Rion and Mir sat at a table in the study, a parchment spread before them.
Rion had a quill and ink and the two were trying to draw a map of the
palace. Unfortunately, the more they drew the more they realised they
didn't know about. They were forced to leave far too many blanks and closed
doors for their liking. Still, they were doing something.
Time passed, immeasurably since the sun was once more hidden as heavy snow billowed outside the windows. The boys talked in low voices, leaning across the table. Rion hadn't seen Ari for a couple of days. He assumed she was spending time with her sister, and had decided to spend the time with Mir. It was clear that Mir was becoming jealous of the time Rion spent with Ari, and he didn't want that.
Both boys looked up guiltily as the soldiers crossed to them from where they stood by the door. They glanced at each other, slightly afraid, and Rion tried to hide the map they were making.
"Your highness," one of the soldiers said, "you must come with me now."
"And you must come with me," the other addressed Mir. They stood up and walked to the door. For a while they walked together, but then one led Rion one way, and Mir the other.
Rion walked calmly along between two soldiers, though inwardly his mind was racing over the possible things the king might do to him for trying to plot an escape. To his surprise, the place he was taken was the bathroom. A servant was in there, tipping hot water into the pool. Rion saw clean clothes on the table.
The servant curtsied and left. Rion sank into the steaming water and lay there, feeling the dirt and troubles drift away. He closed his eyes and for a moment he could forget that he was so far from home.
He emerged refreshed, and lifted the clothes that had been set out for him. Trousers and tunic of white silk, with snowflakes embroidered on the tunic in silver threads. Instead of a leather belt, there was one made of the same silk as the rest of the outfit, but studded with silver beads that flickered like stars. All were excellently tailored. Even as a prince, he rarely wore clothes so fine.
Once he had finished dressing and pulled on shoes of soft leather as well made as the rest, he went into the corridors. The soldiers stood waiting to return him to his room. The servant who had been in the bathroom was waiting for him there. She gave another curtsey and picked up the hairbrush from the dressing table.
"I can brush my own hair," Rion said.
"Please, your highness," she stammered nervously, "the king sent me to prepare you for the feast." Rion hesitated a while. It would do no harm to let this girl do it, and she was clearly afraid she might be punished if she did not. For once, Rion swallowed stubborn pride and sat at the dressing table, letting the servant do his hair.
She removed the circlet and gently brushed out his hair. Then she lifted a piece from either side of his forehead and placed the circlet on again so these pieces hung over the metal band. She took silver ribbons, and plaited these into the sections of hair, the silver shining out clearly amongst his dark hair. She finally pulled the two plaits together and twisted them into a complicated knot at the back of his head. When she finished, Rion had to admit that it was an elegant style.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome, your highness," she said with another curtsey, before departing. Rion sat for a short while, wondering what was happening. The servant had mentioned something about a feast.
At last the door opened and Ari came in. Instead of the shirt and trousers he'd become accustomed to seeing her where, she was dressed in an elegant gown of ice blue. Her hair was tied back in a bun, except for a few strands that hung down and framed her face, accentuating her beauty. She dropped into a formal curtsey to Rion, looking every bit the princess she was.
"I have come to escort you to the feast, your highness," she said with absolute formality. Then she grinned, "Hurry up or father will lecture me on arriving late."
Rion grinned and moved to her side as they left the room. The soldiers followed a short distance behind.
"What's going on?" Rion asked, "Why all this fuss?"
"It's the midwinter feast," Ari replied. Midwinter? Had he really been here so long? Clearly he had.
They reached the great hall, and Rion looked at the tables laid out for the feast. Huge amounts of food lay on the white table cloths, and all round the hall people were milling about, talking. The mix of pale blues, whites and silvers gave the impression of a room filled with ice.
A young woman detached herself from the crowd and came over to them. It was Lis, barely recognisable now as the soldier who had come into the training room. Rion gave a formal bow as Lis curtseyed to him. Moments later the gathered people moved to the tables.
Rion caught a glimpse of Mir, as Ari placed a hand on his arm and led him to the high table. Ari and Lis sat on either side of the king, and Rion was guided to a place beside Ari.
"Your highness," the king greeted him, "I trust your fears about our hospitality have been abated."
"Yes, your majesty," Rion replied. Throughout the feast, Rion sat beside Ari, making polite conversation with her and the noble who sat beside him on the other side. He was rather nervous in case he said something that might be construed as offensive. He didn't trust the king not to throw him in a cell to rot.
The food was good, mostly recognisable but a few dishes that he'd never seen before. Rion ate hungrily, and gentle music played in the background. At last everyone was finished. The king stood, and the rest of the hall followed suit. Servants, skilled at going unnoticed, appeared and moved the tables to the sides of the room.
The minstrels changed their music to a lively dance tune and soon couples began to move into the centre of the hall. Rion glanced at Ari, unsure if he should ask her to dance. She looked as though she was expecting him to, but he was suddenly nervous. Finally Lis solved the problem for him. She placed one hand into the centre of Rion's back, the other on Ari's and shoved them both onto the dance floor. Rion and Ari grinned at each other.
