"You must do this, or your parents will die."

The dark-clad figure loomed over the girl. It spoke with the deep voice of a man, but for all she could tell it could very well be a creature from a nightmare. A horrible stench of blood assaulted her nose the moment she stepped outside from the kitchens, and neither the moon nor the lantern by the door did anything to illuminate the figure's shadowed face.

And he spoke with such an air of doom that she could barely breathe, even if the smell of him hadn't been gagging her.

"Do you understand?" it demanded.

She nodded frantically. It made a strange, impatient sound and she hastened to assure the creature with her voice. "Y-Yes," she stuttered. "I understand."

The figure almost seemed to laugh. "Good," it declared, then stepped away and vanished into the night.

The lantern beside the door sputtered out. She grabbed frantically for the handle and practically fell back inside the castle at Ryal. Her hands trembled as she threw the lock and hurried back to the kitchen. The thought of cooking made her stomach churn, but she needed the company of her fellow servants.

Not that she could tell them anything. She had been doomed to choose treason or murder.

Wildas dreaded speaking to his father. Grand King Deandre would no longer be able to pressure him to find spouses now that he had finally made his own choices, but Deandre would be happier for himself than for his son. It needed to be done, though, he knew.

So he left Coulta's chamber shortly before dawn, stopping at his own room to bathe and put on clean clothes. Rohan joined him in the passageway to the Grand King's office and remained silent for once. The door stood open, welcoming the advisers who would attend the daily meeting. Since Ashnil's failed assassination attempt, the meetings had been taking place over breakfast in the office, instead of later in the morning. Inside they found Grand King Deandre, Queen Yvona, Prince-General Pavle of the Navy, and Prince-General Ruairi of the Army already there.

Wildas nodded to his uncles and his mother, then approached his father's desk. He bowed his head and said quietly, "I'd like to speak to you privately."

Deandre rose from his desk. "With me, then."

Wildas followed him into the adjoining bedchamber, which was significantly larger than his own. The rising sun did nothing to add warmth to the cavernous room with its dead hearth fire. Deandre closed the door and motioned for Wildas to speak.

"I've made my choice."

Deandre actually looked mildly surprised. "That was faster than I expected."

Wildas met his gaze levelly. "You don't want to know who they are?"

Deandre smiled. "I think I know. The three who saved your life, of course. Who else would you choose in such a short time?"

That was certainly a good question. "You approve, then?"

Deandre reached out and clasped his son's shoulder, a completely uncharacteristic move. "Yes. Come, let's announce it."

The room was filled with the usual members of Deandre's court when they returned to the office, including Second King Shelton, who gave Wildas a knowing look and patted Yvona's knee when she gave them all a curious glance. Servants were just entering with trays of breakfast for everyone, and Wildas remained standing with his father until everyone had been served and the servants had left. Wildas looked longingly at the tray that had been left at his seat, despite the fact that his stomach was tight with anxiety. Why was he so nervous?

"Wildas wishes to make an announcement," Deandre declared as soon as the last servant had gone.

"About time," Prince-General Pavle said with a smile.

Wildas cleared his throat and nodded. "I have chosen my spouses. Anil and Myri of Windwick Village near Arren, and Coulta of Arren."

Prince-General Ruairi gave Deandre a sharp look. "You are accepting of this?"

"Of course," Deandre replied in his most commanding voice.

Ruairi wasn't intimidated. "But why are they not here?"

"Coulta is still recovering from the injury he sustained while defending me," Wildas answered. "The ladies will dine with us tonight."

Deandre forestalled any other comments by declaring, "I believe it's time for breakfast now, and to discuss the true issues at hand."

It was odd for Myri to see Wildas with Rohan instead of Coulta when he came to the healing room that afternoon. This time, when Sara told her he was there to see her, there was an actual reason for her knowing smile; several people who introduced themselves as royal family members of one type or another had come to see her over the last few hours. Apparently Wildas had made his formal announcement and the news was spreading.

Myri didn't know how she was supposed to greet Wildas now, though. "Am I still expected to curtsy?" she asked when she stood before him.

He shook his head. "No, don't worry," he assured her.

"Even if you were supposed to," Rohan commented with a smirk, "he doesn't deserve it."

Myri gave the brothers a curious look. "Why not?"

"He keeps telling me to shut up," Rohan replied, still smirking.

Wildas, who looked mildly annoyed, grumbled, "Gods help me, Rohan, I am going to kill you before Coulta recovers if you keep acting like an arse."

Myri found herself smiling. "Did you need me for something?" she asked Wildas.

"I just wanted to let you know that you and Anil will be joining my family and me for dinner," he answered, his annoyance fading. "I was not informed that I was supposed to bring you with me to meet the court when I made the announcement this morning. Am I right to assume that Coulta would still be too unwell for a formal meal?"

She nodded. "Until he's healed completely, I would say that it would be wise to let him rest." She gave him a stern look as she added quietly, "And if you insist on staying with him at night, be gentle with him. If he has a setback it will be on you."

