For King and Country

A Kiss and Confusion

Chapter 34

I was sitting in a study, nervously holding a book in my lap as my leg tapped up and down. I sighed, closing the book loudly, making everyone in the vicinity turn to look at me. Fitz was standing in a corner, whispering to Marie as she smiled, looking down. Lily was sitting on the ground, pulling a string along the ground for a kitten to chase. She'd found the thing wandering through the gardens and decided she would keep it. She'd named the little thing Randall. I looked at them with annoyance. How could they be so calm at a time like this? I glared at them.

"How can you all act like nothing is going on?" I snapped. Fitz turned around his hands on Marie's waist. I rolled my eyes and scoffed, standing up.

"Relax." Fitz snapped, turning away from me. I threw the book on the lounge, heading to the door. "Where are you going?" He asked.

"Some place where the people don't act like the world isn't about to explode!" I snap, waving my hand out in annoyance. I open the door making Fitz call after me.

"You're not going to make the letter get here any more quickly by scolding everyone!" He yelled after me, making me slam the door a little harder than I would've done other wise. I stomped through the halls, heading down to Henry's office. I'd sent off the letter a week and a half ago. It had been carefully considered, well written, and rewritten a hundred times by myself, Elijah, Lord Thomas, and Henry. Since the messenger rode out of the gates, my thoughts had been occupied with what his reply would be. We'd suggested a meeting to him, and we were waiting for his response. He'd follow through on his word to pull out his army, and I'd offered him something in return. I'd sent my mother's broach, a broach that had been made from her crown jewels after she died. My father had made it for me, I'd used it pin my cloak together the first public outing I'd had, and I'd hoped that it would be enough. It'd been four days since the Messenger crossed the Rasholdian border, and there had been no movement along the river since.

"Cora," I turned towards the sound of my name being called, spotting Elijah walking down the corridor. I stopped and waited for him.

"Hello Elijah," I say, smiling softly. He looked at me strangely.

"What's wrong?" He asked, making me crinkle my eyebrows together. I smiled softly, my lip twitching slightly.

"Nothing," I said. He shook his head, holding his hand out for my book. I roll my eyes, but allow him to take it from me. He tucked it under his arm, walking along side of me.

"I can tell you're lying." He said, nudging me with his shoulder. I laugh slightly. "It's in the eyes." He squinted at me, smirking slightly. "What's wrong," he paused, leaning close to my ear, "your majesty?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "It's just, the letter." I say, pausing in the middle of the hallway. He sighed and shook his head.

"You can't let this take over your life." He said, walking to a window that over looked the bay. I walked to stand beside him as he leaned against the stone frame, resting his weight on his arm.

"It's difficult to be fully responsible for something and not let it take over your life." I snapped. "If this goes badly, if this whole exchange takes a turn for the worse, the war will be twice as bloody. The Rasholdians will not forgive us, and I will find it difficult to forgive them." Elijah looked over at me, shaking his head.

"You can't just assume the worst will happen. Their king contacted you. He's made it clear he doesn't wish to fight his father's war. You must trust that this will work out in the end." I sat on the window seat, looking up at him for a second before I turned my head to look out the window. There was a race going on out in the bay, sail boats popping up and down in the waves like little children's toys in a bath. They seemed to move slowly from this far away, simply trying to pass one another.