“What was I supposed to do? Announce that I just wanted to visit Sol and get to know the royal family? They would’ve been highly suspicious.”
“I suppose you have a point, but don’t you think the whole process feels so wrong? I mean, what if you totally hated me, or suppose I was ugly and fat. Would you still marry me then?”
“I’m doing what is best for my country. If that means being unhappy with my wife, then I will do that.”
Zwaantie didn’t know how to react to that. He was braver than her for sure. She couldn’t imagine giving up her happiness up for the sake of her country. She felt a little embarrassed of herself.
“Well, we’ve already established that I will not marry you. So you are off the hook.”
“Forgive me for being bold, but I haven’t given up yet. You are most beautiful and charming. I think I would be happy with you. Is there any way I can convince you to reconsider?”
Oh, he was good. Complimenting her like that and then trying to see what he could do to win her over. Zwaantie did not like where this conversation was going. Time to pull out the real charm.
“Well, the last suitor refused to moo for me. I will definitely not marry someone who won’t moo for me.”
He looked puzzled. “What is mooing?”
Zwaantie stopped, right in the middle of the street. “Mooing, you know, like a cow.”
“What’s a cow?”
“A farm animal. Cows, chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, horses.”
Leo furrowed his brow. “I’ve heard of horses and chickens, but none of the others.”
“Have you ever eaten beef?” Zwaantie was dumbfounded. Their whole world revolved around those animals. How could he not know?
“Of course. It comes from here. We can’t grow our own food, and animals are hard to keep without fields.”
“Where did you think beef came from?”
He shrugged. “Never thought of it much.”
The village was the wrong place to be. They needed to visit the farm. The royal farm was smaller than most of the outlying farms, but they still had all the required animals. As a child, Zwaantie’s favorite thing to do was milk cows and collect eggs. Which Mother put a stop to the day she got her monthlies. After that she had to be a real princess who sewed and visited with other princesses.
“Let’s go visit a farm. Though, you’ll need to change your clothes.”
“Why?” He looked down at his fluffy white shirt, poofy pants, vest, and flimsy shoes.
“Look at those shoes. They don’t protect your feet at all.”
“These are sandals. What do my feet need protecting from anyway?”
“Dirt, rocks, cow poop. I need to change too.”
He pointed at her feet. “Okay, but I am not wearing shoes like that.”
“Fine, but you can’t wear those either. And don’t get mad if you mess up your pretty leather boots.”
“Where are you taking me, the swamp?”
“Something like that, but more fun. Let’s go change.”
Zwaantie was a little excited to show him her world. Plus, he was easier to talk to than she had planned. Maybe it was because he was from Stella. She’d always felt more comfortable with Luna and Phoenix than she ever had with any of her royal friends.
Zwaantie hurried to her room. As she rounded the corner, she ran right into Phoenix. He grinned as he helped steady her. Pieter was with him, and Luna stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss.
“Aw, aren’t you two cute?” Zwaantie asked, still not letting go of Phoenix. She liked standing there, practically in his arms.
Luna blushed. “Well, the Voice doesn’t care anymore if we kiss.”
Zwaantie met Phoenix’s eyes. “Must be nice.”
His gaze burned into hers. She was so very close. A few inches and she’d get a kiss of her own.
Phoenix let go of her and took two steps back. She couldn’t help her disappointment.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” he asked.
“The prince has never seen a farm, so we’re going to show him around. I didn’t want to get my yellow dress dirty.”
Phoenix raised his eyebrows. “Do you like the Stellan prince?”
Zwaantie shrugged. “He’s just like any of the others. Boring.”
Phoenix gave a sharp nod. “Well, we need to head on. Raaf and the king sent us to fetch the new weapons. They want to play with them.”
As they walked away, Zwaantie had a sinking feeling. Someone was trying to kill her. It’d be a lot easier with those new weapons.
Chapter 19
The Cow: Part 2
Leo wrinkled his nose. “What are those things?”
