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“Briefly,” the Prince’s voice sounded forced or pinched.
He was nervous I would tell on him, I gathered. He worried I would mention his inebriated and awful state during our last meeting.
“I wasn’t introduced properly. I didn’t know who he was,” I said. “Nice to make your acquaintance, Your Royal Highness.”
As I needed this to go well, I was unable to embarrass him. It wouldn’t help things. Again, anything that threatened the peace of this potential union was bad for me. Even if I wanted him to be embarrassed, it didn’t matter. I was now stuck with him. For better or worse, this was my future. I would have freedom!
Despite my kind remark, he pulled a face. I’d hit a nerve.
“I had no idea who you were, either,” Rikard said. “You are… new.”
I glared at him. New? That was the best he could come up with.
“Well, now I am, but aren’t we all new in this situation?” I tried to turn things to the purpose of this strange meeting.
“Rikard was telling me about his interest in sailing,” Celeste said as if I had ever evenbeensailing.
“Well, I’d like to go sailing,” I said.
Away from here right this instant!
“You have never been?”
I shook my head. “No, Your Royal Highness. I have never been sailing.”
He perked up. “It’s a shame, Your Majesty. You’re missing out.”
“I try not to let the girls do anything that might injure them,” Celeste said as if we were so beloved she could not part with us.
“Well, sailing is safe if they can swim. You can swim?”
“Yes, Prince Rikard, I can swim.”
Who did he take me for? I tried to hide my sarcasm, but my voice was flat as could be. Rikard took everything as a slight. He set his jaw, angrily. It made me want to grumble at him about being an idiot—in French since he really couldn’t understand it. Anger made himmoreattractive than before. Maybe that was the thing with assholes like the Prince? Women found them attractive only because they pulled angry faces and threw their weight around. It didn’t do it for me. One can only be so outwardly attractive to make up for all the ugly inside.
“Good, good,” the Prince grew even more sarcastic. “I wasn’t sure since you seem so...”
I used his word. “New?”
Celeste looked satisfied. Was she enjoying us sniping at one another? Maybe her whole pursuit was to dangle freedom but to make it as painful as possible. Was he a plant? I wanted to crawl out of my skin both in confusion and anger. No matter what I did, I was damned to ruin.
“What do you think of Neandia?” I changed the topic.
“It’s… nice,” he answered in a way that implied he did not think that. “It’s… calm.”
I nodded.
“And your… trees… they are… nice.”
I held back laughter.Our trees were nice? That was all he could do to make conversation? God, he was simple, wasn’t he? Trees, sailing, liquor. This man would be an easy mark. Celeste could do her worst, but this man would be no match for me. I was far more intelligent than Rikard. He may be older and more experienced, but I could outsmart him. However, hatching this plan and deciding the rules of engagement required a one-on-one chat . I needed my grandmother to leave. I figured I might have better luck if he suggested it. I decided to turn up the charm.
“Perhaps, if I am ever in Lundhavn, you could show me your boat?” I said.
That failed. I’d insulted him.
“It’s a sailing yacht. Not just some boat.”
“Oh, well, youryachtthen. I’m sure it is… beautiful?”
