Without love no man is a king

11.

Erathern castle was finally in sight, marriage preparations clearly in full swing, the castle as they approached was a buzz of activity. Many merchants lined up blocking the path. They dismounted and weaved their way through, greeting the well wishers. The prince and king leading the way, both of them spinning around at the sound of a scream.

"Inara! No! Stop!" The prince let go of his horse running back "Inara. No! Knife down!" He tried to move the knife she had pressed to a villagers throat. He pushed his bride away checking on the maiden. "Are you alright miss?....Inara! I said no!" He held up his hand. Inara ranting angrily at him, pointing at the woman, her voice angry and loud.
"Inara" the king tried to help "Inara what happened? Did anyone see what happened?" He asked "son her dress is stained as is her white horse. Inara nodded still shouting angrily, pointing at her horse and the woman, holding out her dress. "is that...is that rotten tomatoes!" The king gasped angrily "did you strike the prince's bride with rotten tomatoes?"
"Did you?" The prince asked "Inara! Enough! Stop! I hear you!" He shouted loudly

"No.happy" Inara angrily growled "horse! Netta!"
"I can see." He nodded at her, gesturing for her to calm down "did anyone here see what happened?"
"The woman tossed them" a farmer informed the prince "and called her....a barbarian savage whore, your highness."
Inara turned to the farmer angrily shouting in Drecontonian again.
"Inara. Calm! Please!" The prince begged
"No savage! No barbarian!" She shouted at him, shoving his chest angrily, showing him her dress again
"You will have plenty of clothes waiting in the castle. That are far nicer than that rag you are wearing! Just...."
"That is not the point son! Guards, take her away! Alright Inara? She will be punished."
"Horse! Netta!" She frantically pointed
"I understand. She is sacred to your people. Your only thing from home. We will have her cleaned up. Let's go home. Come it's alright."
"No.happy" she spat out at the prince when she passed him "no.happy.....go.home....Dreconton.....no.happy!"
"Alright alright. I get it! You're not happy. Let's get inside I'm tired as I am sure you are."

Inara stomped her way into the castle still fuming mad, she did not stop with the rest of the party, leading her horse towards the stables.
"Allow me." Digory offered chasing after her "Whoah Whoah." He backed away from her blade "your highness! A little assistance!"
"Inara....Digory." The prince introduced them "he takes care of the horses. Digory horses. Understand?....we lost our linguist and have been struggling since Digory. She is concerned the rotten tomatoes might stain her horse...I think. Horses are sacred to her people."
"Well....something you, I and the prince here share in common. Come, lead her in princess Inara" he waved her to follow him. "Hello Netta girl. You remember me. Let's be having a look at you then. I have something....it will stain for a few days on a horse this pure white though."
"Great. All I need. An angry Drecontonian roaming the castle. Inara, come. Digory will clean her....Inara! Digory will do that!"

"Not go to well then?" Digory stood back letting Inara fuss over her horse
"Well...in short no...it is a long story to tell and one that is far from over."
"Take a seat. Let her do it. It is calming her and the horse down." He laughed sitting on some hay with the prince while Roland explained his eventful week away.
"Blimey. No wonder you are wound tight. So...you're sort of married already then."
"Aye. Sort of, not really." the prince nodded, sighing at Inara "we were getting along and then..."
"You killed her friend or possibly more than a friend right in front of her. Can you blame her for being angry and upset. At you, at her father, at yours!"
"no. No, I can not blame her. It is just so frustrating."
"I get that....although it is probably more frustrating for her. You are able to air your woes, she can not, I would imagine she telling her horse." Digory smiled at the girl chatting away to Netta.

"so you have not consummated it yet?" Digory whispered "you do not have to say. I can tell by your face."
"I have known you since I was born, both of us raised in this here castle. We are not married in the eyes of god but I managed to fool her father into thinking I had taken his daughters virtue. I do not know what to do. It will need to be done at some point but we are a long way off that unless I am pinning her down." He shook his head "I would not want to....however they will expect an heir and her father will no doubt be suspicious if one is not produced. If anyone finds out our marriage is a farce then there could be trouble."
"Well...give it a little time. I am here as always....your errr little friend from summer has been sniffing around."
"Lady Stephanie?" He asked, looking up to see Inara poke her head around her horse, listening in at the familiar name then retreat to try and look uninterested but clearly still listening "I left orders for her to be removed and banned!"
"Well she keeps finding ways to return, asking news of your trip. I think she was hoping you'd return without your Drecontonian Bride" Digory laughed

"I do not think you have seen the last of lady Stephanie."
"No.happy" Inara poked her head around her horse again, growling angrily "Netta. Safe" she pointed her knife at Digory
"Aye. You have my word. She like carrots?" He held some up. Inara's face lighting up nodding taking one.
"I will put her in next to your prince's horse. See. All prepared. Netta" he ran his hand over the painted name plate.
"Netta?" Inara asked seeming happy, fetching her horse and leading her to the pen "Inara like" she smiled at the prince "errrrr" she strained thinking "th...tha.....thank you?"
"Aye. That is right. Thank you Digory. I am sure she will be back to check on her."
"Any time" Digory tipped his hat

"she is a real beauty. You could do far worse your highness."
"I am not complaining of the sight, the body matches the face, I had a small glimpse, it did not disappoint." The prince laughed "she has moments of sweetness when she does not have a blade in her hand and a fire in her belly. We have shared a few tender moments, she even held my hand on the some of the ride home. Her smile is endearing."
"Hard to resist that smile, it is indeed sweet. Anyone who treats a horse the way she does has a good soul. We always say we can tell a good man by how he treats his horse, don't we old friend." He nudged the prince
"That is true. I see potential...for both good and disaster."