Grimilde waited for a small smile from the princess before relaxing again.
The rest of the lunch passed peacefully, and both women retired to conduct their business before meeting at the castle entrance a few hours later. Snow White appeared, descending the stairs at the castle entrance, two beautiful ramps on either side of the central path leading to the heart of the palace.
She was wearing a new dress: Rachel and Mariella had insisted on changing her clothes, taking care of her hair and makeup as usual, decorating Snow White's hair with a pretty red bow. She wore a long blue silk tunic, with lace at the chest and a golden sash around her hips, which cinched the dress, showing off her feminine curves gracefully. As the days passed, winter was approaching, and the weather was beginning to change, making the winds colder: Snow White had with her black gloves and a cloak to cover herself if the temperature dropped.
Grimilde's attire wasn't much different, only the colors and decorations: her dress was white, and a thin belt girded her hips; she had gathered her long blond hair into a braid, and precious stones adorned her head, woven from golden threads. The two women stared at each other for a moment before walking toward the carriage waiting at the palace entrance.
Grimilde broke the silence only when they were alone inside the carriage: "Your beauty enchants me every time I lay my eyes on you."
Her blue eyes hadn't been shy, taking their time to roam over Snow White's figure, which immediately flushed. The princess stammered a "thank you" and folded her hands in her lap, lowering her head.
"Darling, speak to me." The queen shifted closer to the princess, leaning toward her, and took the woman's hands in hers.
"Please tell me what I did wrong, so I can make amends immediately."
Snow White held her words for a moment, then asked: "This morning... Why didn't you wake me up? You were gone and I thought you didn't care..."
Grimilde frowned, then smiled again, discovering the source of the misunderstanding that wouldn't be difficult to resolve: "You were so peaceful, I didn't have the courage to interrupt your dreams. I apologize, darling. Did someone disturb you? I asked my maids not to—"
"Don't worry... it was just Rachel and Mariella."
The princess interrupted, far too embarrassed to continue the conversation. She buried her face in her hands, but the queen gently took her hands, trying to separate them and see her beautiful face.
This provoked the queen, who moved to sit beside Snow White herself. "Would you have preferred them to find us in bed, embracing each other?" Grimilde's question was an attempt to shake the girl's shyness.
"I wonder how..." The sentence trailed off for a moment. Snow White had used a very low tone of voice, so the queen tried to understand what she had said: "How?"
"How is it possible that you don't feel even a shred of embarrassment!" Snow White tried to move, but as soon as she got up the carriage jolted. She fell onto the queen, who promptly grabbed her hips, helping her hold on. The princess found herself sitting on the regent's lap.
"Your majesty?" the coachman called, slowing his pace to make sure the queen and princess were okay. "Everything is fine, Thomas. Go ahead." The queen raised her voice, tightening her grip on Snow White, who stifled a surprised sound by clasping her hands over her mouth.
"Dear, your face is really red. Are you feeling okay?" Grimilde released the princess's hips only to cup the girl's face in her hands. She caressed her cheeks, carefully observing her features and the slightly frowning expression she was showing her. She was so tender in that moment. "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"
The young woman with ebony hair got back to her seat, feeling shy. "Is it so obvious?"
The queen offered her a beautiful smile that calmed the other woman's frustration.
"The day will come when I will take revenge..." the princess whispered softly, crossing her arms over her chest and forcing herself not to think about Grimilde's warm hands on her hips.
"I can't wait." The blonde's voice was low and sensual, leaving no room for misunderstanding, and her eyes spoke clearly. The princess, taken aback by the queen's almost aggressive attitude, didn't utter another word for the rest of the journey.
Soon they found themselves near the port of the capital city, overlooking the great river of Arran—Mouthsea, as the locals called it, or Mautse, name found on the maps circulating in the area. The Mautse flowed into in the sea of Oacre, which washed the western shores of the continent where Arran was located. The river was, therefore, the main trade route, the only route that would take Arran's ships to the sea without passing through other countries.
The importance of the river was celebrated in spring: the locals would decorate the streets with garlands of flowers, and in the evening they would build small bonfires and perform rituals that heralded the arrival of a new year of fruitful trade and abundant harvests. The sailors of Arran, along with the fishermen, had successfully spread their traditions, making them the norm in all the cities that touched the Mautse.
Snow White knew all this information inside out, having not only read a couple of books on local traditions, but also had the opportunity to meet a local fisherman on one of her secret trips in the city.
As the two women stepped out of the carriage, the princess held her breath, amazed by the beauty of the harbor area: she had only imagined docks, anchored boats, small stalls here and there, and the occasional passerby, whether fisherman, townsman, or sailor. She found herself profoundly struck by the beautiful view unfolding before her eyes: the river was so wide, from one bank to the other, that she struggled to see any details clearly on the other side, barely noticing any movement or houses. The place was crowded in the early afternoon and would most likely remain so as the evening progressed.
There was a festive air, which wouldn't last long with the arrival of winter, but it cheered up the people, frightened by the cold, who didn't want to let go of the warmer seasons, at least not yet. Indeed, the wind wasn't cold at that moment, and Snow White decided to take off her gloves, holding them in her hands.
Their arrival had sparked joy and surprise among the small crowd at the port, but the local guards had taken care to disperse the crowd as soon as they approached the princess and queen. The girl greeted her fellow citizens, responding to their smiles and calls, then returned to follow the queen, who was a few steps away from the carriage.
Grimilde remained unfazed by the popular hubbub, merely acknowledged their greetings with a wave of her hand. Then she gently took Snow White's arm and walked toward the merchant she was supposed to meet that afternoon. Snow White noticed him immediately, hearing the neighing of the animals, which led her attention to a large boat from which several horses were disembarking.
"Sir Henry?"
~•~•~
Grimilde waifu ❤️
💙 or Snow White waifu 🤍?