The pigs rolled around in the muck and snorted. Zwaantie loved the farm. If she hadn’t chosen midwifery for her contribution, she would’ve picked something related to farming. Somehow, she didn’t think Mother would let her be a farmer even if she’d tried.
“Pigs. We get bacon and pork from them.”
He breathed out. “Bacon smells a hellava lot better than that.”
“Yes, well, we wash them first,” Zwaantie said without cracking a smile.
“With what?” he asked with a frown.
“Soap.”
Leo looked at her and smiled. “Bacon doesn’t smell like soap either. And I’ve butchered fish before, so I imagine pigs are the same way. Good thing we don’t eat the outside of them, huh?”
So, he wasn’t dumb. That was good to know.
He backed away from the pigpen, and Zwaantie followed. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. She wanted him to like the farm, and it bothered her that she wanted his approval. She wasn’t sure what she thought of him, but he had to get off the marriage idea.
“Come on.” She waved him to the chicken coop. “The chickens aren’t quite so stinky. Would you like to gather some eggs with me?”
“Sure. My mother cooked for fun, and she taught me her tricks. She used to create mountains of scrambled eggs for me in rainbow colors. I was twelve before I knew that the natural color for eggs was yellow.”
Part of Zwaantie yearned to understand that magic, but part of her was repulsed by changing food with magic.
A slave handed them baskets, and they set about finding eggs. She stuck her hand in a box and withdrew an egg. Leo watched her for a few moments.
He stuck his hand in another box without looking. Maybe he wasn’t so smart.
“Yow,” he yelled and jerked his hand out.
Zwaantie looked down and saw an angry red mark on his hand. Then she giggled. A hen stuck her head out of the opening of the box and clucked at him.
“You are supposed to check the box before you stick your hand inside. She thinks you are taking her babies.” Zwaantie laughed again. He scowled for a second and then smiled at her.
“Can we cook these when we get back to the castle?”
“The slaves will do it. Though I doubt they know how to make it pretty colors.”
“You never do any of your own cooking?” he asked, checking another box before sticking his hand in and pulling out a small brown egg.
Zwaantie watched him. “A few royals do. The ones who decide to make it their hobby. I chose midwifery, so I’ve never cooked anything.”
“Ah, Princess, you are missing out. When you come to Stella with me, I will teach you how to cook.”
Oh, he had some nerve. She frowned at him. “What makes you think I’m coming to Stella with you?”
His smile faltered, and he blushed. Good. He was too sure of himself.
“I’m sorry. I got carried away. I really like you. I mean, I know I just met you, but you are truly the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”
Now it was Zwaantie’s turn to blush. Her stomach buzzed, but it also made her nervous. She was in love with Phoenix. Guilt gnawed at her insides. Her stomach shouldn’t be fluttering for anyone else.
Leo glanced over to Hunter and Luna. They seemed to be enjoying a lively conversation. At leas
t they were getting along.
“Come, I want to introduce you to the sheep.” She handed off the eggs to a couple of slaves, and Leo strolled next to her through the field.
“Why do your people wear bondage bands?” he asked.
“They are slaves.”
“I don’t understand. The only people who wear them in our kingdom are prisoners. And they wear them only so that we can know to not trust them. But you have so many. Even your maid wears them.”
“She is a slave. Her mother chose to become a slave.”
He stepped around a sheep and wrinkled his brow. “What is a slave, exactly?”
“When our people cannot feed themselves, they choose to become slaves. They agree to serve in whatever capacity the city needs in exchange for food, shelter, and basic clothing. The bondage bands are placed to make sure they follow the agreement. It lasts one hundred years for themselves and any posterity they have. After a hundred years, the bands fall off.”
“How is that fair?” he asked, his frown deepening.
“They do work hard for what they are given, so it is fair to the kingdom.” She’d been questioning some of the slave practices recently, but the system was efficient, and while it wasn’t the best for some individuals, the overall practice was necessary.
