Virtus looked happy at dinner. Happier than he had ever since we arrived back in Medolina. Colour had returned to his cheeks, there was a twinkle in his eyes as I sat next to him.

  “Good evening, my love,” he murmured.

  “Good evening,” I said as I gently put my hand on his.

  Pretending to forgive him was easy. Too easy. I longed to be with him again so badly that I inadvertently started going through the motions of getting back to him without even thinking about it.

  Plinius was not there yet.

  “Where is your brother? Out with his friends?”

  I really hoped he was.

  “He is with our father. He is very attentive to him in his illness.”

  I wondered if Plinius was trying to affect the outcome of the will. Virtus seemed to trust him though. He believed the best of his brother.

  Plinius came in as the dishes were being served. First he seemed serious and contemptive, but as Virtus turned to the side for a moment he gave me a sinister smirk. I tried to retain my composure.

  “Good evening, brother, sister.”

  “Good evening, Plinius. How is our father?”

  “Getting sicker by the moment. You haven’t been to see him all day?”

  Plinius poured himself a generous cup of wine, then he poured for Virtus and myself as well.

  “Only this morning,” Virtus said. “Since then I have been taking care of business. Both mine and his.”

  “Of course,” Plinius chuckled. “Don’t run yourself ragged brother, you know this will be your daily bread one day when you are king.”

  “Yes of course, I should learn to delegate.”

  “You know our father only really takes care of the matters that interest him in any given day. He’s not nearly so neurotic about these things as you are.”

  “You’re right,” Virtus chuckled and sipped his wine. “I overexert myself. Although I would say that our father would do better to be more meticulous in his work. There must be a happy medium somewhere.”

  “I think the happiest way to go about it is to do as you please.”

  Plinius emptied his chalice and they both ughed. Plinius poured a full gss for himself, half a gss for his brother, and when he got to my gss the wine spilled over and spttered the table.

  “Whoa,” Plinius pulled the carafe back. “You’re not drinking tonight sister?”

  “No,” I frowned. “I’m not in the mood for it tonight.”

  Plinius raised his eyebrows.

  “Not in the mood? As far as I remember you’ve had wine every evening since you got here. Are you feeling… nauseous?”

  I didn’t know where he was going with this.

  “No, I’m fine. I don’t think I’m getting sick. Thank you.”

  “I don’t think you’re ill sister. You know women who are with child often develop an aversion to alcohol.”

  Virtus’s eyes widened.

  “Are you?” he asked with a soft voice.

  I had bled since we came back from our honeymoon, and since then I had only been with Virtus that one time earlier that day, and ter I pnned to drink the liquid.

  I shook my head.

  “No.”

  Plinius ughed.

  “Oh, what a pity. Soon enough I’m sure.”

  He grabbed his chalice and looked me in the eye.

  “Now you think your first child will be dark-haired or blond?”

  “Well since we’re both dark haired and no-one in our family is blond. I must say that the child will have dark hair as well,” Virtus said jovially.

  Plinius gave me a piercing look.

  “Yes, it would be quite surprising if the child was blond, wouldn’t it?”

  “Yes,” I fixed my gaze on him. “I’m sure that if I ever have a child it will be dark-haired.”

  Plinius smiled coldly.

  “If? A crown princess must do better than if. I’m sure my brother will give you a child and a boy at that. Otherwise there will be much disappointment in this castle dear sister.”

  “Plinius that’s enough now.” Virtus’s voice was stern.

  Then he turned to me and said softly:

  “Don’t worry about it, my love. I’ll never be disappointed in you.”

  “Anyway, back to the topic,” Plinius said to Virtus. “Will you be seeing father tonight? I can also stay with him if you prefer.”

  “I’ll go see him,” he turned to me. “But I’ll be quick, if you would like to sleep in my bedroom again tonight.”

  “I could also come with you!” I said it a little bit too loudly.

  “Sure,” Virtus was surprised. “If you don’t mind.”

