Page 42 of To Fight and To Fold

Well, Aaryn didn’t want to look too closely at the other emotion.

“Bright and early, Tethered Aaryn. Just after sunrise. Why don’t you report to…” He hummed. “We have plenty of space to utilize—I’ll find somewhere safe. Shall I come collect you on the morrow?”

Aaryn’s heart thumped. How scandalous.

For Starspark.

“I look forward to it,” she said.

“Excellent,” he agreed, nodding his head in that polite manner. Aaryn had successfully broken whatever mood had overtaken the room. “Let’s return you to your quarters. You’ll need plenty of rest before tomorrow.”

The prince returned her to her rooms, and grabbed a guard on the way. Aaryn was relieved to note it was the same one who’d been assigned to her door.

The prince ordered her to stick to Aaryn’s side until the following morning, when he would return to dismiss her.

With a hand pressed to her heart, the knight nodded, leaving her head bowed until the prince bid them goodnight.

“Thank you,” Aaryn told her.

“It is my pleasure, Tethered.” Which is what she always said.

She appreciated her dedication, but did not look forward to walking the dining hall with a shadow.

But walk the dining hall she did.

The hall was full, as usual, and as Aaryn walked through the tables toward the Tethered, she was painfully aware of the stares she received. She was in her favorite dress, comfortable and pretty, in a deep blue that contrasted with her pink hair. It was nothing she hadn't worn to dinner before, and yet eyes lingered.

She prayed to the Great Dragon they were more focused on the knight keeping close at her heels than anything else.

The Tethered saw her coming, and instead of smiles and greetings, she was met with silence. The conversation previously carrying on at the table halted, and all of their eyes glanced at the guard at Aaryn’s back.

It was clear she was not welcome, but… where else would she sit?

“The prince no longer hosting you at his table?” Carissa sneered.

Aaryn hesitated with her hand over the back of a chair. “Uhm… Is something the matter?" she asked, seeking Rose's gaze. She shook her head in a minuscule motion, but Aaryn was already sinking into her seat.

“Tethered, I’ll be just back here,” Runa informed her, before stepping away to stand against the wall with a few other guards.

The silence persisted, and Aaryn’s skin was practically crawling from the tension. Shall she draw even more attention to herself by leaving the hall altogether, skipping dinner? No.

Aaryn had missed the other Tethered, but this energy was… not welcoming.

Thankful for at least the illusion of privacy, Aaryn lowered her voice to speak to her friends. “Even if I do not have a dragon to tend to, I am still marked the same as the rest of you,” she said, confused as to why they were being so cold.

Some of the Tethered shared a glance, and some even strayed directly to Aaryn.

“We are grown women, are we not?” Aaryn asked, her frustration present in her tone. “If we need to have a discussion, are we not mature enough to broach a hard topic?”

Carissa’s glare could’ve been a slap for how quickly she turned it on Aaryn. “Maybe we grow tired of our conversations reaching the ears of those who are not present.”

Aaryn’s eyes widened in understanding. The prince must have begun interviewing the guards the Tethered had been… intimate with. He was supposed to keep her involvement quiet, but she supposed it didn't take a genius to deduce who the information could have come from.

“My heart hurts for you, for Starspark," Carissa continued. "But I request that you keep your nose out of my business, and keep my business out of the ears you suddenly have the ability to bend,” Carissa snapped. “And I think that goes for all of us.”

A few of the other Tethered nodded, while some remained silent, which was just as hurtful.

“I understand your frustration,” Aaryn said. “I did nothing none of you would have, were it Nightspike who had gone missing,” she directed toward Lucille, a dark-haired, often grumpy but secretly soft Tethered. “Or Firelight,” she spoke to Wilma, who looked guilty. “And in case you thought otherwise, none of my own life has gone without deep inspection.” Annoyance flared. “Should we risk the safety of the kingdom by feeling precious over… gossip?” Aaryn asked.