The Queen’s Right

Chapter One

“I’m not interested Mother, ooof.” I sucked in a breath and held it as she pulled the laces of my corset tight from behind. 
“You had better get interested Sephora,” she replied with another yank. I held onto the ornate carved bed post for stability. Mother finished tying me into my torture device and stepped back. “Over here.” I didn’t have to see her to know the look on her face was one of annoyance before I had even had a second to move towards the large silk contraption laid out on the floor for me to step into. It was the only way to get such a garment on. 
I turned and held a hand against my crushed and sore abdomen for a moment. 
“Move along, move along.” Mother gestured impatiently. 
“Yes Mother.” I sighed and stepped into the center of the pool of fabric. She wasted no time pulling it up over my slim hips and dramatically pinched waist. She set to work lacing this one up as well and continued her tirade.
“This kingdom needs a king, Sephora. Your father’s been gone nearly six months now, and your twenty-fifth birth celebration approaches. We can’t wait any longer.” 
“Why don’t you get married then?” I asked, then immediately bit my tongue. I was going to pay for that remark. 
She responded only with a savage tug of the laces, pulling me towards her with the force of it. “If that,” yank “is the attitude,” yank “that you,” yank “are going to have,” yank “then I guess I’ll just have to choose for you!” She finished with a flourish and one final pull, tightening the laces of the dress and pushing my breasts to teetering point over the front. 
“What?!” I shouted. I would have turned if I could, but she still held me tight, tying the knots to hold the dress in place. 
“You heard me Sephora, you’ve given me no other option.” She gripped my shoulders and turned me to face her. “There now, you look like a proper princess. Why can’t the ladies maids ever get it right?” 
They do get it right, it’s just never good enough for you, I thought, but dared not say aloud—I’d already dug enough of my own grave for one day. Instead I said nothing, simply pursed my lips and waited for whatever else Mother had in store for me this morning. 
“Cateline will be in shortly to finish your hair, then you will join me in the dining hall for breakfast.” Apparently that was all she had to say as she turned on her heel and clacked across the stone floor, sweeping regally out of the room and shutting the heavy wooden door behind her. The ominous sound of the door slamming against the threshold sealed me in and sealed my fate. 
What have I done? 

#

Cateline entered through the servants door and the tension drained from my body at the sight of her. I moved to sit at the vanity table, Cat stepped up behind me and reached over my shoulder for the hairbrush, her arm brushed against mine causing all the fine hairs on that side of my body to stand on end. 
“How are you today Princess?” she asked. I loathed the formality between us but it was a necessary evil, we couldn’t afford to be caught being overly affectionate. Not that it had stopped us over the years as we had grown closer. Her gentle smile reflecting in the mirror broke me and tears burned behind my eyes. 
“Oh Cat, Mother has decided to marry me off to some Prince of her choosing!” I let out a sob, my face crumpling into misery. Shock and pain chased each other across Cat’s face before she managed to cover it up with a watery smile. She slowly began dragging the hairbrush through my tangled tresses. 
“We knew this day would come Sephora,” she said, so quiet it was practically a whisper. 
“I know,” I replied, dropping my head into my hands, ignoring the wrench of pain from the brush being forcefully ripped out by my movement. Cateline dropped the brush onto the table and gripped my shoulders with her small hands. 
“You know, I’ll always be here for you Princess.” 
I looked up and caught her expression in the mirror, at once feeling awful for my self centeredness, how terrible was it going to be for Cat to see me being paraded around with my new husband while she stood off to the side with servants for years to come? I placed one hand over hers and looked deep into the eyes of her reflection. We often had conversations like this, the mirror acted as a physical barrier, reminding us of our respective positions and protecting us should Mother or anyone else enter and catch us. 
“I don’t know what I’d do without you Cat.” 
“Nor I you Princess.” 

#

Once Cateline was done with my hair, we headed down the spiral staircase from the tower together until we reached the main floor of the castle. We parted ways at the base as she headed for the servants quarters to have her own meal. I turned and made my way to the large double doors that marked the entrance to the dining hall. 
As soon as I approached, the guardsmen stood at attention briefly and then moved to open the doors for me. I waited, lifting my skirts off the floor ever-so-slightly so as not to trip, and nodded to the men as I made my way by. Don’t talk to the servants, Mother's voice rang out in my head. Just nod and move on. It had been drilled into me since childhood. 
Sometimes I did talk to them of course—Cateline was one of my closest confidantes—but only in private when we were sure we were alone. Mother would never approve of my having a servant for a friend. 
I entered the larger than life dining hall, dominated by a massive table, capable of serving at least twenty people at a time, more if one was willing to sit closer together. I had seen it filled to capacity more than a few times in my father's life. He had once presided over an expansive court, but since his death the attendees had dwindled. This morning, only my mother and I sat for the morning meal, her in my father’s seat at the head of the table, and myself to her right. 
Servants placed dish after dish in front of us, first a selection of local and traded fruit, then eggs and fried meat, and finally a light sweet bread and tea. 
Such decadence was not always available since my father's passing—even before that, the food had been growing scarce. War between the nations made for reluctant trading partners, but since he was gone we had only our closest allies to rely on. 
I knew why my mother expected me to marry the first acceptably wealthy suitor who came along, and in theory I wanted to help my people. But I also knew better than to expect that my own table reflected what was going on in the town surrounding the castle. 
Another greedy king like my father wouldn’t help the people no matter how much I wanted to. My mother insisted we needed a king because the people would only listen to the rule of a woman for so long. I knew that, in my logical brain, was the reason she was so insistent. But was I so wrong to be unwilling to sacrifice my own life and happiness? 
It seemed at this point I had no choice. Mother had decided she would choose my husband and I would have no say in the matter, but I didn’t have to like it. With my father dead, the throne was destined to pass to me on the twenty fifth celebration of my birth. Had he still been alive I could have put it off a little longer, but alas that was not to be. 
Maybe there was a chance that I could influence my chosen husband, if I could restrain my own personal distaste for having been forced to marry. Or maybe there was a chance that the man who was chosen would be good and kind. 
Ha! That’s a wild dream if I’ve ever heard one. 

