Page 12
Chapter 12
Julius
T hankfully, there were no official functions organized for immediately after the announcement. The crowd hung around in gossiping clumps for a short time before dispersing completely. They were likely all still tired after the Midsummer Ball the night before.
But Julius and Olivia couldn’t escape his parents. His father led the four of them into a small receiving room, reserved for more intimate gatherings, where his mother sank into a chair and began vigorously fanning herself.
“It’s far too hot for so early in the morning,” she complained, her eyes narrowing as they settled on Julius. “Or maybe that was just the stress of worrying that you might fail to arrive.”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesties.” Olivia sank into a deep curtsy. “That was my fault. It was another misunderstanding. I was unaware of the traditions for the morning after the ball and wasn’t expecting such an early visit from His Highness, let alone the need to be ready for an official function.”
His mother straightened and ran an assessing eye from Olivia’s hair to her feet. “You did a good job in that case,” she said with more knowledgeable admiration than Julius had been able to give.
Olivia smiled slightly. “My aunt helped me.”
The door opened without a knock, and an unassuming man in palace livery entered. Julius recognized him at once as his father’s most trusted aide.
The king stepped aside to conduct a quiet conversation with the man while his mother began a conversation with Olivia about the finer details of her dress. They moved quickly to a discussion of the dresses the queen intended to order for Olivia now that she was to reside at the palace and take part in court events. Despite Olivia’s earlier insistence that she wasn’t after a new wardrobe, she didn’t seem to have any objection to the queen’s plans.
When the aide disappeared, Julius’s father rejoined them, a thoughtful look on his face. He directed his first words to his son.
“Are the reports exaggerated or was the reaction of the crowd on the street as enthusiastic as claimed?”
“I’ve never seen them like that,” Julius said honestly. He glanced at Olivia and away again before adding, “They love her.”
“They don’t know me,” Olivia said firmly, apparently determined to be part of the conversation despite her lack of status.
“They love having one of their own chosen as the future queen,” his father said in a considering tone. “Perhaps there are more silver linings to this situation than we first envisaged.”
His mother looked Olivia over with a new eye. “Perhaps this betrothal will be an opportunity for the people to see themselves represented at court. Olivia can not only represent the interests of the people but better help us understand their perspectives. I have been wondering for some time if we have raised Julius at too great a distance from his own city.”
Julius shot her a surprised look. He hadn’t known she was worried about that.
Could she be right? Was he disconnected from the common people? The sense of failure from his first meeting with Olivia washed over him again. Apparently he was even worse at his role than he had suspected.
“I don’t think I can be much assistance there,” Olivia said, cutting across both his thoughts and the conversation.
All three turned toward her, creases on both his parents’ brows. “Unless you want to know what the people of the small town of Henton think,” she added, “or perhaps my relatives in Manor Row. I’m not a native of the capital, and I’ve hardly even had a chance to explore it. I probably know less about the city and its inhabitants than Julius.”
“I see,” the queen said slowly, exchanging a look with her husband.
Irritation swept over Julius. Did Olivia always have to be so contrary? Was she trying to make her situation more difficult? They were all trying to do their best—even if Julius’s best was apparently short of where it needed to be.
Olivia drew a deep breath. “There’s nothing I can do about my past ignorance and inexperience. I can only improve for the future. I am well aware I have a lot to learn if I’m going to manage my role creditably—even if it is only a temporary role. So while I might not have much of value to bring, I am ready to learn and want to assure you that I will be a willing and enthusiastic student.”
For a moment Julius let himself remember all the aspects of royal life that he did know well. In teaching Olivia, perhaps he would finally have a chance to show her his true capabilities. The pleasant image lasted for only a moment before she turned to his mother.
“I stand ready to be your pupil, Your Majesty.”
His mother immediately softened. When she married Crown Prince Robert, she had known that the two of them would only ever have one child, and that the Legacy would ensure it was a son. But Julius knew she had grieved not being able to have more children—especially a daughter. She was delighted at the prospect of not only dressing Olivia but also training her to fill the same role she herself filled.
He tried not to let any disappointment show. He tried not to feel any disappointment.
But when his parents were called away, leaving him alone in the receiving room with Olivia, he couldn’t stop himself speaking.
“You might find I have something to teach you as well, even if I’m just the prince.” He heard the self-mocking note and changed tack. “And what of you? Don’t you think you might be selling yourself short? Surely you have something you can?—”
“Selling myself short?” Olivia, who had wandered to one of the windows, whirled around. “I have no idea what to do in this situation! Nothing in my life has prepared me for this. I suppose you think I’m just trying to be difficult, but I would far rather undersell myself than oversell. I have no desire to raise false expectations I can’t possibly fulfill. I was only speaking the truth. I don’t know the capital.” She drew in an angry breath. “Don’t you think enough damage has already been done from misunderstandings? I don’t want to be the cause of any more.”
