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“Don’t you see? Our lives are not our own. We are the future leaders of this kingdom, and of Europe. We must think strategically, plan carefully, and marry in a manner that best serves Aegiria as a whole.”
Charlotte caught her breath and pressed a hand to her stomach at those words. They expressed the very sentiment that she had been trying to avoid thinking about for days. Crown Prince Oskar might just have the right of it. Despite all his romantic words and kisses, Petrus might not be at liberty to marry where he pleased.
As soon as that thought struck her, she lowered her shoulders, shook her head, and nearly blew a raspberry at herself to express how ridiculous the idea was. Hadn’t King Milas just told her that he was less concerned with diplomacy than with his family being happy?
Another thought struck her as the conversation went on. Perhaps Prince Oskar didn’t know his father’s mind. Perhaps the ideas he was expressing to Petrus were his own and not King Milas’s at all.
Charlotte sucked in a breath and stood a bit taller. But, of course, that was it. King Milas had said that the pressure to marry for the sake of alliance had not come from him, it was coming from someone else. That someone else must have been Crown Prince Oskar.
As if to prove her new theory, she heard Prince Oskar say, “Your duty is to your family and your kingdom. Just as mine is. I am sacrificing my heart for Aegiria as well, you know.”
Charlotte nearly jumped for joy as all the pieces suddenly fit into place in her mind.
Unfortunately, her enthusiasm at discovering the truth also meant she gave her hiding place away. The conversation stopped, and she was certain Petrus and Oskar turned toward the door.
Charlotte ran before she could think better of it. She dashed away, embarrassed at being caught eavesdropping on princes, and ducked around the nearest corner she could find.
That corner turned out to lead her into a servants’ corridor. She hurried along until the corridor made a turn, but once she was beyond that, well out of sight of Petrus and Prince Oskar, even if they should come after her, she stopped.
With a huff for herself, Charlotte said, “Why are you running, you ninny?” She continued in her mind, wondering what was the point of running away from Petrus when she could speak to him directly and sort the whole thing out.
She had just decided to turn and march back to the parlor so that she might confront Petrus and Prince Oskar and tell them she had the entire muddle sorted, when a maid stepped out of a room to one side carrying the most beautiful garland of flowers and candles Charlotte had ever seen.
“What is that?” she asked, pressing a hand to her heart and stepping forward to get a closer look at the wonder.
“If you please, Miss Sloane,” the maid said with a proud smile, her round cheeks pink, “it’s the crown for the Christmas Princess.”
Charlotte made a sound of wonder as the maid held the crown out so Charlotte could get a better look. It was a simple circlet of holy, ivy, and pine with turquoise and green ribbon woven throughout. There were also jewels, Charlotte noted, and once the long, white candles were lit, the whole thing would glitter magically.
“It must be terribly unsettling to wear lit candles in one’s hair,” she said, reaching out to touch one of the candles, but pulling back before she did.
The maid laughed. “That’s why the Christmas Princess is chosen a few hours in advance, so she can take care not to puff her hair up with false rolls or to use any substance that might ignite to style her hair. It’s also why the chosen woman is given a cap that repulses flame to wear under the crown.”
The maid’s words sent a stir through Charlotte’s gut, but not for the reason she would have thought.
“Do you know who has been chosen to be the Christmas Princess, then?” she asked.
The maid lost her smile and heaved a small sigh. “It was to be Lady Jenny, of course,” she said. “Everyone in the palace has expected that Prince Petrus would propose to her by now.” The maid suddenly seemed to realize whom she was talking to and blinked rapidly, her face going even redder. “Begging your pardon, that is, miss.”
“Oh, I understand the situation full well,” Charlotte said, waving off the maid’s slip. An idea struck her, and she smiled even wider. “Does Lady Jenny know she is to be the Christmas Princess?” she asked.
The maid looked sheepish for a moment. She glanced up and down the hall before saying, “She has known for weeks now. Several people in the palace know. None of us are certain what will happen, now that, well, now that you are here, Miss Sloane.”
Charlotte continued to smile, even though, by all outward appearances, the entire Christmas Princess tradition was in danger. But after what she’d just overheard in the parlor, she was certain she could set things to right.
“Proceed as intended,” she said, patting the maid’s arm. “I must find Lady Jenny and get to the bottom of this muddle.”
“Yes, miss,” the maid said, seemingly both confused and fascinated by Charlotte’s sudden air of authority.
Charlotte could, indeed, be an authority when she needed to be. If she had her way, the palace staff might see her as something of an authority for a while to come.
She wound her way through the maze of the servants’ hallways, coming out at a part of the palace that she didn’t expect. For a moment she stood in the ornate hall, debating whether to search for Petrus to share her new theory with him and to let him in on the plan she was fomenting, or to find Lady Jenny first so that she might pry a confession from the woman.
Fate decided for her when she spotted Lady Jenny hurrying down the corridor where she stood, looking suspicious. She clutched something to her stomach that caught a bit of light and flashed.
A broad smile split Charlotte’s face and she ran after Lady Jenny, knowing full well she was going to the library. Sure enough, just as Charlotte skidded to a stop in front of the library door, Lady Jenny was reaching out toward the tree, the hideous boot in her hand.
“Ah ha!” Charlotte stopped her, stepping into the room.
