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I paid her no mind and strode back to Fiona, both of my hands full of wet mud. Droplets of brown, cold mud dripped to the ground. I couldn’t remember the last time my hands had been dirty. It must have been years, probably before my mother had died. I used to love to play with the servant children outside and come home caked in dirt.
A quick glimpse at Sarolf revealed a smile on his lips. He walked over to the mud hole and filled his own hands with mud.
“Are you both crazy now?” Henrike asked.
“No,” I said and rubbed the first layer of mud onto the white, shimmering fur on Fiona’s neck. “You said she looks like a king’s horse.” I threw Henrike a look. “So let’s make her look like a beggar’s horse instead.”
Gently, Sarolf rubbed mud on Fiona’s front legs, covering them from shoulder to hoof. “It would go faster if you helped, Henrike,” he said, winking at me.
I instantly looked away, my cheeks red all over again.
Henrike let out an annoyed sigh, then grabbed some mud. “This won’t last in the rain.”
“It doesn’t have to,” I said. “We can get some dye at the next town from the dressmakers.”
“We have to stop there anyway to sell one of your dresses. I don’t have enough money to pay for lodging for us all and the horses,” Sarolf added.
Was he backing me against his sister? I didn’t look at him, worried he might wink at me again. It was a strangely nice feeling to have someone on my side for a change.
“Well, let’s get this over with, then,” Henrike said. “And smear some mud on your shoes and dress as well. They shimmer like the moon.”
“I will,” I said. “A little mud can’t hide who we are underneath, right, Fiona?” I smeared thick handfuls of mud beneath her eyes.
“Does that only count for you, Princess, or all souls on this earth?” Sarolf asked me in a kind but curious tone as he rubbed mud over Fiona’s back.
I could hear my own cruel words from the ball echoing in my head. “Why are you asking me? I’m just a spoiled, cruel, mindless princess.”
Sarolf laughed. “I don’t believe that for a second.”
Henrike shrugged. “I don’t know. I think she hit the nail on the head.”
I could have defended myself, but what for? It would only ruin my small victory. Instead, I stayed quiet and focused on Fiona. I was too filled with joy at being able to keep her; not even a rude Northwoman could take that from me.
