Chapter 8

Celie sighed, leaning against Rufus. Lilah sat beside her grooming Juliet. Rufus had already been groomed for the day, but he watched enviously as the brush went over the female griffin, and he looked up at her, squawking.

"Rufus, you don't need another grooming. You already look very handsome," Celie assured, rubbing her hand down his back.

"The feasts start tomorrow!" Lilah clapped her hands, a big smile pasted on her face. "You have all the dresses set out, right?"

Celie rolled her eyes. "Yes, Lilah. And I know which ones I have to wear to match you and Mummy. We have these every year."

Lilah let it go, but Celie could tell she was excited. Their cousins were beginning to arrive tomorrow, and she knew Lilah was very excited to see their cousin Magdalie, a cousin who Celie really didn't mind, but she was a bit bossy. Rolf hated her father, King Glower's brother William because Rolf was convinced he was going to try and take the throne one day. Celie didn't think that was a funny joke now that King Glower had almost been assassinated.

The security at the Castle was rigid as guests arrived, and Pogue was strictly following her around more than ever. Celie knew it was for her own safety, but it was still horrible to have to take three guards with her when she wanted to go outside. She supposed it could be worse-the king and Rolf were only really supposed to go outside when they were making a public appearance to the village.

Lilah glanced up at Kalys as she came in, Rolf shutting the door behind her. Celie smiled when her sister-in-law chose to come sit by her. She looked a little distracted as Dagger came to snuggle by her side, though she gave him a pat. Celie smiled, Dagger was nearly attached to Kalys as much as he was Rolf, and he had been since she had stepped on the Ship.

"I got the dresses," Kalys told Lilah when Lilah looked like she was going to speak. Celie tried not to laugh at her older sister. "Thank you for having them sent to my rooms."

If Lilah was annoyed at first, she softened, explaining in depth how Kalys was to look when she attended the feasts. Celie was immediately bored.

"Celie, darling, how have the griffins been doing with all these people? I'm afraid my Lady hasn't been around much for me to see." Queen Celina turned to her youngest daughter.

Celie shrugged. "The older ones are doing fine enough. Dagger has been doing much better than I expected, but the babies are getting a bit overwhelmed. One of the newly hatched ones bit Lord Duncan."

Rolf laughed and Queen Celina scolded him.

"Lord Duncan probably deserved it," Rolf argued. "He's such an entitled, old as-"

He stopped talking when his mother pinched his arm, but he mouthed a word to Celie. A word she wasn't really allowed to say, though she'd learned it from her Mother.

"Lilah, are you one of the judges for the musicians this year?" Celie asked, fondly remembering all the contests there were for the winter holidays.

Lilah shook her head. "It's Rolf, Uncle William, and cousin Henry."

Celie's eyes widened. "That's going to be very entertaining."

"Luck of the draw," Lilah responded, a twinkle in her eye. "Oh, they are going to fight so much!"

Rolf tolerated their cousin Henry, but he often told Celie how his stupidity drove him nuts. Uncle William and Rolf always fought at the winter holidays, Rolf insisting that William was an ignorant, spoiled prince who knew nothing of politics and economics, and William insisting Rolf was a petulant, stupid child. It usually ended with Rolf being punished, and King Glower calling his brother a various assortment of curse words. Bran, Lilah, and Celie always defended their brother loyally, especially because Uncle William was usually the first to start such fights. And because they knew Rolf really was very smart and Uncle William's rooms were never very nice. They hadn't attended Rolf and Kalys's wedding because they'd been on a tour of Bendswe, something Celie was very grateful for.

Rolf cleared his throat, ripping Celie away from her thoughts of how her extended family would be over the next few weeks. He was clearly trying to get their attention, and he looked suddenly very nervous.

"As some of you know, well, Mother and Father and Bran." Rolf coughed a bit, his ears flushing. "Kalys is, well, Kalys and I, are expecting a baby."

Celie reached over to grab Lilah's hand. Her sister squeezed back. Kalys had gone to stand by Rolf, and she was facing them all with her jaw set, and a piercing gaze for those who looked up at them.

There was a silence in the room as the rest of them all looked around at each other. Rolf was staring at the wall, his cheeks red, and his hair tousled from running his fingers through it.

