“Rhylan made an oath to keep her safe and release her,” I told him what I knew, the only part of the plan that truly mattered. I would break rank and keep her safe until Rhylan killed the queen. Until he got his revenge and while the soldiers pushed the attack, I would re-join them to help gain territory while Fear Gorta took my mate back home.
Basically, I had agreed to remain and vanish in his kingdom while he ran away into the sunset with the love of my life
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Today felt weird, wrong somehow. The entire mood weighed in a specific way, even though I could not place it. From Ansgar’s troubled gaze, which he tried so hard to disguise in the morning, to Rhylan’s constant fidgeting and him coming to check on me every hour.
Normally, I spent the day with the ladies, learning court etiquette or being fitted for more dreadful dresses, and only saw Rhylan in the afternoon, when he came to escort me to dinner.
Today, however, he watched me like a hawk. He constantly came into the fitting room finding some poor excuse to be there and supervise me. His eyes scanned me up and down and questioned everything, everyone around me and their motives, up to the point where the ladies who dressed me had to show and explain to him the reason for using a needle in that particular area of the silk. Even though I ushered him away, he kept coming back or if he didn’t, I heard him outside, ordering the soldiers around.
It was only in the evening, when all the efforts to finish the engagement dress had paid out and I was dolled up and ready to go, in an amber dress with orange satin elements, made to showcase a connection between fire and autumn, with a bronze veil woven into my locks that he finally settled. Surprisingly, today of all days, after being tortured for two weeks by wearing impossibly high heels, they chose boots to go with my outfit. Once he had me by his side, ready to lead me into court and present me as his official betrothed, Rhylan gleamed.
“Excited much?” I wanted to mock him but his roughened features and tight jaw told me it may not be the best of moments.
“Have you talked to Ansgar?” he turned and questioned, scanning not my face but the air around me. To see if I lied, I came to understand.
“Only this morning,” I admitted, surprised at the fact that Rhylan didn't use one of his pet names and took the trouble to pronounce my prince’s name.
His eyes slithered over me again, as though to make sure, then nodded. “Trust your senses tonight, sprout,” he advised and adopted his usual regal demeanour, forcing me to do the same. I had so much training on how to act in court and how to walk alongside Rhylan that I felt like I was back in drama class and had somehow become the star of the show.
When the doors opened to let us in, I took a moment to admire the decorations. All autumnal colours, thousands of ornaments, and candles adorning the grand hall, but missing the most autumnal thing of all, amber leaves. Even though the firelings managed to grow roots and potatoes, they didn’t benefit from sunlight, so displaying trees or the changing of seasons was out of the question.
Everyone remained quiet during our entrance, gazes scanning us, me, from head to toe and even though Rhylan and I had travelled that same path to get to the main dinner table and accompany the King and Queen, this day was different. This was the day when Rhylan had to make the announcement in court and even though I suspected everyone already knew, something about having me dressed as a seasonal offering and his hand tight around mine, gave me the shivers.
We walked in silence, keeping our heads high and looking straight ahead until we reached the three stairs separating us from the dais, where the royal family waited. Rhylan bowed, bending at the middle in front of the royals, who nodded and ordered him to rise. Once he did, the generalextended his hand towards me, to introduce me to them yet again. I did what I had been trained to do, curtsied low, grabbing my dress at the sides until my head was as low as Rhylan’s hips.
The king smiled, pleased, and gestured to me to rise, which I did as slowly as I originally bowed, my gaze not rising from the ground.Never look the king in the eyes, they had told me, unless he directly addresses you.
I felt more than saw Rhylan smile, his hand catching mine, helping me up, his fingers tightening with anticipation.
“King Drahden, Queen Shayeet, beloved court, I am beyond joyous to introduce to you, Anwen Odstar, my future bride and your princess.” His voice echoed through the grand hall, and I could almost see it travelling around the room when realisation settled on the faces of the various members of the court. That a human would become a princess.
Shock, rage, and disappointment primed through their features, yet none of them displayed a protest. Their eyes scanned the crowd, the people around them, to make sure they heard correctly, whispers making way across the hall. Until someone started clapping.
It sounded faded, probably the person was situated at the farthest tables, but the sound pierced sharp and silenced the whispers, making everyone shift in search of the disturbance.
I found myself doing the same, but, as opposed to the other members, I was able to instantly find its source. I could recognise those golden locks anywhere. Ansgar.
Not a second later he stood from his allocated seat and I spotted my prince, dressed in armour to the teeth, eyes filled with rage as he continued slapping his hands together to make that dreadful sound.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
I felt it crawling under my skin, filling my own blood with dirt, the expression on his face, the way he looked at us, atme,making my stomach revolt.
“Ansgar,” I breathed out, probably an attempt of my mind to understand the truth, but there he was, no doubt about it, clapping at us with disgust and slowly approaching.
“I do not believe you were to receive an invitation to the celebration, soldier,” the king spoke, his voice tense and demanding.
“But your Highness,” Ansgar spat in a mocking tone, “how could I miss the occasion?”
He stopped then, tilting his head just slightly to take us all in. And what a gathering he must have seen, how I must have looked through his eyes. A traitor.
“Escort him out,” the king pointed to the guards behind the dais, who hurried past us and made their way to the centre of the hall, where Ansgar stood.
“No,” I protested and immediately wanted to sprint to his side, were it not for Rhylan to grab my arm. “Trust your senses,” he whispered in my ear yet again, just like he had done before, like it was supposed to mean something to me.
“I am, you jerk,” I tried to escape his hold but only managed to get his fingers to tighten around me.
