Alone since dawn broke, Oris was left to twiddle her thumbs in the carriage—there was nothing much to do to pass the time. She had no doubt her plan would work but as more seconds ticked away, her uneasiness grew. Maybe going against her future mother-in-law wasn't the best thing to do but if she didn't strike while the iron was hot, she would probably miss the entire selection.

She didn't have a candle or sundial or pocket watch to estimate time with but she figured that the officials would soon be trooping towards the palace. That meant that soon Faeradaigh would be back to try to convince her to move the convoy elsewhere

Her maids had snuck out while the eunuch slept heavily in his own carriage to paste her letters somewhere public. It hadn't been too long ago but she expected them back anytime soon, either with a crowd of people or alone.

Soon the sound of horseshoes on the paved stone road reached her ears. Oris reached for her veil. She always wore it when anyone but her maids were with her. It was best if no one was sure what she looked like until after the selection. It was safer that way.

She shifted towards the curtain and peeked out of the carriage. A throng of horse-drawn carriages were slowly making there was towards the palace walls.

Well, here are the officials. Oris took in a deep breath and steeled herself. Just pretend that you haven't been on the road for days. You are back on your throne. You are Queen. You can do this.

She dropped the curtain and settled back down. There was no point looking as though she was seeking attention, that would only give the opposite result.

Again, there was a knock on the carriage door. "My Lady?"

"Faeradaigh, pleasant morning is it not? I just finished watching the sun rise."

"Yes, yes, My Lady," he answered automatically, not caring to continue the conversation. "Perhaps we should move out of the way, into somewhere with more shade. . ."

"And make The Emperor think we are insincere?" Oris let her voice rise. "I think not. We shall stay here as long as needed."

"But, My Lady—" he was cut off by a new voice, one from one of the approaching carriages.

"Ah, Faeradaigh, pleasant morning to you," it said. "Fancy seeing you outside the palace by this time. Does The Emperor have a message to be passed along or the like?"

"No, no," Faeradaigh said, his voice uncharacteristically deep. "The Emperor is in the palace now waiting for the morning court."

"Then why are you lingering here?" the voice asked. "Should you not be attending by his side?"

"I have a task to accomplish," Faeradaigh answered. "I cannot enter the palace without completing it."

"And do tell, does this carriage have to do with your uncompleted task?"

"Well—"

"Well? Faeradaigh, you know better than to hold your words with me. I could be of some assistance."

The eunuch's voice dropped a beat lower as he carefully explained the situation, taking care not to sound like he was accusing a certain royal.

"So this is the missing last bride?"

Oris took that as her cue and pulled the curtain back slightly. Finally she could put a face to the voice.

The man was slender like a willow and fair like a young maiden but the way his eyes flashed with intelligence scared her. As harmless as he looked, Oris felt like she was staring at a viper.

He was young and charming, she realized, when he flashed her a smile. He had long golden hair, charming golden eyes, a ridiculously sharp jaw and a silver, star-shaped piercing in his right ear. He was the type of man who girls just of age pinned for and the kind married women left their husbands to have trysts with.

He rode on his own horse, beside a carriage. Oris would have assumed he was an escort if not for the fact that his bearing stated otherwise. He was powerful, too powerful to be subservient to anyone but Hermes.

"I was never missing," she said softly, compelled to speak by a force she could not yet pinpoint but it emanated off the man in waves, "Sir. It simply took too long for me to be found."

"Rightly put, My Lady," he grinned easily, but his eyes widened slightly with surprise, "rightly put."

Oris let the curtain drop and sunk deep into her seat. Something about the man made it seem like she was just a few words away from spilling all her secrets. She didn't like that feeling at all. She didn't like the fact that she could feel his eyes boring deep into her soul.

"My Lady, may I be privileged to know your name?"

Knowing he could not examine her through the curtain, Oris grew bold. "You cannot have a privilege that the Emperor has not yet enjoyed."

"My Lady, this man is—" Faeradaigh started, real fear in his voice, fear that hadn't been there even when Oris had been accusing the Empress Dowager.

His fear contrasted the humor in the man's voice as he laughed boisterously and said, "Till we meet again."

Oris looked out the carriage in time to see Faeradaigh's paling face and the alluring stranger abandoning the carriage he rode with to gallop towards the palace gates.

"Faeradaigh," she asked, drawing the eunuch out of his thoughts, "who was that man?"

"That was Magnus Kane," he started. The name sounded familiar but she couldn't place where she had heard it before. "The Emperor's Advisor."

Oris gasped. She didn't mean to but she did. Magnus Kane was one of the geniuses of the era, well-known long before he joined Hermes's camp and the crusade to unify the world. His tactics were the chief reason Hermes had defeated the armies of the Seven States in so little time.

And she had given him backtalk.

Forget the Empress Dowager, if Magnus became her enemy, there was no chance for her in the Royal Palace.

"He is quite. . .eccentric." she said calmly, as though her heart wasn't thumping hard beneath her ribcage.

"Yes."

"Can he really help us?"

"Well. . . Well," the eunuch sighed in defeat then shook his head. "He is loyal to the Emperor alone."

"And you?"

"I was ordered to escort you to the palace."

"And once we manage to enter the palace?"

"I. . ." Faeradaigh swallowed. "I am afraid that you are on your own, My Lady."

"I see."

"I will try to assist—"

"Milord, I would never force anyone to risk their life for me. If you offer your assistance, I shall gladly accept it." Oris said and tied the curtain back to leave it open.

"Of course, My Lady." Faeradaigh bowed lightly then straightened, a surprising smooth movement for someone who would struggle to wear his boots.

"I am afraid I need your assistance now, milord."

"What shall I do for you, My Lady?"

Still looking at the approaching carriages, Oris reached blindly to where Keziah had sat and grabbed the piece of paper she had scribbled on hours ago.

"I need the servants to buy me a few things."

"What sort of things?"

She handed him the paper. "Just these."

"Are you planning on planning a feast?" he laughed.

Oris smiled. You don't know how right you are. "Can you do it?"

"Of course, My Lady. I'll get the servants on it."

Servants I have never seen before. Oris let her smile grow wider, resisting the urge to turn and examine the rest of her elusive envoy. "Thank you, Faeradaigh. You do not know how much I appreciate it."

"As I said before, it is my duty to serve you," he said proudly before turning away and barking orders in another direction.

Now, all I need to do is smile and be a polite bride, Oris lifted her gaze to the carriage that had parked opposite hers.

"Pleasant morning, My Lady,"

"Pleasant morning, milord." she said, getting used to the way the words rolled her tongue. She would need to say it many times before the sun fully took its place in the sky.

~