The king's head lifts, his eyes serious and his face stony. "Tell me," he says shortly. For all of the smile lines on his face, he is intimidating in the moment that I stand there. 

My mouth opens- the words come, they tumble out in tangled threads. "A servant girl in Tuanc Castle- ask Lady Maren for her name. Dark hair and eyes, can't be older than fourteen. Then there's a woman in the hills, and my coachman. I know these for certain."

"Your coachman? The one who is accompanying you here? He is in my castle?"

I drop my chin in a brief nod. "Yes, sire."

The king shuffles some paper on his desk around, picking up a quill and sheet of paper. Dipping the tip of the bright peacock quill into the jet ink, he scratches my words on the surface.

"And one more,  Your Highness." My voice catches. "Queen Maridi. My brother's wife."

His quill catches and he stops, looking at me. "You're certain?"

I dip my chin in a nod, shaking from headscarf to slippers. "I am completely certain of it, King Arkhil."

He lets a blot of ink splash onto the parchment, his hands stone- still. "I heard she was a feisty one, and that she put up quite the fight to be married. Does that really constitute an accusation of treason, though, my lady?"

"That alone does not. She explicitly has told me about this group." I've gained a bit of confidence. I stand straighter and speak more strongly now.

"Why in the world would she do that? You may have spoken wise words earlier, Princess, but I believe you do not speak the truth." He sets the inked quill down, unintentionally leaving a blot of black on Kell's name. 

"She was trying to get me to join her.  She wanted me to join a revolution." My confidence wavers again.

"So she gave you information on this society? Didn't you join them?"

My fists clench my skirt. "If I had, sire, would I be betraying those who are also in the society?"

"I cannot guess your motives, Princess."

My brows knit as I stare at him, jotting down black letters on the paper. "Please, sire, don't you believe me?" I begin to lower myself to pleading.

He does not answer.

I walk closer to him. The king looks up at me with an annoyed glare but I do not pay attention.

"King Arkhil, please. I would not lie to you, not on my honor as a princess. The lakes are to be mine just as they are yours now. When I gave you those names, or those faces, I was trying to safeguard my country- both the hills of my birth and these lakes that I will gain in marriage. I do not want to see my people hurt, nor these lands." My eyesight wavers, my vision swimming in a single tear that cascades gently down my cheek. "Believe me, my lord, or all of my visit here will be for naught."

King Arkhil's face has softened. For one long, excruciating moment, we look into one another- the old king and the young princess- waiting for the other to answer. 

A small sparkle ignites in the wise eyes.

"I have a plan," he breathes. "Do you trust me?"

*****

The ball comes too fast. After the noon meal, Jennis and Lisbet hurry me to my rooms and close the door.

"I've got five hours to get ready, remember?" I question as they lead me to the closet.

"It'll take five hours," replies Jennis with surety. 

"Close your eyes," squeals Lisbet with excitement.

I close them, not sure what the fuss is about.

There's a rustling of fabrics, a tinkling of jewels. Then all is still.

"Open your eyes," whispers Jennis in a hushed voice. "Isn't it just the loveliest dress you've ever seen?

I open my eyes with the thought that dresses are not important right now. I've got a political crisis on my hands, and they want me the giggle over the dress, with emerald folds and jade shimmers. Gold thread shines from the edges, the greens catching the light as my hand flits over the silk.

And oh, it is beautiful. 

They lace me into the dress, the bodice stiff and illustrated with jewel fringes. The petticoats are held up by some kind of hoop and I have never felt prettier. Tonight is, after all, a formal engagement. My formal engagement. My heart skips a beat and jumps into my throat. I swallow it back down as the front of the bodice is laced.

I turn to the mirror when they are done. With my hair uncovered and down, I feel different, older, more regal almost. I look at least seventeen.

"What's wrong?"

I turn to petite Lisbet, with her face so full of concern.

"Nothing," I say with a small smile.

"It's the rebels, isn't it?"

"Nothing is wrong," I say, shifting my shoulders so the draping white sleeves settle. "They're a problem, but I'm supposed to have fun tonight. There's a plan, Lisbet, I promise."

