Love Stories

Chapter Eight

Riena's house was full, but she was a good judge of people. They weren't loud and didn't argue, they were civil and pleasant while still being reserved. It made for a nice evening that didn't feel crowded. Still, the only person Leah knew was Jren and they certainly couldn't be defined as friends. He was the only one very close to her age and people talked to him only a little. There could possibly have been a slight chill in the air from the others toward him. Still, when they asked him questions he responded with willing and seemingly honest answers. He didn't seem to house any of the subtle feelings they did for him.

                "I can't ever quite get a handle on what you do," Riena said, the one most friendly toward the younger man. She didn't harbour any ill thoughts toward him. "I know it's political and international?"

                "They bounced me around a little, but I'm finally back to where I wanted to be," Jren answered. "The ambassador to Runderin."

                Leah looked up in surprise. "Ambassador to Runderin?" she questioned.

                "Yes, I'll live there and handle all of Ellora's affairs," Jren said simply. "It's relatively recent, I'll be moving in the late spring, I think."

                "I met the previous ambassador three years ago," Leah remarked.

                "Oh, yes, Bryce, wasn't it? He, uh, wasn't doing his job exactly as your mother wished, I heard. She seems to think I'm more suited for the job." He glanced at his plate as he shrugged.

                Leah nodded. "I see."

                "It was a marvelous dinner, Riena," a man complimented. "I almost wish I had more room, but my wife tells me I have enough."

                People smiled and the maid Riena hired to prevent from sending Leah to the door again collected the plates. The guests were milling toward the sitting room when the princess found Jren beside her. "I can say from a thousand past after-dinner experiences that the conversation will turn to points on which neither of us cares to pitch in but they'll ask us anyway, just to get a fresh and uncomfortable opinion. Would you perhaps rather slip outside with me?"

                "Well, alright," Leah said, almost startled into a reply.

                He stepped into the kitchen, past his own cook Riena had borrowed, and opened the door for her. Leah walked into the cool autumn air and breathed in with relief. "Those people don't know how boring they are," Jren commented, leaning on the black metal fence.

                Leah smiled. "Few people find themselves boring."

                "Some people aren't boring. I don't think you're boring."

                "That's because I've hardly said anything," Leah laughed.

                "On the contrary, if I thought you had hardly said anything I would have certainly found you boring. Silence is never very interesting, do you think?" He cocked his head.

                Leah shrugged. "You never know when someone speaks whether they'll be more interesting than their silence, though."

                "Oh, I always find what someone says more interesting than their silence. For instance, the fatter man in there, he was always interesting because I'm sure he didn't know how his moustache twitched when he talked. And besides that, he always had something dull witted to say that he thought was clever, and therefore he had the amusement factor twice over." Jren's face was comically serious.