Winter moved in slowly, a quiet siege. My necklace caught the pale light; I couldn't hide how excited I was to go to Royal Prep. I went to bed thinking of it, while outside the sky stayed stubbornly blue and snow fell without stopping. Every corner of the palace glittered with ice. The universal chimney worked, but not well enough — Issy ordered stewards to place chimneys at every corner. That helped, but it didn't make anything better.
Issy had been avoiding me ever since I'd put Louis in trouble at the beginning. We sat together in the Royal Hall when a maid entered and bowed. "Your royalties, supper has been set in Prince Louis' chambers as you requested," she said.
"Okay, you may go. We'll be there in a minute," I replied.
Before the maid could turn, Issy barked, "Stand there, you fool. The next time you take orders from this—this woman who calls herself a princess in my presence—I'll see your head cut off."
"What's wrong with you?" Vera demanded.
"I was only showing the maid who's boss around here," Issy snapped.
"For your information, no one is boss around here," Vera shot back.
Issy tossed the words away and left the hall in a huff. "Is it because of what I did to Louis?" I asked Vera quietly.
"Thank the heavens you knew," Vera said as she stood. Issy was already out of earshot.
"Iris, I'm sorry for what Issy did to you," Vera said, softer now.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just a misunderstanding," I lied.
Louis's chambers were as large as mine, but cluttered with books and weapons like a wounded man's fortress. The walls were beautifully carved; I dared not comment. Louis and Issy still burned with anger at my presence. Supper was strained, but I stayed. If any of my other siblings had been sitting there, they would have left the table without a second thought.
"The sky was blue and the snow was continuously falling." "The sky was a hard blue and the snow fell in steady curtains."
"I dare not make a comment because Louis and Issy were burning in anger" "I dared not comment; Louis and Issy still burned with anger , super wasn't pleasant,but I had to stay in ,if it was any of my cousins they would have left without thinking twice.
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Winter was moving slowly, and I got sick of it. Pearl got closer and friendlier towards me every day, whilst Issy got rude and arrogant every passing minute. I found out that Issy and Louis were secretly dating, without Queen Nana's permission, or even consent.