Page 5

“I have only met Crown Prince Hubert twice,” Aria said mildly. “Describe him for me.” I firmly told myself to not say anything negative about Hubert. I was an official representative of the crown. I had to be diplomatic. I couldn’t say anything about him being an overbearing, pompous prat.

“He is very knowledgeable. Very intelligent,” I said. “He is well-versed in many languages, highly involved in military drilling, and takes pride in all his duties. He always is sure to do any task properly. He is very dignified, and…and punctual,” I finished lamely.

Aria paused in her walking and looked shrewdly at me. “So he is a bore,” she said slyly.

Before I could stop myself, I snorted in laughter. I stifled it quickly. I mustn’t speak ill of Hubert; I was here on behalf of him and the royal family.

“No, no, not a bore,” I tried to amend. “He just takes his duties very seriously.”

“I can tell he is serious,” Aria mused. “He didn’t so much as crack a smile when our bard performed.”

“He isn’t one for jesting.” I admitted. “But Curtis is.”

“I have not met Prince Curtis,” Aria contemplated. “Is he very different from his brother?”

“Very!” I said enthusiastically. “He is very funny, and loves to be with people. He doesn’t really care about being proper, but since he isn’t crown prince, no one really minds. Our commoners absolutely adore him.”

“He sounds amusing,” said Aria politely, but didn’t seem interested in pursuing the subject further. She had lapsed into silent thought. Was I talking too much? Too little? Was I too casual in how I had described the princes? I began to over-analyze everything I had said so far.

We had walked halfway around the castle. I was glad that I had on my wide, flat shoes. Not fashionable, but so very functional. Perfect for walking, and I was able to hide them under my excessive number of petticoats and skirts. Comfort and I had both been cursed with Father’s overly large feet. Comfort always made fun of my big flat shoes, and I always teased her right back for stuffing her giant feet into shoes too small and high-heeled to try and fit in with fashion trends.

“You are aware that Prince Hubert and I are betrothed?” Aria asked, jolting me out of my thoughts about feet.

“No, Your Highness,” I said, caught off-guard.

Aria nodded. “Since birth.”

I knew that arranged marriages were common for royalty, but had never stopped to consider that possibility happening in our kingdom. I hadn’t known that about Hubert, and I had known him my entire life. Was Curtis betrothed? What should I say to Aria? Tell her congratulations for an event she couldn’t possibly remember and had been assigned to her since her birth? Wish her good luck? I couldn’t discern if she was happy about the fact or not.

“Hubert will be a loyal husband, I am sure.” I told her, trying to sound positive.

“Hmmm.” Aria sighed. “I would like to hear more about him.” She waited expectantly.

What should I say? Recount the innumerable times Curtis and I had made him the butt of our jokes? Tell about the many servants and staff Hubert had dismissed? I settled on the safest answer.

“He loves competing in the tournaments,” I said. “He excels at horseback riding, wrestling, jousting, swordplay, and archery. We have tournaments often. Perhaps you could attend one.”

“Perhaps,” Aria mused noncommittally, then asked, “Is he musical?”

I thought of the few times Hubert had been forced to pick up and attempt to play musical instruments by his tutors. They were poor attempts at best. Nor could I say that Hubert enjoyed attending musical performances; hadn’t he dismissed our own bard?

“No, Your Highness. He has many talents, but unfortunately, musical ability is not one of them.”

“Is the other prince musical? Curtis?”

I felt a sharp pang of protectiveness. “No, he is not musical either,” I said, a little too quickly.

Aria smiled, her brilliantly white teeth standing out just as they did when I first met her. “I appreciate your honesty, Lady Truly. Until you, no one has given me candid answers about my husband-to-be.”

I felt a little guilty for twisting the truth. We had finally circled the entire castle. I dropped my deepest curtsy. “Thank you for allowing me to accompany you on a walk, Your Highness.”

Aria inclined her head and departed.

CHAPTER 5

On the journey back to Islandria, Father praised my translating. “You are a treasure, Truly,” he told me proudly. “Any father would be privileged to have you for a daughter.”

As promised, Comfort and Mother hosted a feast and a ball to celebrate our safe return. It was a merry event, with the royal orchestra filling every corner of the castle with lively, cheerful music, and the aroma of the sumptuous dishes tantalized us for hours before the feast. Comfort insisted on selecting my dress for me and fixing my hair. I let her; she had that knack for fashion I so dismally lacked. Mother even allowed me to carefully apply some of her cosmetics, a luxury I was almost never allowed, as they were so expensive and difficult to procure.