“As for the country at large”—I glanced at my notes, though I hated to do it—“some of the disquiet we’ve been experiencing has diminished over the last few weeks.” In one way that was absolutely true, but as far as disquiet related to me, my nose ought to be growing as I spoke. “Taking into account how much work my father has put into the cause of peace abroad, the thought that we could finally be achieving a greater peace at home brings me extraordinary joy.”
I hit on everything I was supposed to—the budget proposal, the upcoming start to the drilling project, and the change in the advisory board, which made a few people in the room squirm—and when it was all done, I searched the crowd for a few important faces. Lady Brice gave me a big nod, as did General Leger. I saw Grandma fidgeting, impatient with the lengthy announcements, and likely only holding on so she could hear the boys speak. And, just off the stage, Erik smiled at me, pleased.
“Your Highness.” Gavril bowed as he spoke. “May I say, considering the circumstances under which you’ve been thrust into this role, you are doing a fantastic job.”
“Thank you, sir.” I didn’t know how genuine that statement was, but maybe him saying it would make other people think it.
“One has to wonder, if you’ve been working at such a pace, have you made any time for this lot over here?” he asked, nodding his head toward the Elite.
“A little.”
“Really? Anything you can share with us?” He wiggled his eyebrows, and I was reminded again of the ways in which his on-camera personality differed from his off-camera one. Entertainment was his job, and he was great at it.
“Yes, but for fun—I won’t be using names.”
“Not using names?”
“For instance, one member of the Elite has left us today,” I said, though I knew this was a throwaway that’d be unraveled in seconds. “I would like to say of our departed suitor that he left in good spirits and as a friend.”
“Ah, I see,” Gavril said. “I like this! Give us some more.”
“Well, today one of my suitors gave me a gift made from a very precious metal.”
“Oh, my!” Gavril surveyed my hands, looking, as everyone would, for rings.
I held them up for the world to see. “No, not gold. It was steel. He gave me a sewing pin. But I promise, it was very special.”
Chuckles arose from our audience and from the Elite, and I hoped that this was as charming on camera as it was in my head.
“Please tell me you have at least one more,” Gavril pleaded.
“One more,” I allowed. “Earlier this week, one of the Elite told me he definitely wasn’t in love with me, and I told him I felt the same way.”
Gavril was wide-eyed. “Is this the same young man who happened to leave us?”
“No. And that’s the crazy part. We’re not in love and yet we have no desire to be separated, so there you go.” I gave a playful shrug, and smiled as I listened to the sighs and laughter around the room.
“While I’m sure a fair share of our country will be up late tonight trying to guess who you’re talking about, it would be nice to have something a bit more solid.”
“You might have to talk to the boys about that.”
“Then I think we shall do just that. May I go and quiz these handsome young men?”
“By all means,” I replied with a smile, happy to back out of the spotlight for one beautiful moment.
“All right, let’s start down here. Sir Fox, how are you?”
“Very good, sir. Thank you.” He sat up a little straighter and smiled brightly.
“The people understand that the princess has been under a lot of stress and her days are packed full, so the one-on-one time has been limited,” Gavril said graciously.
“Yeah, it was impressive to see how hard she was working before, so seeing her take on even more these last few days … it’s inspiring.”
I tipped my head, feeling a little warm inside. Inspiring? That was such a kind thought.
Gavril nodded in agreement. “Considering all that, could you tell us something from your time with the princess that has stood out against all the rest?”
Instantly, a smile came to Fox’s face. “I suppose the most significant moment of our relationship would be after the fight, when Burke went home. She came and spoke to me and was so honest about what she hoped for. She listened to me, too. I think that’s a side of her that few people have the privilege of seeing. It’s not as if she can go door-to-door giving everyone an hour of her time … but when she’s with you, she’s all there. She’s really hearing you.”
I remembered that night with Fox warmly, but I didn’t realize how much it had meant to him. He’d treasured that moment.
Kile raised his hand. “I’d have to agree with that. Everyone knows that Ead—uh, the princess and I really only began our friendship recently. And in that time, I’ve felt a lot of my worries and aspirations have been heard.”
“Like what?” Gavril prodded.
He shrugged. “I mean, it’s nothing exciting, but I do have a passion for architecture, and the princess actually sat down and looked at my sketches.” He raised a finger as if he suddenly remembered something. “Granted, we’d had some wine, and I’m sure she was very bored, but still.”