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Authors: Mette Ivie Harrison
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dangerous one. She might enjoy this man’s wit, but she must not forget herself and her place.
“Umber’s father was the son of the sister of King Jaap’s grandfather,” said King Haikor.
A complicated relationship. Ailsbet tried to remember exactly what his place had been, in line to the Weirese throne. Fourth? Fifth? Had he decided he was tired of waiting for others to die and come to Rurik to increase his chances?
“I have given up my title and my lands in Weirland to serve your father in Rurik. And he has been so gracious as to honor me with your hand,” said Lord Umber.
And had he also promised to lead the king’s armies to victory in Weirland, if there was an invasion? At the thought, Ailsbet’s head sang with death and triumph. She realized she would enjoy going to war. She knew that she could not tell anyone this, Lord Umber least of all. But she liked the looks of him, and she thought he would make a good warrior. That,more than anything, made her decide that she would marry him willingly.
“And now, Princess Ailsbet, I have a gift for you,” said Lord Umber. He clapped his hands, and a servant brought him an ornately carved, white, wooden case. He opened it for her, and inside lay a flute plated in gold.
Ailsbet could feel a roar of taweyr in her ears as she stared at the beautiful instrument. She knew that the man meant well. He had doubtless been prompted in this gift by her father. But a flute made with the wrong material, however beautiful, would have no proper sound. Anyone else in the court would think it was a fine gift for a musician, for none of them understood music as she did.
“Thank you,” said Ailsbet, feeling the gold warm under her fingertips.
“Play it,” her father commanded.
Ailsbet put the flute to her lips and attempted to play. The sound was weak and strained to her ears. But no one else seemed to notice, and Lord Umber looked very pleased with himself.
C HAPTER S EVEN
Ailsbet
K ING H AIKOR USED A ILSBET’S betrothal as an excuse to have a celebration of some kind every night that autumn, with feasting and dancing and laughter. Already two weeks had passed, and the official betrothal ceremony would take place on the first night of the new year. Her father had sent the royal seamstress to Ailsbet, and she had been fitted for several new gowns, one of them heavy red damask decorated with jewels. Ailsbet hated the color, and thought it did nothing to compliment her pale skin and flaming hair. But she had no choice in the matter, just as she had no choicein when or where she would be betrothed. Her father had decided on the Throne Room, and he also had chosen all the celebratory dishes to be served afterward in the Great Hall.
Despite the fact that the official betrothal had not yet occurred, the king still referred to Lord Umber as her betrothed. The other ladies of the court teased Ailsbet, and she couldn’t ignore them, as she had in the past. One lady gave her advice on how to kiss Lord Umber properly; another told her to withhold her kisses to make him want her more. Still another told her to kiss him gently and shyly, and let him believe he must teach her passion. Ailsbet nodded and smiled to all of them. She did not know if she wanted Lord Umber to feel anything for her but what she felt for him—a cool and rational hope that they would get along.
They were spending so much time together Ailsbet felt sometimes as if she could not breathe without him watching her do it. Lord Umber sat next to her at dinner and went on chaperoned walks with her around the palace.
“You do not like the golden flute?” said Lord Umber one dry, cold day when the sky looked like iron. Umber himself wore a bright red cloak, and Ailsbet, who wore the same color, wondered if hehad bribed her maid to tell him what she would wear so he could match it.
“It is beautiful to look at,” said Ailsbet.
They were outside, and Lord Umber had drawn her aside for a private moment away from
“Umber’s father was the son of the sister of King Jaap’s grandfather,” said King Haikor.
A complicated relationship. Ailsbet tried to remember exactly what his place had been, in line to the Weirese throne. Fourth? Fifth? Had he decided he was tired of waiting for others to die and come to Rurik to increase his chances?
“I have given up my title and my lands in Weirland to serve your father in Rurik. And he has been so gracious as to honor me with your hand,” said Lord Umber.
And had he also promised to lead the king’s armies to victory in Weirland, if there was an invasion? At the thought, Ailsbet’s head sang with death and triumph. She realized she would enjoy going to war. She knew that she could not tell anyone this, Lord Umber least of all. But she liked the looks of him, and she thought he would make a good warrior. That,more than anything, made her decide that she would marry him willingly.
“And now, Princess Ailsbet, I have a gift for you,” said Lord Umber. He clapped his hands, and a servant brought him an ornately carved, white, wooden case. He opened it for her, and inside lay a flute plated in gold.
Ailsbet could feel a roar of taweyr in her ears as she stared at the beautiful instrument. She knew that the man meant well. He had doubtless been prompted in this gift by her father. But a flute made with the wrong material, however beautiful, would have no proper sound. Anyone else in the court would think it was a fine gift for a musician, for none of them understood music as she did.
“Thank you,” said Ailsbet, feeling the gold warm under her fingertips.
“Play it,” her father commanded.
Ailsbet put the flute to her lips and attempted to play. The sound was weak and strained to her ears. But no one else seemed to notice, and Lord Umber looked very pleased with himself.
C HAPTER S EVEN
Ailsbet
K ING H AIKOR USED A ILSBET’S betrothal as an excuse to have a celebration of some kind every night that autumn, with feasting and dancing and laughter. Already two weeks had passed, and the official betrothal ceremony would take place on the first night of the new year. Her father had sent the royal seamstress to Ailsbet, and she had been fitted for several new gowns, one of them heavy red damask decorated with jewels. Ailsbet hated the color, and thought it did nothing to compliment her pale skin and flaming hair. But she had no choice in the matter, just as she had no choicein when or where she would be betrothed. Her father had decided on the Throne Room, and he also had chosen all the celebratory dishes to be served afterward in the Great Hall.
Despite the fact that the official betrothal had not yet occurred, the king still referred to Lord Umber as her betrothed. The other ladies of the court teased Ailsbet, and she couldn’t ignore them, as she had in the past. One lady gave her advice on how to kiss Lord Umber properly; another told her to withhold her kisses to make him want her more. Still another told her to kiss him gently and shyly, and let him believe he must teach her passion. Ailsbet nodded and smiled to all of them. She did not know if she wanted Lord Umber to feel anything for her but what she felt for him—a cool and rational hope that they would get along.
They were spending so much time together Ailsbet felt sometimes as if she could not breathe without him watching her do it. Lord Umber sat next to her at dinner and went on chaperoned walks with her around the palace.
“You do not like the golden flute?” said Lord Umber one dry, cold day when the sky looked like iron. Umber himself wore a bright red cloak, and Ailsbet, who wore the same color, wondered if hehad bribed her maid to tell him what she would wear so he could match it.
“It is beautiful to look at,” said Ailsbet.
They were outside, and Lord Umber had drawn her aside for a private moment away from
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