Chapter 54

v

My solitude was short lived. With Alexander now being back amongst his council, my ladies soon got word that we had unbarricaded ourselves from our rooms, and before I knew it, our living area was once again a hive of women all eager to gossip.

An outsider looking in would have had no idea that there was an army sitting on the borders of our lands. If the talk of battle had affected them at all they did a good job of hiding it. The talk of the castle was mostly, well, me. How I was finally mated and that a coronation would soon follow. As much as I tried to deny the rumour, it would seem that I would not be listened too.

Two faces that I did find noticeably absent were those of Lucille and Estelle, neither of which had yet to grace us with their presence. On Estelle’s part it came as no great pity. But Lucille, I missed my friend dearly, and I itched to be able to reach out and talk to her. To apologise to her.  But despite how many times I knocked on