When Kiada walked into Nuala's room, it looked like a complete disaster area, clothes had been scattered all over her bed as she had been busy all morning hunting something to wear. Nuala always loved the solstices and had even said that they wear the perfect excuse for looking her best
"Why do you need my help?" Kiada asked as she cleared a spot on the bed to sit down.
" Yeah, I just needed a way to get you up to my room."
"For?" Her brows furrowed.
"Have you forgotten that tonight is the Winter Solstice?"
"No, I haven't." Which was true tonight was the first day of winter but she wasn't planning on going to the party,"I'm not going."
"Oh, no. You are not leaving me there with Annaliese.
Kiada flinched when she heard that name, "Oh? she'll be there?" She asked looking at the floor. "I wouldn't be much fun if I went besides parties are more fun if you have a date, anyway."
"And you don't have anyone."
She forced a laugh, "Who would have me?"
Nuala came to the side of the bed cleared a spot for herself, "What does that mean?"
"I am too close to the royal family." She sighed looking into Nuala's eyes.
"And hanging out with Nuada doesn't help either does it?" She half-smiled, "He does intimidate even his own warriors, huh?"
"So who would have me?" She forced herself to grin and looked down at the bedspread between them.
A slow smile began to slide across her face, "Bet I know who you want to take you."
Kiada's head snapped up at her statement, "Don't say that. Don't evan think it." Panic was in her voice now.
"Why not? I'm right aren't I? Don't you think Nuada should know?"
"No!" Kiada nearly screamed at the heart stopping thought, "He is the Prince betrothed already to a Lady who am I to get in the why of that. I am nether a Princess, like you, nor am I a Lady,like her, all I could do is complicate things and he has far to many things on his plate to worry about for me to add to his burden."
"Is your love for him so great that you'd watch him marry someone he doesn't even love?"
That was the first time she'd heard anything regarding his feelings,especially negative ones towards his betrothed, "He doesn't?"
"Love doesn't enter in the grand scheme of things when your marriage is arranged." She explained, "Plus she doesn't love him either, she already has someone for that, she is just counting down the days to when she can call herself the Future Queen of Bethmora. Who could love that?"
The thought that anyone could not be in love with Nuada left her confused and speechless. How could any female not be in love with him he was gorgeous, generous, kind, wise (beyond his years, it seemed),graceful, and intense in his efforts to rid the forest of the Human Race, whom had killed many of his men in the past few months than ever before.
"Only with you have I seen him smile and his thoughts brighten."
"Really?"
"Yes," Nuala nodded, " He deserves to be happy and as long as he's with "the Lady," she rolled her eyes,"Annaliese he won't be."
"I can't tell him."
"Why?"
"Don't you know how many times I burst to tell him everything."
"What are you so afraid of ?" She asked and it was at that moment Kiada relized that she was afraid.
"If he doesn't know than my heart can't get broken."
"If you don't his may never get used."
"So, I'm his flaxen-haired heroine?"
Before Nuala could answer a young servant girl re-entered the room to announce that the water had been drawn like she wanted.
"Perfect." Nuala smiled and grabbed Kiada's wrist to pulled her to the private wash room, "that will be all." she said to shoo her servants away and closed the door tight then she turned back to Kiada and pointed at the tub, "Get in."
"Excuse me?"
"No,doubt that you worked up a sweat training and I am going to make you all sparkly and clean for the party, tonight." She smiled.
Was she deaf or something?
"I told you, I'm not going."
"No, you said you didn't have a date so I will take you. I don't care how close you are to the royal family."
"What am I going to wear?"
"Leave that to me. I have the perfect dress ." She said and left Kiada to bathe.
Kiada undressed and slipped into the water. The water was warm and speckled with petals and the scent of roses wafted up her nose. The thought of ever telling Nuada how she felt about him what if he didn't feel the same way? She could end up making a fool of herself? She tried to push it out of her mind and clean up, washing away the sweat that had built up. She grabbed a robe hanging on the door's hook ad wrapped it around herself.
She came out and saw Nuala standing in front of her free-standing mirror. Holding two dresses under her chin trying to decide between a blue one and a green one.
"You've always looked beautiful in blue."
Nuala scrunched up her nose, "Maybe, but you have to wear this one." She said held it up.
At once her smile fell, "It's gold."
Nuala looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
"Nuala, I'll look like a bride." She complained.
"No, you won't."
"But-"
"Trust me."