The talked softly to each other during the dance, barely aware of the other dancers around them. Unfortunately, the dance ended all too soon, and a rather ugly old man stepped up to them.
"May I have the next dance, your highness," he addressed Ari.
"Certainly, my lord," she said cheerfully, but she shot Rion a comical grimace as she moved to dance with him. Rion went to where Mir was standing at the edge of the room.
"Well, you seem to be having fun," Mir said scathingly, glaring at Ari.
"You could too," Rion said, and nodded to a group of girls hovering nearby, clearly hoping to get noticed. "The blond one's quite pretty."
"So you dance with her. Or would your precious Ari get upset?"
"Ari's just a friend."
"She didn't look like just a friend when you were dancing with her."
"Look, Mir, I know we're prisoners here, but moping around won't change that. I'm going to try and have a good time tonight. You can stand here feeling sorry for yourself if you like, just don't expect me to do the same."
Just then, the blond girl Rion had commented on came up to them. "May I have the next dance, my lord?" she asked Mir. Mir didn't say anything, just turned away and left.
"I'm sorry," Rion told her, "Mir's, dealing with some personal problems at the moment." The girl nodded, but still looked hurt. "If you still want a dance, I've not got a prior engagement."
When the music for the next dance started, Rion walked out with this other girl, shooting Ari an apologetic glance as she looked disappointed. Ari shrugged as another elderly noble approached her.
"That's the problem with being royalty," she said later as they sat at the side of the room having a brief rest, "you have to be polite and say 'yes' when someone asks you to dance, when you'd really like to say 'no, you're a repulsive toad'."
"So that's the only reason you said 'yes' to me?"
"As I recall," Ari smiled, "you didn't actually ask."
"Oh." There was a companionable silence as they watched the twirling dancers. When the music ended, Ari looked across at Rion.
"Prince Eldarion, may I have the honour of the next dance?"
"Well, since I obviously can't be rude. . ." He trailed off, then they both laughed, making their way to the centre of the dance hall.
Across the room, King Ramel watched, his eldest daughter at his side.
"Should I stop them?" he asked.
"What good will that do?" Lis countered.
"I don't want to see her get hurt."
"She's old enough to make her own choices now," Lis said, "Besides, I think she's more likely to be hurt if she thinks her father doesn't trust her to be sensible."
"I know what it's like to lose someone you love. I don't want her to go through this."
"She'll lose him whether you interfere now or not. And I think it's too late to stop her falling in love with him."
Time passed, immeasurably since the sun was once more hidden as heavy snow billowed outside the windows. The boys talked in low voices, leaning across the table. Rion hadn't seen Ari for a couple of days. He assumed she was spending time with her sister, and had decided to spend the time with Mir. It was clear that Mir was becoming jealous of the time Rion spent with Ari, and he didn't want that.
Both boys looked up guiltily as the soldiers crossed to them from where they stood by the door. They glanced at each other, slightly afraid, and Rion tried to hide the map they were making.
"Your highness," one of the soldiers said, "you must come with me now."
"And you must come with me," the other addressed Mir. They stood up and walked to the door. For a while they walked together, but then one led Rion one way, and Mir the other.
Rion walked calmly along between two soldiers, though inwardly his mind was racing over the possible things the king might do to him for trying to plot an escape. To his surprise, the place he was taken was the bathroom. A servant was in there, tipping hot water into the pool. Rion saw clean clothes on the table.
The servant curtsied and left. Rion sank into the steaming water and lay there, feeling the dirt and troubles drift away. He closed his eyes and for a moment he could forget that he was so far from home.
He emerged refreshed, and lifted the clothes that had been set out for him. Trousers and tunic of white silk, with snowflakes embroidered on the tunic in silver threads. Instead of a leather belt, there was one made of the same silk as the rest of the outfit, but studded with silver beads that flickered like stars. All were excellently tailored. Even as a prince, he rarely wore clothes so fine.
Once he had finished dressing and pulled on shoes of soft leather as well made as the rest, he went into the corridors. The soldiers stood waiting to return him to his room. The servant who had been in the bathroom was waiting for him there. She gave another curtsey and picked up the hairbrush from the dressing table.
"I can brush my own hair," Rion said.
"Please, your highness," she stammered nervously, "the king sent me to prepare you for the feast." Rion hesitated a while. It would do no harm to let this girl do it, and she was clearly afraid she might be punished if she did not. For once, Rion swallowed stubborn pride and sat at the dressing table, letting the servant do his hair.
She removed the circlet and gently brushed out his hair. Then she lifted a piece from either side of his forehead and placed the circlet on again so these pieces hung over the metal band. She took silver ribbons, and plaited these into the sections of hair, the silver shining out clearly amongst his dark hair. She finally pulled the two plaits together and twisted them into a complicated knot at the back of his head. When she finished, Rion had to admit that it was an elegant style.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome, your highness," she said with another curtsey, before departing. Rion sat for a short while, wondering what was happening. The servant had mentioned something about a feast.