Defensiveness surged in Julius, but the wild look in her eyes made him pause. He wasn’t even sure if she was angry at him or just overwhelmed, and if he was honest, some of his irritability toward her had come from a similar place. Underneath it all, the two of them weren’t so different. In the last week, he had also had reason to question if he was fit for his role, and the question had scared him as much as it seemed to scare her.
He gave a half bow. “My apologies.”
“Those again,” she muttered, making his brow crease.
They might be the same in some ways, but they were still a world apart. What did she have against his apologies? Her presence seemed to make him constantly misstep, and surely it was better that he apologized than not.
“Don’t worry,” he said after an awkward pause. “My parents have a whole team of scholars and historians scouring the kingdom’s records and history books for any overlooked aspect of the Legacy that we might use to escape our…predicament.”
A lovely way to describe a betrothal. But he knew she would think it was apt.
“So much trouble caused by one pair of glass slippers,” she murmured. From her manner, his words hadn’t inspired much hope.
His stomach twisted at the idea that any girl would consider it a hopeless prospect to be tied to him. Even if he did feel the same way about being tied to her.
Mostly.
“Do you really think there’s any chance they’ll find something new about the Legacy after centuries?” she asked doubtfully.
Despite himself, he wanted to give her hope and see her smile again. “There are still parts of the Legacy that are unfamiliar,” he offered. “Even after all this time, scholars are still debating what part of Sovar’s history causes the Legacy to create treacherous ground anywhere there is particular natural beauty.”
“That’s true,” Olivia conceded, perhaps remembering his own near fall, as he was. “But that’s not exactly the same as an undiscovered aspect of the Legacy.”
Julius shrugged, unable to think of anything to say that wouldn’t sound depressing. Olivia turned away from him and pointed to a stack of paper and a pot of ink on a desk in the corner of the room.
“If I write a letter, will you see that it’s delivered for me?”
Julius frowned at the sudden change of topic. “Of course.”
She smiled at last, although he didn’t feel he’d earned it with such a measly act of service.
“If I’m to live at the palace,” she said, “I have a couple of requirements.”
Julius’s frown deepened.
She gave him a level stare. “I think that’s fair enough given everything I’m being asked to sacrifice.”
He considered pointing out that her sacrifice was exchanging the life of a servant for one of a princess but decided against it. He, of all people, knew that giving up your freedom was a sacrifice, regardless of what trappings of rank came with it.
“What are your requirements?” he asked instead. “I’ll grant them if I can.”
“Princesses have ladies-in-waiting, don’t they?” she asked. “Or something similar.”
“My mother doesn’t call them that, but she has noble women of the court who act as her companions and assist her with social events and the like, so I suppose that’s the same thing,” he said.
Olivia nodded. “I want to select one for myself for as long as I’m living here and invite her to join me at the palace.” She saw his raised brow and quickly added, “I’m not trying to bring anyone unsuitable to court. I just want to invite a member of my family to stay with me, and I want to be sure she’ll be treated well. Surely that’s acceptable.”
“Certainly,” he said, relieved her request was such an easy one to grant. He didn’t even need to check with his parents. “I can see no possible objection to that.”
She nodded. “I also have a…pet.” His eyes narrowed at her hesitation, but she kept her chin raised defiantly. “I will only agree to live at the palace if I can bring her with me and care for her here.”
“You want to bring your cat with you?” Julius asked, biting back a smile.
“Mildred is not a cat,” Olivia said. “But the same principle applies.”
Julius shrugged. “The palace has plenty of rat catchers and a number of dogs who run tame inside. I don’t see how one more animal would cause any trouble.”
Olivia smiled. “In that case, we have an agreement.” She walked to the door but stopped partway with a grimace. “I think I’d better add a third request. I’m going to need someone to show me around for a while. The palace is enormous, and I already have no idea where I am right now.”
Julius laughed. “Don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of maids and footmen at your service. In fact, I predict you won’t be able to turn around without tripping over one. Everyone in Sovar is curious about you right now.”
Her smile disappeared, and he kicked himself for once again saying the wrong thing to her.
“You can always order them to leave if you’re uncomfortable,” he said, trying to mend matters.
“Unfortunately, I suspect that’s going to be all the time,” she muttered, almost too quietly for him to hear.
* * *
O livia spent the rest of that day and all of the next closeted with his mother and a series of experts chosen by the queen. Their role was to educate the new princess on various aspects of court behavior and court life.
Julius might have felt sorry for her if he wasn’t similarly cloistered. Apparently his father’s way of taking the temperature of his court and city was to have a private meeting with every noble of significance and a number of the more influential merchants. And he insisted his son join him.
