Luna stood at the back of the gathered knots of courtiers, studying the people in front of her. The court was dressed in the colors and styles of spring though there was still a thin grayish layer of snow on the ground. They were gossiping softly, the sound of quiet voices as meaningless as the rustle of leaves in the breeze. A few glanced at her and away quickly when they realized she was watching them in turn.
At the far end of the hall her stepmother presided over the room from her solitary chair on the dias. A wreath of crocus and snowdrops was woven through her new ornate crown. There was a footstool on the third step down, a replacement for the small ornate chair her father had commissioned to sit beside his throne. Clearly she'd argued in open court one too many time with Princess Regent Serena to be allowed to sit on the dais anymore.
Luna's bit the insides of her lips and breathed out slowly. Another fight would only make things worse and a highly public fight would probably see even the stool removed. She stepped forward, the heavy silk gown she wore nearly silent as she walked down the mosaic path to the throne. The stone and glass path of flowers was as familiar to her as her own fingers and the coolness of it beneath her slippers was bolstering. For a moment the scene shifted in her mind.
The path beneath her feet was flowers and moss, giving slightly beneath bare and aching feet. The courtiers were trees or bushes and their uncertain whispers became the twittering of birds. The sun where it showed between the leaves and dappled her skin was summer hot. Then the moment was past and Luna made an effort to look bored. The cloying smell of her stepmother's rose perfume filled her nose, banishing the last of her vision.
She took her place on the stool, blanking her face as best she could to hide her shock. She'd had her feelings, even a few small dreams that had come true, but never a vision that melted away the real world around her for something else. Even with controlling her face her stepmother had to call her name twice before Luna looked at her. Court was a blur and Luna caught sight of her stepmother's smug face more than once but she didn't care if Serena thought she was cowed or not. She needed to get into the library and to her mother's journals as soon as possible. It would be difficult, the guards were Serena's creatures and no bribe Luna could think of would get her past them.
Finally she was able to leave court, still caught up in her own thoughts as she walked with her head down past nobles she would normally have greeted. Alone in her room she dashed off a note to Jaeger, rang for a maid and paced until one of them appeared. Luna pressed the folded note into her surprised fingers. "Please, can you take this to Huntsman Jaeger, it's serious and private. I must see him right away and with as few words of gossip as possible."
Her eyes widened but she clasped Luna's hands in hers. "Of course, Princess, and don't worry I know just how to deflect any awkward questions.
The wait wasn't terribly long according to the mantel clock, but it felt like hours as Luna swept back and forth in front of the fireplace trying to think of a place like the one in her vision. She chewed on the nail of her left pointer finger as she paced until it was ragged and she forced herself to stop. She'd end up hurting her finger and face more questions about the state of her hands if she wasn't careful. Finally, a heart pounding half an hour by the clock later, Jaeger stepped into her sitting room with his brows raised.
"Your maid gave me your note and drug me through every back corridor that no one uses to get me here. She seems to think we're having some sort of clandestine meeting." He said, taking off his hat and dropping onto the settle like he belonged there.
"A bit perhaps. I don't want questions about why I asked for your attendance in my room." Luna said, whirling to face him.
"Why am I-" He began and then caught her with an arm around her shoulders as she flung herself down next to him.
"I had a vision. Today. In court." Luna grabbed at his shoulder, her eyes wide as she searched his face. His eyes widened too, and he held up a hand to forestall the words he could see forming a tumult behind her lips.
"You had a vision in court, was it bloody and terrible with many deaths?" When Luna shook her head Jaeger stroked back her silvery hair, not unlike what her father would have done. "Then it's not going to be the ruin of the kingdom, so take a breath and then tell me what you want to do about it."
"I," Luna paused and took a breath, releasing it as she summoned up the vision in her mind's eye. "It was summer and the inlaid path to the throne was real flowers, grass, and moss. I was barefoot. And I was in the forest alone, just me, the trees and the birds."
"That doesn't sound so bad." He said, stroking her hair again. Luna sighed out all the air in her body before drawing another breath to reply.
"No. It was almost nice. But I don't understand why. Why would I have such a vision or be in the forest? Or? Or?"
"Slow down and think. Is it important right now? Isn't it more important to focus on what's happening now. On your lessons and proving to the Council you're fit to be queen then on some walk in the woods you might take one day?" Jaeger's arm was tight around her shoulder and Luna met his eyes, aware of how warm he was and how right too.
"Yes." She said softly, finally relaxing. "You are right. Still. If you get a chance can you get my mother's journals from the library? I'm not allowed in anymore."
"Of course." His fingers slid over her hair once more and Luna felt the last of her worry about the vision fading away. It wasn't important, she had bigger problems after all.
Luna waited a week, but with spring coming, the court wanted amusements and often rode out on picnics or promenades. The Princess Regent required Jaeger for each and everyone of these, Luna saw him at dinners and court but he did not seek her out, or mention any attempts on the library. Finally she screwed up her courage and sidled up to him after court while Serena was occupied with an ongoing discussion about changes to how taxes were being collected.
"Jaeger, have you read anything interesting lately?" She asked softly, eyes flicking up to his face and then away, her arms clasped behind her back. He frowned down at her, lips parted before realization dawned and the frown increased slightly.
"I thought you had decided not to pursue that right now. You know your lessons are more important, even if you think they're frivolous. Doing them is what will prove to the council you're ready to rule."
Luna's mouth opened now, her eyes falling away from his though the rebuke had been kindly said. It still sounded like the Princess Regent's words from someone she thought supported her and the shock of that left her adrift, uncertain and with a simmering anger. For a moment she thought of answering him, but was unsure of how her voice would come out. Instead she gave a curt nod and turned away though he tried to quietly call her back. Her eyes locked for a moment with Serena's, cool and smug, but she kept going working to keep her head up and her steps light. Ladies did not stomp off to bed in a huff.
Her old friend was clearly spending too much time with Serena but there was nothing Luna could do about that. So she sat with Amelia the next morning, sharing her meal with the maid and hatching a plan.
"I'm not allowed into the library since you aren't. None of your maids are." Amelia ruffled her hair under her kerchief and frowned at the tea set. She split a bun and set the larger portion on Luna's plate. Luna broke off a piece and ate it automatically, Amelia would fuss if she didn't and she'd tell the rest of the maids. Who would also fuss at her.
So she ate and she thought, "You could be in the hallway. If we can get the key I can fetch the books and you could watch the hall while I try to find information. I want to get the histories back to my room and we can hide them, but it will be obvious if I try to take the journals. I'll have to read them there."