Chapter Four

D espite her desires to continue training, Liana had royal responsibilities to attend to.

"What are your plans for the day?" she asked Damien as the four of them left the courtyard, Phillipa trailing behind with Luciano.

"I'm sure there are plenty of letters piled up on my desk as we speak. After those are taken care of, we have a council meeting."

Liana perked up at the news. "Oh? What is so pressing that cannot wait until the monthly meeting? Shall I join?" She would much rather be involved in that than the entertainment Eva planned for her and the courtiers this afternoon.

"If only I could have you by my side, but alas, the Council is strict about attendance. It shall only be the King and the Council members. Not even Grandfather is allowed to attend."

She huffed in annoyance. "You will tell me everything when it is over though, correct?"

Laughing, he merely gave her a peck on the cheek. "I shall see you tonight for supper."

Phillipa helped Liana change into a proper gown, one of dark blue with silver beading. Instead of her normal crown, they chose a silver tiara to match, still more opulent than anything she owned previously, but more bespoke than her bold crown.

Asher was back and escorted her to the Queen's garden where a three-string ensemble played softly in the corner and courtiers mingled about. Everyone except the musicians stopped to curtsy when Liana entered.

"A pleasure to see everyone." A servant approached with a glass of wine which she took gratefully then moved to join Eva and the councilmen's wives.

Not even a greeting passed her lips before Lady Kent bombarded them all. "Have you all heard the latest? Another murder last night. That'll be eleven in total since all this started. They found the poor soul early this morning, strung up on the fountain in the city center."

Some of the ladies gasped.

"What breed?" Lady Monet questioned.

"A shifter."

The shifter women nodded; their lips drawn into thin lines.

"An eagle shifter. Such a tragedy," Lady Emilia stated.

"And the fights are getting out of control. Just the other day Scholar Milton's wife told me about a brawl during afternoon tea. People have no propriety anymore." Lady Kent complained.

Liana shared a look of worry with Eva before masking it. "My husband and the Council are taking these threats and this unrest very seriously. But we did not come here today to chat about such dour things." Liana used her most chipper voice, one that didn't come from her often. "Let us enjoy this sunny afternoon, delicious food, and superb entertainment."

Liana walked to the grass to join a group of younger courtiers as they played a ball game. The young ladies curtsied and offered her the next turn. The game was not her favorite, nor was it enjoyable. But it did get her away from the prying Lady Kent. When she returned to the councilwomen, they sat at their same tea table playing a round of cards. She declined to enter until the next round.

"How are you faring in your new role, Your Majesty?" Lady Kent began, her insipid attitude grating on Liana's nerves.

"Quite well, I think. High Lady Evangeline has been indispensable to me which I will be forever grateful for. Her guidance has been a gift from the gods."

"Speaking of gifts from the gods, can we expect an heir for the king any time soon?" she questioned. The woman had no qualms about asking such personal matters. Then again, Liana knew that the heir to the throne was no personal matter. All of Triaedian would be waiting for news of an heir now that their king was married.

Liana's answer was curt. "It is too soon to tell."

"It took Bastian and I two months to conceive after our marriage. I wonder if it will be so quick for you as well or if our king's vampire nature will make the process longer. High Lady, it took you years to conceive, did it not?"

The only way this afternoon could get worse was if her own mother joined in on the conversation. As it stood, Liana could think of a thousand ways to make it better; start a fire for one, have the rebels attack for another.

Eva stared at the young mage for a beat too long, her face a stony mask. "Yes, Lady Kent. It took High Lord Ramone and I about ten years before Damien was born."

Liana's heart dropped. She knew it was difficult for vampires, but ten years seemed like a lifetime. Most mage females would be considered sterile after so long.

"It took us twelve years," Lady Monet added.

"Nine," Lady Brun, the other vampire female offered.

"I pray to the gods and goddesses for a fruitful marriage, no matter how long it takes," Liana said to the group, then quickly changed the subject. "The Fall Festival is less than two months away. Will you all be participating?"

Lady Kent guffawed. "With the state of things as they are, I doubt there will be a festival."

Liana tried her best to keep a glare off her face. Lady Kent was the worst of the worst when it came to high society women. She had no filter, no decorum and too many opinions about the wrong things.

"Yes, well, I have faith that my husband will rectify the situation swiftly. I've always loved the Fall Festival and I will be the first to walk through the aisles of booths and decorations." Liana truly did love the Fall Festival. It was her second favorite time of the year, first being the winter solstice.

Lady Kent laughed, drawing everyone's ire. "You cannot walk the booths like you used to, Your Majesty. I've heard the stories of how you go from booth to booth from sunup to sundown sampling everything and buying nothing."

