Valiant Valerie (the Ballad of Valerie of Mor Book 1)

Chapter Three

In the days that followed the ball and coronation, Valerie saw Lord Wilmont only in the evenings. He and his father stayed on with other nobles from neighbouring countries to discuss the various treaties and trade arrangements each had with Mor. Few of the rulers or princes from any of the other countries had been able to attend with such a lack of notice, but Valerie knew they would have sent someone to conduct business for them.

During the day, she trained with the other knights. Then she would race to the castle to bathe and get ready for some kind of dinner or gathering, letting Jeanna choose her dress and direct the style of her hair. At said dinner or gathering, she would try to avoid Lord Wilmont, though she failed often. It was the same this eve.

"You look lovely this evening, Princess Valerie." Wilmont kissed her hand. He seemed to have been waiting for her right inside the door to the dining hall.

She tried very hard not to growl at him, and smiled as pleasantly as she could. "Thank you. Only due to Prin...Queen Jeanna's tireless efforts, I assure you." It felt like she would never get used to calling them by their new titles now they actually had them.

"Surely only because she has such a canvas to work with." He smiled and she tried not to vomit on him. Behind him, she saw Jonathan's face was somehow a mixture of utter glee and stony indifference. "May I walk you to your seat, Princess?"

Valerie nodded and put her hand on his proffered arm. They walked past her usual seat with her fellow trainee knights. Stupid deWynstryngham acknowledged her with a nod of the head and a polite smile. Stuck next to Lord Wilmont, Valerie thought stupid deWynstryngham looked very dashing indeed.

It is a sad day when I start admiring him! Valerie thought to herself, nodding and smiling at whatever Lord Wilmont had said.

Valerie desperately wanted to be in her trousers, sitting with the other trainees. Even though they mostly ignored her, she found that seat preferable to the one her father was making her sit in that week.

Henry had decided that Valerie would sit next to him and the other members of the Privy Council at the head table. Not only was this the table the King and Queen presided over, it was also raised on a dais and faced the rest of the room so everyone could see when she spilled food or drink down her front. After the first two nights, Jeanna had only put her in darker colours in an effort to hide this.

"Ah, Lord Wilmont. How are you this evening?" Her father shook Wilmont's hand as they approached the table.

Valerie looked at him askance, wondering why he sounded so formal but as though he was trying to be very casual. Henry smiled at her and kissed her cheek, taking her hand from Wilmont and helping her onto the dais. This was just as well, as she had tripped previous nights with no help. Valerie lowered herself onto her chair somewhat awkwardly due to the boning of her bodice.

"Very well. Thank you, Duke." Wilmont bowed, still staring at Valerie.

She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, wondering why in the world she had let Jeanna talk her into tonight's outfit. She was wearing a pale blue dress, which sparkled with what looked like diamond dust. She glittered and shone like some kind of holiday bauble when the lights caught her at the right angle. The neckline was bordering on scandalous, and there were only cap sleeves. The bodice hugged her body down to her hips, where the skirt swirled out like an upside-down lily.

"Valerie looks splendid tonight, does she not?" her father asked, sounding less cavalier.

"Radiant." Wilmont's smile looked more like a smirk, and Valerie was sure he was no longer looking at her face.

There was a brief call from a horn and Wilmont retreated to his assigned seat, bowing again before leaving. Thankfully his chair was on the other side of the hall and Valerie would not be able to see him, even if she knew he could see her. Her father sat down and smiled at her as though he wanted to ask her a question.