I turn to the two. "Nothing's going to ruin my night. I get myself formally betrothed in a few hours' time." With a grin, I put my hands on my hips. "Now, what is the part that's going to take five hours?"

Lisbet giggles. "Looking at you!"

*****

By the time the sun is sinking low on the blue lake, my hair is wound up in a braided circlet and left uncovered. A few gems are woven in. 

It didn't quite take five hours, but it seemed close.

Jennis and Lisbet flank me on either side- Jennis in a soft yellow that is a nice contrast to her dark hair, and Lisbet in pale pink.

We walk down the stairs into the ballroom, lit up with a hundred sconces and full of smooth, flowing music. The first dance- where the royalty have yet to arrive. I'll be announced and enter in a few minutes. Through the crack in the door I can see whirling dancers with ladies' skirts and men's coats in every shade.

The music comes to a flourishing end, and the doors open.

"Princess Nivh of Amrach," says the announcer. "And her ladies, Lady Jennis and Baroness Lisbet."

A polite applause from the attending nobles. I smile and nod my head in their direction.

I move out of the way, my ladies behind me.

The prince walks in, his frock coat the same deep green as my dress. Up on the balcony that overlooks the rest of the ballroom, we face one another and a priest murmurs some words in an ancient tongue.

Just like that, I am engaged.

The first step of the plan is carried out now, when the ring placed on my left hand. It is an almost obscenely large piece of topaz- impressive, but not worth much compared to a diamond or sapphire. The weight of it is strange on my hand.

Then we dance. I am only vaguely familiar with the dances being played, but Asdagh leads me through each one and whispers the steps to me. He's not nearly so bad as I'd thought he was- while his eyes did chase a red- clad blonde a few times throughout the night, he was always attentive and quick to smile.

All those things he said earlier, about the executions- I'm convinced throughout the hours of the ball that it's only in politics that my betrothed is violent. Still, I keep my guard up.

Lisbet dances with several different young men, blushing her way through each song, but smiling the whole time. I see Jennis' dark head and hear her bubbly laugh every few minutes. She's dancing with a tall, stocky baron's son of probably eighteen who has light brown hair and blue eyes. I sense a lot of drama in the coming weeks and after we return here for good.

But I smile. I am happy; Jennis should be happy too.

*****

I am shaken by my shoulders. "Nivh," comes a feminine voice. "Wake up, please, are you alright?"

I open my eyes to Lisbet's peaked face. I sit up among the pillows, shaking off sleep. I don't remember going to bed...

Looking around the room, I see the four candles gone from the table, I see yesterday's dress hung up. I must have been awfully tired last night! 

"Are you alright, Nivh?" There is more urgency in the tone of her voice now. I try to look awake as I snap my head to look into her round grey eyes.

"Fine, thank you," I smile- but it may have come across as a grimace. 

"You really must have had fun at the ball," comes Jennis' voice. "You slept like a rock."

I smirk at her. "I can't have had half as much fun as Jennis did with the Baron's son."

Jennis' rosy cheeks flush crimson. "Well, I didn't sleep nearly as late as you did."

 "But he was quite charming, was he not?" I sigh for dramatic effort, putting my hand on my chin and staring dreamily into the air. "Those blue, blue eyes..."

She giggles. "Oh, stop."

Lisbet changes the subject. "We wanted to let you be, but decided you'd better wake up. The guards have brought in those you accused- except, of course, the queen. For obvious reasons. They're in the dungeons."

"Here? On the island?" I ask quizzically as I rise and slide my legs out from under the covers.

"Those who could be reached. The servant girl, the coachman Kell-" her voice breaks the tiniest bit as she helps me into my day dress- "and another man that looked terribly familiar. He wouldn't give his name. He said that you knew who he was."

A cool shiver runs down my spine. I know exactly who the man is. What name should I call him?

How did he get here? Across an ocean, in the middle of a lake- it cannot be easy to do without being spotted and at least asked about an identity.

I suppose that only my visit today will tell. I can only hope that everything goes according to plan.

I'm sorry if you are tired of the dresses, but I'm addicted to Pinterest and find all of these cool dresses perfect for my universe, so I attach them! I've found that I can imagine a society better if I know how they dress. :-) 

~Megan