Chapter 6
"Your Highness?"
Princess Yseldra turned to me and smiled again. "She and I share the same measurements. I simply have her wear my garments."
"D-does she know that you are… unlike other women?"
"Yes. Everyone within the palace knows," she replied brightly, unbothered in the least. "And you are the second outsider to know."
"W-who was the first?"
"A woman with crimson eyes. Entirely emotionless."
I paused, chewing the bit of steak she had so graciously placed in my mouth. Crimson eyes… that rare, striking trait. Only one house came to mind.
"The Duchess of Ivoryspire? Millicent Vaneeri?"
She gave a low chuckle. "Indeed. The very same."
Curiosity gently stirred within me. "And… how did she discover the truth?"
"I met her at a gathering," she said lightly, "and I attempted to seduce her. I had the most dreadful crush at the time, but her face remained infuriatingly unreadable. So, in a moment of desperation, I lured her into my private guest chamber and flashed her my cock."
I choked and my jaw loosened in astonishment. "Your Highness, what manner of approach is that?"
"I was at my wits' end," she said with a sigh. "She would not flinch, not frown, not smile. It was like conversing with a finely carved statue. I thought if I dropped my drawers and gave her a peek, she might at least look startled."
"But to reveal your… your most intimate part," I said, my voice shrinking.
She shrugged. "It was all for nothing. She glanced at my cock and left without a word. Not a blush, not a gasp, not even a lifted brow. Just a graceful turn on her heel. I have never been so vexed in all my life. Anyway," she said brightly, her eyes gleaming with mischief, "I am ever so glad the Duchess turned me down. It led me to you instead. And you are infinitely better. I adore all your little expressions."
I lowered my gaze as a blush crept across my cheeks.
"Do you like it here?" she asked, offering me a bite of apple pie on her fork.
I took it, nodding as I chewed. The place was indeed beautiful. A hidden glade, peaceful and sun-warmed, yet not far from the edges of town.
"How did you come upon it?" I asked once I had swallowed.
"I did not. One of my guards discovered it while chasing a thief," she replied, helping herself to a bite from the very same fork.
"I am surprised anyone would dare steal from a Princess."
"It was not me they robbed. A maid was walking alone, and the thief snatched her coin pouch. In broad daylight, no less."
I let out a quiet sigh. "There are many in need these days. I fear more and more of the common folk grow desperate with each passing season."
"Everything will improve soon," she said calmly, placing a grape upon my tongue.
"How can you be so certain, Your Highness?" I murmured, casting my eyes down. Poverty had crept into every corner. The temple was now filled with those seeking food and shelter. I considered it deeply… it all seemed to have worsened since Duke Piers's rise in influence.
Could it be…?
Had the Crown diverted its efforts toward reclaiming control, letting the realm slip beneath the weight of their distraction?
Perhaps Sister Alethea's theory was not so far-fetched after all. The royal family seeking a bride from a powerful house… and Her Highness courting the favor of Duchess Rowena…?
A strange unease stirred within me. I needed to know the truth. I could not ask directly. She had avoided the subject once already. But still… it gnawed at me.
"Your Highness," I said hesitantly, "is it perhaps that you remain in town because you… harbor affection for Duchess Rowena?"
There. That phrasing avoided politics.
She burst into laughter. "That wretched woman? Not a chance in hell. If anything, I would rather wrap my hands round her throat. I suppose you heard of my visits to her estate." She leaned in, her golden eyes gleaming. "Are you jealous?"
I flushed instantly. She was far too near, and her teasing gaze too much to endure.
But now I was more bewildered than before. She clearly despised the Duchess, so why did she call upon her so often? Was she, or was she not, attempting to win her favor?
"I was merely curious," I muttered quickly, placing a grape in my mouth to avoid further comment.
"Worry not," she said as she popped another one between my lips. "The only holes I have any desire to fuck these days is yours."
I nearly choked. "I have never encountered anyone as direct as you, Your Highness. Your speech is… quite astonishing."
She laughed again. "My mother used to scold me for it. But my father would only laugh. In time, she gave up entirely."
"How does it feel to be scolded by one's mother?" I asked quietly. My own parents had never once raised their voice to me, and I found myself wondering what such a thing might feel like.
She pondered the question, her golden eyes drifting over the array of dishes before us. Then she speared a piece of fish with her fork and held it to my lips. I accepted it.
"Truthfully, it felt like nothing at all. I never once felt truly in trouble. And you?" she asked, her gaze returning to mine. "Were you ever scolded by your parents?"
I shook my head, a soft sense of pride warming my chest as I chewed.
"I made many little mistakes," I said after swallowing. "But they were always gentle with me. Always kind."
"Oh? What sort of mistakes?"
"There was one occasion when I found an injured frog in the garden. I brought it inside, hoping to care for it. My mother shrieked when she saw it hopping about the carpet… but she composed herself shortly after and summoned the maids to help me tend to it."
She laughed, her voice rich and genuine. Her mirth was infectious, and I could not help but smile.
"How old were you then?"
"I believe I was nine. Another time, I brought in a poor worm that had been crushed beneath something heavy. My mother cried out again, but she helped me bury it in the yard with great care." I paused. "And you, Your Highness? Did you ever make mistakes?"
"Oh, countless. Though I would not call them mistakes. Being the only child, I treated the palace as my personal kingdom. I dashed through the halls, rolled in the mud, built fortresses out of chairs and curtains, even painted the staircase with filth from the stables. The poor maids were forever tidying behind me. I was rather wild."
"You are still wild," I murmured, a small smile tugging at my lips.
She laughed again. "I suppose you are right."
I took up my own fork at last, only just remembering that I ought to feed myself. She had been doing so for some time now.
"Forgive me," I whispered, rather flustered.
"None taken," she replied with a cheerful smile, placing another piece of steak into her mouth. I began quietly cutting my own.
"I cannot wait to see what sort of disposition my sibling will have," she said between bites.
My heart warmed at the sight of her face just then. It softened. When she spoke of her future sibling, there was such tenderness in her features. I had little doubt she would make a devoted elder sister.
I brought a slice to my lips. "I imagine the two of you dashing wild through the palace corridors," I replied softly, speaking with food still in my mouth, though I tried to do so politely.
"I pray they be born without defect. Not like me."
"Your Highness," I said gently, "you are not defective. You are simply different. As we all are. It is what makes each soul precious in its own way."
"How sweet of you," she said after swallowing. "You are Ombrithar's perfect little angel."
I swallowed hard. Angel?
I quickly placed another piece of steak into my mouth before I dared reply for fear I might confess she had already corrupted me… and beg her not to do the same to her unborn sibling.
Just then, footsteps approached, and we both turned toward the sound.
A royal guard stepped forward and bowed. "Your Highness, word has arrived that Baron Drosslyn has just reached your residence in town."
"Ah," she said with a sigh, glancing toward me as she rose to her feet. "I must beg your pardon, Sister Naevia. Duty calls. Please, remain here as long as you wish and enjoy your meal. One of my guards shall stay with you, and another will summon a carriage for your return."
Though I was somewhat disheartened, I understood. She was a princess, after all. Her days were not truly her own.
Before she departed, she leaned close.
"I shall make time for us to meet again."
I found myself nodding. When her utterly shameless nature was not at the forefront, I daresay her company was, in truth, quite pleasant.