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It finally clicked. “Princess Saga!”
“Very good! Sometimes also called Winter’s Delight. True to her given name, they say that she is a notable writer.”
“What does she write? Maybe I’d like her stories.”
“She keeps most of it private. So I don’t really know.” Clemencia shrugged. “Should we go—oh! My lord!” She stood when she noticed Roar in the library’s doorway and curtsied.
I rose as well. “My lord.”
“My ladies, I hate to interrupt your lessons, but things have gone awry. We must leave for court today.”
My eyebrows screwed together. “But why?”
“It has begun to snow harder than is normal.” He gestured to the window at the far end of the room. It was far away, but even so, I could see the falling flurries of white. “Those in other towns along the Queen’s Road have reported heavy snow fall too. So to be sure that we arrive on time, leaving now would be wise. We cannot be late to court.”
Fae in Winter’s Realm were used to snow falling for most of the year. They trained their horses to travel in deep drifts, and depending on the weather, they traveled in both sleigh carriages and wheeled ones. Knowing all that, I feared that we were about to travel through a true blizzard.
Roar turned to Clemencia. “How far have you progressed in her studies?”
Clemencia’s teeth dug into her bottom lip. “Today, we were going over the Royal House, my lord.”
“And I’m sure Neve is doing well, right?”
“She’s improving. Though there is still much to cover if she’s to fit in among the lords and ladies.”
“You’ll still have many days to study while you travel,” Roar said encouragingly. “I’ve had servants begin to pack up both of your things, so I suggest you check your rooms for anything they missed and prepare for the journey. Dress warmly.”
“Might I borrow more books for the trip?” I asked.
“You’re finished with the first batch already?” Roar’s eyebrows arched.
“I still have one left—your brother’s favorite,” I fessed up in case he asked how I’d liked it. “But I’m a fast reader, and we have a long journey. Then we’ll be at court for a while after.”
The levity in his expression faded at that. “Hopefully not too long.”
I agreed. People had few nice things to say about the king and his sons, whom we’d likely be seeing a lot of. Fewer knew anything about the queen, which set me on edge. The princess however, seemed well-liked, so that was a plus. And yet, we hadn’t even left for court, and already I wanted to return to Roar’s castle, to the cozy, snow-covered Guldtown. Even if I might not have been here long, this place had started to feel safe, almost like a home.
“Take as many books as you’d like. I’ll send a servant up here with a small trunk to store them in your sleigh.” Roar’s voice held only kindness and his eyes softened on me. “Meet me at the main gate when you’re ready. That is where the soldiers and sleighs are amassing.”
I nodded, and he swept away to continue preparations for the journey. “Do you know how many will travel with us?” I asked Clemencia.
The Master Smith had been working his beard off the day before to fulfill Roar’s orders. He’d been so irate over the rush order of weapons and now we planned to leave early. Whoever took that message to the smith had probably received a tongue lashing. And what of the soldiers whose last hours at home were now disrupted?
All this because the king wanted his hand in marriage alliances. I found it to be ridiculous.
“A small army and a few servants are to accompany us during travel, but I don’t know exactly how many,” my lady-in-waiting replied and turned toward the stacks. “Can I help you select books, my lady?”
“Of course. Pick some for yourself too. There’s no way we can study for the entire trip.” Clemencia opened her mouth, I assumed to protest that idea, so I quickly changed the subject. “What stories do you like?”
Pink stained the apples of her cheeks. “Romances, mostly.”
“I like those too. If they have adventure in them, all the better.”
“Then I have one you’d like! It’s about a Winter Maiden stolen by the Summer King. I’ve seen it over here.” A wistful expression crossed her face, making me wonder if, like me, Clemencia dreamed of far-away lands.
A flurry of excitement ensued as we plucked book after book from the shelves, exclaiming over the romance or monsters or adventures within. By the time the servant arrived with the trunk for books, I found my arms weighed down with stories. He took them from Clemencia and me with care and began packing them away.
“My wife loves this one.” The servant held up a book that Clemencia had hinted was quite risqué.
