Between the Veil and Crown

Kylin 23

When they returned to the cottage, Kylin noticed that the new horse had been separated from the others. Instead of returning to grazing like the others after seeing who was coming, the piebald watched them with an intensity worthy of a predator.

Upon entering the cottage, they found Selim and Numier seated at the table while Amelia restlessly walked around the kitchen, moving things around as she did so. There were several cups of tea on the table, ready and waiting for the return of the brothers. Numier was perfectly relaxed, his cup already half empty. Selim had his arms tightly crossed as he leaned back as far as he could without falling out of his seat, the expression on his face clearly saying Amelia's guests had overstayed their welcome already.

Seeing the brothers, Amelia dropped the empty cup she was holding as she excitedly clapped her hands together. The cup hit the ground hard enough that a piece of it skidded across the floor and vanished. The rest of the cup rolled into a leg of the table with a soft thud.

"Tea?" she asked brightly, completely oblivious to the misadventures of the cup she had been holding.

"Always," Marwick replied with a smile.

Amelia immediately pulled out a couple more cups and filled them as Marwick settled himself at the table. Kylin gestured to the already filled and untouched cups on the table- a gesture that went unacknowledged by anyone in the room, causing him to slightly wonder if he was hallucinating.

Amelia turned back with their cups of tea -not even questioning why Kylin was holding his hand up- and opened her mouth with every intention to inquire about Marwick's life.

There were more important issues at hand, however, and Marwick spoke before she could get so much as a syllable out. "So, Amelia, whatever reason did you have for kidnapping a prince?"

"Well, he's not the crown prince," Amelia said haltingly, as though that fact would make it all the better. She twisted the hem of her apron as she attempted to give Marwick an appeasing look.

"It is true; I am only the second born," Selim added, regarding Marwick carefully.

Kylin sat down slowly, a little eager to see how the interaction would. A sentiment shared with Numier, as he leaned back with a creeping grin on his face, eyes darting from Amelia to Marwick, and back again.

"What could the king possibly have done to you that justifies it? Crown prince or not?" Marwick said, ignoring Selim.

"I think breathing is reason enough," Selim interjected.

"He didn't fulfill my request," Amelia said.

"What request?" Marwick asked.

"To remove the soldiers from the Veil," Amelia answered.

"So you took a hostage?"

"Collateral," Kylin corrected.

Marwick glanced at Kylin, then back to Amelia. "Collateral?"

"His queen was very sick," Amelia explained. "So he offered a reward to anyone who could heal her, as his own healer couldn't. When I did, I asked for my reward to be that the soldiers were removed from the Veil."

"Amelia, you do realize that when kings make those kinds of promises, they really mean things of monetary value, and not new laws or policy changes, yes?" Marwick said, sounding a little choked.