22 Sights Unexpected (2/2)

Leal was still sitting his horse with his back straight. Not a single strand of his hair was out of place, and the light sheen of sweat over his chiseled features was somehow looking… decorative.

Leal's serious expression did not change when he drily replied, ”My arse would beg to differ.”

They were now mere moments away from their final stop. With practiced subtlety, every Lysean present braced themselves.

Inside the carriage, the Viscount silently shared his countrymen's tense feelings. But Leal had hit the nail on the head earlier: he truly did feel protective towards this young princess he'd formally met mere hours ago. This was why he noted that she too was not feeling particularly enthusiastic about their arrival.

Reading the question in the Viscount's eyes, Hilde smiled at him without much humor.

”I'm afraid I do not much relish being the center of attention,” she said candidly. She too had been feeling steadily more comfortable in the elder man's company. She had no qualms about being straightforward with him. ”And this particular crowd we're about to meet… well.”

Though Hilde left the thought unfinished, Viscount Renard understood her meaning perfectly.

”Courtiers everywhere are the same, it seems,” he observed, wearing that gnome-like smile of his. ”When their company is unpleasant yet unavoidable, I always wish I could become part of the wall – then I could skirt it and perhaps sneak my way out unnoticed.”

Hilde laughed. ”I was under the impression you were a courtier too.”

”And so I am,” the Viscount replied lightly. The carriage drew to a stop. ”Now you can freely sneak out of my company, Princess.”

”Something I must do with great regret, Lord Viscount,” answered Hilde in all sincerity. The door opened. Leal stood on the other side, ready to escort her down. She ignored him to tell the old man, ”I hope we could find the chance to eat a meal together again.”

The Viscount beamed in obvious pleasure. ”I shall keep my appetite leashed so it may keep up with yours when the time comes. Thank you for your wonderful company, Princess Hilde.”

”And yours. My lord.”

Hilde smiled one last time before fixing on a solemn expression. Without so much as giving him an acknowledging look, she then took Leal's offered hand and climbed down the carriage. The Viscount followed, then each of their attendants. He stood to Hilde's vacant right side.

Once again, it was Arnica's Royal Steward who came forward first to meet the new arrivals. The surprise on his face at seeing Hilde right in the middle of an unwelcome group of people mirrored the one worn by many others up the steps, who'd also noted her presence. It took the Steward a full two seconds to master his emotions and speak.

”Princess Hilde,” he said, bowing slowly and deeply to her for the first time that she could remember. Sounding relieved, he continued, ”You have arrived safely.” At her brief nod that masked her mixed emotions, he next turned to the men with her, bowing once for all four before turning to the Viscount, the obvious senior of the party. ”Lords of Lys,” he intoned formally. ”The Queen of Arnica waits to bid you welcome.”

At this unexpected news, Hilde's fingers lying lightly on Leal's arm twitched a millimeter.

That was enough for him to notice. He could not afford to turn to her outright and betray his curiosity, so he once again employed that trick of spying out of the corner of his vision. He managed to make out how she raised her head in increments, projecting unconcern. Head still lifted thus but not quite raising her eyes, she took the first step forward, cuing the others to also advance.

Using that other trick up his sleeve of not moving his lips much while speaking, Leal murmured so only Hilde could hear, ”If even you are afraid of your Queen, should we be terrified?”

His voice raised her ire in record speed, making her forget some of her apprehensions.

”It depends,” Hilde answered him just as quietly. ”Are you as idiotic as you behave?”

To herself, she added, 'And therefore as idiotic as I was a few days ago?'

She wasn't about to admit she was terrified of being scolded. Not to this brat.

They were now a few steps short of clearing the entrance steps. Hilde was running out of excuses not to lift her eyes and meet those of the woman standing at the very center of the crowd waiting for them, a crowd that had never for one moment stopped whispering amongst themselves.

Just as Hilde had steeled herself to finally look up, movement from the back of the crowd caught her attention instead. Then the front parted to let two people through. The older man stopped beside a young woman who bore a strong resemblance to him – Hilde recognized him as Lord General Alfwin.

The younger man with him…

She lost her footing on the very last step. She couldn't help it. She suddenly lost all her strength. She would have fallen forward amidst the gasps and a few errant chuckles from the people watching – her grip on Leal's arm having also slackened – but the man had caught her by the waist and kept her upright.

Being the closest, he and he alone heard it when Hilde, voice full of sorrow, wonder, and pain-filled hope, whispered a name.

”Lothar?”