The Betrothed

by Kiera Cass

  “Would you exchange your crown of gold for one of flowers, then?” he asked with a smile.

  “I think I just might.”

  “I think it would suit you,” he commented, and I found myself holding eye contact with him for just a moment too long.

  “I told your father you were welcome to hide here as long as you like. If you need anything at all, you know where my rooms are. Don’t be afraid to ask.”

  He shook his head. “You’ve given us so much already. Look at how happy Scarlet is, and Saul. I couldn’t ask for more.”

  He was right. Everyone was smiling . . . with one exception.

  “Thank you, by the way. For attempting to defend me earlier.”

  Silas glanced up, finding his cousin as I had: alone and looking miserable. “If he knew you, he wouldn’t say such things. I told him how good you’d been to us, how kind. I told him how highly my sister speaks of you, how even Sullivan smiles when he hears your name.”

  “Does he?” I gushed.

  Silas nodded proudly. The compliment of Sullivan’s quiet approval was not lost on me.

  “My mother praises your bravery, my father says you’re wise for your age, and I—”

  He stopped quickly, and I looked up at him, dying to know the end of that sentence.

  “And you?”

  He stared down at me intently, and I could see the words trapped in his mouth. He looked at the ground, took a deep breath, and came back to me.

  “And I am so pleased to have found a friend in Coroa. I genuinely thought it might be impossible.”

  “Oh.” I glanced around the room, hoping no one could read the disappointment on my face. “Well, with how thoughtful your family is, it hardly seems impossible to me. And you shall always have my friendship.”

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  “Silas?”

  We both turned to his mother’s voice.

  “Please excuse me,” he said, and I had the distinct sensation of being rescued.

  “Absolutely. I need to make rounds anyway,” I said as he moved away.

  For reasons I couldn’t say, I picked up a glass of ale and walked over to the scowling figure at the sweeping window.

  “Is something wrong, Sir Etan?” I asked, offering him the cup. He took it without a word of thanks.

  “I mean no offense. Your rooms are very pretty. I’m sure you were dying to show them off.”

  I shook my head. “That’s not why I invited you.”

  “I expect your king wants us to go home with reports of how well he treats his future queen. But I don’t have time for gossip. I’d just rather be home.”

  “Ah, look at that. Something we have in common.” I turned and walked over to Delia Grace, refusing to let him ruin my mood.

  “That man is awful. If he wasn’t related to people who have been helping me so much, I’d kick him out right now.”

  “What’s this?” Nora asked, hearing the end of my sentence.

  “Nothing. Just the Eastoffes’ cousin Etan being a bit of a snob.”

  “As if any Isolten has the room to be snobbish here,” Delia Grace grumbled.

  I looked over my shoulder, hoping no one was close enough to hear that.

  “By the way,” she continued, “I think I’m going to take Nora’s advice and start choreographing our dance for Crowning Day. Just so we’re prepared.”

  “Good idea. Everything feels so rushed lately.”

  “I want to keep it small, only four girls. So you need to pick one more, and we’re all set.”

  “Good idea. Hmm.” I mentally ran through the other girls at court. I didn’t know many very well, and I wasn’t too fond of the ones I did. Goodness, if I couldn’t think of one I wanted to dance with, how was I supposed to fill out a household? I glanced around the room, trying to see if anyone would make a good addition, when my eyes alighted on the one person I knew would be perfect.

  “Scarlet?” I asked, walking over to her as she chatted with her aunt.

  “Yes, Lady Hollis?”

  “Do you know about Crowning Day?” I squinted. “I dare say I don’t know any of the holidays in Isolte.”

  “I’ve heard of it. Isn’t it meant to celebrate the forming of the royal line?”

  “Yes! We symbolically recrown the king and pledge our loyalty. It’s probably my favorite holiday. Most people sleep all day, and the feast begins in the evening, and everyone celebrates through the night.”

  Lady Northcott’s eyes widened. “This sounds like my kind of holiday. Perhaps we will move here, too.”

