Cinderella Spell - Laurie Lee Page 0,12

never seen a flower like it.”

“It comes from a rare garden, requested special for today.” She touched the soft tufts in the center, some of which had turned red. “It served its purpose.” She stepped to the side, waving at Robert. “Lift her from the melee.”

Robert did so, and Marissa giggled at his touch. He smiled. “What do you think of your fair, new home?”

“I did not expect so many people. Will we get to visit the town often?”

Mrs. Boyde took her hand. “I think not. You’ll be groomed into a proper lady. You won’t have time to roam the village or countryside.”

Marissa rolled her eyes, making Robert chuckle, before allowing Mrs. Boyde to lead her back into the palace. “I don’t want to be a lady.”

6

Six years didn’t change much. Marissa sighed as she replaced Diocese’ sermons beside a vase etched with icons. She glanced at library shelves looming overhead. Six years of opportunity gone. Mrs. Boyde would give her a royal scolding if she attempted to climb the shelves now. A door slammed, and she twirled around. Robert offered a dark glare, brows furrowed and fists clenched, before crossing to a high-back cushioned chair set in front of a large fireplace. Marissa waited for some explanation, but all she saw was a foot swing up and down in an agitated manner. She rolled her eyes and joined him, sitting in an adjacent chair. While she remained straight, with her slippered feet peaking from beneath her gray and blue day dress, Robert leaned against one arm of the chair, legs crossed at the knee as he continued to rock the right one with irritation. The years had filled him out, but he looked much the same as he had when they first met in the library. Marissa smiled at the memory.

His frown deepened. “What are you happy about?”

“Thinking of our first meeting. Wishing I had climbed the shelves before I became too proper a lady to make the attempt.”

“You? Proper?” He scoffed, and then sighed.

“What has disturbed your cheery outlook?” It was a fair question. She rarely noticed any sort of blot on his attitude whether they stormed horses along paths in the palace woods or argued over the value of farming rituals.

“Father has lost his mind.”

Marissa leaned forward. “What do you mean? What has happened?”

He waved his hand. “He isn’t ill, just unreasonable. He’s insisting on a ball.”

“A ball?” Marissa brightened. “What’s the problem with a ball? I love to dance.”

“I have to pick a wife.”

“What?” Had she misheard him?

“He says I am too old not to have marriage plans in the works. Either I choose a bride at the ball or he’ll choose one for me.”

Marissa opened her mouth, but her voice seemed taken away.

Robert rubbed his forehead. “I made friends at University but no one I want to spend the rest of my life with. How could any of them be queen?”

“You’ve misunderstood him. He would never…”

He shrugged. “I thought so too, but father explained himself. A bride by midnight.”

“Isn’t there anyone you might fancy? I could invite Lade Teresa. Or Sereh. You enjoyed her company when she was here.”

Robert wished a fire would fall over in the grate. Or a shelf breaking would pull him from the seat beside Marissa, because her name was the first one to come to mind with the question asked. Ridiculous. Mars was a dear friend; they could mean nothing else to each other … or so she had reminded him for years.

Why did father insist on this plan? Twenty-two wasn’t too old to be without a wife. But invitations had already been sent. He’d held a stack of replies, and a basket of kerchief’s causing an uncomfortable smell in the cubicle beside the king’s office.

And who was Sereh? He couldn’t remember. Mars befriended a few of the livelier courtesans.

“What prompted his decision?”

Robert shrugged. “Hadn’t heard anything, but invitations are out and responses are already coming in.” He turned to Marissa. “How could he have done this without consulting me first? Why now, of all times? I’ve been training with Standish for skirmishes in the marshes next month.”

“I haven’t heard about training.”

He grinned. “You think Lady DeGanne would let you run around in the mud? She gave me looks for months when we started fencing together.”

“I have as much right to know how to defend myself as anyone else in the realm.”

“Having the right and your mother accepting unladylike behavior are two different matters.” The weight on his chest seemed