By the time Aveline and Theo made it back to the castle, the whole place was illuminated with candlelight and the courtyard was empty bar a few carts.
“Well, well, well, look who made it back.” Wren emerged from one of the carts with a chest in her arms.
She took in the pair: Theo was still wearing the flower crown and carrying the basket of bread and wine.
Aveline’s eyes were puffy and she was still in the risqué nightgown.
Wren stepped closer to put one arm around Aveline.
“Missed you.” She smiled as she took the crown from her friend to put on the smaller woman.
“This also suits you better.”
Theo rolled his eyes as he fixed his hair.
It came undone during his run in the forest.
“You missed me?” Aveline’s hazel eyes widened.
“Why?”
“Why? Because I was so excited to dress you this morning, but you disappeared!” Wren raised a brow at Theo before leading Aveline towards the chest from the cart.
“We prepared from Paxmouth; clothing for your departure.”
Inside was a deep violet gown with golden embroidery in floral motifs.
Next to it was an set of jewellery with various precious gems.
I’ve never worn purple before…
“What do you think?” Wren picked up the belt that was made of multiple intricately linked chains inlaid with agate.
“Fitting for a queen, right?”
“You have your own dressing room in Paxmouth.” Theo joined the pair.
“I made sure you’ll never run out of things to wear.” He avoided Aveline’s eyes in favour of playing with a fish-shaped ring.
Wren leaned closer to whisper, “He chose everything himself!” She cleared her throat when the king’s head snapped to hers.
“Shut up.” The man mumbled with his cheeks turning rosy.
“Is that why you know women’s garments so well?” Aveline turned to her husband.
That makes sense now.
Theo didn’t reply as he avoided her eyes.
She turned to Wren who was nodding her head enthusiastically.
How thoughtful.
“Anyways, we should get you washed up.” Aveline blushed when Wren took in her appearance.
In her haste, Aveline only slipped on her trusty boots and a cape before leaving the castle.
She didn’t have the patience to go through the routine of putting on three plus layers.
“Lark took the rest of the delegation back first.” Wren nodded to Theo.
“But we left Your Majesty’s things here just in case.”
“At least he takes his job seriously.” Theo sighed in relief.
“Wait.” Aveline’s eyes bounced between the pair.
“You two are the only ones left?”
They nodded.
“The important ones.” Wren shrugged.
“Your attendants are still here too.”
My attendants?
Aveline glanced at the carts to see the servants waving at her.
The ones from this morning were all mine?
Aveline blinked.
“How many do I have?”
Wren looked back at the carts.
“Six here. The rest are in Paxmouth.”
“The rest?”
How am I supposed to manage so many people?
“Don’t worry about it.” Wren shook her head as she laughed.
“But… what about bodyguards?”
Her father never went anywhere without at least six guards accompanying him.
Theo and Wren shared a look.
Wren pointed to herself as Theo tried to hide his smile.
“But -” Aveline’s mouth was open and gaping in confusion.
She took in the fiery-haired woman.
That night, Wren practically lifted her off the floor like she weighed nothing.
She barely showed any fear when making threats against her own king.
“You’re my lady-in-waiting?”
Wren only shrugged.
“Can’t I be more than one thing? Your Majesty is a herbalist and a queen.”
It was like the clouds cleared after a storm and Aveline understood it all
What is Paxmouth really like?
Will I fit in? Visit g.com for the full chapter.
❀
For her last night in Farren, Aveline didn’t even sleep in her own room.
Wren and the servants turned out to be very efficient as they stripped and packed everything in Aveline’s room for Paxmouth.
“I didn’t expect you to pack everything.” Aveline huffed a laugh as she soaked in the tub.
She thought that she would be disappointed, upset even, because it was her sanctuary – a personal space to be herself.
It’s time to grow up.
But Aveline wasn’t sad.
She wasn’t lachrymose.
Didn’t feel like crying.
Aveline felt light.
Her books, herbs, vials of tonic were all coming with her.
It’s time to move on.
No.
Move foreword.
Something changed after talking to her mother last night.
Wren rounded the divider with tray of soaps and scrubs.
“Well, we wanted you to feel at home as possible in Paxmouth.” Her sleeves were pulled up to her forearms.
Wren spared no effort to fill the tub with rose petals, foreign oils and even prepared snacks for Aveline to enjoy.
“Wren!” Aveline gasped as she covered herself.
The crimson petals provided some coverage, but it was instinct to do so.
“Your Majesty!” Wren put her hands on her hips like she was scolding a child.
“Don’t tell me you’ve never been bathed before?”
“I have!” Aveline’s shoulders sagged as she turned away to lean against the tub.
“Not since my mother died…”
Behind her, Wren sighed before leaning down to the former’s eye level.
“Apologies, Your Majesty.”
“It’s not your fault.”
Wren went still.
“We… didn’t realise things were this bad.”
Aveline’s eyes flickered to meet the other woman’s.
“What do you mean?”
Wren had the same scandalised face as she did when she revealed Theo’s name – like it was something she wasn’t supposed to say.
Wren frozen like she was under a spell.
“I mean…” Her amber eyes darted around the room.