  I giggled at her enthusiasm. “Well, part of the celebration is dancing. Nearly every girl at court is in one dance or another, so of course we’ll have one. Would you be willing to join Delia Grace, Nora, and myself? It will be a great opportunity to impress the king.”

  Her face lit up. “Oh, I’d love to! When do we start?”

  “After King Quinten leaves, at least. I won’t have any time to think about dancing until then.”

  “Of course. Let me know when you’re practicing, and I’ll be there.”

  Her aunt looked so pleased on her behalf, and in the corner, I saw Silas trying not to smile.

  Sure, Valentina had been cold, and Etan had been rude. Twice. But when I saw Silas’s glittering eyes looking back at me in appreciation, all I could think of was that it had been such a good day.

  Sixteen

  THE NEXT MORNING, I SAT up in bed, hopefully inhaling the morning air. If anything could cheer an anxious mood, it was the jugglers and musicians and games on the tournament field.

  “I’m so excited for the tournament.” Nora came and nudged me to move over on the bed. I obliged, and she pulled my hair over my back and started brushing.

  “Me, too.” I curled my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, almost feeling like I needed to hold the feeling in.

  “Is Jameson riding today?”

  I shook my head. “He’s going to accompany King Quinten for the whole thing, and, seeing as the armor alone would knock Quinten to the ground,” I said with a pointed look, “I think he’ll stay in the stands today. I’m not even sure if I’ll bother wearing a token.”

  “Why not? You don’t have to give it away.”

  “We’ll see. Either way, I want to wear the red underskirt, but with my signature gold on top.”

  She nodded. “That will look nice. We should probably tuck your hair up so it doesn’t get dirty. Come on.” We moved over to the vanity so she could secure my hair back in a golden net, using a wide band of red satin to keep the front of my hair in place.

  “No question who I’m pulling for today, is there?”

  “Not with that much red.” She smiled.

  I squinted up at her. “Where’s Delia Grace?”

  “Something was wrong with her dress, and she had to go find thread.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “No wonder it’s so calm in here.”

  Nora chuckled as I looked through my drawer, fishing out ribbons and handkerchiefs. “Remember to cheer loudly and be careful that your heart doesn’t get stolen by a handsome knight,” I warned her. Though I knew Jameson would be sitting beside me, I flipped a handkerchief over and over in my hand. I supposed Nora was right; I could have one and not give it away. I slid it up the sleeve of my dress as Delia Grace entered the room, already tense.

  “Why is the blasted seamstress so far back in the castle? Doesn’t anyone on this side of the palace ever need a needle and thread?” She huffed as she made sure our dresses were sitting properly and our hair was in place.

  “I’ll make it my first order of business to allot some rooms in these halls for the dressers,” I promised. “I’m sure more people need that than we could guess.”

  She tucked a stray hair at my neck back into the net, nodding intently. “Sometimes, Hollis, I think we’re the only ones who actually know what’s going on here. There, you’re good.”

  “Off we go, ladies,” I said, handing a
ribbon to Delia Grace before we moved outside. I kept my head high as I walked across the crowded grounds to where Jameson was settling into the king’s box. King Quinten was sitting to his left with his precious queen beside him. I sighed. At least with her sitting on the other side of the box, the chances of us needing to interact were slim.

  As I got closer, I saw a young man in armor approaching me.

  “Why, Silas Eastoffe, is that you?” I asked, though the answer was plain enough by the sight of his parents and dreadful cousin flanking him.

  He pulled off his helmet and gave me a quick bow. “Indeed, it is, my Lady Hollis. I’m trying my hand at the sword fight after all. And look,” Silas continued, turning a full circle. It didn’t take long for me to understand.

  I met the eyes of his parents, who wore expressions somewhere between satisfied and wary. “You wear no red, you wear no blue.”

  In the distance, his aunt and uncle called out. Lord and Lady Eastoffe waved and started over as I turned to my ladies. “Delia Grace, Nora. You may go to our seats. I’ll be along shortly.” They quickly obeyed and I was left with Silas and Etan, though I wished Etan would take his sour expression and follow his aunt and uncle.

