"It"s not good to hold it in, isn"t it?" Gisela said about ten minutes later.They had both finished their business at the outhouse, which was along the wooded side path that Theodar had emerged from earlier. Un.o.btrusively, female soldiers guarded the area.
Last to emerge from the small building, Hilde had been wiping her hand dry as she sniffled. She then accepted a fresh cloth from Frieda and proceeded to also blot her face dry.
"No," she answered in a nasal voice. "It"s not good – felt like I"d burst."
Gisela giggled. "Are we talking about the same thing?"
"Pretty sure, yes." Handing Frieda back the cloth with a nod of thanks, Hilde hooked arms with her cousin as the small group proceeded to return to the meadow. "Have I ever told you I love you?" she asked from out of nowhere.
"No, dearest," answered Gisela placidly as she pressed closer, offering more support. "You liked to pretend you couldn"t feel before. But it"s all right, I already know." Hilde felt her look up at her profile and heard the smile in her voice as she continued, "All our lives, you"ve been telling me as much through your actions."
"Oh, good," Hilde replied. "Because I doubt I could ever say it out loud again."
Both laughing a little, the Princesses emerged from the woods, with Hilde being careful not to ogle the saluting soldiers they pa.s.sed. It had taken her aback earlier to find them stationed there.
Waiting to enter the woods after them were several other women who"d either been booted out or temporarily barred from going to the outhouse while the royals were using it. Though the needs of some looked urgent indeed, protocol dictated that they acknowledge the higher-ranking women first.
After Hilde"s and Gisela"s return nod, a few of the n.o.ble ladies walked off huffing, their foreheads high in the air.
"Whoops," thought Hilde, slightly guilty at having caused a blockage. "I bet they"d curse up a storm about us in there."
Through their linked arms, she felt Gisela"s mood deflate once the last one had gone. She barely managed to stop herself from sighing.
"Cousin, will you also listen to me?" Hilde said, pausing in her steps and disentangling their arms so they could face each other. In her calloused one, she retained hold of Gisela"s soft and delicate hand. "This time, it was my fault. I held them up, they have a reason to feel miffed. But from what I see, in your case…"
Drawing a deep breath, she went ahead and said it, "Good opinions are nice to have, but they"re not worth pursuing from people you haven"t also formed a good opinion of. You do not yet know these court people, and they do not know who you really are. I"d say leave off from being affected by them, at least until they"ve proven themselves as worthy of befriending as I know you to be."
Her eyes narrowing, Hilde looked into the distance before adding, "And I don"t care whose sibling some of them are. Everyone should be judged on their own merit, don"t you think so?"
For some reason, hearing the last part made Gisela laugh, and quite heartily. "That was as much as HE said," she told her, cheeks dimpling. "I was telling the truth, Cousin, what happened between us was my fault, not Theodar"s. My naïve presumption had offended him."
Hilde trained her narrowed gaze on the other girl. "But you were so unhappy about it…"
The humor faded from her eyes.
"I was unprepared for the lesson, Hilde," she said upfront. "Pitifully so, I think you"d agree?" When Hilde responded by averting her gaze, Gisela smiled again before hooking their arms back. In an ambling pace, they continued on their way. "I"m ashamed of my actions and expectations – that"s all it is. I"m really not that affected by the rest, please don"t worry about me."
Hilde let a few beats pa.s.s. "So then…" she hedged, "how you see him now…"
"I suppose… I"m grateful to him? For telling his truth as it is, unmindful of rank. And…"
When Gisela failed to continue, Hilde looked at her from the corner of her eye. Looking stricken, the other woman"s cheeks were turning pink even as she watched.
Hilde followed where her cousin was staring so fixedly. After an infinite moment wherein her own heart stopped, her throat constricted, and her feet just wanted to run, she then put her all into pulling herself together and clucked her tongue.
"When you speak of the devil…" Hilde said drily.
"He"s hardly a devil, dear," Gisela answered, voice a little shaky.
Hilde snorted. "A bug, then."
The Princesses and their attendants were about five yards from reaching the tree. From well within the spread of blankets, the young man they were just talking about was once again navigating the crisscrossing paths between. With his sister a step behind him, he too was staring fixedly in the direction he seemed intent on reaching.
Gisela had long since paused in her tracks, forcing the others to pause with her. When the brother and sister pair reached them, it was the latter who spoke first.
"Princess Hilde," said the large-eyed and elfin-faced older woman. Curtseying, her heavy fall of burnished brown hair cascaded over her broad shoulders.
"Sieglind," Hilde responded without giving anything away. Voice and eyes steady, she then turned to the pair"s other half. "And Theodar – it"s the first time we"re meeting, though I"ve heard much of you."
"Princess," he said, not rising from his bow. "As I have of you."
A second pa.s.sed, then two. Finally, Hilde said softly, "It"s fine now. Please… Theodar. Lift your head."