Her cheeks flushed, magic rushing to the surface to protect her from the shame that rose with that statement. When she was a child, her parents would give her a small allowance to go to the festival with. The entire family went but would retire after only a few hours while Liana and Phillipa would stay all day. Even last year, the pair stayed until the last booth was packed.

The food and crafts were amazing, but it wasn't just the draw of free samples that drew her in. Liana loved seeing the things people made, loved talking with them as they explained how they did it and why. Over the years, she became familiar with most of the vendors and would catch up with them throughout the year when they ran into each other on the streets.

Those people were kind to her. They were kind to the peculiar child she was and didn't avoid her on the streets like most did.

"That is not quite the truth of the matter," Liana defended.

"Please, you must tell us about the time you tried to use that three-wheeled monstrosity and crashed it into one of the booths," Lady Kent suggested and cackled with laughter.

Fuming, she hid her sparking hands in her skirts. That particular event occurred two years ago, and she had been mortified and eternally guilt-ridden. "That three-wheeled monstrosity was a brilliant invention and a joy to use. As you know, they are quite fashionable these days."

"Yes, for those that cannot afford a carriage to take them from place to place."

"Lady Kent," Liana snapped, her temper getting the best of her. The young woman stopped laughing, her eyes wide. "I do not find it entertaining to make fun of an ingenious idea that has made longer distance travel more accessible to those that are not privileged enough to own a horse let alone a horse and carriage. If I do remember correctly, before you married Lord Kent, your family had just sold their carriage and horses after moving to the city, the move having been a stress on their accounts. I would think you would be far kinder to those less fortunate considering you know what it is like."

Frozen to the spot, Lady Kent didn't have a retort. Finally.

"Has anyone else tried to ride a tricycle?" Liana asked the group. "It is quite fun once you figure it out."

"I have, Your Majesty," Lady Brun answered. "My husband and I own two and we ride them every worship day after our prayers and have a picnic in the countryside. They are quite a joy even if we could run faster."

"The next time we meet, we shall get tricycles and take them for a ride," Liana suggested, liking that idea much more than their current situation.

"Excellent idea, Your Majesty," Eva responded. "I'm not sure if you are aware, but the King bought a few the same year a young woman crashed one into the stand and broke the tricycle."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Did he now?"

Eva nodded with a devious smirk hidden behind her teacup. "We arrived late in the afternoon after most of the city had come and gone for the day. The tricycle booth was the first we came to and when Damien saw the state of the broken device and the booth, he asked what happened. He assured the girl was okay then bought three, one for himself and his father and me."

Tears pooled in her eyes which she blinked away. "Let us find them. I'd like to take them for a spin." Liana walked away, not bothering to invite the others or say goodbye. All she could think is how close they had been two years ago. She couldn't imagine what her reaction would have been to him then. She would have only been seventeen at the time and too young for marriage, not that she would have considered it anyway.

Eva led her to the front of the castle and onto the grass beyond the drive while servants went to fetch the tricycles. Lady Monet, Lady Brun, Lady Kinley and Lady Emilia joined them, the other two thankfully absent.

Eva pointed her toward Damien's which had a red leather seat. Hitching up her dress, she tucked it into her lap while finding the pedals with her feet. Eva took her own tricycle while Lady Brun helped Lady Monet onto the third and advised her on how to ride.

Liana started pedaling, going slow at first until she got the hang of it. There was nothing out here to run into which took away some of her nerves. Her heart soared, her magic bubbling with happiness as well while she pedaled around.

When she switched with Lady Kinley, Liana connected to Damien. "I wish you could be here with me right now."

"Where are you?" he responded without pause.

"On the drive, in front of the castle." He stood before her after a few moments which had an easy smile parting her lips. His brows rose when he saw the ladies riding around on tricycles.

"Is this a new hobby I should be getting into?"

Liana wrapped her arms around his waist and just held him. His arms followed without a thought, pulling her tightly into him. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing." She breathed him in before looking up at him. "Do you know that I was the young woman that crashed the tricycle into the booth two years ago?"

His brows furrowed for a moment before realization dawned and his usual smirk appeared. "I am not surprised in the slightest to hear that."

"Thank you for buying the tricycles."

"You don't have to thank me. I bought them because the design was clever, and the mage looked ready to cry from his loss."

"I know, I felt terrible for months because I couldn't pay for the damage. I offered for my father to come back but the man refused. I'm glad you were there to save the day and clean up my mess."

"I'll always be here to save the day," he teased then kissed her nose, "and clean up your messes."

Normally she'd have a witty remark. Now though, in this moment when she felt so connected to Damien, all she could do was kiss him. Perhaps they were destined for each other, their fates entwined long before they ever met.