"When are you due?" Pogue choked out, his eyes darting to meet Celie's.

Celie was just too surprised to say anything. Sure, her mother had said something about it, but she was positive those really were just rumors. There had been a rumor that they had taken Kalys with them from the Found because she was carrying Rolf's bastard child! That one hadn't made much sense, and Queen Celina had been quick to say the person who made that rumor up had little knowledge on how pregnancy worked.

"End of June," Rolf said, clearing his throat.

"Oh how exciting!" Lulath congratulated, regaining his composure, though even he sounded hesitant. "How happy you must be, our King and Queen. A wedding and a baby in the same month!"

Celie was busy counting months. She just wanted to make sure Rolf hadn't been lying to them all and that really was the reason he and Kalys were getting married. But it checked out, just placing the date when they had gotten married.

"That's six months away," Lilah said, her mouth open slightly.

"I know it's shocking, but we'll get through it," Queen Celina told them. King Glower looked suddenly very tired, and Celie wondered how they had taken the news when they'd first heard it.

Anger flashed across Rolf's face at his mother's words, and Celie could understand why. While she stood by that Rolf had it easier in this subject, her parents did treat the both of them like babies sometimes. Not to mention, Kalys being pregnant sounded like something Rolf would have to get through, not the rest of them.

"Well, how exciting," Lilah said, clapping her hands, and Celie was surprised to see how quickly she said it. "It will be very good news for the people to hear after all this assassination business."

But the look on her face told Celie, Celie would be hearing about it in great depth later.

"Really, Lilah, there's nothing you can do about it, so I don't know why you care so much," Queen Celina tutted.

Celie had to agree. She had been right; Lilah had been a mess that night and the next day. They had to be very hush-hush about, though Bran had said Rolf had mentioned announcing it publicly on the final feast.

"And Kalys is coming in here any second, and if you say anything negative about the pregnancy to her, upon my father's grave, Delilah-"

Celie looked away awkwardly from her mother and sister fighting, patted her head. Soon she wouldn't be able to be that way. She'd already been scrubbed clean, her dress set out for her on the Queen's solar. It was the room her, Lilah, Kalys, and Queen Celina were taking to privately get ready. Mostly to get a break from the cousins arriving. Lilah was currently doing the Queen's hair, and Celie secretly hoped she could get her mother to do hers. Her mother was much more gentle.

Kalys came in hurriedly, her cheeks red and hair mussed. Celie wondered what her and Rolf had been doing exactly that had made Kalys late. Celie was suddenly very suspicious.

"Sorry," Kalys apologized. "There was an emergency with the unicorns."

Lilah whipped around. "Are they alright?"

Kalys nodded. "Rose just needed calming down. Her and String-of-Pearl got into a fight in the courtyard. It took me, Pogue, Eyhan, and a couple grooms to get them."

Celie suddenly felt bad about being suspicious.

"Are you alright?" Queen Celina asked gently, and Kalys nodded. "Good, good. Let's all finish up then."

Celie helped Kalys into her shift, and specifically noticed what Queen Celina had been talking about. There was a swell to her stomach, one that was obvious in her shift, but could be passed over in a gown. Celie watched as Kalys negated the corset left for her, staring hard into Queen Celina's eyes at the slight protest.

"It's not good for the baby to be constricted," Kalys said. "Studies or not."

Celie admired the courage. She never had any courage to her mother or Lilah about her attire. Kalys tied the bodice off at the top, and looked in the mirror.

"They did a good job of making it look Hathelock," Kalys praised.

Celie thought the dress did look beautiful. While they were all the same shade of blue, they were all a bit different. Queen Celina's was very Sleynth, with its traditional neckline, back laces, and poofier skirt. Lilah's and Celie's were a bit simpler but much the same. Kalys's was different; shorter around the ankle, laces in the front, with embroidery down the middle of the skirt, and a square neckline. The sleeves were a sheer tulle from the forearm down, matching the style of a lot of the gowns Kalys had brought with her.

It did make the little swell of her stomach pop out, though. Kalys rested her hand against the bump, swallowing.

"You look beautiful, darling," Queen Celina encouraged, motioning for Celie to sit so her hair could be done.

