Beatrice watched from her window, hands gripping the edge of the sill until her knuckles ached. Down in the courtyard, the Lockhart carriage was pulling through the gates, the family's blue and silver crest glinting dully against the morning light.
She had been pacing all morning, tension coiling tighter with every passing hour. Now that the moment was here, she found herself frozen. The stage was set, the first move about to be made.
She threw on her cloak quickly and slipped out of her chambers, Elisha meowing in protest as she closed the door behind her. She didn't go near the gates, it would be foolish to be seen loitering. Instead, she made her way to the ground floor, taking up a quiet post by one of the long gallery windows that overlooked the entrance courtyard.
The king and queen were already present, standing tall and formal at the bottom of the grand steps to receive the Lockharts. A small cluster of guards surrounded them, their expressions were blank and professional.
