Miavel

Just two and a half hours after arriving back at the palace, I was turning side to side in front of a mirror. I took a deep breath in, only to be amazed that I could. My back, which had been aching off and on since I’d arrived, was now somehow at peace.

It was like magic.

It had to be.

To think it was supposed to feel like this all along?!

I turned to Madam Delaine in wonder.

“Is this magic?” I asked her, not bothering to hide the awe in my expression or voice.

“Heavens no, but I’m happy to take the compliment,” she said, chuckling lightly. She came over and poked around at the fit of the corset she’d made me, the one I was now wearing. After a moment, she nodded in satisfaction. “I’m glad it fits you properly now.”

“Thank you. Truly.”

She smiled at me, but her eyes held a hint of sadness.

“Your Majesty, it makes me glad that I’ve been able to help you like this.” She gestured to the corset. “Clothes aren’t supposed to hurt, after all.”

It put me at ease, as if she were comforting my younger self who’d suffered through the days of wearing painful things. Silently, I promised to help this warm-hearted woman if she ever needed it.

The rest of our time together was spent with me trying on various dresses she’d brought. Fabulous on paper, jaw-dropping in person, it was no surprise that her work was known far and wide.

She was clearly famous for her talent.

And before long, she requested that I call her just by her name, Delaine, to which I was overjoyed to do.

“The only dress I’ve not brought with me is the one you’ve requested I make,” she told me as I put on the final dress. “Since the design is more difficult, it will take longer.”

“That’s alright. Besides, it just means you have to come back again.” I grinned at her.

She laughed, delighted.

“But, of course!” And then she leaned closer. “You are one of my favorites to dress now.”

“Am I?”

I found myself quite surprised, and happy to hear that from her. I liked her a great deal from the moment we met. Now, I was glad she felt similarly.

She nodded. “It’s quite convenient, since another of my favorites lives here as well. Though, they are far too broody.”

Broody?

Somehow, I was reminded of Talyn’s unmoved and serious face when she said that. I nearly laughed out loud, imagining someone calling him broody to his face.

“Really?” I asked. Part of me was surprised, though. Someone else here, in the palace? Or just someone in the capital? “Who?”

There was a twinkle in her eyes as she looked at me silently for a moment.

“Your husband.”

I stared at her in shock. Talyn? I mean, I thought of him the moment she said broody, but... really? It was a little hard to believe.

She dressed Talyn before? I nearly gasped aloud at my next thought. Did he still have the clothes she made? What did it look like? I really wanted to see it all of a sudden.

“Though,” she continued gloomily, “I haven’t really made many clothes for him lately.”

A much as I freaked out a bit at the inn when the woman behind the counter was looking him up and down, I didn’t feel an ounce of jealousy here. Delaine seemed to see him as a model for her art, at least, that was my guess.

“Tal–” I stopped myself before I spoke directly from my own mind. “His Majesty is one of your favorites?”

“Yes.” Delaine held her hands up as she looked my way, almost like she was framing my face. “You both have such beautiful faces, with bold eyes. Your figures are quite different as well. It’s quite easy to get inspiration for designs by just looking at the two of you.”

I grinned, not only at finding my assumption correct, but at the look in Delaine’s eyes as she fell into that expression of pensiveness that artists tended to get. Lost in thought, reminiscing the past while imagining the future.

I had a feeling Delaine and I were going to be great friends.

The day of council arrived. I’d read up on the last council meeting’s minutes, thanks to Talyn. This time, he’d knocked on my door. He’d handed me the document and told me if I wanted to read it I could, and if I didn’t want to, I could just give it to Rogers and he’d take care of it.

So, of course, I read it all twice.

I looked at my reflection and then nodded to Lilia for the job well done. And then, I was off. Only to find Talyn waiting for me outside my door, reminding me of the day we held the audiences together. It was like a rush of pleasure at being the recipient, once again, to his gentlemanly gestures. And just like the other day, I said nothing as I took his extended arm and began to walk at his side down the corridors.

“Are you prepared?”

“I am.”

He nodded twice. “Good.” And before I could find something to say in reply, he was speaking again. “Whether or not you were present at the council meetings in Cita, the ones here may work differently. It may…” For a moment, he trailed off. I waited silently for him to continue. “It may be best to observe for the first few meetings until you get the hang of how it goes.”

