Page 57 of The Crown’s Temptation

“The weather will change soon, Majesty. Without proper clothing," she interrupted politely, "the princess is liable to freeze. She also becomes considerably easier to assassinate."

He sighed. "I'll find him."

When the door shut behind him I blinked.

"There is a tailor here this late?”

She laughed. “No,” she said. She walked across the room and opened the wardrobe. “The rumor is that King Sevrin held some fantasy of having you here at some point. He had hundreds of leather pieces made for you, your Highness.”

I stared blankly. "You lied."

"Yes.”

I could not help it. I smiled.

"What about the lower entrance behind the east wing of the northwest corridor?"

She smiled back. "That is more of a subjective location."

"As in…”

"It doesn't exist."

Despite everything, I laughed. The motion hurt more than expected and dissolved into coughing. She was beside me immediately, easing me upright.

When the coughing finally passed, she turned toward the wardrobe and reached for the black jewelry box that had been sitting there since I first arrived.

“It looks like King Sevrin must have had plans for you to wear jewels,” she said with a grin as she carried it over and opened the lid. “Or perhaps the one who brought you here moves quickly.”

I looked inside. There were jewels of every kind. Rings, necklaces, and stones fit for a princess or queen.

I looked up at her.

“None of them suit me,” I said. “You are welcome to take some or all of them.”

She laughed. “They do not suit me either. We shall keep them in your wardrobe. They may be useful for bribing servants. Or if someone you are not fond of has an origin day and you need to pretend to care with a thoughtless gift.”

I could not hide my surprise. “They celebrate origin days here in Morrath?”

“Doubtful,” she said lightly. Then she smiled. “I am Fiersa.”

"Your accent."

"Veynar." She soaked a cloth in warm water. "I was raised there."

"You were?"

"I was sold." She said it so casually I almost missed it. "My husband sold me for ten gold pieces after his mother decided I was worthless because I could not bear children."

I stared. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "He was never particularly kind. I should not have been surprised." She sat me up carefully and began brushing my hair. "My brother learned what happened while stationed at the border." She smiled faintly. "Prince Colsar helped him."

My head lifted. "Colsar?"

"He petitioned Yorali's king to release me." Her expression softened. “Then he had my brother sent back to Rathmor Palace so he could await me there.”

“My brother wrote constantly." A quiet laugh. "He said you were stubborn."