Page 4 of Pippa of Lauramore (The Eldentimber #1)

“ I t’s only half the tournament, Pippa. You should be grateful.”

I bite my tongue so I won’t say something nasty to Percival’s wife. Leonora looks up from her breakfast and gives me a knowing smile. She’s aware I want to strangle her, and she thinks it’s amusing.

“People are wrong about you, Leonora.” I stab a sausage with my knife. “You are wicked.”

She smiles. “If I were wicked, would I be sharing breakfast with you instead of enjoying the banquet this morning?”

No, she wouldn’t be, because there’s really nothing wicked at all about Leonora. She’s demure and self-controlled, sweet and graceful. She’s everything a princess should be—everything I am not.

I quite dislike her sometimes.

“Tell me about your prince, this Galinor,” she says, her eyes sparkling .

I take a deep breath and let myself smile. “He’s very handsome.”

“And easy to manipulate?” She grins.

My mouth drops open. “I didn’t manipulate him. How awful you make me sound! Did you think, perhaps, he has a sense of adventure as well? Not like the rest of you.”

“Sense of adventure,” she scoffs.

“It was so romantic.” I ignore her and lean forward. “We rode through the woods, and I showed him the maid-of-the-shadows, and then I took him to that cavern—the one you refuse to visit—with the huge open ceiling to look at the stars.”

She sighs. “It sounds wonderful. It’s too bad your father figured it out.”

“Figured it out!” I exclaim. “Archer told him.”

Leonora looks stunned. “Why would he do that? How would he even know?”

I set aside my anger—I want to save it all for Archer—and explain how he found Galinor and me in the stable.

She shakes her head. The light from my window falls on her soft brown hair and makes her look angelic. “Archer wouldn’t do that, not if he gave you his word.”

“There was no one else,” I argue. “Who do you think it was? The dog? ”

“You’re surly this morning.” She gives a piece of melon a gentle poke with her knife.

It’s time to change the subject.

“Are you going to the village archery event today?” I ask, referring to one of the pre-tournament festivities open to the peasants and villagers of the kingdom .

She gives me a small frown. “I’m sorry, Pippa. I must go. I helped your mother arrange the whole thing.”

“It’s all right. It’s my fault I’m stuck in here.” I stab a large piece of melon.

“The prizes are really wonderful,” Leonora says, her eyes bright.

My mouth is full, so I nod for her to continue.

“Money purses, lots of livestock, barrels of sugar and wheat, and even one barrel of that wonderful cider from last night.”

“What’s the grand prize for winning the event?” I cover my mouth as I chew.

She leans forward. “Five hundred gold coins and a year’s worth of food delivered each week from the palace kitchen—whatever we eat, they’ll eat.”

I’m stunned. “Your turnout is going to be amazing.”

“I know!” She laughs, and then her expression falls. “I wish you could be there.”

I wave my hand like it doesn’t matter, but I’m actually heartbroken.

We finish with breakfast, and Leonora excuses herself. Once she’s gone, I open my balcony doors and let the summer air in. The banquet must be over because the music has already started. Yesterday’s rain is long forgotten, and the sun shines brightly.

I’ll let myself wallow for just a moment, and then I’ll go back inside.

I step onto my balcony and rest my arms on the stone wall.

Our gold and sapphire flags wave in the breeze, and the arena is already crowded.

Targets are set up for the competition, and the seats are packed. There are people everywhere.

I squint to see if I recognize anyone, but they are too far away.

A hand touches my shoulder, and I jump. I whirl around to find Anna staring up at me, her eyes narrow and her mouth turned down in a frown.

Her white hair is streaked with a few stubborn red strands, and I wonder if it’s by sheer will alone she’s not all white.

“Hello, Anna.”

“You couldn’t behave yourself at your own party?” she says instead of a greeting.

I roll my eyes and slouch against the stone wall. “We were on our way back.”

“It’s shameful the way you run about. After eighteen years, I would think you would have learned how to be a lady.”

I have learned how to be a lady. It’s just so dull I can’t stick with it.

I wave my hand without any conviction. “I was being hospitable to our guest, showing him the highlights of our kingdom…and so on and so forth.”

Her eyes narrow even further. “How hospitable?”

I sigh and hold my hand up, showing her the ring.

She nods, temporarily appeased. “No prince or lord wants a tarnished princess.”

I groan and let my attention drift back to the festival.

“Your father has decided you will attend lessons as usual,” Anna says, ignoring me. “I will walk you down to Master Draeger. ”

My head snaps back. “What? My lessons were postponed until after the tournament!”

