ã€ŠRegis and Charlotteã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Tournament

    Regis closed his eyes and waited. The chief judge was standing up.

    ¡°Normally,¡± he heard the judge say, ¡°the winner of the fight would automatically be the one to move on. However,¡± the judge paused at the immediate roar from the crowd, ¡°since he has registered as having royal blood we had to take this into account, no matter how distant. So we have decided that the winner of this fight is . . . Perni Trasson!¡±

    The crowd made a huge amount of noise¡ªincluding some clearly crying out in protest¡ªbut Regis only opened his eyes and bowed slightly to his competitor.

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± he said.

    ¡°None needed,¡± Perni Trasson said stiffly. He¡¯d been undefeated before this fight. ¡°The judges were likely to see past the cheating blood.¡±

    No one heard the conversation over the hubbub. Regis only shrugged and turned toward the judge again. To the judge¡¯s left, sitting on a high-backed chair of rich wood, was the princess¡ªPrincess Charlotte, of the Aresariis Na Sarthato line. He didn¡¯t allow himself to look at her for more than a moment, but he sighed to himself. Unless he thought of something else, he was doomed to another year of illusion. Her eyes were fixed on the judge at the moment, looking thoughtful. Regis wondered if she really was thoughtful.

    Her blue eyes turned from the judge and went to him.

    Regis couldn¡¯t move. He could only look back at her, and her small, consoling smile. She looked to her right, to one of her ladies-in-waiting, and Regis looked down at his scuffed boots. The worn hilt of his sword caught his eye. It was the second to last round, and for a few minutes he¡¯d let himself hope. He turned away slipped off into the crowd.

    Or, he tried. A hand clapped his arm, and he looked up in surprise to see a burly man with a friendly smile.

    ¡°Keep trying, lad,¡± he said. ¡°You get better by the year.¡±

    Regis blinked in surprise. ¡°You¡¯ve noticed me before?¡± He¡¯d entered the competition every year for the last four years, but he¡¯d never gotten this far.

    ¡°You started looking familiar,¡± he said. ¡°You should know I¡¯m not the only one rooting for you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of you, sir,¡± Regis said. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be here next year to see you win¡ªeh?¡±

    ¡°I can hope,¡± Regis said with a smile he didn¡¯t feel, and slipped past.

    Later that day, he was sitting in an outdoor restaurant when a brown-haired woman slid into the seat across from him.

    ¡°That was closer,¡± Nem said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t even try to stop you next year, should I?¡±

    Regis didn¡¯t smile. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to,¡± he said. ¡°Without force.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I could tell you that you could never come back,¡± she said. ¡°Otherwise I don¡¯t know what would work. Now,¡± she leaned forward and stole a piece of his bread salad, ¡°are we going back today or can we stay for smaller contests?¡±

    Regis smiled now. ¡°Whatever you want. You¡¯re the one in charge, remember?¡±

    ¡°I remember,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°The question, though,¡± she stole another piece and shook it at him, ¡°is if you¡¯re going to mope around until we leave.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t mope,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, one skeptical eyebrow raised at him. ¡°Last year you said you wouldn¡¯t, either.¡±

    ¡°That was before I lost out. Now that I already have, I can say that I won¡¯t with confidence. Stay for your glass-blowing contest.¡±

    A blush touched her cheeks. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    Regis didn¡¯t bother to answer. He only smiled and shook his head. For all of Nem¡¯s political prowess, she could be incredibly obvious. She tried not to show how much she liked crafting, since she never had time for it, but Regis knew. They were each others¡¯ only family. They were small nobility, and their parents had been too busy with having high hopes for them to be too loving. Their hopes were so high that his name was the title given to kings. Fortunately for Regis and his sister¡¯s mental health, they were years gone¡ªthough they were missed. They¡¯d cared, and it had shown¡ªjust not as actively as either of them had wanted. So they¡¯d always turned to each other.

    ¡°You¡¯re already starting to get mourningly thoughtful,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll start packing when we get back.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Regis said. ¡°I was thinking about Mother and Father.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± she said.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll take up a few more competitions tomorrow,¡± Regis said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep busy.¡±

    ¡°You always ¡®keep busy,¡¯¡± Nem said. ¡°It¡¯s only a glass-blowing competition. I¡¯m not set on it.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Regis said. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll find a bad cooking competition.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never cooked in your life.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°Just don¡¯t do any poetry.¡±

    Regis raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Poetry?¡±

    ¡°Lovesick pups write poetry,¡± she said.

    ¡°My dear sister,¡± he said, ¡°I hate to bring it up, but how would you know?¡±

    Nem dimpled. She¡¯d long-since given up on suitors, even though Regis thought that was ridiculous¡ªthey were only a year and a half apart, and he was sixteen. She didn¡¯t mind not having what she called cads at her feet. She¡¯d set her heart on a political marriage that would get them enough money for a province-wide overhaul of the irrigation system¡ªall smaller systems were all interconnected, since the entire province was farmland. Regis had spent many an evening listening to her talk about how bad their current one was while they played chess.

    ¡°I have friends,¡± she said. ¡°The lady Lesak has dozens under her window per night. I didn¡¯t believe her until I went to stay with her for a month¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s rich,¡± Regis interrupted.

    ¡°She¡¯s also a handsome woman,¡± she said. ¡°Some of them may be writing the poems with ardor inspired by money instead of looks, but she still gets both kinds. They¡¯re unashamed, too.¡±

    ¡°Well, you may rest easy in that I will not be joining a poetry contest,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, what would I write? Ode to an Illusion?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that she is,¡± Nem said. ¡°She could actually be as good as you think she is. You do see her a little differently than most people¡ªI hope you realize that. Few people think of her as particularly kind. Not unkind, but it isn¡¯t on the list of the first ten words to describe her.¡±

    ¡°How else do you explain her visit to the flood victims? Do you know how hard it was to get to them¡ª¡±

    ¡°Others call her a good politician,¡± Nem said. ¡°It makes her look good.¡±

    Regis started to say something, but Nem kept going.

    ¡°No one ever says that she can¡¯t have dual reasons, and I certainly say nothing, but people don¡¯t really think it was only because she was overwhelmed by the desire to go talk to them.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t talk,¡± Regis started.

    ¡°I know,¡± Nem said. ¡°She spent every minute she could helping people rebuild according to the newest foundation designs, either making or paying for the best materials, wading through mud to collect belongings or salvage wrapped food or even rescuing people, and last but not least paid for the best engineers to survey the entire forest¡¯s flood defenses, with a stipend for wherever needed to be adjusted or even completely rebuilt or overhauled.¡±

    Regis smiled ruefully. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot,¡± she said, but kindly. Regis knew she was right. ¡°Are you going to finish that salad?¡±

    The next day Regis wandered around, participating in small contests mostly without prizes. After winning well he was even asked to judge a bean-toss competition¡ªa high brow bean-toss competition¡ªand enjoyed that. He even managed to settle some disputes so both sides were happy. He was no politician, but he could listen well enough.

    Near the end of the day he drifted toward the center. The fighting competition had finished that morning, and it was still light, meaning the final magic competition fight wouldn¡¯t happen for a while, so there were fewer people there. He only glanced at the princess, even though she looked, to him, like she was trying not to look tired. Instead he studied the rankings, listed on a heavy length of fabric draped along the ropes enclosing the field. He was fifth.

    Nem¡¯s glass-blowing contest had been that afternoon, so she came back to their little camp earlier than Regis. They weren¡¯t rich enough for a place in town, but they had enough for a campground for them and the three servants they¡¯d brought. Nem hated spending money on anything that wasn¡¯t helpful to them, but otherwise Regis would have gone alone every year, and they had to have a holiday sometime. Regis came back in the evening.

    ¡°We can go now,¡± Nem said as they shared a simple dinner of soup. They¡¯d invited their three servants to sit with them, since there were only three of them, but they¡¯d politely declined. Nem and Regis were kind to them, but they were still nobility, and neither had ever been particularly social¡ªexcept, in Nem¡¯s case, when it was called for. When it wasn¡¯t, she was much more like Regis always was. Quiet, listening, but able to quickly engage in conversation if it was one-on-one.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    So as usual it was just them.

    ¡°Do you mind leaving now?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll beat the crowd,¡± Nem said. ¡°Mostly.¡±

    ¡°You keep dodging telling me how the glass-blowing went.¡±

    Nem blushed. ¡°I did alright. Nothing too good.¡±

    ¡°Second place?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Nem said. ¡°Third. Like I said, not that good.¡±

    Regis had gone by at the beginning, before the throng got too thick for him to leave before Nem¡¯s sharp gaze caught him. They¡¯d agreed a long time ago not to watch each others¡¯ competitions. They tended to get competitive on the others¡¯ behalf, and rail against whoever beat them for days if not weeks. The first year Regis had competed in the fighting contest Nem hadn¡¯t stopped saying he deserved to go on at least to the next round for months.

    Even when the contestants for the glass-blowing competition were first gathering, there were already dozens of people in line to sign up.

    ¡°Typical Nem,¡± he said, and she rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Second and first place had amazing pieces,¡± she said. ¡°Much better than my poor little ornament.¡±

    ¡°Did they let you keep it?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°I gave it to someone,¡± she said vaguely. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my best work.¡±

    The left early the next morning. When they were getting far enough away to barely still see the city, Regis reined in his mount and looked back.

    Princess Charlotte was still there. Another year he was doomed to love the illusion. He wondered what he¡¯d do with himself when he didn¡¯t have the goal of getting himself out of that situation. Nem might be skeptical, but what helped least was the fact that he didn¡¯t know what else he would do with himself. He wasn¡¯t a politician, he wasn¡¯t a technical thinker, and he wasn¡¯t an artist or a particularly good scholar. He was a listener, a learner, a fighter¡ªa normal boy.

    He looked ahead in his life, and all he saw was impenetrable mist.

    Well, he did know that he would be back next year.

    <hr>

    ¡°Regis Setan!¡±

    Regis¡¯ eyes opened in surprise. The fight had been close, and he was sure that his distant royal blood would make him lose out again.

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± his opponent said, smiling as he bowed slightly. Regis mechanically bowed back.

    ¡°Thank you. I thought for sure . . .¡±

    ¡°I have a little royal blood, too,¡± he said. ¡°Good luck next round.¡±

    Regis nodded, already thinking about it. The fight he just won was the second to last of the whole competition¡ªit was the fight he¡¯d lost last year.

    He went back to the competitor¡¯s tent to the side of the field. The last fight wouldn¡¯t be longer than an hour away.

    People kept congratulating him. Finally Nem shouldered her way in, despite complaints that the tent was for the fighters only.

    Regis grinned. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here.¡± He meant both the fighter¡¯s tent and watching.

    ¡°You¡¯re through to the final round,¡± she said. ¡°If you get beaten here I have the right to complain for at least two months. I might as well complain informatively. How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Good, I think,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she said, lowering her voice and glancing around, ¡°I keep meaning to ask, do you still have the same plan, if you win?¡±

    ¡°What else can I say?¡± he asked.

    Nem sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But ask for a week instead, alright? One day won¡¯t help.¡±

    Regis nodded. ¡°I was thinking that, too.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m about to be kicked out, but good luck, and you can¡¯t stop me from watching.¡±

    ¡°Then I watch the glass blowing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to hope that you can¡¯t.¡±

    At the thought Regis¡¯ stomach jumped, but he pulled himself together and hoped that no one thought his blush was more than the summer heat.

    ¡°Miss,¡± a guard said in a stern voice. Nem turned to him and set her chin.

    ¡°That would be my lady,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m only talking to my brother for a moment.¡±

    The guard was not at all disturbed by her well-sculpted airs. ¡°Nevertheless, my lady, I¡¯ll have to ask you to leave.¡±

    Nem left gracefully, and Regis grinned as he watched her go. At the last moment, she turned and called, ¡°Good luck!¡±

    Regis watched the fight carefully. One of them would be his competitor. They were both good.

    Still, Regis felt a kind of calm. Yes, he wanted to win, and he wanted it badly, but at the same time, he knew he was up to fighting either one of them. He was never sure if he could win against them, this high up¡ªthough he usually did¡ªbut he almost always knew when he was at least a match.

    A few seconds in Regis knew who would win and focused on him. He spent the time analyzing how he moved and fought. It would be tough, but he thought he could do it.

    The illusion might be gone soon.

    The moment finally arrived, after the end of the fight and enough time to let the winner rest up for the final round.

    Regis took his place first, while his opponent made sure he was ready, and looked around.

    Nem was right in front of the crowd.

    ¡°Good luck,¡± she mouthed.

    Regis shook his head and pointed away almost pleadingly. If he lost here it would already hurt enough without her rehashing every second. Nem folded her arms and set her stance as if getting comfortable.

    ¡°Please?¡± Regis mouthed, but Nem shook her head firmly.

    ¡°Nem Setan,¡± a familiar voice called, cutting through the crowd and almost immediately hushing them. Regis and Nem had both started and looked up at the princess. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come sit up here? It will be more comfortable, and I have a good view. I can¡¯t let you miss this fight, after all the years your brother¡¯s tried to get here.¡±

    Regis flushed badly. She remembered him? Perhaps she recognized the name Setan because of Nem¡¯s politics, even local as they were.

    Nem made her way over, not walking exactly by Regis, but close enough that he was the only one to hear her say ¡°Good luck, little brother, and may the best illusionist win.¡±

    Regis rolled his eyes, but couldn¡¯t help a small grin. Once she was seated by the princess, and his opponent ready, they walked to the center and waited on the mark.

    <hr>

    His opponent was good. More than once they both backed off to catch their breath before attacking again.

    In the end, though, Regis disarmed him and was declared the winner of the fight¡ªpart one. His royal blood made it a decision.

    ¡°You fight well,¡± his opponent said as they stood, waiting. They were still both breathing hard. ¡°How close are you?¡±

    ¡°Sixteenth cousin,¡± Regis said. ¡°I don¡¯t rely on it. I almost wish I didn¡¯t have it.¡±

    ¡°Because it keeps disqualifying you?¡± he asked, and Regis looked at him in surprise.

    ¡°The princess isn¡¯t the only one that recognizes you,¡± he said. Regis blinked, and he laughed. ¡°Do you keep entering just because you want to win?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s usually why people enter,¡± Regis said, a little confused at the phrasing. Why enter if you didn¡¯t want to win?

    ¡°People wonder,¡± he said. ¡°Your sister apparently says you¡¯re not competitive.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve talked to her?¡± Regis asked. The man can¡¯t have heard it from hearsay¡ªhe wasn¡¯t that noticeable. Yes, he¡¯d entered every year, but he was hardly the only one. Though, he was usually fighting different people at the end, so maybe it was the consistency.

    His opponent shook his head. ¡°You really don¡¯t know how many people have been rooting for you.¡±

    Regis didn¡¯t know what to say. The main judge stood up, and the both looked up.

    Regis didn¡¯t really hear anything until he heard his name called as the victor.

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± his opponent said.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Regis said, automatically, and he laughed and put a hand on Regis¡¯ back to push him toward the stairs.

    The prize was generally money. The princess, who presented the award, was holding the chest, but when she held it out to him, he hesitated.

    ¡°Your highness, may I ask for something else,¡± he said, and the excited crowd went silent. Everyone froze but Nem. The princess did, too, but only for a moment.

    ¡°That is the rule,¡± she said, ¡°though we have the right to say no. Speak.¡±

    Now Regis had to say it, to her face, what he¡¯d been thinking about saying for so many years. He¡¯d imagined this moment so many times.

    ¡°I ask,¡± he said, ¡°for the chance to break an illusion.¡± He paused, partially because he still didn¡¯t have his breath completely steady, and he glanced at Nem. Her smile bolstered him and he looked back at the princess.

    ¡°For whatever reason,¡± he said, ¡°I spent a lot of time at court before my parents died, mostly for social occasions, so I saw you frequently.¡±

    Possible understanding flickered in her eyes.

    ¡°I watched you,¡± he said, ¡°and I saw someone, beneath who you appear to be¡ªobviously an illusion, since I¡¯ve never even spoken to you until this moment, or even been close enough to hear you speak unless you spoke to a crowd. I know it¡¯s an illusion.¡± He paused again, searching her eyes. Her lips had parted slightly, her eyes wide¡ªbut not like any other seventeen-year-old would have looked. Surprise, yes, but not naive surprise. ¡°I have loved that illusion since I knew what love was, and it will not go away. So I ask for the chance to break that¡ªfor a week close enough to you to see you as you really are.¡±

    For an eternity, it seemed, there was absolute silence. Then she closed her mouth, and opened it again to speak.

    ¡°It¡¯s extraordinarily unusual,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ve fought for five years to get here and ask this?¡±

    ¡°The original plan was to ask for a day, your highness,¡± Regis said, ¡°but if a week is precious little time to get to know someone, a day would be impossible.¡±

    ¡°How are you so sure a week will be enough?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It has to be,¡± he said.

    ¡°It probably wouldn¡¯t be allowed,¡± she said. The captain of her guard, standing just behind her throne, cleared his throat softly, but the princess went on¡ªalmost more quickly. ¡°Such a request could hardly be granted under most circumstances¡ª¡± the captain of her guard cleared his throat again, slightly louder, ¡°¡ªhowever, I will agree to it.¡±

    The crowd erupted into cheers. Nem actually clapped her hands. The princess held Regis¡¯ gaze for a moment, and then glanced back at her captain with an almost sassy look in her eye.

 Chapter 2 - First Dinner

    The captain of her highness¡¯ guard, George, or Geo, as Princess Charlotte called him, did not like Regis. Still, he obeyed her when she said she¡¯d made a decision.

    So Regis, that evening, found himself having dinner with the princess. He knew it was going to happen, so he was prepared for the almost overwhelming shyness and asked her if she enjoyed presiding over tournaments.

    ¡°Sometimes,¡± she said. ¡°There are good fighters, there are great fighters, and then there are great fighters fighting against each other. Those are the fights I enjoy.¡±

    ¡°I suppose everything else looks like child¡¯s play to you,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°A bit,¡± she said. ¡°I do practice technique, as well, though. I had a sword instructor when I was young who could still beat me, so I still know what it¡¯s like to work for it.¡±

    Regis didn¡¯t mean to raise an eyebrow. She dimpled.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, not nearly as much. Irene¡¯s Gift has spoiled me. Still, since I know it¡¯s harder than I think, I can pay attention. I know when someone¡¯s put in the work.¡± She nodded to him, and he smiled.

    ¡°Thank you, your highness.¡±

    ¡°If we have a week of being close enough to get to know each other,¡± she said, ¡°the words ¡®your highness¡¯ will start sounding odd. You may call me Charlotte.¡±

    Regis looked down at his plate, knowing his cheeks had flamed. When he looked back up at her, he caught her grin as she quickly hid it, going back to her own food as if she¡¯d been cutting meat the entire time. Regis tried to hide his own grin as he realized she¡¯d said that right then partially to get that reaction.

    ¡°Is the magic tournament more interesting?¡± Regis asked, and the princess looked up again.

    ¡°Actually, no. It¡¯s flashier, but after a few years it starts looking the same. I don¡¯t have the same eye for magic as for sword-work, so I can¡¯t see the nuances nearly as well.¡±

    ¡°But you do use magic,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°but I¡¯m not that good.¡±

    ¡°Is Ice Sorceress magic powerful, then?¡± he asked.

    The princess tilted her head. ¡°Why would you say that? I don¡¯t use my magic very much.¡±

    ¡°The floods two years ago,¡± he said. ¡°They say you made some of the better materials.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said, ¡°I can¡¯t conjure things. I can change them, though. Upgrade them, Geo calls it.¡±

    ¡°That makes more sense,¡± Regis said. As far as he knew, Ice Sorceress magic was defined as control over elements, not as conjuring them. It had been confusing him.

    ¡°How do you like the food?¡± Charlotte asked.

    ¡°Fabulous,¡± he said before he caught himself.

    The princess gave an oddly young smile. ¡°Fabulous?¡±

    ¡°I appreciate quality,¡± Regis said, hiding a blush at how countrified he knew he sounded.

