Vera’s body could knock a prince on his ass and give birth to new life. No man on all of Aleron could claim the same. That was something to be proud of.
Men thought themselves so important, they put themselves on a pedestal, but it was the strength of the women who birthed, raised, and cared for them that kept their precious pedestal from crumbling.
Stretching out, she groaned when her stomach growled loudly. She hadn’t had supper yet, but she was too cranky and exhausted to get up. Elric was grown and capable. If he were in a hurry to eat, he could make his own supper. She’d just close her eyes for a few minutes and apologize later.
∞∞∞
Vera jerked up, still half asleep as she gripped the sides of her bed for support. She reached up to rub the sleep from her eyes when a knock against her door startled her. Realizing that was likely what woke her in the first place, she flung her feet off the bed. By the lack of light outside, she’d been out for a couple of hours. She smirked, Elric was probably starving.
Standing, she stretched her limbs before changing into a clean tunic and trudging into the main room. He hadn’t knocked again, likely having heard her finally up and around. Sure enough, he was sitting at their small table, looking at her expectantly. Two mugs sat out, one still full and foaming.
Sitting in the empty chair across from him, she pulled her legs to her chest before grabbing the full drink and taking a deep pull. “Thank gods for whoever created ale,” she said before resting her chin on her knees.
This was one of the things she loved most about her relationship with Elric. No matter how cross they got at each other, they were always able to come to the table and talk over drinks. When Vera was little, it had been over spiced tea instead of ale. She liked tea, but she loved ale.
He grunted, and she thought she caught a flicker of a smile before he covered it with his mug.
“You can go.”
Freezing like an animal that’d just sighted a hunter, she felt her mouth pop open. She’d been mulling over her words trying to decide whether or not she would apologize, and now she was too terrified to think, let alone speak, in case he changed his mind.
Seeing her expression, Elric tipped his head back and released a hearty laugh. It wasn’t often she was speechless, and the ass was enjoying every second of it. He took another large sip before setting his mug down and leaning over the table, his grin falling from his face.
“I am willing to try to bring you along, but if I feel uneasy about it for any reason, you will leave without argument.”
Vera nodded, trying to rein in the squeal that fought to squeeze past her lips. She’d agree to tape her mouth shut and follow every rule he made if it convinced him to bring her along, although she certainly wasn’t going to tell him that.
She wondered how he’d react if she jumped across the table and hugged him. Probably not her best idea. She’d likely give him a heart attack.
“This is not a guarantee, girl. Prince Eithan will presumably deny my request. Ward or not, it would be unconventional for a woman to accompany the prince out of the city, especially since he’s leaving to inspect armed forces. You need to be prepared for him to say no.”
He reclined and drained the rest of his ale. “But I will try because you’re right, I don’t like the thought of leaving you here. I trust these men to protect their emperor. I do not; however, trust them around you.”
She dropped her legs back to the floor and pushed her mug away. Tapping her fingers against the table, she wondered if seeing her as Vera would make the prince suspicious of the Varian he’d met. She cautiously voiced her worry to Elric, scared he’d change his mind, but he just shook his head and asked if she planned on making supper.
Her stomach rumbled in response, and she jumped out of her chair. Patting him on the shoulder as she passed, she practically skipped toward their minimal kitchen. She wasn’t the best cook by any means, but over the years, she’d grown to enjoy it. Throwing a few random things together to make a quick meal, she thought back over her question.
She hadn’t needed to ask. No Matherin woman would risk being caught wearing a guard’s mask, let alone know how to wield a blade. On Aleron, it wasn’t just unbelievable, it was laughable. Prince Eithan would never question it because to do so would be admitting a woman had bested him in the heart of a city that claimed it impossible.
She doubted he’d so much as spare her a second glance, which was probably why Elric had agreed to let her go. She felt flutters in her middle as everything started to settle in. She might actually visit Midpath! Her face broke into a fierce smile.
What had seemed like the worst day was turning into one of the best. She’d gotten to spar an actual opponent, and now she might get to leave the capital.
Her excited thoughts were interrupted when Elric came up next to her and leaned against the counter. She glanced over, and the look on his face had her swallowing nervously. He looked like a feline cornering a rodent.
“You know Vera, traveling with the Crown Prince means you’ll have to dress appropriately.” His eyes practically lit up. “You’re gonna have to wear a dress.”
For the love of all the gods.
Chapter 5
VERA
She fidgeted and yanked at her dress for the hundredth time that morning. How did anyone wear these? Since she’d had to lace it alone, combined with her inexperience, she probably looked as ridiculous as she felt. The bodice was significantly tighter than the tunics she was used to, and she hated how vulnerable she felt. It demanded she keep a stiffer posture than usual which was sure to be extremely comfortable while riding a horse.
Elric had demanded years ago that she keep a dress on hand just in case, but she’d never actually worn it before. It was a dull, faded brown and snug since she’d obviously grown over the past few years. But although tight, the bodice reached her collar and covered the important parts. Even so, she was more than a little thankful for her travel cloak.
The skirt; however, was going to be a problem. It was too long, and the hem kept threatening to trip her anytime she wasn’t actively holding it up. It probably didn’t help that she’d chosen to wear a pair of roughened boots that kept catching the fabric as she paced back and forth.
She was almost tempted to change her mind and go back to the training yard. But if she stayed, she’d be stuck inside the armory from dawn to dusk, avoiding the guards who would still be using the area for practice. She’d already been miserable the past several days waiting for Elric to announce their departure. Staying was not an option.