rovincial Lady over a Royal Princess indeed, sh

scent of him a bitter bite that clung to the back of her throat with lingering flavour. She recognised the chemical natur

na,” he cautioned his voice quiet and dangerous. “Such observatio

f the nobility of this land, our Kings inclu

sion wasn’t one. “But

to read it’s contents,” she lied, because Sylvin never wrote. She did not know if he could – if he kn

n,” Lord Rithelwen commented, obviously seeing through her lie. “I would be keen

w what he says,” sh

airs, laughing, fell silent as they came upon them.

en. “My housekeeper will be along any mome

d not want to inconvenience you… My

, only glancing over her should

d, gloweri

working dough against the scarred wooden table. A stew was simmering over the heart

ithen raised

uary in your kingdom, whilst I prepare this brew for

you do not need all of that, My Lady,

and stems into an unrecognisable mince. She scooped the mince into a square of linen, and twisted i

Fae falling ill?” She aske

the dough that she kneaded beneath her powerful arms. “We

this,

t like this. Fae do not endure ailments like the humans. We eat sour fruit and suffer a stomach upset

t,” Yelena said w

My L

r, and the bowl of faintly green liquid and set both onto a tray, along with a serve of oatmeal which congealed on the hook by the fire. She

thered, ignoring that the carpet that had once glowed in vibrant hues now blended almost with the stone, mud

ng away beneath her. The tighter that she clutched at it, the swifter it sifted through her grasp. Like

her eyes. She wanted to give beneath the pressure, beneath the un-ending pain. If she caved beneath it, it would become some

to side in stubborn refusal to cave, and she bared her

rself. “It is just a mo

and opened the door into her father’s chambers. The Lord’s and the Lady’s chambers were con

table set by the bed, she could not make him out, and her heart began to race for the mound that he mad

today, father

outh as his movement caused his cough to shake through him. He looked, she thought, older than his yea

summoning up a smi

used her magic to heat it until the air was scented with underripe apple and something m

ays of the day,” she told him. “Aft

opened the shutters, washing

d about in no ti

he courtyard. In her memory’s eyes, from the slightly altered perspective of the nurser

r murmured picking

eyes. “I have some oatmeal for you, with honey and berries. After which, you should rest.

e that I smell, da

a disrespectful t

olut

hen who held a bowl of steaming water. “The bread is on,” Arithen

per for her rather transparent attraction to Yelena

ous illness had rendered him too ill for such things. “Ah, I meant to tell you, My Lady. More guests arrived during the night,” her

osed it behind her, before leaning back against the wood with