Beneath the Velvet Sky

been awake for hours, her hands deep in the cold stream that cut through the edge of town, scrubbing linens until her knuckles bur

gh roads that led to the capital. The stone cottages leaned with age, and smoke rose weakly from

. Behind her, the worn path up to her cottage waited along with her mother, who hadn't

reakfast waiting. Just yesterday's stal

called from up

skirts and nearly tripping over her own boots. Maeve was a year younger, all

," Liora said, a

ren't already up with the stars. The

t with a snap. "What now

in, whispering, "Th

nked. "Th

ng to Duskmere to ride through the villages and 'observe t

ands on her apron. "Observe us

say he's bringing an entire procession.

y h

be we're luck

I suppose. Pretend we're grateful while he ride

he's handsome, may

led despi

prince. A man who had everything she never would. Why should h

mbing higher, and with it, the day's work waited. Firewood.

ay. Anoth

nown that everything

oad like a storm cloud, kicked up by the hooves of pristine horses and the boots of armored gua

woven basket with only a few copper coins at the

, not unkindly, but with the same pitying tone he'd used si

e hardened bread, and turned only to

Highness, Prince A

eaves in the wind. Some bowed. Others stared, wide-eyed,

ening around the basket, tryi

she s

aped in ridiculous gold or wearing a crown. His cloak was travel-worn, his boots muddy. His dark hair curled slightly at the ends, wind

y, but curiously. As if trying to understand the lines

out a word, and yet.

ds, they locked. Hers and

a hea

n it wa

_____________

st of

rn was louder than usual, fu

lood Vaelorian breed, worth mor

ther, I heard. Got a

survive in palaces,

mind still reeled with the memory of his gaze. She told herself it

ye

ut. "You forgot your herbs earlier. Sti

she stepped out into the cool n

ng was

aps...

_____________

rst En

t Liora's peace was shattered by the sound

ping, expecting a messenge

d instead was

on

eary but sharp. He dismounted slowly, gui

ce low and even. "My horse needed wa

ared, sp

id softly, "from the vi

uth we

t with awe. Not with fear. Just... ho

're not used to villagers who don

outh twitched upw

rouching to run water through his

ther and brother. My father

sor

Kind words didn't

or a long moment.

.Li

t like a prom

, a thread pulled

de her stream like he belonged there. As if he weren't the

d at last, her voice guarded. "A

t's easier to see the truth without

picious. "You think you'

from his fingertips. "I think I'll fi

know how to

food. Her mother's medicine wouldn't last through the week. And here was a man

ry himself like a man wh

ently, as if aware she was measuring

come," she

d in the stream a little further west. The water

ed into a genuine

s offer such kind

s who look a

in, and this time s

tallion and turned toward the direction s

io

es

I see yo

nto the trees, her heart kn

self not to

d ever came from a prince sp

ye

_____________

r Th

he moved through her chores like someone moving through a dream. Her mother asked for soup.

fter sundown, knockin

teased, dropping onto the edge of the s

hesi

"Liora Hale, don't

iora said quickly. "

hat horse probably drinks from a fountain

n't lik

breathless. Hopefu

heart, Liora. Princes don't belong in places lik

into the fi

did

_____________