but love?

no, elise never saw that coming, had never dared to even think about it. from the day she was chosen as a foster child, all she concerned herself with was ways to prove her worth to her foster family. she never imagined any of them would genuinely want her.

she had dared to hope for friendship with gerhart, and eventually with steffen once she started to work with him more as she took over the treasury department, but romance was never a deep desire of elise's. she wanted to be happy, yes, so she would be careful in selecting her marriage partner, but she never thought anyone-mertein included-would love her with passion.

"you didn't know," brida said.

elise shook her head.

brida scratched the back of her neck and sighed. "you understand that he-they, really, i suppose-is devoted to you? ignoring prince rune's and prince falk's feelings doesn't mean they're going to go away. nor is it fair to the princes to reject them by not even acknowledging them."

elise looked pained and gestured at brida. what was she to do?

brida snorted. "as if i would know," she said, picking up her sword again. she glanced at the swan and returned her attention to elise. "but why not give them a chance? let them both court you."

elise stared at brida with wide eyes and clutched the shirt to her chest regardless of the burning nettles.

"it's not like they're going to eat you," brida said.

elise nodded vigorously.

"you have got some disastrous notions of love, princess," brida said before slashing the air with her sword.

elise shrugged and slowly went back to knitting.

"one thing is for sure: you underestimate prince falk's feelings for you," brida grunted.

elise looked up at her with disbelieving eyes.

"i'm not saying this just because i admire prince rune," brida said, rolling her eyes. "i mean it. prince rune is your most obvious supporter, but prince falk...he has your back."

elise tilted her head.

"well, who do you think is sitting with you right now?" brida asked, pointing to elise's swan companion with her sword.

elise looked at the swan, and the swan looked back at elise.

"it's not prince rune. he can barely control his swan self. who else do you think would follow you around like that?" brida asked.

elise was genuinely starting to wish brida wasn't so free with her words as she looked away from the swan. she didn't want to know which arcainian prince it was that sat with her for most of the day.

"i know we aren't friends, and we haven't been on the best of terms-which i regret," brida said. "what i mean is this: could you be satisfied with a mertein when a man like prince falk or prince rune would give anything to have you?"

elise scowled. even if he had jilted her, mertein was still a nice boy.

brida waved her hand through the air. "yes, your past sweetheart was the nicest sort of man. he didn't have a temper-which is an admirable trait-and he cared for his family. but could you see him loving you so much he would follow you around all day as a big white bird? would someone like mertein be upset and disappointed with themselves 'cause they can't rescue you?"

elise looked away from brida's prying eyes.

"consider it, furstin," brida said, walking off.

elise watched the captain go with wide eyes, wondering what had gotten in to her... although she did have a point. elise looked at her swan companion, who was preening his feathers. which prince was it that stayed with her all day long?

chapter 9

it was unfortunate, but prince toril was back the day after elise's one-sided conversation with brida.

"please don't blow your whistle," he said, this time happening upon elise as she knitted a few feet from the pond shore.

about half of the swans abandoned their usual pursuits and floated near elise, watching prince toril with coal-colored eyes.

"erm, yes. i remember i made an acquaintance with your swans last time, in addition to your bear-like maid," prince toril said, jumping backwards when one of the swans hissed at him.

elise stood and planted her hands on her hips so she could properly stare the prince down.

"i brought food this time," prince toril said, holding a cloth bag. he reached inside to pluck out a loaf of bread.

elise pinched the whistle between her lips but didn't blow-brida would be back shortly. she was exercising her horse at the moment. the bread was very tempting, since her arrival at the pond, elise had lived on nothing but fish, berries, and whatever vegetation falk found.

prince toril broke off an end. "don't you want some?" he coaxed, offering the piece to her.

prince toril did not strike elise as being smart enough to poison and/or drug food, so she cautiously took the bread, inspecting it for any odd smells or colors worked into the dough.