Celie leapt for joy. Though she didn't see why she couldn't leave her hair down, she was glad her mother's hands were twisting. She exchanged looked with Kalys as Kalys winced at Lilah's pulling.

It sort of reminded her of when Kalys and Rolf had gotten married three months ago. Much happier, and less of Celie worrying if Kalys hated their family for making her marry Rolf. She'd liked him well enough to have a baby with him.

They met up with their escorts after that. Celie had multiple different escorts for the winter festivals, but tonight she was with Bran. King Glower affectionately smacked a kiss on the Queen's lips, calling her very beautiful. Lulath began to enthusiastically, and poetically praise Lilah for her beauty.

"Really, Lulath is the perfect man for Delilah," Bran whispered to her. "He recognizes the details she works so hard on."

Celie had to agree, though she was distracted by Kalys coming out, and Rolf clearly not knowing what to say. He was blushing uncharacteristically, his eyes never leaving Kalys.

"Rolf looks very unprepared in comparison," Celie said, watching as Rolf squeezed Kalys's hand. "Though as he said before, he made no marriage proposal."

Bran looked down at her, but only let out: "Hmm."

And so the first feast of the winter holidays began.

Celie ate until she thought her gowns burst; considering there was plenty of foods she liked. Such as bread, cheese, and desserts. Being the second princess at such things, third if you counted Kalys, she really had quite a bit of freedom. Her cousins talked to her, and some nobles tried, but they were mostly busy talking to the king or Rolf or Queen Celina.

"Pogue is so handsome," cousin Magdalie swooned, waving her glass of wine.

Celie wrinkled her nose; she was only a year older than Rolf, and Rolf was barely allowed to drink. He'd had to for his wedding, of course, but Celie doubted her mother would let either of them drink until they were Lilah's age. She supposed it probabky could be dropped because Rolf would have his own child to make decisions for by June.

"Lilah, I don't know how you ever could've dropped him," cousin Amelia popped in (she was the daughter of King Glower's sister, Juliana). "The things I'd like to do with that man."

"I didn't drop him," Lilah snapped, and for a second Celie thought she was about to lose a lot of respect for her sister. "I was in love with Lulath, and I still am. For heavens' sake, Amelia, stop objectifying Sir Pogue. He is an esteemed knight of the court, and not to be talked as such!"

Celie wanted to clap, she was so annoyed with her cousins. The dancing hadn't even started. She looked to Kalys, who obviously looked uncomfortable as Aunt Vicki kept going on and on about her early years of marriage. Kalys began to blush, and Celie wondered if Aunt Vicki was drunk already. All of their family said such scandalous things when they were drinking.

"So, Cecelia, do you have any suitors yet?" Cousin Amelia, who'd never really liked Celie, turned to ask, snickering. Celie, in her bloated, tired state suddenly wished Lord Griffin would eat cousin Amelia along with Khelsh. Then she figured that was a little extreme.

"Cecelia is thirteen." Celie felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Bran. He had a great annoyance for nosy people, something that Celie had come to appreciate. "Come, the dancing is starting."

Bran was a notoriously awful dancer. While the news had only been spectated upon from the those who attended dancing events, it was a known joke around the Glower family. Rolf and Lilah were excellent at gliding across the floor, even with not-so-talented partners. Celie was very average when it came to the art, but she often got her footwork backwards when she was dancing with a partner such as Bran.

"At least you're not as bad as Pogue," Celie pointed out to her brother after the third time he had stepped on her toes. "Amelia's really going to have a fit after she convinces him to dance with her."

"Politically they would make a great match," Bran said thoughtfully, and Celie frowned. "A future duchess with a knight."

"That's not what I meant at all! I would never wish such a marriage on Pogue," Celie protested, and Bran looked genuinely surprised at her reaction.

"Oh, I thought you meant they were dancing," Bran said, "you know, as if it were a sign they should get married."

Celie wrinkled her nose. For all of his great wisdom, Bran often was very clueless about courting rituals. "When has that ever happened, Bran? Is this why you hate dancing?"

"No, I don't hate dancing. I-I don't know, someone is always being set up at such things," he stammered, blushing.

Celie wanted to giggle. "Have you ever been set up at such things?"

