Love Stories

Chapter Thirteen

Leah got a part of one of her wishes. It was only into the next year when they heard about it. Keldan told it to her simply, as an unimportant little piece of news. Jren was fired from being ambassador to Runderin. A complaint had reached the Elloran queen about him that induced her to bring him home. He was in Zulla then, but he was lying low. There were so many stories about him, all much too loud to ignore now. And all the stories came back. The first one, from years ago, just a girl in Zulla, but then the princess in Turyn, and now the princess in Runderin. It was the last straw. He would probably never work anywhere respectable again, because people would never show respect to a man like him. Of course, he already had the money he needed to never have to work again.

                Keldan was amused by it, so he added the flavor his speeches always did. Jren had been slipping, it seemed, for a little while. Inattentiveness, some orders that didn't go through, a distracted and a bit disrespectful nature. It all came down to one day out of doors. That archer princess of Runderin Aisley had been shooting at her targets in a field. Jren came along and suddenly she had reason to shoot at something else. Some said he had simply been rude, and some others said he'd asked for a kiss and wouldn't be refused, but it all came down to an arrow in his foot. After that, it just couldn't be seen how he could possibly continue as ambassador. Bryce was restored temporarily, emphasis there, certainly because the queen wanted to appease them. They liked Bryce and didn't see a reason to change. He had been ambassador for upwards of twenty years, some breaks and lulls in between, but still he was known and so much better than the testing of runts they felt like she had begun. An ambassador was necessary for the trade that went on to continue, so he was chosen to "take care of" the position.

                It seemed that with every passing day, no matter if there were still months after that, Keldan got more excited. He was only a little disappointed, then, when Aiden refused coming along. The prince didn't give up; he disbelieved, he threatened, he pleaded, but Aiden didn't want to. Finally he accepted it, as they rode out of the city without him with them.

                "It was only for the summer," Keldan murmured. "We go to Runderin for the summer. Who doesn't want to go to Runderin in the summer?"

                But, as things were with the prince, another moment and it was the past. His eyes landed on the boat and one man's absence was as important to him as a speck of dust on the bottom of his boot. Not that she ever could, but Leah was entirely unable to shut him up for the entire journey. He had big plans. Go here, do this, go there, do that, because the last time in Runderin was only spent in the capital. Leah had never been very far, and now Keldan planned to show her the whole country it seemed.

                His plan didn't exactly go as he wished. The place was in a bit of chaos. The royal court of Runderin was predominately family; princes and princesses, cousins of those, aunts and uncles of those, and so forth. Currently they were having a disagreement. Derian and Mona had been engaged since she was born, but lately the incident of Jren had stirred up old feelings. The rumor was that Mona had once led him along on a string, when it was that he had been studying in Turyn. Whether Mona was serious or not, it left the family uneasy. It was the crown of Runderin they were handing to her, not just their oldest brother, cousin or nephew. She seemed to have a habit of shirking responsibility and her loyalty was very doubtful. Because of that, some of them wanted the wedding to take place immediately, and some wanted it thrown off for good. It was hard to step anywhere without hearing whispers about the situation.

                Long before that, Derian had run off to Turyn. People felt so sorry for him, everyone mumbled to each other, because he had to marry her. His feelings never mattered. The bolder declared that, some willing to say he was a puppet of the king. Everyone knew there was a grain of truth there. Derian had always done exactly as his father wished him to. It wasn't that he wasn't his own person, it wasn't that he didn't have his own personality and opinions, it was that he always did everything for the good of his country and so the king. Turyn and Runderin had always been close allies, but to have the future king of Runderin marry the future queen of Turyn was stupendous. It was marvelous, if it would work. Mona had shown signs of rebellion from a very young age. She wasn't anything like Derian. There did seem to be threads snapping there. But whatever the two of them felt, it wasn't discussed. Words were put in both of their mouths on all sides. Keldan soon had to run away from it, too, and he fled after Derian.