I nodded. It was reasonable. And that was exactly what I’d been planning on doing. I actually hadn’t gone to any council meetings in Cita, so I wasn’t really sure on how it was supposed to go in the first place. The theory and practice could end up being very different. Honestly, I was glad just to be able to attend a meeting for once. I was ecstatic that he’d allowed me to join in the first place. Certainly, I'd gotten the better end of the deal we'd made.

“Agreed.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched some of the physical tension slip from his shoulders.

Tension?

Had he been worried to ask that of me?

Relieved to find I agreed with him?

But why?

No. It must’ve just been that he’d silently sighed, relieved that I wouldn’t bother them too much on my first day and cause a ruckus.

Well, as the doors opened to the room, it seemed I didn’t need to say anything to cause a panic. It was a new feeling.

The second I walked in with Talyn, acting as though I was meant to be there, all of the men present seemed to lose themselves to a bit of insanity. A few of them had their eyes nearly bulging out of their heads, while some others looked frozen in place. One was holding a stack of papers, which promptly slipped from their hands and went crashing to the floor in a mess. Another few looked around the room as if they were in the wrong one. A chair as well as its occupant tumbled to the floor, like a cymbal crashing, only adding more excitement to the chaotic song of the surprised councilmen.

I stifled my laugh, pursing my lips as we walked to the seat at the head of the long table. It seemed to spur the men into a frenzy as they panicked to pick up papers and find their seats as well. A chair was rushed over to me quickly by an attendant in the room, and I took my seat next to Talyn, as the table was plenty wide, even for three people. I noticed belatedly, however, that the chairs closest to us, just where the first two on each side would go, were non-existent. But if this was set up as normal council was, without my presence, that meant there had always been a clear gap between Talyn and the councilmen present.

It seemed odd to me until I took note of one of the men sitting as far from us as possible. He took one glance at Talyn and his face paled as he stared down at the table again. He slowly handed his papers to the man next to him before pleading silently for him to take care of it for him. And slowly, that paper was handed down the row until a courageous man decided they'd be the one to bring it up.

Ah.

Everyone sitting down there is the most scared of Talyn. The closest ones probably are just wary of getting too close… in case of an incident involving a sword and them.

It seemed council was to be much more fun that I initially anticipated.

One of the men, with a bit more bravery than the rest, walked closer to us without taking his seat. He bowed before saying what he wanted.

“Your Majesty, my King.”

I narrowed my eyes when he didn’t address me, just Talyn. Taking note of his face and clothes, I would figure out his name by the end of the day. Nevertheless, I stayed silent and let him say his piece.

“I know many of us,” he started, gesturing to the others while giving them a meaningful glance. “We are glad you have finally gotten married. We are absolutely thrilled you’ve taken a wife after all of our nudges.”

I tilted my head as I thought over his words.

Finally?

He’s finally gotten married? They make it sound like… like the declaration of war on Cita was a marriage proposal, like the whole deal was just a front to get him married to a princess. Nobody was as reckless as to do that, right? What if Cita didn’t hand a princess over in the name of peace?

A chill rushed through me.

Wait.

Is that what all the other kingdoms and territories did? Was all this conquest just to get him married? I mean, they’re acting like he’s some kind of monster… I mean, I might’ve thought that too, but it was because of all the fighting and rumors of madness! And I see now how it was wrong. Talyn’s no real monster. He’s letting me do as I wish with Lord Malin’s land and people. He even checked the land with me, did an entire sweep of our room at the inn to make sure it was safe. He was even ready to sleep on the chair for my comfort on the bed. Not once did he get mad that I only got us one room, despite the availability of others.

For a moment, I wondered if he’d wished it would be a marriage to my sister, Tianne. After all, she was known to be beautiful and charming.  Now that he’s stuck with me… maybe I’ve grown on him a bit? Maybe that’s why he’s grown to be kinder to me. Ah, or maybe Lilia and Rogers, the two spies that I’m irreparably fond of, are reporting that I’m doing well at my job?

I nearly chuckled to myself at the thought that Talyn might be getting a better opinion of me through spying. Usually, one wouldn’t think spying would lead to such a result.

“What is she doing here?”

I froze at the change of tone in the man’s voice, but just when I thought he was done speaking, more words seemed to flow from his mouth, each worse than the last.

“As I recall, there is no reason for her to be sitting in on our men’s council unless circumstances tell us to hear from her. And this is no such circumstance!”

Men’s council.

Men’s council?!

Even as Talyn’s mouth opened to respond to the Lord, likely in the manner to tell him to sit down, I held out a hand and rose from my seat.

Men’s council.

Ha.

What a ridiculous thing to say.