A Questionable Quest

Chapter 32... in which loopholes are my best friend

"You're certain?" I asked, for what was likely the millionth time. "You're certain that's what the fairy said?"

"Yes. Yes, of course." Van's mother looked from me to her son, taking in our matching grins. "Why?"

I sat forward in my well-cushioned chair. "Well, that is, if you're certain that's what she said-"

"Which I am."

"-then you should have no issues!"

The Queen of Portsburring and her husband frowned. "What are you talking about, dear?" She waved a hand at my own parents, who watched with the implications of frowns etched around their mouths. They didn't dare go so far as to actually frown -- just to imply it.

I tried to raise one brow as I said, "hm?" questioningly, but I don't think it worked very well.

This time, the King of Portsburring leaned forward. He explained, very shortly, very bluntly, and very exasperatedly, "Your parents are not from Portsburring."

"No," Van cut in, before I could say anything. He pushed to his feet, meeting my eye. Our brains had, apparently, come to the same conclusion. "But then, they don't have to be."

"If your fairy godmother said you must marry-" This time it was my mother who spoke. And it was I who spoke over her (much to her annoyance).

"But she didn't. Don't you see?" I also stood, and crossed the length of the table to stand by the other queen.

She gazed at me, expression confounded. "I don't, actually. I don't see."

I took a breath, just long enough to gather my racing excitement into a small little ball, and explained. "Van's fairy godmother said he must marry someone who-" I racked my brain for the exact words she had used, "'-who knows your lands with the intimacy of a commoner.'"

"And?" said my mother, while Van's mother looked at me and asked with a slight grin, "Van?"

"And," I continued, gesturing intensely, "that's me. I have been on a quest with dragons-"

"-and wizards-" Van added.

"-and inns-"

"-and apple cider-"

"-and people," I finished, shooting Van a stop-fooling-around-this-is-important look. He raised his hands in an I'm-absolutely-innocent-of-everything one in return.

My mother raised one eyebrow (how did she do that?) and ask, thought I suspected she knew where I was leading, "And? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well," Van took over. "We've met people -- she's met people." He met his father's eye, then his mothers. Despite whatever had happened five seconds earlier, he was now as serious as I'd ever seen him. His handsome facial features flickered briefly in the dim candle-light. His amber gaze was nearly black. "She's talked about their problems, learned their stories, attended their festivals..."

He trailed off, looking between his parents. He, apparently, thought that was enough explanation.

I didn't. "I know your people," I continued. "And I know your lands, too. Whatever the world may think, we travelled three weeks. Three weeks. I've befriended a seer from your woods, and adopted a dragon from your trees, and talked to the people of one of your mountain villages."

Of course, the seer wasn't necessarily my friend, but she had helped us. Dero's adoption was true enough. And the only discussion I'd had with the people of that village had been when we were thrown forcibly from their inn.