The line of nobles and gifts never seemed to end. Servants scurried around the dais to collect the gifts and send them to the royal suite to be carefully examined and decided upon. 

Rhyddid cooed in her ear at gifts she could use or give to her ladies. Soft and sweet. She heated under his attention and found it overwhelming and distracting. 

Beautiful jewelry or gems, fine bolts of cloth, leather, and furs, pieces of art and literature. Efa would enjoy a good number of these gifts, much more appreciative towards the arts than Dew. 

Cothi would love some of the bolts. Her family lost much in the fires of war. They worked the lands hard to provide food for Rhyddid’s troops despite the setbacks. It left their house regrettably poor, but one of the major factors of Cothi becoming Dew’s lady. 

Neidr spoke little of her family, but Dew understood some strain between her older brothers and the king. Perhaps a few gems to show appreciation for their sister’s help might ease the friction. 

Anest appeared the best of her ladies, her family’s house suffering minorly during the revolt and was well established with Rhyddid. She should have a fair share of gifts to keep such relations standing. 

Dew pulled from her thoughts at the sight of the next gift. A bundle of leather straps working into metal loops. Strings of jewels hung from every inch of leather. 

“A new set of reins for Koli,” Rhyddid whispered. He frowned as Dew slipped from his grasp and personally accepted the gift from the noble. 

Dew smoothed her thumbs over the finely crafted leather. The hanging gems chimed at the movement. It weighed on her arms a bit, its heft fit for her glanus rather than her. 

A servant waited next to her to gather the gift and take it to the stables. 

“This is a fine gift,” Dew murmured to the noble who waited with bated breath. “Thank you.” She nodded to him and let the servant take the gift away. 

Dew turned back to Rhyddid and reclaimed her seat on his thigh. His hands instinctively found her waist and pulled her close. 

“That was Lord Cadwgan, Cothi’s father,” Rhyddid explained. 

“I would like some of the finer silks to be sent to her room,” Dew whispered. “She has been more than adequate as a lady and friend to my sister.” 

“As you wish.” Rhyddid turned from her to tell one of the servants who scampered off. 

“Have Neidr’s or Anest’s family approached?” She hoped not yet for she would like to extend her appreciation to them as well. 

“Neidr’s family has not come. I believe she will offer her family’s tithe as one of the last nobles. Anest’s gifted you the large diamonds earlier. You thanked them personally.” Rhyddid rested his chin on her shoulder and watched the next few nobles approach. 

A sour thought came to her suddenly. 

“I did not insult anyone, did I?”

“It is not insulting to show favors to your ladies. They understand now that the rumors of your time in the stables are, in fact, true.” His arms snaked fully around her waist as he got comfortable. “Expect more of such gifts.” 

True to his word, Neidr approached last. She curtsied gracefully despite her heavy burden and placed the gift on the top of the dais. She wordlessly pulled on the top plank of the stack and extended the contraption up and to the side. Wood planks connected by complex metallic pieces on the back that allowed the art to fold neatly for transport and extend out for display. 

Dew stood in interest at seeing the planks extend before her. A large canvas of wood, carved with fire and painted in beautiful colors to express a familiar scene. 

“To help with any homesickness,” her chief lady-in-waiting said simply and stepped away. 

The Great Hangman opened the scene with its towering stature and overwhelming body. It stretched from the left to the right and touched the upper edge of the planks. Waves crashed below in futile defiance of the land. The sky barely peeked past the green and blue of the mountain. 

“How thoughtful,” Rhyddid noted, having stood alongside Dew. “And fitting for your oath to this realm.”

“Indeed.” Dew swallowed hard at the sight. 

“Let us feast!” Rhyddid shouted suddenly, spurring cheers from the crowd of nobles. He grabbed Dew’s hand and placed it in the crook of his arm before leading her down the steps and out of the throne room. 

Nobles filed behind them and Dew forced herself to keep her eyes forward. She’d not seen much of Efa since Rhyddid pulled her into his lap. 

“Relax,” he whispered. “Efa is right behind you.” 