Celie tried to imagine her oldest brother being set up. Technically, only Rolf needed to marry, and that had already happened. So had producing an heir, Celie thought, a touch sourly. But Bran? He had some very odd habits, and ways of communicating with other people, something Pogue talked about on the daily. Rolf had said the College of Wizardry promoted such things, but Celie often wondered if all wizards were the same. Arkwright had been terribly awkward, but that was because he was evil, and Rowen and Bowen had left before Celie really had the chance to try them out.

"There are many powerful matches that could be made," Bran said, Celie annoyed about not being answered. "We all our walking political contracts you could say. Lilah did very well, though Rolf didn't bring in much wealth."

"He brought in much knowledge of the Castle!" Celie defended loyally. "You, as a wizard, should think such things of much more importance."

Bran frowned. "Of course I do. I didn't mean it harshly or negatively. I like Kalys."

Celie followed his gaze to where Kalys and Rolf glided on the floor. If Kalys was missing steps, Rolf certainly made up for it, something Celie could not say about her own partner. He looked like he was smiling as he guided her, though Celie couldn't tell if it was fake or not. Recently, she'd been having a much harder time telling Rolf from his normal to court self.

"I just meant it as, oh, I guess, I don't know. To answer your question, I was technically promised to the princess of Bendswe when I was a baby, though the contract was broken when Rolf was declared heir. I suppose they didn't want to give her a wizard for a husband, and Mother and Father never had Rolf betrothed. I shared many dances with her until i went to the College," Bran told her. "She was incredibly stupid, and I'm very grateful she will never be queen of Sleyne. I'm grateful I'll never be king of Sleyne."

Celie often wondered about things that had gone on when Bran had been Crown Prince. She only really remembered the times after Rolf had been heir, but Pogue had once told her that Bran was a bit of a disappointment to the people. There was a reason Rolf was very loved by the village; he had been much more suited for the role, even unto childhood.

"Good heavens, Celie, don't look so sullen. You're not betrothed to anyone," Bran said, tripping a bit as they stumbled to the music.

"Yes, but now you have me thinking about marriage," Celie grouched.

"My apologies, Cecelia." Bran grinned as the music stopped, and pulled Celie off the floor with his eagerness to leave. "Maybe you could marry Pogue."

Celie groaned. She cursed Lilah for 'dropping him' as Amelia would say, because now she would have to deal with the constant teasing.

"Rolf, can you please be a little quieter?"

Rolf didn't really understand what Kalys was saying as she whispered harshly to him. He thought she was motioning to the body guards escorting them to their rooms, but he wasn't sure. He felt dizzy.

Kalys was swishing ahead of him, and Rolf swore her skirts were changing colors. He asked her that, and she just squinted at him. The guards were laughing, but Rolf didn't really know why. He remembered laughing that night, he just remembered laughing with Pogue. And then they were dismissed, and Kalys was angry at him.

Kalys. She looked very beautiful tonight. Her hair was different. It was very pretty. She was always very pretty. Especially when she wasn't wearing clothes.

Rolf shook his head. It began to spin again, and he felt a guard redirect him as he missed a step. He paused.

"Thank you, good sir!" He felt like his words were catching. "Kalys, my love, and my delight, where are we?"

He didn't hear if Kalys said anything, because he was too busy fumbling with the key to unlock the door. Was his brain always this mushy? He didn't feel like he could think. After he dropped the key for the third time, and nearly fell over trying to pick it up, Kalys snatched it way from him and unlocked the door.

He suddenly felt very drowsy, his body seeming to twist and want to sleep simultaneously. Rolf hiccuped.

"Kalys, you're so fucking pretty," he managed, to say. "Here, let me help you."

She had her hair pins stuck, and Rolf had done that before. He thought. They were easy to pull out of her hair, and her curls looked nice framing her face. He pushed them back, looking at her neck.

It was very smooth and graceful. Very clean. His fingers buried in her hair as he kissed that neck, his body lurching forward against her. Her skin was smooth against his lips as he sucked kn that spot. His hands came down to rest on her breasts. Good lord, that's what he loved about her now.

"Rolf!"

Rolf stepped back as Kalys pushed him off of her staring at him hard. He suddenly felt like he needed to sit down, but didn't really know why.

"You're drunk," she accused.

