Wulfram dumped a bucket of ice cold well water over himself, dirt running off him in thin rivulets. He had found Ben and a couple other men he had served with that wouldn’t take it easy on him just because he was the prince, and the proof was on his body. Bruises were already forming where he hadn’t blocked or dodged fast enough, luckily in places that could be covered with a fresh shirt. He would have to train harder to make sure those bruises didn’t happen again, if they had been fighting for real there were a couple of hits that would have been fatal.

  Ben chuckled as he took the bucket from Wulfram, dipping it into the well to refill it. “You seem more yourself today.” He said, before pouring water over himself. “And I notice the bracelet is gone.”

  “It is.” Wulfram picked up his discarded shirt and vest, starting back towards the palace and his quarters. “The High Mage removed it today.”

  “How do you feel with it gone?” Ben handed the bucket off to the next person and settled into step beside Wulfram. “No more thoughts of a certain thief-turned-lady?”

  Wulfram frowned in thought. She hadn’t crossed his mind even once during the sparring matches, and even now the thought of her failed to bring up as strong a reaction as when he had worn the bracelet. “Not as much, no. Although ironically we may well wind up wearing them again.”

  “She’s really their princess then? Do you think she’ll even agree to the arranged marriage? She doesn’t seem like the type to.”

  Wulfram let out a laugh, stepping into the cool halls of the palace. “Well, I doubt she’ll like the idea. But arranged marriages aren’t exactly about choice, are they? I doubt she’s so blind to duty that she’d outright refuse it.”

  “And if she does refuse it?” Ben asked.

  “Well, that’s the type of situation the bracelets were made for anyways. If the stories are true.” Wulfram frowned. His words may be confident, but Dani was unpredictable. She had gone from thief, to dressmaker, to lady, to princess and didn’t break down in a jibbering wreck. She treated him like an equal, even when all she had been was a thief, going so far as to slap him! For all he knew she would refuse the marriage just out of sheer contrariness, and her brother would back her up.

  “Do you want the marriage?” Ben asked curiously, an eyebrow raising.

  Wulfram was silent for a moment, mulling over the question. Did he? He had wanted it when they wore the bracelets, and even earlier today. But now? He touched his wrist where the bracelet had been. “It would be beneficial for both our kingdoms, that was the whole point of the marriage in the first place. And she’s already thinking like a leader with her consideration of the Tangle.”

  Wulfram glanced at her door as they passed it, and paused, closing his eyes a moment. Shit. He had forgotten to arrange the food and drink for her and her brother! Maybe his head hadn’t been quite as clear as he had thought it was.

  “That’s a very political answer.” Ben said, moving on to Wulfram’s room. “Now answer as a friend, do you want the marriage?”

  He let out a soft laugh, raking a hand through his damp hair as he trudged the rest of the way to his room, and through the door where they could have some privacy before speaking. “If it were just me to consider? I don’t know. There’s certainly an appeal to her, she’s beautiful, and spirited. But what do I know about her? That she used to be a thief? That she worked briefly as a dressmaker, and was born princess of a land she probably doesn’t even remember? It isn’t enough to build a romance off of.”

  Ben grinned, sitting on the edge of a chair as Christopher handed Wulfram fresh clothes. “I don’t know, I could see the bards having a grand time writing ballads about the two of you.”

  “That isn’t something to build a romance off of either.” Wulfram chuckled and started to change. “If I want to consider this from a romantic point of view, I need to get to know her better, and she needs to get to know me.”

  It was so much easier to look at things from a political standpoint. They would wed, and then get to know each other, doing it the other way around was just messy. He sighed and raked a comb through his hair. Even now it was trying to curl, and if he waited too long to brush it, it would just puff out in all directions.

  “So why don’t you?”

  “I suggested a family dinner for tonight, I’m certain my parents will approve.”

  Even Christopher, usually stoic and hard to read, gave Wulfram an odd look, an eyebrow raising slightly out of place. Ben met the man's eyes and gave his head a small shake before turning his attention back to Wulfram. “That’s not a good way to get to know her either! Find out what she enjoys and do that or show her something you enjoy. You’re a prince but you’re not only a prince.”

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  “I doubt she would enjoy watching me spar.” Wulfram said, giving himself a quick glance over in the mirror. He gave a slight nod and headed for the door. Time was short between now and the meeting, he had to offer his apologies anyways for forgetting her food and wine. She was probably hungry, perhaps he could arrange a quick snack after the meeting?

  “Women love to see men spar, especially if they happen to be shirtless.” Ben laughed, following Wulfram out the door. “But I’ll leave you to think about it. I have to go get washed up, and you have a meeting to attend.”

  With a somewhat sarcastic bow, Ben headed off down the hall, away from Dani’s room. Wulfram smirked and turned the other way. Now that he thought of it, there usually were a few ladies scattered around the edges of the practice yard, watching from a distance. Somehow, he couldn’t picture Dani doing the same thing, but he could be wrong. Maybe she liked watching half naked men spar.

