Page 27 of Knightfall
Peter left the room, taking my mother’s maidservant with him. Apparently, my mother and sister had become more accustomed to demanding privacy in my absence. I had been the only one in my family to kick out every servant in my chambers when I’d been younger.
I smiled at mother. “Queen Gela, what will you do if you need to blow your nose and no servant is here to help you?”
She rolled her eyes, another first. Her out-of-character choices nearly made up for Connor’s coldness. He hadn’t moved from his spot since we’d arrived.
“Was that an eye roll? Did you actually express annoyance?” I clapped. “Mother, I’d have poisoned you five times a day when I was younger if I’d known it would loosen you up.”
She gave me a deadpan stare. “Tactless.”
“It’s my best quality.”
She shook her head, “Let’s focus, shall we? Bloss, when you left, you started in the woods and back-country mountains of Cheryn. You chased two dragons that were sighted by various locals, a purple stinger and a red heathen. But the cave complex over in Cheryn is quite intense. You spent eight months exploring the caves but lost the dragons.”
“What about Cheryn’s diplomats?”
My mother smiled. “Just after you left, I had Connor send word that you’d be traveling the area, seeking to contain the dragons, which some of our northern sheepherders spotted. So, you were granted royal passage. You were even invited to the Sultan’s annual feast but, unfortunately, you were in the caves at that time, and weren’t able to attend.”
“How generous of him to extend the invitation,” I said wryly. “Considering the fact that before I left, he accused us of flooding the international market with cattle in order to drive down his prices.”
My mother raised a brow. I couldn’t tell if she was pleased that I’d remembered the state of affairs before I left, or annoyed I’d referenced leaving so casually. “Sultan Raj has since become quite an ally. One of his sons has been sent here, in fact. So, please behave accordingly.”
“When did he arrive?” I was startled. I was certain that I didn’t have the right diplomatic skills to handle the all the going’s on at the palace. I was dreading this tea.
The favors and rumors at court changed by the hour. They were always impossible to keep up with. I was certain to offend at least three people that morning. But, in terms of major events and political maneuvers, I tried to keep my ears open. I should have heard about the sultan’s son coming to visit.
“He is traveling now. He arrives in three weeks, and shortly after his arrival, we will host a welcome ball.”
I held in my groan.
That means corsets. I hate corsets, I complained internally.
Mother continued, “The last two years, you spent in the northern wastelands of Macedon. You’ve been out of touch with most of civilization, only interacting with the occasional ice-fishing caravans that travel through there. That explains your outrageous behavior yesterday.” Mother gave a cutting smile. “You’ve been quite accustomed to violence and fending off the attacks of those heathens and we expect it will take you awhile to readjust to polite society. I do believe the palace healer called it hysterical stress syndrome.”
I seethed. But I bit my tongue. The fact that I wanted to throw her tea in her face only proved her point. “I shall do my best to adjust as quickly as possible.”
“You will also need some remedial lessons regarding current affairs as well as to be briefed on each of the nobles residing in or visiting the palace. I’ll let your husbands schedule those.”
“I want Avia to join me.”
Her lips thinned. “She is not, and has never been, the crown princess.”
“She is and will be our queen,” I countered. “She’ll need to know a lot for whatever husbands she takes on, because you clearly have not reassigned—”
“Why would I?” Mother countered.
“Because I can’t—”
“You can and will. This is your birthright and duty.” Her speech was ruined by the fact that a short little hair popped out of her braid and fell into her face.
I didn’t comment on it. Or her argument. We’d had the same argument in circles since she the moment she’d begun selecting the men for my husband group. It was an argument I couldn’t win. No matter the fact that I was right.
I decided to concede the point to a sick woman. Or at least agree with what she factually had said. “You’re right. It is my birthright.”
Her eyes narrowed, expecting the follow up argument.
I bit my tongue in order to swallow said argument.
When she was satisfied, Mother continued quietly, “If need be, your knights can always tell the world you’ve spotted another dragon.”
