Crowned Hearts

Chapter 2: George Berkshire

The long dining hall was filled with servants all dressed in dark blue, and each carrying trays of appetizers. There was a silence draped over the room as we all awaited the arrival of Rue. Blackstone grew visibly impatient, twirling a knife under the table. My mother, who was always observant, hummed softly, noticing the tension building in Blackstone, which caused him to slowly glance up.

"Yes?" Blackstone asked, I could hear the annoyance in his voice.

"Nothing." My mother smirked, a servant behind her started to refill her crystal glass with dark red wine, "You seem troubled. Is there a reason?"

"My daughter should not be left to wander alone for this long," Blackbeard replied, placing his knife back in his pocket, "She has a love for mischief. That's why I had hoped her younger sister could take her place."

"She is not unaccompanied," My mother remarked before taking a sip of her wine, "I trust Ellette completely to bring her here safely and keep her out of trouble. The little I know of Rue; I can tell she most likely needed quite a bit of assistance just to walk in the door."

"Mother..." I whispered harshely, casting a look of disbelief at her.

"If she's to marry my son, she should present herself accordingly." My mother declared, causing an uncomfortable silence to fall over the room.

After that tense pause, the large doors creaked open. Ellette entered first, followed by the ginger haired girl, who was clearly uncomfortable in her attire, her movements constrained by the overly tight dress that hugged her body. Her cheeks were flushed pink, though it was unclear if it was genuin or makeup.

"Very much improved, wouldn't you say?" My mother directed the question to Rue, who approached with reluctance.

"Not even close," Rue muttered defiantly, which earned her a sharp glare from Blackbeard, which she ignored, "In fact, I thought I looked perfectly fine before."

My mother raised an eyebrow in shock due to Rue's audacity, "Is that how you raise your daughters? To defy authority?"

Before Blackstone could respond, Rue did with an unwavering smirk, "I only challenge those who are wrong. Now could someone please assist me?"

Rue's voice trembled slightly, as if on the verge of tears after her defience, as she stood awkwardly beside her chair. Unable to sit comfortable due to the gown she was forced in. I moved to help, but my mother's grip around my bicep stopped me. After a moment of hesitation, Rue lifted her skirt, untied a hoop from her waist and let it fall to the floor before taking her seat.

Gasps filled the room at Rue's action. I watched in admiration as she adjusted in her chair, while Blackstone's face flushed with anger. My mother was momentarily speechless until a lone cackle broke the tension. It was my father, who spoke up.

"George my son, it seems you'll have your hands full with this one." My father chuckled, signaling the servants to bring in the food, "Let us not keep our guests waiting any longer."

With the wave of my father's hand, the servants stepped forward, placing gold plates in front of each of us. I watched as Rue admired the intricate designs on the plates, they were embellished with delicate flowers. Cooks swiftly followed and brought out trays stacked with steaming dishes. A smile formed on my face as I watched Rue observe in awe.

I knew her Kingdom, though at sea, did not indulge in such grand feasts. They had servants and cooks, but I knew they weren't served in this manner. So, it was only natural that my fiance to be, to find it all intriguing.

The room fell silent once again, the only sound was the clinking of cutlery against plates. Rue's leg bounced nervously; her ears were sensitive to the noise I could tell. I watched as she fought the urge to cover her ears, glancing at her father for guidance. She was just now trying to maintain the respectfulness that she had been lacking so far.

Soon my father cleared his throat which drew Rue's attention, "So how old are you Rue?"

"I just turned nineteen, sir," Rue replied, eyeing the wine glass in front of her, "In our kingdom, most start drinking by eighteen. It's a pirate tradition... just a little fun fact."

"I see," My father nodded, mainting his friendly demeanor despite a brief cough and I looked over at him in concern along with my younger brothers.

"Father, you should see a healer elf." James, my youngest brother, suggested with concern evident in his voice.

"Later, perhaps." My father dismissed the suggestion with a wave of his hand.

"Perhaps after dinner, I could accompany you to see these... healer elves?" Rue offered, she sounded slightly nervous.

"That would be very appreciated, and we can discuss the engagement of you and my son. Or whatever you'd like," My father replied warmly, which forced a smile from Rue.