The winter had come and gone, the King had neither picked a bride, nor sent anyone home, and Gisila was still not acclimated to the D’Angeline capital. Her room had been chosen to her request: courtyard facing, two small rooms in addition to the main area. The food hadn’t even taken long to adjust to, nor had it caused her to need a new wardrobe. The heat in the city was oppressive, but her balcony was shaded, and that’s where she’d been living for the last month, where she lounged now, contemplating her life. Her D’Angeline was improving daily, though it was still a stumbling block for her.
And yet, despite all the good news she had to write home about, she still could not settle. She felt pressed in by the marble walls of the palace, and no number of day trips outside the walls made her feel like she could breathe fully. Leaving was not an option. She had treaties and trade agreements that she was working on, not to mention that her grandmother would kill her if she returned before the Royal Wedding. Even if she was not the bride, she was still the Skaldi diplomat. A trip home would have to wait. Not that she was even sure a trip home would help her.
A rolling chirp and a rustling sensation tore her from her thoughts, and she looked down into the bodice of her dress and saw the intelligent face of Thiel, her magpie. She loved the bird as much as she loved Agnetta, and lucky for her, the two birds loved each other as well. Thiel was a year old now and ideally should have flown away to find other magpies not still living in a pocket sewn into Gisila’s dress. However things were not ideal for Thiel. Her separation from her parents so young and in such a violent manner seemed to have damaged her mind as well as leaving one of her wings unable to fully extend. So living with Gisila for the rest of her life seemed to be what was best for little Thiel. Lucky for the sweet bird, Gisila was glad to give it to her.
Gisila stroked the bird’s head and helped her hop up onto Gisila’s waiting shoulder. Stroking the bird’s chest idly, Gisila wondered if their lives were parallel, if she herself was destined to be in a place that was uncomfortable to her nature. She was hampered by her status with the Skaldi, unable to live the life she’d want but also unable to imagine herself living that life. With a sigh, she got up and headed inside to read over the paperwork sent over by the head of the Weaver’s Guild. Not even the cool of the marble floor on her bare feet brought relief to her tired brain. She had to find something, and soon, to grant her some measure of peace.