Chapter Two

A few weeks later, I stood in front of the gilded mirror that served as one half-wall of my bed chamber. Cateline ran a brush through my long brown hair over and over again until the strands shone like burnished gold. 
“It’s an exciting day Your Majesty, your new husband is arriving,” she said while she worked, a tight smile pinched her normally beautiful face. 
“Cateline, you know you don’t have to call me that in private,” I replied. “And yes I know Prince Finnian arrives today. I’m not looking forward to it.” 
“But to marry a prince, what a wonderful thing.” 
“I hate to sound like a spoiled brat Cat, but I have met many princes and should you chance to spend some time with them you would surely find them as insufferable as I have.”
“I suppose I have been in the presence of many a rude and pretentious royal family member,” she replied, then she clapped a hand over her mouth, her wide eyes horrified at what she had said. 
“Fear not Cateline, I won’t ever tell anyone what you say to me in confidence,” I told her, patting her hand. 
“Bless you Princess,” she replied with a breathless bow. 
My heart ached for her as I watched her reflection in the mirror. And then it ached for me with the knowledge that she could never fully accept me as a friend—or anything else—any more than I could her. There would always be a divide between us. 
Rather than correct her again I simply nodded and removed my hand, allowing her to continue in her work with my hair. 
“Best make me up extra today Cat, I’m meeting my future husband,” I said, the last word dripping like a snake's venom off my tongue. Prince Finnian was in for a rude awakening when he met me—I hoped someone had warned him in advance. 
I peered out the window and watched as a long caravan of horses, carriages, and troops approached our gates. I guess that’s him, I thought. I couldn’t pick him out from his riders, not one of them was more ornate or ostentatious than the others. I concluded that he must not even be riding and was seated in one of the carriages instead. 
I sat back against my seat and heaved a sigh—not even a glimpse of my soon-to-be husband before Mother introduced and betrothed us in one meeting. 
“Finished Princess.” Cateline released me, my hair piled up in a cascade of curls that poured over the sides and back. It made my head look five times larger but Cateline reminded me that all the ladies wore their hair this way. I trusted her or else I would have never let her perch what looked like a multi-legged sea creature on my head. 
“I guess it’s time to meet my intended.” I stood and lifted my skirts with a heavy sigh. 
“Perhaps Princess, you could try to be nice to him just for a moment?” Cateline asked, the trepidation in her voice so apparent that I felt guilt and shame wash over me before I even reached the door. 
“For you Cat, I will be nice to him for more than a moment. But I will not promise to like him. I cannot do that,” I said, my back stiff with nerves. 
“I wish only for your happiness, Princess.” I could hear her bow without turning around. I wished so badly that she wouldn’t do that, I wished we could just be ourselves with no caveats. But it wasn’t possible. 
“Thanks Cat,” I said as I pulled the door open and made my way down the spiral staircase to face my future. 

#

The foyer and adjacent hallways of the castle bustled with activity when I arrived at the bottom of the stairs. I tried to skirt the crowd and make my way to the already open dining hall doors without drawing too much attention, but it was a lost cause. 
As soon as the first guardsmen saw me approach and stood at attention, all the other eyes swiveled towards me. The prince’s guards, servants and handmaids all stopped their movements and bowed or curtseyed in unison. I stopped my attempt to sneak by and curtseyed in return, a thank you to them for their sign of respect. 
“Good morning, Sirs and Ladies,” I said, addressing primarily the knights who had been removing their armor. 
“Good morning, Princess,” the group replied, again in near perfect unison. I didn’t see anyone in proper dress that could be the prince among their number, which meant he had probably beat me into the hall for breakfast. I had hoped to get there first. They waited until I nodded my acknowledgement to stand upright and then again until I turned towards the dining hall to resume their activities. 
I made my way into the hall. Mother sat at the head of the table as usual and a well-dressed young man sat in my customary spot to her right. A few other stuffy and uptight looking gentlemen sat further down, all of them so deep in conversation they didn’t notice my approach until I was almost upon the left seat across from whom I assumed to be the prince. 
He leaped out of his seat and folded forward in an exaggerated bow for someone of his station. “Princess, the honor is mine.”
“Your majesty,” I replied with a shallow curtsey, and took my seat before anyone could say anything else. Rude as it was, I wasn’t interested in a protracted greeting protocol when I was about to be effectively sold like cattle. 
Prince Finnian remained standing, surprising me. I waited for him to berate me for my presumptive attitude but instead he reached for the jug of mead and gestured towards my cup. “May I pour you a drink, Princess?” 
What kind of prince pours a drink for someone else? I thought, and bit my lip in consternation. Mead was my favorite drink to have with breakfast, or really any time of day. Fortified wine wasn’t to my taste and water always tasted bland and dull on my tongue. 
I was loath to accept it from this man, this stranger who’d come into my home to purchase me for his own particular wants, but I also didn’t want to sit through this uncomfortable meal without my favored drink. “Yes please, your majesty,” I replied, attempting a smile. My earlier promise to Cateline to be friendly for a moment echoed in my head. 
“Please Princess, call me Finn,” he said as he filled my goblet, he refilled his own from the same jug and took his seat. Hmm, I wonder if he likes mead too, or if he’s just keeping up appearances? 
“Prince Finn.” I lifted my drink and nodded across the table before taking a deep draught. 
He returned the gesture. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess.”
“You may call me Sephora,” I said, in an attempt to return his favor. If Mother had already chosen this man he might as well call me by my name should I be tied to him forever. 
“Princess Sephora,” he replied. He turned to Mother then. “This meal looks delicious, your majesty, many thanks to you and your kingdom.” 
“Only the best for you, Prince Finnian,” Mother replied. She glowed with pride as though she herself had prepared the elaborate meal before us and had not just barked instructions at the servants to deliver what she wanted. 
I speared a piece of fruit with my fork, and silence stretched between us. Prince Finnian—Finn—seemed to have run out of compliments to give us and had fallen quiet himself. I glanced up and noticed Cateline standing at the threshold of the door to the kitchens. She raised her eyebrows and inclined her head towards the prince. Her meaning was plain: make an effort. 
“Prince Finnian, how was your journey here? I understand the roads are plagued with bandits and deserters from the wars raging in nearby kingdoms.” 
“Our travels were unbothered by bandits, thank you for asking. We were very lucky,” he replied. 
“And what would you do to deal with these brigands?” Mother interjected, turning her pointed gaze on Finn. I was ashamedly relieved to not be the subject of her scrutiny or the conversation. 
“I would send a delegation to treat with them, my Queen,” he replied. 
I looked up from my breakfast in surprise, food still on my fork that hung slack in my hand. 
“A delegation?” Mother replied, a derisive laugh peeled from her lips. “Surely anything less than brute force would mean nothing to those animals.” 
“My father has found that in our kingdom most people do not want to be at war, they just don’t want to be starving or freezing to death. Of those who resort to roadside ambushes most are desperate and only require our help,” Finn replied. 
I watched him now with rapt attention, if not for any other reason than I had never seen a person contradict Mother so directly to her face—it was exhilarating to see. But I was also intrigued by his words. I wanted to hate him, I wanted to resent him for buying me like a piece of furniture at a market. But at that moment—here in my own home—something inside of me had come to life while he spoke. I wanted to hear more, I wanted to swap ideas, and for a brief second a bright spark of hope made me believe maybe all was not lost. 

