Mother, greetings. Lady Flidais has arrived safely at Winterfalls and is recovering from her long journey. Indeed, I have seen very little of her since she came here, as she is still too exhausted to leave her private quarters. I have ensured that her party is being well looked after in every respect.

On the journey to Winterfalls, Flidais witnessed the accidental death of a member of her party. She was seriously distressed by this unfortunate event, and this has contributed to her current state of nervous collapse.

I write to advise you of this since, if Flidais is not fully restored to herself within the next few days, I believe it may be wise to delay the formal betrothal. I understand the difficulties this would present, and I hope it will not be necessary.

I will send a message immediately if the arrangements change. Otherwise I will expect you and Father and your party in seven days, as planned.

Your obedient son

Oran, Prince of Dalriada

I sealed the letter without reading it over. I imagined Mother opening it. I imagined her irritation when she saw that I had not done as a prince should and had a scribe write it for me. I thought of her displeasure at the inconvenience – and it would indeed be inconvenient, with my father’s responsibilities at Cahercorcan. Perhaps there would be no need to send it. Maybe by morning Flidais would be restored to health, and able to walk or ride out with me, so I could show her and Bramble the places I had described in my letters. If not that, she might at least be well enough to sit with me in my library. I could read to her. I could give her the betrothal gift I had chosen with such care.

I lay awake, pondering the tumult of emotions that had coursed through me since my beloved’s arrival, and thinking that too great a fondness for old tales had perhaps addled my wits. What had I expected, that she would throw herself into my arms? Speak words of love before a whole crowd of folk? Had I imagined she would address me with the same fluency she’d shown in her letters, even after her exhausting journey and the shocking death of her maidservant? Flidais was a flesh and blood woman, not some princess from ancient myth. I’d been thinking like a child, and a selfish child at that.

Tomorrow I would do as Donagan had suggested. I would call my household together and tell them how proud I was of the fine work everyone had done in preparing Winterfalls for this change. I would run through what was expected for the visit of my parents and their substantial entourage. Then I would talk to Aedan about the plans to include the local community in the betrothal celebrations; I would make sure the folk of the village and farms had been consulted.