Myf to get there.”
It was clear that Cat didn’t believe that for a second, but she also didn’t seem to want to call him out on it because she simply turned on her heel and walked up to the manor without answering him. Then again, Valto could see her point of view as well; Johann’s best behaviour generally was on a different level to the rest of them.
Together they walked away from the large black Mercedes that had brought them down from Tenby, leaving the driver to get their bags from the back and hand them to the two young footmen that had come out to greet them. “Tonight I will be spending the night on our ancestral barrows.” Cat pointed vaguely in the direction of the back of the manor, indicating the direction said barrows must have been in. Valto had spent quite some time in Faenor Niwlog yet he had never been to the barrows which sat in the land just below the hill in which the manor had been built upon.
“Is that one of your pre-coronation traditions?” Every family had them; traditions dating back as far as anyone could remember in which a monarch about to take throne would have to perform before coronation. Compared to festivities such as Calan Mai, this one was quite tame.
“That’s right,” answered Cat. “It is also something that my sister will have to do on the eve of her wedding.”
The steps leading up to the huge oak doors were wide but uneven, and Valto had to wonder how many people had fallen down them over the past five hundred or so years that they had stood. He certainly felt like he might slip down them, and watching as Cat gracefully climb them as though she was floating made him feel incredibly clumsy beside her.
“So Myf will be sitting on a barrow the night before her wedding?” His voice sounded disbelieving even to his own ears. “But she’s getting married in Helsinki … isn’t she?”
It was tradition in Royalty for a wedding to be held in the home country of the bride; however with Wales gearing up for both his wedding to Cat and her subsequent coronation it had been decided that Finland could host Myf and Johann’s wedding. Not only that but with all the trouble he’d caused over the years the Finns deserved to see their rebellious Prince get married.
“Yes she is.” The moment that Cat approached the door it was opened by the handsome hall boy, complete with his Edwardian style outfit who gave them a small bow as they entered the front hallway side by side. “That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have to follow our traditions.”
“Of course it doesn’t.” Valto shrugged his shoulders. “But she’s going to be exhausted flying from Wales to Finland the morning of her wedding.”
Cat gave a soft laugh at that which echoed around the hugely ornamental hallway that made up the grand entrance. The floors were made of a black stone that shone beneath the dim light coming from the enormous crystal chandelier hanging overhead, and the walls were painted a deep grey that matched the complete atmosphere of the hall. There were huge portraits hung on the walls and thick ornamental rugs on the floor, even though it was very much like Caerdydd Castle in décor there was something cold about this place. As though it had been a long time since there had been any love in this house, and that in itself was rather sad.
“Myf is a big girl, I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Cat’s heels clicked on the glossy floor as she moved quickly down the hallway, heading towards the door that he knew led into the main living area. It seemed like she must have sent word ahead that they didn’t want to be bothered by the servants, as apart from the footmen and the doorman the place was empty. “Plus I like the idea of her being too tired to give Johann the wedding night he clearly expects from her.”
With a chuckle Valto hurried to catch up to her, and together they walked into the living room and when their arms brushed together he reached out and took her hand. He expected
It was clear that Cat didn’t believe that for a second, but she also didn’t seem to want to call him out on it because she simply turned on her heel and walked up to the manor without answering him. Then again, Valto could see her point of view as well; Johann’s best behaviour generally was on a different level to the rest of them.
Together they walked away from the large black Mercedes that had brought them down from Tenby, leaving the driver to get their bags from the back and hand them to the two young footmen that had come out to greet them. “Tonight I will be spending the night on our ancestral barrows.” Cat pointed vaguely in the direction of the back of the manor, indicating the direction said barrows must have been in. Valto had spent quite some time in Faenor Niwlog yet he had never been to the barrows which sat in the land just below the hill in which the manor had been built upon.
“Is that one of your pre-coronation traditions?” Every family had them; traditions dating back as far as anyone could remember in which a monarch about to take throne would have to perform before coronation. Compared to festivities such as Calan Mai, this one was quite tame.
“That’s right,” answered Cat. “It is also something that my sister will have to do on the eve of her wedding.”
The steps leading up to the huge oak doors were wide but uneven, and Valto had to wonder how many people had fallen down them over the past five hundred or so years that they had stood. He certainly felt like he might slip down them, and watching as Cat gracefully climb them as though she was floating made him feel incredibly clumsy beside her.
“So Myf will be sitting on a barrow the night before her wedding?” His voice sounded disbelieving even to his own ears. “But she’s getting married in Helsinki … isn’t she?”
It was tradition in Royalty for a wedding to be held in the home country of the bride; however with Wales gearing up for both his wedding to Cat and her subsequent coronation it had been decided that Finland could host Myf and Johann’s wedding. Not only that but with all the trouble he’d caused over the years the Finns deserved to see their rebellious Prince get married.
“Yes she is.” The moment that Cat approached the door it was opened by the handsome hall boy, complete with his Edwardian style outfit who gave them a small bow as they entered the front hallway side by side. “That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have to follow our traditions.”
“Of course it doesn’t.” Valto shrugged his shoulders. “But she’s going to be exhausted flying from Wales to Finland the morning of her wedding.”
Cat gave a soft laugh at that which echoed around the hugely ornamental hallway that made up the grand entrance. The floors were made of a black stone that shone beneath the dim light coming from the enormous crystal chandelier hanging overhead, and the walls were painted a deep grey that matched the complete atmosphere of the hall. There were huge portraits hung on the walls and thick ornamental rugs on the floor, even though it was very much like Caerdydd Castle in décor there was something cold about this place. As though it had been a long time since there had been any love in this house, and that in itself was rather sad.
“Myf is a big girl, I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Cat’s heels clicked on the glossy floor as she moved quickly down the hallway, heading towards the door that he knew led into the main living area. It seemed like she must have sent word ahead that they didn’t want to be bothered by the servants, as apart from the footmen and the doorman the place was empty. “Plus I like the idea of her being too tired to give Johann the wedding night he clearly expects from her.”
With a chuckle Valto hurried to catch up to her, and together they walked into the living room and when their arms brushed together he reached out and took her hand. He expected
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