  ***

  The air was heavy in the king’s room. It was lit up with candles and it felt as if the windows had not been opened all day. The dark figure of the king y obscured in his gigantic bed, covered in lush fabrics.

  “Good evening father,” Virtus said.

  I simply bowed.

  Around him stood priests and priestesses of the Mother of Medicine. I thought about the story Adora had told me. If she was right they had no chance to cure the king.

  “Virtus,” the king wheezed. “Come closer, boy.”

  Virtus moved closer to the king. I went with him. Virtus was right next to the bed and I stood behind him. How would I be able to snag a hair? I couldn’t get that close to the king. I fiddled with my diamond rings as Virtus sat down next to his father. If only I could get that close.

  They spoke for a while about Virtus’s meetings with the advisors that day. About the king’s illness. The king looked grey, and he coughed an awful lot. If he had been any other man I would have felt sorry for him.

  I stood still while Virtus talked. I had somehow hoped that I would get close to the king, pretending to stroke his cheek or something. I now saw how silly that was. The king was well enough to speak, to scold. I had never touched him before, it would definitely be strange if I did it now. I turned my ring between my fingers. A dumb idea crossed my mind, but it was the only idea I had, and I wasn’t sure when I would visit the king’s chamber again.

  I pulled the ring off and made it tumble between my fingers, rolling it in my hands. As naturally as I could I made it drop, right onto the king’s head. It bounced around and fell on the pillow next to his hair. He grimaced.

  “Oh gods! I’m sorry, oh I’m so sorry.”

  I lunged forward, grabbing the ring and pulling out a couple of the king’s hairs as well.

  “Oh no!” I shouted, realizing how painfully awkward it made me seem. “Oh, it got caught in your hair!”

  “Ow! Send this idiot out!” the king shouted.

  His shouts turned into a violent coughing fit. He hacked up balls of slime onto his chest. I bowed to the king, holding the ring and the hairs between my fingers and walked out as fast as I could.

  “Darling,” Virtus ran out after me.

  Damn it he was too nice.

  “It’s fine,” I told him once we were outside the room.

  “It’s not fine, he shouldn’t call you an idiot.”

  “He’s done a lot worse than that.”

  An awkward pause followed.

  “I know,” the prince sighed.

  “I’ll go to my room to get undressed, then I can come to yours when I’m done.”

  His face lit up.

  “That sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to see you.”

  He walked back into the room with his father. I wondered if he would scold him or apologize for my behaviour when I wasn’t there.

  I walked back to my room in a hurry. Alvar was supposed to guard it for the night, and he was already waiting outside.

  “Come inside, quickly.” I told him.

  He came into my room.

  “Here, I have the hair,” I told him and handed him the ring with the hairs.

  “Great.”

  He put the hairs in a little bag he had hanging on his belt. Then he held up the ring in front of his eyes. It was a pretty standard gold ring with an emerald cut blue diamond.

  “What’s wrong with the ring?” I asked.

  “This must be the most expensive thing I’ve ever held in my life,” he muttered.

  Suddenly I felt guilty and I didn’t know why.

  “You can keep it,” I told him.

  “I couldn’t possibly,” he looked surprised.

  “Take it,” I told him. “Anyway we’ll take a lot of stuff when we go to the Midway Isles.”

  Alvar smiled warmly.

  “I can’t wait,” he told me as he pocketed the ring.

  “Did you get the potion from Adora today?” I asked him. “The one that prevents pregnancy.”

  “Yes,” he grinned. “Why, do you want to use it? I thought you were too worried about getting caught.”

  “Oh, I uh,” I looked away. “I am afraid of getting caught I already need it because I was with Virtus.”

  The silence was deafening. Alvar’s face turned stony.

  “I just hate to think of it,” he gritted his teeth.

  “Think of…”

  “Him touching you.”

  “You know I have to…” I whispered.

  “I know, but please let’s not speak of it.”

  I nodded.

  “Anyway when we escape you’ll never have to do that again.”

  Never be with Virtus again. Was that what I really wanted?