Kingdom of Refuge

Chapter 2

Ruby found out with great displeasure why her father was so insistent that she attend dinner this evening. Though they often ate as a family as much as they could, it was never a necessity as both Ruby and Topaz had missed dinner because of illness or in her case a good book she absolutely could not separate herself from. But this evening her father had other plans, because he had invited guests. Every now and then the king would invite governors, generals and other officials from kingdoms and cities who had pledged loyalty to Aldor. Tonight, might have been just another one of those if it was not King LaBar and his son.

They were from one of Aldor's strongest military allies; the kingdom of Tyattar. They not only helped supply Aldor with weapons and wartime support, but Ruby's father was rather fond of King LaBar, it was a friendship that blossomed from an alliance of necessity decades ago.

"Ahhh, worry not my friend," King LaBar was saying, "I supply the best weaponry in the land, forged from the ever-burning fires of Tyattar. Not to mention my kingdom have been training Dragons for centuries, our alliance alone is enough to quell any thought of war against you."

King Kalgary chuckled, "Your confidence never wanes LaBar!" with that he lifted his golden goblet and the two saluted each other.

Ruby sighed as she absently played with her food, she could feel the prince's eyes on her but dared not engage him. The second son of king LaBar was as charming as his father was confident, Ruby knew this much from their previous visits when they were both children. She was not ignorant of the fact that their fathers thought they would make a good match. With Prince Haydward's older brother already in line for the throne, he was left to marry into an equally as prosperous kingdom and what better kingdom to align with in marriage than Aldor, through Ruby who had no claim to any position in Aldor anyway.

"Ruby you have not touched your food?" her father asked with a hint of accusation in his domineering baritone.

She lifted her gaze and shrugged, "I am not very hungry father."

He frowned, his rain-cloud eyes telling that he was onto the reason behind her sour mood and disliked it greatly.

"Haydward came all the way here with his father to see you. The least you can do is treat him like the old friend that he is."

Ruby glanced at the handsome prince, with complexion that told of long days in the blistering sun and thick black hair, trailing to his lower back in a single braid as was the way of his people. The Tyattarians were natives to Saharia, they were the only kingdom wise enough to create an alliance with Aldor in its early days of conquest and since then they had enjoyed a peaceful partnership.

Haydward was smiling at her, "that's alright your majesty, Princess Ruby and I are beyond fancy pleasantries. After all these years of acquaintanceship, she has earned the right to be unpleasant in my presence."

Ruby rolled her eyes, earning her a glare from her father. He reluctantly returned to his meal, as did his guests and the rest of his daughters. Dinner finally dragged to an end, consisting mostly of the sound of metal utensils scrapping ceramic and her father's disapproving glare in her direction. Her younger sisters had tried to lighten the air with funny stories from their day, but it had fallen flat, consumed by the tense silence. Diamond, who was the youngest of them, was completely unaware of her older sister's latest rebellion or the tension thickening on the dinner table between Ruby and her beloved father. She stared at them with her big dark eyes that were always full of wonder, expecting her father to entertain them as he usually did, with tales of his youth. But the king was in no mood tonight, even the Tyattarians could see it.

As the dinner wares were cleared away, the girls arose to retreat to their quarters, disappointed and staring daggers at Ruby, the only person capable of making their father quiet at dinner time. Ruby looked over at the king, who was staring at his gold chalet like it held the kingdoms deepest truths.