No doubt Kelk Harbor had been thrown into a state of turmoil. Sending Sauslind’s crown prince to quell the confusion was the surest way to maintain good relations with Miseral. Snubbing our ally or putting them on the back burner could potentially leave an opening for overseas forces to exploit. Sauslind was a wealthy nation; as a trade-off, other countries were always waiting for us to slip up.
I understood that on an intellectual level, but my heart knew no reason. It begged me not to let him go—not after we’d just been reunited. Not after we’d just remembered the priceless joy of being together.
“Take me with you.”
“Eli...”
I couldn’t stop myself from vocalizing my feelings, and His Highness stared back at me in dismay. I knew I had my own duties to attend to, as the prince had things that only one of his station and importance could do. It was wrong of me to be so selfish. But still...
Flinging myself into his chest like I had done once in the past, I cried out in protest. His Highness’s surprised reaction was identical to the last time I had done this. However, the me of the present wanted more than anything to speak the words that could only be uttered within the magic of darkness.
“Don’t go anywhere. Stay here with me. Don’t leave.”
The bliss I’d felt over His Highness’s coming to see me had vanished into thin air; I felt even more heartbroken than I had before his visit. He gently hugged me back, as if to say he sympathized with what I was feeling. When he gave me a soothing pat on the head, I felt absolutely wretched.
That was when he said, “The truth is...I’d been planning to bring this up later, thinking it might put too much of a burden on you...”
I lifted my face to look up at him, and he offered me a small, subdued smile. It was then that I realized that this was something he was reluctant to talk about.
“I believe my father’s haste to retake the throne was in part out of consideration for mother’s position. You see...I’m fairly certain my mother is going to be forced to retire. Going forward, she will be making far fewer public appearances. We’re going to need a new leader—both in the inner palace and in high society.”
It took me a few moments to process the meaning of his words, and when I did, my emotions swung from one extreme to another. None of this was Queen Henrietta’s fault; she had played no part in the conspiracy. Unfortunately, her blood ties wouldn’t allow the matter to end there. Neither would high society or the central figures and political agendas of Sauslind. With respect to the queen’s standing and personal feelings, this wasn’t good news. Still, there was a chance that this might move up our wedding ceremony, which we’d expected to be postponed...although that would be very unorthodox.
As I stood there looking helpless, unsure of how to react, His Highness smiled at me. He ruffled my hair, and a flash of mischief crossed his face. “So, Eli, consider my time away a short reprieve. You aren’t going to have another chance to catch your breath for a long time to come. Brace yourself.”
His smile was full of the fearless confidence that I had come to know him for. The sight of it finally brought a blush to my cheeks, and I blurted out my answer in my joy—an unflinching, affirmative reply.
Just then, the sound of a knock echoed through the room. Selma called out to me in that stern voice of hers.
“I noticed the imperial guards have been acting strangely. May I come in?”
Judging by her tone, she clearly assumed someone else was in the room. After I hastily shot back a request for her to wait a moment, I belatedly wondered aloud how His Highness had managed to sneak all the way here in the first place. He shut down that line of questioning with a smile...and that was all the answer I needed. There wasn’t an imperial guard in the world who could disobey the crown prince.
He then captivated me with a devilish grin. “I have a request to make of you, Eli.”
I nodded back at him, taking the matter seriously. Was it something he wanted me to handle while he was away from the palace? Or something related to the epidemic? Or perhaps he had something else on his mind?
When he saw how earnest I looked in his arms, His Highness laughed with delight. “Make sure to send me that letter, Eli.”
“Oh!”
I forgot about that! I thought, reminded of the page I was still clutching to my chest. It was good and crumpled by now, so I’d have to start from scratch. And this time, I’d have to write something more personal than the business correspondence I’d started out with... I was embarrassed by the mere idea of it.
That was when His Highness made a proposal. “I’ll bring you back a souvenir in exchange.”
“What?”
“I’m going all the way to the harbor, so I might as well. I could scrape together foreign travel guides, logbooks both famous and obscure, novels popular with the housewives of Kelk, oh, or even exotic cookbooks.” He added that a book on craftsmen and their handiwork might do, or anything to do with plants, medicine, pharmaceuticals, religion, art, history—I just had to name it.
I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “I don’t need any books,” I said. Seeing his surprise, I explained that the royal archives alone were home to more books than I could ever hope to read.
The thought that there were so many books I’d yet to discover filled me with a sense of excitement and joy. However, in that moment, there was something I wanted more than any of those, and it was with that in mind that I made what was likely my first-ever request of His Highness. Part of me worried that since he was going there on an official job, it might be inappropriate of me to ask, or that I might be putting too much pressure on him, but I encouraged myself to follow my heart every now and then.
“I’d like you to bring me something from the harbor that strikes a chord with you.”
I wondered for a moment if I ought to change my request, realizing it sounded like something out of a foreign folk legend I’d read about a Moon Princess who made absurd requests of her suitors. Yet His Highness met my request with an immediate nod—and a vibrant smile.
“Certainly, my nightingale.”
~.~.~.~
Guess what, Miss Eli? I heard through the grapevine that Lord Alexei has been called back to the capital. I suppose it makes sense. He came along as your aide, but you’ve already returned to Saoura and reclaimed your rightful position; it raises the question of what he’s even still doing here.
The messenger who delivered the news was a real jerk. I guess there are plenty of people like that still stinking up the kingdom. It gives me a sense of how hard Prince Christopher and his men must work to keep everyone in line.
I mean, one of the victims of the epidemic was Lord Alexei’s own mother! He can’t leave until her condition improves—or he wouldn’t want to, anyway. Well, if nothing else, her prospects are looking good.
So, on that note, Miss Eli, back to my fourth bit of news!
Prince Theodore will be arriving at Ralshen within the next couple days. He’ll be assuming Lord Alexei’s duties of visiting the previous earl and handling other local affairs. Earl Ralshen has likewise agreed to all this.
Lord Alexei, Mabel, the Black Wing Knights, and I are all waiting for him to arrive before we set off. The Black Wing Knights’ original role was to escort your party, after all; they’ve done a lot for the people of Ralshen, but it seems they’re eager to get back to General Bakula.
In short, we’ll be heading back to the royal capital under the protection of the chivalric order. My time here has been exciting enough, but at the end of the day, I am your maid. Mabel seems more than ready to leave too.
It won’t be long now, Miss Eli. Soon I’ll be home with a bunch of souvenirs from Ralshen!
Love,
Lilia Storrev