    ¡°Ah,¡± the princess said, but he caught the glance she sent his still mostly-full plate. He¡¯d stopped eating a minute ago.

    ¡°I also don¡¯t eat much,¡± he said.

    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, pausing as she cut into her second steak. The steaks weren¡¯t small.

    Regis shook his head. ¡°Nem loves it. She can save up more for her beloved irrigation system overhaul.¡±

    The princess quickly picked up her napkin and held it over her mouth, her eyes dancing. When she set it back on her lap, she was entirely composed again.

    ¡°Irrigation system overhaul?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been talking about it for the last two years, ever since she found out how horrible the current one is. She was hoping to win the gl¡ªone of the contests this year so she could get the money for it.¡±

    ¡°Did she approve of your plan, then?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°The winnings would have been enough for two irrigation system overhauls, for Setan.¡±

    Regis shrugged. ¡°She never said anything, and I¡¯d know if she was upset about it. We both like to support each others¡¯ happiness as much as possible. Thus how much I could tell you about the horrible irrigation system and exactly what Nem wants and how she plans to get it. She needs someone to listen, so I listen. She does the same for me.¡±

    ¡°And what do you talk about?¡± Charlotte asked, but when Regis blushed her cheeks went pink, and she seemed to concentrate on pouring herself more of the sweet drink. She set the pitcher down.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, ¡°I have to know, who is this illusion?¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Regis turned his glass by its stem, knowing his entire face was burning. Still, he spoke. ¡°The illusion hides a lot of herself. She¡¯s kind, a little bit mischievous, stubborn to a fault, and . . .¡± he glanced up at her, laughing a little. ¡°I could talk a lot about what I think I see. Nem could give you the shortened list, but there are parts we don¡¯t have good words for. Like pride, but more of a gentle pride¡ªnot actually a gentle pride, but more than straightly proud. Things like that, that I can¡¯t actually describe. It would take all night to try.¡±

    Charlotte¡¯s cheeks were pink again, but she looked away for a moment and her princess mask was back up.

    ¡°Do you ever enter other contests?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I participated in a bean toss contest last year¡ªa high brow bean toss.¡±

    The princess seemed to force her mouth not to smile. ¡°Oh?¡± she asked after a moment. ¡°How do you make a bean toss high brow?¡±

    ¡°When the board is made by a good artist and the sacks of beans are silk and filled with pearls. It sounds gaudy, but the end result was actually rather elegant.¡±

    Charlotte laughed, but it was a young laugh¡ªit was almost a giggle. She quickly composed herself as if nothing had happened and went at her third steak. She caught his glance.

    ¡°Ah,¡± she said, ¡°I do eat a lot. I don¡¯t usually at formal events, but I¡¯m not going to hold back for one guest, especially one that wants to get to know me as I really am. I¡¯m still hungry.¡±

    ¡°What do you do about formal meals, then?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°Go hungry,¡± she said. ¡°Sometimes I have a snack before, or after depending on the formal event. If it¡¯s a ball I say I have to change from a dinner gown to a ball gown and spend half of the time I have eating.¡±

    Regis couldn¡¯t help his wide grin. She gave one in response.

    ¡°Dancing is hard work,¡± she said.

    ¡°I agree,¡± Regis said. ¡°Nem made me learn one of the new ones recently.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± she asked. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°So she could learn it,¡± Regis said. ¡°Her favorite dance instructor refuses to more than teach the male part, and there are only two of us, so I end up the practice partner.¡±

    ¡°But you have servants,¡± she said. ¡°And you have to have friends aside from each other.¡±

    Regis shrugged. ¡°Neither of us is very good company. We¡¯re too quiet. Also we¡¯re nobility, even if low nobility. So the servants take the pay and go with their friends. Otherwise we¡¯re surrounded by farmers who just aren¡¯t ambitious enough to want to cozy up to nobility.¡±

    ¡°Have you two always been like that?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Regis said. ¡°Our parents never spent as much time with us as we wanted, we were already a little like that so we didn¡¯t make any friends, and, I suppose, it kept going.¡±

    ¡°You have to have some other close friends,¡± Charlotte said.

    ¡°Not that close,¡± Regis said. ¡°That is, we¡¯ve both spent time with the other young people in the neighboring provinces, of course. Nem has some closer friends that she stays with sometimes.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t?¡± Charlotte asked.

    Regis shrugged. ¡°The other boys talk about nothing but swords and riding if they like the outdoors, land if they focus on duty¡ªor want to work with it¡ªand the only other bookish one was the lord Trint of the Province of Bjorn¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not him,¡± Charlotte said, seemingly reflexively. ¡°That is¡ªI¡¯ve found him to be something of a recluse.¡±

    ¡°Are you being too polite to say boring?¡± Regis asked, and Charlotte¡¯s young smile flashed again.

    ¡°Yes, I am. So you¡¯re bookish?¡±

    ¡°I like to learn,¡± he said. ¡°We don¡¯t have an especially good library, but I walk around and watch people work.¡±

    ¡°Observation,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°I wondered. The Province of Iles is the only one in the Dukedom of Iles with a decent library if you don¡¯t want specialized books.¡±

    ¡°The Province of Bjorn¡¯s isn¡¯t bad,¡± Regis said, ¡°but the books can¡¯t leave the library, and Trint kept peering at me, making sure I wasn¡¯t folding down page corners.¡±

    Charlotte shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re heading back to the palace the day after tomorrow. I assume you¡¯re coming?¡±

    ¡°As long as I¡¯m allowed,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°That means as long as Geo doesn¡¯t decide you¡¯re enough of a threat to override my orders. You¡¯re obviously a good swordsman, but I find it unlikely. You¡¯ve been to the royal library, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Regis said. ¡°I was never brave enough for that.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± he said. ¡°That is, your family¡¯s.¡± Then he wished he hadn¡¯t said that¡ªit would remind her of her sick mother. A shadow did chase across her face, but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

    ¡°You were afraid of meeting me?¡± she asked.

    Regis kept his eyes on his glass. ¡°Yes, I was.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to break your illusion back then?¡± she asked. ¡°Or have you been to the palace more recently? It didn¡¯t sound like you had.¡±

    Regis shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°it¡¯s been several years. I haven¡¯t gone since my parents died. Back then, no, I didn¡¯t want to break it. I didn¡¯t even understand¡ªexcept that I knew I could not be smart enough to accurately see beyond the mask.¡±

    ¡°How are you so sure it¡¯s mask?¡± she asked.

    Regis only raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°I suppose that is a silly question,¡± she said. ¡°As a public figure of course I have a mask. Well, when we get back and I have a minute I should show you the library. I should warn you that I don¡¯t have a lot of time to myself.¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± he said. ¡°You are royal.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± she said. ¡°I may drag you to nicer dinners if you¡¯re not incredibly uncomfortable.¡±

    Regis shook his head. ¡°Nem and I are quiet,¡± he said, ¡°but I can talk if I have to.¡±

    ¡°But you won¡¯t like it,¡± she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t embarrass you.¡±

    Her look was thoughtful as she studied him. ¡°Somehow I doubt you will,¡± she said.

 Chapter 3 - Library

    Charlotte opened the door with a whoosh, and grinned at Regis as he stepped into the royal library for the first time. She walked beside him, not taking her eyes from his face, which Regis couldn¡¯t help but notice even while his attention was mostly captured by the dark-wood bookcases lining the walls, every one of them crammed with books of all shapes, sizes, and ages.

    She seemed to like watching him look so amazed by the grandeur of her life, and now her home. Everything around her was expensive and refined, and Regis at first constantly felt countrified as he couldn¡¯t always help but stare. He¡¯d gotten better about things like how many servants attended her or how huge and well-dressed the horses were or when she said the buttons on her riding coat were diamonds, but as soon as they got to Palace Town he was knocked right back to square one. He¡¯d been there before, yes, but it had been several years, and otherwise he lived in a province full of crop fields where houses¡ªusually small¡ªwere scattered much farther from each other than you could see. There was a town outside of the Setan estate, but it too was small, with maybe a thousand people, most running small businesses.

    Palace Town was a thickly built city, most buildings in the main city crammed together and at least three stories tall¡ªbuilt that way over generations in a futile effort to keep the city surrounding the seat of power from extending beyond the encircling fifty-foot walls. The side streets he caught sight of were all ten feet across at most, but the main thoroughfares were at least four times that wide, and flowing with people until it looked like a river, especially from the vantage point of the horse Charlotte had lent him for the trip. The entire thing¡ªboth the city that extended onto the Lower Plain and the main city¡ªtook an hour for the princess to get through, even though she didn¡¯t hesitate to use her status to get people to make way.

    Then there was the palace¡ªa huge, sprawling structure of white-grey stone rising several stories beyond the city, and the four towers¡ªone at each corner¡ªrose higher still. He¡¯d been there before, even stayed there, but it was still intimidating.

    At least he was pretty sure he didn¡¯t embarrass himself from lack of etiquette as some of her courtiers welcomed their princess home, and she swept into the palace with a stride that said she belonged there¡ªno, he decided as he followed her at the respectful distance, she strode in like it was hers.

    Every inch was magnificent enough Regis felt self-conscious just stepping on the almost shining wood floor, or walking under gilded doorways, or following in the princess¡¯s steps across the floor of the central hall with its inlay of a dragon, the obsidian scales edged with serrated silver he was almost afraid to step on despite knowing it was just a picture, and silver eyes glittering above the ruby fire-breath¡ªand Charlotte walked right over it like it was a normal floor.

    He was separated from Charlotte briefly¡ªwith a promise that she¡¯d come find him soon¡ªwhen she went to her rooms to freshen up from her journey and visit her mother, and Regis was given over to the care of the chief housekeeper, who repeated what Charlotte had told him earlier that day¡ªshe had sent word he was coming, but had left several decisions to him so he could set up in the way he¡¯d be most comfortable. Things like what kind of noble-level guest room he¡¯d like or how many servants he¡¯d like attending him. He asked for the smallest set of rooms fit for a noble¡ªhe knew he wouldn¡¯t know what to do with more¡ªand no more than sparse help. He was pretty sure the housekeeper was surprised, but she hid it well, and soon he had exactly the sort of place he wanted: a set of three rooms, not sumptuously decorated, and exactly one servant who really just ended up showing him around and offering to help him unpack. Regis politely declined, because he knew unpacking would help him calm down. Besides, he didn¡¯t have much to unpack. At least he had enough to change out of his travel clothes into something nicer before a quick knock sounded on his door, and Charlotte¡ªnow on her own except for two guards tailing her from several feet back¡ªdragged him away to see the royal library.

    At least, he thought in the back of his mind as he stared around, he¡¯d started to get used to her excited look, so he wasn¡¯t quite as self-conscious about her seeing him look countrified. Besides, the look made her eyes almost sparkle.

    It didn¡¯t look like a show library¡ªthough it was of course as magnificent as the rest of the palace. It was a circular room, five stories high, open so even from the door you could see up to the stained glass ceiling¡ªsupposedly made by Jasmine the Great herself. And almost every inch of each of those five stories was lined with bookcases. There was an encircling walkway for each floor, about five feet wide, with railings barely higher than the average person¡¯s waist that looked far too delicate for the various heights they hypothetically protected their visitors from. An open spiral staircase was the only way he could see to get up and down from the other stories.

    The only place not lined with bookcases was nearly hidden from his current view by a grouping of upholstered chairs and small, circular tables¡ªa fireplace, and the surrounding several feet of marble. He wondered if that meant the rumor wasn¡¯t true, that the entire room was dripping with magic, some of which prevented fire from catching anything outside the fireplace but candle wicks. Then again, he knew the library had existed here, in one form or another, for around fifteen hundred years, so it was quite possible that it had been built with the extra stone as a safety measure and the magic was added later.

    The idea made him pause, though, because awe at the magnificence was giving way to awe for the history. The marble surrounding the fireplace might well have been there since King Regis Charles built the palace. Some of these books might be as old as the palace itself, too. The steps he took were following generations of monarchs, including some of the greatest people he¡¯d ever read about. Alexrandra of Unifier, Regis James the Peacekeeper, Ethel the Mystic, Jasmine the Great, the Ice Sorceress Irene Iasafraal . . . . The palace itself was a piece of living history, but this library, where those heroes were educated, where they worked, where their writings undoubtedly were kept . . . .

    The feeling was helped by how little it looked like a show-library. It looked more like someone had recently pulled out every book to read and then carefully wedged it back into place. A lot of the books looked old, too. He spotted one or two with bindings frayed until you could see the leaflets. He could all-too-easily imagine any number of royals with their scarlet hair stained by the colored sunlight and ice blue eyes perusing any book here.

    Charlotte was still waiting, and eventually he found his voice.

    ¡°I have never seen so many books in one place,¡± he said, and then blushed, because that was the most countrified thing he¡¯d said yet.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t even all of it,¡± she said. ¡°Come on.¡± She pulled him to one side of the room, to a bookcase with an inconspicuous handhold cut into the inside of a shelf. When she pulled, it swung open like a door, revealing a much smaller room, wedge-shaped with the door at the point, but also open up several stories¡ªfour in this case, not the five of the main room. Here there was no stained glass ceiling, just wood and a simple chandelier with enough candles to light the whole room. An open spiral staircase spun up one side, just like in the main library, though this one spiraled up beyond the ceiling, presumably to the fifth floor. And also just like the main room, every inch was bookcase¡ªthough some of these shelves looked less disordered.

    ¡°How many of these are there?¡± he asked almost blankly¡ªbecause he already had an inkling. The wedge shape was curved at the back, like it was actually a sectioned off piece of a larger circle.

    ¡°Eight,¡± she said cheerfully. ¡°They wanted to keep the circle shape. Actually, the top is slightly different¡ªcome on.¡±

    She grabbed his hand again and pulled him up four flights of the circular stairs, and past the wooden ceiling.

    It came out in another wedge-shaped room, but this one wasn¡¯t sectioned off from the main library, and there was a small, empty fireplace next to a comfortable-looking couch¡ªblessedly unadorned in comparison to the rest of the palace.

    Charlotte pulled him over to the railing of the fifth floor walkway¡ªgiving him a view of the library from high up. Also a much closer view of the stained glass ceiling.

    ¡°Up here it¡¯s just as tidily built,¡± she said. ¡°This area, and that one,¡± she gestured to the similar area directly across the room from them, ¡°are reading rooms. To our right and left, though you of course cannot see because they¡¯re hidden by disguised doors, are larger study rooms. I¡¯ll show you how to get to them.¡± She pulled him along the walkway exactly ninety degrees around the circle and showed him the carefully disguised door handle. Inside was a room that was, shockingly, not entirely lined by bookcases. Instead it was only mostly lined with bookcases, with desks in various places around the edge of room, and some of the bookcases, instead of books, held blank paper, boxes of quills, ink wells, bookmarks¡ªeverything you¡¯d need for studying.

    Regis wasn¡¯t entirely surprised by that, but what did surprise him, and surprised him in retrospect about all of the sparse furniture was how unadorned and simple the seating and furniture was. It was all plain, no-nonsense-cut wood and unembroidered, hefty fabric meant to last. It was also all small and light enough to move around relatively easily.

    It was as if no one felt the need to be fancy here, and instead could relax, arrange everything to their exact liking, and focus on what they were there for.

    Now he liked the library even more.

    ¡°You look a little overwhelmed,¡± Charlotte said kindly, closing that door and pulling him back to the railing, her eyes moving up to the stained glass ceiling. Swirls of colors shone vividly through the glass beneath the midday sun¡ªand yet there was no sense that the heat of the sun was reaching past the glass. Maybe warmth, but not heat, nor did the vivid colors seem blinding at any angle.

    ¡°Where did you get so many books?¡± Regis asked, but immediately realized that was a silly question. He¡¯d just barely been thinking about how long this library had existed. For fifteen hundred years of accumulation this number was probably actually quite tame.

    ¡°They¡¯re usually gifts,¡± she said. ¡°If they¡¯re useless or copies we wait a few generations and donate them. Last year I was able to donate thousands of books to public libraries all around the country. I¡¯d worry about overcrowding them with the useless books, but everything¡¯s interesting to someone.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear about that,¡± he said.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do everything publicly,¡± she said. ¡°Especially when we¡¯re getting rid of people¡¯s grandparent¡¯s gifts to us.¡±

    ¡°What if they recognize them somewhere?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°We keep the recognizable ones,¡± she said. ¡°We have an entire room dedicated to fairly useless but ancient books. Eventually they¡¯re moved over into the era¡¯s history section. There are quite a few that give good insight to how things were back then. I¡¯ve run across one book detailing how old leather was disposed of around Regis 600. It¡¯s useless, and fascinating. But most of them are useful. We have at least a shelf dedicated to almost every necessary subject, according to various scholars throughout the ages. I love it.¡± Then she fell silent, and when he glanced at her she looked sad.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said when she caught his look. ¡°I¡¯m only missing my mother¡ªthat is, as she used to be. Sickness sometimes changes people. She¡¯s still wise and kind, just not . . . . The thing is, we¡¯d spend hours here, talking about books and ideas.¡± She pointed to the reading room they¡¯d come from. From where they were they could see part of the area, including the fireplace. ¡°Over there. She¡¯d sit in that blue chair with a blanket over her lap, tilting the book down so she could read by the firelight¡ªshe didn¡¯t like candles¡ªand read to me. Then when her eyes got tired she¡¯d close it, set it on that little table next to the chair, and we¡¯d talk.¡± She pulled back from the railing and turned her back to the rest of the library. ¡°Anyway, she can¡¯t leave her room now.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you still talk?¡± he asked. He¡¯d been wondering, actually, why she apparently hadn¡¯t taken more than a few minutes to say hello to her mother after weeks away at a once-a-year event, especially when this time she¡¯d brought home a stray noble.

    Charlotte paused, and seemed to take a moment to form the words. ¡°I talk to her, but these days she doesn¡¯t say much back. When she does . . . she doesn¡¯t say anything new. Still, that¡¯s not bad, since she¡¯s the wisest person I¡¯ve ever known.¡± The topic made her melancholy, of course, and Regis was aware that she was likely already confiding in him more than she might others. He took it as the gift that it was, and didn¡¯t push it farther.

    ¡°So,¡± she said, turning away from the window, to him, ¡°while I¡¯m busy you can spend as much time here as you¡¯d like¡ªand probably plenty when I¡¯m not busy, because I love it here. What do you want to read about? I know the library forward and backward.¡±

    Regis gave that a moment more thought than he otherwise might. Access to this kind of library was not something to be taken lightly¡ªin any way he could think of. He considered, and then smiled a little.

    ¡°Architecture and agriculture,¡± he said, a little ruefully. ¡°Nem¡¯s worried part of her designs won¡¯t work. Unless I¡¯m not allowed to take notes.¡±

    ¡°Of course you are,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s another writing room, actually, on the ground floor, and it¡¯s a little cozier than the study rooms up here, especially when it starts getting colder. There¡¯s usually someone there, but don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s abridging the collective histories we have into one long history of my family. She¡¯s not a boring writer, either, so it should come out nicely. She won¡¯t let me read it yet.¡± But a mischievous smile gave her away.

    ¡°You¡¯ve read parts of it,¡± he said.

    ¡°Shh,¡± she whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t tell her or she might get self-conscious and stop.¡± Then, with fun in her eyes, she took off toward the spiral staircase, pulling Regis along with her.

    <hr>

    The next day, Regis was so busy taking notes that when his extra paper disappeared it took him a second to notice. Then he looked up into Charlotte¡¯s smiling face, and couldn¡¯t help but freeze.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to startle you.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t much,¡± he said, thawing. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t free until later?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± she said, sitting next to him at the table he¡¯d chosen, in one of the study rooms on the fifth floor, ¡°weather¡¯s held up my lady Terin, so I have a few minutes. Apparently a road washed out somewhere and she doesn¡¯t want to walk.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s wet,¡± Regis said. Rain had been humming pleasantly on the stained glass ceiling for hours.