"No, I'm not," he protested. And then hiccuped. "I barely drank any spirits during the feast."

"You drank three glasses with Pogue after dancing. Three mugs, Rolf. You've never drank a glass much less three," Kalys retorted, and Rolf wondered if she was angry with him.

She disappears into the water closet. And Rolf sank down into a chair. Was he drunk? This wasn't a terrible feeling. He felt very happy, even if Kalys had slightly rejected him.

Cold water gushed down his face, and he jumped up. His head was freezing and his clothes were suddenly very wet.

"Kalys, what the hell?" He nearly yelled, blinking rapidly. He was starting to think a touch clearer and could finally see Kalys glaring at him, arms crossed.

"I can smell the alcohol on your breath, Rolf," she told him. "You made a fool of yourself. Now go and sleep it off."

She was really angry. Rolf was still foggy, but he could read situations much more clearly now that there was freezing water dripping down his face into a puddle on his floor.

"Kalys," he tried to say as quietly as he could. "I'm sorry, I-"

"I don't reason with drunkards," Kalys snapped, throwing a towel on the puddle of water and stalking into the dressing room.

Was she crying? Rolf couldn't tell, but her voice had wavered. He heard the door lock, which was odd, because he didn't remember his dressing room having a lock before.

He waited her for awhile, until it was apparent she wasn't coming out. He knocked on the door, and was met with silence.

"Kalys, I'm sorry," he said to the door, "can you come out? I'm worried for you."

"You're still slurring words," she called back, and Rolf decided she was definitely crying.

He slid down against the wall, guilt filling him. He probably had made a fool out of himself, something that was going to hit him hard tomorrow. He leaned his head against the wall, not really knowing what to do. He tried to keep knocking, but Kalys just kept telling him to go to sleep.

"I don't want to go to sleep," he protested. "I want to talk to you."

She stopped answering after that, and Rolf sort of worried. She would gently tell him to go to bed sometimes is he asked is she was okay, and he felt like giving up. But, he supposed, Kalys really never had anyone fight for her, so he kept going as his eyes began to droop. He couldn't persuade himself to move, he was so tired, only quietly ask Kalys questions through the door.

"Rolf, I'm not coming out. Give up," she finally said, and Rolf couldn't think of more things to say.

He leaned against the wall, guilt still rooted in his stomach. His eyes were closed now, and it took much effort to open them. He was slipping back into grogginess, his muscles relaxing. He'd been drowsy for awhile, but now he was done for. The candle in the room was dying to the dark, and he couldn't move or say anything he was so tired. Goodnight, he thought, not sure if he'd said it or not, and fell into a restless sleep.

Kalys had made a little bed for herself with the excessive amount of dresses she now had, and she had managed to sleep. She woke up exhausted, with a back ache, not knowing what time it was. It was still dark out, and she sat up, letting her eyes adjust. She pushed the door open, planning to take the opposite bedside of Rolf, maybe catching a few more hours of sleep.

Her husband was curled on the floor beside the door she'd come out of, sleeping soundly. She supposed it was because her pregnancy was making her a touch more emotional, but the grudge in her heart melted a little.

"Tielanaga," she whispered, translated to ' lovable fool' in Sleynth.

"Rolf," she whispered, running a hand over his forehead. "Let's go to bed."

He woke right away, and grunted, taking her hand. He kept murmuring apologies, and she didn't know quite if she had forgiven him yet. She let him kiss her cheek goodnight, before rolling to the other side of the bed, Kalys appreciating the space.

"Thank you, Kalys," Rolf whispered. "I missed you."

Kalys wanted to laugh. She didn't know if his uncharacteristic words were because the alcohol still had to wear off or if because he was half-asleep. She knew they would have to talk seriously about this in the morning, but for now, she rolled over to him, snuggling in his warmth. He let out a sigh.

Kalys let her eyes close, her heart welling with unexplained peace.

Rolf woke up in his bed, pressed against Kalys, an enormous headache thumping in his head. Morning light poured in from his window, burning his eyes. He rolled over, shivering, being away from Kalys.

He groaned, feeling the metallic taste in his mouth, ready to upcheck his stomach contents. Leaning over the chamber pot, wondering if this is how Kalys felt every morning, Rolf threw up the entire feast he'd eaten last night. Regretting all choices he'd made at the end of the night, he sat back, grabbing the glass of water Kalys kept there to rinse his mouth.

