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“Eirene? Minny? Dagny?”
“Minny cheers me, and there’s value in that. Eirene could bring out the best in me and exact change in the kingdom that is sorely deserved. And Dagny, she will always keep me laughing.”
I frowned. “Other than Eirene, you haven’t said much about their character.”
“I suppose not, but in such limited time, is it to be expected to understand them at that level?”
Though it was probably frowned upon, I had to disagree with the Crown Prince. “Not with the dates you’ve been setting up, it’s not. Everything has been shopping or playing games. Anyone can play nice in those circumstances.”
“What do you suggest?” His thumb rubbed lazily over my hand, likely unconscious for him, but distracting for me.
“Service. I’ve known many pageant queens over the years and the measure that sets the good apart from the great is how truly devoted they are to their philanthropic work.” I shrugged. “Imagine what you could learn watching them work instead of play.”
He took time to process the idea, but slowly Fitz began to nod. “I have an idea, but I’ll have to make a call tomorrow.” The length of his fingers laced between mine again. “You forgot a name from your list though, dear wingman.”
Taken aback, I frowned. “No, I didn’t.”
A shadow of mischief crossed his expression. Leaning forward, I thought he was going to sit up and send me packing for my supposed lapse in memory, but with a tug to my arm, he urged me closer. “What about Michaela? You never asked what I thought about her.”
A log fell in the fire, but posed no threat, rolling backward and giving me no excuse to pull away. “Maybe I already have an idea.”
“Then indulge me,” Fitz whispered as he leaned back into the corner of the couch, pulling me with him as he went until I sprawled over his chest just like the other night.
“But,” I protested as I gave into the request, “I’ll squash your pancake babies.”
“It’s worth it,” he mumbled as my head came to rest against his chest. He sank deeper into the corner of the couch, but this time, instead of being pinned between him and the couch’s crevice, I lay almost entirely across half of his body. All things considered, it wasn’t my smartest decision, but life before with Fitz had always been easy and this was no different.
His hand stroked the length of my hair, fingers barely raking through the curls. So much had already happened, and the way Fitz was acting, I got the feeling the night was far from over. And if I left to join Bishop on our secret mission, the night would stretch even longer still.
I didn’t want to dwell on that. Instead, I thought about the morning we’d spent in the snow together. I never did find out the full history behind our little reenactment.
“Fitz, will you tell me the story of the battle at Nolcovian Gorge?” I lifted my head to face him, chin propped up on my fist against his chest. “According to Dagny, it reads more like a children’s fantasy.”
“I thought you’d remember.” A faint sadness glinted in his eyes. “I told you a long time ago. One of those nights we spent watching the stars.”
“I was a dumb teen and probably half asleep. Tell me again. Maybe it’ll jog my memory.” I waited patiently, hopeful that he would change his mind.
“Very well.” His head rocked back, but his arms tightened around me, fingers trailing absentmindedly over my back as the fire crackled and snapped as a soundtrack. “Years ago, my great-great-great-,” he groaned, “I don’t know how many, but suffice to say, it was ages ago, grandfather, Drysden Fitzborough, believed in creating a place where people could live in peace and harmony. This land was stuck in a constant struggle because of evil King Sagure.” Fitz drew in a deep breath, and I rose and sank with it. “Drysden wasn’t exactly a king back then, but he was a great military leader. He knew the abuse of King Sagure’s people wasn’t right, and he resolved to liberate them.”
I felt the need to interrupt. “Is there a princess in this story? It sounds like there should be a princess.”
Chuckling at the thought, Fitz agreed with me. “Her name was Nolcola. But she wasn’t a princess. She was a common orphan who tended the herds of King Sagure. She’d caught the king’s eye, but in spite of his many advances, she stayed determined to stay in her station.”
“And Drysden took a fancy to her?“ I made sure to add his accent where needed for good measure.
“They met young. She defended him against some robbers who’d caught him off guard. Together they prevailed against the enemy, and his heart was never the same. For the next five years, Drysden would meet her in secret to steal time with the young maiden. All the while, King Sagure continued to try to lure Nolcola to be his bride.” Fitz shook his head. “But she was a woman of integrity, and no money or threat could change her love for Drysden.”
“This has some real Romeo and Juliet vibes. The future King Fitzborough on one side,“ I poked his chest with my finger then poked him again, “and a common goatherder on the other.”
“Sheep,” he corrected. “The flock she tended was sheep.”
Silly me, assuming it was goats. Not like I had a few clues to push me in that direction or anything.
“Then what's with all the goats all over the kingdom?” I didn’t have to wave my arm very far to point to at least three goat-head emblems in the room.
My gentle mocking annoyed him. Obviously, I hadn’t learned enough respect for the revered animal.
“Hush and listen.” His palm pressed my head back against his chest, but it stayed put, tangled in my hair as he spoke. “Finally, Drysden could take no more and he led his army against the army of King Sagure. They met outside the gorge and Drysden drove them back until they retreated behind the city walls.” I closed my eyes and listened to the deep rumble of his voice within his chest as he continued the story. “Drysden needed to get his army through the walls that surrounded the city, but after two days of brutal battle, his army was depleted and Sagure reigned stronger every day.”
