Heart Over Sword-Chapter 235: Lost in thought
Chapter 235: Lost in thought
The following day, it was hard for Osian to keep a straight face around Selvin and Loraven. They were discussing something he was not paying attention to with King Nuvian. They sat around the same table, in their usual spots breaking their fast.
Osian couldn’t help but focus on his brother and the princess more, noting any shared looks. There was definitely a bit more of a glow on their faces. This trip to Lyvaria had him acting more cautiously, watching others more, especially after discovering his brother and the icy elven princess were sleeping together.
It was so bizarre. Even now, it was hard to get his head around.
Was it just fucking? Osian sneaked another look at them and then moved his gaze to the king and queen. Was this some scheme? Would they use their daughter for such work?
After the week he’d had in getting to know them, Osian wouldn’t expect anything less. His gaze went back to Queen Iolena. It seemed her mind was also elsewhere. Her stony gaze was fixated on Loraven. ƒгeewebnovёl_com
"Osh." Selvin kicked his leg as he frowned at him. "At least pretend to pay attention."
Osian stared at his brother longer than needed, making Selvin arch an eyebrow. He shook his head. Now was not the time to ask, ’how could you sleep with her when you told me off for sleeping with Kav?’ in front of the princess’s father. A father that was cruel to his own kind, let alone two human princes.
Loraven was yet to be married. They didn’t know her age, and he heard elves could live long lives. Was chastity only a thing in the human kingdoms? Osian could not imagine remaining chaste for one hundred years.
"Osh?" Osian blinked at Selvin calling his name again.
He answered Selvin with a nod and looked back at his plate of food before taking in the rest of the hall. This world was so different to their own. It was possible they did things differently here. Plus, what princess walked in the middle of the night in that attire without rumours circulating about her.
There was bound to be someone, a servant or guard, to see her, to see them. Last night most definitely wasn’t the first time they’d slept together. Was someone stopping rumours from spreading about the two?
His eyes flicked between the king and queen again. Osian felt another kick to his leg, and he followed Selvin’s gaze to Loraven. She was watching him intently like she’d spoken to him.
"My apologies, princess. I have been out of sorts all morning," Osian replied politely. "Please forgive me."
She rolled her eyes, and said, "All is forgiven, prince. I do not expect anything less of a human.. I asked what your plans were after prince Selvin’s coronation. What is next for the young prince?"
Osian was surprised by her sudden interest, but then he hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation’s flow. He cleared his throat. "I will help Selvin then most likely rule over a dukedom."
Osian knew that wouldn’t be for a while yet. Their father believed he was too childish to rule over the land. Maybe he was right, but it still hurt his pride.
Since then, he had been working hard to prove the king wrong. That was until his father would walk in and hear the wrong sort of comment coming out of his mouth, and whatever improvement he’d worked on in gaining his father’s favour would go down the drain.
For now, he would help smooth things over with Selvin’s reign. Osian may be the younger prince, but he was also educated and trained to the degree that he could help with Selvin’s decisions. Though his elder brother was given more extensive training and education than him, it didn’t make Osian dumb.
"And what of marriage?" Loraven tilted her head to the side, a twinkle in her eyes. "Or like it does with women in the human kingdoms, only the eldest will marry first?"
Selvin cleared his throat, looking a little uncomfortable as he patted his mouth with a napkin. "Osian is still young. He does not need to settle down yet," Selvin explained and grabbed his glass of wine.
Loraven nodded, leaving the conversation at that. It was apparent to Osian, now that he knew of their little dalliances, that neither one of them wanted to discuss Selvin’s future marriage. Osian wanted to bring up Lady Eleanor’s name, but Selvin had already started steering the conversation away from the topic of marriage.
Once breakfast was finished, Osian parted with Selvin who had been taken away by the queen’s right-hand man. Edward or Edric? He seemed quite the intelligent fellow, with sharp blue eyes that, much like Selvin, seemed to read people well. But most likely to exploit them in some way.
Osian watched the pair walking down one of the enchanted halls as he waited for Loraven. He wished to speak with her. They were parting in two days, but a lot could happen in that time.
Osian wanted to see Loraven’s reaction to his knowledge about the royal affair and to see if he could find a hidden motive behind her actions. Selvin was a handsome man, he knew that, and many fawned over him for that, his charm and because he was to be the next king. But from the moment he’d met Loraven, he knew she was different.
This whole world was different. Even Osian knew the men in this place were far more handsome than them. Maybe even pretty in some cases. He honestly couldn’t understand the long lengths of their hair.
It was most certainly not because of Selvin’s looks that had the princess go to his bed. She was exquisite to look at and most certainly out of his brother’s league.
Loraven was almost running from the hall, her stride long and quick, as though she couldn’t wait to get away. She did not see Osian, or maybe she did not wish to stop to speak to anyone. Those who wanted to greet the princess saw her stormy expression and merely bowed instead.
This did not deter Osian from wanting to speak to Loraven. She was heading back towards her chambers. He followed her, noting her tense shoulders, back ramrod straight, hair falling behind her in waves from the half-up hairstyle with plaited sides. Her attire of that of a ranger once more.
He didn’t notice earlier because of his wayward thoughts.
Was Loraven displeased by something? Osian glanced around as he followed her, but all he saw were servants and courtiers passing by, the nobles almost sneering at him.
He’d grown used to that. He shouldn’t need to, he was of royal blood, but he was on ’good behaviour’, and nothing could mess this up for Selvin. They needed to leave Lyvaria with their heads intact.
Osian stopped at a good distance from the princess. She stopped before her bed chambers, and instead of going inside, she walked to the open arched window that showed the mountainous views the palace sat upon. Unlike their hunting trip, there were no snow flurries in the sky. It was quiet, almost peaceful.
The young prince watched her for a moment from behind one of the icy walls. Though where he chose to stand, nobody could see him. The corridor Loraven stood in was empty.
This astonished him. Loraven was a princess, and there were no guards? Sure, she could fight, but that didn’t mean assassins might not attempt to kill her.
Osian was about to approach her but stopped mid-stride and rushed back behind the wall like a fool after seeing the queen hurry towards her from another corridor, expression strained, eyes sharp and piercing through her daughter.
"Loraven, I was not finished," Queen Iolena said in a clipped voice. She stopped before Loraven, her hands clasped together. Loraven’s shoulders tensed even more, her expression growing colder as she looked upon her mother’s face.
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