Stolen Princess

5. Hulking, Green, Handsomeness

"You look so lovely," Isobel assured me for the fifteenth time, her soft touch flitting to the remnants of my hair.

After a thorough washing, the war paint had disappeared only to be replaced with my whitening powder. And with the encouragement of a bath and hot cup of tea, I'd mostly come out of my pouting after my interaction with Talon.

My hair curled wildly up along my jawline, poofing out like a glowing halo around my head, and Isobel had shoved a pearl headband into its depths to make me look a little more presentable. Heavy strings of pearls hung around my neck like a millstone the Bishop was always preaching endlessly about.

Though beautiful, I felt like I was being led to my own execution as we moved through the castle corridors, each lit with more tOrches than the last as we shuffled in with the other attendees. My father's feasts were always well attended... and well hydrated.

"And I told you that dress would do perfectly," Isobel was still cooing at my side, her arm looped affectionately through mine as she more or less dragged me along. But she was right about the dress. Sothia had commissioned several gowns for this tournament, not out of the goodness of her heart mind you, but a prize pig should be appropriately dressed out and all that.

This one was a light lavender-colored velvet with a neckline that came all the way to my chin except for a sharp angular cut out just above my cleavage. Prize pig indeed. But green breasts are still breasts I suppose, and apparently so did my stepmother.

We moved into the great hall in the midst of festivities already in full swing. Fireeaters from the desert province twirled about in the middle of the room, and the audience clapped as wine flowed and servants circled with pitchers of ale and wine.

My father had spared no expense tonight. Together, Isobel and I joined my sisters at the usual table, just to the right of the platform. Isleen and Isolde were giggling obnoxiously and oggling any young man in their line of sight, and I was reminded that this tournament was a sort of holiday for everyone else, even if it felt like the county fair to me.

My father gave the signal after the fire eaters had finished their show, and the main course was served. Perfectly enough it was suckling pigs, two or three of the glistening bodies ladened with fruits and vegetables settled every few tables.

I did my best not to look at anyone, or make any kind of facial expression other than the demur smile expected of me. I would be expected to interact with each of the contestants once dinner was over, so I bided my alone time while it last and took liberties with my wine allowance despite Isobel's scoldings. Until something of my sisters said caught my attention.

"They actually came to dinner?" Isleen scoffed, and Isolde cackled, half-drunk already.

"They're so... beastly and... green --" she snorted at this, and the two of them erupted into peals of laughter.

I ignored them, my eyes suddenly searching for the familiar faces only to find them already at the King's table. I sucked in a gasp of air at the sight of them. It was only Talon and Leif who'd come, I imagine that Alder and Naatan had stayed behind to care for Oren.

Leif had combed his hair into something presentable and donned the indigo uniform of the Orcs' Royal guard. Brass buttons seemed to barely contain what I knew to be an extremely broad chest just beneath the surface. Small medals hung under one shoulder and a smart black sash cut across the ensemble. I wondered absently what it could mean, that it must mean something but then my eyes found Talon's in the midst of the chaos, and my mouth went dry.

It wasn't the black suit of clothes from head to toe, or the figure he cut now that he was out of the jerkin and linen pants of a page boy. It might've been the way he held his head in a room full of people he knew very well didn't like him, but in that instant, there was something in his eyes that made my stomach flip in fear. A fear that was as unfamiliar as the fear I felt around Alek was my bedfellow.