’d wanted to run and play like her brothers, but it was so hard to climb trees and get into trouble in a dress. Not that she wanted to wear trousers all the time. She loved dressing up in a gorgeous dress as much as the next girl. But it was nice to have the freedom of movement in between the fancy dress wearing times. “It is funny, really. I thought I would be even more stifled among the elves, since they are rumored to be so stuffy. And, in some ways they are. But in other ways, I’ve found the freedom I’ve always craved. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been that way with another elf, but Farrendel is a rather unusual, scandal-causing elf already.”
“I’m glad you’re happy.” Edmund’s smile was soft. “We all worried.”
“I know. And I’m probably going to have to reassure everyone several times that I’m fine before anyone believes me.” Essie blinked her dry eyes and swallowed back another yawn. She needed her bed soon, that was for sure.
“Probably. Especially Avie. He’s been beating himself up for the past three months.” Edmund stood and tugged on a strand of her hair. “Now off to bed with you. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your yawns.”
“It was an early morning.” Essie swigged the last of her hot chocolate and covered another yawn. “Elves subscribe to the whole early to bed, early to rise thing.”
“I bet that was an adjustment.” Edmund chuckled as he walked with her to the doors of the sleeping compartments.
“Just a little bit.” Essie paused by her door. “Goodnight.”
It felt so much like home, being with her brother again. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed this.
This was the price she’d paid, marrying Farrendel and moving to Tarenhiel. She’d given up her home. Her family.
She stepped into the compartment and clicked the door closed behind her. The tiny room remained dark, except for the gaslights of towns and stations flashing by along with hints of the moon filtering down from the crescent high in the sky.
Farrendel was nothing but a lump beneath blankets on the upper bunk. Was he already asleep? Perhaps. He had been awfully tired, especially after the last few, rough nights.
She eased her boots off and slipped into the blankets of the bottom bunk. After the last two nights sleeping next to Farrendel, the bunk felt cold. Empty. Even if she could hear his steady breathing above her.
Farrendel’s steady breathing. The clickety-clack of the wheels. The steady sway of the car. An easy rhythm to lull her to sleep.
ESSIE WOKE to chilly, early morning air pouring through the upper window by Farrendel’s upper bunk. His blankets flapped in the breeze, but he was missing.
Had he slipped out the window? How had he even managed it? The window wasn’t that big, and the wind from the train’s passing had to be strong.
Where was he? Surely he hadn’t fallen out the window or something ignoble like that. This was Farrendel. He could put a cat to shame with his balance.
Essie glanced from the open window to the door. Should she go look for him?
There was a scraping sound outside the window, then Farrendel swung through feet first, landing gracefully on his bunk, hunched in the tight space.
“How...where...” Essie shook her head. She couldn’t even manage to get the questions out.
He shut the window and dropped to the floor. “I was on the top of the train. It is getting light, and I did not want to be seen. Your soldiers might think elves were attacking the royal train.”
“They might be trigger happy, that’s for sure.” Essie eyed him. He didn’t look any worse for the wear, even though he’d been doing his flipping, spinning exercises on the top of the fast-moving train. She didn’t know how it was even possible.
Even after whipping about in the wind, his hair floated in perfect, unfrizzy st
rands down his back. Elven conditioner was truly magical stuff. Though her red hair was making it work hard. Her hair was still decently sleek this morning, and after traveling all day and sleeping on an unfamiliar bunk, that was amazing.
She stepped closer and gave him a short kiss. More a peck, really. “Good morning, by the way. You must have slept decently well. You didn’t have a nightmare last night. First time in three days.”
“Yes.” Farrendel rested his hands lightly on her waist and gave her a longer kiss.
She smiled as she kissed him back. As long as she and Farrendel kept choosing each other, they would be fine.
After a few moments, she stepped back and patted his chest. “Edmund tends to be an early riser as well and will probably have breakfast laid out in the sitting room already.”
Farrendel straightened at the mention of food and grabbed his silver, formal clothing from his bag before he wedged himself into the tiny water closet attached to the sleeping compartment to change and clean up after exercising.
Essie quickly changed into her new, dark green dress, leaving her hair loose. In the mirror, the green of the dress set off the flaming red of her hair. It almost made her want to switch into a different dress or pin up her hair to hide most of it. She shouldn’t feel this self-conscious about her hair. Especially when she was only meeting her family today, not the full Escarlish court.
In the mirror, Farrendel appeared behind her, his gaze focused on her rather than their reflections. He ran a lock of her hair through his fingers. “You were correct. Green brings out the vibrant color of your hair.”
“It isn’t too red, is it?” Essie grimaced at her reflection. The freckles across her nose were more prominent in the morning light.
Farrendel’s gaze snapped up to meet hers in their reflections, a furrow on his brow. “No. It is pretty.”
If he’d said it in a swoony tone, she might have doubted him. But his tone was so matter of fact, as if there wasn’t any other opinion to be had besides pretty, that she couldn’t doubt his assessment.