The only saving grace was that for once his allocated role didn’t require rigid restraint. He was playing the lovesick groom, so his father welcomed small signs of his impatience—it gave the king an opportunity to insert a humorous remark about where his son would rather be. No one failed to chuckle in response to the suggestion that the prince would rather be with a certain beautiful young lady than stuck in a meeting.
He pretended to take the humor with good grace, despite his irritation at the entire situation, and at least he enjoyed the opportunity to look as bored as he felt. He expected the evening would bring an opportunity to check on Olivia, but they didn’t even eat together at the end of their first official day as a betrothed couple. His father was hosting a select number of powerful guests, and his mother had sent word that Olivia wasn’t yet ready to join such an illustrious group.
His father had neatly sidestepped the issue by making it a male-only affair. The adjustment allowed the queen to escape but didn’t grant the same freedom to Julius. And by the time he was finally released, Olivia had already retired to her bedchamber, the external door to her suite firmly latched.
By the end of the second long day, Julius’s patience was wearing too thin even for his father’s false teasing to cover. It was only with enormous restraint that he maintained the necessary polite behavior. The day would come when he was king and such meetings would be unavoidable, but his mind was still in too much turmoil from his botched betrothal to bear the constraint easily. He longed to be among his own peers, discovering their reaction to the news—however painful those reactions might be—rather than spending every hour of the day shut up with his father’s peers.
The last guest to be ushered in made him straighten with interest, however. Walter was the successful man of business Olivia called uncle, and Julius examined him closely. He was unassuming in appearance, with no noticeable presence. But as the conversation progressed, Julius caught the keen light of intelligence in his eyes, and though he allowed the king to dominate the conversation, he responded with sense and insight.
“I can’t say I’m a social man myself, Your Majesty,” he said with a chuckle. “I leave that side of things to my wife.”
“You are a man of business,” the king said with a smile of his own. “And from what I hear a very good one. We cannot all be skilled in every area.”
“You flatter me, Your Majesty.” Walter looked pleased at the king’s words, but after a moment’s hesitation he straightened his back. “I was honored to be asked here today, just as my family is honored by your selection of our Olivia as the prince’s betrothed.” He bowed slightly toward Julius. “She is an excellent girl and has our full support and confidence.” For the first time he held the king’s eye, his back straight, and the subtle message was clear.
Julius raised his brows, pleasantly surprised. Apparently Olivia’s family were willing to fight for her if it was needed. He had feared they held her in low esteem given her place in their household, but the situation must have been more nuanced than he realized.
Still, he wished the man had shown similar resolution when it came to his wife’s treatment of Olivia when she first arrived with them. If they had treated her fully as family then, none of them might be in their current predicament.
He waited impatiently as his father concluded the meeting and finally—finally—released Julius, saying he would not be needed the next day. Julius hurried straight to his mother’s favorite sitting room.
Stepping inside, he bowed politely to the queen, even while his eyes flicked around the room. Disappointment surged when he saw she was alone.
“Where’s Olivia?” he blurted out.
His mother regarded him with a slight raise to her brows and a mysterious smile that wavered between amusement and curiosity. He winced internally. What was she reading in his face and bearing? Did she understand his reactions? Because he didn’t understand them himself.
“Your father’s meetings ran long.” She gestured toward a small table still laden with the remains of a hearty supper. “Lady Olivia and I have already eaten, and she has retired early for the night.”
“Again?” He bit out the word between clenched teeth.
His mother shook her head at him, her expression chiding, and he flushed as if he were once again a small boy being chastised for impatience.
“Your betrothed has a great deal to learn,” his mother said in a firm tone. “And she has dedicated herself to her studies just as she promised. She is already making excellent progress, and I am greatly pleased with her. It’s hardly surprising that she’s exhausted by the end of each day.”
“My apologies.” Julius gave another shallow bow, and his mother softened.
“You were always a dedicated student as well, my son. Don’t think I’m unaware of the sacrifices your position requires of you.”
Julius’s shoulders straightened, and she smiled at him, her eyes gleaming.
“While Olivia still has various intricacies to master, she has now covered enough of the basics that she can be trusted outside this room. Her lessons will continue at a gentler pace and without my supervision. I have given her the morning off tomorrow.” She paused, her smile growing. “I’ll inform your father that you also need to be released so you can show her around in a more informal capacity.”
Julius strode over and dropped a kiss on the top of his mother’s head.
“Thank you, Mother. If I have to attend another meeting without a break, I might lose my patience completely and disgrace the family. You always could read me best.”
“Can I?” she asked lightly, her eyes glowing.
He stepped back warily, but whatever she was supposedly reading in him now, she kept it to herself. And as he departed to find his own supper and bed, he walked with a buoyancy to his step. The next day he would finally have a chance to see his friends and discover what they thought of Olivia.