Chapter 32: Chapter 31

Dalliah

After a week of bed rest, which felt like overkill when hearing the surgeon gave me the all-clear on day three, we were finally able to start this horrid tour. I hate how it all seemed to have waited for me and it definitely took the excitement out of being able to leave my bed again.

Even now my mind hasn’t made itself up on what to make of all of this yet, and somehow we find ourselves on the outskirts of Yoleon already. I’ve never travelled so far in my life and seeing all of these new places helps to distract me from the deal I made. The person I’m here with.

The size of the party we’re in as we move through the regions has taken some getting used to as well, but even so, I didn’t expect it to be so… simple.

Not that I’m high maintenance or anything, I know that I’m still just a maid in most people’s eyes and always will be, which would frustrate my family to no end, but nothing about this seems very royal. The camp is made up of tents, wagons and cots all pulled by the small number of horses brought with us. Nothing fancy and nothing excessive which shocks me, I mean, I’m travelling with the king of this whole kingdom, aren’t I?

Most of the people that are here all seem to belong to the same island of Eradeo, Writhage I think they call it? And by the looks of it, a lot of them fought with the king too. I know I should be uncomfortable, you know, surrounded by the invaders that stole my and many other’s homes, but for the majority of the time, I find that it doesn’t bother me... Or that I’m able to ignore it at least.

It’s easier than I’d expect to forget how angry I’m meant to be when they’re so nice. I mean, they laugh and jest with each other all day, then when it comes down to it, they look out for each other like one big family which is completely new to me. I wonder if they realise how rare that is in other countries?

Just like what Ruairi said when setting my expectations the other week, all I’ve needed to do so far is eat with him and play nice when sitting as a part of his inner circle. It feels wrong in a way to be exposed to so much of his private life. Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing being shown the lamb’s underbelly, which in this case, are those he cares about, his habits and the best opportunities where I could pounce.

Luckily for him though, I’m no wolf, not really.

I had my chance back in the castle to get my revenge with those ivy leaves but it’s over now. I owe him too much, he saved my life for crying out loud and so I’m stuck with a debt I can never pay even if I wanted to.

When he’s busy, which is a lot more often than you’d think on the road, I’m left to fend for myself and pass the hours how I like as long as I keep up with the crowd. It’s the kind of freedom I’ve never experienced before and on the first day, I half expected it to be some sort of trap to catch me out.

It wasn’t though and I’ve adjusted quickly, maybe too quickly to the luxury.

Another area that’s caught me off guard, (I don’t seem to run short of those lately), is his sister, Odelina. I became acquainted with her back at the coast when she’d sit in my room in place of her brother. Naturally, I was offended at first, not wanting to be babysat, but when we started to speak more in place of uncomfortable silence, I realised I liked her.

It’s not convenient to do so, I know that much, but it’s not really something I can help. There’s a reason she’s been so popular with the public since arriving in Apheya and it’s because of her attitude. Her story of losing her husband is well known, but her resolve to move forward and to honour him where she can is hard not to respect.

She also cares a lot for the kingdom and is determined to become acquainted with the expectations and traditions not taught on the islands. I’ve been able to help her, knowing a lot from my mother, but disguising it as merely being observant where it matters.

“Sometimes I admire how easily you can drift off into your own mind, but right now it’s distracting from our game.” Odelina scolds me while looking up from the chessboard.

It’s a game played more frequently in the northern regions like Apheya, Yolean and Ethrial. So when she found out that I knew how to play, it’s been a nightly routine for us to battle it out. The idea of embarrassing herself in the other courts plagues her more than I first expected, and I’ve enjoyed teaching it as there wasn’t exactly a set back in the servant’s hall.

“My apologies, your highness.”

She doesn’t like it when I call her this, thinking it too formal for a companion but I insist. It helps form the line between us so that I can remember who I am in comparison.

Rolling her eyes, she sighs, “Sometimes I think you call me that just to frustrate me.”

She picks up a knight, hovering it towards the back of the board, clearly looking to move it right into the ring of danger that I’ve carefully created over the course of my last few moves.

“Perhaps, but you should be more concerned with protecting your king,” I reply pointedly and her eyes close in frustration.

I could have let it happen but winning all the time takes away half the fun and now that I’ve rediscovered it, I’d like to grow my skills. Only to do that I need to create an opponent worth the effort.

“What do we have here?” Avery, Ruairi’s hand walks over to our place of camp, and if I wanted to get on her bad side, I’d say I’ve just heard the princess curse.

I raise my eyebrows at her silently and her cheeks redden, knowing that she was caught. Interacting with her feels very different compared to how it was with the likes of Marjorie, as just now I feel myself smiling in return without restraint.

“We have a private game, what do you want?” Odelina doesn’t even look up at him as he sits next to us, something even a blind man could sense frustrates the daylights out of him.

“Just came to check on you, it’s my job after all.” Arrogance oozes from him whenever he speaks to her, and this isn’t the first time I’ve been blessed with witnessing their interactions. I imagine it’s how I’d speak to Ruairi if he wasn’t my king back in the castle, only without all of the tension.

“No, your job is to do what my brother says, which I’m willing to bet your salary, doesn’t consist of bothering his sister every chance you get.”

Her words are harsh but she has a point, his checks are far more frequent than necessary and he clearly enjoys getting on her nerves when the favour isn’t being returned. They’re as bad as each other when it comes to that but I’d never admit it out loud.

“It’s not even nightfall and yet I can already hear you both fighting.” Ruairi walks over to join us with Tedric at his side.

One of his shirt sleeves has been ripped at the end and scuff marks cover both of their bodies. They must have been fighting, something a lot of this group does to stay lean and active but I’m glad I missed it.

Seeing him all sweaty and violent makes my stomach flip every time I catch sight of it, and I’m trying to recover from my fears, not increase them while here. Not that there are many bodies of water to explore when travelling inland.

“He was interrupting our game,” Odelina reports very matter-of-factly while Avery busies himself cleaning his sword.

“Ah yes, I’ve seen you both playing this… are you any good?” His eyes light up at the board between us and it shocks us both to hear.

“You can play?” She demands, as if it’s a life-changing secret that she’s only just finding out and I didn’t expect it either. When would he have had the time to pick it up?

Ruairi tilts his head from side to side, confessing to knowing it a bit and I bite my lip to hide my laugh at the incoming reaction. I might like Odelina, but there’s no denying that when it comes to her brother and these two men, she’s like a teenager at times. They all are really.

“Anyone else? Or is it just me left out?” Her hands find her hips and Tedric quickly looks for somewhere else to be.

“Easy little sister, I tell you what, let’s have a match?” He offers, approaching her like you would a wild horse.

“No, I’m going to check on the food, play with Dalliah if you enjoy it so much.”

The three of us are left and Ruairi and I trying not to smile when it quickly becomes two, but then I realise who it is I’m left alone with. Over the past few days, I’ve seen what he’s like when around his people, not just snippets like I saw in the castle but full-on interactions.

As hard as it is for me to admit, he can be quite funny when he wants to be, but by repeating some of the things I know about the invasion, it’s not so hard to remember where my loyalties lie.

It’s definitely helped when we’ve interacted these past few nights, and both of us can tell that I’m trying to keep him at arm’s length for whatever reason. But that doesn’t stop him from pushing the lines though.

“Fancy a game?” He asks.

I stare at the board, contemplating my next move like I would if I were any other wooden piece. I’d rather leave while I can, take the rare alone time while I can get it but that would be rude, right? That’s not my intention after what he did for me, not anymore, so I surprise us both by saying, “Yes.”