Sly

The courtyard was aglow with lights. Bonfires were lit for when the sun finished dipping below the city walls, and lanterns were strung through the trees. Fireflies danced among the flowerbeds and a small fountain had candles floating in it. The smell of the feast made my mouth water as staff prepared trays of food and candles for the tables, which had been set up in rows. The area for the high table was divided from the rest of the diners by ornate torches and the table itself had a lavish gold table runner draped over it that pooled on the floor at each side.

Already nobles filled the tables in fine silks and jewelry glinted from every angle. More than one lord or lady hung a Muse from their arm, their deep red dresses and rose shaped bliss marks a beacon filling up seats near them. A display of their wealth and luxury. All I saw in the courtyard was a bunch of Coins, drinking and not watching their purses. I almost spit my disgust out on the flagstone before thinking better of it.

I lost track of the nobleman I had followed after spotting Moon and Star. Stretching their arms and flicking fans open and closed. After that the rest of the Muses were easy to locate nearby in a screened off area by the garden wall. A bit of privacy for the Muses not on display. Taking my place at the wall in case I was needed, I settled my eyes over the crowd for any hint of interesting information to bring back.

"Sly, there you are. Did you get lost?" Fae, a full head shorter than me, fidgeted with a lock of my hair like a doting aunt.

"A little, maybe. I'm sorry I didn't come carry your things."

"Don't fret about it." Panther purred from the table set up for the Muses.   "Little was carried tonight, and I understand if you got lost. It is tomorrow and the third night that we will need your help most."

A heat rushed to my face that had nothing to do with a Midlands summer. It felt as though I had let Panther down. I opened my mouth to apologize again when a horn called through the courtyard.

    "All rise for the Queen Everith, Princess Nadia, Princess Olianne and Princess Rosalie!" A trumpeter played as the herald finished the announcement, quieting the crowd. The Queen led the royals elegantly to the head table, all the while smiling to the people who looked on. I was surprised to see how thin the Queen was, and the smile she shone so brightly to the guests did not reach her eyes. Panther clicked her tongue even as she bowed low to her Queen.

"I had heard the rumors but..." Fae sighed, concern written on her face.

"Hush." Panther said quietly.

Princess Nadia followed, holding her child Princess Rosalie who turned two just last month. At the end Princess Olianne seemed to be trying very hard to blend into the background, the very picture of thirteen year old awkwardness, and I couldn't help but smile at how human that made her, royal or not. As the royals seated themselves the chatter picked back up.

"Aren't we missing a royal?" Fae asked to no one in particular.

"Prince Rorik is known for his dislike of formal events. I'm sure he will make an appearance to appease his mother but likely he will slip in unannounced." Panther answered.

"Is the queen ill?" I murmured.

"In a way. Her heart breaks with the long absence of her king. This war has taken a toll on us all, my dear." Panther glanced up at Everith, who stared into her wineglass.

Interesting. I watched the queen for a long time with mixed feelings. I had no love for the royals who let their city divide so heavily between the poor and the wealthy. I even tried to muster some of the usual contempt any of us from Swamp should have for them. But all I saw tonight was a broken woman, simply putting on appearances for her people, if not herself.

A few more nobles were announced and seated but my eyes didn't linger long on any of them. But when a tall, ruddy man in a shining breastplate approached the dais my eyes fixed on him. He leaned in low, whispering to the queen and handing her a letter.

"What do you suppose that is about?" Orchid had come to stand by me in the private screened in alcove.

I shrugged and watched on. Princess Nadia handed little Rosalie to Olianne, who bounced the girl on her knee. The Lolathian Princess then leaned in to read with Everith, and her hand flew to her heart. The queen smiled, it was small but this time it was earnest. She murmured a few words to the armored man and he bowed low before taking his leave. The queen nodded to the princess, and Nadia stood. The courtyard quieted, curiously watching their royals. A steward trumpeted  a happy note and Nadia had everyone's ears.

"Friends. Lord Claw blesses us this day, and may he for many more days, with bounty of his domain." Several of the men threw in a 'hear hear' and light applause spattered the garden. The Princess gracefully inclined her head towards one of the men who had cheered. "We also wish to thank our hunters, for without you this feast would not be before us."

"However," The princess's words hushed the air once again, her smile dazzling. "That is not our only cause to celebrate on this night. My lord husband, our beloved Crown Prince sends word from the warfront. The Empire of Nummelin has pulled back from Linmead's borders, we made the conquest of our northern allies too costly for them and the war is over!" Shocked silence followed her words. As the news sank in, the air began to explode with applause. It was put so bluntly, the news every citizen of Unays had been waiting to hear for years now. Nadia sat and took Rosalie back to her bosom, and I could have sworn I saw tears glisten in Everith's eyes.

Orchid was outright crying, streaming down her perfect cheeks as River tried desperately to blot them before her face paints ran. My heart was a mix of happiness for the father Orchid expected to return home, and the father I knew wouldn't be coming back to me. Many other women in the garden had the same problem as Orchid and a couple of the men. Servants rushed to calm their masters and when the courtyard was finally quieted again the queen turned her eyes towards their screened alcove and nodded. It was time.