Chapter Three

After breakfast, Mother insisted on taking Prince Finnian and his delegation on a tour of the grounds. I was to accompany them of course, remain on display for my intended so he could see me in action so to speak. I could not refuse, and so I followed behind the men, three paces as was customary. 
We made our way out of the great hall into the foyer and through the front doors onto the main lawn. Mother led the way into the gardens, pointing out various flower beds and fountains, andthe prince fell further and further behind her. Eventually it became clear that she was happy to espouse to anyone who would listen. The prince’s men gathered around her, gushing over the grounds as though the accomplishments were her own, and she basked in the attention and failed to notice us. 
Prince Finnian fell into step beside me at the back of our party. “Princess,” he began, inclining his head towards me, “is this as uncomfortable for you as it is for me?” 
“I’m sorry?” I peered up at him. What is he talking about? 
“My father sent me here this day, to ask for your hand in marriage, but it seems our parents have made the decision on our behalf,” he said. 
My head spun—I had never considered that Finnian was in a similar position to myself. I just assumed he had chosen me from some sort of princess line-up. 
“Your father sent you? You mean you didn’t know that this was arranged before you arrived here?”
“No, until we sat at the table this morning with the Queen and I heard my advisors talking to her, I was under the impression that I was one of many who would compete for your hand.” He looked at his feet as he spoke, as though he was nervous or uncomfortable. Warmth bloomed in my chest as I watched him—clearly he was experiencing something akin to what I was. 
The rest of our group had pulled fairly far ahead at this point—if I needed any other proof that he was also being sacrificed on the altar of the greater good I needn’t look any further than that. Though ostensibly we were both the most important participants in this marriage plan, we had clearly been easily forgotten by those who would happily plan our lives without our input. 
“Oh,” I said. I wasn’t sure how to continue. I had spent the previous fortnight focused on hating the man who would be presented to me, and now here he was—a decent human being and as unwilling a participant in this whole affair as I was. 
“You’re not sure if you should believe me,” he said, resignation echoed in his voice. “That’s fair enough, Princess, I’m not sure I would believe me either.” He stopped and bowed before speeding up his steps and joining his party. 
I followed the group from my expected distance through the rest of Mother’s tour until we arrived back at the front doors of the castle. Mercifully she dismissed me at that point, even though I knew it was so she could continue to plan my future without my interference. 
“Sephora, you may retire,” she said. “You must be exhausted from our taxing day.” 
“Yes, Mother,” I replied, as was expected. I had no other choice. As I turned towards the spiral staircase that led to my bedchambers I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned and Prince Finnian winked at me before turning his attention back to Mother, the picture perfect prince. 
I smiled to myself and lifted my skirts to head upstairs. 
Maybe someone has answered my prayers.

#

What just happened? 
I sat on the edge of my bed and lay back, staring up at the canopy with my mind racing. Only a few minutes later there came a timid knock at the door. 
“Come in,” I called, unwilling to move from my current position. I listened as the door creaked open. 
“Mi’lady?” Cateline asked in her quiet mouselike voice. 
“Cat!” I exclaimed. “Thank the gods, close the door.” I sat up and reached for my friend with both arms. Cateline closed the door tight behind her and sank onto the mattress beside me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. 
After a moment or two of silence she asked, “Was he awful, Princess?” 
“Actually no.” I pulled back from our embrace. 
“No? Then all may not be lost for you?” Cateline’s face lit up like a bright candle. 
She was a wonderful friend, caring and kind—she wanted good things for me not just because I was her princess. Cateline had been my lady’s maid since we were both young teenagers and she was the only reason I trusted any of my servants not to be solely in my presence as spies for Mother. 
I knew her joy was genuine and that she only wanted happiness for me, as I did for her. 
“Yes, all may not be lost,” I replied with an uncertain smile. “He was actually quite nice, he walked with me through the gardens instead of fawning over Mother and her expansive descriptions of the grounds.” 
“That’s better than most people who meet your mother.” Cateline glanced around nervously to make sure she wasn’t overheard. 
“Don’t worry, Cat, I’m pretty sure everyone is busy entertaining guests and I am going to lounge about in my rooms until called upon. Because what else can a royal woman be expected to do?” I spat sarcastically. I stood from the bed and paced the stone floor of my bedchamber. The momentary charm of Prince Finnian had worn off and I was angry once more. 
“Princess, there’s nothing to be accomplished by raging this way.” Cat wrung her hands as I paced back and forth in front of the bed. 
“Really? Because it feels better than sitting around doing nothing.” My skin was hot, singing with anger—I’d never felt anything like it. 
“Seph, sit down and breathe!” Cat exclaimed. She tried to refrain from calling me by my name or nickname, but when she was frustrated with me she sometimes lost her temper. 
“Fine!” I shouted, dropping heavily onto my mattress and taking deep, exaggerated breaths. “Happy?”
“I will be happy when you are,” she replied, running a soothing hand up and down my back. 
“What did I do to deserve you Cat?” I let out a resigned sigh, my muscles relaxing for the first time all day. 
“You are deserved of everything Princess,” she replied. 
“Oh don’t placate me Cat, you know I am no better than you regardless of my birthright.” 
“I would never presume to say so, Princess.”
“What if I order you to say so?” I turned to her, wrenching my back away from her soothing touch. 
“Of course I will do whatever you ask,” she replied, her bright green eyes boring into my own. 
“Cat...” I began, and found myself unable to continue as we stared into each other. I leaned forward, closing the space between us and pressed my lips against hers. She felt like silk and tasted like home, this wasn’t our first stolen kiss and I fervently hoped it wouldn’t be the last. But with Prince Finnian’s presence in the castle, the possibility loomed ever closer. 
I reached up and cradled her face in my hand, reveling at the feel of her soft skin beneath my palm. Cateline wrapped her arms around my neck and held me tight against her, opening her mouth to my onslaught. We moaned in unison, tongues dueling in the most delicious war. Her scent overwhelmed me, like flowers on the summer breeze. 
Knock, knock. The sound of someone rapping on the door drove us apart as surely as a fire lit between our bodies. We jumped back from each other, wrenched too soon from our embrace, panting and wanting. Cat’s eyes grew wide with fear. 
“Worry not. I’ll take care of it.” I stood and smoothed my skirts before heading to open the door. I swung the heavy wood wide and was surprised to find Prince Finnian standing there. 
“Princess,” he said by way of greeting, dropping his head in a perfunctory bow. 
“Prince,” I replied, returning his gesture with a curtsey of my own. “What can I do for you?” 
His eyes darted past me for a moment and settled on Cateline, still seated on my bed. I was suddenly hyper aware of her swollen lips and mussed hair, but Finnian seemed not to notice. 
“Was meeting me so bad that you needed emotional support afterwards?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. 
“Hardly,” I replied, “I can handle much more than you, Finn. And I do so on a regular basis. Cateline is my lady's maid and she is serving me, as is her wont.” 
“Of course Princess,” he said with another bow. “I am embarrassed to have intruded on your private space.” His sharp blue eyes flicked to Cat once more momentarily. This man is too smart for his own good, I thought. I hoped my earlier assessment of his character was not off the mark. 
Cateline had composed herself and stepped up beside me. “Excuse me Princess, I’ll take my leave. Please call on me should you require anything else before bed,” she said as she slid between us and out the door. “Your Majesty.” She bowed to Finnian on her way by. 
I bit back my frustration. Cat and I had so little private time together, and it was quickly becoming a precious commodity. 
“Prince Finnian, was there something you wanted?” I asked, not bothering to contain my attitude. Thankfully Mother wasn’t around to chastise my rudeness. 
“I was wondering if you would accompany me on a walk around the gardens before dinner Princess, just the two of us? It might behoove us to get to know one another better without the prying eyes of guards and attendants.” 
“I suppose that is a good idea.” I agreed begrudgingly. I held out my arm for him to take—as if I needed to be led around my own grounds—and pulled the door of my bedchamber closed behind me. 

