All's Fair in Revenge

Chapter 30: An Engagement

With the sun at its highest point in the sky, I rode a black horse along the winding path to the golden gates separating the riffraff from royalty. Thorne had uncharacteristically offered me his stallion to ensure a smooth jaunt to where the prince of Dorsette would formerly propose before his people. He'd returned that morning as promised.

When I tell you I almost dug my heals into the stallion's haunches, ready to abandon everyone and everything, I do not exaggerate. Something about the fresh air and open gates intoxicated me, made me foolish, reckless, hasty. Liv, preparing for the ball back inside the castle was all that forced me to pause, rethink, remember. I felt tentative, pulled taut like I was about to fray.

Liv and a servant named Lila dowsed my sweat-caked body into scorching lavender water and strapped me into a white dress with bell-like sleeves and golden embroidery stitched along its hem. Lila, like Liv, explained the color was important for maidens as it denoted purity in accordance with the Dorsi faith. I had laughed in her face, then apologized because I realized she believed such rubbish.

Eyr knows I'm far from holy, but I'm not so much an ass that I can't respect the religions of others.

Even if they're wrong.

Enric's white horse, trotting alongside, had trouble keeping pace with the impressive beast beneath me. It became such an issue, Enric felt compelled to wrap his hand around the stallion's reins and pull him back just enough that his mare's nostrils inched ahead. Thorne's horse shot Enric an unrivaled side-eye. Those wide black eyes cut Enric in two. And that's when my appreciation for blossomed into adoration. I leaned over the horse's ear and whispered, "If you're ever in need of new rider, find me," to which he whinnied.

The entire proposal was performative to say the least. Heralds gathered the humans hours before we'd arrived and left them to wonder what announcement they'd make with no formal warning in advanced. Hearths went unattended. Forges cooled. Looms were abandoned. Hides were left soaking in tannins for too long. All while the citizenry waited, worried something was wrong. I would've left within the first fifteen minutes, held at sword point or not, but the garrison held them for almost three hours on their feet. They obeyed. Such devotion sickened me even if born of necessity.

Used to their superiors ignoring their existence, I overheard a few locals discussing the union. "What is the point of this," asked a man with a gray mustache below a crooked nose.

"The crown prince is marrying one of those Kelvian women," answered a younger woman who could've only been the man's daughter.

"Why would he do that?"

"Something about a treaty? I'm not sure. All I can think about is whether Aura put out the hearth before they summoned."

"Ah, well maybe it'll bring some money into the country."

His daughter laughed; the sound filled with disillusion. "Oh Papa."

Amongst sprinkled petals and sprig and wreath, Enric dismounted. Enric looked pleasantly resplendent in his regalia with its unearned medals of honor and a sash. His hair was smoothed back, nails clean and trimmed. There were hot iron folds and not a single crease despite our long trek down the cliff's rolling road. He turned to where I sat. Two hands spread wide before him, the prince of Dorsette reached for my waist, wanting to lift me from my saddle. But I had several inches on him, and some weight, too; it wasn't going to happen. So, his gloved hands of velvet grasped mine and I slid to the ground, my boot catching on the stirrup and yanking my skirt up to my thigh. It should not have been a thing, but in Dorsette, it was a scandal that would feed the court for days.