His face went beet red, and he stopped abruptly. Hunter came running. “Your Highness, is something wrong?”
“I’m fine. But there is something seriously twisted here.”
Leo grabbed Luna’s arm and shook her band in Zwaantie’s face. “Your slave didn’t choose this life. Her mother did. How is it fair to her that she should have to live like this? And her children and grandchildren? This is a sick system.”
Zwaantie squared her shoulders and raised her head. “They live good lives. At least ours do. If we didn’t have the system in place, they would starve.” This was her home, and she wasn’t about to let a snotty prince from Stella tell her how to run her kingdom.
Leo stalked off across the field toward the castle. Zwaantie followed but didn’t get the chance to warn him before he stepped in a pile of cow poop.
“Oh, for the love of all the stars!” he yelled and held his foot up. “What is this?” he asked, pointing to the steaming crap with a wrinkled nose.
She giggled. “Cow poop.”
He muttered under his breath and wiped his foot on the grass. He held onto a tree to steady himself.
“Why do you like it out here?” he asked as she drew nearer to him.
“I told you. The cows.”
“I still have no idea what a cow is.”
Zwaantie smirked as a cow walked up behind him and bellowed in his ear. He jumped and stormed away. Zwaantie, Luna, and even Hunter laughed.
Leo was sulky and silent all the way to the palace. Just before they got to the entrance, he stopped Zwaantie.
“I’m sorry. We don’t have slaves in Stella, and the idea just seems so horrific to me. And then I stepped in, well, you know. Forgive me?”
She shook her head. “No, you ruined my afternoon. But if you do something for me, I will.” She was wicked, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Whatever you want.” He said and bowed extravagantly, a crooked smile on his face.
“Moo for me.”
Luna giggled behind her.
Leo’s face was impassive. She had no idea what he would do. But without warning, he let out a huge bellow and grinned at her.
“Thank you,” she said, genuinely pleased.
“I’ll see you at dinner,” he said. Then he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
He and Hunter sauntered into the castle. Luna’s face had gone pale. Zwaantie had just been kissed for the first time in her life by someone other than her parents.
And it wasn’t Phoenix.
The Voice immediately began its assault.
You filthy girl. How dare you let him do that to you? You should go scrub your face with acid to burn off the filth. Filthy, filthy girl.
Chapter 20
The Kiss
Zwaantie didn’t go into the castle. She marched away and down the street. She ignored the slaves and merchants who fell to the ground in a bow.
Filthy girl. A small headache formed between her eyes, but it wasn’t bad. The Voice continued to call her all sorts of names.
She stomped inside Wilma’s cottage. Wilma looked up from a book she was reading. “Goodness sakes, child, why are you making such a racket?”
“That prince,” she fumed. She paced in front of Wilma.
Wilma closed her book, took off her reading glasses, and watched Zwaantie. “What did he do?”
“He kissed me,” she spat.
Wilma laughed. “I’d take a kiss from him any day.”
Zwaantie glared at her. “Well, you can have him. I hope the Voice is yelling at you, by the way. This isn’t funny.”
“Honey, he’s a doll and probably your future husband. What’s wrong with him kissing you?”
Zwaantie stopped and shook her finger in Wilma’s face. “Take that back. He will not be my husband. I don’t love him. And he’s from Stella. How dare you even suggest it.”
“Most marriages aren’t for love. He’s a good choice, better than any of the Solite princes.”
“He’s from Stella.” Zwaantie couldn’t believe Wilma was actually suggesting she marry the prince. Sure, Zwaantie enjoyed the magic from Stella, but they were too different. Their culture of touching and kissing and obscene clothes.
“So?”
“So, they’re…they’re barbarians. He kissed me!”
Wilma stood and pointed at the table. “Let me make you a cup of tea and help you calm down.”
“I don’t want to calm down.”
