Figurehead

thirteen

The marketplace is nowhere near as full as it usually is. I tug at my cloak with a roll of my eyes. Dre is certainly here, and because of it, I'm drenched, again. It isn't raining at the moment, although it was just after I left my dwelling. The temporary roofing isn't up yet.

The large area usually crowded with people at this time- half-day- is relatively empty. The market stalls look miserable and dripping, but at least their owners are dry beneath them. I duck under the overhanging cover of one of the stalls as the rain resumes, and place a handful of coins on the bench.

"You're going, aren't you?" I turn in surprise. Lus isn't looking at me, bent over the bench and picking up a bag of fruit to peer at in his hands. I pick up a bag of different fruit.

"Yeah." I take another, glancing at the old man behind the bench. He picks up the coins with a benign smile that wrinkles his face, gesturing with his other hand for me to take another bag. I do. "Thank you," I dip my head.

"Thank you," he replies. Lus slides a few coins across the bench and nods at the stall owner before tucking the bag under his arm.

We step out from under the cover, the rain having lightened considerably. "What do you think of all this?" he sighs.

I shrug. "I don't know." I raise an eyebrow at him. "I think he feels like this may be his one chance to actually do something to help the militia."

"He's not useless," Lus sighs heavily. "He does more than he thinks. He helps more people than he thinks, simply by bearing the crown." He glances around us, but there is almost no one here. "Are you going to your house?" I nod, holding up the three bags of fruit.

"Just to drop this off. I'm headed to the palace."

"Same." He waits outside while I set the bags on my table before re-emerging, locking the door before falling into step beside him.

"He's been praying about it," I say after a moment of silence. "He thinks it is the Lord's will."

"And you don't?" he asks. I shrug. He doesn't press. "It's been two seasons since we had any real conversation, and when we finally do, it's about my kin going to what may be his death. Oh, not to mention you also happen to be going, and I may end up as the king of a very panicked people." He narrows his eyes at me.

"Pretty much," I mutter.

"What in the lands, Janf?" he sighs heavily.

"How are you and Riu?" I ask instead.

He gives me a look, then rolls his eyes. "We're doing well." A ghost of a smile touches his lips. "I want to find a time to meet her family, then ask permission for us to be bound."

I grin and elbow him. "That's great."

He laughs quietly, but the laughter fades quickly. "Not if Dein dies," he sighs heavily, running a hand through his dark hair.

"She knows you're heir, doesn't she?"

He shrugs. "She knows I'm of Escatin blood." So, no.

"Would she be willing to take the role of queen?" I ask. It's a burden of a crown. Just ask Dein, or his afa.

He sighs. "That's not something you usually ask, you know." He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah," I mutter.

We walk in silence, even as the rain begins to fall again.

"My afa sent me a message."

"What?"

He nods once, staring at the ground. "Tui gave it to me not long before you and Lus showed up."

"Why didn't you tell us both at the same time?" Lus and I arrived at the palace just after half-day. It is almost sunset now, and I think Lus went back home after some private conversation with his kin. All I did was tell Dein that Nirs would take some time to think about it. He didn't say much about that.