Chapter Four

The guards held open the large front doors of the castle as Finnian and I stepped through into the afternoon sun. With my arm tucked into the crook of his elbow I allowed him to lead me through the grounds to the largest fountain and sat down on the edge of the wide stone basin. 
“Princess, may we speak plainly?” he asked once we were seated. 
“I would hope to always speak plainly with my husband,” I replied. 
“Let us not mince words Princess. I have no wish to be your husband any more than you wish to be my wife.” 
“That is true,” I agreed. “I thought we had covered that this morning?” 
“Yes we did.” He nodded his acquiescence “And so I hoped we could work together to find a way out of this.” 
“I’m sure I see no way to do that, Finn.” I hung my head. “Mother has everyone in this castle under her thumb, including me, if I refuse I would find myself locked in my bedchamber with no access to the outside world until I agree. And furthermore, you know as well as I do that both our kingdoms need this union.” 
“We do. But is there no way our kingdoms can work together without the two of us getting married?” 
“What does your father think?” I asked. Finnian flinched at this question and I knew I had struck a nerve. “It is easy to talk of alternatives in this setting, outside your home and away from your father’s rule. Would you be so forward in your own home?” 
“No,” he said, with a resigned sigh, “I would not. But this is a rare opportunity and though our time together earlier was brief I thought you were of a like mind.” 
“I’m sure I am,” I replied. “I have no desire to marry you, but I do wish the best future for my people. I am next in line for the throne either way, if marrying you is what’s best for all then that’s what I will do.” 
“And what about what is best for you? Or me?” Finnian pressed on. “If you are next in line either way why not try something different?” He grasped my hands in his with a fierce grip. His intensity surprised me, I met his gaze with my own and tilted my head, a questioning gesture. Why is he so against this, surely I and my kingdom are a suitable offering. 
“Prince Finnian, Princess Sephora, the evening meal is ready, your majesties.” A voice cut into our moment and drew our attention. Finn dropped my hands and stood from the edge of the fountain. 
“Thank you,” he said, addressing our interloper and holding out a hand to me at the same time. I accepted his gesture and stood demurely from my position on the stone. The page who’d come to summon us retreated quickly towards a servants entrance and we made our way back to the large, ornately carved wooden doors of the castle entrance. 
Finnian glanced at me repeatedly and I got the distinct feeling that our conversation wasn’t over. 

#

Dinner with Mother and the entire contingent from Prince Finnian’s court was interminable. I was eternally thankful for his presence. He interjected into Mother’s monologue of questions to answer at least every other one, offering me a reprieve from being grilled about our progress. 
He attempted to dominate the conversation, inviting his knights and courtesans to tell stories of their own. None were a match for Mother and her ability to talk over or ignore anyone else at the table in favor of her own voice being heard. 
Finnian had again been offered my normal seat at the table for this meal, on Mother’s right side. In an attempt to push us together, I assumed I had been seated beside him rather than across the table at the left, and instead the prince’s highest ranking knight was offered that place. As the conversation became more and more tiresome, Finnian must have picked up on what Mother was driving at,—it was hard not to. 
In a bold gesture—but one which I appreciated immensely—he took my hand in his and rested our interlaced fingers on the table in plain view. Mother’s face lit up like a bright candle as she smiled, satisfied that I would go along with her plan. And just like that, the conversation shifted to more political topics, things which a princess such as myself was not expected nor invited to participate in. 
I took advantage of my reprieve to glance around the room—it took me only seconds to find Cateline, standing at the doorway that led to the kitchen where she was often stationed during mealtimes. On her face was the saddest smile I had ever seen cross her delicate features. Pain lanced through my chest as my heart broke, shattered into more pieces than I thought possible. I tried to smile back at her, to reassure her or something, but I couldn’t make my muscles cooperate. 
Out of the corner of my eye, Finnian looked at me briefly before shifting his gaze away again. He squeezed my hand that he still held on the table, drawing my attention. Our eyes met and his flicked across the room to Cateline for the briefest of seconds. No one else at the table seemed to notice, but a deep sense of understanding passed between us in that moment. My breath caught in my throat. He knows, I thought. No, I didn’t think, I knew. What will this mean for us? For all of us? 
My pulse tripled in fear and anticipation. I tried to remind myself that he wasn’t likely to blurt anything out right here at the table, but I wasn’t sure what his newfound knowledge would mean for our fledgling relationship, the friendship and understanding that we had started in the garden. 
Dinner wrapped up quickly after that, or perhaps my sense of time had slipped away in my heightened state of anxiety, but before I knew it, we were standing from the table. The men around us bowed as I excused myself. I made it all the way to the hallway that led to the staircase up to my bedchamber before I stopped and leaned against the cold stone to catch my breath. 
I wasn’t alone for long however, Finnian came around the corner soon after and found me. I held the breath I had struggled to catch in an attempt to keep myself from panicking and waited to see what he would say. Would he be accusatory, or angry? 
“So, I guess we need to talk,” he said. I exhaled with a whoosh of relief and confusion. We need to talk? That’s the understatement of the season. 
“Yes,” I replied and took his hand, leading him up the spiral staircase to my room. 

Chapter Five

I closed the door to my bedchamber behind us, though it was the height of impropriety to have a man in my room unsupervised this way, I was reasonably sure no one was going to come and check. Mother would be too preoccupied with continuing to entertain our guests, and frankly if she were to catch us alone together, she would probably take it as a good sign and only scold me if anyone else caught us. 
Finnian preceded me into the room, so I was able to lean against the heavy wood for stability once it was closed. And I needed that physical support right now—I had no idea how or where this conversation was about to go. 
“So,” Finn began, and found the chair in front of my large vanity table, pulling it out to sit down. He looked relaxed and comfortable, the opposite of how I felt, which was an odd way to feel in my own space. But I took his demeanor as a good sign and willed my muscles to unclench. 
“So…” I replied. One of us was going to have to say something eventually. While I was gathering my courage to beg him not to say anything to anyone he beat me to it. 
“How long have you been in love with your handmaiden?” he asked. 
I was so taken aback by the brazenness of his question that I answered without thinking. “Forever.” 
“Forever?” he asked. To my surprise there was no disbelief in his voice, just curiosity. 
“I don’t remember not being in love with her.” I said by way of explanation. Which was the truth, there was no single moment I could pinpoint for when I had fallen in love with her or her with me. I could tell him the exact location of the moon in the sky the night we had shared our first kiss, but that was not when I had fallen for her. 
“Ah, I understand,” he said. 
And for some reason I believed him completely. I was struck for a moment that inadvertently Mother had chosen a wonderful man to be my husband, and it was a shame I had no interest in marrying him regardless. 
“It’s a good thing we’ve already decided not to marry one another then isn’t it?” Finn’s good natured grin helped me relax enough to step away from the safety of the door and sit on my bed to face him. 
“Had we decided that?” 
“Oh yes, and it seems quite obvious now why you are not inclined. I was concerned for a moment earlier that perhaps I was—ahem—not desirable enough as a husband.” He let out a fake cough, covering his face and looking down for a moment to hide his insecurity. 
“Heavens no!” I laughed in response, louder and longer than was proper for a lady of my station but I couldn’t help it. “Really? Not desirable?” I asked once I had gotten myself under control. “Hardly. You’ve turned out to be better than I could have hoped for, truly I don’t think it would be so bad to be married to you. Except for the pain of being separated from Cateline for the rest of my life, of course.” 
“Well, we shall endeavor to remedy the situation together then,” he replied. “I shouldn’t stay here much longer, we are already stretching the boundaries of propriety and I would hate for any vicious rumors to spread about you in your own kingdom.” He stood and crossed the stone floor to stand before me, he took my hand in his and pressed a light kiss to the back of it. “We will figure this out Princess, I promise you.” 
On impulse I stood from the bed and threw my arms around his neck. He reciprocated, holding me close for a brief moment. 
“Thank you Finn,” I whispered. He released me and nodded, smiling, then left my room, taking care to check the hallway first and make sure he wouldn’t be seen. 
I collapsed back on my bed, laid back and breathed a deep sigh of relief. The idea that I had found an ally and possibly even a friend as powerful as Prince Finnian, lightened my heart for the first time in years. 

