Coralina (The Nine Princesses Novellas Book 2) by Valle Anita

Author:Valle, Anita [Valle, Anita]
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2012-11-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

“Princess! Your Highness! So honored, my lady!” Grenna dropped a flustered curtsy. She backed away from the door so Coralina could enter the shop. “Such a lovely gown, my lady! Very fine.”

“Thank you.” Coralina had considered Gord’s vision when choosing her gown. Red velvet, dark as blood, from shoulder to toe. He couldn’t miss her.

“I expect you want Gord. He’s out in the yard, fetching more wood.” Grenna gestured to a loose pile of planks on the table. “Making a baby’s cradle! Noble lady in Merridell is having her first.”

“How nice.” Coralina smiled. She spotted Pipsy peeking out from the bedroom behind the shop.

“Come on, Pipsy, give a nice curtsy for the princess,” said Grenna.

“Princess is red,” Pipsy replied. Coralina laughed and Grenna joined with some embarrassment.

“Do you like cake, Pipsy?” Coralina asked.

“Cake?” Pipsy’s brown eyes widened.

“I just passed a baker with a cartful of maple cakes. Still warm! Would you like one?”

“I want cake!” Pipsy scampered out of the bedroom. Coralina pulled two goldens from her coin purse and offered them to Grenna. “Take her out. Buy her some cake and anything else she may want. Don’t come back for an hour.”

Grenna stared at the coins as if she had never seen gold. Like a lizard’s tongue, her hand flashed out and snatched them. Coralina fixed her with a hard stare. “An hour. Understood?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Pipsy ran for the door, her wavy hair flapping. Coralina bit her lip. “Grenna... it’s quite breezy out there. Pipsy should have her hair braided or it might tangle.”

“I’ll get a brush,” said Grenna, turning into the bedroom. Coralina grimaced. Grenna’s hair was loosely braided, lumpy and ragged. When she returned with the brush, Coralina held out her hand. “Thank you. I’ll take it from here.”

She lifted Pipsy to sit on the worktable. Her slim body felt light and fragile, as though made of twigs. A skinny child, but not underfed.

“I’m going to make you beautiful, Pipsy. Would you like that?”

Pipsy nodded shyly and Coralina slid the brush through her brown hair. So different than her own. Coralina’s thick curls were slightly course in texture, but Pipsy’s hair felt smooth as flowing water.

“Do you remember your mother, Pipsy?” Coralina surprised herself by asking the question. The task was summoning memories of the few occasions when the queen had brushed Coralina’s hair. She was slower and softer than the harried nurse and Coralina remembered love within the strokes.

Pipsy nodded. “Ma! She went to the Tunnel Whelm.” Coralina was puzzled until she realized what Pipsy meant to say: the Eternal Realm. The kingdom of souls.

Coralina shifted to brush another section. “Mine too,” she said softly. “Both of my mothers.”

“You had two?” said Pipsy.

“One when I was a baby, but I can’t remember her. And one who I grew up with – the queen.” She divided Pipsy’s hair into three strands for braiding.

“What about your Pa?” said Pipsy.

“He’s gone too.” The smooth strands wove around Coralina’s fingers and she found it oddly comforting. Her eyes dropped to Pipsy’s simple brown dress.

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