A fact I understood down to my very bones. Despite that, I looked up at him and cocked an eyebrow. “But surely their spies cannot travel so fast as to ruin this night. There is still a little time to laugh.” He started to object, but I stood and said, “They must see me laugh, Kerwyn. At least for tonight.”
With that I walked into the audience. Again, they parted for me. This time, I saw the person I’d been looking for all evening.
Imogen stood at the back of the room, looking very small and frightened. When I approached her, she lowered herself into a bow and remained that way.
“Please rise,” I said. “It’s still me.”
She obeyed but shook her head. “No, I don’t think it is.”
“How much did you see?”
“All of it, Your Highness.”
“Must you call me that?”
Her voice faltered. “I must.”
“Do you forgive me? Can you?”
She lowered her eyes. “If you command it, then I will.”
“What if I don’t command it?”
“Please don’t ask me that.”
Kerwyn came up beside me. “And who is this, King Jaron?”
I took her hand and led her to the center of the group. “She is a lady in disguise, just as I was disguised as an orphan for four years. She is Imogen, and her family has debts to Master Conner. She has fully repaid those debts to me these past two weeks, in expert nursing care and compassion. Her father is dead, but using my power as king, I posthumously declare him a nobleman of Carthya. She is a nobleman’s daughter and will be treated as such.”
Imogen shook her head. “No, don’t. I can’t repay this.”
I turned to her and lowered my voice. “Imogen, you owe me nothing. You are free, and I wish you well in life.” I gave her hand to Kerwyn. “Will you see that she is given a comfortable room and dressed to fit her title? She may stay as long as she wishes, and at whatever point she asks it, see that she is provided a way home.”
She smiled through her tears and bowed to me. “Thank you … King Jaron.”
I smiled back at her. “Thank you, Imogen. I wouldn’t have survived these past two weeks except for you.”
Kerwyn led her away, but when he looked back at me, I could almost see a new weight fall upon his shoulders. Difficult times were ahead, for Carthya and for me. But even pending war should never ruin a good party. With a smile on my face, I turned to the group and said, “Carthyans, tonight I am home again. Let it be a celebration. Tonight we dance!”