The Princess and the Bard (Royals of the Realms #1)

Chapter Three: The Two of You

Alori slept fitfully that first night, waking every time she heard muffled music coming from one of the adjacent rooms. By morning she was cursing Tomso's insistence that she stay in the bards' dormitory. It was distracting enough, knowing that her future husband was likely asleep in his bed somewhere down the hall, at a much closer proximity than she had anticipated.

Why hadn't Hamoni criticized the impropriety of such an arrangement?

Add to that conundrum the fact that the bards were allowed instruments in their rooms, and encouraged to play whenever the mood struck, and Alori had a mind to repack her trunks and demand different sleeping arrangements for the remainder of her stay. But she didn't want to come across as a spoiled, ungrateful royal. Her reputation as the future queen was too delicate to risk over a trifling inconvenience such as a lost night's sleep. Rumors traveled fast around the capital of Ville-Saseum, and Alori had no doubt it would be the same at the Conservatory.

A break with tradition would be inadvisable. If this was what past Shieldmakers had endured, what her mother had endured to meet her father, then Alori would do the same without complaint.

When the hour was appropriate, she dressed herself in one of her day gowns, which was far more comfortable than the traveling dress she'd been stuck in for an excessive amount of time yesterday, and left the dormitory to find Hamoni, who had been more appropriately accommodated in the guest hall.

Both corridors were quiet except for the occasional passing staff member in their basic blue and gray livery.

Had the bards gotten up so much earlier than Alori, without making a commotion? She doubted they were still asleep, but she didn't hear music.

Alori put a hand to her head, checking that her loosely coiled braids were still in place where she'd pinned them. Despite her grandmother's objections, she had declined to bring her heavily pregnant lady's maid on their trip, insisting that she could get by on her own for a few days. Of course, now Alori realized why Hamoni had suggested they bring one of her sister's maids or an undermaid from the palace along. There were no female staff at the Conservatory, and no one but her grandmother to help Alori behind closed doors should she need it. But Alori wasn't a shrinking violet, nor was she particularly elaborate with her dress. In fact, she was finding that she quite liked taking care of herself. Magic was of great use with common feminine issues like pesky corset strings. Although typically she wouldn't use magic for such trivialities, this was an exception, and no one would suffer for her modest indulgence. At least, she hoped not.

"Today you will get to know the bards," Hamoni announced straightaway, using Alori's arm for increased support as they traced a path to the dining hall.

Morning light filtered through the glass ceiling, falling on the walls and floor at dramatic angles. They passed through the bars of pale sunshine, shielding their eyes against the brightness illuminating tiny dust motes in the air.

"Good," Alori said resolutely. "I was planning to speak with the players from the trio."

"They were brilliant, weren't they?" The marchioness' cheerful smile softened the deep age lines around her mouth.

Alori shrugged as if it was of little consequence, even as her nerves begged to differ. "I'm sure it was orchestrated to be impressive, Hamoni. The trio played last, and Tomso said himself they're the best of the bunch. He must assume I'll select one of them to become the next bard prince."

"Won't you?" Hamoni squeezed her granddaughter's forearm, then gave it a decisive pat. "The two with dark hair seem like fine young gentlemen. I'm not so sure about the other, the Dunden with blue hair. I found him rather cocky."