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I looked around the empty courtyard and felt a twinge of relief. I didn’t want to meet anyone. Not yet. I needed time to adjust, to take everything in.
“Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate it. I didn’t expect a crowd. Not here or in Midar.”
Bers cocked his head to the side. “A great way to show their support to this union and the House of Finardsil.”
I smiled sweetly as I contemplated his words.
That was not why they did it. To my people, I was a sacrificial lamb walking into slaughter. I made the ultimate sacrifice so that they would not have to.
I was the key to peace, and they knew it.
It wasn’t support that I saw on their faces; it was pity.
Pity for the girl who would marry a man she didn’t love. Pity for the girl who would have to live in a place she hated. For the girl who would never see her home again.
To clear it, I shook my head. I couldn’t think like that. I had to be strong. For my people, I had to do this.
“Thank you for understanding,” Bers said after a moment of silence. “I know it’s difficult.”
I nodded and followed.
“I did not know it would be this big,” I murmured as we crossed a narrow footbridge with no rails. “I heard the stories, but seeing it myself, I’m amazed.”
My feet ached. My shoes weren’t meant for walking long distances.
“The Aeglire is the biggest palace in all of Manzimor,” Bers said with pride. “It took the greatest craftsmen centuries to build it. It’s the greatest honor for a craftsman to be chosen to add to its perfection.”
Not even nature was spared in its design. I saw now that the trees and plants were trimmed and shaped to add to the symmetry of the Aeglire. The flowers were even a certain color to match the stone.
“It’s breathtaking,” I said, and I meant it.
The Aeglire was a work of art. It was perfect in every way. But it was also cold and impersonal. There was no life here. No warmth.
It was a place of beauty, but it was not a place I could ever call home.
Looking down, clear water rushed below the bridge. A child with red hair waved his hand at me before his mother dragged him away with an apologetic smile. I waved at him and his face broke into a smile.
There was some life here, after all.
“How do they breathe?” I asked. “Is it magic?”
“We built it.” Bers looked down. “We have always been good with magic. That magic was used to create underwater constructions. We honor our heritage with the Aeglire.”
Seafaring Elves. I heard the old stories of how they sailed to the ends of the world. And now their legacy carried on in this place. Craftsmanship and magic. Two things the Elves were known for. And it showed.
“You should see the Library of Seacrest,” Bers said with a smile. “It’s one of the most beautiful places in the Aeglire. And it has the most interesting views of the sea.”
“I would like that,” I said. “But first, I would like to rest. It’s been a long day.”
Bers nodded his head. “Of course, Your Highness.”
Large double doors, guarded by two soldiers in gold and blue armor, opened as we approached. They placed their fingers on their chin as Bers led me inside. The doors depicted the Elves on their boats. They carved the first king and queen in the center, their faces full of hope and happiness.
It was a beautiful door, but it was nothing compared to what was inside.
The first thing that caught my eye was a chandelier. From where I was standing, I could see it. It was as large as the dragon skeletons I saw in the museum back home. It must have taken hundreds of Elves to make it. And it was only one of many.
“That is new,” Bers said as he followed my gaze. “It was a wedding present from the Governor of Maeven.”
