They walked in silence for the first few minutes, Ilyana leading him down the marble corridors toward the east gardens. She kept sneaking glances at him from the corner of her eye.
He was looking around at everything, the tapestries, the windows, the guards, like he had never seen a palace before. Maybe he hadn't. She didn't actually know much about beast-kin kingdoms.
"So," she said finally. "You're from the Northern Territories?"
"Yes." He was walking stiffly, like he was afraid he might break something. "Have you ever been?"
"No. Is it very different from here?"
"Very." He paused. "We don't have marble floors. Or... this many walls."
"You don't like walls?"
"I like being able to see the sky." He glanced up at the painted ceiling. "No offense."
"None taken." She pushed open the door to the gardens, and his entire posture changed.
The tension left his shoulders. His eyes lit up, and he smiled, the first real expression she had gotten from him.
"Oh," he said. "This is better. Much better."
The gardens were Ilyana's favorite part of the palace. Flowers bloomed in every color, trees provided shade, and a small stream ran through the center with a stone bridge over it.
Corvus immediately walked to the nearest tree and looked up into its branches like he was considering climbing it.
"You can climb it if you want," Ilyana said.
He looked back at her, surprised. "Really?"
"No one's here to see. And I won't tell."
A slow grin spread across his face. "You're not what I expected."
"What did you expect?"
"I don't know. Someone more... princessy."
"I am princessy," she protested. "I'm wearing a dress and everything."
"You also just gave me permission to climb a tree."
"Princessy doesn't mean boring."
His grin widened. Then, without warning, he grabbed a low branch and swung himself up into the tree.
Ilyana watched, impressed by his agility. He climbed higher, moving from branch to branch, until he was near the top.
"The view is amazing from up here!" he called down.
"I wouldn't know. I've never been up there."
There was a pause. Then his head popped out from between the leaves. "You've never climbed this tree?"
"I'm not allowed."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm a princess. And princesses don't climb trees." She tried not to sound bitter about it.
Corvus was quiet for a moment. Then he started climbing back down. When he reached the lowest branch, he hung from it and dropped to the ground in front of her.
"That's stupid," he declared.
"Excuse me?"
"The rule. It's stupid." He looked at her seriously. "You should be able to climb trees if you want to."
"My tutors would have a fit."
"Your tutors aren't here." He held out his hand. "Come on. I'll help you."
Ilyana stared at his hand. At the claws where fingernails should be. She should say no. She should remind him that she was a princess and princesses absolutely did not climb trees and…
She took his hand.
His eyes widened in surprise, like he hadn't actually expected her to agree. His hand was warm, rough, and much bigger than hers.
"Okay," he said. "Put your foot on that knot there. I'll boost you up."
It was awkward and ungraceful and she definitely scraped her knee, but with his help, Ilyana made it to the first branch. Then the second. Then the third.
By the time they were sitting side by side on a thick branch halfway up the tree, she was breathing hard and grinning.
"You're right," she said. "The view is amazing."
From here, she could see over the garden walls to the city beyond. The sky seemed bigger somehow.
"Told you." He looked pleased with himself.
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, legs dangling.
"I'm sorry about earlier," Corvus said suddenly. "Calling you small. That was rude."
"It's okay. You are tall."
"Everyone in my family is tall. It's a beast-kin thing."
"The spots are a beast-kin thing too?"
He touched his neck self-consciously. "Yeah. For the leopard-clan at least. Do they... bother you?"
"No. They're actually kind of pretty."
He blinked at her. "Pretty?"
"Like a leopard. Leopards are pretty."
"Leopards are dangerous."
"Pretty things can be dangerous."
He seemed to consider this. "I guess that's true."
"Are you? Dangerous, I mean."
"Sometimes." He looked down at his claws. "I don't mean to be. But sometimes the beast part is stronger than the human part, and I—" He stopped. "Sorry. That probably sounds scary."
"A little," Ilyana admitted honestly. "But not as scary as I thought it would be."
"What did you think I'd be like?"
"A monster."
He flinched.
"But you're not," she added quickly. "You're just... a boy. With spots. And claws. And really good tree-climbing skills."
A smile tugged at his lips. "And you're just a princess who breaks rules."
"Only small rules."
"Those are the best kind to break."
She laughed, and his smile widened.
"I think," Corvus said slowly, "that this might not be as terrible as I thought it would be."
"Being betrothed to me?"
"Living here. Away from home." He glanced at her. "You're... nice."
"You're nice too. Even if you did call me small."
"I'm never going to live that down, am I?"
"Probably not."
He groaned, but he was smiling.
They sat in the tree until the sun started setting, talking about everything and nothing. He told her about the Northern Territories, about running through forests and hunting with his family. She told him about the palace, about her tutors and her books and how boring court life could be.
When they finally climbed down, her dress was definitely ruined, they were both grinning.
"Same time tomorrow?" Corvus asked.
"I have lessons tomorrow."
"After lessons?"
Ilyana considered. She should probably say no.
"After lessons," she agreed.