Dancers and Jugglers wove between the lower tables providing show for the dinner guests who couldn't see to the cleared area in the front. Anyone who was within range though had their eyes fixed on Moon and Star as they emerged from behind the screen. They started off with a complicated looking dance involving decorative fans. Much of their dance was designed for them to mirror each other, which they did perfectly anyway. As different as they could be from each other sometimes, they practiced their mirrored movements constantly and seemed to enjoy the effect it had on the audience.

As the entertainers began the show, lines of pages streamed between the tables, laying down trays laden with a feast I may never see again. Fat, dripping meat, vegetables still sizzling from their skewers, pies that stayed firm in your hand but flaked in your mouth. The feast perfumed the air so heavily that I wondered if I would ever be able to wash it from my hair. The excess only served to ruin my apatite and pile a little more disgust for how badly the situation in the city had gotten.

The Muses were served just as lavishly, it took their page six trips to deliver all the dishes laid before them. Panther insisted I sit at the table and eat, but I didn't manage to get much down though, so mostly I watched Orchid devour her venison pie in a most un-muselike manner. That I could at least enjoy, because I knew too well how many nights Orchid went without anything at all.

Moon left Star to perform a gentle dance with scarves that entranced the children with absolute delight in her eyes. She dipped low to the ground, catching the silver gossamer before twirling and releasing it high into the air again. When she was nearly done, Moon joined her sister once more. She released Star to finally come eat her meal. It was quite a show of skill on the part of the muses, and I was warm from the spiced wine, and fearing a little bit drunk. Not good, I wanted to stay sharp to watch for anything suspicious.

"Excuse me." I stood and slipped from behind the screen. Orchid shot me a curious look, but she was due to play her harp next and couldn't leave.

"Do not stray far, little bird. There are many dogs that would chase you here tonight." Panther cooed, sending a shiver across my skin. It sobered me up a little and I straightened my back.

"I just need some air. I'll keep my wits about me," I promised, and stood near the back of the yard where I could hear the other servants gossip.

Orchid relieved Moon, playing her lap harp and singing a woeful dirge. It was one I knew made Orchid cry since we were little girls, and when a single tear fell from Orchid's eye during the sorrowful ending it set off the queen weeping. Orchid settled into her harp's calming chords as Fae recited the first third of the Ballad of the Hunt, the rest would come over the next two nights.

The servants had nothing to say beyond the war. I let them chatter on for a while watching the sparks of fire float into the air and fade away, reflecting on my mishap in the library. I was mistaken for a lady in waiting, just as Panther said I would be. I would have to thank the muses for my disguise, even if I did dislike the cumbersome skirts. When it was clear I wouldn't hear anything useful from the servants, I quietly slipped behind the muses' screen once more. If the cool air rolling off the lake hadn't sobered me up, what I saw next did.

The evening had wound down, and the entertainment finished save for the calm strumming of a dulcimer. All that was left for the guests was to chatter at the tables of empty trays, ignoring those who let the wine get the better of them and passed out where they sat. Panther was invited to sit between the queen and Princess Nadia sometime during the evening and was deep in conversation. Fae pointed her out when I returned inquiring about the head muse, which is when I noticed a new face. Staring openly at the head table, Fae followed my gaze. It was a young man with reddish brown hair and easy gray eyes. He sat by the queen.

"Ah, I see you spotted our missing royal. I wonder when he sneaked in?" Fae murmured. "Sly, you seem pale."

Prince Rorik. I had knocked down a prince in the library. Was that a punishable offense? Surely it was. I touched the finally healed cut on my jaw. If a lordling could have me punched and thrown into a gutter, surely a prince could have me hanged.

"Shadow laughs tonight, the prince knows my face," I said miserably. Orchid's eyebrows shot up as she looked over at me. River and Fae kept their composure better, but still could not hide the curiosity in their eyes as I told them the whole story.

"Well at least he's looking for a 'lady'. He certainly won't find you once you go back to swamp district," Orchid said. 

"Maybe I shouldn't be here the other two days?" I asked.

"That won't help, you made a deal with Panther so you can't leave now." Moon and Star had joined in the fun and each took an ear to whisper in.

"Are you abandoning your own brother's request?"

"Stop it you two." Fae scolded. "Sly, if you bumped into him by accident I'm sure he isn't looking to punish anyone for it. I have heard Prince Rorik is very reasonable, did he seem angry?"

He didn't. I shook my head to answer Fae but I was really replaying the scene in my head. It was hard to think of anyone with rank being understanding but my experiences with the nobility all involved the cruel ones. I didn't really consider the muses to be in that category. They did technically have a bit of rank being dedicated to Bliss but even they were just a fancier form of service for the wealthy. I heaved a sigh as Panther came back and was filled in by Fae and Orchid.

Little else could distract me from my thoughts that evening, and when Orchid tapped my shoulder to say they were going back to their room, I just nodded and followed. After helping clean and put away fans and instruments I rolled sleepily into bed, barely remembering to change out of my borrowed dress and slippers. The muses were too tired for much chatter and soon everyone was asleep. Even I couldn't fight it with all my worries, and the down mattress lulled me to a fitful sleep.