  “Are you not worried about offending someone?” I asked Silas quietly.

  “On the contrary. I’m proud of my past and my present, so I hope to honor both kings today.”

  Every time I learned something new about Silas, I found I admired him even more. “That’s very noble, sir.”

  Next to him, Etan rolled his eyes.

  “And what of you, Sir Etan?” I asked. “Will you not participate today? Do you not have the stomach for tournaments?”

  He looked down upon me as if I were a bug.

  “I do not play at wars, my lady. I fight real ones. A lance and a blunted sword don’t frighten me.”

  I looked back at Silas. “My cousin has volunteered for the Isolten army many times,” he said proudly. “He fights to keep peace along the border.”

  I didn’t like that I was spending time with someone who was fighting against my countrymen, but I couldn’t deny it took bravery to do that.

  “Well, then, you have my admiration for your courage, and my compassion for the sacrifices I’m sure you’ve made.”

  He sneered at me. “I don’t need either. Not from you.”

  I shook my head and gathered my gown. “I’m glad you’ve sheathed your sword today, Sir Etan. If you could do the same with your tongue, you might find your company much more appreciated.”

  With another fussy expression, he stormed off, leaving me alone with Silas. Finally.

  “I tried.”

  He smiled with a shrug. “I know. I like that about you. You’re always trying.”

  I considered that. Etan had called me an ornament, Delia Grace took every opportunity to remind me I was a poor student, and my parents . . . well, they found endless fault with me. But Silas kept catching things that I didn’t know about myself. He said he liked the way I thought. And he was right, I had plenty of good ideas. And he said that I tried, and he was right about that, too. I had a hard time giving up.

  I found myself wishing I had a reason to stay near him just a little bit longer. Instead, I bowed my head to him to take my leave and walked away, looking back as I went. There was some unnameable thing that I felt when I was near Silas, like there was a string connecting us, pulling on me if I wandered too far. I was starting to think that fate had made our paths cross, but, considering how differently our paths had begun, I couldn’t guess at why. Impulsively, I pulled my handkerchief from my sleeve and let it fall to the ground before rushing away.

  As soon as I reached the royal box, I dropped into a curtsy before King Jameson. “Majesty.”

  “My Lady Hollis, you look radiant today. How am I to focus on the games?”

  I smiled, then nodded at King Quinten and Queen Valentina. “Your Majesties. I hope you slept well.”

  Queen Valentina blinked at me, seemingly confused by the kindness. “Thank you.”

  I took my seat and tried to pay attention as the games began. As usual, Jameson’s least favorite event, spear on foot, was up first. I couldn’t blame him; it was too slow paced even for me, and I was never sure of the scoring. Some of the other events were much more straightforward.

  “Ha ha!” King Quinten shouted. “That’s another victory won by my men!”

  “You have superb soldiers,” Jameson agreed amicably. “My father always said so. Though I think the tides will turn once the events are on horseback. Coroans all excel with horses. Even my Hollis rides with speed and grace.”

  I leaned forward, taking in the praise. “You are too kind. And what of you, Your Majesties? Do you ride?”

  “I used to,” Valentina replied with a faint smile before her husband waved a hand to silence her.

  “Not if I can help it,” he answered quickly.

  I made a face at Jameson, who understood my exasperation completely, and when he stuck out his tongue in reply, it was all I could do not to laugh.

  When the spear event was finally over, the first groups of people came out for the next event: sword. After a few rounds, Silas came onto the field.

  “Look there, Your Majesty.” I rested my arm on Jameson’s and pointed with the other. “Do you see the young man wearing no colors?”

  He focused on the far side of the arena. “I do.”

  “It’s one of the Eastoffe sons. He wanted to honor you both with his performance, so he chose no side,” I explained. “He said it was for both his past and present.”

  Jameson considered this. “Very diplomatic, I suppose.”