At last the door opened and Ari came in. Instead of the shirt and trousers he'd become accustomed to seeing her where, she was dressed in an elegant gown of ice blue. Her hair was tied back in a bun, except for a few strands that hung down and framed her face, accentuating her beauty. She dropped into a formal curtsey to Rion, looking every bit the princess she was.
"I have come to escort you to the feast, your highness," she said with absolute formality. Then she grinned, "Hurry up or father will lecture me on arriving late."
Rion grinned and moved to her side as they left the room. The soldiers followed a short distance behind.
"What's going on?" Rion asked, "Why all this fuss?"
"It's the midwinter feast," Ari replied. Midwinter? Had he really been here so long? Clearly he had.
They reached the great hall, and Rion looked at the tables laid out for the feast. Huge amounts of food lay on the white table cloths, and all round the hall people were milling about, talking. The mix of pale blues, whites and silvers gave the impression of a room filled with ice.
A young woman detached herself from the crowd and came over to them. It was Lis, barely recognisable now as the soldier who had come into the training room. Rion gave a formal bow as Lis curtseyed to him. Moments later the gathered people moved to the tables.
Rion caught a glimpse of Mir, as Ari placed a hand on his arm and led him to the high table. Ari and Lis sat on either side of the king, and Rion was guided to a place beside Ari.
"Your highness," the king greeted him, "I trust your fears about our hospitality have been abated."
"Yes, your majesty," Rion replied. Throughout the feast, Rion sat beside Ari, making polite conversation with her and the noble who sat beside him on the other side. He was rather nervous in case he said something that might be construed as offensive. He didn't trust the king not to throw him in a cell to rot.
The food was good, mostly recognisable but a few dishes that he'd never seen before. Rion ate hungrily, and gentle music played in the background. At last everyone was finished. The king stood, and the rest of the hall followed suit. Servants, skilled at going unnoticed, appeared and moved the tables to the sides of the room.
The minstrels changed their music to a lively dance tune and soon couples began to move into the centre of the hall. Rion glanced at Ari, unsure if he should ask her to dance. She looked as though she was expecting him to, but he was suddenly nervous. Finally Lis solved the problem for him. She placed one hand into the centre of Rion's back, the other on Ari's and shoved them both onto the dance floor. Rion and Ari grinned at each other.
The talked softly to each other during the dance, barely aware of the other dancers around them. Unfortunately, the dance ended all too soon, and a rather ugly old man stepped up to them.
"May I have the next dance, your highness," he addressed Ari.
"Certainly, my lord," she said cheerfully, but she shot Rion a comical grimace as she moved to dance with him. Rion went to where Mir was standing at the edge of the room.
"Well, you seem to be having fun," Mir said scathingly, glaring at Ari.
"You could too," Rion said, and nodded to a group of girls hovering nearby, clearly hoping to get noticed. "The blond one's quite pretty."
"So you dance with her. Or would your precious Ari get upset?"
"Ari's just a friend."
"She didn't look like just a friend when you were dancing with her."
"Look, Mir, I know we're prisoners here, but moping around won't change that. I'm going to try and have a good time tonight. You can stand here feeling sorry for yourself if you like, just don't expect me to do the same."
Just then, the blond girl Rion had commented on came up to them. "May I have the next dance, my lord?" she asked Mir. Mir didn't say anything, just turned away and left.
"I'm sorry," Rion told her, "Mir's, dealing with some personal problems at the moment." The girl nodded, but still looked hurt. "If you still want a dance, I've not got a prior engagement."
When the music for the next dance started, Rion walked out with this other girl, shooting Ari an apologetic glance as she looked disappointed. Ari shrugged as another elderly noble approached her.
"That's the problem with being royalty," she said later as they sat at the side of the room having a brief rest, "you have to be polite and say 'yes' when someone asks you to dance, when you'd really like to say 'no, you're a repulsive toad'."
"So that's the only reason you said 'yes' to me?"
"As I recall," Ari smiled, "you didn't actually ask."
"Oh." There was a companionable silence as they watched the twirling dancers. When the music ended, Ari looked across at Rion.
"Prince Eldarion, may I have the honour of the next dance?"
"Well, since I obviously can't be rude. . ." He trailed off, then they both laughed, making their way to the centre of the dance hall.
Across the room, King Ramel watched, his eldest daughter at his side.
"Should I stop them?" he asked.
"What good will that do?" Lis countered.
"I don't want to see her get hurt."
"She's old enough to make her own choices now," Lis said, "Besides, I think she's more likely to be hurt if she thinks her father doesn't trust her to be sensible."
"I know what it's like to lose someone you love. I don't want her to go through this."
"She'll lose him whether you interfere now or not. And I think it's too late to stop her falling in love with him."