Back the castle, winter had finally come. The windows were covered in frosty patterns, and thick fuzzy carpets covered the floor of the King's old office. She felt like an imposter there and refused to sit at the big wooden chair that would make her look like a pre-teen pretending to be daddy.
"He'll never go for it," Aurelie said, doubting Kirin's plan. She had yet to tell him about Michael. Though, she wasn't even sure there was something to tell. Nothing happened. Yet, if it were nothing, would she have even debated telling him?
"Why ever not?" Kirin asked. "He's - no offense to you, my lady - not high born."
Casandra lowered her eyes.
"He's sure as hell not going to climb higher than king consort," Kirin continued oblivious to it all. "Besides, any virtuous man would jump at the offer to protect his queen and country from another potential conflict."
Aurelie hadn't even wanted him to be there. It was awkward already. "Kirin," she said in a quiet voice, unsure of how to phrase it, "do you mind letting me do this alone?"
"What? Why?"
"I think it'll be easier here, with just me and Cassandra. Perhaps, he'll be more comfortable."
Kirin cocked his head. "Nonsense, I've served with him. The two of us trained together."
"You did?" Michael never told her that.
"Yes, he's only two years my senior. We all look up to him," Kirin glanced at Cassandra. "He was a hell of a warrior. Your father especially took a liking to him." He waved her off. "He'll be more inclined to say yes if I'm here."
"I don't think so."
"Aurelie!" He frowned. "Trust me on this."
She exhaled.
"I'm going to wait for him outside," Cassandra said.
Kirin eyed her suspiciously and then turned to Aurelie. "What was that?"
"He's . . . He may be in love with me."
"What do mean?"
"Or maybe not, who knows. Some time has passed." She nodded, clearly comforting herself more than Kirin.
His eyes twitched left and then right in exaggerated bafflement.
"What did you do?"
"What do you mean 'what did I do?'" she raised her voice.
"I haven't even been gone that long," Kirin said. "I'll kill him."
Aurelie rolled her eyes. "You're not going to kill anyone. We don't have to kill anyone anymore." She took his hand and smiled. "Just let me handle this, okay?"
Kirin smiled back and squeezed her hand back. "Not a chance, wife."
Aurelie's smile faded instantly. "You're insufferable."
"And yet you suffer me."
She gave him a dirty look. "Just don't make him uncomfortable."
"Make him uncomfortable? The man that wanted to steal my wife? I'd never."
"He didn't want to - " she cocked her head, trying to elicit a response. "Well . . . nevermind that now."
Kirin's eyes widened.
A knock sounded.
"Behave." She gave him a stern look.
The door opened and Michael stepped in. She felt Kirin move to step closer to her and rolled her eyes internally. He looked dapper as ever in his uniform. There was a freshly healed scar just above his top lip. She had heard the maids whisper about it when Cassandra was out of the room but had yet to see it.
"Your Majesty," he bowed. Then he turned to Kirin and Aurelie swore she saw a spark in his eyes. He bowed slightly and then turned to her. "You sent for me."
"I did," she said. "There's been a development in the Icelands."
"What sort of development?"
"We've found the princess," she said. It felt strange asking him.
Cassandra kept her eyes on Michael. None of them were sure how he'd react. The question was being dragged out and she felt Kirin quite obviously become agitated next to her. She glared down at his tapping foot and he stopped.
"Do you want me to bring her here?" Michael frowned and looked to his mother, growing even more confused by her presence.
"No, Michael," Kirin jumped in, whether for the sake of pride or reason it was unclear, but she was grateful for it, "we want to offer her a Highfirian husband. One we can trust."
"Ah." He avoided Aurelie's eyes.
A commotion sounded from outside. "Are they in there?" Aurelie heard the princess's voice from down the hall.
Her footsteps quickened. "Are you deaf or dumb?" she asked the guard situated outside.
The room filled with awkward silence.
Michael looked Aurelie straight in the eye. "Would that be the blushing bride?"
Aurelie nodded. "I need someone there whom I can trust."
"I'm at your disposal. Always." He bowed his head.
Thank you, Aurelie mouthed to him.
"Well, hello," the princess said. "I thought you were going to call me down." She eyed Michael up and down. "Is this him?"
