To Court a Lady

Chapter Twenty

When I walk into my sister's suite, everything is silent. I walk into my quarters and Freya and Maya and are still sleeping. I then go to Harper's room and see her awake, sitting by her open window and staring out with tired eyes.

"Good morning, Harper."

Her head whips around and looks at me, no anger apparent in her eyes, no disappointment or hatred,
"You know, Willow, all night I was mad at you. For not telling me. For managing to get a Prince when I couldn't. For telling me lies instead of the truth when you were not with me. But now, I look at you, happy and clearly falling out of bed and I can't be mad. I can't be mad because you are my little sister, you are a reserved person, you fell in love with someone who happens to be a prince, because I am certain you didn't - don't - think of him as a prince but as just a human."

I walk to my sister and wrap my arms tightly around her,
"Thank you. For not being mad at me now even though you have every right to be."

She laughs quietly and looks at me,
"You know, I knew it was Mama's death yesterday, I just wanted you to tell me if you needed to talk but I think your prince got that chance didn't he?"

I blush and she laughs,
"Well, last night wasn't only filled with anger and mourning. After I got over my disappointment about you not talking to me and Prince Daniel not choosing me, Lord Archie asked me to dance and by the end of the night, we were engaged. Oh, you will love him Willow, he is so kind and humble and something about him lets me be me, not a debutante or a reserved lady who went to finishing school."

I smile and embrace my sister again, I've heard good things about Lord Archie and how he was waiting for a woman that really impressed him.

When we pull apart, I take my sister's hand and take her to her vanity to start brushing her hair,
"Now that I know, tell me, what is Prince Sebastian like?"

I smile and think about all those times we were together in the library or the forest or the stables,
"He-he's an angel, he is so kind and gentle and even though he has this brooding facade he is truly a child, which even his parents didn't know was in him."

Harper smiles,
"No one ever find their bad thoughts when you are around, huh?"

I shake my head before walking to Harper's dresses and taking out a simple cornflower blue lounging-gown with white lace hemming.

"How is his family?"

"Oh, they are amazing, Daniel is such a sweet man, as is Marlon. And Paula is just amazing, so sweet and giving, I believe she gave me three dresses just because she felt like it."

Harper stares at me for a minute until she pulls on her corset,

"Of course you call the royal family by their first names, why am I even surprised?"

My cheeks warm up and I go to Harper to tighten the strings of her corset. She laughs and Freya and Maya walk in, tired and just rising from bed. They look at Harper laughing and getting ready with me, a mess from sleeping on the library couch.

"Good morning. We're just going to get changed."

They look slightly confused as they walk to their quarters silently and probably assuming that Harper wouldn't talk with me for a while.

When Harper is dressed she goes to talk with the ready-dressed Maya and Freya as I go to change from my ball gown.

I brush through my hair and freshen my face with a moistened cloth before taking off the wrinkled gown and replacing it with a cream dress. The bodice has long sleeves with different shades of blue and green flowers embroidered densely at the end of the sleeves before becoming less as they rise up my arm. The bodice is plain except for a belt of flowers embroidered around my waist. The skirt has a tulle layer over it that also had flowers, densely packed at the hem and slowly lessening as they rise up the skirt. I leave my hair free and place my mother's amber pendant around my neck.

When I walk out of the sleeping quarters, I sit with my friends, conversing about the night before until Elizabeth walks in to take us to the dining room. It is the day after the Yuletide Ball so all the guests are dining with us today and that is clear when we walk into a new dining room that is much bigger. The tables are bigger, seating more people and four servers walk up to us.

"Can we please have your names? You all have designated seats this morning."

"Miss Harper Sommers."

"Willow Sommers."

"Maya and Freya Boussard."

We are then distributed, Maya and Freya with their family who arrived at the ball after I left with Bash.
Harper with Lord Archie and some other lords and ladies and me with Bash.
In the centre of the room.
With the Royal Family.
I have no problem with the Royal Family, just the eyes that meet me as I walk to the seat next to Bash. When I sit down, I feel a warm hand envelope mine under the table and a warm breath next to my ear,

"Good morning, my princess."

I laugh, my nerves abandoning me as I look at Bash's glowing eyes,
"Good morning, my prince."

I smile up at him and his cheeks flush ever so slightly and I look away, at the rest of the family, who were staring at us, much like the rest of the dining room.

"Good morning, your Majesties."

They smile, knowing that I know they hate their formalities,
"Marlon?"

"Yes, Willow?"

"It is Sunday, will there be a morning ride?"

"I believe so, But if the weather worsens, we will need to postpone."

I nod, starting to place a large amount of food on my plate, which causes the royals to laugh before conversation starts up and not ending until the end of the meal.