To Janessa’s relief, Lilia didn’t seem like she’d overheard their conversation. Glancing around the room, she nodded in satisfaction. A number of dresses had been delivered by the royal seamstress earlier in the day, and Greta had helped Janessa organize her new wardrobe. “I just wanted to offer you and Greta a tour of the city tomorrow morning.” The princess said. “Janessa, I know you’ve seen some of Silverfall, but there is so much I want to show you and Greta. We don’t get many visitors this far north.” She explained.
Janessa agreed eagerly, giving Greta a slight glance as she did. Her former guard gave a reassuring smile as she agreed to join the tour as well. Once Lilia had departed, Greta let out a sigh of relief. “We must still be careful, Janessa.” She said softly. She gave the former prince a hug and then left for her own quarters, which were just down the hall.
It had been weeks since Janessa had slept in a room by herself before they’d arrived in Northfjord, and Janessa was still getting used to how quiet it was. She tossed and turned for a while, before eventually wandering over to the small window in her room and staring out at the moonlit sea off in the distance outside her window. Watching the waves crash back and forth was almost soothing, and to her surprise she felt fatigue swiftly creeping over her. She barely managed to make it back to her bed before she fell asleep.
The next morning Janessa and Greta were waiting for Lilia in one of the palace’s wide open chambers. Greta flashed a flirty smile at one of the passing guards, and Janessa couldn’t help but giggle at his excited look as he disappeared down the hallway. Greta laughed as she adjusted her green dress. “It’s much easier to get information like this than it had before.” She whispered. Janessa nodded, wondering how much information she must have let slip back when she was the prince. The success she and Greta had had taught her an important lesson about being careful who she talked to.
Lilia soon emerged from another hallway, and led the two former concubines down a passage that led out to the stables. A small group of guards were waiting, and led them over to where the princess’ horse stood waiting. Lilia had offered her guests a pair of sleek, content looking horses to use for transportation while they were staying at the castle, and both women had accepted happily.
As they made their way into the city, Lilia pointed out one of Northfjord’s most important landmarks, an immense statue of a warrior holding a sword that she said represented one of the realm’s earliest kings. Janessa was impressed as she stared up at the statue; Karagot had similar monuments, but nothing on such a large scale. It must have taken many years for it to be completed.
The tour continued as the princess pointed out other places in Silverfall she thought they might like to see. The small group walked through a patch of trees as fog came in off of the ocean and swirled around them. In the distance a great mountain range could be seen looming over the city, the ancient mountains lined with snow. Ships quietly made their way through the bay off the coast of the city as they watched from a nearby bridge.
Janessa was enjoying the tour, but she couldn’t help but be reminded of home. The fighting had damaged much of Karagot’s own landmarks and natural beauty, and she knew it would take years to get it back to the way it had been. As she rode along a quiet road back towards the center of the capitol, she struggled against a wave of sadness.
They had dinner with the princess at the manor of an important leader in the city, then headed back towards the palace, arriving just as night was beginning to fall.
The next day….