The Switch

A Rushed Courtship and Engagement

The Switch

Chapter 3

The next morning, at breakfast you watched on- in pleasant surprise at the end of the table with Kragan and his family while the rest of yours and Roncharles' and his family sat at the other end with the other guests who had chosen to stay the night in the middle of the long table. Roncharles rather loudly announced that he needed to ask for a private word with your father. You grinned when you felt you knew exactly why Roncharles was making such a display of formality. He was about to propose.

Millie blushed bashfully while Countess Lavine and your mother both seemed to whisper their pre-emptive congratulations to her for snagging the now most eligible bachelor that had not been on the market for barely a couple of weeks. And then when they returned, your father was wearing a proud, albeit a relieved smile.

Roncharles had his chest puffed out like a peacock showing off his pretty feathers. And in front of everyone, immediately proposed to Millie. Millie in turn, happily and eagerly accepted him and his proposal before everyone at the table applauded. Everyone else at the table was eager to see Millie's ring. Which was so large and so expensive, you feared if she tried to swim in it, she'd drown. And knew that the ring all by itself was worth at least 10 thousand gold bullion and was on par with the Crown Jewels but was quite old. Back when rubies were seen as the stones for engagement rings. But it was huge and took up her whole lower part of her ring finger. But it was the "family ring" that had been in the family for generations.

She would have to be careful doing anything because you were sure that ring would snag on anything and everything. But you were happy to offer your congratulations and wishes for their every happiness and success to Millie as you stood from your seat and hugged her.

"I like you much better as a brother." You teased Ron who laughed but hugged you in turn.

"And I like you much better as a sister. Bleeding Heart." He teased back as others at the table gasped but giggled at his cador as you laughed with him at the sarcastic, albeit rather playful insult.

"Bad Sport." You tossed back at him which got him to laugh even harder in turn. And for the first time in your life, you were smiling at each other and at ease in each other's presence as Millie quickly seemed to show Kragan's sisters her ring before she and Ron returned to their spots at the head of the table as you sat down again as talk of the wedding immediately got underway as everyone else seemed to have all kinds of ideas and suggestions for the new couple about the upcoming wedding.

Kragan looked at you questioningly with a lopsided grin, as if hinting to see if you wanted the same. But your eyes got wide in subtle worry and subtly shook your head no to discourage him from saying or doing anything. Because you did not want Millie or Roncharles to have to share their spotlights with Kragan and yourself.

"Let the stars have their spotlight and their moment in the sun, and their time in the center stage of everyone's attentions." You murmured quietly to Kragan from your spot next to him at the table.

"Ok." Kragan nodded.

"And for the love of chocolate and all that is holy, please do not get me anything that large and ostentatious. I prefer simple, classic, timeless but dignified in styling. I don't want to risk drowning if something were to knock me overboard on one of your ships and I have a stone the size of a millstone on my hand. Or chance the ring snagging on stone, leather or concrete, if I were to brush the hand I would wear the ring on- against such things, let alone fabric." You muttered to him under your breath as you leaned over to him to try to say it softly enough only he would hear your utterance.