    ¡°There¡¯s such a thing as rain-boots and umbrellas,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°Serono¡ªmy main secretary¡ªis quite put out. He¡¯s moving her meeting back until ten o¡¯clock tonight, which is a punishment for her, but apparently he doesn¡¯t think about me¡ªnot that I usually care as long as I meet with everyone I need to, but ten is a little late, especially for business.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him not to put it then?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°I would have, if he asked me before he decided on it,¡± she said. ¡°As it is, it would make him go out of his way.¡±

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be much,¡± Regis said, hoping she wouldn¡¯t say what he was almost sure she would.

    ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°but he¡¯s already stressed as is. He hates people being late for appointments.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re just being kind,¡± Regis said, his hopes of that part of the illusion being, well, an illusion quite squashed.

    ¡°I suppose,¡± she said. ¡°Last week I had to make him change something, and I swear he took an hour to painstakingly lay out the rest of the day. I wish I could copy his work-ethic. He¡¯s working all day every day. He¡¯s also the one who transcribes whatever meetings I have. Then, for no other reason than because he knows it¡¯s useful to me, he goes out of his way to critique how I did¡ªand he always makes sure it¡¯s kind as well as constructive, which is a bonus. I¡¯ve tried to pay him an advisor¡¯s wage for it but he won¡¯t let me. After that he goes home and deals with trouble-seeking children. Like I said, I want his work ethic.¡±

    ¡°You work all day, too,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°Yes, but not like that. Besides, I have free time. As far as I can tell he doesn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then Nem wants his work ethic, too.¡±

    Charlotte grinned. ¡°How has your research been going?¡±

    ¡°I think well,¡± he said. ¡°I won¡¯t really know until Nem looks it over. I wish she were here¡ªshe¡¯d love it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s funny,¡± Charlotte said, ¡°but anyone who¡¯s in the palace can come into the library. No one does.¡±

    ¡°It is the royal library. Maybe they assume they can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe they¡¯re afraid of meeting me in a casual setting.¡± Charlotte sighed. ¡°A princess doesn¡¯t have to be on a pedestal to only be looked at. She can, in fact, be talked to. She¡¯s as human as anyone else.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s the point of naming someone a princess.¡±

    Charlotte tilted her head to the side. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. Maybe I am that, too, but if that¡¯s true that¡¯s not all I am. I don¡¯t know if anyone can only be a person who looks at morally grey decisions all day.¡±

    ¡°Is it always grey?¡±

    ¡°Always,¡± she said. ¡°Even when I ran down to the victims of the floods, I was shirking dinners with ambassadors and meetings with officials from different provinces and dukedoms about how to help exactly the same victims by providing them with food and manpower for cleanup. That and when I snuck off and rode ahead Geo might have had a small heart attack. I knew he would panic, and that I wouldn¡¯t get there much faster, but I was so worried about all of the people in danger that I put aside danger of the people around me. Poor Geo. So you see, everything is grey.¡±

    ¡°But other people met with the officials,¡± Regis said, ¡°didn¡¯t they? And the ambassadors had to have understood.¡±

    ¡°Well, the Madanian one didn¡¯t like it much, but they¡¯re used to thinking we¡¯re strange. Yes, other officials met with them, but I need to keep up on the situation.¡±

    ¡°Still,¡± Regis said.

    After a moment, Charlotte slowly smiled at him. ¡°I suppose that one might not have been too grey. I¡¯ve been told it was. And riding ahead of poor Geo was probably a bad idea. Though otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have got there in time to save this one little girl¡¯s life. Precious. But so thin.¡± She shook her head hard, as if to dispel the image.

    Regis couldn¡¯t help thinking that since her captain hadn¡¯t died it didn¡¯t seem that grey.

    ¡°Geo lectured me for an hour and gave me the proper treatment for weeks.¡±

    Regis studied her, thinking. It didn¡¯t fit with what else she¡¯d said to agree with Geo about that much safety, not when there were other lives in danger. ¡°He cares about security a lot.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± That decisive word was all Charlotte said. ¡°If you weren¡¯t studying for Nem, what would you be reading?¡±

    Regis looked up at the bookshelves around him. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure. ¡°History or fighting technique manuals¡ªif you have them.¡± With Irene¡¯s gift no one in the royal family would need them.

    ¡°We have a floor in one of the side rooms dedicated to it,¡± she said. ¡°Well, it¡¯s partially the overflow from the floor below, on strategy, but most of it is technique. History of what?¡±

    ¡°Anything,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to study it much, beyond a general overview. And Alexandra¡¯s war. Everyone talks about Alexandra¡¯s war.¡±

    ¡°If I wanted examples of morally grey choices . . . I suppose it¡¯s because it¡¯s so fascinating.¡±

    ¡°There are few enough civil wars anyway, and Aresariis Na Sarthatos going bad is always shocking. I think that¡¯s why Irene¡¯s war is almost as talked about.¡±

    ¡°Prince Niles,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°One of the greatest stories I¡¯ve ever read is about his brother.¡±

    ¡°Please tell me there¡¯s more about him than that he disappeared.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t¡ª¡± Charlotte¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°How could any history book have missed that? He went over to Loken, renamed himself Itri Horatius, became a bodyguard for a Great Astrologer and was so good at it he was the chosen general when the war with Norln broke out.¡±

    ¡°But Pearlessagate fought for them in that war,¡± Regis said. ¡°He¡¯d have been¡ª¡±

    ¡°Recognized? He was. He worked side-by-side with Pearlessagate¡¯s general¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tanelya Candor,¡± Regis said. ¡°Is there more on her and her sister?¡±

    ¡°So much more,¡± she said. ¡°Her sister Tanaya married a dragon-turned-human.¡±

    Regis gaped at her. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she said, jumping up. ¡°We have several copies of Irene¡¯s written record, so I can in good conscience give one to you to keep.¡± She disappeared before he could protest that she didn¡¯t have to, and came back barely fifteen seconds later with a leather-bound volume in her hand.

    ¡°The best part, I think,¡± she said as she handed it to him, ¡°is that after the war Itri Horatius¡ªwith the newly reclaimed surname of Aresariis Na Sarthato¡ªmarried Tanelya Candor.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she fight him in Irene¡¯s war?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°He was being controlled by Niles¡ªoh good, at least you know that. So it wasn¡¯t his fault he fought. And she understood that completely.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s . . . actually a beautiful end to their story,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Charlotte said again. ¡°And there were rumors for years after they left Pearlessagate that they didn¡¯t age a day beyond thirty.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think they¡¯re still alive?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°I hope so,¡± she said, ¡°because that would be amazing. It¡¯s almost a proven fact that Tanaya Candor still is¡ªshe¡¯s an Ice Sorceress, and I pity you for not knowing what that means beyond nice magic¡ªthough confusingly enough, despite how I can use Ice Sorceress magic I am not an Ice Sorceress. Irene explains the distinction.¡± They were grinning at each other for a minute, and then she jumped and looked at the clock on the wall. ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m about to be late. Will you read at least a chapter around your research?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could help it,¡± he said, and with another grin she was off¡ªher first steps light, then as she reached the walkway, they became strides. Girl to princess, he thought as he watched her. How light she seemed without her mantle, but how well she wore it.

    He also thought about what she¡¯d said about the captain of her guard. Either he was overprotective and she cared enough about him to weigh a possible heart attack against a little girl¡¯s life when the princess¡¯s retinue certainly had healers around who could prevent heart attacks from doing too much damage¡ªand it was true that she might care about him a lot, since they seemed close anyway and her father had died before she would remember¡ªbut there was the other possibility. The possibility that Geo¡¯s worry was justified¡ªthat she was in enough danger that riding alone for what he guessed was a few hours was far more dangerous than it would be for any other girl. Maybe even any other princess.

 Chapter 4 - To Iles

    Charlotte reined in her horse and, when Regis did, too, she stared at him.

    ¡°How do you eat so little and have so much energy?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯ve been riding for hours.¡±

    Regis could only shrug. They were riding south, on their way to the dukedom of Iles for a meeting she had with the King of Adife, which he knew was going to happen soon enough, but he suspected they¡¯d get there at least a day early, if not two or three. His week would be up the next day.

    Charlotte sighed deeply. ¡°On the other hand, I can¡¯t say that I envy you¡ªyou can¡¯t even taste the dishes properly.¡± She started her horse walking again, and Regis followed, staying beside her at the front of the line. She¡¯d asked him to, as she had to. Rank, she said, was sometimes far more strange than she¡¯d ever understand.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t even safe,¡± she¡¯d said earlier, talking to Geo. ¡°Any waiting assassins will see me first, if someone behind me happens to be a traitor I won¡¯t have even a moment¡¯s warning, and I can¡¯t talk to anyone, either. Where did it come from?¡±

    Geo had simply answered that it came from a safer time. Regis had tried to pretend he hadn¡¯t overheard that, but Geo¡¯s dark, calculating glance towards him probably meant he hadn¡¯t hidden very well. It could also mean he¡¯d hidden too well and Geo knew he¡¯d been in earshot. As far as Regis could tell, Geo was suspicious of everyone for everything, including where they happened to be standing. It was subtle enough he hadn¡¯t noticed it at first, but every day for the past week he¡¯d been tailed everywhere he went, and sometimes when he was talking to Charlotte in the library he felt a touch of magic, like someone was checking up on them. He didn¡¯t have almost any magic education, or the right magics to help him sense other magics easily, so he would not have been surprised to learn that he was always watched like a hawk and he just couldn¡¯t tell. In fact, he found it quite possible that Geo was purposefully using more obvious magic workers as a subtle warning not to try anything.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll have something to do aside from reading second-rate books,¡± she said to him, pulling him back from his thoughts.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished Irene¡¯s history,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°Really?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been focusing that much on Nem¡¯s irrigation system?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s important to her,¡± Regis said. ¡°I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll have access to such a comprehensive library again.¡±

    ¡°You could visit,¡± she said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know when I would,¡± he said, ¡°much less how I¡¯d get up the courage to step in.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°You know it¡¯s free, and you won¡¯t be afraid of meeting me now.¡±

    Regis didn¡¯t say that he¡¯d definitely be afraid of meeting her. For all he¡¯d tried, he hadn¡¯t found anything to contradict his illusion. If anything the week had made it worse. It didn¡¯t help that she was even more beautiful up close than far away.

    Regis realized he hadn¡¯t said anything for a moment, and there was a faint pinkness on her cheeks. Perhaps she caught the implication.

    He quickly changed the subject to where he was in Irene¡¯s history, and Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up again.

    Once on a safe subject, they talked for a long time¡ªuntil dark. They were almost to the estate. Then Geo came up and asked them not to talk, since her voice was one more thing that would give away she was there.

    Regis noted that, and decided that either Geo was incredibly unreasonable and Charlotte simply liked him, or the royal family had somehow hidden, for however long, that there were attempts on their lives.

    It was about then that it occurred to Regis that the assassins might have succeeded, at least with her mother.

    The story since Charlotte was thirteen was that the queen was sick enough she couldn¡¯t see anyone, but she could make the most important decisions, while leaving smaller ones to her half of-age daughter. He thought about how busy Charlotte was, how seriously she¡¯d talked about morally grey decisions, and, most telling, how she talked about her mother.

    I talk to her, but these days she doesn¡¯t say much back. When she does . . . she doesn¡¯t say anything new.

    Regis¡¯ father had taught him the basics of sword work, and his voice came to mind whenever Regis thought about those lessons. That was, in a way, his father talking to him.

    Regis looked over at Charlotte, and realized that he was in love with a queen. She caught his expression and gave him a questioning look, but Regis only shook his head and looked forward.

    They got through the gates of the estate safely, and Geo reluctantly said they could talk again, but only after Charlotte gave him a very pointed questioning look for almost three minutes.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Good,¡± she said, and turned to Regis. ¡°Would you join me for breakfast tomorrow? Well, I suppose you will anyway, unless our host doesn¡¯t want to give a formal breakfast for some reason. Still, if not, would you?¡± Her cheeks looked a touch darker in the moonlight, and he could say he¡¯d never heard her talk with even a hint of awkwardness before.

    ¡°I would like that,¡± he said.

    ¡°Good,¡± she said, and they fell into an oddly awkward silence.

    They got to the stables and separated when Geo insisted she let someone else take care of her horse. Regis was barely done brushing his horse down when he heard a familiar voice.

    ¡°You look exhausted.¡±

    He spun to see Nem standing there, smiling.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked in delight when he pulled back from hugging her.

    ¡°Waiting for you,¡± she said. ¡°I heard the princess was arriving early. It¡¯s kind of her, really, to end the week where you can get home more easily.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± he said, remembering, and he turned to his saddlebag. He¡¯d brought the notes with him, because his box of things would take a little longer to get there, and he¡¯d wanted to clean the notes up a little. ¡°I had full access to the royal library, so I did some research for you.¡±

    She took it, but didn¡¯t open the carefully tied package. ¡°Let¡¯s get you inside first.¡±

    Nem¡¯s presence stayed all melancholy he might have felt at it being the night before he had to say goodbye.

    ¡°So,¡± she said when they were settled in the small room he had along with his bedroom, ¡°has the illusion completely broken? Oh.¡± She¡¯d recognized the look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s not an illusion.¡±

    ¡°How did I do that?¡± he asked. ¡°More importantly, why?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an observer,¡± Nem said. ¡°I hoped not, but I wondered.¡±

    ¡°What do I do now?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You had the same question either way,¡± Nem said.

    Regis stopped. ¡°How did you know that?¡±

    Nem gave him a disbelieving stare. ¡°Because it¡¯s obvious.¡±

    ¡°My options are narrowed now,¡± he said.

    ¡°Why?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t love anyone else,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯d have to be more than perfect to chase Charlotte out. So that takes out an entire category.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up on it forever,¡± she said.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fair,¡± he said. ¡°If you love someone enough to marry them they should have your whole heart. Not most of it, or half of it, or worst, only part of it. No girl deserves that.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that you¡¯ll love her forever,¡± Nem said.

    ¡°The illusion¡ªno, not an illusion. The thought of her would chase me away from anyone else, even if I didn¡¯t love her anymore. She¡¯s amazing. Did you know, she snuck away from her guards to ride ahead of her party, to get to the flooding victims faster? It saved a little girl¡¯s life. And she¡¯s so strong.¡± He barely stopped short of telling Nem what he¡¯d realized. ¡°She talks about wanting a better work ethic but she works all day every day. Well, she has a few minutes here and there.¡±

    ¡°Is she as mischievous as you thought?¡± Nem asked. Regis smiled and was about to tell her about one of plenty of incidents, but Nem held up her hand.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re more in love with her than ever.¡±

    ¡°So what do I do?¡± he asked. She took it as a rhetorical question. He knew she couldn¡¯t give him his answer. ¡°I can¡¯t live off of you my entire life¡ª¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯d welcome it,¡± Nem said.

    ¡°Living there and living off of you are two different things,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about this. Not really. Not enough to even realize I¡¯d have to.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°Stop being frozen. You can calm down, and you have to if you want to get any sleep tonight.¡±

    Regis made himself get up from his chair and shake out his arms. Whenever he thought about something too deeply, or was too worried about it, he tended to freeze up, sometimes tensing his muscles so he was pulled out of his thoughts by them cramping. ¡°I suppose I have plenty of time to think it over, after tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Nem said. ¡°Now, you¡¯re going to go back and get ready for bed, and then you¡¯re going to come back out so I can hug you goodnight¡ªand then you¡¯re going to go to sleep.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes you can,¡± she said. ¡°And this is how¡ªare you listening to me?¡±

    Regis knew what was coming, but he just nodded.

    ¡°You lie down, you close your eyes, and then you think of nothing. Absolutely nothing. Now off you go.¡±

 Chapter 5 - The Illusion Remains Unbroken

    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s glorious about not being at the palace?¡± Charlotte asked Regis as they walked from the breakfast room to the library, where the duke had promised she wouldn¡¯t be disturbed, and where she could write her letters in peace.

    ¡°Variety?¡± he guessed.

    ¡°That, too,¡± she said. ¡°Did you pick up my liking for it from how I wear an entirely different fashion or color every day, when I can?¡±

    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s how the settings change every meal. I didn¡¯t know there could be so many variations of silverware.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of ordering a new set,¡± she said. ¡°We don¡¯t have any strictly plain ones. But I¡¯m unsurprised you didn¡¯t notice fashion.¡±

    ¡°I did notice,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was odd.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± she asked. ¡°Entire styles changing?¡±

    ¡°If you can circulate table settings on a whim for a week and I never see the same one of anything, why not dresses?¡±

    ¡°Table settings can last generations,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°Dresses can¡¯t. And I can go a year without seeing the same table settings. Except silverware. Apparently my ancestors liked embossed goblets more.¡±

    Regis smiled at her lighthearted sigh. ¡°So what¡¯s more glorious than variety?¡±

    Charlotte grinned, and stopped to open the door to the library.

    ¡°Are you coming in?¡± she asked when he hesitated.

    ¡°Am I allowed?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯ll be working, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re quiet,¡± she said, ¡°and I don¡¯t mind you moving in and out if you like.¡±

    So Regis stepped into the library with her and she shut the door.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing it¡¯s only circumspect guards who saw that,¡± she said as she walked over to the picture widows that made one side of the room. Other than the windows, it was bookcases wall to wall. They looked far more orderly than the palace library bookcases, and most were labeled in clear lettering. ¡°Most would think I didn¡¯t plan on getting any work done. But,¡± she grinned at him, ¡°that¡¯s the secret¡ªI don¡¯t have nearly as much work as usual. Shh, don¡¯t tell a soul.¡±

    Regis had been caught by surprise and was laughing. ¡°I won¡¯t. But why not?¡±

    ¡°Well in a day or two it will be different,¡± she said, ¡°since the Addavian king will be here, but for today, at the least, I have nothing scheduled but letter-writing from now until lunch. Of course, the letters are important, but there aren¡¯t many of them, and I am under no obligation to make them long. The Duke of Snowden is an added bonus. He likes things simple, clear, and to the point. No, I do not think transporting food in a month will be good enough, yes, I think the snows may settle in before then and they need it. I¡¯d like him to speed the process up. Signed, sealed, and sent. I might not even need the last line.¡± She grinned at him before turning to the desk at the back¡ªand sighing. ¡°Dear Geo. He only wants me to be safe, but must I be so far away from the windows?¡±

    ¡°Doors seem more likely than windows,¡± Regis said.

    Charlotte took her seat at the desk and started exploring the drawers before she answered. ¡°I imagine he¡¯s thinking that he has the doors covered well enough.¡±

    Not the grounds?¡± he asked. ¡°Or is he worried about magic workers who can disguise themselves and fly?¡±

    Charlotte sighed and looked up. ¡°Probably. It¡¯s his job to think of everything, and he tries. He probably doesn¡¯t like how his men don¡¯t know the grounds as well. It¡¯s also possible he talked to one of my ladies in waiting, all of whom seem to be worried about my skin.¡± She laughed, but she was trying to cover a note of bitter. ¡°Between my captain and my ladies I¡¯m surprised no one¡¯s offered to hold my hand while I walk down stairs.¡±

    ¡°Is it all really necessary?¡± he asked, not because he doubted it was, with how she put up with it¡ªif nothing else, she¡¯d otherwise have moved the desk herself¡ªbut because he wanted to know if she¡¯d tell him.

    She paused, considering him. Finally she gave one nod, and then chose a quill.

    Regis read by the fireplace, and when that was too warm he moved over to a chair closer to the window. He finished the chapter and looked out the window to the famous Iles orchard, originally created by none other than the father of the two heroes of Irene¡¯s war. It had probably originally been fairly small, but now it was vast enough he couldn¡¯t see the end of it from the window. He wondered if it was true that there were only ever five of the same kind of tree in the orchard at a time. The orchard had many different fruits, from apples to peaches, but he still found it hard to believe.

    Who would want to kill Charlotte?

    The thought jumped from the back of his mind to the front the second he didn¡¯t suppress it. Who in the world could want to hurt her family? They¡¯d ruled well for fifteen hundred years. The people didn¡¯t even know what war was¡ªit was almost a fireside tale to them. No wonder knights were so admired.

    Maybe he should become a knight. No, he didn¡¯t want to leave Nem for so long.

