I didn’t say nonexistent. The day I snuck out of here headed to Paris was the first time it really pushed against me. It convinced me I needed a weapon, so instead of heading straight for France, I stopped off to see Gautum and had him craft me a short sword I could carry in my luggage. Back then there weren’t metal detectors or baggage inspectors. It was quite freeing to travel without worrying that someone would rummage through my things. I mean, who wants a stranger to sort through your unmentionables?” Brynna scrunched her face, and both Banyan and Uri laughed at her.
“Did Gautum ask why you wanted a weapon?” Banyan asked.
“He did, and I told him the truth.”
“And he didn’t try to stop you from traveling on your own?” Uri asked as he added more Scotch to both his and Banyan’s tumblers.
“Nope. Instead, he convinced me to stay at his home for a couple weeks so he could train me to use it properly. Then he gave me a going-away gift of a handsome sheath and a large sum of money to add to what I’d taken from Father. Oh, he was leery at first, but during those two weeks, we had some really nice conversations where I complained about being stifled at home and wanting to find my mate. I think he understood my need to stretch my metaphoric wings. He did offer to travel with me, but I declined. It was something I needed to do on my own. Prove to myself I was more than a pretty face.”
“Did you? Prove it?” Banyan asked.
“I like to think so. Don’t get me wrong; I had no trouble using my looks over the years to open doors, but it was those times I was dressed down when I felt most alive. Like when I convinced Annie Oakley to teach me to shoot a rifle. Here was this little slip of a woman who could best any man out there with a gun, and I was completely in awe of her. We became fast friends, and I even accompanied her back to the States when the Wild West show ran its course in Europe. That’s how I ended up in America.”
“How long did your friendship last?” Banyan asked.
“In my heart, until the day she died. But I couldn’t explain why I wasn’t aging, so when she and Frank, her husband, moved to Maryland, I used that as my excuse to travel somewhere else. I liked the idea of living near a big city, so I moved from New Jersey to New York. I stayed there throughout the nineteen twenties. I fell in with some girls who defied the norm and enjoyed the flapper lifestyle for almost a decade. Having my own money meant I didn’t have to find a job, but I did anyway. I rented a large house under the name Bryan Holgersen. It was easy to explain that I was his secretary, and he was a recluse who sent me to handle the paperwork. Since I paid up front in cash, the owners didn’t bat an eye. I worked nights as a cocktail waitress in one of the speakeasies. Those young women I befriended became my roommates, and we lived a life most women only dreamed about. Well, those who weren’t telling us we were going to Hell for our sinful ways.” Brynna laughed.
“You mentioned the morning of the coronation the dress was an original from that era, but I didn’t realize you’d actually worn it then.” Banyan smiled fondly.
“It is left over from one of the best times in my life.”
“How did it end up here?”
“I came home for a brief period. As much as I loved traveling, I missed Norway. It didn’t take long to realize home wasn’t any different than when I’d left. Our parents were pissed, and Father did his best to put his foot down.” Brynna shrugged. “So, I left again. Only this time, I didn’t return until your coronation.” Brynna chugged the last of her drink, then pushed back from the table. “I believe that’s enough of Brynna’s adventures for one night. I’ll see you both in the morning.” She rounded the table and kissed them both on the temple before heading to her bedroom. Travis’s door was closed, so Brynna paused to listen. His even breathing let her know he was asleep, so instead of knocking and bothering him, she retreated to her own suite.
The flapper dress Banyan asked about