hawk & sable

CHAPTER SIX,

  THE DINNER WAS held at the same palace they had been received. The table had already been sent. A close dinner. She counted thirteen seats from the window, though she didn't look in that direction. The other Kuroki girls were already there, waiting for Ruge to arrive. None of them could sit until he and Lady Kuroki did, being the highest ranking and oldest people present at this gathering.

Saian manners. Ridiculously complex.

Laurence lingered beside her. "Security is more lax than I thought it would be."

Of course that's what he's noticing. He should have been born a thief.

"I hope you are not planning to do something utterly foolish," she hissed back, tugging at her shawl. "I'd hate to have to deliver your corpse back to Arecia."

"Won't be necessary," he retorted. "I'll handle the arrangements myself."

She blinked, taken aback. "For your funeral."

"For my funeral."

She turned away from her, shaking her head. "You're mad."

"So I've been told," he replied, sounding entirely too pleased with himself. She shook her head once more.

Io skipped towards them, a wry smirk on her lips. "How are you two?"

Ciri lifted a brow. "I feel as if you approach us with nefarious intentions. Not the most reassuring. You're very crafty, has anyone told you that?"

"I shall take that as a compliment." Io pretended to tip a hat at her. "But I don't. Have nefarious intentions, anyways. I am very crafty. Rather proud of it. It's a genuine question."

Laurence shrugged. "It's been decent."

Io studied him with an arched eyebrow. "If you were living under my roof and your only response to my hospitality was that it was decent, I'd put poison in your tooth powder."

"What a good thing you're not mistress of this palace and are unlikely to ever be, then," Ciri shot, grinning. Io possessed a dry wit and good humour she appreciated. "If not... we'd have a lot more murder cases on our hands."

"I'll keep the Iron Wolves very busy," she deadpanned. "Just wait and see."

Laurence chuckled. "I'm sure you will. Though perhaps you'd prefer putting the Meliqueans into a frenzy instead of your own?"

Io didn't show her surprise. "Has it been decided?"

"No," Laurence admitted. "But it's likely. Prince Stephen is pushing it. It seems to be the first war of a new generation of world leaders."

Io tilted her head, obviously wondering if she should tell them whatever information had popped into her head. Finally, she muttered, voice softer than before, "They're considering a marriage alliance."

Ciri stared. "Between Prince Stephen?"

"And Irina," Io finished, looking at Laurence for his opinion.

Laurence hummed. "It's a smart and clever match. They're nearly the same age. It'll solve a lot of issues, a Saian queen on an Arecian throne. What does your government think about this? And how did you of all people come across this intriguing little tidbit of information?"

Io grimaced. "I may have eavesdropped. I'm very good at it. Irina isn't fond of the idea, muttering something about not being a cow for them to barter off, but even she begrudgingly admitted the advantages of that match. It won't happen soon, I think."

"A last case scenario," Ciri agreed. "It won't happen unless the war actually starts. Both Prince Stephen and Princess Irina's hand in marriage are too precious to give off easily. But we shouldn't gossip. The walls have ears." She wasn't necessarily scared this news would leak. Even if it did, there was no damage done. She was more worried their conversation would reach Irina's ears, and the princess would chase them down to the end of the world. Not very fond of the idea of matrimony, their Princess Longyu. Ciri couldn't possibly understand why.