happens.”
“See that you do,” Aland said. Thea could hear his disapproval. While he enjoyed the various libations the kitchens produced, as King of Gallivas, he did not believe in over indulgence. He had always told Thea that a muzzy head made for a poor ruler.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Sebastian said, bowing. “May I have the pleasure of your company tomorrow, Thea?”
“Yes, you may.” She followed her parents out, her sisters doing the same. She hoped that Casimir would retire as well. Sebastian’s friends would be quick to resent even the implication of insult to their prince. While he was charm itself to her, she doubted that extended to Casimir away from the eyes of the king.
Her worries were founded when Sebastian grabbed Casimir’s arm. “Cas! Stay and join us! We shall retire to my chambers, so as to not disturb anyone else!” He gave a laugh.
“That is generous indeed, Bash,” Casimir said cheerfully. “Give me leave to stop in my chambers, and I shall join you shortly.”
Thea had moved too far away to hear what Sebastian said. An outbreak of laughter from his friends drew her attention back to them. She could see the various ladies edging away from them. Even as princesses, her mother had drilled into them that they needed to stay far from men drinking hard. That even the most noble of men could be overcome by drink.
“Father?” She hurried to catch up to her father.
“Yes, Thea?”
“Should we not leave some of the guards here to ensure that the ladies all get to their chambers?”
“Yes, we should. I have already done so.”
“Thank you, Thea, for thinking of them,” Ceridwen interjected. “I’m pleased to see you watching over your court.”
“Of course, Mother.” Thea withdrew and stayed close to Adelaide as they left the hall.
“Addy, you are always welcome to share with me,” she said. In spite of the earlier rebuff, she didn’t want Adelaide to feel as alone as she herself had been feeling.
Adelaide sighed. “Can you not leave it be, Thea? There is nothing you can do.”
“I realize that. I merely do not want you to feel alone in any distress you may be feeling.”
“Can you share with me, Thea? I know you as well as you know me. There is much you are keeping to yourself these days,” Adelaide said with spirit.
Thea didn’t know what to say. Adelaide was the most steady, most even-tempered of all of them.
“You are correct. I would like to unburden myself, but I will be honest, Addy. I am unsure of what to say. I do not wish anyone to have to conceal anything on my behalf.” Her surprise at Adelaide’s words moved her to be more open than she would normally.
“Then let us both sleep on it tonight, and we can see if we are in a more sharing mood tomorrow,” said Adelaide. That didn’t sound all that promising to Thea.
She kept silent as her parents bid them goodnight, and then Archibald and three other guards escorted them to their rooms.
“I shall have men at the doors all evening, Princess,” he said to her as they entered. “I would not wish anything to occur unexpectedly.”
“Thank you, Archibald. Whatever would I do without you?” She patted his arm.
“I will return before the morning meal, my lady. If you have need of me, I will be here.”
“Thank you. Sleep well, Archibald.”
Thea was the last inside the chambers, and she closed the doors behind her. She heard Archibald murmuring to the guards. The noise made her feel safe.
When she entered into the sleeping chamber, Isobel, Sybbl, and Mirabelle were sitting on Isobel’s bed giggling. Everyone else was in various stages of disrobing. The lack of sleep the night prior and then a late night tonight took its toll.
She was about to say something when Adelaide spoke. “Will you all please go to the solarium if you don’t wish to sleep? I find I cannot keep my eyes open and need to go directly to bed.”
“Of course, Addy!” Isobel jumped up, with Sybbl and Mirabelle
“See that you do,” Aland said. Thea could hear his disapproval. While he enjoyed the various libations the kitchens produced, as King of Gallivas, he did not believe in over indulgence. He had always told Thea that a muzzy head made for a poor ruler.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Sebastian said, bowing. “May I have the pleasure of your company tomorrow, Thea?”
“Yes, you may.” She followed her parents out, her sisters doing the same. She hoped that Casimir would retire as well. Sebastian’s friends would be quick to resent even the implication of insult to their prince. While he was charm itself to her, she doubted that extended to Casimir away from the eyes of the king.
Her worries were founded when Sebastian grabbed Casimir’s arm. “Cas! Stay and join us! We shall retire to my chambers, so as to not disturb anyone else!” He gave a laugh.
“That is generous indeed, Bash,” Casimir said cheerfully. “Give me leave to stop in my chambers, and I shall join you shortly.”
Thea had moved too far away to hear what Sebastian said. An outbreak of laughter from his friends drew her attention back to them. She could see the various ladies edging away from them. Even as princesses, her mother had drilled into them that they needed to stay far from men drinking hard. That even the most noble of men could be overcome by drink.
“Father?” She hurried to catch up to her father.
“Yes, Thea?”
“Should we not leave some of the guards here to ensure that the ladies all get to their chambers?”
“Yes, we should. I have already done so.”
“Thank you, Thea, for thinking of them,” Ceridwen interjected. “I’m pleased to see you watching over your court.”
“Of course, Mother.” Thea withdrew and stayed close to Adelaide as they left the hall.
“Addy, you are always welcome to share with me,” she said. In spite of the earlier rebuff, she didn’t want Adelaide to feel as alone as she herself had been feeling.
Adelaide sighed. “Can you not leave it be, Thea? There is nothing you can do.”
“I realize that. I merely do not want you to feel alone in any distress you may be feeling.”
“Can you share with me, Thea? I know you as well as you know me. There is much you are keeping to yourself these days,” Adelaide said with spirit.
Thea didn’t know what to say. Adelaide was the most steady, most even-tempered of all of them.
“You are correct. I would like to unburden myself, but I will be honest, Addy. I am unsure of what to say. I do not wish anyone to have to conceal anything on my behalf.” Her surprise at Adelaide’s words moved her to be more open than she would normally.
“Then let us both sleep on it tonight, and we can see if we are in a more sharing mood tomorrow,” said Adelaide. That didn’t sound all that promising to Thea.
She kept silent as her parents bid them goodnight, and then Archibald and three other guards escorted them to their rooms.
“I shall have men at the doors all evening, Princess,” he said to her as they entered. “I would not wish anything to occur unexpectedly.”
“Thank you, Archibald. Whatever would I do without you?” She patted his arm.
“I will return before the morning meal, my lady. If you have need of me, I will be here.”
“Thank you. Sleep well, Archibald.”
Thea was the last inside the chambers, and she closed the doors behind her. She heard Archibald murmuring to the guards. The noise made her feel safe.
When she entered into the sleeping chamber, Isobel, Sybbl, and Mirabelle were sitting on Isobel’s bed giggling. Everyone else was in various stages of disrobing. The lack of sleep the night prior and then a late night tonight took its toll.
She was about to say something when Adelaide spoke. “Will you all please go to the solarium if you don’t wish to sleep? I find I cannot keep my eyes open and need to go directly to bed.”
“Of course, Addy!” Isobel jumped up, with Sybbl and Mirabelle
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