    Perhaps someone was jealous of them? Could it be a cousin who wanted the throne? Were they actually trying to kill Charlotte, or capture her¡ªfor ransom, or brainwashing, or some kind of marriage plot? He couldn¡¯t think of any famously jilted suitors. That on its own was odd, actually, unless she was going out of her way to give him as much of her time as she could, and was usually too busy for anyone. Was there something he didn¡¯t know about her family, that would drive possible suitors off? Unlikely. Maybe she encouraged all of the young men. If she really was queen, she¡¯d have to find a husband sooner or later. If her life was in danger it would be important to marry and have children, wouldn¡¯t it? Maybe she was secretly engaged¡ªor he supposed she could be secretly married. The thought made him gloomier than he wanted to be, and reminded him that it was the last day.

    He looked over at her, and then paused, trying not to smile, as he realized she¡¯d been looking at him, and barely looked down before he could catch it in normal vision. She¡¯d moved too fast for his peripheral vision to miss it.

    Maybe she¡¯d ask him to stay longer.

    Regis banished the thought from his mind before it was more than barely formed. She was acting¡ªif he read her right¡ªat least a little like she liked him, but she was realistic more than she was romantic. It was especially impossible because of the security. He remembered Geo clearing his throat when Regis asked for the week. Still, she¡¯d overridden Geo then. Regis shook himself and forced the thoughts away.

    ¡°There,¡± Charlotte said, and he looked up at her in surprise. ¡°I saved the duke of Snowden¡¯s for last, and now it¡¯s done. I¡¯ll have to sign them later, but from now until lunch I have nothing to do.¡± She looked up at the clock in triumph. Lunch was usually at one, and it was only eleven.

    ¡°So,¡± she said, coming over to join him in another chair closer to the windows, ¡°now I don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever had two hours completely to myself. At least, not for years.¡±

    ¡°What did you do then?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I practiced sword work. That was before it became a mandatory part of my day.¡±

    ¡°It is?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Charlotte said, and her voice had gone quiet and grim. ¡°The same thing is true for magic¡ªI used to practice in my free time, and now practice isn¡¯t free time.¡±

    ¡°Did you read?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Reading was for school,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t fully appreciate books until I was too busy to read much. Though I loved reading with Mother. That was before she . . . got worse.¡± There was a pause where Regis wondered what she would do if he said he¡¯d guessed why she¡¯d hesitated. ¡°What do you do with free time?¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Read, talk to Nem, play chess with her in the evening¡ª¡±

    ¡°Chess? That¡¯s boring.¡±

    Regis smiled. ¡°It isn¡¯t if you¡¯re competitive. So yes, if we weren¡¯t talking while we played it would be boring.¡±

    ¡°Are you actually competitive at all?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t get that feeling from you, but you did compete in the fighting for five years.¡±

    Regis looked out the window at the orchard, knowing he was blushing. He¡¯d only competed for one reason.

    He hoped she didn¡¯t ask.

    ¡°Have I broken the illusion badly?¡± she asked. ¡°A shadow of some regal princess, the truth a complaining, troublemaking child who only looks like a princess because she has to?¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t true,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re as much the regal princess as you are anything else. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re forced to show nothing but the princess so much that when you¡¯re on your own you¡¯re tired of it, and so the rest of your personality shines through all the more.¡±

    Charlotte was quiet for a moment, and he looked at her.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t have to be a princess, what would you do?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯d be a soldier or a scholar, but either one I would work hard enough to get somewhere. As a soldier, I¡¯d go to another country and work until I was a captain at the least, and my goal would be general. If I decided on a scholar, I¡¯d work until Islentia let me in.¡±

    ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve thought about it,¡± Regis said.

    Charlotte¡¯s smile disappeared. ¡°I used to think about running away.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°Understandable or not is a moot point,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t, and once I was capable of understanding what my absence would mean I can¡¯t think about how much I daydreamed without feeling disgusted. Even now, I can¡¯t help but sometimes wish¡ª¡± she swallowed, maybe swallowing tears. ¡°Sometimes I feel so trapped. My cage protects me, and I like knowing that outside of my cage I¡¯m making a difference, but . . . it¡¯s still a cage.¡± Then she blushed almost girlishly and looked away. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be saying that to you. I¡¯ve only known you a week. It just feels longer.¡±

    Then she looked back at him, almost sharply. ¡°I think it¡¯s because you act like you¡¯ve known me for years. You didn¡¯t answer my question, Regis, about if the illusion¡¯s broken.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen some complaining, troublemaking child,¡± he said.

    ¡°Oh?¡± she asked. ¡°I have everything anyone could want and I complain about having to be a princess.¡±

    ¡°Princess means a lot of things,¡± Regis said. ¡°You can¡¯t be expected to like them all.¡±

    ¡°That might be denial,¡± she said, and Regis laughed before he realized she hadn¡¯t meant it to be funny.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you complain about something you don¡¯t have every right to complain about,¡± he said. ¡°You put up with a lot that most people would never stop complaining about.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t complained as much around you the last week,¡± she said. ¡°But what you have seen is how troublesome I am.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the light fun you have stealing papers to get someone¡¯s attention, or sneaking glances at unfinished texts, or even what you told me about riding ahead without your captain, calling yourself troublesome or a complainer is still going too far. Mischievous, mocking, and malevolence are different things, and you are only one of those. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re even capable of malevolence, and mocking isn¡¯t in your nature¡ªmaybe after a worse day than I¡¯ve seen you have.¡±

    ¡°Denial,¡± she said.

    ¡°Which one?¡± he asked. Charlotte looked confused. ¡°I mean, which one of us is in denial?¡±

    Her mouth dropped open. ¡°Are you suggesting that I can see myself less well than you can?¡±

    Regis gave that a moment¡¯s thought. He was almost positive what he saw was the actual girl, but he might still be wrong. He might still be wrong. Maybe a week wasn¡¯t long enough, but he didn¡¯t consider himself a bad judge¡ªnor had anyone ever accused him of being one¡ªand he didn¡¯t think it was likely.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, ¡°I am saying that.¡±

    Charlotte clearly didn¡¯t know how to answer that. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open. Her posture was still perfect and her hands were folded neatly in her lap. She was both, he thought. The princess¡ªor queen¡ªand the girl.

    ¡°Does that mean,¡± she said, ¡°that you¡¯re still in love with me?¡±

    Regis paused in surprise, but then looked away, feeling his cheeks burn. He hoped she¡¯d go on, taking that as his answer, but she seemed to be waiting. ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°the illusion hasn¡¯t broken¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to do a better job of that,¡± she said. ¡°Really, even if you know me better than I¡¯d thought possible, you think too well of me. I¡¯ve been acting more cheerful than usual¡ªit¡¯s been a good week.¡± She paused, then added casually, ¡°Of course, I frequently find the Addavian king frustrating, so if you stayed for this week you might get a better idea of me.¡±

    Regis looked at her, wondering if he¡¯d heard right.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to accept,¡± she said, a little faster than usual, ¡°I know Nem¡¯s here, and she¡¯s probably resenting me for taking you away for so long¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± he said, and she stopped to smile. It was a bright smile, her young smile.

    <hr>

    ¡°Did she now?¡± Nem asked that night.

    ¡°That will be two whole weeks,¡± Regis said. ¡°An entire fortnight. Do you think she¡¯s right, that I¡¯ll yet see it break?¡±

    Nem didn¡¯t answer for almost a minute. ¡°To be entirely honest? I don¡¯t think you will. I think you have her right.¡±

    Regis had been afraid of that. ¡°Then . . . should I stay, or should I take what I have and go? If she acts like I think she will this week I¡¯ll love her more¡ª¡± he stopped abruptly at Nem¡¯s understanding eyes. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t have to say that. But do you think I should stay?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nem said, and Regis stared at her. ¡°I¡¯d like to say yes, because I don¡¯t think being a little more in love will hurt you any further. I¡¯m only thinking of what happens if she asks you to stay another week.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s convinced I don¡¯t see her well,¡± Regis said. ¡°If I go another week realizing that it¡¯s never been an illusion she¡¯ll realize it¡¯s useless.¡±

    ¡°I suppose she might let go of it then,¡± Nem said, ¡°unless . . .¡±

    Regis closed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to ask.¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Nem said. ¡°Could she possibly like you?¡±

    Regis stared at the fire wishing his cheeks weren¡¯t coloring. He wanted to not answer the question, but he and Nem were always honest with each other. ¡°She . . . might. I could be reading her wrong.¡±

    ¡°Is it either that or she¡¯s acting?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not acting.¡±

    Nem sighed, and Regis looked at her. ¡°That¡¯s what I was afraid of.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Regis asked. He didn¡¯t exactly know what to think about it himself, but¡ª

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± she asked.

    Was he? For a moment he didn¡¯t know what Nem was talking about.

    ¡°The security is so high I¡¯m sure only someone harmless would be allowed with her,¡± she said.

    ¡°Geo knows I fight,¡± Regis said, but now he knew what she meant. ¡°As for the other, that never has to come up. I¡¯m not dangerous with it. I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯m right.¡±

    Nem didn¡¯t bother to answer that. They¡¯d discussed it before.

 Chapter 6 - Iles Ball

    Regis was reading in his chair by the window a few days later, listening to Charlotte mutter under her breath. Despite her more normal workload now¡ªhis majesty of Adife had arrived yesterday afternoon¡ªhe was still allowed in the library while she was working, since he was quiet. He suspected that she¡¯d have rather been alone, so she could focus without worrying about anyone watching, but since the point of his stay was so he could see her as she was when no one was watching Charlotte was trying to be kind.

    Charlotte¡¯s muttering turned into a mimed conversation where one voice was high and complaining while the other one was snapping and exasperated.

    ¡°Why,¡± she said, and he looked up to see her staring at some papers on her desk, the quill bending in her hand, ¡°can¡¯t I say that to his face?¡± The quill broke and she looked at it for a moment, blushing, before setting it aside on a blotting cloth and choosing a new one. Then, blushing even more, she glanced up, as if she¡¯d forgotten she wasn¡¯t completely alone.

    Their eyes met for a moment, and then she cleared her throat and went back to work.

    ¡°You see?¡± she said as they walked down the halls to the dinning room for lunch. ¡°That has to have broken at least part of the illusion that I¡¯m not a heavy complainer.¡±

    When Regis couldn¡¯t think of an answer for that she sighed as if she¡¯d taken silence to mean she was right.

    The problem was that Regis couldn¡¯t figure out how to tell her, without sounding offensive to the King of Adife, that he was pretty sure she had ever right to be upset today. While Adife was never exactly friendly to Pearlessagate, Regis was pretty sure this particular king was being extra condescending¡ªtowards everything from the country to the food to Charlotte herself¡ªand outside of the library Regis hadn¡¯t seen a hint that the many subtle comments had gotten under her skin. He admired her control and restraint, especially when the king talked about his daughter¡ªshe was Charlotte¡¯s age, but married, with a son and another child on the way, and the king kept calling her a ¡®good child¡¯ and saying she was a ¡®perfect daughter¡¯ and a ¡®perfect princess.¡¯ Everyone else in attendance had reacted, even if only to reflexively tighten their grip on whatever they were holding, but Charlotte had stayed entirely calm, and kept managing polite smiles and small talk.

    If they were still back in the library Regis might have said something, but out in the open halls, especially when Adife was known for its intricate spy network¡ªGeo might be able to block them all everywhere, but that seemed a risky assumption¡ªhe figured he should follow Charlotte¡¯s example and keep more critical thoughts to himself. The last thing he wanted to do was make this more difficult for her.

    He also wasn¡¯t sure what Charlotte would say if he admitted that he actually found her quiet, behind-closed-doors reaction kind of cute.

    The king was no less condescending to her during lunch, and Charlotte bore it like the queen she was. Even when she calmly called him on one of his more blatant snubs, it was with regality. Regis didn¡¯t stare at her in admiration, because of etiquette, but when Nem caught his eye she looked knowing.

    After lunch Charlotte had meetings of various kinds and a fitting for the ball in two days, so he spent the time with Nem. They walked around the orchard and talked about her irrigation system overhaul, Irene¡¯s war, and everything else interesting that the other had missed. She had to see the royal library, Regis insisted, or she¡¯d never seen any library.

    By dinner Regis felt cheerful. Cheer wasn¡¯t a usual emotion for him, enough that Nem looked smug about it. Oddly, when Charlotte smiled at him in welcome it wasn¡¯t quite like usual. Perhaps she hadn¡¯t had time for her pre-dinner snack.

    After dinner was a play, and Regis sat next to her, but she still seemed out of sorts. It shouldn¡¯t have bothered him, since she had to be tired, and he knew she was stressed, but it still did.

    Charlotte only had an hour the next morning in the library, and Regis could tell that she was still unhappy about something. She had every right to be. The King of Adife had looked smug during breakfast, so the renegotiation likely wasn¡¯t going well on Pearlessagate¡¯s side. She broke another quill, this one while she was writing so it ruined the nearly-full sheet. She stared at it for a moment with her princess expression, but then she blinked, betraying the odd shine to her eyes.

    ¡°You can¡¯t even take five minute breaks?¡± he asked.

    Charlotte looked up in surprise. ¡°Oh. No. I wish I could, but by all rights this letter takes two hours and I only have one. Now I have to rewrite it. You don¡¯t have to stay, you know¡ªthe day is lovely and I¡¯m not trying to keep you cooped up in here.¡±

    Regis went still without realizing it. At the moment she was some mix of half girl half princess, and unless he was mistaken she¡¯d just asked him to leave.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave if you want me to,¡± he said.

    ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°that¡¯s not¡ª¡± she looked out the window. ¡°Nem¡¯s here, and I don¡¯t want to steal you from her.¡±

    ¡°Nem¡¯s not why I¡¯m here,¡± he said.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she said, turning back to letter, ¡°never mind, forget I said all of that.¡±

    When her hour was up she looked the letter over ruefully. ¡°No, I can¡¯t send that. I¡¯ll have to finish it tonight. I was hoping to get to bed early, but oh well.¡±

    Regis got up to walk to the door with her. ¡°Remember,¡± he said, ¡°he¡¯s just sore they lost the, ah, Addavian gift.¡± A few hundred years ago Irene¡¯s Gift had been known as the Addavian gift, and as far as Regis knew no one in the Addavian royal family had forgotten it.

    Charlotte¡¯s smile broke out from behind the carefully controlled look, laughter in her eyes, but when he opened the door for her one of her ladies in waiting was standing with her hand poised to knock, and she hurried Charlotte away.

    Regis didn¡¯t see her again until the night after that, at a ball held for all of the nobility or otherwise higher class in the area. Then she took the first dance with him, and he managed to get her to laugh. He laughed more than he should have, happy to see her happier. He didn¡¯t think the happiness was fake. Perhaps negotiations were going better. The King of Adife made an appearance, but didn¡¯t dance. Instead he was watching her carefully. Regis noticed it, since he couldn¡¯t dance more than a few dances with her, and he spent a lot of time watching her.

    Otherwise he spent the time talking, or at least being talked at a lot. Iles was the dukedom he lived in, after all, so he¡¯d met most of the people in attendance¡ªand, of course, the story had spread far and wide. He hadn¡¯t looked forward to that. At least most were too polite to reference it, but he could read curiosity in their expressions. Instead they asked him how life was, what he thought of the palace¡ªpolite sorts of things.

    ¡°Have you seen the royal library?¡± the lord Trint asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Regis said, and didn¡¯t tell him that it was open to everyone. He¡¯d move there.

    ¡°Is it as fabulous as everyone says?¡±

    ¡°More,¡± Regis said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen so many books at once, and that was only the main room.¡±

    Trint asked him a little more about it, but then hesitated. Regis waited, wondering if he, like everyone else, would simply move on, or if he¡¯d say something. He could be blunt. Trint took a drink from the glass he was holding, studying him. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered why you went to the fighting contest every year. You¡¯re more of a scholar than a fighter.¡±

    Regis wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d go that far, but didn¡¯t contradict him.

    ¡°And how is the illusion breaking going?¡± he asked.

    Regis shrugged. He wasn¡¯t going to tell him that he¡¯d only found it wasn¡¯t an illusion.

    Trint was still studying him. ¡°I do have one question¡ªI hope you won¡¯t be offended. It¡¯s a natural one. Everyone¡¯s thinking it.¡± Then he paused.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Regis asked when Trint seemed to be waiting for an answer.

    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t be offended?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡±

    ¡°Is it just to get close to a princess? A brush with royalty?¡±

    Regis had been watching Charlotte, hardly paying attention, but at that he turned to stare at Trint in utter amazement.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°It¡¯s a natural question,¡± Trint said.

    Was that really what Trint thought? That he¡¯d lied about why? Could Trint possibly actually¡ªRegis decided that was disgusting and walked away.

    He found himself at the refreshment table before he turned back to the dancers as the song ended and they drifted to the edges of the floor.

    The question had to have been on Trint¡¯s mind for a while to ask it that blatantly. He knew Trint well enough for that.

    Who else thought that? Two seconds¡¯ thought told him that Trint was right about it being a natural question. Did everyone else think that of him?

    ¡°Stop clenching your hand muscles like that,¡± someone said, and he turned to find Charlotte next to him.

    ¡°You¡¯re not dancing?¡± he asked. There was another one starting up.

    ¡°Dancing all night is not my idea of a good ball.¡±

    Regis had to smile at her, and looked down at his hand to carefully relax the muscles without dropping the glass. At least he hadn¡¯t seized up completely. Nem had been working on him for years to stop him from doing that.

    ¡°What did he say?¡± she asked.

    Regis stopped his hand from clenching again. He might break the glass. ¡°Nothing important.¡±

    ¡°Come now,¡± she said, ¡°Geo will already feel uneasy that you don¡¯t look furious even though my guess is that you are.¡±

    ¡°Is it that easy to tell?¡± he asked with a sigh. ¡°Nem will scold me.¡±

    ¡°It was her worried glances as much as anything,¡± Charlotte said, ¡°but I¡¯ve been around you a lot the last week, and I¡¯ve seen plenty of your emotions. Almost all of them are subtle changes, and if you can catch the subtlety you can call them what they are. Right now you¡¯re angry.¡±

    ¡°I stupidly didn¡¯t realize what other people might think¡ªwhat ulterior motives they could accuse me of.¡±

    ¡°Then they¡¯re the stupid ones,¡± she said.

    Regis could feel himself blushing. ¡°Is is that obvious?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve even convinced Geo.¡±

    Now Regis stared at her, so shocked he vaguely thought he might end up breaking the glass anyway.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± Charlotte said with a smile, ¡°he still thinks you might be spying on me, or have all sorts of twisted motivations that might involve assassinating me or something equally as horrifying, but he can¡¯t deny the obvious.¡±

    Regis picked a bite-sized raspberry cake from the table so he didn¡¯t have to look at her while her eyes laughed.

    ¡°The more innocent you act the more suspicious he is,¡± she said when he could look at her again. She was still smiling. ¡°That¡¯s his way. Now, tell me where you are in the book about Irene¡¯s war.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m rereading it now. I just reread the chapter about the ball.¡±

    ¡°I love that chapter so much,¡± Charlotte said with a yet wider grin. ¡°I would adore Tanaya for that moment even if she¡¯d done nothing else in the war.¡±

    ¡°Her strength is amazing,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯d almost disbelieve it was possible except¡ª¡± he cut off before he said he saw the same strength in Charlotte. ¡°Well, they did win,¡± he added hurriedly.

    ¡°I wish I had that kind of strength,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°They faced impossible odds. On the young side of teenagers, and they did it anyway.¡±

    ¡°At the end they were sixteen,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t count,¡± Charlotte said promptly. ¡°They¡¯d already kept their resolve long enough by then that it wasn¡¯t exactly a surprise when they kept going.¡±

    Regis shook his head. ¡°Lesser women would have crumbled.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you say sixteen, so you can call them women instead of girls?¡± Charlotte asked.

    Regis paused. He had said that. ¡°No,¡± he said. Then he frowned to himself. The term girl sounded¡ªnot weak, but without responsibility. So why did he think of Charlotte as the girl and the princess?

