Read Online Horse Charmer by Angelia Almos - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Angelia Almos
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all it was. Your father is gone. You must accept his death. I know you don't want to marry Torr, but it's what's best for your kingdom. Even your father recognized that a treaty with Vespera was essential."
Cassia shook her head.
"He signed the treaty," her mother insisted. "That was his signature. His seal. We both saw it. The treaty might not be what he hoped for, but your father wanted peace with Vespera and he was willing to make concessions."
"Like my future."
"I know you're upset your father agreed to the betrothal without speaking with you first. It's difficult to be angry with someone who's gone. It's much easier to project your anger on other people."
Cassia sucked in her breath. She had seen her father. It wasn't her imagination or a dream with no meaning. She knew it with all of her heart. Just as she knew her mother, looking at her sadly, would never listen to her. Her mother had never really listened to her. Why would she start now?
"The seamstress will be arriving soon," Sarahann said. "You should prepare for her."
Cassia bit back what she wanted to say and nodded. Maconahay waited for her on the other side of the door. She refused to look at him. She still hadn't forgiven him for his defection to her mother's side.
"Captain," she said shortly.
"Good morning." Maconahay hesitated a moment. "Yaffa went to fetch the seamstress."
She nodded and stepped into her room. She didn't have to wait long for Yaffa to return with Madame Celeste and Lola. Breakfast followed shortly after and found her on the stand again playing at being a pin cushion. The seamstress hummed softly as she stood back and looked at the alterations she had finished during the night.
"Good," Celeste said. "We're almost done, just a couple more things to do."
The seamstress walked around her, pinning here and there. Lola trailed behind handing a pin each time Celeste held out a hand. Cassia waited impatiently. She had to know what her mother was going to do. Would she do anything? She jumped as a pin pricked her. Celeste apologized profusely, but didn't slow down in her pinning.
Lola and Celeste gently tugged the dress off of Cassia. Ula hurried forward with a wrap and Cassia sat at the dressing table for Ula to brush and twist her hair up for the day. She hadn't had time to do it earlier because Cassia had been in such a rush to see her mother.
Cassia needed to think. What was she to do with what she knew? Her eyes strayed to the drawer where she had put all of her notes by her bedside. She had hidden them away before Ula and Yaffa had come to attend her. There they stayed for now. Who could she show them to? Captain Kenrick? If her mother didn't believe her why would he? She didn't know him well enough to believe he wouldn't brush her off. She thought about Captain Maconahay. Before last night she would have believed he would listen, but he had shown his loyalty was to her mother.
Tears started to rise and she screwed her eyes shut as the burden weighed down. She couldn't do this alone. Advisor Eb. She had to tell Advisor Eb what she'd learned. He'd been against her marriage to Torr and had been suspicious of the treaty. If only he'd come. But her mother had left him behind to watch over Gordain during their absence. If she could get word to him? She shook her head and Ula tugged her hair and frowned. There was no way she would be able to get a message to him before the wedding tomorrow morning.
"Your Highness." Celeste beckoned her back to the stand.
Ula scowled at Celeste. "Her Highness will be ready in a moment."
Cassia sat still as Ula quickly finished the upsweep she had fashioned. Her handmaiden completed it with several pins and a small tiara peeked out from her hair. Cassia raised an eyebrow at the elegant and elaborate style. She wasn't going to a ball, but at the moment she had other things on her mind besides arguing with Ula.
She grimaced as she climbed back on the stand. Celeste and Lola swept the gown back over her
Cassia shook her head.
"He signed the treaty," her mother insisted. "That was his signature. His seal. We both saw it. The treaty might not be what he hoped for, but your father wanted peace with Vespera and he was willing to make concessions."
"Like my future."
"I know you're upset your father agreed to the betrothal without speaking with you first. It's difficult to be angry with someone who's gone. It's much easier to project your anger on other people."
Cassia sucked in her breath. She had seen her father. It wasn't her imagination or a dream with no meaning. She knew it with all of her heart. Just as she knew her mother, looking at her sadly, would never listen to her. Her mother had never really listened to her. Why would she start now?
"The seamstress will be arriving soon," Sarahann said. "You should prepare for her."
Cassia bit back what she wanted to say and nodded. Maconahay waited for her on the other side of the door. She refused to look at him. She still hadn't forgiven him for his defection to her mother's side.
"Captain," she said shortly.
"Good morning." Maconahay hesitated a moment. "Yaffa went to fetch the seamstress."
She nodded and stepped into her room. She didn't have to wait long for Yaffa to return with Madame Celeste and Lola. Breakfast followed shortly after and found her on the stand again playing at being a pin cushion. The seamstress hummed softly as she stood back and looked at the alterations she had finished during the night.
"Good," Celeste said. "We're almost done, just a couple more things to do."
The seamstress walked around her, pinning here and there. Lola trailed behind handing a pin each time Celeste held out a hand. Cassia waited impatiently. She had to know what her mother was going to do. Would she do anything? She jumped as a pin pricked her. Celeste apologized profusely, but didn't slow down in her pinning.
Lola and Celeste gently tugged the dress off of Cassia. Ula hurried forward with a wrap and Cassia sat at the dressing table for Ula to brush and twist her hair up for the day. She hadn't had time to do it earlier because Cassia had been in such a rush to see her mother.
Cassia needed to think. What was she to do with what she knew? Her eyes strayed to the drawer where she had put all of her notes by her bedside. She had hidden them away before Ula and Yaffa had come to attend her. There they stayed for now. Who could she show them to? Captain Kenrick? If her mother didn't believe her why would he? She didn't know him well enough to believe he wouldn't brush her off. She thought about Captain Maconahay. Before last night she would have believed he would listen, but he had shown his loyalty was to her mother.
Tears started to rise and she screwed her eyes shut as the burden weighed down. She couldn't do this alone. Advisor Eb. She had to tell Advisor Eb what she'd learned. He'd been against her marriage to Torr and had been suspicious of the treaty. If only he'd come. But her mother had left him behind to watch over Gordain during their absence. If she could get word to him? She shook her head and Ula tugged her hair and frowned. There was no way she would be able to get a message to him before the wedding tomorrow morning.
"Your Highness." Celeste beckoned her back to the stand.
Ula scowled at Celeste. "Her Highness will be ready in a moment."
Cassia sat still as Ula quickly finished the upsweep she had fashioned. Her handmaiden completed it with several pins and a small tiara peeked out from her hair. Cassia raised an eyebrow at the elegant and elaborate style. She wasn't going to a ball, but at the moment she had other things on her mind besides arguing with Ula.
She grimaced as she climbed back on the stand. Celeste and Lola swept the gown back over her
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