Diedre
My future husband was already king. This changed everything.
I penned another letter to my father, explaining what happened and told him I no longer required rescuing. We’d proceed with the betrothal and marriage as planned.
King Fernando Sartorius won’t hurt me, I wrote. Prince Lorenzo said we were safe with his older brother on the throne.
I paused with my quill in the inkwell, recalling how he poured his heart out to me the day the old ruler passed. While I was twisting his words slightly, the general idea remained consistent.
A knock at my bedroom entrance interrupted my thoughts.
Anya jumped up from her perch by the fireplace to answer the door.
“I’d like to speak with Princess Diedre, if she’s amiable.”
Setting aside the feather pen, I nodded for Anya to let him in. I wiped the ink off my fingers with a damp cloth sitting in a copper bowl beside me for that purpose and rose to greet him.
He strode across the room and bowed. I dropped into a polite curtsy.
“Your presence is a pleasant surprise,” I murmured.
His already flushed cheeks reddened more. “I’m traveling to the coast to assist my brother with some political matters.”
“That sounds exciting,” I responded with a smile.
He grinned. “Yes.”
I clasped my hands before me, waiting for him to explain more, but the silence grew awkward the longer the seconds ticked by.
He cleared his throat. “It’ll just be a couple weeks, I think. Um.” He lowered his gaze and fumbled with his violet jacket’s inner breast pocket.
Next thing I knew, a beautiful, dark purple gemstone glittered in front of my nose. He flipped it around to reveal that it was a pin.
“Amethysts are Astralind’s signature jewel,” he explained. “I’d like you to have this one.”
My jaw dropped. Two of my ladies-in-waiting gasped. Part of me wanted it, but was too valuable to accept, especially from him.
I hesitated.
“Take it, please. My mother wants you to have it.”
I reached out and accepted the sparkling amaranthine gem.
“It’s gorgeous,” I whispered. “Thank you.”
Bolin
I was relieved to discover that Stella had awakened. I rushed to her and held her limp palm while she smiled at my feeble attempts to control my emotions. It took another three days for her to regain command of her tongue. A week passed before she could get out of bed and take shaky steps about her room.
“Prince Fer- I mean King Fernando … Sartorius,” Stella stammered as she picked at tiny loose threads on her blanket, “I told you he liberated me from service.”
I nodded. “So I recall.”
“I’m getting stronger.”
“You are,” I said, wondering what she was trying to communicate.
She swallowed and murmured, “I’ll leave soon.”
I released a long exhale. “I know.”
She licked her lower lip and stared at her feet. “You have enough research to publish your book, right?”
“Yes,” I rasped. “Patrick is compiling everything at home and has started the first organized draft.”
“So you don’t need me anymore,” she murmured.
“Perhaps not for the manuscript,” I admitted. “But you’re part of mine and Patrick’s family now. I hope you send word when you find your relatives so we can visit, or you could bring them here.”
She smiled, but sadness permeated her glassy eyes. “Yes, though I fear my loved ones are beyond reach.”
I tisked. “Miracles happen wherever you are. Don’t lose belief in the possibility of seeing them again.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t give up. No, I’m accepting the truth.”
I shifted on my feet. “If you aren’t looking for your relatives, then why are you leaving?”
She grew silent and turned her face away from me. I assumed it had something to do with our young king and his even younger queen-to-be.
Stella sacrificed herself for him. I’d have to be blindfolded not to see how much she cared for him, or the way she glanced between him and the princess whenever she was in their presence.
“To find myself,” she whispered.
That made sense. And were I not desperate to be home with Patrick, I would accompany her.
“I’ll hire a sell-sword to protect you,” I offered. “I can’t let you go alone.”
“Thank you, but that’s unnecessary! I requested one of the royal bodyguards,” she said.
That was … bold.
“Did our king grant your request?”
“He did. That fighter I healed in the sparring rings volunteered.”
I smirked. Of course he did.
“Be careful with him. He fancies you far more than he should.”
She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as a flush stained her cheeks. “I thought it might make him the best choice.”
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