Ava knew what I meant, and her head bobbed with an eager nod. “A bath sounds incredible.”
“It really does,” I laughed in concurrence.
She tossed herself onto the bed next to me, but she did it so that she landed on top of Albus, and she wrestled with him while we waited for Marka. Though the knowledge that I’d have to leave eventually lingered at the back of my mind, and though the loss of Brande was still fresh, seeing Ava so overjoyed was revitalizing. Hearing her mirthful laugh and seeing her smile was what this journey had been all about. It was healing, and for the next few days before my necessary departure, I’d bask in it as much as I possibly could.
Chapter 12
The party had already started downstairs, and though the walls were too thick to really hear any of the music or noise, we’d been called on twice now because we were late. Nira had finished getting ready minutes ago, and now her ladies-in-waiting were fitting Ava into her dress as fast as they could. It appeared to be a tremendous task because of all the layers—layers fastened on by countless ties that looked like they’d be torturous to undo when Ava was ready to take the dress off. I’d stopped watching because of how constricting it all seemed.
It had been simple for me to get dressed in the brand new clothing delivered by the tailor. There was the dark brown pair of leather trousers that were a bit tighter than I was used to, fitting narrow down the leg so they could tuck into the matching pair of calf-high boots that had been crafted as well. The green tunic I was wearing had loose sleeves that reached just below my elbows. It was the rich shade of pine with gold colored trim around the neck and arms, and long enough to hang halfway down my thighs. Finally, there was a wide, decorated leather belt that went around my waist over the shirt.
Because Ava wasn’t ready, Nira had sat me down on the bed, and posted herself behind me so she could do my hair. One of the ladies had volunteered to do it, but Nira insisted that she wanted to. She liked the simple braid I kept it in; however, now she was braiding the front of both sides, weaving them together at the back so they’d remain out of my face.
Even Albus had been groomed, though it took little more than a bath and a brief brushing of his wiry fur. It didn’t seem like a common occurrence for dogs to attend parties, but someone in the royal family had paid mind to how inseparable we were. Albus had been included in the prompt the two times someone had been sent to fetch us.
While Ava finished dressing, the door of our room burst open, but instead of it being a servant who’d come to get us this time, it was Akamar. He sprinted into the room in a tiny outfit much like mine, though more richly adorned, stopped to pat Albus on the head, and then jumped on the bed to climb onto me.
“Are you four ever coming to the party?” he sighed, folding his legs to sit exactly as I was, and so he’d fit perfectly in my lap.
Finished with my hair, Nira slid off the bed to sit more comfortably at the desk on the side of the room, asking, “Who sent you up here?”
“I did,” answered a female voice from the door.
It was the queen, Gwinn, looking like the most elegant woman I’d ever seen in her party dress. She had Nira’s fairer skin, but her brown eyes were so rich that they appeared to glow behind the gold of her jewelry. Her black hair was pulled up into a sophisticated knot, and the smile she passed around the room was as inviting as her voice.
“We’re almost finished, Mother,” Nira told her.
Gwinn nodded, crossing the room to where Ava was while she cast a friendly look my direction. “Evening, Kiena.”
“Your Grace,” I said, bowing my head as much as I could with Akamar in my lap out of habitual instinct.
“I’ll finish this,” she told the ladies-in-waiting, who were tightening the laces at the front of Ava’s bodice. They shuffled out of the room.
“I apologize for the delay,” Ava said, offering a repentant smile.
“Your father should come apologize to you,” Gwinn chuckled. “He’s so eager to make introductions that he’s being unbearably impatient.” She tied the remainder of Ava’s strings in a bow, allowing the ends to hang decoratively down the front of the dress. “You look darling,” she praised with a grin.
“Thank you.” Ava reached up, shyly tucking some of her hair behind her ear.
We’d interacted with the queen multiple times since we’d arrived yesterday, and no matter how generous she was, Ava remained timid. Out of all her father’s family, I had no doubt she’d expected the queen to like her least of all. That not being the case hadn’t seemed to sink in quite yet.
Gwinn nodded, and then glanced over at the boy in my lap. “Akamar, would you like to escort the ladies downstairs?”
Akamar jumped out of my lap to run to the door, saying instead, “Come on, Albus!” The queen laughed and rolled her eyes, following her son to the entrance.
Before climbing off the bed too, I took a moment to look at the finished effect of Ava’s dress. And it was stunning. The silk gown itself was a mix of dark gray and a deep maroon, but what caught my attention more than anything was the bareness of it. I’d caught glimpses of Ava naked, more than once, but there was something about the teasing way her shoulders and collarbone were exposed, something about the way her long hair was draped over one shoulder to display her neck that made me gulp. Temptation was great enough when she’d been wearing the baggy tunic and trousers we’d found for her. A dress more fitted to her curves, one that reminded me that I knew what was underneath, might be a greater temptation than I could resist.
Of course I’d only meant to glance, but when I ended up staring, Ava’s lips curled with a smirk. “You like the dress?” she teased.
I’d been so thoroughly staring that I hadn’t even realized all the others had left, including Albus, and closed the door behind them. Though my cheeks tinted, as I got off the bed, I said with as much composure as I could, “Possibly.” But when I actually reached where Ava was standing, that temptation flared. Just a touch couldn’t hurt… right? I lifted one hand, and as innocently as I could, I traced my fingertips over her bare shoulder and down the length of her arm. “You look like a princess.”
For some reason, that compliment didn’t seem to make her as happy as I thought it would, but she caught my hand as it reached the end of her arm and slipped her fingers through my own, giving a small smile. “You’re looking quite noble yourself.”
“Good,” I chuckled. “The less I stand out, the better.” I brought her hand to my lips to kiss the back of it. “Let’s not keep your father waiting.” I’d begun to turn to head for the door, but Ava wouldn’t let go of my hand, so it stopped me when I took a step. I faced her again, growing concerned at the hesitant look on her face. “Are you alright?”
There was a long beat of silence, during which her blue eyes ran over the entirety of my face. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking or feeling. Maybe she was simply nervous about being introduced to new people. Whatever it was, it took her a few more seconds to collect herself, and then she put on a cheerful smile and nodded. I wasn’t dull enough to completely believe her, but I knew if she’d wanted to tell me what was going through her mind then she would have. So I led the way to the door, out it to the stairs, and down them to the party in the grand hall below.
The queen had wandered a few steps away from the stairs to talk to some other women, and Nira had done the same in the opposite direction. Amongst the dark and rich colors of the nobles’ clothing, it wasn’t difficult to spot the pure white of Albus’s fur. He was with Akamar, being shown by the prince to a group of other young children and loving every moment of the attention.