The Wild Swans by K. M. Shea

Author:K. M. Shea [Shea, K. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BluA
Publisher: Take Out the Trash
Published: 2014-04-25T23:00:00+00:00

Elise and her swan companion sat together and watched Brida perform her morning practice routine.

Elise was shocked when, as she tied another nettle stem into the shirt, Brida dropped the sword she was practicing with.

“You honestly did not know Prince Rune loved you, did you?”

Elise eyed Brida above the shirt and suspiciously pulled her head back.

“There’s no use denying it. Prince Rune has mooned over you for years. I always thought you were malicious for ignoring his feelings. Did you really never see them?”

Elise absentmindedly knitted as she thought. Had she ever noticed the way Rune—or Falk—treated her was different? To a certain extent, yes. Falk wasn’t vocally rude to people as he was to Elise, and Rune was kind to all, but even Elise knew she was special to him just as he was special to her.

But love?

No, Elise never saw that coming, had never dared to even think about it. From the day she was chosen as a foster child, all she concerned herself with was ways to prove her worth to her foster family. She never imagined any of them would genuinely want her.

She had dared to hope for friendship with Gerhart, and eventually with Steffen once she started to work with him more as she took over the Treasury Department, but romance was never a deep desire of Elise’s. She wanted to be happy, yes, so she would be careful in selecting her marriage partner, but she never thought anyone—Mertein included—would love her with passion.

“You didn’t know,” Brida said.

Elise shook her head.

Brida scratched the back of her neck and sighed. “You understand that he—they, really, I suppose—is devoted to you? Ignoring Prince Rune’s and Prince Falk’s feelings doesn’t mean they’re going to go away. Nor is it fair to the princes to reject them by not even acknowledging them.”

Elise looked pained and gestured at Brida. What was she to do?

Brida snorted. “As if I would know,” she said, picking up her sword again. She glanced at the swan and returned her attention to Elise. “But why not give them a chance? Let them both court you.”

Elise stared at Brida with wide eyes and clutched the shirt to her chest regardless of the burning nettles.

“It’s not like they’re going to eat you,” Brida said.

Elise nodded vigorously.

“You have got some disastrous notions of love, Princess,” Brida said before slashing the air with her sword.

Elise shrugged and slowly went back to knitting.

“One thing is for sure: you underestimate Prince Falk’s feelings for you,” Brida grunted.

Elise looked up at her with disbelieving eyes.

“I’m not saying this just because I admire Prince Rune,” Brida said, rolling her eyes. “I mean it. Prince Rune is your most obvious supporter, but Prince Falk…He has your back.”

Elise tilted her head.

“Well, who do you think is sitting with you right now?” Brida asked, pointing to Elise’s swan companion with her sword.

Elise looked at the swan, and the swan looked back at Elise.

“It’s not Prince Rune. He can barely control his swan self. Who else do you think would follow you around like that?” Brida asked.

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