Once they left the fortress, however, Sage rarely saw Alex. Had it not been for his injuries and Charlie, she suspected he would’ve been sent after the count or the Kimisar soldiers now raiding Tasmet, so she forced herself to remain satisfied with occasional glimpses of him as they traveled. At one point, she started to worry Alex might forget her, but the next night she found a note tucked into her trunk. The contents made it clear he hadn’t forgotten any promises whispered in stolen moments.
Their arrival in Tennegol created quite a commotion, as news had traveled well ahead of them. The escort received a hero’s welcome as they paraded through the city and up to the palace gates, though none of them were in the mood for celebration. Alex and his father stayed only one night, spent mostly in conference with the king and his council, and early the next morning they left for Cambria to take Charlie home. Alex did find time to write Sage another letter and departed with her reply tucked in his jacket.
*
Sage and Darnessa had only one week left before the solstice, when the Concordium weddings traditionally took place, so they got straight to work. Though the dominant concern was keeping the country stable, especially now, heavy weight was given to what was best for each individual girl. Every morning and afternoon, all three apprentices present were kept busy recording diagrams of compatibility and the political advantages of each possible pair.
Despite the reduced time, the process went smoothly. As the ladies’ guardians had relinquished their consent to the matchmakers, most outsiders assumed the brides had to accept whomever was chosen for them. In truth, the women were allowed to turn down their match, ironically giving them more power than they would have had outside the Concordium, but such refusals were rare.
Sage listened in amazement as the matchmakers predicted (with accuracy, she had no doubt) which noble families would be granted the forfeited properties and titles in Tasmet and matched women to them accordingly. The women in that room played the nation’s strings of power like a quartet of musicians, creating a balance of power that had served Demora well for over two hundred years.
In the evenings over tea, the regional matchmakers traded information for the future in a more casual setting. The most talked about men were the now famous escort officers, and the women pushed Darnessa to approach Captain Quinn for his thoughts on committing to a long engagement. She deferred their requests as Sage flushed over her ledger, saying with the recent death of his brother, it would be inappropriate to address just now.
Despite the reduced time, the deals went smoothly, due in part to the lack of representation from Tasmet, and several additional pairings were lined up for the near future. Even Gabriella Quinn was matched in her absence, as she’d returned home with her father and brother, though her wedding was postponed until at least winter.
Three days before the grand ball and ceremony, Sage received a visit from Prince Robert, who asked if Darnessa could spare her for an hour or two. Feeling flustered, she took his arm and let him lead her around the palace. She suspected he took her through the garden past nearly all the brides lounging about, just to make them stare. They chatted casually, and Sage found him a merry fellow with a streak of recklessness. He looked distractingly like Alex, except in the eyes.
After a few minutes he shared some news. Lieutenant Gramwell had heard from his mother that morning, and she’d agreed to accept Lady Clare into her house. “Mistress Rodelle will be working out the details.” He smiled. “I think Luke is telling Clare now, but then he’ll have to break the news he’s leaving in four days.”
“Have you heard from Alex?” she asked.
“He’ll be back soon,” Robert replied, looking slightly guilty. “But in the meantime, there’s someone who wants to meet you.” They’d stopped in an unfamiliar section of the palace. He knocked and then opened the door to a small library. A balding, fortyish man with Robert’s cheerful hazel eyes stood from his seat by the fire. “Father,” said Robert, “may I present Mistress Sage Fowler of Garland Hill?”
The king smiled, and she curtsied and kissed the offered hand, blushing scarlet.
“Mistress Sage,” he said kindly, gesturing for her to sit across from him. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Sage took the indicated seat and shot a dirty look at the prince as he plopped down in a third chair. He winked back, seeming to enjoy her discomfort. Alex should have warned her about the prince’s love of surprising people. Maybe he had, but she’d forgotten in favor of remembering more pleasant moments.
The king, fortunately, was determined to put her at ease. “Both my sons and my nephew told me about your role in thwarting the D’Amirans’ plot. They spoke very highly of you.”
Sage’s annoyance with Robert kept her embarrassment at bay. “I’m not sure how well His Highness got to know me. I never really spoke to him until today.”
King Raymond chuckled. “Well, most of my direct information came from Captain Quinn, though some also from Ash.”
Sage nodded, flushing at both the thought of Alex and of how she thought she’d been in love with Ash. She hoped the king didn’t know anything about that. “Your Majesty, I was only acting as any true Demoran would in defense of her country.”
“You may believe that,” the king said. “It may even be true. But the fact is, I owe you a debt that can never be repaid.”
“Nor would I expect such a reward,” Sage said quickly.
King Raymond smiled. “Perhaps not. Yet I believe there is something you wish that coincides with a need of mine.”
Sage had no idea what that could be. “I will serve Your Majesty in any way I can.”
“I’ve heard you speak Kimisar,” he said.
She answered him in that language. “I am better in reading than in conversation, but yes, Your Majesty.”
He nodded. “Reyan?”
Clare was much better, but Sage had been practicing with her since she’d found out. “Moderately well, My King,” she replied in Reyan.
“As your father was a fowler, I imagine you know a great deal about natural sciences.”
Sage looked back in puzzlement. “I’m not sure what you mean by natural sciences, sire.”
“You know and understand animals and their behavior, how plants grow and which are useful, weather patterns and land erosion, that sort of thing.”
“Oh, yes!” Sage replied, then blushed at her eagerness. “I just never thought of it as science.”
“Just about everything is science, once you break it down to its process.” He paused. “Geography?”
“My experience is limited, but I have studied many maps.” Sage’s suspicion as to what this was about began to grow. Alex—acting as Ash—had offered to introduce her to the king and find her a job teaching in the capital. But why the king should take the time to question her before recommending her for a position was unnerving.
“And how is your history?” he asked.
Sage glanced at Robert, who wore a secret-keeping smile. “History is like a story, Your Majesty. Easy to learn if it is made interesting.”