#

That night I slept more comfortably than I had expected to during this visit. I woke the next morning to Mother rapping loudly on my door before letting herself in. 
“Up, up! Time to get up!” she said, throwing open the heavy curtains and allowing the bright sunlight to stream in. “Prince Finnian is already having breakfast with his attendants, you should be there continuing to beguile him. I noticed last night you’ve already made some progress, he seems to be quite smitten. And don’t think I don’t know he was up here in your chambers after supper.” 
She scolded and smiled at the same time, a peculiar trick she had mastered before I was born. I had seen that same expression many times in my life. I cursed whoever it was that had spied on us the night before and ran back to report on me. Not for the first time, I wondered how I would ever be able to root out all those loyal to her once I took the crown—I wouldn’t have spies among my court continuing to tattle on me after I became queen. 
“Come along, Cateline is on her way to help you get ready. Walking shoes today, we’re going on a tour of the town.” She rummaged in my closet for clothes she deemed suitable. The unspoken part of her sentence, to show off the prince who’s going to marry my troublesome daughter, hung in the air between us as surely as if she had said it out loud. 
Another knock at the door interrupted her before she could continue. I still hadn’t made it out from under my blankets, everything she had said had spilled out of her in about two minutes. Mother always moved with furious purpose, spoke just as quickly, and now she strode across the room and opened the door. As expected, Cateline was there, a large bucket draped with a washcloth hanging from her arms. 
“Excellent, Cateline, come in and get my lazy daughter dressed in a presentable manner,” she said, clapping her hands for emphasis. Cat scurried past her and set the heavy bucket on the stone floor in front of the vanity mirror. 
Mercifully Mother left after the order was issued, the dress she’d chosen for me laid across the same chair that Finn had occupied the night before. The door swung closed with a heavy thunk, leaving Cateline and I alone. 
Oppressive silence descended between us. I wanted to run to her, to hold her and kiss her and reassure her, but I couldn’t get the words out of my throat or convince my body to move. I knew what she must be thinking, after last night's public display of affection from Finn at the dinner table. Had she also heard that he was in my room after the fact? Gods what must she think of me? My thoughts chased each other around my brain in an ever spiraling cycle of anxiety, leaving me glued to my spot and mute. 
“Princess?” she broke the deafening emptiness with the title I hated hearing out of her mouth. “Shouldn’t you get ready for your morning meal?” 
“Please don’t call me that,” came tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop it. My voice sounded small and pitiful even to my own ears, but if there was anyone in the world that I shouldn’t feel ashamed in front of, it was Cat. 
She crossed the room and sat on the end of the bed, and I finally made it into a seated position. The blanket pooled around my hips, my upper body covered by a simple white shift. Cateline took my hand ever-so-gently in her own and refused to meet my eye. 
“It’s alright milady. I understand how things are and I’m so happy you’ve found someone as good and kind as Prince Finnian.” 
I gaped at her, my mouth open in a very unprincess-like way. But of course she would say something like that. Where I would have raged and shouted, Cateline would demure and deflect. She was far too good for me. 
I still couldn’t seem to make my vocal cords work properly so I decided in the moment to simply show her how impossibly wrong she was. I lunged forward and buried my hands in her soft hair, pulling her towards me and crashing my lips against hers in a desperate fervour. 
Her eyes widened briefly in surprise then drifted closed and she moaned against my mouth, her arms wrapped around my shoulders, her small hand gripping the back of my neck holding me to her. 
“Oh Sephora,” she breathed as she pulled back and kissed her way down my neck. Finally! I thought and we collapsed sideways onto the bed, hopelessly tangled in the blanket and each other. 
I’m going to be very late for breakfast, was the last coherent thought to float through my mind. 

Chapter Six

I wasn’t sure how long—minutes, hours, forever?—we had been lost in one another, but I finally made it down to the great hall for breakfast. Mother glared disapprovingly from her seat at the head of the table but when I dropped heavily into my seat beside Finn he took my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. 
“Good morning Princess,” he said. “You look lovely as always.” 
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I replied. I was the height of decorum in front of Mother, not least of which because I was desperately trying to keep my delighted, satiated, deliriously happy grin to myself. 
The small servants door across the room opened and closed quickly and Cateline slipped into the room. I couldn’t stop my eyes from flicking in her direction—thankfully Mother was absorbed in a conversation with some person from Finn’s court—I really should learn their names—and she failed to notice. 
Finn, however, noticed right away, and he leaned down and whispered in my ear, “I trust all is well Princess?” 
“Oh yes,” I replied as quietly as I could, “all is very well.” I flashed him a quick smile which he returned with a genuine one of his own. I couldn't pinpoint why I trusted this man so implicitly, having just met him a few days ago, but I really believed he was happy for me and Cat. He’d given me no reason to believe otherwise and I didn’t think he had a dishonest bone in his body. Where had Mother found this man? He must be very rich, I thought. There was no way she wanted such a kind and earnest man running our kingdom—I was certain she would’ve gone for shrewd and ruthless. 
In any case, it didn’t appear to matter. He had no interest in marrying me, but perhaps together we could figure a way out of this mess our parents had put us in. A way that would result in actual happiness for both of us, as opposed to the moderate contentment we would have to settle for if we married each other. It’s time to start plotting I think. 
Out loud I said, “Prince Finnian, would you do me the honor of being my escort on our tour of the town today?” 
Mother’s eyes lit up at what she must have interpreted as my intention to continue, how had she put it? Beguiling him, that’s it. Haha, little does she know. 
“But of course Princess, the honor is mine to spend but a moment more in your company,” he replied with a dazzling smile. 
Oh he is good, I thought, and tried to keep my own face polite and demure and not look like a cat with the cream. 
“Shall we then?” He stood from the table and held out a hand for me to follow. 
“Yes, thank you,” I said, taking his hand and allowing him to lead me out of the hall. Under normal circumstances, I would never be allowed to leave the castle grounds unattended by a guard, but with the prince at my side, Mother allowed all sorts of things that would have previously been forbidden. 

