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She tested the traction of her bare skin on the stone floors of her rooms and was satisfied.

The next problem she faced was where she could place her dagger.

Her gown left little to the imagination where her thighs were, but with the modest bodice, she was able to slide her knife very carefully between her breasts.

If her posture remained upright, she would be able to sit comfortably enough.

She finally stood, as ready for the private supper with the Queen of Rivers as she would ever be. Looking around the room they had chosen for her, she was surprised at how elegant it was.

Decor at the Palace of Wind and Embers had always been garish: rooms bedecked in golds, reds, oranges, gold cutlery, gold trimming on every goblet, plush furnishings covered in red velvets. As if the desert and all the red-haired people weren’t enough, all the rooms had to be monochromatic as well.

The rooms she had seen in this palace so far had been tasteful.

Hers had been decorated in shades of light blue with large, dark wooden furniture.

The canopy bed had white linen sheets and was shrouded in a delicate cloud of lacework that Maude had inspected when Gyda had first brought her here.

Toward the back of the room, a large bay window with a small bench sat overlooking Veter.

She could see from her room that the city had been built into the existing landscape; the rolling hills provided a natural barrier of protection, and the interspersed trees throughout the city flawlessly connected as part of the basic organization of the city.

The white buildings had vines growing up the sides of most of them, giving the city an earthy and natural feel to it despite the dense population.

Maude could look out of this window for hours and still find something new to dissect, completely enraptured with the occupants, who seemed… happy.

A knock came from the heavy wooden door. Maude moved to open the door herself when Henneka almost shrieked at the action and ran forward before she could take another step. Bewildered by Henneka’s response, Maude froze in place, unsure of what to do as the handmaiden opened the door .

Herrick’s voice trickled into the room, the pleasant sound smooth like running water over stones.

“Good evening, Henneka. I came to escort Maude to supper. Is she ready?”

Maude’s heart took off with the rest of her nerves.

She had not been dressed like this in a decade, having preferred the leggings and tunics of nomadic life more than the glittering ornamentation her mother had been subject to in her elegant ball gowns.

Herrick had always looked at her like the warrior she was.

Maude worried that he would see her differently now that she felt much like she had in her past, a trussed-up imposter bedecked in silks that she would rip in her haste to escape social encounters with boring nobles.

She felt like a fraud, the beautiful gown hiding her true nature like a mask.

“I am,” Maude said, voice clear of the shadows that had started to creep into her mind.

Henneka opened the door wider to show Herrick’s large frame as he stood resplendent in the navy and silver colors of the Kingdom of Rivers. Maude felt her eyes widen a bit as she took in his polished form.

Herrick had brushed his long dark curls away from his face, showcasing his high cheekbones and strong jaw. He was wearing knee-length black riding boots and black trousers with a tailored navy tunic that had silver trimming around the cuffs and down the front in a swirling pattern.

Across his shoulders lay the silver fur of a winter fox, its pelt standing out against Herrick’s dark hair in a pleasant contrast. A black leather belt that held his hatchet was wound around his waist, much to Maude’s outrage.

Why was he allowed a weapon and she was not? Because she was a woman, and etiquette demanded that she be prim and proper? Absurd .

Herrick had always been handsome, but now he looked every bit the General of Rivers: intelligent, powerfully built, and elegant with a keen eye.

When Maude’s eyes finally made their way back to his face, she saw that he had been looking over her appearance just as intently and seemed to be as speechless as she was. Rare insecurity flared in her as she ran her hands down the front of the navy gown that had coincidentally matched him.

“I know it’s a lot; I wasn’t given much of a choice,” Maude said nervously.

Still, the General said nothing and only stared at her, his full lips parted. As if he realized he had been almost slack-jawed, he shut his mouth and cleared his throat quickly before responding.

“Maude, you look… there are no words for how extraordinary you look.”

His ears turned a bit pink at the tips, and Maude couldn’t help but feel a slight blush cross her features. She gave him a small smile and thanked him for the compliment.

