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“Of course, I’m—” Oh shit. Am I?
Ora waited with raised eyebrows for me to continue, and when I didn’t, she said, “Maybe it’s time for you to discover what you love and pursue it unapologetically. I only just started doing that now, and how I wish I would have made that decision when I was your age.”
I thought about her wisdom for a moment before she scooted closer to me in a sisterly fashion and said, “So, you’re close with our prince?”
I choked on the glass of wine she had given me. “Your what now?”
“Prince Bennett?” she asked a little more apprehensively, almost as if she realized she shouldn’t have said anything.
“What do you mean ‘prince?’”
“What do you mean, ‘what do you mean?’”
“Like a prince as in he helps run this kingdom?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t even say help, honestly. He is more like the king, but refuses to take on the title, so we all refer to him as Prince. Even though he hates that title, too, and prefers we just call him Bennett.”
So that was how practically everyone in Vesper knew him. When he was showing me around the kingdom, I thought everyone was just eager to be friendly, when really they were admiring their prince.
Why didn’t he tell me? This irritated me, as I thought Bennett and I were past keeping things from one another, and I don’t know, maybe even trusted each other?
I was sure the frustration was written all over my face as she asked, “You didn’t know?”
“Clearly not. I just don’t know why he would feel the need to keep that from me.”
“Maybe out of respect for our people? We all are waiting for our true ruler to emerge someday. We have a legend—”
“I know about the stupid legend, and no, it’s definitely not that, he thinks that’s bullshit,” I said bluntly.
“He does?” Ora asked, looking a bit offended.
Oops. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. Or maybe I didn’t care, because how was I supposed to know if Bennett didn’t communicate with me?
Whatever.
“As much as I’ve loved listening to your poetry, I think it’s probably time for me to go.” I stood up from the blanket and flattened my day-old clothes, which were dirtier than I thought.
Ora smiled and stood up beside me. “Well, perfect timing! Bennett has just arrived to get you.”
Bennett walked up to the blanket, bowed slightly at Ora, and said, “Good evening, Ora.”
Ora blushed as she lowered in a deep curtsy. “Good evening Prince—I mean, good evening, Bennett.”
He turned to me. “Rhiannon, there is an event going on tonight that I would like to attend. Would you care to join me?” he asked, offering his arm to me.
I grabbed his arm and said in the most dramatic way possible, “Of course, anything for you, Bennett.”
Or should I say, “Prince of keeping things from me.”
He gave me a concerned look before turning back to Ora once more. “It was great to see you, but we must get going. I hope the spark for your writing burns bright.”
“Thank you,” she said, bowing her head in respect.
Bennett steered me away from the story quarter and back into the winding roads of Vesper.
“What’s wrong?” he asked in a low tone.
I shrugged. “Nothing.”
