The Summer Court

Chapter Thirteen

Darius.

Elsine watched as he clipped a few flowers and wiped his dark hair off his forehead. She wondered who the flowers were for. As if he had heard her thoughts, he turned and looked up at her window. Her tummy somersaulted as she submerged herself. The water came up just below her nose and her scream was quickly muffled by the water. It was stupid― she knew he couldn't see her, but she still felt exposed, nonetheless.

Peeking up again, she saw him walking back toward the stables with the flowers in hand. The sun had tanned his forearms and his hair was mussed like he had been busy today in the stables. Had his shoulders always been so broad? Shaking her head, Elsine got out of the bath and dressed in a light cotton shift to wait for Terwyn. Sitting at her vanity she brushed through her wet golden hair, thinking about how much she and Darius had changed. She couldn't remember the last time he had hugged her as Leina and Feyer had. If she thought too long about it, she realized that there were a lot of things that had changed in the last year. Elsine wasn't sure she liked those changes, but she had no more time to think about it as Terwyn came through the door.

She was all business today, and in record time she had the princess in her corset and then her dress. Today it was a soft beige with a swooping neckline that hugged the edges of her shoulders with billowing sheer sleeves made of intricate lace. Slipping a delicate chain of diamonds around Elsine's neck, Terwyn's dark eyes swept a calculative arc over the princess's appearance. Seeming to approve of the work she had done, she started on her hair, and soon it was swept elegantly up though Elsine would have preferred it down.

Finishing with a pretty diamond butterfly pin set at each side of her low bun Terwyn smiled with a bow, scurrying out without a word. It must be busy in the kitchens today or elsewhere in the castle for her to be so quick. Elsine didn't mind. Any moment of quiet she had was another to go over all the choices she would have to make, but at this moment her mind slipped back to Darius and wondered if she would have time to say hello soon. Maybe they would be riding horses today and she could ask him how he was. She blinked. Or she could slip out to the stables now. She had nothing else to do, and she didn't see why it would be a problem. She could say she needed fresh air if anyone asked, and surely her father would understand that Darius was like family to her. Standing she slipped her feet into a pair of jade-colored silk slippers and peeked out her door. The hall was empty besides a few maids scurrying between rooms.

She moved out of her room and started down the hall, walking lightly and gracefully as her mother had taught her. Lifting her chin as she passed the maids, sure they would reprimand her. She hoped she looked regal enough to deter it. Only one of them glanced at her and then bowed her head quickly, the others kept busy dusting. As she passed them a bright smile lifted the corners of the princess's mouth. Maybe she was as queenly as her mother had been. She could hope.

Turning the corner of the hall she halted, her breath sticking in her throat and her heart thundering. Unruly curls and a tall frame. Kannon was standing in the middle of her path, studying some of the royal paintings on the wall. Elsine's eyes darted around for a place to hide. Her options were slim, so she opted for the small alcove in the wall just behind the tall banner bearing the laurel wreath crest of her court. Elsine pressed her back into the wall and prayed to Titiana that he would leave. If he caught her, he would ask her if he would see her later. Her head leaned against the wall she thought that perhaps she had no idea what he would do. He seemed to have a knack for surprising her. And for breaking the rules.

Her breathing felt loud in the quiet of the hall. She wondered if he could hear her though she tried to take shallow breaths. She made out light footsteps but couldn't tell if he was walking toward or away from her. She wanted to close her eyes like a child in hiding, but she refused to be caught like that. A few minutes passed and she heard nothing. He didn't pass by the alcove. Was he lying in wait to catch her? Did he go back to his room? She wasn't sure which one sounded better to her, which made her roll her eyes. Making herself look around the corner she found the hall empty and let herself breathe a little deeper, her heart settling.

Slipping out from the alcove she hurried to the end of the hall where there was a door the servants used to travel to this wing from the kitchens and back. Her fingers reached for the door. Suddenly, she was being tugged backward and spun around. Her back pressed into the matching alcove at the other end of the hall to the one she had been hiding in minutes before.

Jade green eyes locked with hers and that smirk appeared, "Playing hide and seek, princess?"

**Edited 2022 Kylie R. Trask**