He was pushed aside so Kalys could go through her morning ritual of puking. He really had no reason to complain; his vomiting was purely the consequence of his choices, where Kalys was dealing with the consequence of both of their choices. He looked on, letting his head drop against the wall, completely exhausted.

"Are you still angry with me?" He asked, closing his eyes from the horrid light that brought pain.

"I'm not angry anymore," she responded softly, taking the glass of water that sat beside him. "I-I just don't like it when people are drunk. It's very dangerous."

He nodded, remembering a comment about her alcoholic mother. He felt terrible now, how that had really probably sent her back to the past.

"I won't do it again," he whispered, any noise driving him wild in pain.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Rolf pushed himself to his feet, pulling a tunic over his head. He stumbled across the room, opening the door to Pogue, holding some sort of serum. He immediately laughed, and Rolf scowled.

"You look like death," Pogue snickered. "But you need to hurry. Your father and Prince William are fighting like mad, and even Bran has been roped into it, and your father yelled at me to get you."

"Fucking idiot," Rolf murmured, rubbing his forehead. Uncle William was the worst.

"You can take this for the headache I'm sure you have after drinking so much," Pogue said, smirking as Rolf downed the bottle. "I'll wait outside for you."

"Kalys, I have to go to the throne room," he called, wincing at how loud his voice was. "Will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine," she said, emerging from the room in only her shift. She looked pale, but that was normal enough in the mornings. "See you at the feasts, then?"

He nodded, wanting to go and kiss her goodbye, but refrained, as he slowly remembered the night before. He buttoned up an over tunic and pulled on some boots, heading to follow Pogue down the hallway.

"What are they arguing about?" Rolf asked, wincing at the sounds of footsteps in the hall. "And when is the serum you gave me going to kick in?"

"They're arguing about your marriage," Pogue told him quietly. "Apparently, your uncle claims you're still under the contract in which you have to marry someone from Sleyne, and since you didn't, and you can't divorce, you can't be heir."

Rolf rolled his eyes. "Well, William also doesn't think women should be allowed to rule, and if Bran is a wizard, that puts him as heir. Don't I say every year Uncle William tries to find someway to put himself in line of the throne?"

Pogue nodded, and Rolf heard shouting going on in the throne room. He stepped in to see his cousin Henry, Uncle, and father and brother deep in an argument. Lord Sefton stood aside nervously, and the Queen was nowhere to be found.

"What's going on?" Rolf asked, satisfied as the Castle amplified his voice. He hated his extended family.

Celie was very okay with Uncle William, Aunt Sophia, Cousins Henry and Magdalie leaving. She knew Lilah was a little sad about it, but when the Castle drops the floor boards into the dungeons, even Uncle William knew that's when it was time to leave. She couldn't help but wave, and Aunt Sophia just glared back.

"We should be taking away his governed position," Rolf grumbled, and Celie could see this had already been fought about.

Then again, Pogue swore it was King Glower who had demanded Rolf to help. Rolf had managed not to argue apparently. For a couple minutes; then a brawl had started between the brothers and cousins, and Uncle William and Cousin Henry had been ejected by the Castle into the dungeons. Rolf said even the Castle knew what treason looked like, but King Glower argued with him about Uncle William's position.

"That was very irresponsible," Lilah scolded, looking specifically at Rolf. "Now it's all the people will talk about."

"Because you and Aunt Sophia get along so well," Bran scoffed, and Celie could tell he was a it put out like Rolf.

"As for the people, maybe Rolf had an announcement he should make," King Glower said pointedly, and Rolf suddenly looked embarrassed. "To move on to something more permanently exciting."

"Should we really use the possible future heir of the throne of Sleyne as a tactic of distraction?" Rolf wheedled, and Queen Celina rolled her eyes.

"Enough!" Queen Celina spoke. "If people bring it up, the Castle showed a dislike for William's disrespectful attitude toward the Crown Prince and he threw them out. That's all we have to say. Rolf will announce the pregnancy after the tournament on the final feast."

Celie sighed. Maybe a baby would help her family stop fighting.