    Because Charlotte the girl wasn¡¯t the one who took the responsibility of a queen. She did, in some ways, but she was so young. So carefree.

    ¡°Girls aren¡¯t the ones carrying backbreaking loads,¡± he said.

    ¡°So most females aren¡¯t women,¡± Charlotte said, and Regis smiled, realizing he had implied that.

    ¡°I suppose I only apply that to teenagers¡ªor worse, younger¡ªwho have that kind of load and carry it willingly.¡±

    ¡°So you could call a nine-year-old a woman?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I hope I never find out.¡±

    Charlotte was quiet for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Regis said. ¡°That¡¯s a serious topic, and this is a ball.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°this is a conversation.¡± She took a small treat from the table and tried it. ¡°So,¡± she said, focusing in that, ¡°have you had enough of watching me mutter darkly at papers?¡±

    Regis paused, taking a moment to follow the topic jump. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It seems like it would be boring,¡± she said.

    ¡°The library isn¡¯t bad,¡± he said.

    ¡°Is that all?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Charlotte was smiling, and shook her head. ¡°I break quills in frustration and you don¡¯t call me complaining and troublesome?¡±

    ¡°Complaining would be shirking,¡± he said. ¡°As far as I can tell you still only complain about things you have a right to.¡±

    ¡°I complain about his majesty of Adife,¡± she said, trying to keep the smile on her face. ¡°I should expect that.¡±

    ¡°Why would that make him any less unpleasant?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°Alright, you don¡¯t seem to mind much complaining,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°But those quills are expensive.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± he asked. ¡°They look exactly like the ones Nem and I use, and Nem¡¯s thrifty enough we get them from birds one of our neighbors plucks.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t be that similar,¡± she said.

    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t seen yours up close,¡± he said, ¡°but I swear they¡¯re from the same type of bird.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the cut that makes them expensive,¡± she said.

    Regis shook his head, trying not to smile too much. She was just smiling, too, so he could hardly help it.

    ¡°And no,¡± he said, ¡°that doesn¡¯t make me think you¡¯re troublesome.¡±

    ¡°Surely it¡¯s a fault,¡± she said.

    ¡°I suppose,¡± he said. ¡°I never said I thought you were flawless.¡±

    Charlotte wasn¡¯t smiling anymore. ¡°Now that¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s a conversation for another time,¡± she said. ¡°In the meantime, would you care to dance?¡±

 Chapter 7 - After the Ball

    After the ball Nem ordered him to bed, but Regis knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep. She finally left with a sigh and a please¡ªshe had to be really worried to do that.

    Charlotte had distracted him, but she had to spend most of her time elsewhere, and he¡¯d reassured Nem he was fine so she should go chat with the richer young lords who happened to be there. The lord Chestern, a borderlord¡¯s son, was there¡ªquite unusually since he took the title of heir seriously and trained constantly¡ªand Nem had been keeping an eye on him and his inheritance for years.

    With nothing to distract him he¡¯d gone back to thinking about what Trint had said. Charlotte saying he was obviously in love with her comforted him as well as making him blush¡ªbut she was perceptive, probably more than anyone else in attendance. Besides, she already knew him far, far better than any of them¡ªsans Nem. He¡¯d never been unfriendly to anyone, but he¡¯d also never been exactly open.

    Even if everyone here¡ªexcept, of course, Trint¡ªcould see the truth, what about everyone else who heard the story?

    He ended up in the library, not wanting to go outside since it was cold, and looking at the orchard was the next best thing.

    His entire life he¡¯d been known as a good person, as far as he could tell. He tried to do what was right, tried to be kind and helpful. He¡¯d never even considered that someone could think him dishonorable. He knew Geo did, but Geo was protecting her from apparently more danger than anyone suspected.

    Regis was thinking about that when the door opened behind him. He spun around, but the silhouette was familiar and he relaxed.

    ¡°Regis?¡± Charlotte whispered. She waited a moment, and he realized that even backlit she couldn¡¯t see him, coming from the brightly lit hall.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he said. After a moment she slipped inside and closed the door.

    ¡°I passed Nem on the way to my room,¡± she said as she joined him at the windows. ¡°She looked worried enough I guessed you might not be going to bed.¡±

    ¡°You came looking for me?¡± he asked.

    There was a pause. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°My ladies don¡¯t know I¡¯m here. I¡¯m sure Geo knows, though. He has guards everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Who could possibly want to hurt you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°We have no idea,¡± she said.

    ¡°Not the Addavians, then?¡± he asked, ¡°wanting to get back the gift?¡±

    ¡°There are too many offshoots of Irene¡¯s descendants now,¡± she said. ¡°Though that was our first thought, too.¡±

    ¡°So you have no way to find out who they are,¡± he said.

    ¡°Are you up worrying about my safety?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to keep perspective,¡± he said. ¡°Being thought dishonest isn¡¯t that bad in comparison to what you¡¯re dealing with.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s any comfort, my ladies tell me you could only have had a better reaction if you regally stared him down and icily told him he was a moron for thinking that.¡±

    ¡°Staring at him and walking away was good?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Utter surprise and then disgust,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°The simple walking away worked very well.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t purposefully that way,¡± he said.

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m comforting you, remember?¡±

    Her tone was light, and he had to smile back.

    ¡°Nem¡¯s driven,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were serious until I saw her talking to the lord Chestern all night.¡±

    Regis looked at her. ¡°All night?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t notice?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was all night,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask her about that. She usually goes around and flirts with every rich boy in attendance.¡±

    ¡°All for her beloved irrigation system overhaul?¡±

    Regis smiled. ¡°She has other plans, too.¡±

    Charlotte laughed, but quietly. It suited the comfortable darkness around them. Moonlight made white squares on the floor around their feet, and outside the trees already looked frosted.

    ¡°Regis,¡± she said, ¡°what would break the illusion?¡±

    ¡°Acting like something you aren¡¯t would be cheating,¡± he said.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about reasonable,¡± she said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°If you somehow proved that you didn¡¯t care about your duties, or were purposefully mean-spirited, but from what I¡¯ve seen of you the last week and a half it wouldn¡¯t fit anyway.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°I can¡¯t argue about that, even if sometimes I don¡¯t want to care. What else?¡±

    He tried to think of something. ¡°Purposefully letting someone bully you?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± she said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think so,¡± he said.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything else?¡± she asked. ¡°I have a thousand and one faults.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always seen someone who hides that she likes to have fun, and has a streak of mischief. Someone who can smile like she¡¯s her age rather than a crown princess. Someone who would drop everything and run to victims of severe flooding instead of sending vassals. Someone who knows what she has to sacrifice to be what she has to be, and then does it, no matter how much of what she needs is in that sacrifice.¡±

    ¡°And complains about it?¡± she asked.

    Regis smiled. ¡°Complaining is natural, and more of a detail. It never mattered much if you did or not, though if you didn¡¯t¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t even be human. You know, you don¡¯t complain nearly as much as you think you do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m told it¡¯s a fault,¡± she said.

    ¡°Who said that?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Oh, cousins, a few of my ladies occasionally, and once my mother, though it¡¯s been a while since she said that, so I can hope it isn¡¯t as true anymore.¡±

    ¡°Do they all call you troublesome, too?¡± he asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s mostly Geo,¡± she said. ¡°I do make a lot of trouble for him. It almost got me killed once that I know of, but somehow I still do it. I guess I can¡¯t be cooped up in a cage all the time. And I¡¯m not always kind.¡±

    ¡°Is that when you¡¯re tired?¡± he asked. ¡°Someone¡¯s been nagging at you for too long, or it¡¯s been a longer day than usual and you have to stay up even later?¡±

    ¡°Tired isn¡¯t a good excuse,¡± she said. ¡°And I don¡¯t have to be that tired.¡±

    ¡°And is it commission or omission?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I can snap at people. I made one of my ladies cry once.¡±

    ¡°Once?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re tough.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    A cloud went over the moon, and she answered only after it had gone. ¡°I would be a sad excuse for a person indeed if I purposefully hurt them. No, I suppose sins of commission are rare, as far as I know, but that doesn¡¯t excuse the sins of omission.¡±

    Another cloud shadowed the orchard, and it started to rain gently on the grey and white leaves. Some of the leaves fell, exposing more silvery bark.

    ¡°The only thing I¡¯ve found that surprised me,¡± he said, ¡°is how much you micromanage things.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she said.

    If you don¡¯t I don¡¯t know what micromanaging would look like,¡± he said, ¡°and I¡¯m Nem¡¯s brother. What meetings don¡¯t you attend?¡±

    Charlotte opened her mouth looking assured, but then hesitated. Regis waited. Her cheeks darkened.

    ¡°I suppose the ones I skip are all frivolous and truly unimportant, but I like to keep an eye on things.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t send anyone to take notes for you? Or don¡¯t you trust them?¡±

    ¡°I trust them,¡± she said. ¡°Serono could do it, I suppose, but . . . Mother wants notes.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Regis raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°Alright, so that was a lie,¡± she said. ¡°I just . . . don¡¯t have anything else to do.¡±

    ¡°You could do something you enjoy,¡± he said. ¡°Read, study fun uses for magic instead of practical, art¡ªI don¡¯t know what it would be.¡±

    ¡°I end up thinking,¡± she said. ¡°If I think too much I realize how unhappy¡ªthat is¡ªoh, never mind. You heard it. If I think I realize I¡¯m unhappy.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t shatter it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Why would it?¡±

    ¡°You see someone who willingly gives it up no matter the personal cost. Those don¡¯t mix.¡±

    ¡°I never said I thought you were happy,¡± he said, and Charlotte went silent.

    The light rain left and the moonlight returned, making the orchard glitter gently. Regis didn¡¯t look at her until a glint caught his eye. Then he barely caught her carefully wiping the tear into her cheek.

    ¡°What if you do see me clearly?¡± she asked. ¡°After this week, and we likely don¡¯t see each other ever again, more than in passing. How do you break the illusion if, in the end, it wasn¡¯t one?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t give an answer, but she seemed to be waiting for one.

    ¡°Nothing works as a distraction from thinking?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Regis,¡± she said with a hint of exasperation.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t know,¡± he said.

    ¡°You have to have thought about it,¡± she said. ¡°Everyone has dreams for what they want to be when they grow up.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t,¡± he said. ¡°My parents had one ridiculous dream for me, but I can¡¯t share it and everything else is . . . I¡¯ve been content enough supporting Nem and between that, watching interesting people¡ªthat generally means everyone¡ªand training to fight, I never thought about it longer than I had to.¡±

    ¡°That makes it sound unpleasant,¡± she said.

    Regis was caught between not wanting to tell her because it was personal and wanting to tell her because he loved her and wanted to tell her everything. But she¡¯d answered personal questions honestly. It wouldn¡¯t be fair if he didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m scared of it.¡±

    She was watching him, he knew, even though he was keeping his eyes on the orchard. ¡°Why?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Like you said, everyone wants something, they dream about something, but somehow supporting Nem feels like enough. I like knowing that I¡¯m a good enough swordsman to win the fighting competition, but I didn¡¯t spend hours daydreaming about it. Does that make me boring?¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all?¡± she asked.

    Regis didn¡¯t answer, because there was one thing he¡¯d daydreamed about. Winning, and the moment when he¡¯d ask her for a day. He¡¯d never thought beyond that, even to the day itself. He assumed it would be successful and he could move on with his life¡ªnever mind what that meant. He¡¯d think about it later.

    ¡°What did you parents want for you?¡± she asked.

    Regis could feel his face flame, and he wanted to run. He¡¯d been hoping she would never ask that, but he was the one who¡¯d mentioned it, so it was his fault. ¡°It isn¡¯t important.¡±

    ¡°I have never seen you blush that badly,¡± she said. ¡°Now I have to know.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll come up with theories if you don¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°I won¡¯t be able not to. I¡¯m bound to come up with something worse.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can,¡± he said.

    ¡°What, they named you Regis because they wanted you to be king?¡± She was joking, coming up with the worst thing she could. He wished she weren¡¯t right.

    There was a moment of silence.

    ¡°No,¡± she said in disbelief.

    ¡°Why do you think I was at court so much?¡± he asked. ¡°Alone, and that young?¡±

    Charlotte was staring at him. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°They loved us both, and dearly,¡± he said, ¡°but they were delusional. Of course, on one side it worked. I don¡¯t know how they thought you were supposed to notice me.¡± He felt a pang as he realized something else she could be wondering¡ªsomething he¡¯d have thought of before that night, but Trint¡¯s question made it worse. ¡°That¡¯s not the reason I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think so,¡± she said. ¡°Geo considered it, of course, but if that was the goal I think you¡¯d have asked for a week to get me to fall in love with you instead of a week to break an illusion. If you¡¯d known it wasn¡¯t an illusion would you have asked for that instead?¡±

    Regis thought about it, but then shook his head. ¡°I know what I am, where I stand. Neither Nem or I are delusional.¡±

    ¡°You still fought in a competition for years to get my attention,¡± she said. ¡°Why are the questions so different?¡±

    ¡°One is a plea for help, the other would be a plea for a person, and you no less.¡±

    Neither spoke for a long moment, and Regis wondered how much time she was wasting standing in the dark next to him, watching the still, silvery orchard. Then he remembered something else.

    ¡°Why is it worse to know your flaws?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It just means it¡¯s more likely that you¡¯re in love with exactly who I am, no illusion at all.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already know that?¡±

    ¡°It cements it,¡± she said. ¡°And isn¡¯t being in love with the actual me the worst danger of all for you?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Regis didn¡¯t know how to answer.

    ¡°Realistically,¡± she said, ¡°what will you do when you leave?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go home with Nem and do exactly the same thing as before. I¡¯ll figure out what to do, but it will take time, and a lot of evenings talking to Nem over chess.¡±

    Charlotte sighed. ¡°Does it have to be chess?¡±

    ¡°Our father played,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯d all sit together for a while in the evenings and he¡¯d play each of us in turn, all the while telling us his grand plans for the world. Nem would be a political power and probably marry into the duke¡¯s family so she¡¯d be duchess, I¡¯d somehow catch your eye and end up Regis Regis¡ª¡± Charlotte stifled a giggle at that, like Nem usually did, ¡°¡ªand together we¡¯d renovate every piece of corruption out of every system. The world would be perfect with his children in charge.¡±

    ¡°Why Nem a duchess but you king?¡± she asked. ¡°If they wanted the best for both of you.¡±

    ¡°He was of the opinion that Adife was still the main threat to Pearlessagate, and she¡¯d be able to make the defenses incredibly air-tight¡ªand if we were lucky they¡¯d be impressed by that and start paying more attention to how our culture is indefinitely superior¡ª¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t serious about all of this,¡± she said.

    ¡°He knew he was dreaming about a lot of it,¡± Regis said, ¡°but some of it . . .¡± He was a little sad, thinking about it, but he suddenly smiled.

    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ve always been poor,¡± he said, ¡°for nobility, but they sent me to court with a new suit every year¡ªthey had to, since I was growing. I¡¯m just remembering a few months ago when Nem cut them all up to make herself a new dress. She made me a suit, too, with the idea that it will fit me forever. She told me sternly not to gain or lose too much weight before events.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t the one you¡¯re wearing, is it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Oh yes,¡± he said, ¡°and that¡¯s the dress she was wearing tonight.¡±

    Charlotte¡¯s mouth dropped open and she laughed in delight. ¡°I was admiring her dress earlier,¡± she said. ¡°She really is thrifty.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯d be delighted to hear you say that,¡± he said. She laughed again, and Regis just watched her, glad that for the moment she seemed happy. Then the laugh died on her lips, and he realized he hadn¡¯t only been smiling at her¡ªhe¡¯d been looking at her like he always tried not to. He couldn¡¯t read her eyes, so he looked away.

    ¡°Regis,¡± she said, and didn¡¯t go on until he¡¯d looked at her again, ¡°I like having you around, but I don¡¯t want to play with your heart.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know how to answer that.

    ¡°I keep thinking about asking you to stay for the snows,¡± she said, and he felt his eyes widen, ¡°but that isn¡¯t fair to you, is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the time you¡¯ll give me,¡± he said.

    ¡°But is it kind?¡± she asked.

    ¡°If you want an answer Nem will be more likely to have it,¡± he said.

    She looked away. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have told you. At the least I should have kept thinking about it until the end of the week before I said anything. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not good at politics¡ªat least, not as good as I want to be¡ªand the politics of hearts . . .¡± She trailed off, sadness on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s ever been in love with me before.¡± She sighed. ¡°I need to sleep, but . . . will you be alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright,¡± he said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about what you said, about micromanaging.¡± She looked like she was about to add something else, but then didn¡¯t. ¡°Goodnight, Regis.¡±

    Charlotte leaned in and kissed his cheek, and then left, closing the library door softly behind her.

 Chapter 8 - Back to the Palace

    Regis still sat in the library while she worked in the mornings, and she had meetings all afternoon, but the second afternoon after they¡¯d talked in the middle of the night, she walked into the library, shut the door behind her, and carefully backed away from it, as if it was bound to open at any second.

    ¡°I feel positively wicked,¡± she said when she finally turned to him, smiling. ¡°I feel even worse for feeling happy about it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had meetings all afternoon?¡±

    ¡°I,¡± she closed her eyes tightly as if pained, and then peeked at him with one eye, ¡°asked Serono to take notes for me.¡±

    Regis grinned at her. ¡°That¡¯s not wicked.¡±

    ¡°It feels like I¡¯m shirking duties,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s a meeting about types of crop transfers, but I still feel like I¡¯m shirking duties.¡±

    Regis came over and took her hands. ¡°You deserve a break. Especially after this morning.¡±

    ¡°Was it that obvious?¡± she asked. The King of Adife had been even worse than usual.

    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s why you deserve a break.¡±

    She smiled, but that faded almost immediately. ¡°But what do I do?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you want,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re the crown princess.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯d sort of like to go outside, but Geo will advise against it for security reasons, and my ladies will advise against it because it¡¯s wet¡ªbut I¡¯m going. Do you want to come with me?¡±

    They ended up walking through the orchard until she had to get ready for dinner, talking about . . . whatever came to mind in the moment. They started talking about Irene¡¯s war and somehow the conversation wound through history to childhood memories to food to art to music.

    The next day the same thing happened¡ªthere was one meeting she didn¡¯t have to oversee, so she came to find him and they talked, this time while she went over possible designs for another set of silverware.

    So it went for the rest of the week.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Nem said the night before the second week was up, ¡°either she¡¯s fallen completely in love with you or you¡¯re just good for her.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the resting,¡± he said. ¡°She now has at least an hour of free time every day.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re good for her,¡± she said.

    ¡°Rest is good for her.¡±

    ¡°You got her to rest.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡±

    The King of Adife had left earlier that day, so at breakfast the next morning it was only Charlotte, Regis, Nem, and the normal nobility of the house who sat down to breakfast.

    ¡°The air feels cleaner somehow this morning,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°It¡¯s as if some putrid thing has been removed.¡±

    By the smiles and covered laughs Regis knew that the king had gotten on everyone else¡¯s nerves, too.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll also be leaving us today, are you not?¡± the duke asked Charlotte.

    ¡°I must,¡± she said. ¡°Every day the people in my entourage get more nervous about the snows.¡± She went on in praises for how he¡¯d welcomed her and how fine his estate was, saying everything polite. Regis wondered if he¡¯d go with her¡ªif she asked he¡¯d say yes.

    ¡°Are you leaving us as well?¡± the duke asked Nem.

    ¡°I also have to,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been invited to stay at the Boarderlord Chestern¡¯s estate for the snows, so I need to make plans with my steward.¡±

    The duke, surprised, looked at Regis. ¡°You¡¯re not staying to manage it?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t manage it,¡± he said, quite truthfully. ¡°I¡¯ve studied swordplay, not the specifics of land management. A hole in my education, but Nem¡¯s good enough at it for both of us.¡±

    The duke made a noncommittal sound and moved on. He was probably thinking that if Nem were so good at land management, why were they so poor? Regis almost laughed, thinking about the irrigation system overhaul. The Duke had no idea.

