The Exiled Gem

Mabel Leaves for Good

They were in for a night journey to Idgard. After the Army had left and Alexandra had wolfed down at least half a dozen men's share of food, came the time to leave Ethoris.

She had politely turned down the offer of a carriage. Mercury was good enough - unless he flung her down on the Idgardian border once again, in which case, Alexandra would NOT trust him a third time. "Safety issues", Nicholas had pointed out. But Alexandra knew they wouldn't have the safety issues. At least as long as Liam kept his senses open and his sword handy.

Until the previous day, she had not even spared a thought to what kind of a warrior he could be. Often, kings weren't that great at dueling and combat. Liam and she had dueled for once, and she had lost, but it had been quite close. She had thought it was more of her carelessness that had lead to Liam winning, but now - it was high time she understood that the competition had been so close because he had wanted it to be so.

In any case, the idea of riding through miles of forest and cities and across rivers, was better than sitting tightly shut in a carriage. She would never be at a loss for things to talk of, with Liam, and darkness always encouraged people to speak their hearts. Perhaps because the other one could not see their emotions tied to it, or perhaps because it felt less of a betrayal to the self.

And then, there were a lot of things to ask. The foremost one being,

'Does palace politics flourish in the Idgardian one?'

The question was rather important. There had been a lot of it in the Dovish one - right from Queen Ava to the lowest rug of servants. And Alexandra voiced it out just as they had put about a couple of miles between themselves and the Ethorian Palace. And why Liam found it funny, she had no idea. That was the way he greeted any question of hers, with a laugh entrancing enough to make her forget the string of the conversation.

'Short answer: no.' He finally replied, and Alexandra had to search for a while to remember what her question had been. 'But I am sure you want the longer one. Which is - no, the lack of a mother-in-law always helps matters. Though...'

'Though?'

He continued, 'though Alexandra, you would have gotten along well with my mother.'

Now, that was rather interesting. And Alexandra grabbed at it immediately. Stroking Mercury in the neck, she drove closer to Liam. Pushing the hair out of her face, because the horse's immense speed always scattered it about, she nodded. 'Now, tell me more about your mother.'

Liam shook his head, she couldn't see his face, but there would have been a reluctant smile on it. People had all sorts of habits, Alexandra had the habit of biting of lips. And Liam, she noticed, had the habit of smiling. It was not natural, not inborn. He had, it appeared so after knowing him for long enough, enforced that upon himself, until it had become a habit. The perfect faking it until making it.

'I never knew her for myself.' He informed, 'But I've heard enough. She was quite of an independent temperament, quite of a rebellious spirit - and oh, hungry for power. She would have been revolted at the very idea of a daughter-in-law who couldn't use a blade. And she would have taught it to such a lady - but in case the latter was unwilling to learn - she had quite a temper too. If you want to attribute anybody with destroying all politics inside that place, its her. One can say she had no heart, or at least, that she lead with solely her mind. Had she lived up to it and had her way, she would have arranged my marriage and not heard a word against it.'

'In short, she was a little ... controlling?' Alexandra asked. And if that was the case, perhaps they would get along well. She had no problem with stepping back, and she had no problem with a practical lady who used her mind. She had no problem with a warrior mother-in-law either - in fact, the thrill it could have been made her wish the previous queen had really lived up to it.