“Apparently the moonlit ride changed his mind.”

Anna is tiny, but what she lacks in height she makes up for in tenacity. She sets both hands on her hips and stares up at me, daring me to argue with her.

At the young age of fifteen, Anna was nursemaid to her third cousin, my mother.

When Mother was married, Anna traveled with her from their kingdom of Ptarma to Lauramore.

She looked after both my brothers and me, but when they reached a certain age, it was decided they no longer needed a nursemaid.

For some reason, no such decision was made when I reached the same age.

Anna went from nursemaid to my personal keeper, and she takes her job very seriously.

She’s never married, and I think my life would have been much easier if she had. I mentioned it once. It didn’t go over well.

“I dislike music very much,” I whine as we descend the wide spiral staircase.

When I was little, I used to run up and down these stairs, pretending I was an important messenger charged with saving the kingdom.

The servants and maids would smile, acting like they didn’t notice me running like a wild thing through the palace.

Then one day I tripped on the plush red runner, fell down the stairs, and landed at the bottom with a bloodied lip and a massive knot on my head.

Father demanded that I was no longer allowed to run amok.

Though I was very young, only four or five, my lessons started the next day .

Father said a spirit like mine needed to be kept busy. He said that once about a difficult horse, as well.

I’ve never forgotten that.

“Your mother always liked her lessons,” Anna answers.

I glance at her. “I’m nothing like Mother.”

“No, you’re not.”

We reach Master Draeger’s music hall, and Anna raps three times on the tall, wooden door. It swings open, and there stands my music instructor, looking more dour than usual.

“Good morning, Master Draeger,” I say cheerfully.

His bushy gray eyebrow twitches. “Good morning, Philippa.”

There’s only a select few who use my full, dreadful name. Master Draeger is one of them.

He ushers us in, nodding respectfully to Anna. “Good morning, Lady Annora.”

She gives him a small, sympathetic smile. “I’m so sorry, Master Draeger. You should be enjoying the festivities.”

It’s not the first time I’ve heard a family member apologize to someone charged with my care and learning.

I wander to the harp while they share their condolences with each other.

The instrument sits before me in all its polished beauty.

I glare at it. Having almost completely given up on my singing ability, Master Draeger decided I should practice the harp. Very suitable, he said.

Anna sits in her usual spot in the corner by the window and takes out her embroidery. Her entire skirt is covered in delicate, floral threads, and so is the neckline on her bodice. Her room is covered in tapestries and embroidered cloth. No fabric is safe from a needle when Anna is around.

“We will begin with the harp, and then we will practice your singing.” He cringes.

Honestly, I’m not that bad.

I pluck at the harp until the palace bell rings, signaling the half-hour. My back is stiff from leaning over, and I’m glad to be finished. I stand on the wooden practice stage, only one step high, and Master Draeger comes to the podium in front of me.

He grimaces. “Begin your scales.”

I think I’m improving—I really do. I warm up, working hard to hit the notes.

I’m a little shrill, and both Anna and Draeger wince when I reach the top notes.

I take a deep breath, remembering to stand straight and keep my muscles taut, just as Draeger has instructed.

There’s a small part of the scales, toward the very middle, where I think I sound nice.

When I’m in those, Anna and Draeger’s faces smooth out for the moment.

I stop, frustrated. “Why can’t I just sing something in the middle?”

“We’ve discussed this.” He frowns, and his eyebrow twitches again.

“But why does a lady have to sing at the top of the scales?”

Anna looks up. “That’s simply the way it is, Pippa. Stop hassling Master Draeger.” She turns to the master. Her voice fake and bright, she asks, “With more practice, she’ll get better, won’t she?”

Draeger looks incredulous, but he answers, “Of course she will. Lots and lots of practice. ”

A chorus of bells signals the hour, and I stumble down the stage, relieved music is over.

“Pippa,” Sir Kimble greets me. There’s an unmistakable twinkle in his eye.

“Hello, Sir Uncle,” I answer, flopping down at the table covered in maps.

Sir Kimble isn’t a “sir” at all. He’s Father’s younger brother and therefore Prince Kimble. But when I was young, I thought he looked like a knight, and the name stuck. I’m the only one who uses the title, but he’s never minded.

“I have things to attend to, Pippa. I will be back for you at the hour.” Anna turns to Sir Kimble and smiles. “Please don’t let her leave without me.”

He laughs. “Who knows where she would end up?”