CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Adriana is honestly a bit terrifying.
She’s incredibly serious, no nonsense. It’s hard to get an accurate read on her age, but she looks like she must be older than the king and queen. She has wisdom in her eyes and a fair few more creases in her deeply tanned skin. Her dark hair is pulled back into a slick, tight bun at the back of her head, only adding to the authoritarian vibe she’s projecting. She makes me feel like a small child about to be scolded, even though I haven’t done anything wrong.I haven’t, right?
“You’ll be tutored on the histories of the realm and also the Fae language,” Adriana says in a heavily accented common tongue as she guides me through the halls. I scurry after her, trying to concentrate on what she’s saying, but also make note of the different twists and turns. My eyes continue to snag on the impressive art collection decorating the whole palace. Various marble sculptures, paintings in varying mediums, and tapestries. All depicting either different Fae or landscapes. I can’t help but gape at them all as we pass. They’re all so beautiful.
Adriana catches me admiring a painting of a clearing with a small pool and it almost looks like it glitters on the canvas.It feels…magical. “That one is my favorite also,” she says. “All these paintings depict somewhere in Seelie lands. And the Fae are the previous regents. Their Majesties will likely have a piece commissioned for you, now that you’ve returned home.”
Again, with that word.
Returned.
“You say that like I chose to leave,” I reply, tone dry. Should I be holding my tongue around one of my parents' closest advisors? Probably. Do I even care? Not really.
Adriana snaps her jaw shut, blinking at me in surprise before she speaks. “Yes, well,” she clears her throat. “Come along now. We mustn’t dally.”
She bustles off and I have to nearly jog to keep up with her brisk pace. Eventually we come to a large set of cream double doors with gold filigree patterns. Adriana looks back at me briefly before she throws both doors open, and I catch my first sight of the interior of the room.
It’s a massive library. And by massive, I mean absurdly large. The room has tall, vaulted ceilings, something I’m finding is a common design theme in this place. Bookshelves line every wall and stretch up to the ceiling. There’s a spiral staircase off to the side that leads to a lofted space with even more bookshelves and what looks like a large desk.
“Welcome to the royal library,” Adriana says as she throws an arm wide. “Your lessons will take place here. I’m arranging a curriculum now, but you’ll have your language lessons in the morning. After lunch we’ll move onto histories and etiquette training.”
Etiquette training?
“Um, right. Okay,” I slowly spin, taking in all the shelves and the books. There areso manybooks. This is heaven. “Am I allowed to read the books here?”
She places a finger on her chin and gives it some thought for a moment before answering. “I don’t see why you wouldn’t be permitted. It’s the royals’ personal collection and seeing as how youarethe princess, they’re yours as well. There are some in the common language as far as I’m aware, but many are in the Fae language so you may struggle with those until we improve your fluency.”
They’remine? I’ve never seen so many books in my life, let aloneownedthis many.
I walk to the nearest shelf and pull off the first book that catches my eye. It’s a deep, forest green leatherbound book with gold foiling embossed on the spine and cover. It’s in the Fae language, so I have no idea what it’s actually about, but it’s beautiful. I flip through the book, seeing the words splashed across the page but not understanding a single one. I close the book and gently return it to the shelf.
Maybe searching for information on that ruined castle will be more difficult than I thought.
“I’ll lead you to your rooms now and let you settle in. I was told you didn’t bring any personal belongings with you?” She questions as she guides me back out of the library.
“I—no. I didn’t bring anything besides the clothes on my back,” I answer with an awkward laugh.
Adriana flicks her hand out, waving me off. “That’s quite alright. I’ll have your measurements collected and send them off to the seamstress to craft some things for you. I can track down some things for you to wear in the meantime.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary.”
She halts in place and turns to give me a stony look. “No offense, Your Highness,” the title nearly makes me flinch, “but yes. It is necessary. You cannot be waltzing around the palace dressed like a commoner. You must look the part as much asyou must act the part.” She stares at me a moment, assessing my reaction. “Understood?”
Like I said, she’s terrifying.
“Understood.”
She offers a sharp nod before whirling back around and leading me through another set of twists and turns until we end up in front of another set of gilded double doors that look incredibly similar to the ones for the library.
This may get a bit confusing if all the doors look the same.
Directly opposite the doors is a massive floor to ceiling portrait of a seaside town. The houses are all varying bright colors and the ocean sparkles even though it’s merely paint on canvas. It’s mesmerizing and will serve as the perfect landmark to orient myself.
“And these are your chambers,” Adriana says as she throws the doors wide.
I’m immediately hit with the smell of stale air, as if the room hasn’t been properly aired out.
