The group was surprised but not unhappy to see the sibling pair join them at the mayor's house when it was only mid-morning. Rose was welcomed into the fold as if she had always been a part of it.
"Well, now that there is another female, I do not feel bad leaving Lily behind with you sorry lot," Katherine gave the princess a hug and reflexively kissed her forehead. Rose was slightly startled, but the motherly action made her feel at home.
"Must you go?" Rose did not wish to see the innkeeper leave so soon.
"Cook usually needs a hand in the kitchen. Although I am most delighted to see you, Haven, I have delayed long enough. I really must be going."
Katherine walked back to the table and kissed her husband on the lips. Conall took full advantage of the moment, wrapping his arms around his wife and pulling her into his scooted back chair.
The woman allowed him to have his way for a moment before standing up quicky and brushing off her wrinkled apron.
"I don't know what kind of woman you think I am, Conall of Rynnlee, but there will be no more of that, I assure you." Katherine brought her fingers to her lips, still feeling the effects of her husband's touch.
"Forgive me, uh, noble lady. I could not help but linger with a beautiful woman such as my wife." Conall winked.
Katherine placed her hands on her hips. "Foolish flatterer," she smacked her lips at him and departed for the inn.
"Surprised you didn't remind her that you are in your own house and ask where you are supposed to kiss her." Aiden cocked his head at the mayor and placed his hands comfortably behind his head. "I never pegged you for a romantic."
"You don't get the prettiest girl in the whole countryside by being an idiot," Conall laid his finger aside his nose. "I know where my bread is buttered."
Rolling her eyes, Lily stood up and took Rose's hand. "Now you know why Katherine didn't leave me alone. These men are usually a bit much. I am so glad you are here to help wrangle them!"
Any feeling left of not belonging fled as the older blonde led the younger to the seat next to her. While Silver took a place between Conall and Rose, the princess looked around the table at the other members of the group.
Lily, Rose and Silver sat along one side of the long table with Conall at the head. Opposite them, Aiden and another handsome figure rounded out the group.
Rose's eyes locked with Ethyn. The green of his irises was as bright as the spring grass just now. If only he didn't have the circles under his eyes to make him look so tired. The princess remembered that he had been up all night making a table. Poor Ethyn! He was exhausted.
On the table, the papers from earlier were strewn in piles along with many open, bound books. Tearing her eyes from the dashing figure across from her--who had a far too welcoming smile on his face--the princess tried to focus on the task before them.
"I don't suppose there has miraculously been a message since we last spoke?" Silver sighed, already seeing Conall's shaking head.
"Message? From whom?" The princess wondered if Aristos, who was missing from the group, might be off somewhere gathering information instead of hunting.
"We are expecting a communication from Sage. I am just being impatient on receiving it." Silver rubbed the back of his hood. He couldn't help but feel the things contained in these pages were of dire importance.
Even if Hanna's main intention had actually been for the Guardian to be reunited with his sister, these papers were worth her allowing him to break his promise not to steal. They had to mean something.
"What are these?" Rose interrupted the man's thoughts.
Silver spread his arms. "The papers are the ones you saw earlier. They are from Borit's secret office. They are coded."
Rose picked up one of the books on the table. "And these are meant to help you break the cipher?"
Aiden looked up from the book in his hand and grinned at the princess. "I approached our school teacher with the problem, and she managed to get a hold of a few books on the subject. We are looking through them to see if there is anything of value here."
"Are you very fond of codes, Aiden?" The Princess's hands ran gently along the spine of the tome in her hand.
"Not particularly. Why do you ask?" Aiden raised one eyebrow. Why had he been singled out?
"It was just the delight on your face when talking about the books that made me wonder. My apologies." Rose dropped the subject, but Conall bit onto it like a dog to a bone.
"It is the school mistress and not the books which have caught Aiden's fancy. He will be married and settled before the year is out." The mayor chuckled, happy to have a small amount of revenge.
"Only if she'll have me," Aiden answered, cutting his eyes at the other man.
"Oh she'll have you. Love truly is blind." Conall was revving up for some repartee when he realized the princess was staring at them, slightly shocked. "My apologies, Your Highness. My tongue ran away with me."
"Well, this one is no good." Ignoring the others, Silver had already sped through one of the smaller books and closed it with a sigh. "Just a bunch of information on the tongue of the ancients."
"Allow me to help," Rose offered, happy not to have to respond to the other display.
"We would be most grateful," Ethyn agreed. While he did not think anyone would object to her assistance, he also did not want to give anyone the chance.
The Princess quickly realized that to be actually helpful, she needed to at least have some idea about the papers she was attempting to decipher. Picking up the pile closest to her, Rose scanned the pages for clues.
The writing in some places was strange geometric shapes and in others was crossed lines. There seemed to be no consistency to equate lettering, so perhaps they were symbols or characters? She sat staring at the page for many minutes memorizing as many of the shapes as she could.
Then she began to flip through a book for any sign of the similar markings. An hour passed in a blink.
"Oh! I think I have something!" Ethyn drew everyone's attention, startling them by his excited exclamation. "I think I saw this on one of the last pages. May I see your pile, Your Highness?"
Nodding, the princess passed the pages in front of her from Borit's document across the table. Everyone waited as Ethyn studied the page and the book one after the other. Several seconds passed.
In the end it was for naught. "False alarm," Ethyn sighed. "It wasn't as close as I thought it was..."
"Mark the page just in case," Silver told the young knight. "If everything else comes up empty, we can look at it a little more."
Relieved by the encouragement, Ethyn folded down the corner of the page as he was told. "I just wish I hadn't gotten everyone's hopes up," he mumbled.
He held out the papers for the princess to reclaim. "It was a good effort." Rose tried to confront him. "I am sure any of us would have done the same if we saw--OH!"
The princess's face contorted as she tried to make sense of the sight before her. Ethyn's hand faltered as he tried to discern her sudden halt in speech.
"What is it?" He asked, clearly concerned.
Rose barely heard him. Her face was transfixed on the bottom page of the packet in his hand, which was fluttering more freely below the rest. It was weighed down by a red piece of wax that shone in contrast to the creamy paper.
"I hate to say it, but I think I have something…" She took the papers and flipped them over so that the others could see. Her voice was resolute. "I know this seal."