#

We walked hand in hand until we were out of sight of the guards that patrolled the castle walls and then collapsed into peals of delighted laughter together. 
“Oh my dear Finn,” I said in between gasps of air, “you sir are a wonderful actor.” 
“I believe that title belongs to you Sephora.” He braced himself against a low stone wall as he fought to catch his breath. “Is your handmaiden alright? I realize my behaviour at supper last night may have upset her.” 
“She—we—are wonderful.” A dreamy smile drifted across my face. “Cateline understands that things must look a certain way in public.” 
“Ah, I am glad all is well then. Speaking of public displays, am I to assume you wanted more than just the pleasure of my delightful company on this walk?” He arched an eyebrow. Down to business then. 
“Yes, we have a plan to make.” We fell into step beside each other and continued down the well worn-path to the small town that wrapped around two sides of the castle. 
“That we do.” He nodded his agreement and then waited patiently for me to continue. He was rapidly becoming one of my favorite people and was already my favorite man, partially due to the fact that he didn’t have the incessant need to dominate every conversation. He was perfectly content to listen to my ideas and give them the same weight as he would a man’s, which was a refreshing change of pace. 
“I’ve been giving some thought to our predicament and I have some ideas.” I hoped the plan that had begun percolating in the back of my mind wasn’t going to sound too far-fetched for the prince to agree to. “Mother insists that the people won’t follow the rule of a woman, but I think if I can offer them something that they want, something the kingdom desperately needs, then just maybe we can change that.” 
“And what does your kingdom desperately need, Princess?” Finnian stopped walking and turned to face me.
This was it, the moment of truth. Could I broker a deal with a neighboring kingdom all by myself? Without advisors or Mother or a husband to tell me what to do? 
“Food,” I blurted out. “I know from inside the castle it doesn’t seem so, but we don’t have enough to adequately feed our people through the next winter. 
“Nothing appears as it actually is from inside the walls of any castle,” he agreed, and I allowed myself a small exhale of relief. This isn’t so bad. 
“It occurred to me that perhaps if we could broker a treaty between our nations without getting married first, then we could prove to the people on both sides of the border that an unhappy marriage isn’t necessary for co-operations.” I rushed all of this out in a single breath. It was radical, so different from the way things had always been done, but deep inside I knew it was the right thing to do. 
The more I got to know Finn the more I believed we could do this together. If not for him I probably never would have tried, if my intended had been as I had expected—arrogant, self-serving, et cetera—I likely would be picking out wedding flowers right now and sobbing in my closet. 
“A treaty?” Finn cocked an eyebrow and studied my face for a moment. This particular expression of his was rapidly becoming quite familiar. Polite but curious. “That…is a wonderful idea!” 
“Really?” I was so prepared to be told I was a daft young woman and I should leave such things to the older and more experienced (and more male) members of the royal court.
 My shock must have shown clearly on my face because he quickly followed with, “Did you think I would say no?” 
“Well, no I didn’t,” I confessed. “I wouldn’t have brought up this idea to anyone but you. I just think being told to sit down and look pretty has been so ingrained in my mind I am still surprised.” 
Finn smiled warmly at me and took my hand in his.“While you are very pretty Sephora, I am much more interested in what is in your mind and what you have to say than what you look like.” he said. 
“I know, that’s why I took this chance. We should continue making our way towards town.” I nodded my head in the direction of the village further down the path. If we stood here much longer, the rest of his contingent and the escorts from my own court would catch up with us, and I fully intended to retain our privacy as long as possible. 
Finn dropped my hand and instead wrapped a friendly arm around my shoulders, pulling me tight against his side as we walked. 
Where have you been all my life? I thought. What I wouldn’t have given for a friend like him when I was young and miserable in this castle. 
As we walked, we continued to discuss the details of our proposed trade agreement—obviously there was much more to it than just receiving food for my people. Eventually we would have to include others, the advisors and other such nobles in order to organize everything we had planned. But as things began to take shape between us, real, tangible hope bloomed in my chest for the first time since I had seen his carriage arrive at the gates. We could do this, together—as friends instead of lovers—and ensure the best for both our kingdoms and ourselves. 

Chapter Seven

Finnian and I parted ways at the entrance to the castle—we’d had a very productive morning during our walk through the town—but now we both had other things to attend to. I didn’t know what he had to do, as a visiting monarch there must be other meetings and things he was expected to be present for. I frowned to myself, realizing too late that I had been so wrapped up in myself that I had never asked him what else he did in my home while he wasn’t in my company. 
For my part, first I headed up to my bedchamber to change into yet another heavy uncomfortable dress. The hem of this one was ringed with mud from my time outside the castle walls, and that would not be borne by Mother on a regular day, let alone in public in front of visiting dignitaries. 
I started up the spiral staircase, then picked up the pace when Cateline’s beautiful face flashed in my mind's eye. She may be busy elsewhere with many duties to complete throughout the day, but there was a chance we would be able to sneak in a private moment. 
I hurried down the hallway, my low-heeled shoes clacking loudly against the stonework, the sound echoing up and down the empty space. I burst through the door, pushing hard against the heavy carved wooden door. I crossed the threshold and my heart sank. 
Mother sat at the vanity table, picking through my things as if they were her own. Of course she believed they were, I belonged to her even in adulthood and thus everything I had, everything I owned, was also hers to do with what she wished. Just like she planned to do with me. 
“Hello dear.” Anyone listening in would think we got on well, that I’d be happy to see her invade my personal space. 
Alas, I rearranged my features to show what I hoped was less disappointment and made my way the rest of the way across the threshold into the room. “Good afternoon Mother.” 
“I trust your walk went well today?” she asked, her attention still on my hairbrush, but I knew better, she was listening for every and any indication of dishonesty or anything else that might give away more than I wanted to say. 
“As well as can be expected at this stage,” I carefully replied. 
“Excellent,” she exclaimed, standing from the seat. “I trust you came to change out of your filthy clothes?” 
Filthy?? There’s a little bit of dirt on my skirt hem for gods sake, I thought, out loud I said, “Yes of course Mother.” 
“Good, we can’t have you looking like that in front of the Prince.” 
She knows I just came back with him right? Sometimes I genuinely wondered about the things that came out of her mouth. If I wasn’t sure that she scrutinized everything to present exactly what she wanted to everyone around her, I would wonder if she thought before she spoke. 
“Did you have anything in mind?” I asked, once again keeping my innermost thoughts to myself. 
“Well since you asked.” She threw open the wide double doors of my closet to reveal all of this year's choices. Mother put the seamstresses to work each winter crafting a whole new wardrobe for me each year. I personally thought it was a terrible waste of fabric ,but at least the ladies in the village were paid handsomely and textiles was one thing that our kingdom often had in abundance. In fact, it had been part of my trade discussion with Finn earlier. 
My mind had wandered, and before I knew it Mother thrust a dark green gown into my arms. 
“What about this one?” she asked, as if I actually had any say in the matter. 
“Looks great Mother. I hope Prince Finnian likes this color.” I glanced down and tried to arrange my features into a demure I’m-falling-love sort of expression. 
“Cateline prefers blue though, isn’t that right?” 
My heart leaped into my throat. What did she say? 
“I’m sure I don’t know what colors Cateline prefers,” I replied, my shaking voice betraying me. Gods damnnit! 
“Oh really?” Mother raised one perfect blonde eyebrow. “I was under the impression that you two had grown quite close.” She leaned heavily on the word and I desperately tried to swallow my mounting panic. 
“Well of course we’re close Mother, she’s been my handmaiden for years,” I replied, my traitorous voice once again steady and under my control. I lifted my head and met her shrewd gaze with my own. I held my chin up, silently daring her to continue and hoping against hope that she wouldn’t, that she couldn’t know anything real about Cateline and I. Suspicions maybe—we had been less than discreet as of late—but she couldn’t know. 
“Mmhmm.” Was all the response she gave. She stepped back and took the gown out of my arms at the same time. “Take off that dirty thing then.” She waved her hand at me and then promptly turned her back. 
My heart raced as I reached back and tugged on the laces of my dress. I yanked and pulled and tried to get myself under control. I should’ve known Mother wouldn’t show her hand so soon. If she knew something, she was going to keep it close—secrete it away until it would be the most useful to her—and wrong-footing me in my private bedchamber wasn’t going to be useful, just entertaining. 
I freed myself of the oppressive garment and tried to take a discreet deep breath, I needed to get myself under control. Whatever she knew, or thought she knew, I needed to remain in control—not for my sake but for Cateline. I wasn’t afraid of what Mother would do to me, at this point the worst case scenario was marriage to my new best friend. I was however terrified of what she would do, or have done, to Cateline. As much as I loved her and saw her as nothing less than a goddess made flesh, to everyone else she was just a servant girl. Mother could do any manner of unspeakable things to her, the least offensive being banish her from the kingdom entirely. 
I swallowed hard, forcing words past the lump in my throat. “Will you help me get ready for the prince, Mother?” 
“But of course dear,” she said, whirling to face me with a bright, friendly smile that didn’t reach her calculating eyes. For Cateline, always for Cateline. I thought to myself, gritting my teeth and stepping into the dress Mother had chosen. 