Michael stiffened and kept his eyes down. It looked as if he was worried about what his eyes would meet. The girl had some manners to learn, but she wasn't terrible to look at. Her white hair came up to her hair, she had all the right features; a delicate little nose, big puffy lips, round eyes, and two-deep dimples. If Aurelie were being kind, she'd have described her as voluptuous.
"Oh, thank God," she said and hugged Michael from behind. For a second, he looked like he had just stepped in dog poop and then he relaxed a little. "I thought they were going to give me a troll when she told me how tasty you were."
Aurelie felt three sets of eyes fall on her. "I . . . I never said that. Not once." She looked at Kirin who, for the first time since she ever met him, seemed genuinely jealous. "I didn't."
The princess laughed and looked up at Michael who was about a head and a half taller than her. "I'm not touching any of those charts and papers," she said quite seriously. "I like cake and pretty things."
"Don't you worry about that," Aurelie said. "We'll manage."
"You'll have all the pretty things you want," Michael said with a new found confidence while staring right at her, which had Aurelie avert her gaze and Kirin damn near summoning shadows.
***
Orken was packing a cart full of carpets, cushions, all sorts of wooden furniture, and a statue which used to stand by the garden quarter of the castle.
"What are you planning to do with all that?" Aurelie asked.
Kirin picked up the sleeve of a shirt Orken had taken. It had a long flowy sleeve, like a woman's blouse.
"I don't think that'll fit."
Orken slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch that with your filthy paws! It's silk. I'll never get the stains out."
Something moved in the distance. Aurelie glanced at the thick trees and froze. Dear God, not again. Her heart hammered. She had learned to expect the worst now. The leaves moved. No one else seemed to notice. Between the gap in the evergreen trees, Aurelie saw the top of Jermyn's head. A wave of relief rushed over her, and her cheeks grew warm. When she took a step toward him, he extended a hand to stop her. Then, he placed the hand on his heart, bowed and stepped back into the trees. Aurelie teared up, seeing him go. God only knew when they'd see each other again.
"What do you want with all of this stuff anyway?"
"It's my payment."
"Orken," Aurelie said. "You should have said you needed gold. Go to the treasury, give them the amount, I'll make they pay you."
"Have you ever met the woman who runs the treasury?" Kirin asked, smirking at her.
Aurelie raised a brow. "I . . . " She thought about it for a second. "I don't think I have actually."
"Good luck getting gold out of her," Kirin said.
"She'll do as I say."
"We'll see." Kirin nudged her. "Larissa once made the King change his diet because his love for Redayran' truffles doubled his food budget for the month."
"I don't want the coins," Orken said, tying up the goods with a long, thick rope. "This'll do."
"I wish you'd stay," Aurelie said. "I wish you'd all stay."
"You'll see me every month, at the council meeting."
Aurelie smiled. They had this conversation before. She wanted him to stay, and he wanted to go back to his own people. They chose, instead, to unite. Orken would represent Halbrook, Jermyn would represent the Forest Queen, and of course, Michael would represent the Icelands. It seemed like the right thing to do to keep the peace. Aurelie would, of course, have her own counsel, but for now, she didn't trust anyone but Kirin and Deborah. Not that Deborah would make much of a military advisor. There was the General too, but their relationship was tense at best, and resentful at worst. He wished her father outlived her. It was painfully obvious.
"Will you write to me when you arrive?" she asked.
"I'll write as much as you like."
"THat's a lie," Kirin said.
"That's a lie," Orken conferred.
Aurelie rushed over to him and wrapped him in a tight bear hug. He remained immobile, his arms stretch out, and seemingly unable to close. She let go and took a step back.
"You are so important to me," she said and saw his glow with tears almost instantly.
He turned away from them and raised a dismissive hand. "That's my queue to leave."
*****
She and Kirin stood by Highferian trees, where all the nobles were buried. Elizabeth's tree had grown twice its size since the last time she visited, reaching about a meter over her head. Elizabeth's tree had a new companion beside it. A young Alder tree. The trees grew well here, because of the river being so close, and of course, the gardener, who she and Kirin tried very hard to not run into on their way here.
