The Truth Over The Wall

Chapter 6

Eleanor sighed and turned to look at her son.

"And you're sure about this?"

Dominic watched the look of sheer relief-and then absolute joy-explode across the Tafahan ambassador's face as Dominic's father delivered the news.

He did not have to go home to a dying monarch carrying bad news.

Dominic turned to make a reply just as the ambassador lifted Hans up in a hug.

"Yes," He told her with an uncertain smile. It was not his decision that made him uncertain but his mother's reaction that was giving him pause.

He did not feel right about going through with something that pained her. He needed to make her understand, to ease her mind.

"I am sure," he told her, taking her hand in both of hers, "I wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't."

Eleanor did not look at him immediately as she considered something in the distance. Eventually she said,

"And have you considered the other possibility, Dominic?" She asked him, "You seem to have devoted such an awful amount of time obsessing over this one that I'm afraid you've rather ignored the latter."

"And what's that?" Dominic asked, wanting to know.

"Love," Eleanor told him shaking her head. Clearly she had gone wrong with the boy somehow if he still did not understand, "What about that possibility? Did you ever maybe consider that you might fall in love?"

"I'm engaged, mother," Dominic said a little awkwardly, "I have comfortably smothered that possibility. I don't have the right to even consider that anymore."

"Everyone has the right to love!" Eleanor exploded. "Everyone has the right to consider it." She threw his words back at him meaningfully.

Taking a deep breath she continued, "Besides which, Claire was engaged."

Dominic knew she did not mean it but Eleanor's mouth still frowned when she said the name. He stiffened at that but he swallowed it down and replied, "That was a solitary incident. No, an accident."

"I've heard it said accidents happen all the time."

"Mother," Dominic almost laughed as he admitted this, "I am twenty-two years old, if it hasn't happened yet, I doubt it will now."

"Do you hear that?" Eleanor said placing a hand over her ear, "Sounds an awful lot like tempting fate."

Dominic shrugged and responded, "That's not fair. I can't believe that, I can't believe that humans could be so helpless. We might not control a very many things-and I accept that-but there are very many things that we do. My feelings-and at this point-my fate are things I can put claim to."

Dominic was rewarded with a slight twinkle in Eleanor's eyes. She was impressed with his confidence. The twinkle evolved into a full smile that spread to her face.

"And I haven't given up on love," Dominic did not waste the opportunity as he saw her face begin to soften, "I am sure once Hanalea and I get to know each other and learn to get along...we can learn to love."

"If you are sure then," she told him on another sigh and Dominic felt a knot in his chest loosen.

They were interrupted by one of Jason's-now Hans's-councilmen, Joshua he was called. Sir Joshua Anton had not heard their exact conversation but the palace gossips had given him a tenor of the Queen's opinion.

Seeking to win her favor he approached and most humbly explained himself,

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," he bowed, "It is not our intention to force our opinions upon the young prince. We merely act in the best interest of Araaia and right now this engagement and impending wedding are of the utmost importance to Araaia."