The fact he knew how to ease her and did so swiftly… It warmed her. His softness was a foreign thing to her. She’d know men to be hard and cruel through her father’s incessant blows and Ifan’s vain love. She saw his violence and expected it to rear its ugly head at her. 

In the forest, alone with him, taught Dew all she really needed to know. Her husband was a loyal Fae who took duty to heart. He ascended the throne not out of lust for power, but out of a need for justice to be restored to the land. She understood only pieces of their history but the bloodshed of the revolt still lingered. A fragile peace settled on the inhabitants like a thin cloak unable to protect its wearer from the weather. 

If Dew did not threaten the peace of his realm or court, she would be offered what no one could before. A safe home for her and her sister. She did feel a heavy guilt at the thought of Maeryn and Teigan. Hopefully, Teigan would marry soon and Maeryn fashion herself a good match to escape. 

The hall transferred into a banquet large enough to fit all the nobles. Tables bordered the room, leaving the center for entertainment. Per usual, Rhyddid sat at the head with Dew to his right and Efa to her right. 

“Are you well?” Dew grabbed her sister’s hand once they seated. 

Efa nodded and offered her a true smile. 

Rhyddid watched them softly. He nodded to Efa who ducked her head with red cheeks. 

“If you allow it, I shall have a diadem forged with a few of the gifts you received in honor of Efa.” Rhyddid kissed Dew’s cheek with the back of his knuckles. “One fitting for a princess.”

Once more, Rhyddid shocked her. A good sign, if anything, that he would offer a gift to her sister. A better sign that he wanted her approval. 

“Efa is not a princess, Rhyddid. She is my lady.”

“No,” he sternly contested. “She is your sister and now, my sister. She will be a princess in this court.”

“A princess should not be a lady to the queen…” The thought of Dew’s sister being removed from the safety of her ladies sickened her. 

“This is our realm. She can wait on you as you command. No one here thinks lesser of it.” Rhyddid turned to watch the last of the nobles take their seats, the argument over. 

But, Dew did not appreciate the dismissal. 

“My sister does not want to be noticed by your nobles. She would much prefer to be left unnoticed,” Dew frowned up at him. 

“She is our sister and will have her due in our court. She will never have to suffer anyone’s attention without her expressed approval,” he said sincerely. 

“And if she never wants for anyone’s attention?” Dew worried her bottom lip with her teeth until Rhyddid tsked at her. 

He reached out and tugged her bottom lip from the abuse. Then, he ducked quickly down to kiss the plump flesh. She sucked in a sharp breath at the quick movement. She didn’t have time to react before he parted from her. 

“Efa has my full permission to be your lady for as long as she is content.” Dew’s shoulders slumped at the reassurance. “She will also be a princess of this court until her dying breath.” 

“Okay…” She gave in and forced herself from his grasp. “As a wedding gift-”

Rhyddid chuckled and wrapped a firm hand around the back of her neck. He tugged her in close to nip at her ear. 

“My gem, please. I have your wedding gift waiting. You do not need to bargain with me.” He pulled back enough to gaze into her wide eyes. “Say the word and I will have it done.”

Dew nearly choked at his closeness. She managed to untangle her tongue after a moment. 

“Swear to me you will never marry Efa,” she pleaded. 

“I swear on my throne to never marry off your sister without her permission. I will not haggle her into any arrangement she is uncomfortable with,” he swore and sealed the deal with a sweet kiss to her lips. 

Dew reeled from it. Her lips tingled from the ghost of his touch. Her lungs seized as if the simple touch stole the air from her. 

“Thank you,” she wheezed.

“Let us enjoy the feast you selected tonight.” Rhyddid released his hold on her and turned to the servants that rushed out to fill their plates. 

Dew felt Efa reach for her hand and slip a piece of paper into her palm. With Rhyddid distracted by the food, Dew glanced down to read it. 

Do not anger him on my account. 

To hell with that. 

Dew might be the younger sister, but she currently sat at the right to the king of this court and her husband. She would abuse all the power bestowed upon her to keep her sister from the Fae lords present and not present. Some may be kind to her. Others would be cruel in their disdain for her species and disability. 

Efa had nearly been sold off to the knight to save her father’s coffers. Dew would not allow a repeat to occur under her watch.