They held a service for all the men, and so Kaiden didn't get a special celebration. Just a silent tree from Aurelie. Too many died. She couldn't let herself be seen grieving him more.
"He says you'll be a wonderful queen," Niendry said behind her.
They didn't hear her sneak up on them because the winds were playing with the river.
"I hope he's right."
"So do I." Niendry had a small bag in her hand, and death dancing around her skirt.
"Will you come back for the council meetings?"
"I don't think so," Niendry wrinkled her nose. "I've received several letters from the Icelands requiring my services. The new queen wants her mother at the wedding . . . and her brother . . . but I'm not quite sure how I'll do that without unleashing a vengeful spirit."
Aurelie's expression must have changed drastically because Niendry's entire demeanor warmed up. "I'll come back when you're ready for goodbyes. Maybe we'll catch them and if we don't, all the better. That means they're too settled to bother with us down here."
"Or they're drifting." She looked up at Kirin, feeling the need to grab his hand and pull him toward her.
"Well, death was uninformed that our Queen declined it."
Aurelie tilted her head.
"People don't come back like, Aurelie." Niendry gestured toward Kirin. "The Dream Realm was all but gone, and then it grabbed his soul and held it there until we found him. That spell only divides."
"But Peter . . ."
Niendry nodded her head. "Yes, even with Alysia's magic he came back half cooked."
"Wait," Kirin cocked his head, "what do you mean?"
"Oh God, it makes me a little nauseous just thinking about it." She pulled a face. "There's something about you Donahue's that attracts very powerful women who refuse to let you die."
"But Alysia's a myth."
"She's as much of a myth as Aurelie will be one day."
*****
They found Daerious in the dining room.
"Did you find Revin?" Kirin asked him almost immediately.
There was a full chicken, some kind of fish surrounded by half cut pomegranates, and slices of orange, beet, broccoli, three types of potatoes; mashed, baked and fried with some fancy herb, and an entire side of bread. Half of it was already on Daerious's plate.
He nodded, biting down on a piece of chicken. "He's rounded up his spies, if the Morels so much as skip breakfast, we'll know."
Aurelie sighed and broke off a chicken leg. "And Peter?"
"My father went to get him."
"We'll have to talk about your father," Aurelie said.
Kirin sighed and plopped down on the chair. "Please no."
"He doesn't like me."
"He loves you."
"You're projecting."
Daerious laughed.
Aurelie chewed on her chicken as Kirin filled his plate. A feeling of content swept over her.
"So, Aurelie," Daerious said, pausing before taking another bite of his potato. "have you guys met a guard called Nina?"
Aurelie and Kirin crossed eyes, and she watched as Kirin nearly choked on his broccoli.
"I keep seeing her around."
They turned to Daerious in unison. "No!"
Aurelie laughed out loud.
"Whatever happened to Catherine?" Aurelie poured herself a glass of vine and glanced at Kirin, winking.
"She died at the ambush."
"Oh my God!" Aurelie widened her eyes.
"He's joking. She deserted and is safe in Redayrah."
"How do you know?"
Kirin looked up from his plate. A smile formed on Daerious's face, Aurelie could briefly see it out of the corner of her eye. "She sent a letter."
"She sent a letter."
"I'm a King."
"Consort."
"What stands before consort though?" he asked.
Aurelie came close having to poke her eyes back in after nearly rolling them out of her sockets.
"Daerious, may you know. What comes before consort?"
"I believe it's king, mate."
"That's what I thought."
"You're idiots." Aurelie pressed her cup to her lips. "If she sends you another letter, you'll have to hire Niendry to reply."
"She congratulated us," Kirin said. The dim light darkened his expression and made him look quite sinister for a second. It suited him. "And asked me to send you her love."
Aurelie frowned. "I guess she can live."
He smiled.
"You aren't leaving us, are you, Daerious?" she asked him.
"I don't quite mind leaving you too," he said, filled his plate for the second time, "but I can't leave Martha. I'll never get another woman to cook for me like this."
"Don't you even go near Martha," Aurelie warned him jokingly.
"You can't keep me away from her. Our love conquers all."
Aurelie and Kirin looked at each other, enjoying the light-hearted conversation and the truth that the joke spilled.
"I love you, Kirin Donahue."
Kirin put both hands on his heart.