Wildas was actually blushing, much to her surprise. "Of course," he said awkwardly.

Rohan snorted. "See, that's what you get for marrying a healer," he told his brother.

"I'm sure my sisters will help you prepare for dinner," Wildas said to Myri, still blushing.

Myri nodded. "I'll make sure someone looks in on Coulta, as well."

"Thank you," Wildas said with a nod. "I will see you then."

Myri nodded again. "Of course."

Moments after the princes had left, while Myri was just making her way back to the herb room, she heard Wildas's voice from down the hall exclaim, "Rohan shut up!" and found herself covering a laugh.

***

Anil had never worn anything as fancy as the dress Wildas's sister, Dala, helped her put on that evening. It was deep green and billowed around her legs, and was complete with long, flowing sleeves. Gems lined the collar, which dipped slightly lower than she was used to, though not uncomfortably so. She even had new shoes that matched the dress and fit perfectly.

She got a greater surprise when Dala showed her a dressing table arranged with bottles and brushes. The bottles turned out to be filled with perfumes and color for her face.

"You don't have to wear anything you don't wish to," Dala assured her. "Especially now when we don't have much time left to prepare. Let's find a perfume that you like though."

Anil nodded and smelled each of the bottles she was offered until she found one that she liked best. They all smelled like different flowers, and the one she chose was the least intense of the scents. She was too afraid of smelling like horses to refuse it, anyway, despite the fact that she had bathed and changed since returning from the stables.

Then Dala picked up the ornate wooden box behind the bottles and opened the lid to show Anil what was inside. She was stunned by the number of glittering pieces of jewelry she saw as the box folded out to reveal several half-open drawers. Gems and gold glittered as she stared in wonder. Here before her were gems that would have cost her more than she would ever have been able to afford.

"Choose whatever you'd like," Dala told her. "You can keep it after, as well. I have so much that I barely wear most of it."

"It's too much," was all Anil could finally get herself to say.

Dala smiled. "You're marrying the Crown Prince. Of course it's not too much. I'll help you choose something that will match the gown."

Anil nodded and allowed Dala to select her jewelry for her – a gold and emerald choker, three golden bangles, and a simple golden ring.

"You don't have your ears pierced?" Dala asked, moving Anil's hair aside to look at her ears.

"No, but I would like to," Anil answered. "Not many people in my village had it done, but now that I see that almost everyone here does, I'd like it. Earrings are pretty."

Dala smiled. "I'm sure we can get it done before the wedding. Now, let me do your hair."

By the time Anil left for the dining hall she felt like she already looked the part of a queen. She had never imagined herself dressed so well before the moment she looked at herself in the large mirror in Dala's room after her hair was done.

She met up with Myri in the hallway, and was glad to see that she wasn't the only one who was fancied up. Myri's dress was as billowy as Anil's, but it was deep red in color, and she had on as much glittering jewelry as Anil did.

"Wildas is supposed to meet us here," another girl, who Anil assumed was a princess, commented from beside Myri. Dala introduced her as Marla.

Both Marla and Dala were also dressed well, but not as extravagantly as Anil and Myri. It was clear who would be the focus of the evening because of Wildas's announcement.

Wildas appeared almost as soon as his sister finished speaking, though, with Rohan following him like Coulta often did. While Rohan was dressed in his Guard uniform, Wildas was dressed slightly better than what he had worn on a daily basis since they had arrived in Ryal. He wore dark blue silk with sapphire earrings and the same ring he always wore on his right forefinger. He had shaved and his brown hair was loose, making Anil realize once more that he truly was handsome.

Wildas smiled at them and took both Anil's and Myri's hands. "Are you happy with the gowns?"

Anil smiled and nodded, suddenly feeling shy before him in her fancy dress.

"Yes," Myri told him. "Thank you."

He nodded and leaned forward to kiss each of their cheeks. "Let's go introduce you to the court. Though I'm sure you've met just about everyone already."

They walked with him to the dining hall, where they found the room filled already with other nobles. Anil recognized many of the people she saw, though she didn't remember their names. The room fell quiet as they made their way to the raised table at the head of the room. Wildas stopped behind a chair near the Second King, with one empty chair on either side of him.

Anil wasn't sure if she was supposed to sit yet, so she waited, as Myri did on Wildas's other side, next to the Second King.

"I would like to introduce my future wives," Wildas said loudly. He motioned to Anil, then Myri. "Lady Anil of Windwick, and Lady Myri, also of Windwick."

A fairly pleasant murmur filled the room. It didn't seem that many people objected to his choice.

"You can both sit now," he murmured to them, and waited for them to be seated before he sat between them. "I'm sure several people will come to speak to us, but please eat."

Anil was happy to do just that, despite being slightly afraid of soiling her new dress. The food that the servants brought was just as delicious as what she was used to having at private meals, but it was better when she realized she could take more than one serving if she wanted to. Hopefully Wildas didn't think her unladylike. And hopefully she could remember all the names of the people she was introduced to over the course of the meal. She didn't want to look foolish to the court, either.