“Please take your guards,” I pleaded. The guards who were standing outside the door with Owen as we had lunch.
My mother gave me a nod, though I knew she was annoyed with the guards following her every move.
George brought the food in and took it upon himself to deliver each plate to the table, setting them before us. Sometimes I forgot how young he was, he couldn’t have been more than sixteen years old.
“Hi, George,” I greeted. “How are things in the kitchens?”
“Hi, Jora—” his eyes went wide. “I mean, Your Grace.”
I turned to face him. “It’s quite all right George. You knew me as just Jorah first, remember?”
George sat my plate before me and bowed. “You were never just anything, Your Grace. Best cookie baker I have ever known! Worthy of a proper title for that alone.”
I snickered.
“As for the kitchens,” George said as he grabbed Krew’s plate. “They are in full swing with wedding prep. Maurice brought in three Savaryn chefs and is overseeing everything between three kitchens within the castle. Lots of guests means lots of plates per meal. More than our main kitchen can manage.”
“So in other words, he’s being more difficult than usual?” I fought down a smile.
George placed the plate before Krew. “Absolutely, Your Grace.”
I laughed. After being introduced to my mother and Flora, George went on his way. He had no time to kill due to the mad prep work in the kitchens. I almost wanted to make an appearance in the kitchens only to be a pest, but I also respected Maurice. More so than I would enjoy his discomfort.
We ate and chatted about the events of the next day. There were so many details that I lost track of trying to keep it all straight. There was the wedding. Then the banquet and meal following. Honestly, the plan in place for the banquet was what I spent most of my focus on. Making sure that all went as intended would literally save the country, not this elaborate wedding. Plus, the Assemblage advisor was a wedding coordinator of sorts, so she would make sure I stood where I was required to and said all the proper words as I publicly became an official princess of Wylan.
“I do have another request for tomorrow,” Krew said gently as he took a drink of his lemonade.
I knew exactly what he was about to ask of them, as we had discussed this the night before.
“Yes, Your Grace?” Flora asked.
Krew looked at my mother and dipped his chin. “I would like for you and Flora, Silvia you as well if you are still there by that time, to retire early from the banquet tomorrow night.”
Suspicion crossed my mother’s features from the set of her jaw to the way she narrowed her eyes at Krew. Something she had done to me more times than I could count. And though Krew was my dark prince, I also knew he was no match for my mother. “And why is that, Your Grace?” she asked, her tone all business.
“There is something at play tomorrow. And it would be better if you were out of there early,” Krew explained. “Just after the meal is served.”
“And the less you know, the better,” I added with a wince of a smile. “I wish I could say more, but in case anything should not go as planned, it is just better you do not know. Hopefully the morning after we can explain everything.”
Silvia glared at Krew. “Will this ploy end up in you or your brother wearing a different crown immediately following?”
Krew didn’t even flinch. “It could. I hope not, though. It doesn’t have to come to that, but it is always a possibility.”
The three older women looked amongst themselves as if they, too, could communicate telepathically.
Flora waved a hand. “We will just say that being from the lowest level of the kingdom, we were worn out and not comfortable being around all the Enchanted.”
“Should be more than believable,” my mother added.
My heart swelled at their willingness to help, even if they didn’t like it or didn’t understand it. “But it ruins your moment, Flora. Your moment to weave around the Enchanted and have them know that of all the artists and designers in the kingdom, your work was what I chose to wear.”
Flora gave me a smile. “Don’t worry, my dear. My gloating on that front is not limited to tomorrow only.”
“We cannot even get through a wedding without whatever this is needing to happen?” Silvia asked on a sigh. “Can’t the two of you just have this night to celebrate yourselves?”
“Unfortunately not,” Krew admitted, not annoyed at all at her question. “Sometimes the best way to find something that needs finding is within a room full of people.”
“You will be careful?” My mother asked sternly. I noticed she was looking at Krew as she asked it, not me.
