in the names and faces of all members of royal houses.” Tydella smiled and then made a slight curtsy as the queen entered the room with Rasish at her side.
The queen’s secretary was behind her with an armload of documents. Desks had been set up, and the test was swiftly organized.
For Tydella, it was pure fun. She knew all the answers and had no trouble with the essay questions. When she completed the test, she put her imperial icon at the top of every page, and then, she handed the stack over to the queen, who handed it to her secretary for marking.
The queen spoke softly to her. “The final test will be after dinner tonight. You look exhausted. Will you be all right?”
Tydella smiled. “I will be fine. I am simply short on sleep. I keep finding something in my bed that shouldn’t be there.”
The queen blinked. “You found that?”
“It was hard to miss.”
The queen nodded and smiled brightly. “Very good. I will see you at dinner this evening.”
Tydella nodded and went to her room with her guards to try and find out what was actually in her bed.
Half an hour later, she sat there staring at the small golden pea. “Huh. That woman has issues.”
Tomath restored the bedding to rights, and he said, “Did you feel it?”
“No. I sleep on the other side of the bed.”
She looked wistfully at the bed, but it was time to get ready for the dinner. It was time for her most elegant and feminine clothing. If there was going to be dancing, imperial formal would be a little too stiff. She needed to dress floaty.
Chapter Ten
The dinner was pleasant, and all the local nobility had arrived for the ball. She was announced when entering the ballroom, and she entered easily, walking to her parents. Her father’s formal jacket looked like it was having problems containing his shoulders. Her mother looked like the definition of elegant, but Tydella knew that her mother had at least six blades on her. Tydella was wearing four.
Her father asked, “How are you doing today?”
“Great. If I don’t get some rest soon, someone is going to die.” She smiled brightly.
Her mother scowled. “How long has it been since you properly slept?”
“Um, Zathura Station.”
“Aw, honey. Well, one more night and you are free. Then, we can work on planning your future, with or without him.”
The music started, and the king and queen passed them. Her father sighed and offered his consort his hand. They turned from their daughter and headed for the dance floor. As the ranking persons who were guests, they had to take a turn with the king and queen.
Tydella smiled, and she felt a presence behind her. She turned her head and nodded politely toward him. “Your Highness looks charming this evening.”
He smiled. “You look edible and remarkably soft.”
She fell back on her formal education and gave him an acknowledging nod.
Their respective sets of parents were moving gracefully around the dancefloor before four young men broke from the crowd, and each of them headed for a princess. She looked at Ador. “I believe another test has arrived.”
A young Rasha Kiidar bowed and looked at Ador. “Please excuse me, Your Highness.”
He stiffened his shoulders and inclined his head. “Pardon the lack of introduction, Your Highness, but I have been assigned as your dancing partner for the first two dances.”
Ador growled. “This is Malin, my youngest brother. The other young men are my cousins.”
Tydella smiled. “I will be pleased to dance with you, Prince Malin.”
He smiled, extended his hand, and led her to the dancefloor where they formed up and moved easily with the music.
Malin asked, “So, you and my older brother, huh?”
“Apparently. It was not my plan, either.”
“Are you really an imperial princess?”
“I am the imperial princess. There is no other in this generation.”
He blinked and smiled. They moved easily between the other dancers. Malin may be younger than Ador, but he was smooth on his feet.
“If you married him, what would be your plans?”
She shrugged. “My plans don’t fall into this. The child I carry is the imperial heir, no matter the gender. So, after the child is born, any place that we travel would have to be secured. I suppose it depends on Ador. If he would become imperial consort, he would have to renounce his inheritance here. We haven’t had a chance to actually discuss anything.”
His brother was so stunned that only her light grip on him kept them from a collision. “Wait, he