#

Dressed and pressed in my finest, and after allowing Mother to have her way with my hair—something I rarely allowed and she was usually fine with delegating—I made my way down the spiral staircase two steps behind her. 
We reached the front hall and I was surprised to see it bustling with people, far more than necessary for a simple dinner with guests. “What’s going on, Mother?” 
“A celebration of course dear,” she replied without turning around. She strode over to a group of women who fussed over several large flower arrangements and barked some orders. 
“What celebration?” I froze to the ground, confusion and fear increasing by the second. “What celebration, Mother?” 
“Why, your engagement of course!” She spun around and clasped her hands together with glee. 
“My…” I trailed off, unable to finish the thought. 
“Well I figured it was a safe assumption dear, you and the Prince have been getting on quite famously; anyone who’s seen you together can see it. Why wait?” she replied in response to my gaping mouth. 
“I…well yes I am fond of the prince.” My mind whirled a mile a minute. How am I going to get out of this? 
“Well then! No reason to delay the happy news!” She bustled off in the direction of even more people, bakers and cooks that had clearly been commissioned from the village had begun streaming in the front doors with pans of fresh baked goods. That explained her idea for the trip into town today, gods damnit how did I miss this? Of course I knew how I had missed it, I was so wrapped up in my wonderful morning with Cateline and my plan with Finnian that I had stopped paying attention to Mother’s machinations, to my own detriment. 
A large hand closed over my wrist and yanked me backwards, out of the front hall and into an alcove off the tributary. I opened my mouth to shriek and snapped it shut when I realized that it was Finnian who had rudely taken liberties with my person. One of only two people in the world I would allow to do so, he was lucky—my shoes were quite pointy and I was prepared to kick as much as I had to. 
“What in the name of all the gods is going on Sephora?” he demanded, his eyes wild with panic, reflecting what I was feeling with such extreme precision I wondered for a moment if he could feel the waves emanating from me. 
“My mother,” I grumbled and pulled my arm from his grip. I rubbed the spot absently where he had grabbed me and a quick pang of regret and shame flashed across his features. 
“I’m so sorry Princess,” he blurted, looking ashamed, “I didn’t mean to injure you.” 
“It’s okay Finn.” I reached for his hand to give him a reassuring squeeze. “Consider it forgotten, not guilty on account of impending doom.” 
“What are we going to do?” he asked, his face stricken once again. 
“I don’t know.” I replied, I peeked around the corner and gasped as a stream of people poured in the front doors. Guests, I assumed, for Mother’s big announcement. “Wait…”
“What? What?” Finn eagerly gripped my shoulders. “What have you thought of Sephora?” 
“Listen, I’ve got an idea. It might be crazy, do you trust me?”
“Of course Princess.” 
“Okay then.” I leaned in and whispered my plan in rapid fire, trying to get it all out before Mother came looking for me and told everyone we were canoodling in the corridor. When I was done, I looked at Finn, searching for any indication of what he was thinking. 
His eyes went wide once again, but he looked less panic stricken. Finally after a long tense moment his handsome face broke into a wide smile. “I think that’s a great idea!”

I smiled back at him and tried to be pleased, trying to stomp down my rampaging nerves. Gods let this work. 

