Merrich frowned and didn’t react when the wall next to him was soaked with beer after a tipsy blacksmith threw his mug at the wall. “They’re supposed to be impartial. Can they legally say those kinds of things?”
“Who is going to take them to court?” Friedrich asked. “No one from Trieux will bother, and Erlauf is tapped out of funds and scurrying to pay back our debts to the penny-pinching princess of Arcainia.”
“I thought she and her brothers disappeared,” Diederick said. “Another victim of a dark curse?”
“She did, but her underlings keep her monetary empire running in her absence. In truth, we shouldn’t have borrowed so much from her to go to war against Trieux. It made the short war possible, but we’re paying for it dearly,” Friedrich said.
“And now we sit with a debt-riddled country; the only council of magic users in the world is upset with us; and our conquered territory persists in trying to rip away as we brace ourselves for a decade of dark magic,” Diederick summarized.
“If Trieux separates, it is going to be eaten by darkness,” Merrich predicted.
“And we will be two steps behind them,” Friedrich grimly said. “We are spent. Even a military as grand as ours cannot fight without money to fund it. It is why we are so desperate to encourage Trieux’s healthy economy.”
“And all of this rests on the shoulders of your lovely red-haired lady,” Diederick said as a barkeep refilled his tankard. “Are you certain you want to trust her with the future of her country and ours?”
Friedrich tapped his fingers on the table. “Cinderella is special.”
Merrich rolled his eyes, and Diederick chugged his drink.
“I’m not being a cad—I mean it. She has a capacity for loyalty and love one doesn’t often see. People want to love her. If she would give up on her last shard of bitterness…I don’t think even a dark enchanter would dare tangle with her. Her love can get people to think beyond themselves. And that is what we need in this age,” Friedrich said.
The three friends were silent, dwelling on Friedrich’s words.
“I’m in,” Merrich said, slamming his drink down. “If she’s as great as you say, I will march to her orders until the day I die.”
“Thank you, provided you don’t get any funny ideas about her,” Friedrich said, eyeing his old friend.
Merrich rolled his eyes again. “I assure you I can control myself from accosting the love of my closest friend.”
“Diederick?” Friedrich asked.
“She’s not ready yet,” Diederick said. “She doesn’t see the danger of dark magic. It hasn’t touched Trieux, even though we’ve been getting hit with it in Erlauf.”
“Then you have to trust she will be ready. I can’t delay a formal engagement much longer. A Trieux brat will pull her out from underneath me,” Friedrich said.
Diederick studied his friend. “You would marry her even if you didn’t think she was the best option for our country, wouldn’t you?”
Friedrich shrugged. “I love her,” he said.
Diederick nodded. “In that case, I, too, will throw my lot in with you.”
“I never pictured you as a champion of love,” Merrich said.
“Hardly,” Diederick said. “But I would not wish a loveless marriage on Friedrich.”
Friedrich clasped his friend on the back. “Thank you.”
“Of course.”
“Now the only thing left to do is to propose. Again,” Friedrich frowned. “I hope she takes me seriously one of these times.”
“You mean you’ve already asked?”
“At the beginning of the summer.”
Merrich laughed. “Cheers, to our whipped Prince. May you finally get the girl you dream of—who also keeps you in your place.”
“Cheers,” Diederick said.
“I am so touched,” Friedrich flatly said.
The friends laughed and talked late into the night, advising Colonel Friedrich—or as his Royal name decreed, Prince Cristoph Friedrich VI—and hoping he made a wise decision in loving a fiery Trieux duchess.
Chapter 12
The morning of the Victory Ball, Julien Rosseux called on Cinderella.
“Julien, what a pleasant surprise,” Cinderella, awkwardly wiping her hands on her apron.
“Lady Lacreux,” Julien said with an extravagant bow.
“Please, just Cinderella,” Cinderella said before turning to her servants, who were packing up the last of the goods for the market. “Leave without me if you must, Vitore. I will be along later.”
“Yes, Mademoiselle,” the maid curtseyed before she climbed into the wagon.
Cinderella returned her attention to Julien and concentrated on being a good hostess. “Would you like any refreshments? Tea, perhaps?”
“No, but I thank you for your offer,” Julien said, folding his hands behind his back as they sauntered up to the chateau.
“May I ask what brings you to Aveyron?” Cinderella asked, tucking a strand of scarlet hair behind her ear.