  He paused in front of the door to Dani’s rooms, giving a polite nod to the guard stationed outside. “I am here to escort Princess Daniella to the Council meeting, please announce me.”

  It would do good for her to get used to the formalities of royalty, although if he wanted to win her over, he would have to show her the benefits as well. They already had a start on that, with the care of the healers, the comfortable living arrangements, the safety of the palace. He smiled a little, thinking of the best wine to give her, what meals to ask the kitchens to cook for her, and what other benefits he could show her to convince her to do her duty.

  The guard bowed slightly, and knocked on the door to the room. “Prince Wulfram to see you, Princess Daniella.” He called through the thick wood door, then stood patiently, waiting for her to answer.

  Dani didn’t answer right away, which gave Wulfram time to think. She would need alliances as well, he would have to make introductions to some key people in the kingdom. There were those that would appreciate her fiery spirit as much as he did, perhaps Lady Vanissa, she had a good sense of humor.

  Reshi was the one that opened the door, giving Wulfram a slight nod. The closest the old man was likely to get to a bow. “She’s jus’ gatherin’ up her things. Says ya were s’posed ta send along wine and some food too, an’ ya didn’t.”

  Was it Wulfram’s imagination, or was that amusement in Reshi’s eyes, and the barest ghost of a smirk on his face? Feeling a pang of irritation, Wulfram inclined his own head, slightly more than was strictly necessary to a commoner. “My apologies to the princess, my mind was not quite as clear as I had thought it was. I hope to make it up to her after the meeting, if she will allow it.”

  “How are you going to do that?” Dani asked from behind Reshi, and there was a touch of amusement in her eyes. “Better be something good.” She carried a small bundle of papers in her hands, including the maps he had left behind when he had come to get her this morning.

  “How about a trip to our private wine cellars?” Wulfram pulled the idea out at random, bowing to Dani. “Perhaps your keen eyes will find something hidden in the dark corners that I would otherwise miss.”

  Dani’s mouth opened in a soft o, before breaking out into a grin. “Alright, that’ll do it.”

  “You could have negotiated a little, sister.” Alastar chuckled, standing up from the table near the garden doors.

  Dani tilted her head to one side, seeming to consider it. Wulfram suppressed his own smile, giving her time to think it over. She hadn’t been raised to this sort of thing, so he was willing to give her a second chance.

  “Alright. A trip to the wine cellars, and Raycor and Therija get to make dinner tonight, whatever they want. Just give them free run of the kitchen.” She said, meeting Wulfram’s eyes. He raised a hand, rubbing his mouth slightly to hide the smile. The deal had the same feel of a child asking for a piece of candy in return for a gold coin. The slight hadn’t been that serious, but she could have asked for more. Or even turned him away if she had wanted to.

  “I suppose that is acceptable. I’ll have the kitchen staff notified. May I escort you to the Council meeting?” He offered her his arm, allowing the smile to show now.

  “Sure.” Dani looped her arm in his, resting her hand on it lightly. “I’ve got some good plans for the Tangle now, and I want to put a Hesiodos embassy in it too.”

  Wulfram glanced at Alastar, raising an eyebrow. He knew damn well she hadn’t thought of that herself. “I see, well, we’ll have to cement a peace treaty before we can do that, but I’m sure that can be arranged.”

  Dani wrinkled her nose, grimacing slightly. “There you go about cementing things. I guess I walked into it though, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, yes you did.” Wulfram chuckled, starting down the hall. He almost missed the small woman in perfectly nondescript clothes following them out of the room. Someone he didn’t recognize, not wearing any of the palace uniforms.

  He tensed, hand moving to his waist for a sword that wasn’t there. “Who goes there?” He snapped, trying to ease Dani behind him as he faced the stranger. But Dani resisted, giving his arm a light squeeze. “One of my guards, all legit through Hesiodos and everything even! Her name is Gull, be nice.”

  “I am familiar with the Hesiodos party, and she was not one of them.” Wulfram glared at the stranger, who just looked at him with an infuriatingly amused smile.

  “She was not, but she convinced me of her abilities to guard my sister, and so I have legitimatized her. After all, she managed to get into your palace without getting caught, and apparently has been here almost as long as Dani has.” Alastar stood next to Reshi in the doorway, smiling.

  Oh, his father was not going to be happy to hear about that. “I see.” He said flatly. “Well then, Gull. You have my word that Dani is perfectly safe here, you need not come to the Council meeting. In fact it would not be appropriate for you to come.”

  “Well, I ain’t that appropriate anyways, so that’s okay. Lead on yer highness.” Gull said cheerfully. “I’ll just wait outside, a’ight?”

  Wulfram clenched his jaw for a moment, gratified to see the guard tense at the woman’s flippant attitude as well. It was one thing coming from Dani, but this other woman was a stranger, who had apparently snuck into the palace.

  But he didn’t have time to argue. She wouldn’t be the only guard waiting outside the Council room for her charge. He turned stiffly from the woman, starting down the hall with Dani at his side.

  He was going to have to have a talk to her about her entourage later.