Chapter 4
Let the selection begin!
I sat in the room until tonight. And, I confess, in a couple of hours I wanted to howl with boredom. And my neighbor worked quietly. I was rewriting something, counting something, sending magpies. I wouldn't be surprised if Lord Ayordan was doing his district business personally. He looked too focused. You wouldn't write a letter to a lady like that. I wanted to have a conversation with him, but I was afraid to distract him. Alas, the Lord did not seem to be a friendly or pleasant interlocutor. At times like this, Ari was missing a lot. How was she there? My father would suspect that she had helped me anyway. But Ari would never give me away! At least, I wanted to believe it.
Should I mention that I spent the night without sleep? I wandered around the room listening to someone else's breath. And Reniard slept the way a man with a clear conscience slept - peacefully and firmly. And how jealous I was of him!
Therefore, when the first rays of the sun scattered the night darkness, I was ready to rush to the palace, to participate in trials and to prove my independence, just not to study every crack on the wall and every spot on the window glass.
For myself, I decided that I would go to the palace with Reniard. The guards will have fewer questions when they see not one but two lords. Finally, Reniard woke up. He threw an indifferent look at me, pulled out a duffel bag and began to pick up a dress worthy of a visit to the palace. Finally, he stopped at a light emerald shirt, a silver embroidered vest of the color of young foliage. He touched the fabric and the smallest folds disappeared. I shouldn't have been a friend of domestic magic for nothing!
I put on a turquoise shirt with a sapphire pin and a dark-blue vest in the dark, almost without embroidery, but with interesting shades of fabric - with different lighting colors changed. Pants instead of dresses still seemed unusual, but comfortable, so I put up with them faster than with boots.
Meanwhile, Reniard took off his shirt and started changing. I felt my cheeks burst into flames, and I turned my back. What's he embarrassed about? There was a man in front of him. But I barely managed to cope with the embarrassment. Get used to it, Eliza! You're a guy now! The guy is the end of the story. The fragile princess disappeared, died last night, only Elias Cavernel remained.
While I was trying to convince myself not to be nervous, Reniard had time to get dressed and was on his way to the door. I barely had time to pick up my modest belongings and ran after him. I stayed a few steps away, so I wouldn't drive away, but I wasn't going to fall behind. Reniard leaned against me and kept silent. Yes, not the best companion I got, but a better one than none. I noticed that when Reniard changed his clothes, he didn't even need to be called a title. If you look at it, you will understand that if not the Supreme, you will see that the Lord is definitely in front of you. There was some hidden greatness in it. So I also spread my shoulders, proudly lifted my chin and went, imagining that the whole royal palace was looking at me. Nothing, my upbringing was as good as some, if not better. Just a little bit lacking in sleep. But this is a matter of profit.
When the familiar turrets of the palace appeared in front of us, reddish in sunlight, it became somehow uncomfortable. And if they find out? You can't be ashamed of yourself. And my father will put him in prison somewhere under lock and key. Earlier you should have doubted! And now - only forward. If you give up before the slightest difficulty, you shouldn't have run away, but you should have submitted to fate, married and entrusted your husband with making decisions.
Such a life did not suit me. So I followed Reniard to the gate. The guards bowed their heads - they were allowed to keep the ceremonial bows at their posts.
- Lord Reniard Ayordan," said Reniard first.
- Lord Elias Cavernel," I echoed him.
- Welcome to Aldon's capital, Alingrad," said the guard chief. - Lieutenant Illyrad Kerwing, His Majesty's Guard of His Serene Highness Erlizar of Aldon.
The gate leaves creaked, letting us enter the courtyard, where the guardsmen were already waiting for us. The trumpets began to ring, greeting the High Lords, and we walked to the doors of the palace. Our hearts were beating like crazy. Even in our eyes, it became darker, especially when Lord Donovald Iranian, the master of the palace, came out to meet us.
- Serene Lords," he bowed, "I was honored to welcome you before the selection began. Allow me to introduce myself, Lord Donovald Iranian, the Master of His Majesty, His Serene Highness Erlizar of Aldon, may his days last. The selection will begin at noon exactly. Before that, you will be taken to your quarters where you can have breakfast and rest. Please.
I was hoping very much that I would be settled next to Reniard. We knew each other, though slightly, and I didn't know what to expect from the other grooms. We were taken to the guest wing of the palace, which was only opened during the big royal celebrations. And, gladly, our rooms were opposite each other.
- My lord, I ask you," said the lady who was seeing me off, whose face seemed vaguely familiar, but there were so many servants in the palace that I could not remember her name.