Flames of the River

Chapter 4

Mora never got to get up from the bed. The door opened just then and Dalia popped her head in, tilted to the right as she gazed at the princess with a smile before noticing Cal and grinning. Mora sat upright in the bed, studying Dalia. Color had returned to her face and she certainly looked less startled and tense than she had earlier. She stepped into the room, opening the door wide as she did, and Luna appeared behind her. Mora relaxed at the sight of her best friend. She hadn't seen her since... the incident. 

"My darling Royal Highnesses." Dalia said softly but excitedly as she walked into the room, head and chin high, hands gently crossed against her flat belly. She'd gotten rid of her cloak and was wearing a plain green dress that made her curly red hair stand out, but Mora couldn't help wondering why she had had it on in the first time. And why her mother was also dressed up. Why she was dressed up. She decided Dalia would have to give her all her answers. 

Luna came to sit on her right, putting her in the middle of her best friend and younger brother. Mora knew she couldn't ask her any questions with Cal there. She squeezed her hand and gave her a concerned smile and Luna squeezed her hand back reassuringly. Dalia went behind one of the chairs in the corner of the room and gently pushed it towards the foot of the bed. She fell gracefully into the violet velvet chair and rested her back against the soft brown cotton filled cushion. 

"What's going on?" Mora asked once Dalia was settled. 

"Oh!" She smiled brightly. "I heard you and Cal were here together so I brought Luna along so we could all spend time together. It's been a while since we've sat together like this, hasn't it?"

"It has!" Cal exclaimed excitedly. It seemed Dalia was one of the few people he didn't feel he had outgrown. 

"No, no," Mora shook her head and her loose braids hit against her cheeks, "I mean what's going on with mother and father? I heard something important happened."

Mora was taking chances, throwing vague words around, hoping she was making it seem like she knew much more than she did but couldn't say much. 

"Who said that?" Dali asked, slightly leaning towards the bed with her body. Mora caught herself before her gaze went to Cal. 

"No one says so, I know." She replied. 

"Well, nothing is happening." 

"Something must be." Mora insisted, raising her arms as the sleeves of the dress covered her face. "Why else would I be dressed like this. What's happening, Aunty Dalia?"

Dalia sat back with a sigh, reminded that Mora wasn't just the future Queen, she was also her daughter's best friend. The little girl she'd practically helped raise. The girl with the wide brown eyes she'd never been very good at resisting. She cleared her throat and shook her head before she could say more than she should have. Mora was like her own daughter, but her duty to the throne, to Eranis and its people, came first. 

"The King and Queen will explain everything shortly." She replied, unable to meet Mora's eyes. Luna shifted uncomfortably next to her best friend.

"Let's forget whatever mom and dad are doing." Cal sat back against the dozen pillows. "Tell us a story, Dalia."

"A story!" Dalia exclaimed as she clapped her hands. "Of course! About what?"

Cal always wanted to hear the same stories. He wanted to hear about the things Mora had been learning since she could remember. About the world before their kingdom came to existence, about the how and the why. Luna always wanted to hear about the magic, about the fairies, about Thabitha, the most famous witch and seer. Mora had stopped liking hearing stories long ago.