Chapter Nine

The day of my twenty-fifth birth celebration had arrived, and I stood in front of my vanity mirror dressed in the most extravagant gown I had ever worn. It was white with extensive gold embroidery—the seamstresses had made it special at my request, and I had paid them double their usual fee to rush the order. To my chagrin they had fallen over me in an attempt to please the soon-to-be Queen and I had to take extra time to assure them it wasn’t necessary. 
I had a lot of plans for my kingdom—first and foremost was the trade agreement with Prince Finnian. After the banquet that was supposed to announce our engagement, he had returned home, but we had kept in close contact via messengers, refining our plan. I was ecstatic to hear of his recent engagement to a noble woman in his own kingdom, and he had brought his intended along for my birth celebration/coronation party. 
Next on my list was going to be an expansion of the small council. We needed more commoners and townsfolk to help me stay in touch with what was happening in the kingdom, outside the castle walls, where I couldn’t be all the time. I had spoken to several members of the town that I thought could lend me a critically important viewpoint. 
Of course there had been one more thing that I needed to change when I became Queen, but this was one I wasn’t willing to wait on, so I had used my influence following the announcement of our trade agreement to enact it immediately. 
“Thank you, Kendra,” I said to my new ladies’ maid as she finished with my hair. “It looks wonderful.” 
“My pleasure, Your Majesty,” she replied, with her eyes cast down. 
“Now Kendra, we’ve talked about this.” I tried to keep the reproach in my voice to a minimum. 
“Apologies, Sephora,” she said, and our eyes met in the mirror. 
I smiled wide at her reflection. “Much better.” I stood back from the vanity and waited for Kendra to open the door. She held it for me, and I swept through, feeling every inch the Queen I was about to be crowned. 
We parted ways at the base of the spiral staircase, Kendra leaving to join the other serving ladies—they would be in high demand very soon. I turned towards the great hall, people bustling here and there. It was even busier than the night of my “engagement” announcement. 
This time, however, everywhere I stepped, people stopped to bow and curtsey. Murmurs of “Your Majesty” and “My Queen” preceded me as I made my way across the foyer to the wide double doors. It was a change from “Princess” and walking always in Mother’s shadow, but one I welcomed with confidence. 
I stepped into the packed hall, and a momentary thrill of anticipation ran through me. I’m going to be the Queen! I thought with equal parts glee and apprehension. The butterflies roiling through my stomach settled when I locked eyes with Finn across the room. He tapped the delicate shoulder of a young woman beside him, her bright red hair swinging wild as she turned her head and her face lit up with a bright smile. Together they strode towards me, the crowd parting for them without a thought. 
“Queen Sephora,” Finnian said with a bow, “may I present my future bride, Elise?” 
“Finn, don't be ridiculous, if you keep doing that everyone is going to, and you know how tiresome constant bowing can be!” I exclaimed. I turned to the beautiful redhead on his arm, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elise.” 
“The pleasure is mine your majesty,” she replied with a curtsey and I struggled to hold back a groan, what did I just say? I thought. I suppressed my ire—change was going to take time. 
“Thank you both for coming,” I said. And then to Finn, “Time to get this over with and then we can eat!” 
“Sounds good Seph,” he replied. 
Elise tried—and failed—to conceal her shock at his familiarity. I sighed, hoping she would get over that soon—she was about to be queen consort in her own right. 
I made my way to the front of the room, and took my place in the large throne. It wasn’t always there, only dragged out for special occasions such as this one. I glanced to the side of the room and tried to make eye contact with Mother, but she refused to meet my eye. I knew I had disappointed her, but I also knew I had to do what was right for me and for my people. I had a responsibility that she had never felt but one that I felt keenly in every part of my being. 
As I waited for the magistrate to approach with the large crown I would only wear this one time as I made my vows to my kingdom, I reached out with my right hand and familiar soft fingers threaded through my own. I peeked up and couldn’t contain my grin. Happiness and love poured out of every inch of me at the sight of Cateline standing to my right. 
She had been relieved of her servant status and now stood as my right hand. We would have to do a lot more work and change to reach a point where I could marry someone who had once been a servant, but I was willing to go through anything for her, to be with her. For now, this was close enough. Her dress sparkled under the lantern light, and her beautiful smile filled me with hope and light. I could accomplish anything—I could change the world with her by my side, and I intended to. 
The magistrate droned on beside us, but we were lost in each other until finally: “All rise, and acknowledge your new soveriegn, Queen Sephora!” 

Chapter Nine

The day of my twenty-fifth birth celebration had arrived, and I stood in front of my vanity mirror dressed in the most extravagant gown I had ever worn. It was white with extensive gold embroidery—the seamstresses had made it special at my request, and I had paid them double their usual fee to rush the order. To my chagrin they had fallen over me in an attempt to please the soon-to-be Queen and I had to take extra time to assure them it wasn’t necessary. 
I had a lot of plans for my kingdom—first and foremost was the trade agreement with Prince Finnian. After the banquet that was supposed to announce our engagement, he had returned home, but we had kept in close contact via messengers, refining our plan. I was ecstatic to hear of his recent engagement to a noble woman in his own kingdom, and he had brought his intended along for my birth celebration/coronation party. 
Next on my list was going to be an expansion of the small council. We needed more commoners and townsfolk to help me stay in touch with what was happening in the kingdom, outside the castle walls, where I couldn’t be all the time. I had spoken to several members of the town that I thought could lend me a critically important viewpoint. 
Of course there had been one more thing that I needed to change when I became Queen, but this was one I wasn’t willing to wait on, so I had used my influence following the announcement of our trade agreement to enact it immediately. 
“Thank you, Kendra,” I said to my new ladies’ maid as she finished with my hair. “It looks wonderful.” 
“My pleasure, Your Majesty,” she replied, with her eyes cast down. 
“Now Kendra, we’ve talked about this.” I tried to keep the reproach in my voice to a minimum. 
“Apologies, Sephora,” she said, and our eyes met in the mirror. 
I smiled wide at her reflection. “Much better.” I stood back from the vanity and waited for Kendra to open the door. She held it for me, and I swept through, feeling every inch the Queen I was about to be crowned. 
We parted ways at the base of the spiral staircase, Kendra leaving to join the other serving ladies—they would be in high demand very soon. I turned towards the great hall, people bustling here and there. It was even busier than the night of my “engagement” announcement. 
This time, however, everywhere I stepped, people stopped to bow and curtsey. Murmurs of “Your Majesty” and “My Queen” preceded me as I made my way across the foyer to the wide double doors. It was a change from “Princess” and walking always in Mother’s shadow, but one I welcomed with confidence. 
I stepped into the packed hall, and a momentary thrill of anticipation ran through me. I’m going to be the Queen! I thought with equal parts glee and apprehension. The butterflies roiling through my stomach settled when I locked eyes with Finn across the room. He tapped the delicate shoulder of a young woman beside him, her bright red hair swinging wild as she turned her head and her face lit up with a bright smile. Together they strode towards me, the crowd parting for them without a thought. 
“Queen Sephora,” Finnian said with a bow, “may I present my future bride, Elise?” 
“Finn, don't be ridiculous, if you keep doing that everyone is going to, and you know how tiresome constant bowing can be!” I exclaimed. I turned to the beautiful redhead on his arm, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elise.” 
“The pleasure is mine your majesty,” she replied with a curtsey and I struggled to hold back a groan, what did I just say? I thought. I suppressed my ire—change was going to take time. 
“Thank you both for coming,” I said. And then to Finn, “Time to get this over with and then we can eat!” 
“Sounds good Seph,” he replied. 
Elise tried—and failed—to conceal her shock at his familiarity. I sighed, hoping she would get over that soon—she was about to be queen consort in her own right. 
I made my way to the front of the room, and took my place in the large throne. It wasn’t always there, only dragged out for special occasions such as this one. I glanced to the side of the room and tried to make eye contact with Mother, but she refused to meet my eye. I knew I had disappointed her, but I also knew I had to do what was right for me and for my people. I had a responsibility that she had never felt but one that I felt keenly in every part of my being. 
As I waited for the magistrate to approach with the large crown I would only wear this one time as I made my vows to my kingdom, I reached out with my right hand and familiar soft fingers threaded through my own. I peeked up and couldn’t contain my grin. Happiness and love poured out of every inch of me at the sight of Cateline standing to my right. 
She had been relieved of her servant status and now stood as my right hand. We would have to do a lot more work and change to reach a point where I could marry someone who had once been a servant, but I was willing to go through anything for her, to be with her. For now, this was close enough. Her dress sparkled under the lantern light, and her beautiful smile filled me with hope and light. I could accomplish anything—I could change the world with her by my side, and I intended to. 
The magistrate droned on beside us, but we were lost in each other until finally: “All rise, and acknowledge your new soveriegn, Queen Sephora!”