Lady Of Lake And Arrow |A Swan Lake Retelling|: Book One

Chapter 28

Florence + The Machine - What The Water Gave Me

On the day of Christmastide, Jessa woke to find a note had been slipped from under her door.

Frowning, she did as asked, abandoning her training gear and putting on the cotton clothes she only wore off training.

When she left the tower, she found Elise waiting on the steps, wearing a plain billowy white dress that reached her ankles instead of trailing on the ground behind her, like she usually wore. The princess's smile was timid, innocent.

But the smile did not reach her eyes.

"What is going on?" Jessa immediately asked on she reached her.

The smile still plastered on her face, Elise leaned closer and whispered, "Come with me and you'll find out. Trust me."

Jessa's eyes narrowed. Instinctive suspicion crawled through her mind, but she let the princess take her arm and lead her to someplace within the fortress.

The stables loomed in front of them, and as they got closer, Jessa fought to hide her surprise as she spotted both Ryland and Terhen standing at the entrance of it.

Ryland's expression was placid, but he brightened at the sight of her. When she reached him, he unexpectedly pulled her into a hug.

Heat bloomed in her face, but Jessa didn't move away. When Ryland pulled back, she tipped her head up to him and said in the most straightest way possible, "Someone needs to explain to me what's happening here."

Instead of laughing like she thought he would, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder and led her into the stables. She sensed Terhen and Elise following behind.

Beginning to become irritated at the lack of responses, Jessa started to demand answers. But at the sight of the horse, the words knotted in her throat.

Suddenly, she understood.

"You shouldn't," Jessa said softly.

Ryland tipped her face towards his, the bright blue gaze she'd stared into for many–but not enough–nights. "It's what you wanted."

She swallowed. "But the bargain with your brother–"

"Doesn't matter," said Elise. "I can handle that."

If the Crown Prince will ever hear that I'm gone, that is. She wasn't sure if he would bother, based on his attitude the time they'd struck the deal.

A nudge on her arm, and Jessa turned back to find Ryland holding out a stack of clothing. She took it, unfolding the clothing: a brown leather jacket, and a black travelling cloak.

Tears threatened to well in her eyes, and Jessa slipped on the jacket silently. Her bottom lip quivered when Ryland took the cloak and stepped behind her to clasp it around her shoulders.

Elise then came forward, holding out a pair of brand new boots. Almost identical to Jessa's old ones.

"Go on," she gently urged her.

Jessa put on the boots, lacing them up tightly. They felt completely different–more durable. More useful.

After she finished adding on the new attire, she spun in a slow circle in wonder, arms out. The cloak billowed about her, the jacket and shoes shiny in the little light that streamed into the stables. Horses neighed, but there was no sign of a stable boy. Not that she was sure if there was one in this fortress or not.

A sudden thought hit her, and Jessa turned back to Ryland. "Where do you expect me to go?"

His eyebrow rose, as if thinking that she should already know the answer. "Wherever you wish to be. Although I heard you wanted to go to the North . . ."