“Your skin!” She pointed to the woman in the tub before scooping the scrub into her hands.
“Just because you dislike bathing, doesn’t mean you should skip exfoliation!”
Wren got to work.
She avoided the question again.
“I bathe!” Aveline pouted.
“Just not with all these things.” She motioned to the tray of elaborate toiletries and the rose petals.
“Get used to it, Your Majesty!” Wren’s hands had the perfect amount of strength to work out all the knots in Aveline’s shoulders.
“I will make sure that your skin so smooth that water rolls off it!”
What are you hiding?
❀
“My goodness, I never thought I would see the day you wear purple!” Queen Celia gasped the moment Aveline stepped into the courtyard.
She wore the gown that Wren showed her last night with all the accessories.
There were pieces that Aveline had never heard of!
Like a shoulder necklace that was woven from the same materials of chainmail.
Or a face chain that ran across the middle of her nose with tiny stars hanging from them on her cheeks.
“And the final thing…” Wren picked up something that looked like a tangle of chains.
“This will do for now!” Once she arranged it on Aveline, she realised that it was a head piece, a metal veil, with similar motifs as her face chain and it hung delicately against her chestnut hair.
“You’ll get your crown at the coronation.” The redhead began to pack up the boxes.
There she goes again – making a big deal sound small.
“Wren! What do you mean?” Aveline felt light-headed, and it wasn’t from the weight of the jewellery.
“What coronation?”
Wren turned around and shrugged like it was the most logical thing in the world.
“A queen must have a coronation, don’t they?”
Oh yes…
How could I forget?
That was how Aveline ended up in purple – the colour reserved only for monarchs.
“Maybe Paxmouth has different customs than ours.” Astra piped up from behind her mother.
Gone was the modestly dressed girl in simple colours; Astra was back to her extravagant self – even wearing the tiara from the wedding.
Did she forget that she’s supposed to be me?
They’re lucky Theo hasn’t acted yet.
His golden hair glistened in the sun under his modest crown.
It was golden with one central ruby in the centre surrounded by a dark ring of onyx.
His outfit was similar to yesterday but now it was in the same shade of purple as Aveline’s.
Don’t tell me he’s prepared couple outfits for us…
“Once you travel outside of Farren, you will understand, Princess.” The insult under Theo’s words were not missed.
Astra at least had the sense to be offended at the insinuation.
“I have left Farren before! Watch what you are saying!”
Theo raised a brow at her insolent tone as he dismounted to stand next to his wife.
“You watch your mouth!” Queen Celia pinched her ‘daughter’s’ arm.
“Didn’t you hear what he did to your father yesterday?”
What did Theo do to father?
Aveline felt panic rise.
What are they keeping from me?
King Stellan glared at his wife for her whisper was not a whisper.
His face beet-red as he avoided looking at the young couple before him.
At least Cedric proved that he took his role as Prime Minister seriously as he stepped foreword to the couple.
“Princess – Ah, Queen Astra and King Magnus,” He began with a nervous smile.
Aveline and Theo shared a knowing look.
“On behalf of Farren, we wish you a safe journey and a peaceful marriage.”
At least one of you is keeping up with this lie.
“Thank you, Prime Minister.” Aveline curtsied.
“I leave my dear family in your care when I am gone.”
Let me play along too.
Aveline made her way up the steps towards her family.
King Stellan stepped back slightly in alarm.
He watched the other king before relaxing.
“Mother, Father, I am leaving now.” Aveline bowed to her parents.
“Thank you for raising me. I will make you proud.”
Queen Celia smiled as she patted Aveline’s back.
Despite her sour face, Astra did step forward to loosely hug her sister.
King Stellan remained fixed in his place.
He refused to look at Aveline.
“Father.” Astra nodded her head towards her sister.
The king cleared his throat as he straightened up.
He came closer and took his daughter into his arms.
The first time since her mother’s betrayal.
All positive emotions left Aveline when he spoke his final words to her.
“Remember who you are.” His gaze flickered to Astra before releasing her.
Of course…
The tenseness in his body made sense.
There was no warmth or comfort.
What was I expecting?
Aveline bowed one more time before joining Theo.
Something must have been clear on her face judging from how those grey eyes darkened.
“Are you alright?” His fingers were gentle as they tilted her chin so that they were eye-to-eye.
The contrast between the care and openness from the man who supposedly murdered his three wives and the evasiveness of her own father made Aveline’s eyes blurry.
But she closed her eyes and nodded despite the pain.
“Let’s go.”
Theo said the usual final greetings to Cedric before bowing to the family.
“I will look after your princess and make her happy for the rest of her life.”
“We appreciate it, King Magnus.” Queen Celia smiled gently as she nudged her husband.
“Yes, yes. Take care.” King Stellan mumbled so fast that it was hard to understand him.
This is it.
Astra wore a smug smile as she waved to her sister.
If only you knew…
Aveline took Wren’s hand to support getting into the carriage.
She drew the curtains to take one final look of her family.
Astra looked overjoyed to be the only Princess of Farren.
Queen Celia looked relieved that their plan worked.
King Stellan had a grim look like he was in pain.
Goodbye.