  I frowned, a little disappointed with that assessment. “I’d thought of it as a lovely sentiment.”

  He laughed. “Ah, Hollis, you have such a simple view of life. I wish I had it myself.”

  The match began, and I saw quickly that Silas had been right: he was much better at making swords than wielding them. Still, I found myself moving closer and closer to the edge of my seat, hoping he’d somehow take the victory. His footwork was clumsy, but he was strong, swinging the sword with much more conviction than his counterpart, who, by chance, was wearing blue.

  The crowd cheered and whooped with every blow, and I lifted my hand to my lips, hoping that if Silas didn’t win, he’d at least walk away uninjured. I never worried about Jameson when he was jousting. Perhaps it was his skill on horseback or just the belief that it was impossible for him to fail.

  Knowing that loss or injury were both very possible made me care about what I was seeing all the more. But I found my hope restored that Silas would at least be safe when I saw a hint of golden fabric peeking out from his sleeve.

  He’d taken it. I felt my heartbeat fly even faster knowing that he’d scooped up my favor and was wearing it as his own. I peeked over at Jameson, hoping he didn’t notice. I told myself that even if he had, plenty of ladies wove golden thread into their handkerchiefs. It was a thrilling and delicious secret.

  Silas and his opponent battled back and forth, each refusing to concede. After one of the longest sword fights I’d ever seen, it all came down to the man in blue taking a few missteps and Silas bearing down with the sword hard on his challenger’s back. His opponent dropped to the dirt and the round was over.

  I stood, cheering with all my might and clapping thunderously.

  Jameson rose beside me. “You must really support this swordsman,” he said.

  “No, my lord,” I shouted over the noise, grinning ear to ear. “I support diplomacy.”

  He got a good laugh out of that and waved Silas over.

  “Very good show, sir. And I appreciate your . . . statement.”

  Silas removed his helmet and bowed to the king. “Thank you, Your Majesty. It was an honor to fight today.”

  It took King Quinten a few blinks of his eyes to be sure of just what he was seeing, but once he was, he stood furiously.

  “Why do you wear no colors?” he demande
d. “Where is your blue?”

  Jameson turned to him. “He is a Coroan now.”

  “He is not!”

  “He fled your country to find sanctuary here. He has sworn his allegiance to me. And yet he wears no colors so as to not insult you. And you take it upon yourself to shame him?”

  Quinten’s voice was low and gravelly. “You and I both know he will never truly be a Coroan.”

  Just past them, I could see Queen Valentina clutching her stomach, her eyes flicking between Quinten and Jameson nervously. Up until now, she’d seemed above anything so common as nerves, but she was clearly worried about how this would unfold. I didn’t want to see it, and my guess was she didn’t, either.

  “Come with me, Your Majesty. You mustn’t get overexcited.” I walked her down the stairs and into the shade behind the royal box. We could still hear Jameson’s and Quinten’s voices, but their words were muffled.

  “Kings, huh?” I joked, trying to break the tension.

  “I think it’s just men in general,” she replied, and we both laughed.

  “Can I get you anything? Some water, something to eat?”

  She shook her head. “No, I’m just happy to get away from the yelling. His Majesty gets upset easily, and I prefer to stay out of all that.”

  “I feel bad for the swordsman. I think he meant well.”

  “Silas Eastoffe.” She looked at the ground. “I think he only ever means well.”

  It was funny. I was aware that Silas knew of the queen, but I’d never considered that she knew of him.

  “Has he done things like this before?”

  “Not exactly. I’ve caught him in a few conversations where he tried to get the person he was speaking with to consider the other side of the argument. He just wants people to think.”

  I nodded. “I don’t know him well, but that sounds about right.”

  A stampede of footsteps came down the stairs and Quinten was there, bearing down on his cane, pulling his wife away so quickly I didn’t get to curtsy before she went. Jameson came down shortly after, hands on his hips.

  “Well, the tournament’s over. Quinten decided he’d rather rest than be insulted.”

  “Oh, no. Your Majesty, I’m so sorry.”