Around the table stood four councilmen, who bowed as she entered.
“Princess Norah!” called the man to her right, coming forward. “Welcome home!”
Edward, maybe, based on Catherine’s description. He was a shorter man, pale and balding, and about the same age as her grandmother. He was thin, except for a slightly protruding belly not entirely hidden by his council robes. His facial features were sharp—especially his nose and chin—but his face wasn’t unkind. He reached out and took Norah’s hand, which he promptly brought to his forehead as he bowed.
Her heart raced as she forced a smile and tried to appear calm. Could he feel her clammy hand shaking? He seemed oblivious. Everything her grandmother had told her evaded her mind, and all she could do was pretend normalcy.
“Councilman Edward,” Catherine replied, “is she not the image of her mother?”
“Indeed, she is.” He pulled Norah forward, extending his arm to the rest of the councilmen. “The gods smile upon us.”
The councilmen all bowed again, clapping their hands, and Norah swallowed back the lump in her throat.
“And the gods favor upon the lord justice for bringing you back to us,” he added with a nod to Alexander, who had taken a position on the side of the large table.
Alexander bowed his head stiffly, shifting under the attention. “As was my duty,” he said. His eyes locked with hers again and held her. Was duty all it had been?
Edward turned back to her. “You must first tell us, Princess, where you’ve been all this time.”
Norah’s attention turned to his question, and her breath caught in her throat. Of course that would be their first question. Her heart beat faster.
“Councilman Edward,” Catherine said, “there’s so much to discuss, but I see Councilmen James and Elias aren’t with us?”
“They’re in Damask, and we expect their return in two days,” Edward answered. “We’ll assemble the state then.”
The state? Norah didn’t know what that meant, but it didn’t sound like something she would look forward to.
“The princess’s return is a serious matter,” Catherine said firmly, “and requires our full council. We’ll not discuss it without them.”
Norah could already see the skill with which her grandmother handled these conversations. She couldn’t imagine doing the same herself.
The councilman paused with a crease in his brow, but then he nodded. “Uh, yes, of course.”
Norah let out a silent breath of relief.
“There will still be celebratory festivities, yes? To present her?” another councilman asked. He was about the same height as Edward, but double the width, and wore a thick cover of white, short-cropped hair. Norah couldn’t match him to the names and descriptions her grandmother had run through. Henricus, maybe? “Everyone will be expecting to see her,” he added.
Catherine gave a smooth smile. “Arrangements have already begun for tomorrow evening.”
“Very good.”
Edward turned back to Norah. “Well, there’s much to discuss, Princess, but for now, welcome home once again. We look forward to our state and to hearing of your time away from us.”
Before Norah could respond, Catherine put her hand on her arm. “Councilmen, if you’ll excuse us, there’s still much we have to tend to.”
The men all gave respectful bows as Catherine pulled Norah toward the door. Norah glanced over her shoulder and caught Alexander’s eyes, but a councilman called to him, pulling his attention from her.
“Marvelous, dear,” her grandmother whispered as they stepped into the large hall and away from the judisaept. “You did better than I’d expected.”
Norah frowned. “But I didn’t say anything.”
Catherine patted her hand. “Exactly.”
Norah wasn’t sure how she felt about that, but her mind was too consumed with other things to care much. “What’s a state?” she asked.
“A state is a meeting of the council to work on resolutions for the challenges our kingdom faces. We discuss many things: matters of the purse, alliances, war, trade, pirates—”
“Pirates?”
“Yes, troublesome thieves. Any kingdom with a fleet suffers their raids. And Mercian fleets carry some of the most valuable trade in the world—Mercian steel.”
So the council solved problems. Alexander had said the council would help her, so why didn’t her grandmother want them to know of her circumstance? “How long will we keep my memory loss from them?” she asked.
“As long as we can,” Catherine answered shortly.
“But that can’t be long.” Not long at all. The council’s first question had left her stumbling.
Her grandmother eyed her sternly. “We can’t risk anything that might delay your path to the crown or keep you from getting it at all.”
That only raised more questions, but ones she knew she couldn’t ask now, so openly. Her mind turned to other curiosities. “You said I have a cousin. Will I be seeing her soon?”
Catherine’s gaze snapped back to her. “A second cousin,” she said warily. “Evangeline. She’ll present herself to you at the homecoming celebration, but you’ll do well to keep her at a distance. There are those who would love to see her on your throne. Not everyone has been as patient for your return.”
Evangeline on the throne? Perhaps that wasn’t the worst idea. Evangeline. She’d likely be a better fit. The title even went better with her name. Queen Evangeline. It rhymed, as though planned. Queen Norah—it sounded like a vegetable when said fast enough.
“If she could do a better job…” Norah mumbled.
Catherine stopped and turned abruptly, making Norah almost run into her. She pulled Norah close, speaking in a hushed whisper. “Listen to me carefully. There are people who are hungry for power and will use whatever means necessary to get it. But this is your throne. You are the daughter of King Aamon, you are the rightful heir and the one who will unite the kingdoms and defeat the Shadowlands. Do you understand?”
What happened to one thing at a time? And what did she mean by people who are hungry for power? Within Mercia? Her heart pulsed. She didn’t think she could manage another challenge.
“Now the council will push to have your coronation as quickly as possible,” the regent continued. “I’ll also insist on it.”
“Wait, what?” Norah shook her head. “Why? You’re obviously doing a wonderful job as queen regent.” She hadn’t even been able to wrap her mind around pretending to have her memories. This was all coming too soon. It was too much.
“The council will want to see you wed quickly to King Phillip, for which they’ll want to crown you first. This works in our favor. Until then, you’ll say nothing of your memories.”
That sounded like a terrible idea. “I can’t—”
“We’ll not talk of it now.” Catherine hushed her as Alexander emerged from the judisaept and made his way toward them.
Another objection sat on Norah’s lips, but it slipped from her mind as her sight set on him.
Catherine sighed as she squeezed Norah’s hand. “Don’t worry, child. We’ll get it all sorted. But right now, I must tend to some things. The guard will see you back.”