Page 59 of Mermaid on Heels
They moved to the foyer where Cedric sat patiently on a chair, nose tucked into the thick, small book in his hands. No wonder he was more than all right to be kept waiting and had let them take their time. Until Liriya cleared her throat, he didn’t acknowledge their presence. Cedric jumped to his feet, tucking the book inside his coat and flashing them a grin.
That was when he noticed their attire. Before Liriya could even figure out what was going on in his mind, Ella was speaking.
“I am sure you are thinking that this is less than appropriate attire for someone bearing the title of a princess and that onlookers would judge by it alone. But I believe it would prove more on the cover story you have made for us; living as commoners to avoid being swarmed by people like bees—thanks to Bia here I know whatthatis. Therefore, our attire should speak volumes. We surely have princess-dresses waiting at the castle, do we not, LordCeedric?”
Cedric blinked and let out a laugh at the last bit, quite amused. “It’sCedric,but never mind. And yes, Your Highness, theprincess-dressesare waiting at the castle and we better not make themormy brother wait any longer.” He fished a pocket-watch from his pocket and checked the time. “Let’s get going.”
With one last, quick hug with Bianca and Kitty, Liriya and her sisters followed Cedric out of the house, towards the carriage waiting on the cobblestone street, just outside the small courtyard. People from the neighboring houses and the ones passing by the street stood and watched the royal carriage and the party led by Cedric.
He waved at all of them with a jovial air, flashing his grin, before helping Liriya and her sisters in and getting inside himself. As the carriage moved, he kept waving, glancing out through the window.
“My, my, someone is quite famous,” Ella muttered under her breath, looking the opposite direction as Cedric.
He heard her. “Believe me, I know.”
Liriya held back an amused snort and rolled her eyes.
The carriage moved faster as they turned from the street lined with Cedric’s admirers and went onwards to the heart of Ornwall, the city. Unlike the bustling expected of every morning, today, the city was only just waking up. Liriya realized everyone must be exhausted from the ball last night and presumably overslept like herself and her sisters. HowCedricmanaged to wake up early and arrive punctually as he promised, she had no idea.
Unlike the ride last night, this one was silent—Cedricwas silent. Liriya assumed it was because her sisters were glancing out of the window eagerly and fully invested in watching the passing view with beaming eyes, sitting on either side of her, with the morning breeze playing in their hair. She smiled at their excitement and was content that they were getting to experience this.
The last time it was on Gezer’s cart, now a cozy carriage.
Cedric sat opposite from Sessa at the window, sharing the view with her, and did the honor of filling her in with the details of what she saw. Sessa grew more ecstatic with each second. Having nothing to occupy herself with, Liriya switched her seat across from Ella and glanced outside the window with her.
Everyone paused what they were doing and stared at the passing royal carriage. Some of their eyes widened in realization when they saw Liriya, and she smiled politely at them with a wave.
She heard the castle gates creaking open as they neared the castle. The carriage moved in smoothly through the gateway, stopping only in front of the grand stairs that led up to the massive main doors. Cedric opened the door and stepped out, lending his hand to help Sessa out, then Ella, and finally Liriya.
The moment her slippers touched the ground and she looked up, Liriya’s eyes met with a pair of ocean-blue eyes. All the air left her lungs—again. There stood Luke at the foot of the stairs to welcome them, as handsome as ever, his eyes shining like the stars as they met hers.
Liriya managed to compose herself and smiled softly, matching the one on his lips. His dark brown hair fell in artful disarray, giving him a carefree look about him that Liriya couldn’t help but admire.
Beside him stood the elderly woman Liriya saw on the elevated platform with him yesterday, Cedric’s mother. She had a motherly aura about her from the warm way her eyes glanced at them and the sweet smile on her face. She was dressed less regally today, though still clad in elegance, and arm in arm with a smiling tall man around her age. Liriya registered the familiarity in his features and eyes, and realized he must be Cedric’s father.
Behind all of them a few steps above, stood Liriya’s lady-in-waiting Susie, with a smile on her face and hands clasped in front of her. Liriya smiled at her before she and her sisters dipped into a curtsey before the royal family.
Cedric made the introductions. His mother, Duchess Matilda, approached them and welcomed them warmly. Learning that they haven’t had their breakfast yet, she led Liriya’s sisters to the castle.
It sparked Cedric with an idea and he announced that a table etiquette lesson would be the best start for their tutoring sessions. He hurried inside ahead of them to set up everything. His father, Duke Rufus, followed them with Susie who carried Liriya’s bag behind him, leaving Liriya and Luke alone.
Luke stepped towards her, and Liriya turned to him, after watching her sisters climb the wide stone stairs carefully. She realized they had left the two of them behind on purpose. Luke stopped in front of her, leaving an appropriate space between them, hands behind his back. He tilted his head as he stared down at her, mirth dancing in his eyes.
“You’re mad at me.” That wasn’t a question.
Liriya tilted her head up to meet his gaze, fighting her smile and ignoring how her heart thundered in her ears. “And what makes you so sure?”
“I don’t know…” Luke drew out, shrugging. “You wouldn’t look at me.”
“Can you possibly look at the sun?” Liriya’s eyes widened as soon as those words escaped her.Where did that come from?She asked herself in horror and composed herself, clamping her mouth shut.
Luke let out a breathy laugh.
“I am sorry. I do not know what came upon me. I did not mean that.”
“Of course you didn’t, little mermaid. But you can definitely look at the moon and the stars.” His eyes twinkled and she had no idea what he meant, just as she had no idea why such a thing slipped out of her own mouth.
Then his eyes softened. “I know it sounds absurd but, it feels almost surreal to see you again, Liriya.”