"Am I really going to be traveling with Mother?" Fiona asked, eyes wide, as a tired Vai fastened her belt and smoothed her dress.

"You’ll be hidden in the supply wagon but, yes, the queen will be leading the caravan."

Fiona nodded seriously. "And I mustn't let anyone see me. I’ll be like a spy!"

Vai redid her boot lace and gave her a golden smile. "Something like that."

Arvid, who waited by the door, gave the signal and Fiona stepped into the large barrel they'd prepared. It was a snug fit and as Vai helped her in, she squeezed his hand. Her expression was now fearful.

The slave gave her hand a returning squeeze. "Be brave now, princess." He detangled his fingers from hers and Arvid put on the lid.

Two highly vetted soldiers lifted the barrel and made their way down the prepared route to load the precious cargo onto the supply wagon. Vai followed doing his best to look industrious as he ticked items off a faux list.

He oversaw some more items being loaded and the nobles emerged to see off the queen, who after a brief speech on victory against the Soli, mounted her horse and led the caravan out. Vai rode beside the wagon and did his best not to look miserable. He looked up and saw a smiling Eirik and Fiona waving from a balcony. Corvin, eyes rimmed with dark circles stood nearby. The illusion was flawless, but quickly disappeared as Erik led the "princess" back indoors.

The letter the king had given him was in Vai's shirt. It had been a hefty thing and Vai had no doubt Lyra wanted to read it first. She probably only let him write it so she could get insight into their relationship. Eirik was the most volatile and dangerous pawn in her games and Vai was usually her countermeasure.

Serving Eirik had been hard, the man was very emotional and always expected more from Vai than he was able to give. He would not miss that dynamic. Again a cloud of melancholy came over him as he considered his role now.

As children went, Vai had very little experience outside of his current charge. Despite that, he could say with fair confidence that Fiona was bright and mature for her age. Whether that was nature or nurture was beyond his skills to tell. Serving as her nurse was...boring, but not unpleasant. However, if he was expected to serve Fenrin—Vai shuddered.

He'd offered once, when Lyra had first brought him to Hjor. Fenrin had turned him down, clearly of different tastes than Eirik. There was that to be thankful for.

Vai frowned, he shouldn't have opinions like this, he really was getting old. Maybe that's why Lyra was sending him away.

The queen led her troops out and they met up with the much larger group outside the city. The army marched behind their queen and Vai disappeared into the supply wagon under the guise of fetching his mistress a drink. Quickly, he helped the princess out of her hiding spot. She sniffled, her eyes red and cheeks smeared with tears but she'd been quiet and no one had given the wagon a second glance.

"Well done, princess. Now settle over in the back. Here are some books to keep you busy. Remember you mustn't make much noise."

Fiona nodded and took the offered books. Munching on some roasted nuts Vai had stashed away, she dutifully began reading. Vai fetched a wineskin and returned to the queen's side. He was well known to most and his absence for long could lead to suspicions.

At lunch, he was able to slip back and when Fiona saw him coming, she squeezed past a crate and shoved her notebook into his hand.

"I finished!" she proclaimed proudly.

Sure enough, each plant in the beginning botanist guide she'd been studying had dutifully copied and summarized. Vai flipped through the annotated sketches, impressed.

"Good work, Your Highness."

Lyra scooched a bit closer. "Will you show it to Mother? I know she likes herbs and flowers."

Vai rolled up the sketches. Lyra's botanical interests tended to be in a more...dangerous direction, but perhaps the sketches would improve her mood. At the least it would give Fiona something to look forward to.

"I will," he answered with a nod.

When Lyra flipped through the sketches, she did seem satisfied. "Perhaps she's not as dimwitted as her father after all," the queen said, "I think I'll give her some more to study tonight."

Vai was surprised, it was almost unprecedented that the queen would seek out her own daughter. "Do you want me to bring her?" he asked.

"No, you stay here, I'll go to her myself."

Vai almost missed it when the queen did slip out and Fiona nearly screamed when her mother's hand clasped over her mouth. "Hush now, it's only me."

Fiona clamped her mouth shut at her mother's voice, eye's wide. Lyra removed her hand and Fiona turned beaming. "Did you see my drawings?"

Lyra stretched her legs across the entirety of the wagon, her head having to duck to avoid the canvas cover. "I did, they were well done."

It didn't seem like Fiona's blue eyes could go any wider. but they did and she scooched closer to her mother. "I told Vai you'd like them. You like plants too, don't you?"

Lyra gave a wry smile but it faded back to a frown. As usual, being around Fiona brought up...unpleasant memories. A cave turned study, books and sketches of plants and poisons hung along the walls, a woman sitting expectedly in her blue cloak...

"Mother?"

Lyra scowled and Fiona flinched back. "Plants can be very dangerous," she said sharply, before snatching up the primer and flipping through it. "This one for instance. Its leaves can stop bleeding, but its roots are deadly if eaten."

Fiona nodded solemnly and her mother shoved the book back. "Well go on, write that down."

The princess scrambled for a pencil and then obediently copied down the notes her mother made as she flipped through the book. Lyra talked with a commanding tone and Fiona listened, desperate to write it all.

“Not a terrible evening”, Lyra thought, all things considered.