Crossed Hearts | h.s

Twenty

"Poor little Louisa is without a family," Geneva said as she exited the infirmary with Harry by her side. "I wonder if we could bring her back to the palace. She could be my ward."

"If I may," Harry began, "The last thing you need right now is a child to look after. You'd worry yourself sick with everything going on. And, no doubt, people would suspect the worst."

Geneva pushed a breath between her lips. "You're right."

"Always am," he joked with a grin.

Geneva looked up at him, smiled, and elbowed him playfully, but her smile quickly faded when the shadow of a person fell onto her face. She looked upward, into the eyes of the person. "Matthias. Can I help you?"

"The men have passed out supplies to the people that were left homeless, and I believe you've spent enough time in the infirmary. Shall we return to the carriage?"

"It's barely noon. Let me walk about the village a little while longer, and then we may leave," she said.

"But—" his voice stopped as the princess walked away from him. He groaned and then looked around, trying to find where Emilia and Silas had drifted off to.

Geneva and Harry followed the faint cloud of smoke through the village until they came upon a smoldering pile of wood. She frowned as she gazed down at it, realizing that it was probably once a home to a family, perhaps Louisa's. The tragedy that had struck the village was saddening, but there wasn't much that she could do other than give them supplies that would hopefully sustain them until they were back on their feet.

"Your highness?"

Geneva looked over her shoulder at a man who clutched a hat in his hands and averted his eyes to the ground. Ash was smeared on his skin and tattered clothing, and he stunk of smoke, but she smiled warmly. "Yes?"

"Is there any hope in sight? Half the village has died of starvation, and now the fire... When will Velora be restored to greatness?"

Her lips fell from a smile into a frown as she processed his words. Swallowing hard, she reached out to take the man's hand, which was caked in dirt, but she didn't care. She squeezed it lightly. "I promise, things will get better. Have faith."

He nodded loosely and slipped his hand out of her own. "Bless you, your highness."

❁ ❁ ❁

The journey to the village of Kanova was eye-opening to say the least. Geneva found herself consumed by her thoughts during the carriage ride home, unable to stop thinking about the ruins that the villagers lived in, especially little Louisa.

"You are troubled," Emilia said, noticing how silent the princess had been for the past hour.

Geneva lifted her eyes from her lap to meet Emilia's. "I must do more for those poor people."

"You can't conjure up rain."

"No," she whispered, looking down at her hands and biting her lip at the sight of the ring on her pinky finger. "But I can ensure that they have the supplies they need to live."

❁ ❁ ❁

"How was your little excursion?" Anna asked as Geneva stepped out of the carriage. Her hands were clasped neatly at her stomach and her eyes were narrowed into slits, waiting for the opportunity to insult someone or something.