    As they rose from breakfast Charlotte stopped, as if remembering something. ¡°Nem, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you about something. Would you walk with Regis and me?¡±

    Nem almost looked resigned as she agreed. As soon as they were all but alone in a hall, walking to the library, Charlotte looked at her.

    ¡°Will you hate me for even offering to steal your brother for the snows?¡±

    Something in Regis¡¯ chest was suddenly warm, and lighter. If he were more sentimental he¡¯d have said his heart leaped.

    ¡°I could hardly hate you,¡± Nem said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard too much good about you over the years.¡±

    Regis felt himself color badly, but fortunately Charlotte was walking between Nem and him, and turned toward Nem.

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss him,¡± Nem said, ¡°and you¡¯ll have to deal with him missing me, but it¡¯s all his decision.¡± They both looked at Regis.

    ¡°You know I¡¯ll go,¡± he said, and Nem sighed. Regis raised his eyebrows at her. ¡°Do you really want me there? Besides, you¡¯ll be able to sigh dramatically over dinner and bemoan my absence while hinting at him that he might become someone you care about enough to bemoan the absence of just as much¡ª¡±

    Nem¡¯s cheeks had flushed, but she was laughing. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even thought of that. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Just keep in mind he¡¯s a strategist,¡± Regis said. ¡°If you try to play him he¡¯ll see it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve said that five times already.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t listening.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Charlotte was listening with a younger smile than she usually wore around anyone else but him, and when Nem saw it she blinked, making it disappear immediately.

    ¡°Well,¡± Charlotte said as they got to the door, ¡°I have work, but thank you, Nem. Perhaps you¡¯ll come see him after the flooding.¡±

    Regis wondered if she¡¯d meant that implication.

    <hr>

    ¡°Regis.¡±

    At the warning tone Regis did not look up at the door. Nem had opened the door to his room, where he was packing the few things he had.

    She shut the door. ¡°I told her it wouldn¡¯t help you.¡±

    Then he looked up at her. ¡°Did you tell her it would harm me?¡±

    ¡°I had to admit it wouldn¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°No more than a small amount, added to the overall¡ªand then she looked guilty. I think she¡¯s taking you because she likes you.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s told me she likes me around,¡± he said.

    ¡°I mean more than enjoys your company,¡± Nem said.

    He shook his head. ¡°I think it¡¯s because she enjoys my company.¡±

    ¡°She likes you,¡± Nem said, ¡°I know she does.¡±

    ¡°She might,¡± Regis said, going back to packing so she wouldn¡¯t see him blush¡ªnot that it mattered. She knew he was. ¡°Either way it wouldn¡¯t have an effect on her choice. She¡¯s practical.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Nem asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t I believe that?¡±

    Regis stopped and looked at her in confusion.

    ¡°You think she is?¡± Nem asked. ¡°So far, aside from hearsay of her practicality in government, she¡¯s decided to let you spend a week with her, added a week, and is now inviting you to stay with her for the snows. With the amount of security she has, and what I think that means, none of that is practical.¡±

    ¡°She can be impulsive,¡± Regis said, ¡°but she¡¯s been thinking about inviting me for at least three days, and as far as I can tell if it takes more than a few seconds her decision is mostly practical.¡±

    ¡°Then I don¡¯t know why she is,¡± Nem said.

    ¡°She likes my company,¡± he said again.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a practical reason,¡± Nem said.

    Regis considered. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, ¡°actually I think it is. Why it is . . .¡± he stopped, acutely aware of the moment, ¡°is not mine to tell.¡±

    There was a silence as Nem took it in, too. It was the first time they hadn¡¯t been completely open with each other at least since their parents died, if not longer.

    Nem¡¯s eyes filled with tears.

    ¡°Nem¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back after the flooding,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯ll figure everything out and I won¡¯t be useful anymore, just a liability¡ªso no matter how much she likes me I won¡¯t be able to stay. That will likely happen long before the floods, maybe even within the next few weeks. Then I can¡¯t tell you how much I¡¯ll miss you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re both off to risk our hearts¡ªyou with obvious heartache at the end, me too much of a possible heartache for my liking.¡±

    ¡°Do you like him that much?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°He left this morning,¡± Nem said, ¡°and I talked to him for another minute. I think I might.¡±

    She helped him finish packing and ordered him not to worry about research for her irrigation system unless he needed a horribly boring distraction.

    ¡°I wish I could make you another suit,¡± she said as they tied up his box. ¡°The snows are the second largest social event months.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Regis said. He¡¯d been trying not to think about it, but at least his one nice suit was a neutral black with minimal decorations. It wouldn¡¯t be quite so obvious if he wore it two nights in a row. He hoped that was all he¡¯d need.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you with the emergency funds I have,¡± she said.

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°You take it or I¡¯ll ask the princess to keep it for you.¡±

    ¡°Neeeem.¡±

    ¡°Get another suit,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe two. Pay it back with being happy when you wear them.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªthey¡¯re the emergency funds.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only one of the stashes,¡± she said. ¡°I forget how many more we have. If that¡¯s the case this counts as an emergency.¡±

    Regis looked at her helplessly, but he didn¡¯t have any money of his own, and if he wanted to appear at social events he¡¯d need the proper clothes. He hated it, but she was right.

    ¡°Be happy while you can be,¡± Nem said. ¡°Please.¡±

    ¡°And don¡¯t let him break your heart,¡± Regis said. ¡°If he does what a pair we¡¯ll make after the floods.¡±

    They could each crack a smile at that, but the possibility was too real for anything more.

    <hr>

    ¡°I¡¯d forgotten,¡± Charlotte said as they rode, ¡°how unbelievable you are. I saw what you ate at breakfast. Did you at least have a snack?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Regis said. ¡°I am getting a little hungry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost lunch time,¡± Charlotte said, ¡°and I¡¯m famished. How you can be in love when you¡¯ve seen how much I eat is beyond me.¡±

    Regis blinked. ¡°Why would that mean anything?¡±

    ¡°My ladies tell me it does,¡± she said.

    Regis didn¡¯t say that the more he heard about what her ladies-in-waiting told her the less he liked their advice.

    Regis was given a full serving for lunch, but he ate only a portion, and when Charlotte had finished hers but was denied more by food rationing¡ªRegis thought they should have planned more carefully if Charlotte was involved, unless her ladies had planned it¡ªhe offered his mostly-full plate.

    ¡°I must be honest,¡± she said, taking it with a rueful grin, ¡°I was about to ask you. Really, how did you develop any muscle with those portions?¡±

    Regis could only shrug, and Charlotte shook her head at him in wonder.

    ¡°By the way,¡± she said, ¡°I haven¡¯t noticed you practicing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been distracted,¡± he said. ¡°Whatever small share of Irene¡¯s gift I have has gone to keeping up what I¡¯ve gained.¡±

    Charlotte carefully swallowed her bite and took a sip of water before fixing him with a cold stare. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t lose anything from skipping a few days,¡± he said.

    ¡°What about a whole week?¡± she asked.

    Regis shook his head, trying to figure out her expression.

    ¡°How long does it take?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never gone longer than a month at most,¡± he said.

    ¡°Of all the¡ª¡± she cut off and took a large bite, the cold thawing into sulky. ¡°I didn¡¯t get that,¡± she said once she could talk again.

    ¡°It could be a slightly different magic,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it before, but it seemed unlikely.¡±

    ¡°I choose to believe that,¡± Charlotte said, ¡°and not that Irene¡¯s gift jilted me for some sixteenth cousin or whatever you are.¡±

    At that Regis laughed, and after a moment Charlotte gave a small smile.

    ¡°I notice if I miss a day,¡± she said. ¡°At least magic doesn¡¯t require constant practice to stay in the same place, much less move forward.¡± She made a face at him and then went back to her food.

 Chapter 9 - Attempt

    They got back to the palace late the next night, and Regis was exhausted, but first he went to the library. At night it was lit with wall-mounted candles and the fireplace, casting plenty of shadows, but ones he¡¯d always found friendly. Tonight was no different. He walked around, running his fingers over book bindings, thinking about which ones he might want to read if he was here all snows.

    When the door opened and Charlotte slipped in, he was unsurprised.

    ¡°Are you here to research irrigation systems?¡± she asked, walking over to him with a smile.

    ¡°Just to look,¡± he said. ¡°I missed it.¡±

    ¡°Me, too,¡± she said. ¡°I like to see it after traveling. I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m home until I¡¯ve been by.¡±

    ¡°Besides,¡± he said, ¡°Nem¡¯s forbidden me from researching for her unless I¡¯m very bored.¡±

    ¡°Then what will you read?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The history of Irene¡¯s war made me wonder how much I¡¯m missing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity she¡¯s not done with her abridged history, isn¡¯t it?¡± Charlotte asked, gesturing to the bookcase-door that led to the writing room. ¡°Actually, last time I talked to her she was fairly close¡ªnow I want to peek in on her, if she¡¯s there. If she¡¯s not she might have left her notes.¡±

    They walked over to the bookcase, and Regis started pulling on the indent¡ªand stopped, because he knew the library relatively well by now. He¡¯d been in and out of these small rooms plenty. He knew how heavy those doors were supposed to be¡ªand without actually moving the door a hair he knew there was too much weight. Something was pressing on the door from the other side.

    There were plenty of options. Plenty. Maybe it was the historian trying to keep Charlotte from getting close enough to steal a look at her work. Maybe someone had left a stack of books leaning against the bookcase for some reason. Maybe lots of things. The prickling on his skin was probably just the constant background of Geo¡¯s paranoia getting to him. And yet he could not help the suspicion¡ªsending his heartbeat fast and his bones cold¡ªthat there was someone who didn¡¯t want their presence known on the other side of the door, pressing their ear against the crack, listening in.

    ¡°What?¡± Charlotte asked, and her voice had gone quiet and sharp.

    Regis sensed it coming, but Charlotte was the one who whipped around and caught the arrow mid-flight. Then she dropped it a second before it caught fire.

    ¡°Geo!¡± she cried, grabbing Regis and running for the small table, which she grabbed, knocking a pile of books to the floor, and backed them against the nearest wall, using the table as a shield. They needed it. Arrows were coming from every which way, and exploding into flames barely after contact. Charlotte swung the table around as if it were a normal shield, moving so fast the wood was a blur to Regis. Only one arrow got through her defense, and it whizzed past them harmlessly. Regis wasn¡¯t sure the table would hold, but it was well made, and there were a few arrows that bounced off, if he heard right.

    Then the assault stopped, and in the dark and silence Regis finally reached for his sword¡ªit wasn¡¯t there. Charlotte handed him a knife.

    ¡°Where is he?¡± Regis whispered.

    ¡°Geo? That¡¯s what¡¯s worrying me most. By now he¡¯s usually swarming the room with guards. We¡¯re also missing every one of my magical guards.¡±

    ¡°How often does this happen?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°Attacks, or attacks that get through this far?¡±

    They were cut off by most of the candles flickering out, except for two right above them.

    ¡°Come on, Geo,¡± she muttered, ducking further down behind the table, but Regis didn¡¯t. He got up and snuffed the two candles, managing not to look at the flames straight so it didn¡¯t ruin what night-vision he had.

    ¡°Get down,¡± she hissed.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t going to help,¡± Regis said, trying to keep his voice calm. Every one of the bookcase doors was opening, and dozens of people¡ªall in dark clothes, masked, and armed to the teeth¡ªwere filing out as fast as they could, gathering in front of them. Regis and Charlotte were nearly on the opposite side of the room from the door, so the group had them pinned.

    ¡°Blast security,¡± Charlotte muttered, carefully looking out from behind the table. ¡°The archers won¡¯t be gone.¡±

    ¡°Archers are the least of your worries,¡± one of the men at the front of the group said.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Charlotte said, getting up and looking them over. ¡°How brave of you¡ªyou number almost forty. Actually, I¡¯m flattered you think it will take that many. Is it all for me, or were you taking Regis into account?¡±

    The six in front charged¡ªthe only ones that would be able to get at them, backed against the wall as they were¡ªand Regis gripped the knife. He¡¯d never been in a real fight before.

    Charlotte kicked the table into them and two stumbled, but the other four didn¡¯t pause. Charlotte took initiative on one, and Regis ducked their swings and managed to slip one of their swords from their grasp. Then he disarmed the other and sent them sprawling. The two Charlotte had kicked with the table were on them, and Charlotte, without hesitation, drove her knife into one¡¯s neck. Regis, with no choice, stabbed through the other¡¯s chest. He knew his mark, even if he¡¯d never dreamed of using the knowledge. The two he¡¯d tossed back were on them again, and more were only a second away.

    Had Charlotte said almost forty in total?

    Where was Geo?

    He and Charlotte working together managed to keep the attackers to few enough the two of them, and Irene¡¯s gift, could barely manage. Charlotte hissed as a knife grazed her cheek, but the man was down a second later. There were two against Regis at a time, with Charlotte focusing on two others, and they were too close for Regis to properly swing at. Their knives glittered in what little light came through the glass ceiling, staining the attackers in muted reds and greys. One fell. The other Regis could get rid of before he glanced back at Charlotte, who was grappling with a man who fell dead a second later. Charlotte almost lost her balance when the assassin¡¯s grip suddenly slackened, but she didn¡¯t and swung around to meet the next ones.

    By then there was light toward the door of the library, and Geo¡¯s voice was shouting something. The good thing was that the assassins were all masked, and the palace soldiers weren¡¯t. As soldiers poured into the library it was easy to tell the difference.

    Charlotte had the last assassin, and when for a moment one knife-holding hand was free and raised Regis panicked. She pushed the attacker over, again almost losing her balance at the sudden lack of response. She looked around, but there were only friendly faces dragging masked bodies back, and Geo bounding over.

    ¡°Are you wounded?¡± he asked.

    ¡°One graze,¡± she said, pointing to her cheek, ¡°and it feels normal. It shouldn¡¯t be poisoned.¡± She smiled tiredly at Regis before looking back at Geo. ¡°Without him here I¡¯d be dead.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Geo said, sounding mechanical and unconvinced. Charlotte took Regis¡¯ hand and pried the bloodied sword from it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.

    ¡°How is it possibly your fault?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You were with me,¡± she said. ¡°I should have left you with Nem.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you¡¯d be dead?¡± he asked.

    Charlotte looked undecided. ¡°I¡¯m still sorry you were in danger. If you¡¯re hurt I¡¯ll never forgive myself.¡±

    Regis looked down at his left hand. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was hurt, or if he had strained it somehow and it was someone else¡¯s blood. After a second of testing it, he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He was vaguely surprised that Charlotte had gotten wounded and he hadn¡¯t¡ªthough in retrospect they¡¯d been focusing her, and even Irene¡¯s gift had trouble with numbers.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    She breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Still, I¡¯m sorry. That was the first, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Regis looked down at the blood on the carpet¡ªstrangely refusing to soak in¡ªand nodded.

    A man with no weapons came up to Geo and whispered to him for a moment. Geo¡¯s forehead clouded, and he looked at Regis.

    ¡°What now?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°Can we at least move somewhere else? With water for washing up? I hate having blood on my hands.¡±

    ¡°First,¡± Geo said, looking at Regis, ¡°he¡¯s telling me there was an odd magic¡ª¡±

    ¡°We move first,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to spend another second in a bloodied library, because I don¡¯t want to think about it being bloodied. We¡¯re going.¡±

    She grabbed Regis¡¯ hand and pulled him through the crowd of soldiers, through the door, and down the soldier-lined hall where an obviously tired servant showed them to a sitting room. The carpet and chairs had been hurriedly pushed out of the way. The fire was lit. Charlotte immediately sat down in front of it and pulled off her reddened shoes.

    ¡°Really,¡± he said, sitting down facing her, ¡°how often does this happen?¡±

    ¡°Too often,¡± she said. ¡°You probably noticed I¡¯ve had to kill someone before. The first time assassins broke through and I didn¡¯t have a choice I was fourteen. Since then there have been dozens of similar incidents¡ªand Geo catches most of the attempts. There we are¡ªover here, please. I¡¯m not moving.¡± Two servants brought over a large bowl of clean water and set it between them before they retreated. Charlotte immediately put in her hands. After a moment Regis did, too, and watched the blood swirl off with the tiny whirlpools his hands made by pushing through the water. At least, some of it came off.

    Charlotte glanced up at the empty door. ¡°Good, for the moment no one¡¯s here. So, thank you. Geo will accuse you of all kinds of things if he can, but I don¡¯t believe it.¡±

    ¡°You might,¡± he said, still watching the blood. ¡°Irene¡¯s gift and whatever other fighting magic I might have aren¡¯t . . . . There¡¯s another one. I don¡¯t like to think about it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous enough to use in a fight?¡± she asked. Regis nodded. After a moment he accidentally looked up at her, and realized that she was watching him with an odd mix of gentleness and curiosity.

    He looked back at the water as it slowly turned opaque. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to do accidentally, and the triggers aren¡¯t anger or anything else known to be uncontrollable, but . . .¡± he tried to form the words, but he¡¯d only ever said them to Nem, and only in a whisper. ¡°I can kill with a look.¡±

    ¡°That explains the two who suddenly fell dead,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you can¡¯t do it accidentally.¡±

    ¡°There are five times the magic asks if that¡¯s really what I want to do,¡± he said. ¡°I can get through them all fast if necessary, but I have to be absolutely sure.¡±

    ¡°How did you find five?¡± she asked. ¡°I suppose it works on animals.¡±

    ¡°It could,¡± he said. ¡°I never had to go as far as . . . the end. I could tell¡ªI could always tell. The only reason I studied it at all instead of putting it away and carefully never thinking about it again was because at first I didn¡¯t know how nice it was¡ªthat is, how sure I have to be, how many layers there are. That and morbid curiosity, but it¡¯s too dangerous for much of that.¡±

    Geo¡¯s voice came from the door behind him. ¡°Interesting that you didn¡¯t mention this before.¡±

    Charlotte looked up at him with an ¡®are you serious?¡¯ look on her face. ¡°He¡¯d never be able to get close enough to break the illusion¡ªeven before he knew your security he¡¯d know that.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s suspicious,¡± Geo said.

    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s natural.¡±

    ¡°Charlotte,¡± he said, but a hard look came into her eyes, and after a moment of what was probably her staring him down, Geo sighed. ¡°You¡¯re determined to trust him, despite all of the less practical reasons that might be going into that decision?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said cooly. ¡°Unless you have some proof against him¡ª¡±

    ¡°Aside from keeping a killing secret¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªaside from this, he is innocent, my friend, and someone without whom I would be dead. I thank you for constantly believing everyone is guilty until proven innocent, since that¡¯s why I¡¯m still alive, but with Regis Setan I ask you to trust my judgment.¡±

    There was a surprisingly short moment of silence before Geo¡¯s footsteps moved back, and after an imperious gesture, the door closed.

    ¡°He does trust you,¡± Regis said.

    ¡°You sound surprised.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize he could trust.¡±

    Charlotte laughed, but it was quiet, small, and short. ¡°He trusts me. He has to, anyway, since I¡¯m the princess. Now, is there a reason you¡¯re not looking at me?¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to?¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m scared that you¡¯d kill me?¡±

    The amusement in her voice did make him look up.

    ¡°I did just tell the captain of my guard I trust you¡ªI wouldn¡¯t lie about that. Or is it odd to meet anyone¡¯s eyes?¡±

    ¡°I . . . don¡¯t know,¡± he said. He¡¯d have said yes, but he found too much comfort in hers.

    Charlotte seemed to hesitate, but then a quiet knock sounded and the door opened to two servants carrying towels and a basin of clean water, along with soap, and blankets.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said as they set them down, and took the bloodied bowl away. Once the door was closed she grabbed the soap and started furiously scrubbing at her hands. ¡°Once, last year, they attacked right before an important dinner¡ªI was going to be sitting between two Madanian chieftains and across the table from Norln¡¯s crown prince. All three happened to love punctuality, too. I washed as fast as I could, but the entire night I was worried about the little crevices around the fingernails, and if I smelled like blood¡ªthe Madanian chieftains would know it immediately. Instead, poor men, I think they got too much lilac perfume. I used to love that, until I used it to cover blood.¡± She dropped the bar of soap in the water and held up her dripping hands for inspection. ¡°I think beneath my fingernails can wait.¡± She washed her face quickly and then smiled at him around the towel as she dried off. ¡°You see I¡¯m an expert at cleaning up. My ladies are experts at taking blood out of clothing, too. It happens, I don¡¯t die, and then¡ªpoof¡ªevery sign of it is gone.¡± Her smile faded. ¡°I hate it.¡±

    Regis watched her for a moment more, trying not to think much.