Wilma bustled about making tea. Zwaantie sat at the table fuming. Not only was Wilma unsympathetic, but she actually thought Zwaantie should marry that creep. At least the Voice stopped berating her. Maybe it realized the kiss wasn’t her fault.
Wilma brought two steaming cups to the table.
“When is the wedding?” Wilma asked with a grin.
Zwaantie glared at her and sipped her tea. It burned going down, but Wilma’s teas were the best. This tasted of lavender and vanilla.
Wilma was altogether too eager to see her marry Leo. Time to change the subject.
“Did you hear about my guard?”
Wilma sat across from her. “The one who jumped off the bridge? Yes. I did.”
“And did you know how that girl died the other night at dinner? Was it possible she was poisoned?”
Wilma shrugged. “Maybe. Why?”
Zwaantie hadn’t wanted to admit this out loud. But she was starting to see patterns. “I think someone is trying to kill me. Or rather. I think the Voice is.”
Wilma took a sip of her tea and stared into her cup. “Why would you think that?”
“Because I told Mother that I didn’t want to be queen. She said Sol wouldn’t let me abdicate. What if this is Sol’s way of making sure I don’t?”
Wilma raised her eyebrows. “By killing you?”
“It sounds stupid, I know. But that girl died, my guard tried to kill me, and the Voice tried to lure me into the wall.”
“I checked the girl out, and it did not look like poison to me. Though I will admit poison can be hard to detect. The wall though, you didn’t tell me about that.”
Zwaantie explained how the Voice tried to make her step into the wall.
“Now, that’s easy. You were too close to the wall. That wasn’t the Voice at all, but the wall trying to trick you. As for your guard. Obviously, he was going mad. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken his own life. Does that ease your fears?”
Zwaantie nodded, but she still felt uneasy about the whole thing. Something was off.
Wilma looked out the window to the sun. “You must go. I don’t think your mother will let you miss another dinner.”
The slave chefs created quite the feast for the prince. Everything was su
per fresh, from the greens to the sausages. The prince seemed so in love with the food Zwaantie was surprised he even had time to carry on a conversation with Raaf.
Zwaantie wasn’t speaking to Leo, which he took in stride, but she listened to his conversation with Raaf.
“Do you have many siblings?” Raaf asked.
“Yes. I only have one full sister. But through my father I have ten additional siblings. My mother also has three more sons, but I don’t see them much.”
Zwaantie didn’t understand. She wanted to ask, but didn’t want to talk to him. Having siblings without the same parents seemed so foreign. It happened occasionally when someone died, but he had half siblings from both parents.
“What do you mean?” Raaf asked. “Does your father have more than one wife?”
“Oh no. My mother and father never married. My mother married her current husband after she had me.”
Raaf seemed speechless. “Do you plan on having children before you are married?”
“Of course not. Only the king does that. Well, officially anyway. Several of my siblings are already married. One of my brothers on my mother’s side married a Solite, actually.”
Zwaantie nearly broke her vow of silence, but Raaf beat her to it.
“How is that possible? Solites are not allowed to cross the wall.”
“I don’t know. Like I said, I’m not close to that brother. He lives in a different city. But he brought his wife to the castle to have my father remove her bondage bands. I thought she must’ve been a prisoner. But now I understand she was a slave.”
Raaf went quiet, and Zwaantie cursed him. She wanted to hear more. But then Raaf changed the subject and waxed on about Sol’s discipline system, which seemed to fascinate Leo but bored Zwaantie to tears.
The strawberry shortcake arrived, and Zwaantie was grateful dinner was almost over.
“This is amazing. I’ve never had strawberries that taste like this. How do you do it?” Leo asked her.
A direct question. She wasn’t sure she could ignore that. Zwaantie pointed up. “The sun.”
He nodded. “So why are you mad at me? I’ve been trying to figure it out, but I’m lost. I mooed for you.”
“You kissed me.” She shuddered at the thought.
Stella and Sol Box Set Page 12