It was true that while she had enjoyed her lifestyle that allowed for pants every day and low maintenance, she did enjoy occasionally getting to dress for an event if it was private, like suppers with just her mother and sister.

When they were younger, they would all dress grandly for their suppers without the King and laugh through the night.

Maude had always loved the beautiful gowns and colors that shone like jewels against her skin but had forcefully smothered these loves when she had run away rather than mourn her small moments of happiness with her sister and mother.

Once Maude and Bryn’s training had begun, they no longer felt it was important enough to enjoy those moments together.

Balls and formal suppers with nobles had become a chore for Maude, and she had started to resent the gowns and all the grooming.

Then she had a moment of clarity and decided to Hel with the gods and her fate, making the most selfish decision she could.

She left her sister and mother behind and ran.

Maude hadn’t known then what would happen, didn’t know their days were numbered.

Herrick extended an arm toward her with his annoyingly charming smile back in full force.

Maude reached for him and told herself that she could enjoy tonight, take his compliment in her stride, and embrace their night of pretend civility.

Even if it could never last.

Maude and Herrick made their way down the long corridor that led to her room and out to the main staircase of the palace, her hand tucked into the crook of his arm.

When they had arrived, Herrick had brought them through a side entrance that led straight to his rooms, and then she had been escorted down another corridor parallel to Herrick’s, where she would be staying.

Maude was curious as to what the rest of the palace looked like, not that she would ever admit it.

The grand staircase granted access to four floors of the palace; they had exited the western wing and were making their way to the eastern side, where the Queen resided on the fourth floor.

The two of them strolled through the corridors toward the stairs that would take them one floor up as Herrick recounted a few childhood memories of him, Gunnar, and Hakon causing trouble in the halls, sliding down banisters, and pranking the innocent staff working in the palace.

Maude felt herself relax a bit as they both fell back into the rhythm that had become natural between them.

“Gods, you all sounded like terrors as children,” Maude huffed, hiding her smile.

“We were awful. It's a miracle they’re allowing Hakon to become King one day,” he chuckled.

They both fell awkwardly silent at the mention of their royalty, reminding them of all that had come to light that day. Maude scrambled for something to say when she noticed the axe on his hip again.

“Why do you get to carry a weapon and I don’t?” The question came out as more of a statement, but she was irritated at the inequality.

“You’re telling me you don’t have a weapon on you right now? I find that hard to believe,” Herrick scoffed.

“I didn’t say that. I just meant that when I commented on fighting off an attacker to my handmaidens, you would’ve thought that I had suggested I attend supper in only my skin.”

Herrick stumbled over his feet for a second before quickly smoothing out his gait and turning to eye Maude’s gown. Seeing only the smooth fabric that clung to her body, she watched him work out exactly where she might be hiding a weapon.

“Your knife must be somewhere interesting if you say you’re hiding a weapon in that dress,” Herrick said as his eyes lingered a bit too long on her curves.

When his eyes finally made it back to her face, she winked at him. He stared at the uncommon sight, eyes flaring in surprise.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she said, tugging on his arm a bit with a sly smile.

Herrick only laughed, the sound full and melodic, as he steered her toward the white-marbled stairs that led to the Queen's quarters. Grasping her skirts in one hand, she allowed Herrick to lead her toward his mother’s private dining room.

Her one complaint with gowns was that she had to hold the skirts this way for any extraneous movements, which required support from another .

As they made it to the stairs, she saw Hakon storming out of the western wing of the fourth floor, presumably the King’s quarters.

Fury painted across his features and caramel hair disheveled, he almost didn't notice that his brother and Maude were standing there until he nearly crashed into them. Herrick released Maude’s hand to stop Hakon as he walked by.

“What’s happened, brother?”

“Nothing important,” Hakon responded shortly. “I have to go. Did Maude settle in well?” His eyes were on the third floor, searching for something. Or someone.

“Er— I settled in fine, thanks,” Maude said awkwardly.

Hakon’s eyes shot to her and widened a fraction before he recovered.