The Blue Desert

Chapter Five

Valhanan walked quickly, her footsteps tapping a rhythm into the cool stones of the palace floor. Her mother was to meet her at the bottom of the steps that led to the library, and they would continue together to the meeting with the king.

Anan had spent all night wondering what it was her father wanted to talk with her about. She could not even think of the best thing it could possibly be; there were too many options. She had almost decided it would be a visit to Tria, but then she had to wonder if it wouldn't be more exciting to travel around Vasda. No, she could not decide what would be most exciting for him to tell her.

Her mother was waiting as she had promised. She wore a Trian-style gown of green, and pearls in her hair gracefully adorned her head in a natural crown. Anan had always wished that her hair was yellow like her mother's; not whitish like her little sister's hair, but yellow like gold. Instead it was bright red and made her stand out in any crowd.

Anan nodded respectfully as her mother took her arm and led her toward where the king was to meet with them. Anan had never had an interest in the library. Her mother had always encouraged her to peruse the titles and read the books that interested her, but she had never found any, and very rarely even looked. There were too many intriguing things in the world to spend time reading from a dead thing.

As they walked, Anan glanced into every room expecting the king to be waiting for them in it. Her mother turned off into a room abruptly while she was looking at the opposite hall, dragging her daughter through the doorway with her.

"King Spyre," she said as way of greeting, letting Anan's arm fall as she gave him a polite nod.

Under his severe gaze, his daughter could do nothing but drop a curtsy and keep her eyes demurely fixed on the floor.

"Good day," he said, an absent note to his voice as he looked over them both. "I trust everything is well with both of you."

"Yes, everything is very well," his wife replied. Obviously, she did not wish for small talk to delay the point of his meeting, but he seemed to.

"And the girl's lessons, they are well?"

"Yes," she answered again. "Valhanan is very bright; a very fit daughter for a king."

Anan had to glance up to see her father's face as she hear the words. There was a tone in it that even she could not mistake, like a dagger her mother was pointing at him accusingly. The look on his face barely changed.

"Good," he said, his voice suddenly falling flat. "Valhanan."

When her name was said, she straightened, pulling herself up to her full height which was a hand's length shorter than her mother. That was even when measuring with her mother's long, slender hand. All of the Trian woman's height had been passed down to Kevresh; Anan had grown as tall, if not a little less, than an average Vasdan woman.

She kept herself erect, nevertheless, and finally met his piercing look. "Father."

Something about the word seemed to upset him because he slouched back into his chair and frowned at her. It was a disapproving frown that made her squirm. Somehow, she could no longer believe any good would come from the meeting.

"I had a talk with the Vasdin some time ago," the king said, directing his words at his wife even though he was still looking at their daughter.

Anan could feel her mother stiffen beside her. Anan did not know why, but she could not tolerate the man more than a few moments. Whenever they met in the halls or at dinner, her mother was suddenly urgently busy and hurried along.

"Did he have anything of interest to say?"

Despite her feelings, her mother kept her voice relatively calm, and Anan had to look at her to see that she was not completely as she sounded. The conversation had somehow turned into something she did not understand. She could not understand what the Vasdin had to do with her and their present meeting. She did not mind a distraction, though, and she breathed a sigh of relief when the king finally looked away from her.