Slaves of the Night

Chapter 4

Essie

"How'd you get up here so fast?" Kaisa asks as I come and flop down on her new big bed next to her. After dinner, which was a very enjoyable affair, I accompanied her upstairs, only for servants to show up and tell me it was lights out and to come downstairs.

"Secret tunnel, Rax gave me a lovely map, it's got secret tunnels on it and everything," I say, happily, moving to braid her hair. She's wearing her usual white night dress but that's a bit too thin, even with the roaring fire in the hearth. She quickly crawls under the blankets.

"Did he? And it wasn't a trick?"

"Oh it might be. Also I think he killed the other princess—"

"Oh my gods—"

"You were staring when you came into the dining room, find out anything about prince charming?"

"Yeah, he and Rax are childhood friends, that's it."

"Damn you'll have to get your hands on him when you can," I say, my fingers making quick work of her thick hair, she leans back tiredly. "Dinner was exciting though huh?"

"If you call being attacked by a bear spirit interesting."

"I do and you know it," I say, happily, resting my head on her shoulder, and giving her a squeeze, "Anything else happen before dinner? Prince Charming led you in."

"Yeah, I talked with him. Apparently I'm just a walking womb to him and his mother. I'm here to have their baby, that's it. Prince Eero isn't having me in his bedroom or his life beyond producing an heir," she sighs, lying back onto the plush pillows.

"That's a bit weird—but not a tragedy, is it?" I ask, tipping my face to look at her.

"No, it's not---don't get me wrong I'm a bit relieved that he's not exactly itching to have his hands on me. It's a little weird though," she says, shrugging.

"Sorry."

"I'm okay--- like I said they're just very formal. He said don't expect to see much of him and to summon him whenever I'm fertile," she says.

"Ew."

"Yeah well, we have to have the baby, that's all they care about. But I'm free to do as I like," she says, "So that's good I guess. And this is my room to stay."

"Yeah, and we've got each other," I say, squeezing her hand.

"Definitely. Oh—I met the princesses earlier. They seem sweet, they sneaked into my room to say hello," she says.

"By the secret passage I just used?" I ask.

"I don't know they were already here when I got here. They're nice little things though."

"Good," I say, shrugging, "Your step-daughters."

"Yeah the Prince seems fond of them. Enough. Anyway, I'm tired."

"Do you want to go snooping with me?"

"No, I don't, the queen sent up a full schedule for tomorrow I've got to learn all the ceremonies and such for the wedding," she sighs.

"Okay, I'm going to go snooping I want to see what's in the forbidden part of the castle," I say, eagerly.

"Of course you are."

"It's cool!"

"I know you think that."

"It is, and I need to learn my way around."

"Yeah. Go for it, tell me what you find out. I'm going to try to sleep," she says.

"Do you want me to stay?" I ask.