“Anyways, I thought, how can I force the two of them to be in the same vicinity without putting Luci at the center, where she would run away at the first opportunity. Thus, I became engaged. I used every opportunity to talk about you and found all the reasons to bring you around, and, of course, Ira was more than eager. You know, I thought I was quite clever, and so I was, only one person ever figured it out.”
Still in a daze and unsure which way was up and which was down, Luci caught on a few seconds later.
“Lucien,” she said.
For the first time, Brielle showed some semblance of remorse as her cheeks blossomed a bright pink and she bit her inner lip. Wait- no, that wasn’t humility. That was-
“Oh, Glass pumpkins, you actually like him!” Luci said, mouth ajar.
Brielle covered her eyes and squealed.
“I know he used to be awful, but he’s very sweet now, and he helped me out with all my plotting and never gave it away. Plus, he’s- well, I think- I like him very much.”
Luci sniffed the air for cinnamon, knowing this alternate reality must have been Elowen’s doing, but none came. Instead, Brielle watched her through squinted eyes like watching an impending implosion. Funny, because Luci did feel something a bit like that. Part of her wanted to tell Brielle what Lucien said all those years ago and what he did to her, but then the other part of her realized how close she’d come to losing Brielle and wouldn’thold any happiness from her. Even if it meant protecting her from heartbreak.
“He was by your side more than anyone else. He read a lot to you. Even braved my wrath just to check in on you.” Luci said.
No matter what Luci thought of Lucien, she would always remember the way Brielle lit up hearing what he’d done for her while she’d been sick. It was like the sun rose right in the center of her eyes, and when she covered her face with the pillow and kicked her legs in giddiness, well, Brielle would have forgiven him anything.
“I’ll have to kill him if he hurts you, you know,” Luci said.
Brielle sat up and threw her arms around Luci, pillow flying to the end of the bed where it nearly landed on Calcifer. The orange cat shot them a glare and walked ot the other side of the bed before lying down and ignoring them once more.
“I told Ira the same thing! I don’t think he believed me, though. I’m much less threatening. Who would have thought? I can’t believe our good luck at falling in love with two princes. We will get our own storybooks for this!” she said.
I always like Brielle to have her head in the clouds, unconcerned about the next ten steps. It was one of the things Luci loved about her.
Luci released her from her hug.
“And what do you intend to tell your father and the rest of the nobles about why you are in love with the wrong prince?” Luci asked.
In love. That seemed dramatic.
Brielle covered her mouth, and yet her smile still peaked out the sides. All right, love it was. Leave it to Brielle to fall head over heels in love with a scoundrel.
“Father will be mad, that’s true, but I can’t keep living for him. We only have so much time, and I need to live it for me,” she said.
“Who are you and what have you done with Brielle Treveon?” Luci asked.
“I know, I know. To be fair, it was Lucien’s speech, but it doesn’t make it any less true. I won’t apologize for loving him, and I most certainly will not apologize for stepping aside so my best friend can marry her prince charming.” Brielle said with all the conviction of a dreamer.
Just like that, the air went stale, and Luci hated what came next. All of Brielle’s careful dreams and plans were unraveling before she had the chance to see them played out before her.
“I’m not marrying him, Bri,” Luci said quietly.
She hated the words. Hated the cost and what they tasted like in her mouth. Maybe she never gave much thought to marriage, but there was no Ira without marriage, and she couldn’t do that. So he was lost to her, and while Luci would never begrudge the miracles she’d experienced, it was hard not to fall into what she was losing.
Brielle furrowed her brows, genuine confusion playing out over her beautiful face.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
Eyes stinging, Midnight, she cried so much these days. Luci sucked in a long breath, steadying her heartbeat.
“You, Ira, and Lucien can scheme to the ends of Meridea, but it won’t change what I am.”
Brielle opened her mouth, but Luci held up a finger, stalling her.
“Let me finish. It won’t change that I am an orphaned servant. Maybe you all can overlook it, but we both know your father would never suffer me as queen, and neither would any of the other nobility. The king and queen wouldn’t risk losing their coin and support by making them mad when the kingdom is already uneasy. Secondly, it would be a mistake for Ira to abdicate. I saw him with his people, and he is the best person tolead and heal them. I have no doubt Gladys would be wonderful as well, but Ira has waited his whole life for this. I will not be the reason he loses it. He will be upset at first, but I’ll stay away, and he will see it was the right thing to do. He’s going to do wonderful things, and this is how I can help him.”