"This shade of purple would beautiful on you."

  Queen Reena held up a sheet if beautiful deep purple fabric. I took it and held it under my face in the mirror. I did look very pretty in it.

  "She's right, as always" chimed in the dressmaker, Adora. She was a very talented woman, Reena had told me. She had made her own business from almost nothing. She had come from a nd called Vesha, far to the east when she was just a little girl after her parents had died. She had almond eyes and the smoothest skin I had ever seen, even though she was a few years older than the queen. It was Queen Reenas patronage which had made it possible for her to buy a little shop on the high street of Medolina.

  "I'll take it too, thank you."

  I had ordered three gowns. That was all I could afford without digging too deep into the funds my father had sent me with. Sadly, they would not be ready until after the wedding. Reena told me I could borrow from her clothes until then. The wedding gown had already been made, and only needed to be fitted to me. That dress had been made by the official court dressmaker and waited for me in the castle for ter that day.

  "How did you first meet Miss Adora?"

  "Adora has been my seamstress ever since I was little. Her prices used to be cheaper because she was a woman and not from any of the rich merchant families. My mother kept her business as a closely guarded secret. I know I should not share this too often, but before I was married my family was struggling with paying for the expenses that came with our status. I think it is fine for you to know, since we will be family soon."

  "Of course I won't tell anyone."

  "And anyway it all worked out for the best! Ten years ago I was married. My family's wealth was restored and I could finally start paying Adora what she's always been worth."

  Adora smiled, but I was confused.

  "Ten years? How old were you..."

  "Oh you ftter me, I'm not so young, I'm twenty-eight!"

  That was what I had already thought, but I didn't say anything. Eighteen was so young to get married... and to such an old man! Of course it was not unheard of for two people under twenty to marry, or for children to be betrothed to each other to marry ter. I shuddered at the thought of having had to go to bed with the old king being even younger than I am now. I wondered if maybe he looked better ten years before, but I doubted it.

  "Isn't Prince Virtus twenty-eight?"

  "Yes he is! It's funny we grew up together, now I'm his step-mother. I do tease him about it sometimes, but really we get along very well. He's so lovely with his little siblings as well."

  "Your children…”

  “Yes, they’re my little angels. My oldest Etus is nine, the girls Anna and Agrippa are six and four.”

  Virtus had a four year old sister. This was funny. I was the youngest of my siblings, and already had many nieces and nephews above four years of age.

  We went out of the dressmaker’s shop. Outside, Sir Alvar was waiting. I had been allowed to keep my own staff which had come to Medora with me. I wasn’t couldn't look at him too long, then Reena would suspect something. It was excruciating. He helped me up into the carriage. For a quick second our eyes met, and it was like lightning. I looked down as he helped me up into Queen Reena’s carriage.

  ***

  After lunch at the castle I was trying on my wedding dress. The room was rge and our guards watched us from inside. The dress was the biggest, whitest gown I had ever seen in my life. It overflowed with ce and gold embroidery. The royal dressmaker was a stuffy old man, and I could see why Reena didn’t like him. He was huffing and puffing, cinching the dress to my body. I felt like I was stuck in a swamp walking in that huge thing. I stepped out to the audience of Reena and her dies-in-waiting. They gasped.

  “Oh, Princess Tiana you look so beautiful!” one of them excimed.

  At the edge of the room I saw Alvar watching us. Pain filled his eyes. I gazed down.

  “Oh Her Highness is shy,” one of them said. If only that was the truth.

  I saw myself in the mirror. I did look very beautiful. My bck hair spilled over my shoulders, which where bare. The sleeves of the dress began below the colrbone. The veil and dress were covered with incredibly delicate ce patterns. The veil was decorated with tiny diamonds, which shimmered in the light coming in from the window. It partly obscured my face but my dark eyes and thick eyebrows were still visible under the veil. Normally I found myself quite pin to look at, but this outfit gave me an ethereal air. The waist of the dress was taken in with a thin golden belt. Below was the huge mass of silk and ce, it dragged me down, but it was beautiful.

  I looked at Alvar one more time. He was not even looking at me, just looking down.

  We were interrupted by a big commotion in the castle courtyard. People were shouting and cheering. I looked down. Many men in military uniform were entering the courtyard.

  “It must be Prince Plinius!” one of the queen’s dies called out.

  They all ran towards the windows.

  “He’s so handsome!”

  It was obvious which one the prince was. He rode a snow-white horse, and his armour was even more richly gilded than that of the other military members. His feathered helmet was encrusted with jewels. Even if it were not for this, it was clear from the way the other men walked around him. It was clear that they respected him, and perhaps were wary around him.

  “Your Highness, get changed quick so we can go down to greet him!” a young dy said.

  I did as I was told, and soon we were all trotting down to the courtyard.

  He was just taking off his helmet as we arrived in the courtyard. I swear one of the dies next to me almost swooned. I could not really see the appeal. He did have beautiful thick chestnut hair, and a strong jawline, but the rest of his face just seemed sort of pin. HIs eyes were dark brown, but did not hide contain the same depth and thoughtfulness that his brothers eyes did.

  "Thank you all for the warm welcome," he said cheerfully.

  He jumped off his horse handing the reins over the stable boy. His companions did the same. Over the crowd his eyes focused on me.

  "And who is this stunning new addition to our court? Can it be my sister-in-w?"

  "Your highness," I bowed to him, "it is an honour to meet you."

  "Ah, and mother, I see that you are here as well."

  Reena chuckled.

  "Welcome home, son."

  The dies-in-waiting swarmed him with questions, and he addressed each of them by name, and entertained them all. Every now and then, he would gnce at me.

  "Little brother!" Virtus's deep voice rang through the halls.

  “The heir himself!”

  Virtus ran over to hug his brother, csping his arms around the golden breastpte. They let go and smiled, Virtus patting his brother on the shoulder.

  “So, you must tell me all about your conquests little brother!”

  “And you must tell me about yours,” Plinius said, and winked at me.

  Virtus smiled at his brother’s comment, and said:

  “She is a beautiful woman indeed, but if there are any conquests to be won it will be on our wedding night.”

  I gnced over at Alvar. This was the first time I had seen my lover and my husband-to-be in the same space. He was gritting his teeth, I hoped that no-one else noticed his clear frustration. The difference between them was stark. Alvar was slightly taller than Virtus, and much broader. He had more rugged features, with a broader jawline and thicker lips. Virtus had more delicate features. Although he had a masculine nose and a beard, his lips were almost feminine. His eyes were welcoming and tender, and he had long bck eyeshes. Of course there were the obvious differences as well, for example the fact that Alvar had straight blond hair, and Virtus had curly bck hair.

  The brothers walked back into the great hall together, folowed by most of the members of the court. Before I went back I shared a brief gnce with Alvar. He was in great pain.