Twenty-six

Pacing in the hall was calming. Marravae still felt too nervous to attempt to sleep but at least she wasn’t feeling as if she were going mad. There had been faces in the window, she was certain, but she was beginning to consider the possibility they had been reflections of faces and not people staring in at her.

“Are you feeling ready to rest?” Gaeleath stifled a yawn. “I think I am.”

“If you need to rest, go.” She gave him as warm a smile as she could muster. “I may be pacing for a long while. The bitters helped, but I’m still too nervous to rest.”

A throat cleared and Marravae glanced over to see Myrin dressed as if he were attending a garden party.

“Forgive me for taking so long, my dove. I had just gotten into the bath when I was told you were having trouble sleeping and needed to walk in the hall. How are you both feeling?” 

“I think I’ve nearly walked enough to rest.” Gaeleath smiled faintly. “I don’t want to leave my sister to walk alone and a little more walking won’t harm me. Marravae?”

“I don’t feel like I’m going mad any more but I’m too nervous to stop walking. You should take Anrae and Celaena and go rest. I can go back into the small room to pace so that Aleesia and Ossa can sleep.”

“We aren’t sleeping until you do.” Ossa gave her an amused look. “But perhaps we can play children’s party games to amuse ourselves in the bedroom without embarrassing ourselves.”

She gave the woman a grateful smile.

“Or perhaps,” Myrin sounded amused as he came closer offering his hand, “You could walk with me? I can’t sleep and the thought of taking my sleeping drops tonight makes me feel a little ill. Suitable chaperones can be arranged to allow your Ladies their rest.”

“I’m not tired at all.” Celaena spoke up cheerfully and the look on her face was so innocent and cheerful Marravae knew she was masking a deep dislike for the Cuphisian interfering with their evening.

Gaeleath laughed and then sighed. “Lady Celaena would be a wonderful chaperone.” Kissing Marravae’s cheek he embraced her and barely breathed into her ear, “She has a knife.”

Marravae broke into laughter and took several moments to compose herself. Her brother rubbed her back as she leaned against him and nodded.

“Lady Celaena is welcome to join us, of course.” Myrin gave her a concerned look. “Has she been prone to bursts of laughter like that?”

“No, she-” Aleesia yawned, “My apologies-”

“You’re exhausted.” Gaeleath smiled ruefully as he pulled away. “Lady Celaena can take your place with my sister. Lady Ossa has the bitters if they’re needed again and she can rest until Lady Celaena needs to.” He gave her a measuring look. “If you feel that you want Prince Myrin’s company for a few hours.”

“I’d rather start walking home.” She shook her head. “But with a chaperone it should be alright, Gaeleath. Rest, so that at least one of us is capable of being charming and clever tomorrow.”

The cautioning look he gave to Myrin made her feel a little better. The Cuphisian held out his hand again and against her better judgement she took it.

“I’m furious with myself and my entire family.” Myrin gave her a small smile as he started walking with her toward the end of the hall, keeping his voice low. “Now that I know how well we can get along, I want desperately for things to be that way again. If I hadn’t behaved so foolishly I could be directing your fury toward my father.” He gave her a wry smile.

Following his lead she kept her own voice barely above a whisper. “Why did he put ymetel in the Zophin? And why did Myrae try to poison me?”

“He saw how much difficulty your brother and I were having getting along with Volas and he thought a little nudge from the ymetel would help us all become friends. Drink some Zophin after a hunt and tell some stories…” Myrin sighed. “He didn’t know that it makes Areks and those with Arek in their lines react poorly. It’s considered harmless here.”

She nodded with a frown. “Even if it were it would still be rude.”

“Only if you get caught.” He gave her a sly smile. “No one will be so bold or foolish as to add anything to your food or drink again, I promise you. My sister is being sent away from the Court.”

“Why did she-”

“Jealousy, my dove.” He paused with her at the end of the hall and glanced down toward where her brother was standing with the Ladies. “I returned from our trip utterly besotted with you.” Myrin lifted her hands and kissed her fingers, drawing her attention back. “I hate the thought of you leaving while you’re angry with me. The thought of you riding away with Volas drives me nearly mad.”

Marravae broke into laughter again and took a moment to stop. “I don’t mean to laugh…” 

“Uncontrollable laughter is one of the effects of the ymetel I was told.”

“Nervous laughter.” Celaena offered cheerfully. “It’s difficult to stop, almost like when you’re far too tired and you find everything oddly amusing.”

The Cuphisian gave her a cool look. “Cemiri chaperones join the conversation?”

“I’m wounded you think of me as a chaperone!” Celaena smiled brightly. “That’s a task for stuffy old women. I’m one of her Highness’ Ladies in waiting, being charming and joining conversations is what I do best!” The Cemiri woman took Marravae’s other hand and they began walking again.

“What made you laugh, your Highness?”

“Prince Myrin made a comment about me riding away with Prince Volas.” She felt his hand tighten.

“Have you told him that the King turned down every offer his family made?”

“No.” Myrin sounded slightly surprised. “I had heard his brothers expressed an interest in pursuing my wife.”

“Oh, they made offers, your Highness! Prince Hevas-”

“He was handsome.” Marravae interjected and then gave the annoyed looking Myrin an apologetic look, “If you’d met the man you’d say so too, he’s prettier than I am, and prettier than your sister.”

Myrin’s annoyance faded and he smiled. “More handsome than Volas?”

“He’s known as the handsomest man in Arek.” Celaena nodded. “He begged for her Highness’ hand and it caused such a quarrel in the family when his brother Malvas did the same.”

“They bid on me like a horse!” Marravae exhaled and shook her head angrily. She’d been deeply fond of Hevas but when his brother became involved it had felt as if she were no longer important, winning to spite his brother was the only thing that mattered.

The Cuphisian laughed and then kissed her hand as they walked, “They must have been furious when your father waived the traditional gifts. I know it scandalized the Court to hear you weren’t bringing a dowry.”

“I’ve never understood, your Highness, why does the woman bring money to her husband when it’s her family that loses their daughter?” Celaena’s expression of innocent bafflement sent her into a fit of giggles.