‘Aha—no. But it results in being sloshed, Your Highness.’
‘I see.’
Neacel’s smiling face radiated nothing more than honest helpfulness, despite Fionn feeling like the young Minchman was pulling his leg. Fionn finished dressing, topping off his new outfit with a dark green jacket and brown leather sporran over his kilt that turned out to contain paper notes and metal coins. Human currency.
Neacel also passed him a towel and comb for his hair, suggesting (extremely politely) that Fionn could perhaps look smarter if he were less damp. Fionn had opted to keep his hair mostly loose for this trip with only a thin braid hanging by his left ear.
Finally, once the casks were safely hidden again, Neacel led Fionn from the cave to a sloping trail up the shoreline. The lights of Ullapool glimmered ahead.
Now that the town was in sight, Neacel grew more fidgety and nervous.
‘Youhavebeen here before, yes?’ Fionn pressed, raising an eyebrow.
‘The club? Oh, yes. It’s calledThe Loch-Up. It gets busy enough that they shan’t take too much notice of us.’
This information very much confirmed Fionn’s suspicions. Neacel was a regular human fraterniser.
‘You are nervous to see Seòras?’ Fionn deduced from his squirming.
Neacel’s newly pink cheeks flushed pinker. ‘I am terrible at approaching prospective mates, Your Highness. I get very, um…. I lose my, ah… words.’
Fionn felt sorry for him. ‘I think Seòras is a man of few words, anyway.’
Neacel nodded meekly, rubbing his neck. ‘Sometimes I think it might be easier to have an arranged prospect. Do you look forward to meeting yours?’
Fionn flinched, stumbling in his stride. ‘It’s my duty,’ he snapped. ‘Looking forward to anything is quite beside the point.’
He raised his pace to march ahead, leaving Neacel startled and gaping an apology in his wake.
Fionn’s feet clapped onto tarmac. It sent an unpleasant reverberation through his body as he met the solid surface of a road too hard. His footsteps drummed stiffly on the unnatural path. As he passed under a streetlight the yellow glare sent his night vision swimming. Fionn slowed down to rub his eyes, giving Neacel chance to catch up.
‘I didn’t mean to offend you,’ Neacel said hastily, perhaps in fear of Fionn storming off again. ‘I am honoured by the great service you do for us.’
‘Oh, fool yourself,’ Fionn said miserably. ‘Wouldyoulike to be forced to marry and bond with a Redfolk mate without a choice in the matter?’
Neacel bit his lip, seeming to catch himself from saying something. Fionn gave him a scathing look. ‘What? Out with whatever it is.’
‘What are the Redfolk like, Your Highness? I’ve never seen one.’
Fionn studied him with renewed incredulity. ‘Nor have I.’
‘Never?’ The answer apparently stunned Neacel. ‘But surely… Haven’t you met your betrothed’s family? I thought there were negotiations and… um, the king speaks with them, doesn’t he?’
‘Yes. The king,’ Fionn said slowly. ‘Obviously not me. Don’t you know how the First Prince’s soul bond works?’
Neacel’s eyes widened like he’d been caught out by a school teacher’s question. ‘Sh-should I? I thought you… I thought because you are our emissary that you would be involved in their affairs already.’ He backed off, holding up both palms in a peace gesture. ‘I apologise for my ignorance. Royal business is above the heads of many of us outside the palace. My world is one of clams and oysters.’
It hadn’t ever occurred to Fionn that there was any member of his kingdom thatdidn’tknow what he was about to go through—the knowledge had been so ingrained in his life from the very beginning. But now, faced with Neacel’s sincere cluelessness, Fionn wondered how many of his kindidknow what the royal marriage bargain entailed. It wasn’t like he spoke about it with anyone himself. He’d just sort of assumed that people… knew.
And now, witnessing Neacel’s innocence on top of his cluelessness, Fionn almost didn’t want to break the reality to him.
‘There is no choosing involved on our side,’ Fionn said carefully. ‘I suppose the Blue King could, theoretically, request certain qualities in the mate that the Redfolk will pick for me.’
‘You don’t get a say at all?’
‘None.’
‘But what if you don’t like your betrothed when you meet him?’
