The journey to Ardenne took a day and a half. By the time the carriages crested the final ridge, dusk had begun to paint the sky in rose and gold.
Noelis leaned against the velvet-lined window, gazing at the view unfurling before her. Below, the Kingdom of Ardenne stretched like a jewel encased in forest and stone — the white walls of the palace fortress gleamed amber under the fading light, its towers catching the last shimmer of the sun. The great waterfall that cut through the valley gleamed like a sheet of molten silver.
The Tributes leaned out of their windows as the procession rolled through the arched gates, the rhythm of hooves echoing off polished cobblestones.
"It's beautiful," Rowena whispered, pressing her small hands against the glass.
From the other carriage, now riding alongside them, Faelynn's voice drifted through the open pane. "And here I thought Valemorde had no rival."
Noe watched the landscape glide by — the perfect symmetry of gardens, the glittering roofs, the streets so clean they seemed untouched by life. It was arguably more beautiful than Valemorde, but beneath that beauty she felt something else, a hollowness that made her uneasy. It reminded her too much of Valemorde, the kingdom ruled by her mother's family. The place where she was always unwelcome.
"It's like a painting," Noe murmured. "Beautiful... but not real."
Alarie turned toward her in quiet agreement.
"Careful now," Faelynn smirked. "Someone might hear you and think you've no appreciation for the wonders of Ardenne."
"Faelynn, we didn't ask for your commentary," Alarie replied dryly.
Inaya glanced at Alarie with her usual cool ease, unmoved. She'd barely spoken throughout the entire journey, and seemed determined to keep it that way.
Noe had been quiet too. They'd pressed on with minimal rest to reach Ardenne as quickly as possible. Elarion had kept his distance, leaving his men and servants to attend to the Tributes so none of them had any idea of what had happened between her and Elarion back in the forest where they'd camped for the night.
A tent had been set up for the Tributes and for Elarion, while the rest of the entourage tied their horses, put up some hammocks and lit a fire. Elarion chose to sleep among his men, leaving the tent to the women. None of them slept well — except Alarie, who was long accustomed to sleeping in such lodgings.
Though they'd been ordered not to leave, Noe had stepped out for a breath of air. She hadn't gone far when she felt a shadow move behind her.
"Noe?"
She turned. A tall figure stood before her — a dark tunic trimmed in gold thread clung to his frame beneath the faint gleam of armor, and a deep green cloak with the Ardenne crest draped his shoulders. The knew that face.
"Fabien?" Her voice caught between surprise and disbelief. "You've... grown."
He chuckled softly. He had never been small, but since leaving the Academy he had filled out, broader and stronger.
"You're one of the Tributes?" he asked, though he already knew the answer. He'd been guarding the rear of the entourage and hadn't seen the new Tributes up close. He knew the faces that made up the original Ardenne entourage and hers wasn't one of them.
Noe nodded. By the Celestials, what were the chances? It wasn't unheard of to find a familiar face among the Tributes, but given their few numbers this year, this was unexpected.
"I didn't know you were from Ardenne."
They'd been in the same house at the Academy. All the students were affiliated to houses named after the four founding headmasters and headmistresses of their Academy. Fabien had been one of the prefects who managed their house and a few years ahead of Noelis. Students were to reveal little of their lineage with titles — bloodlines and any sense of entitlement were to be left at the gates — so she was not aware of his lineage and he, of hers.
"I'm not just from Ardenne," he said with a grin. "I am an Ardenne."
Her eyes widened.
"Well," he added, "sort of. Related to the ruling family, but not in line to the throne."
A twig cracked behind them. They turned — and there stood Elarion, half in shadow, his gaze sharp and cold.
"El," Fabien said quickly, straightening. "My Lord, I was just showing Lady Noelis back to her tent."
"I'll take her," Elarion said, his voice clipped. "You're on duty next. Return to camp and stand watch."
Fabien offered Noe a quick, reassuring smile before stepping away into the firelight.
The silence that followed was heavy. Noe broke it first.
"I just needed some fresh air. I can see myself back to the tent."
She started walking away, wanting to get back to the tent as quickly as possible. Phew. It was the first time she had seen him since the bonding, and she wasn't in the mood to have any sort of conversation with him.
Noe had almost reached the tent when he caught her arm and pulled her back. Her shoulders struck the trunk of a tree. The bark pressed into her back and she found herself trapped between the tree and Elarion. She couldn't see his eyes in the dark, but she could feel the heat radiating off him, the hunger that filled the space between them.
"You're my new Tribute," he said with a low voice. "And you dare to dally with another man under my watch?"
It was only a matter of seconds when his hands found her breasts; his mouth pressed against her neck, sliding down toward her collarbone then to her cleavage. He pressed himself closer, a guttural sound escaping his throat.
Noe froze in disbelief. He had barely spoken to her or any of the Tributes, and now this? She didn't want to be doing this right now. Not here outside in the wild. Not when the others slept only steps away. Not when he hadn't once apologised — or even looked at her — after the way he took her during the bonding.
She caught his other hand, the one braced against the tree, and bit down hard. He flinched, releasing her. Noe shoved him back and ran for the tent.
The brief encounter replayed in her mind the next morning as she sat in the carriage, eyes closed. Fabien — her surprise and happiness at seeing a fellow classmate from her happy Academy times. Elarion and his attempts that night.
Now, as the towers of Ardenne rose before them, the reality settled in.
This was going to be their new home.
Her new home.