Shadow love

The princess disregarded the rumors, and after a couple of weeks the juicy gossip began to grow stale. Sir Kodovar was sent to a frontier garrison, and Liandra wrote him frequently.

"Still thinking about your sweetheart, Liandra?" Kendra teased, laying next to the princess. She couldn't help but giggle, and kiss her true love passionately. "Jealousy makes people bitter and ugly."

"Then I must be a bog hag!" Liandra laughed at that too, and noted "You are early, I thought we were just meeting after midnight?"

Kendra produced an invitation to a recital. Yonda, the famous harpist, was staging a performance for the rich merchants after honoring the nobility with her talent. Liandra remembered she had remarked how talented this musician was to Kendria. But it was such a passing remark she couldn't believe her beloved remembered.

They went in secret to the manor that was hosting the performance. Beautiful dresses, of course, but also dark cloaks to conceal their faces and identities. It worked perfectly several times during the past two weeks, and there was no reason to believe this time it would be anything different. Liandra suspected Kendra also used magic to keep their secret, but didn't care much anyway.

It was a crowded house, and Liandra recognized many faced there. Servants, low nobility, even Horacio the Chaplain. Liandra and Kendra stayed in the back, but suffered nothing for it. When Yonda played it flooded the room with delightful melody, carrying dreams and fantasy to her audience.

Liandra´s fingers were interwoven with Kendras, they on occasion exchanged light kisses and caresses. It was between songs, that Liandra felt the tension in Kendra´s hands. She tried to disguise it when their eyes met, but Liandra knew her better than that. "what is wrong?" She whispered

"Over there" Kendra discreetly pointed towards a man, but he was completely unfamiliar to her. "He is handsome... a former paramount?" Liandra teased, but though it could well be it. That man wasn't only pleasant to the eye, he seemed cultured and virile, educated and passionate. Perhaps a tad cruel, but Liandra imagined she wouldn't mind that.

"You jest ... That is none other than Prince Mortimer." Liandra was aghast, she had never seen the prince before. But what was he doing there? Someone of his importance should be accompanied by several guards, and he should have introduced himself first to court.