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When Allera opened her mouth, no doubt to dash all my hopes and dreams, I rushed to add, “Certainly there’s something I can do from this chair. Address announcements? Work out a seating chart? Anything?”
The bride-to-be started to shake her head, only to pause when her brain finally digested my offer. “Actually, yes, that’s a brilliant idea. I hate letter-writing. And the idea of writing the same announcement, draft after draft, was giving me a headache. Would you mind terribly taking over the task?”
“Not at all,” I said, since it’d been my idea in the first place. “I’d be delighted.”
“Oh, good. I’ll just run and fetch you the box I have all the parchment in, and—Drat!” she muttered, her gaze catching on the four men carrying a table into the room and setting it down. “That wasn’t where I wanted them to put the refreshment buffet. Gentlemen,” she called, waving to get their attention as she stared away, only to stop and remember she’d been talking to me. “Right. I need to get you the…”
Her words trailed off as she scowled around the room before she spotted something that made her eyes light.
“Urban!” she called, motioning toward her brother across the room where he stood on a ladder, hanging the royal wedding banner with Brentley. When he paused what he was doing to glance her way, she cupped her hands around her mouth. “Could you fetch the box of stationary off my bed in my chambers? Please and thank you.”
He only seemed to scowl at her, so she stamped her foot and shouted, “Now!”
I could practically feel him roll his eyes. “Yes, dear heart,” he called back, the sarcasm in his voice thick.
Allera muttered a dirty word about him under her breath, only to race off in the direction of the servants carrying the table, nearly plowing over Nicolette who was decorating an urn full of flowers, in the process.
The High Cliff prince said something to Brentley that made the Donnelly prince laugh, and then he slowly started to climb his way down the ladder.
I’m not sure why I watched him make his descent. Maybe it was because it was his errand I was waiting for him to complete before I could get started on my own duties, but it probably had more do with the fine figure he cut. From the back, he was flawlessly proportioned, his shoulders wide, hips slim, and his backside tight and sloped to perfection. He didn’t look any worse from the front, but it was easier to look at him when his back was turned… Or when he was out training with the soldiers.
I wasn’t sure how long he’d been doing that, but I’d been up in the East Salon last week and caught a commotion going on down in the training bailey.
Three men were taking on a single form. The single swordsman had been so talented I’d found myself wandering closer to the clear rock to watch him in action. He had moved like liquid art, every swing and leap flowing gracefully as if the sword were a natural extension of his arm.
When I realized who I’d been watching, I gasped and drew back a step, only for him to look up at the very window I’d been standing in as if he’d heard me, which was impossible.
We’d been so far away from each other, I was unable to see what the expression on his face had been, but his stare had rattled me.
Every day since, I caught him down there with the soldiers. Sometimes he seemed to be giving them tips, sometimes he was in the thick of the action, sparring, and sometimes he checked on the wounded who’d gotten hurt in a fray. But he was always a majestic sight to behold.
As he stepped off the ladder, he looked over his shoulder in my direction, and I quickly turned my attention away, diverting it to where Allera was showing the servants precisely where she wanted the buffet table to sit.
When I dared to glance back toward the ladder, the prince was gone. I felt warm and embarrassed for watching him so much. But Nicolette had been right that first day; Prince Urban was just about one of the most handsome men I’d ever seen. It was hard not to appreciate such a magnificent sight.
Allera suddenly returned to me, breathless and laughing. Her appearance made me jump and clear my throat, though I’m sure there was no way she could guess I’d been ogling her brother.
“Goodness.” She pressed a hand to her heart and blew out a vigorous breath. “I never realized there was so much that went into planning a wedding. With my first one, we simply ran off and married in secret the day after we met. But this is kind of invigorating.” Laughing again, she grinned at me. “Now, where were we? Oh, right. You’re going to help me with announcements, and Urban’s fetching the parchment and ink. Good.” She paused suddenly and frowned at Nicolette. “Do you think it would be rude of me to ask her to be my attendant at the ceremony?”
Her sudden shift in topic made me blink. “Nicolette?” I asked. “Not at all. I think she’d be honored to have the task.”
Her brow continued to pinch with concern. “Yes, but would Yasmin be insulted that I didn’t ask her?” Rolling her eyes, she leaned closer. “I’m sorry, I know she’s the queen and your sister and all, but she’s just not to my taste. And I can’t readily ask you; you can barely walk—or more aptly, waddle—these days without wincing through every step.”
I opened my mouth, not sure how to even respond, when Allera brightened, totally forgetting what we’d been discussing. “Oh! There’s Urban with my stationary. Good. It’s about time.”
As she clapped and waved him forward, I shook my head. Bridal fever had hit her hard. She was going full bore, micro managing everything and worrying about even more. It was actually endearing to watch, because to me, it meant she wanted her marriage to Brentley to be a success.
“What took you so long?” she demanded. “Did you get the ink and quill as well?” Snagging the box from Prince Urban’s hands, she peered inside for herself. “Oh good. You did.” She started to turn away, ignoring him.
In return, he quirked a single eyebrow. “You’re welcome.”
Allera didn’t even hear him as she kept digging through the box to make sure she had everything she wanted.
I covered my mouth with my hand to hide my smile. The prince’s attention veered to me.
Embarrassed to be caught grinning over his quip, I quickly looked away, but when I turned my attention back to him, he’d already turned away himself. A little disappointed in myself that I’d been too much of a coward to try to share a simple smile with the man, I watched him stalk toward an
other chair and then bend down to fetch a small ottoman next to it.