    ¡°Come on,¡± she said, taking his hands and pulling them under the water. ¡°I know, but it doesn¡¯t get any easier to clean up.¡± After another moment he tried to pick up the soap, but his hands were shaking too badly. Charlotte took them and held them tightly. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± she said.

    ¡°What is?¡± he asked. ¡°That they¡¯re gone?¡±

    ¡°Well, that, too, but I meant that it¡¯s alright to be shocked.¡± She squeezed his hands and then took her hands out of the water to wipe them on her towel and got up to get one of the blankets.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± he said, but she acted as if she didn¡¯t hear him, and tucked it around his shoulders.

    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± she said, sitting back down and pushing his hands underwater again. He didn¡¯t say anything as she washed his hands for him, even taking time for the fingernails. By the time she was finished he¡¯d calmed down enough to wash his face himself. He still kept his face buried in the towel for a moment longer than he might otherwise need to. He heard Charlotte move the bowl and scoot closer.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, putting the towel down. ¡°I¡ª¡±

    She kissed him.

    For a moment Regis couldn¡¯t think of a thing except maybe she was still trying to say sorry for being the object of assassination attempts, then he didn¡¯t care, and for a minute he blissfully thought almost nothing.

    It was only when there was a knock on the door that he was jarred back to reality, and for a moment he doubted it was even real, because when he opened his eyes Charlotte had already pulled back and was looking, completely normally, up at whoever had opened the door.

    ¡°Anything new?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Geo said. ¡°A few were alive, but they were the type to put poison in capsules on their back teeth.¡±

    Charlotte sighed. ¡°Anything to trace back?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Geo said, ¡°but I don¡¯t have any real hope for it.¡±

    ¡°Keep in mind that they in all likelihood knew that I always go see the library before I sleep after time away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing so,¡± he said. ¡°Speaking of sleep, you have things to do tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Charlotte said. Geo paused, but then left again¡ªand closed the door after Charlotte raised an eyebrow at him.

    ¡°How do you sleep?¡± Regis asked.

    ¡°I have to trust,¡± she said. ¡°For a while I gave up on it, but it only made me more tired when I was awake. It wasn¡¯t worth it.¡±

    ¡°And . . .¡± he hesitated, trying not to blush. ¡°Did that actually happen?¡±

    Charlotte blushed prettily in the firelight. ¡°Well, yes¡ªI hope you don¡¯t mind, I know it¡¯s an odd time to pick, but¡ª¡±

    Regis only held up his hands to show her that they weren¡¯t shaking anymore.

    ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s why I thought . . . . anyway, I haven¡¯t even asked if seeing me kill so easily broke any illusions¡ª¡±

    Regis leaned in and kissed her, mostly because he could, but also because the idea of any illusion shattering, after everything else, was ridiculous. When he drew back she slowly opened her eyes, and smiled at him.

 Chapter 10 - Coats

    The library looked entirely normal.

    Regis paused for a moment after closing the door, looking over at the place where he and Charlotte had been backed against the wall the night before. The small table she¡¯d grabbed had been replaced¡ªand that was the only reason he knew anything was different. No blood on the carpet, no scorch marks from the fire arrows, nothing.

    Charlotte had meetings all day, he knew, and he¡¯d planned to spend the day there, but that was before. Still, the library wasn¡¯t something he wanted to be afraid of.

    Trust. Charlotte said that was what she had to do. So he took a deep breath and started browsing.

    Hours later, quick footsteps distracted him, and he looked over to see Charlotte running lightly up the spiral stairs. Regis met her at the top of the stairs, and then for a moment paused, but Charlotte seemed to pause at the same time, so they smiled a little. When he hesitantly held out his arms, she slipped into them.

    Regis held her close, breathing into her hair. ¡°I thought you had meetings all day?¡±

    ¡°I have a fifteen minute break before lunch,¡± she said. ¡°I got done with the Duke of Snowden early.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the one who likes things short and clear?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Charlotte pulled back to look over his face worriedly. ¡°Have you been here all morning?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be driven off,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to turn my back on empty spaces and focus on books.¡±

    ¡°I can tell,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re shaking.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± he sighed. ¡°But how does one not . . . worry is the wrong word.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± she said, brushing some of his hair out of his face. Her fingers were warm. ¡°It¡¯s alright to be scared.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be,¡± he said. ¡°Not enough to do this.¡± He held up one hand so she could see how badly it was shaking. She took it.

    ¡°You¡¯re ice cold,¡± she said. ¡°Come down to sit by a fire.¡±

    They went back to the first floor, and despite his protests Charlotte found a lap rug to put around his shoulders.

    ¡°No wonder you¡¯re shaking, you¡¯re still wearing short-sleeves,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s getting to the end of harvest.¡±

    ¡°It was warm enough this morning,¡± he said.

    She shook her head. ¡°I forgot to warn you¡ªhave you ever been further north during the snows?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think so. Since I got you into this I¡¯ll have someone make you some coats¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Do you have any?¡± When he hesitated she nodded as if that settled it.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay for my coats,¡± he said. That¡¯s what she meant.

    ¡°What if I want to?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I do have some money,¡± he said.

    She leaned closer to him, half serious, but that young, mischievous spark in her eyes. ¡°Bah.¡±

    Something about that made him laugh.

    ¡°Still,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m not that poor.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, but I want to,¡± she said.

    ¡°Charlotte¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s selfish, I promise,¡± she said, ¡°so you¡¯d be doing me a favor by accepting.¡±

    Regis raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± she said. ¡°I like you and I want you to be warm, and look nice¡ª¡±

    ¡°Charlotte¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be under so much scrutiny, after the story and I¡¯m still keeping you with me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Charlotte¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, sitting up straight, looking away with her nose in the air. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow.¡±

    Regis burst out laughing.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she said, batting at him, ¡°I¡¯m trying to make you melancholy that I¡¯m upset with you.¡±

    ¡°I saw you down to a t, didn¡¯t I?¡± he asked, still laughing. ¡°You¡¯ll think of better arguments and go after me again tomorrow until I either give in or you decide making me melancholy for another day works, in which time you¡¯ll think up more arguments¡ª¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were so dangerous,¡± she complained with the cutest pout he¡¯d ever seen. ¡°I¡¯ll never get my way around you.¡±

    The spark was back, and Regis eyed her warily. He knew as well as she did that knowing what she was doing didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t susceptible.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said, ¡°I have to go in a moment, but I forgot the best part about you never being farther north, aside from having to accept clothes as gifts¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to,¡± he said.

    ¡°¡ªit¡¯s that you¡¯ve never seen snow tunnels, or been to a ball in an ice cavern, or¡ªwell, you¡¯ve never seen the snows at their finest.¡±

    She¡¯d been eying the clock, and now she jumped up. ¡°I have to go, but¡ª¡± she hesitated, and then leaned down and kissed him softly before disappearing through the door.

    <hr>

    The snows descended the week after that, dozens of feet of thick, packed snow, and the evening after first construction on snow tunnels started Regis came back to his room to find two inconspicuous packages on one of the chairs. They were the right size, and Charlotte had been mischievous without an apparent reason for the hour they¡¯d just had together. After a moment he decided not to deal with them right then, and went to bed.

    In the morning, fortified by a reasonably good sleep, he opened the first one.

    ¡°Charlotte,¡± he muttered at the coat as he held it up. ¡°I don¡¯t like thinking about clothes.¡± It was probably exactly his size, and it was simple enough it wasn¡¯t obviously expensive. He tried it on, and yes, it fit perfectly. On the other hand, it made his other clothes look horrible¡ªand if it looked bad to him, he could only imagine how it would look to other people. Nem had always taken care of both of their clothes, so he¡¯d never given it more than a passing thought.

    The other one was a nicer coat, the kind you wore over nicer clothes. The foreboding feeling in his stomach only grew when he saw her again over breakfast. He couldn¡¯t ask her outright, but the hints of her mischievous look, and how she wasn¡¯t looking at him almost ever except with a completely bland expression, told him she knew exactly what he was thinking.

    He knew she had an hour free later, so he waited for her in the library, but he didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d say. It was enough that he didn¡¯t look up from the book he was scanning when he heard the door close and her footsteps. It was the first time he¡¯d done that, but it was her light footsteps on the stairs. Then she wrapped her arms around him from behind.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re mad at me,¡± she said, ¡°but I already had them made, so don¡¯t waste them¡ª¡±

    ¡°Charlotte¡ª¡± but when he turned around her smile was so wide he stopped. There was a hint of nerves in that smile.

    ¡°They¡¯re not so nice they¡¯re noticeable,¡± she said.

    ¡°How am I supposed to respect myself if you¡¯re dressing me?¡± he asked. Coats, he knew, would likely only be the beginning.

    ¡°I wondered if you were thinking that,¡± she said, and took his hands, holding them earnestly up between them, and turning serious. Almost princess serious. ¡°Regis,¡± she said, ¡°you can leave whatever I give you behind if¡ªwhen you go home,¡± she blushed fire at the slip, ¡°but for the snows you are mine.¡±

    He half suspected she slipped on purpose to throw him off balance and that, with her soft kiss, made it hard to argue.

    ¡°Just . . . nothing else,¡± he said.

    ¡°But you¡¯re from Setan,¡± she said, almost whining a little, ¡°so you won¡¯t have any of the right clothes.¡±

    ¡°Nem brought me some from home,¡± he said.

    ¡°Iles is too far south. You¡¯ll need something better. And I know you only have one suit.¡±

    ¡°Charlotte¡ª¡±

    She seemed to have realized kissing him threw him off balance enough she could convince him. ¡°You¡¯re here as my guest,¡± she said when she drew back, ¡°and since I didn¡¯t even warn you to bring better clothes, as your hostess it¡¯s my duty to see that the mistake is righted. And as for not respecting yourself, that¡¯s ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the best argument you have for that?¡± he asked.

    She pouted. ¡°You could man up and take it as a nice gift.¡±

    Regis laughed.

    ¡°Please?¡± she asked. ¡°Don¡¯t think less of yourself because I want you to look nice.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t care about looking nice,¡± he said.

    ¡°I do,¡± she said. ¡°So, to please me? Is it really that much of a blow to your pride?¡±

    Regis gave up. ¡°It won¡¯t always work,¡± he said. ¡°Nem gave up trying to manipulate me years ago when I learned her tricks too well.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t do something like have them made anyway again, and I will buy your acceptance with reason. Deal?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you can keep to that?¡± he asked.

    She considered. ¡°Unless it¡¯s really for your own good,¡± she said. ¡°If it gets really cold and you refuse all warm clothes to the point that you might actually freeze to death I will put my foot down. I¡¯ll talk to you about it first, though. That I can keep to.¡±

    She might, Regis realized, be more truly stubborn to a fault than Nem had ever been¡ªor himself¡ªbut somehow her seriousness over the subject and earnestness in wanting to be kind despite his opinion made him smile.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to learn quickly,¡± he said.

    ¡°You could ask Geo,¡± she said.

    ¡°If he¡¯ll tell me something more about you?¡±

    She seemed to think that was fair. ¡°You could ask my ladies.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t seem to like me very much, if I read their looks right.¡±

    ¡°Really? But they know I like you.¡±

    ¡°They probably think I have ulterior motives.¡±

    ¡°Bah.¡±

    She steered the subject far away from clothes for the rest of the hour, and when they parted Regis went straight to the writing room to start making notes.

    Her implication¡ªif he left¡ªmade his heart jump and his cheeks heat, but whether she¡¯d meant the implication or not, he should figure out how to at least match her stubbornness. As was he¡¯d spend at least the snows being gently bullied into what she wanted. He didn¡¯t mind some of that, especially since she¡¯d probably always look incredibly pleased to get her way, but he still felt uneasy about her buying him clothes, and they were two different people so they were bound to disagree on other things¡ªsome of them would be important. He didn¡¯t want to know how to win against her, but how to¡ªoh, the cliche¡ªwin with her.

    Regis twisted the quill in in his fingers for a while, staring at the blank paper. Maybe her implication was different than he thought, but . . . what if it wasn¡¯t? What if she wanted him to stay for much longer than the snows? What would that mean? And could he possibly hope that she meant . . . .

    After about an hour, her historian friend came in, and paused, looking at him uncertainly, he got up.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want¡ªI can come back later,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided I don¡¯t actually need to write anything,¡± Regis said. Besides, if he wrote out his thoughts he¡¯d have to burn the papers before anyone read them. ¡°The room is all yours.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Archery

    Charlotte continued to let her secretary deal with lesser meetings¡ªand after another week or so decided that his assistants were perfectly able to do that. She didn¡¯t seem bewildered by the extra time she had, either. At first she always found Regis, but after a while she started only offering to let him tag along for various activities¡ªshe even made him sit for drawing once, though that didn¡¯t last more than fifteen minutes. She still sought him out, but not as if she needed a distraction all the time.

    ¡°I figured something out,¡± she said as Regis watched her practice archery¡ªthe white snow glistening from the candlelight above the carefully sculpted field. ¡°I¡¯m not unhappy.¡± She let an arrow fly and it barely hit the target. She blew out her breath in frustration, pausing to consider the slowly drooping arrow in the target before choosing another. ¡°I was, but part of that was how hard I was working and how I knew I had to go back to the same old thing the next day. That and no one bluntly told me the meetings weren¡¯t important.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do that,¡± he said.

    ¡°No,¡± she said, drawing the bow back. ¡°If you¡¯d said it I¡¯d have hotly disagreed. You only strongly implied it.¡±

    ¡°You still disagreed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I had to give it a half second more of thought.¡± She was staring down the shaft. ¡°Not that implication always works better.¡± She let it fly, and this time the arrow solidly buried itself into the snow several feet behind the target. ¡°Maybe I should ask for lessons again,¡± she said.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Regis said, getting up and going over to the wall with extra bows.

    ¡°That¡¯s cheating,¡± she said.

    ¡°You already know it, don¡¯t you?¡± he asked, testing the feel of one of them. ¡°You only need to remember.¡± He came over and stole one of her arrows. ¡°Come on.¡±

    ¡°A bet?¡± she asked.

    Regis only rolled his eyes and made sure he was far enough away from her so they¡¯d both have room before notching the arrow and pulling the bow up. Charlotte mirrored him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you studied the bow, too,¡± she said.

    ¡°A little,¡± he said, and let go. The arrow was dead center. A moment later Charlotte¡¯s sliced it clean through the middle.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a little,¡± she said, taking another arrow and rolling out her shoulders as if to get comfortable in the stance. She shot another and hit the target solidly, though nowhere near the center.

    ¡°I like weapons,¡± he said.

    ¡°I thought you said it was only sword work?¡±

    Regis shook his head. ¡°When did I say that?¡±

    Maybe never and I assumed,¡± she said. ¡°That stupid muscle-memory magic. You can¡¯t be good at everything.¡± She stopped, letting an unfired arrow dangle from her fingers, and grinned. ¡°I know how ironic that has to sound coming from me, with the currently most powerful strain of Irene¡¯s gift, but that¡¯s the thing¡ªI cheat to get it. You don¡¯t, and you¡¯re a scholar-type. Are you perfect?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a jump,¡± he said.

    ¡°Is that a yes?¡± she asked.

    Regis blinked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a rhetorical question?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°Give me a fault of yours. It¡¯s not fair that you know everything about me.¡± As if to emphasize it, she turned and fired another arrow, almost as fast as she could pull her arm back, and it hit the center circle. It quivered as if in shock of its sudden transportation, and she turned to him.

    ¡°Nem would have a better list,¡± he said.

    ¡°Nem¡¯s not available, and besides, I¡¯m asking you.¡±

    Regis didn¡¯t like it. He avoided his faults when he could. But she was right that it wasn¡¯t fair to her. So he studied the bow in his hands, trying to focus on how well it was crafted. ¡°I¡¯m a coward.¡±

    Charlotte snorted. ¡°Yes, and you¡¯ve shown that admirably.¡±

    He looked up at her blankly, and she rolled her eyes. ¡°Asking for that week, fighting assassins¡ª¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°When I have a lot of time, or don¡¯t have any time, I¡¯m alright,¡± he said, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not terrified of it, and shy away for as long as I can.¡± He picked an arrow and rolled it in his fingers. ¡°I also may be actually ambitious-less. I keep trying to think about the future, but I can¡¯t get myself to focus, and when I can it¡¯s all about Nem, or¡ª¡± he barely stopped himself from adding ¡®or you.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m also selfish enough to want to keep the things I find most precious to myself instead of letting anyone else even touch them¡ªlike how I have to force myself to keep an open mind about this Chestern boy. If I¡¯m honest I might also have the ability to be badly jealous, because I¡¯m frightened, insecure about being able to keep those precious things when I don¡¯t myself own more worldly goods than the child of one of our stablehands, and no way to get any if I tried without turning mercenary or something equally terrible.¡±

    Without even thinking about it he pulled the bow back and shot the target, dead center again. The force finally knocked off the first arrow Charlotte had hit with.

    ¡°I¡¯ve also been called anti-social, but that¡¯s neither here nor there.¡±

    ¡°How could you possibly be anti-social?¡± she asked.

    Regis was carefully studying something in the target¡ªanything but look at her, after that little speech. ¡°I talk more around you than I usually do around Nem¡ªthough that¡¯s probably because we don¡¯t need to talk as much. Everyone else . . . I try to be polite, and I¡¯ve never been outright accused of being rude, but I don¡¯t tend to give much, or ask much. Is it a fault to be more interested in watching the world than grappling with change, even if it would be good? I¡¯ve always left that to Nem.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not afraid to be honest,¡± she said.

    ¡°Oh yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°Then it doesn¡¯t stop you.¡±

    He toyed with the bow for a minute before going back over to the snow wall and putting it back.

    ¡°Well,¡± she said, and he turned around in time to see her land another dead-center hit, ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask Nem after the floods, but I think you¡¯re doing yourself an injustice, the way you say that you¡¯re ambitious-less¡ªit may be partially true, but it¡¯s a lesser sin than it sounds like you think.¡±

    ¡°What if it means I don¡¯t do anything with my life?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I doubt that,¡± she said, and thoughtfully picked out three arrows, then twirled them around her fingers, firing one after another.

    ¡°If I have no ambition I won¡¯t chase it.¡±

    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t, I still doubt it. If you pick something you¡¯ll fight for it, and there are plenty of things to run across. Perhaps you¡¯ll visit Adife and see something that could be done, or get into Islentia, or maybe it will only be making sure Nem¡¯s irrigation system is the very best in Pearlessagate. Maybe a girl.¡± She said the last one almost quickly, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

    ¡°I already did that one,¡± he said, and she looked at him, as if remembering, and looked back at the target quickly with a blush. Most of the arrows were ruined from splitting down the dead center, and the shreds were lying on the ground in front of the target.

    ¡°Geo will have my hide,¡± she muttered, jogging over to gather the splinters up. Regis pushed her hands away and started picking them up himself.

    ¡°You do a lot of writing,¡± he said when she gave him an amused look.

    ¡°I¡¯m wearing gloves,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re not¡ªwhy aren¡¯t you wearing gloves?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be shooting,¡± he said.

    She pushed his hands aside and picked up the splinters herself. ¡°At least tell me you have them.¡±

    ¡°I have them,¡± he said. She glanced at him suspiciously. ¡°I do. I left them in my room. You saw them yesterday.¡±

    ¡°You call those gloves for more than slight warmth?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said. Charlotte pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m satisfied with them.¡±

    Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up with laughter. ¡°Does that translate to ¡®don¡¯t get me new ones?¡¯¡±

    ¡°If you insist on buying me things, it should probably be things I need, or at least don¡¯t have.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll let me buy you a suit?¡±

    Regis sighed. ¡°Must you?¡±

    ¡°The ball next week is the opening event of the snows season,¡± she said, ¡°and if nothing else the one you have is for warmer weather.¡±

    Regis sighed again, but didn¡¯t argue. She¡¯d already let his gloves go, and she likely considered that a concession.

