A Queen Conflicted (Alys Book #3)

Chapter 4

Though injured badly, Rose was healing well. Zaiden almost never left her side, refusing to trust her safety in the hands of the guards. This left Endolynn alone with the twins for meals, or completely by herself. Without Zaiden, the family dining room felt even more haunted and lonely than it had before.
Endolynn was eating the noon meal with the twins a week and a half after Rose had been attacked when a messenger arrived with a letter.
"A letter from Prince Jatova," the man called from the doorway. Endolynn swallowed the food in her mouth and waved him over.
As soon as the letter was in her hand, she cut it open with the untouched knife that had been set out for her to eat with.
Elspeth stopped eating while she watched Endolynn read the letter silently, but Atheena continued to eat as if nothing was happening.

"He is coming to the coronation..." Endolynn mumbled as she read the major points of the letter, still skimming. For a man who did not speak much when it was not necessary, Jatova had really outdone himself with this letter.
"...He is interested in the marriage alliance..." Endolynn skimmed some more, trying to pick out the information most relevant to her cousin, "...he would like to spend time with you while he is visiting, and will decide then."

Elspeth was smiling slightly when Endolynn looked to her, but she could not tell if it was genuine or not. Atheena remained quiet.
Endolynn smiled back, bigger and brighter than Elspeth had smiled, to try and reassure her before rereading the letter.
It was strange that the prince wanted to spend time with Elspeth before deciding; he already knew her. On the other hand, that might very well be the reason he did not want to commit. When he had visited the year before, both sisters had been lively and flirtatious, throwing themselves at him and King Dastrehan, who had also been visiting, whenever they could.
Endolynn looked away from the paper she held and to the twins. They were completely different now. The trauma of losing their mother and older brother had changed them. They hardly put effort into their appearance like they had before; no makeup and simple dresses had never been their style. Their personalities were dulled down, especially Atheena's. They seemed like faint echoes of what they had been before.
A touch of guilt entered Endolynn, but she refused to acknowledge it or let it take hold. What was she supposed to do when Ancel attacked her and Zaiden on the battlefield? Tell Zaiden to let him walk away, so he would be able to attack them in the future?
And what about her Aunt Royce? She had murdered her and Zaiden's father, and killed their grandfather publicly in front of them. Even if Endolynn had been in her right mind in those moments, would leaving Royce alive really have been the best decision?
Endolynn shifted in her seat and brought her eyes back to the letter before her.
There was no use dwelling on something she could not go back and change. She might regret how she had killed her aunt, but she did not regret killing her.

At the very least, the fact that Elspeth had changed so much from who she had been before might give her a better chance at winning over Prince Jatova.

"He will arrive a few days before the coronation ball," Endolynn informed her cousins after she had folded the letter and stuffed it into a pocket in her cloak for safe keeping.

"That will give us a little time before all the other guests arrived," Elspeth answered, a little hope touching her tone. Endolynn nodded.

"It's coming up quickly, too."

A couple more weeks, and hiding under this dreadful cloak will be over.
Endolynn pushed the intrusive thought aside quickly.

"Any interest in helping me with final decisions and preparations?" Endolynn asked the twins as she finished her meal. She was appealing to their interest in such tasks in the past, hoping to bring them out of their quiet shells a little.
Atheena did not so much as acknowledge Endolynn, but Elspeth brightened even more and glanced at her sister.
Endolynn suppressed a frown. She hated that Atheena's sour moods were holding Elspeth back. But she knew if the seats were reversed, she and Zaiden would probably be acting the same. If not worse.
"Why not think about it?" Endolynn offered lamely, before she pushed herself away from the table and stood slowly.
"I take it we are not to talk about your..."Atheena looked directly at Endolynn's hidden belly and back down to her plate, "...condition when the guests arrive?"
Endolynn blanched, taken aback.