The General and the Princess

Chapter 22 || Alleyni

"Can't you see that I can't breathe?" Alleyni rasped, clutching the corset that was crushing her lungs.

A bevy of palace maidens were fluttering around her, playing with her hair, face, and clothing in preparation for the dinner with King Vinrys and his son. Her hair was left down, except for a braid on either side of her face. The braids were woven around the silver circlet of flowers that she wore as a crown. Her father had requested that she try to appear as natural and free-spirited as she had when she was not under his thumb. The eldest servant, a maid in name only, had audibly clucked when she saw the nasty welt on Alleyni's face from her sparring match with Varyn. They had tried to cover it up, but Alleyni waved them off. Vinrys was impressed that I was learning to fight; perhaps this bruise will demonstrate my strength. Regardless, Ghael would be seething as soon as he saw it.

The dress Ghael had ordered was cornflower blue, matching her eyes. It was tighter than any of Alleyni's other dresses; Lyssa was always the one who wore the tight, low-cut, fashionable dresses that the seamstresses designed. Now that it was Alleyni's turn to wear one, she was already dreading the dinner. I'm not sure there's a boy in the world worth wearing this sort of a dress for, she mused. In sincerity, though, she was terrified to sit at a table with her father, her brother, her sister, Vinrys, and Kyald. She was manipulating all of them with her scheming and had to convince her father that she could be trusted while earning the respect and interest of the King and Prince of Sari, all while being unable to breathe.

"Alleyni?" Evyn's familiar voice sounded from outside the door.

"Oh, thank the heavens, a voice of reason." Alleyni jumped towards the door, nearly tumbling to the floor in layers of her own dress.

Evyn came in and took a moment to take in the elegant dress, her tamed hair, and the purpling scar by her eye.

"That first training session went well, I take it?" He grinned.

Alleyni frowned, wanting to block Varyn from her mind. As if she needed one more distraction.

"What if Kyald or Vinrys decide that I'm just a stubborn commoner with a crown and not their strong, intelligent, free-spirited princess? What if Father isn't happy with how I handle politics? What if Lyssa leaves a poisonous snake in my chambers to kill me in my sleep? What if-"

"Al, are you even listening to yourself? Kyald is obviously taken with you, and the King must be as well if he was so quick to speak in your favor. You were not doing yourselves any favors at that banquet, so I'm sure you will be fine tonight. Your father has silenced Lyssa, and you know she listens to every word he says. You're the only one who would dare to manipulate him." Evyn paused, wonder on his face. "By the seas, Alleyni, you're manipulating two kings of the most powerful countries in the world."

"This isn't helping, Ev," she growled, her already pale complexion whitening to a ghostly pallor.

"Is he worth it?"

"If you had one chance...to be with Lyssa, I mean. Would you do it?"
Evyn cast his gaze down, his voice gravelly. "In a moment. You know I don't...I don't care about her because of how she looks, right?"
Alleyni paused for a second and studied him; she had always assumed that Evyn, like nearly every other young man she had encountered, was drawn to Lyssa by her bewitching beauty.

"What? But I thought-"

"You actually thought I was that shallow? Al, remember when we were little? You and Lyssa were almost friends back then, and I remember what she was like. She was vivacious and sweet and rambunctious. I like to think she still has it in her, you know?"
Alleyni walked over to her friend, taking his hand and gently squeezing it. "She's not who you want her to be, Ev."