    Besides, while he¡¯d rather pay for the suit himself, she was likely right that his light-weather suit would be too cold, and he¡¯d rather not spend the evening shivering and clenching his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering.

 Chapter 12 - The Snows Season

    In the end, he was glad he¡¯d let her buy him a new suit. She requested that he come with her¡ªnot be at the ball at the same time as her, but walk there with her, and escort her in. He purposefully didn¡¯t think about what that might mean. Then she gave him the first dance, and three of the other fifteen¡ªaside from the last, again, with him. At the same time as that, he had to concentrate on not being countrified and staring around at the icy cavern. As they walked home he finally asked her how any of it worked, and despite how tired he could tell she was¡ªand he was¡ªthey managed to walk back talking cheerily.

    The next morning, simply walking through the corridors of the palace, he was noticed. He¡¯d been glanced at before, but now three different people stopped to talk to him. He tried to be respectful and remember what rank they were, but fortunately the conversations were struck up casually, and were always short enough that it didn¡¯t matter.

    Once the library door was shut behind him, he leaned back against it, thinking.

    Charlotte knew politics. Something like what she¡¯d done at the opening ball of the season couldn¡¯t have been on accident. So openly it might even be considered a message.

    Regis picked up some books and chose a study room on the fifth floor before he gave it careful thought. He¡¯d been reading about the history of the past few years, with a pamphlet about recent interesting trade agreements slipped between the pages. Charlotte would laugh at him if she knew he had a strange liking for studying them. At least, he liked studying the good ones. The simple ones were as boring as anyone would think.

    If Charlotte knew what she was doing, why would she . . . flaunt him? Was she saying she could do what she wanted, spend time with whoever she wanted, even bring a poor, obviously delusional boy to escort her? Was she saying she was kind, to spend time with him when there was nothing that could ever come of it? No, those didn¡¯t sound like Charlotte¡ªexcept the part about doing whatever she wanted. Then had she simply decided it didn¡¯t matter?

    He thought about how she¡¯d acted since they¡¯d gotten back¡ªno, before. Since she¡¯d lightly asked Nem if she¡¯d hate her for stealing him.

    Charlotte was acting possessive.

    A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. It wasn¡¯t the bad kind, even though it was a little annoying when she insisted on buying him clothes¡ªthough she¡¯d kept her word and hadn¡¯t gotten him anything without talking to him about it first, and getting him to agree. Certainly if he wanted to leave he knew she¡¯d let him, though she wouldn¡¯t be happy about it, and he thought if he kept saying no to every request to buy him something she¡¯d leave it alone¡ªwith a pout. So a little controlling and possessive, yes, she was, but in the end he¡¯d already known that, and at that degree it didn¡¯t really bother him.

    What he hadn¡¯t known was that he was something she¡¯d care enough to be possessive about.

    ¡°What are you grinning about?¡±

    Regis looked up to see Charlotte standing there, her head tilted a little with a smile on her face. Her young smile.

    ¡°You,¡± he said.

    <hr>

    It went the same way for the rest of the snows. If there was an event they would both attend, he escorted her. She continued to insist on buying him things, and after a while he stopped minding¡ªthough he staunchly refused to let her use gold embroidery on anything. She had a glee about her every time he let her buy him something else, until he realized that she was simply happy that she could. Still, shortly before the season ended and Charlotte asked him which one of his suits he¡¯d wear to the final ball, he realized he didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d do if Nem found out Charlotte had bought him five.

    It was the day before the final event that Charlotte officially stopped caring about who saw them kiss. They were in an open hall, as she was about to enter some meeting, and she kissed him goodbye for the morning. He didn¡¯t even think about it until after he¡¯d started walking toward the library, and a few servants were peeking at him out of the corner of their eyes.

    At that point Regis was used to the spectacular caverns where events were held, and only admired the chandeliers as much as everyone else did. Charlotte asked him to dance even more than usual, and he never hesitated to accept. He knew what people thought it meant, but either way, he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to care what they thought.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Afterward, to his surprise, she didn¡¯t say goodnight at the junction where their rooms were in separate directions. Instead she asked him if he¡¯d sit with her for a while.

    Charlotte¡¯s apartments were vast, and heavily decorated. She had one sitting room she¡¯d chosen, and pulled him down onto a couch next to her, shooing one of her ladies to shut the door behind them. Regis raised his eyebrows. They usually weren¡¯t allowed to be alone outside of the library. Then Charlotte turned to him, and took his hands. To his surprise, she looked a little pale, and maybe nervous. His heart automatically started to beat faster, no matter what he told himself.

    ¡°Regis,¡± she said, ¡°could you do something for me?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s something difficult,¡± she said, ¡°and dangerous¡ªso dangerous¡ªand it¡¯s bound to be unpleasant at least half of the time. Not only that, the worst part will start much sooner because of something I lied to you about¡ª¡±

    Regis squeezed her hands, trying not to hope.

    ¡°It could get you killed,¡± she said.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked again, and she took a breath¡ªthen let it out. Her cheeks were pink, and she looked so nervous, so Regis leaned in and kissed her.

    Charlotte kissed him back, and for a while neither of them worried about much.

    Then she pulled back¡ªjust enough to say something. ¡°I want you to marry me.¡±

    Regis could only grin, and kiss her again.

    When the clock struck a quarter hour they both pulled back, blushing. Regis couldn¡¯t help but think that it had been at least fifteen minutes, if not more, that they¡¯d been alone in the room together. Her ladies were going to talk.

    ¡°Wait,¡± he said, ¡°what would be unpleasant?¡±

    ¡°Assassins,¡± she said. ¡°And having to deal with me sometimes. You¡¯re sweet about it, but I know I already¡ª¡±

    Regis rolled his eyes, and she laughed. Then her smile died. ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask what I lied to you about?¡±

    Regis looked down at their hands, still in each others¡¯. ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me that your mother isn¡¯t actually alive anymore?¡±

    When she was silent he looked up. She looked surprised.

    ¡°How did you know?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The way you talk about her,¡± he said. ¡°That and how you never visit her.¡±

    ¡°I do pretend to,¡± she said. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡±

    ¡°I can tell when you¡¯ve been working,¡± he said, ¡°and when you come back from supposedly visiting her you¡¯ve always been working.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s hard to hide anything from you,¡± she said. ¡°Which I don¡¯t mind. Will you mind if I¡¯m telling you what I think you should be doing with your life?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be king,¡± he said, and for a moment she froze. ¡°Not like most kings¡ªand I¡¯d also rather not be called that. King Regis Regis would be too much.¡±

    She relaxed. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be that kind of power,¡± he said. ¡°I can support you and try to help you make decisions, but I can¡¯t take more of your burden than that.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s all I want,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been acting as queen since I was thirteen¡ªI know, thirteen, but we had to keep her death a secret and if we don¡¯t know who to trust now we certainly didn¡¯t then, so no regent. Anyway, I¡¯ve been acting as queen for nearing on five years, and I know how I work, how I make decisions, and how I do things seems to be working well. What I need is someone to spend time with when I¡¯d otherwise be micromanaging, to talk to when I can¡¯t make any kind of sense of something, to smile at me when I¡¯m frustrated and¡ªI just need someone to keep me going. You balance me, Regis.¡±

    Regis was smiling. ¡°Then I won¡¯t have to try to change what¡¯s apparently my natural state¡ªof simply observing and doing something quiet about what I see.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Charlotte squeezed his hands. ¡°That¡¯s the point, isn¡¯t it? That I want you for who you are.¡±

    ¡°Then you have me, hand and heart,¡± he said simply.

 Chapter 13 - Nems Here

    Nem arrived only a day after her letter, and Regis almost flew to the stables when he heard she was there. The siblings embraced and didn¡¯t let go for a while. Then they held each other at arms¡¯ length and studied.

    ¡°You¡¯re either so horribly lonely you¡¯re ecstatic to see me, or any other emotion and still ecstatic to see me,¡± Nem said, and Regis laughed.

    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t look underfed, so is it a safe assumption you¡¯re not in the throes of agony?¡±

    ¡°Very safe,¡± she said, and he raised his eyebrows. ¡°Let¡¯s get inside, shall we? Then maybe you¡¯ll tell me where you got those boots.¡±

    Regis looked down and found to his embarrassment that he was wearing some of the boots Charlotte had given him. He¡¯d been planning on carefully wearing all old clothing. He¡¯d just been surprised, since her letter said she wouldn''t be arriving for at least half a week, so he hadn¡¯t thought about it.

    Nem¡¯s room was next to his, but she demanded to talk in his. With a sigh, he agreed, and when she demanded where his boots came from admitted the truth.

    ¡°You what?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I did not have much of a choice,¡± he said. ¡°Especially after she decided she was going to take me to every event possible.¡±

    Nem was staring at him, so he told her what happened at the first ball. ¡°And the rest of the season?¡± she asked.

    ¡°About the same,¡± he said.

    ¡°Regis,¡± she said, ¡°you realize¡ª¡± she cut off at his smile. It had been a month, and he was still happier than he¡¯d ever been. With Nem there he couldn¡¯t imagine being happier.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, ¡°tell me what else is going on.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about this Chestern boy first.¡±

    Nem blushed. ¡°Um, actually¡ª¡±

    Regis raised his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re engaged?¡±

    ¡°Well, actually¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not already married¡ª¡±

    ¡°No! You have to meet him first.¡±

    Regis studied her blushing smile, and her bright eyes. ¡°He makes you happy?¡±

    Nem nodded. ¡°He does. When can you meet him?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°I wanted to talk to you about that¡ªI assume it would be easier if I were back in Setan.¡±

    Nem pursed her lips. ¡°Are you ever going back?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to at least once,¡± he said, and Nem sighed, but with a smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re not coming back to stay.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said, trying to stop his smile. He did love the Setan estate, and he didn¡¯t like the idea of being separated from Nem so much, but if he knew she was happy, and if he had Charlotte to take care of, he¡¯d be fine.

    ¡°So . . .¡± Nem was waiting.

    Regis wanted to say it¡ªso badly¡ªbut it still felt so new, and they hadn¡¯t told anyone. He felt oddly shy about it.

    ¡°You¡¯re engaged?¡± she guessed, and Regis nodded happily.

    ¡°I knew she meant to keep you,¡± Nem said. ¡°She actually knows you by now, doesn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said.

    ¡°And she knows . . . ?¡±

    Regis looked away and nodded. He¡¯d forgotten that he hadn¡¯t seen Nem since that night in the library. It felt odd that it mattered, but it did.

    Nem took his hands and he looked back at her. ¡°Will you be alright?¡± she asked.

    ¡°More than alright,¡± he said.

    ¡°She¡¯s not accidentally walking all over you?¡±

    Give me a little more credit than that,¡± he said. ¡°If I come at things from the side instead of being confrontational she¡¯ll listen, and you know I¡¯m not confrontational to begin with.¡±

    ¡°And¡­ will you be safe?¡±

    At that he fell silent, but only for a moment. He¡¯d thought about it. ¡°Possibilities don¡¯t change facts.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Do you remember when we were kids, and we¡¯d find a snake?¡±

    Nem pursed her lips. She¡¯d been scared of snakes¡ªshe still didn¡¯t like them, but she could do something about them herself. Back then he¡¯d always picked them up and moved them outside the walls.

    ¡°Do you remember that ridiculously sized snake we found one year?¡±

    Nem still paled a little at the memory. They¡¯d been playing in a corner of a garden when they¡¯d seen it, and it had blocked their escape by its sheer bulk¡ªand by how neither of them wanted to run by it. They¡¯d ended up killing it, partially because they¡¯d both been warned about that specific kind of snake, that it was poisonous, but they couldn¡¯t have done it without the other there. Nem had always been convinced that if either of them were alone they would have died.

    ¡°So you¡¯re volunteering?¡± she asked, getting the implication. She knew the security around Charlotte was there for a reason.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Nem sighed. ¡°I¡¯d better not lose you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be on the border of Adife,¡± he said. Then he paused. ¡°What are we doing about Setan? It¡¯s too far from there.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to ask you about that,¡± she said. ¡°I have this idea, but you¡¯ll have to meet him first.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be glad to meet him,¡± Regis said, and Nem grinned at his tone.

    ¡°He¡¯s a lovely boy,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s also shy, so give him more than five seconds.¡±

    They had a private lunch with Charlotte, who was also still on something of a high, and hugged Nem as soon as the door was closed and she didn¡¯t have to act as much like a princess.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, ¡°but I¡¯m not sorry. I need him.¡±

    ¡°Make him happy,¡± Nem said.

    Charlotte looked beyond Nem to Regis with a dubious expression. ¡°Well, he seems willing to let me try.¡±

    ¡°You keep thinking you¡¯re annoying,¡± Regis said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why.¡± Charlotte smiled prettily.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down,¡± she said.

    ¡°You¡¯re not already hungry,¡± Regis asked as he helped her into her chair. ¡°You ate five hours ago.¡±

    ¡°Torture,¡± Charlotte assured him. ¡°Oh, look, they¡¯ve set out the new silverware.¡± She picked up the fork to inspect it as he took his own seat. ¡°I think they came out nicely.¡± She hefted the knife. ¡°Yes, I like these. I¡¯ll look forward to seeing them next month.¡±

    Nem paused.

    ¡°Charlotte has different place settings every meal,¡± Regis said. ¡°There aren¡¯t as many silverware, so they completely rotate every month or so.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Nem asked.

    ¡°I keep meaning to ask,¡± he said, looking at Charlotte, ¡°if you have different sets for your snacks.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Though that¡¯s a smaller rotation. I move around a lot when it¡¯s only a snack, so they can¡¯t be to easily breakable. These,¡± she picked up a goblet and studied the glass with gold designs on it, ¡°would break in an instant.¡±

    Nem asked about the snow season, and Charlotte started telling her about it, talking about Regis being there as if it were as normal as anything. He smiled to his glass when he thought of how it really was.

    ¡°Regis?¡±

    He looked up at Charlotte, who was smiling softly at him. ¡°What are you smiling about?¡±

    Regis considered, but then shrugged and said the truth, despite how much he blushed at saying it with Nem there. ¡°You.¡±

    And Charlotte went prettily pink.

    ¡°I have to ask,¡± Nem said to Charlotte, ¡°are you going to call him King?¡±

    Regis put a hand over his eyes with a groan, and Charlotte giggled.

    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m actually surprised your parents didn¡¯t see that one coming¡ªRegis Regis¡ªoh dear.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Nem said, looking back and forth between them, ¡°you know about that?¡±

    ¡°I pried it from him,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°I hear you¡¯re going to be a duchess and convert Adife to our culture?¡±

    Nem burst out laughing. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°The best case scenario is that they don¡¯t know who I am because they have no interest in the borders.¡±

    Charlotte raised her eyebrows. ¡°Setan isn¡¯t on the border.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Nem said. ¡°Regis has to meet him, but I have tentative plans.¡±

    ¡°What about Setan?¡± Charlotte asked, with a hint of the princess.

    ¡°I have no intention of abandoning Setan,¡± she said. ¡°I still have my irrigation system overhaul.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Charlotte said, the hint of princess gone. ¡°Chestern¡¯s rich enough to finance that. Even if not, I can do something about it¡ªor Regis, I suppose, if you don¡¯t want me paying for the most necessary things, either. He¡¯ll have his own stipend.¡±

    ¡°I hope not too much,¡± he said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know what to do with it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re not even technically official, yet.¡± She looked at Nem. ¡°We wanted to wait for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Nem said in surprise. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Also,¡± Charlotte¡¯s mouth quirked to the side with a dark look at her steak¡ªonly Charlotte, Regis thought, would have two large steaks for lunch, ¡°after the announcement . . .¡± she looked at him in worry. ¡°I¡¯d rather you not leave.¡±

    Regis nodded. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re thinking about letting me go at all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± she said with a sigh, ¡°but Geo assures me you should be safe enough for now.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well, he¡¯ll send some security,¡± she said, ¡°but minimal. He¡¯s uneasily decided that they¡¯re set back a ways for now.¡±

    ¡°Can I know a little more?¡± Nem asked. ¡°I¡¯ve only gotten dark hints.¡±

    ¡°Oh, some large group really wants to kill me,¡± Charlotte said. ¡°Regis already found himself in the way of their fire once, but we made it out.¡± She went silent.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably good,¡± he said, ¡°so I definitely know what I¡¯m facing.¡±

    Nem was watching him with more blatant worry than usual. ¡°Was that when . . .¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said.

    There was a moment of silence, before Charlotte set her utensils down. Regis looked over at her to see her staring a little wistfully at her empty plate. He handed his over, and with a little laugh she took it.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just ask for more?¡± Nem asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like to make them get more ready than I need,¡± she said, ¡°but lately I¡¯ve been eating even more than usual.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not sitting in meetings all day,¡± Regis said. ¡°Is Geo allowing us to ride later?¡±

    ¡°It took some convincing,¡± she said, the mischievous spark in her eye, ¡°but yes.¡±

    Regis grinned, and wished it wouldn¡¯t be so awkward to simply tell her he loved her in front of his sister.

 Epilogue

    Epilogue

    Regis and Charlotte married on her eighteenth birthday. It was a more somber marriage than had been publicly planned, because the week before the event the crown announced that the queen had succumbed to her sickness. The country was in mourning, which allowed Charlotte to finally wear the black of mourning and semi-publicly be upset that her mother wouldn¡¯t be there for the wedding¡ªsomething Regis knew she¡¯d been struggling not to show throughout the entire planning process. She¡¯d spent more time than she wanted being silent and still while Regis held her.

    From tradition Charlotte would be crowned on her eighteenth birthday¡ªthe day she came of age¡ªso they held the wedding in the morning, and that evening Charlotte donned a different gown¡ªfar more jewel encrusted than the white vision she¡¯d worn down the aisle¡ªand the crown was officially placed on her brow.

    No one asked why she didn¡¯t entitle her new husband King.

    No one quite knew what to do with Regis at first. He was the Prince Consort, but he didn¡¯t dabble much in politics, and only attended court when there was something of particular importance¡ªlike a new noble being introduced, or a noble with a new title such as the newly minted Lady Setan-Chestern. Mostly he was seen by the queen¡¯s side or not at all¡ªit was thought that he was probably in the library, which he was known to have a fondness for. A few wondered, as they had since the first, if Queen Charlotte simply wanted someone to adore her¡ªas he clearly did¡ªbut the sharper-eyed said they weren¡¯t convinced.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The patterns emerged only overtime. Queen Charlotte might be angry about something, but she¡¯d spend a few days thinking it over and her anger would abate¡ªsometimes shockingly quickly depending on how angry she¡¯d been. Then sometimes she¡¯d make a too-quick decision, and over the next few weeks her decision became more nuanced or¡ªvery occasionally¡ªchanged altogether. Either way, her reasons were rational and obviously well discussed.

    The court still didn¡¯t know what to do with the prince consort, but most gradually began to approve of him as a steadying force in their energetic and strong-minded queen¡¯s life. Most in the know found it worthwhile¡ªshould they find themselves on the wrong side of the queen¡¯s opinion¡ªto seek him out and explain the situation as they saw it and their reasons. In the conversation itself he always upheld the queen¡¯s position in calm, reasonable tones, but sometimes in later confrontations with the queen it seemed like someone had gotten her to listen to at least the more reasonable counter-arguments.

    The story stayed, of course. The boy who had loved the princess from afar and fought for years to get a chance to free himself¡ª and from there the tellings diverged. Some said he must have seen her truly. Others said he¡¯d seen her wrong, but quickly learned to love the true her. There were even a few who thought it was a long-standing secret engagement from his time at court when he was younger, and the sensational story was to cover up why she was marrying one of the poorest and least important nobles in the entire country.

    No matter what, though, one thing was clear: the queen¡¯s consort loved his wife dearly, she loved him dearly in return, and when they stood together they looked very much like they could take on the world.