Sienna and The Heart Of Aislei

Chapter 16: Revelations

Coming back into the light of the ballroom was like stepping out of a dream, or waking up from a nightmare, I should say. As I left the shadows, my pounding heart began to calm itself. Inspecting my gloved arms, I was surprised those vines left no marks on me.

Nazam didn't really escort me back in. He kept a step behind me as if blocking any attempt to go back outside. Then once I was properly attended to amidst the fancy folk, he slipped back into the sea of faces. I was relieved though to not suffer his company.

The rest of the ball was flying by so fast, and it looks as though Tallis Grey had made his appearance and retired without exchanging a single word with me. I made a conscious effort not to let that bother me. There was still lots of dancing left to do and it was just what I needed to get rid of the feeling that lingered from my little scare out in the maze.

I was also feeling quite troubled by the conversations from earlier in the night.

Dancing the remaining sets with a different partner, the opportunity to ask one of my sisters about Queen Charna or about what Reginald had alluded to was waning. When I was about to lose all hope of finding answers to my questions, Sir Arthur appeared asking for the last dance of the night.

Sir Arthur and I have never been particularly close but as I have mentioned before, he has always been kind. He indulged my behavior on several occasions throughout the years. Sometimes it was his words that made Father show mercy. The incident with Tallis Grey was the only time I felt myself at odds with the acclaimed knight. And he apologized most sincerely for that.

Graciously, I allowed him to lead me through the music determined to pry some answers from the man. I should be tactful.

"How old are you, Sir?" I asked.

"What brought this about, Princess?" He laughed. "I am forty-two years. This is my twenty-fourth year in service to the crown."

"Ruby will be twenty-five years come mid-winter," I said almost to myself.

"Yes. There seems to be a question for me poised on your lips, little Enna. Don't be shy. I have no secrets from you."

I wondered if I should lead with the question he would be more willing to answer...

He was present during the marriage between Father and Queen Charna.

His powers of deduction were uncanny when he added to the silence, "ah, more than one thing is on your mind? I should have known."

Losing courage to ask the more forbidden topic, I retreated to the more present troubles.

"Is it true? Is Reginald going to be King? And is Ruby to be his wife?"

"Yes." The simple word hung in the air then he cleared his throat. "It is the most appeasing solution to the predicament your sister has found herself in. All parties are satisfied."

"I'm not! And surely Ruby isn't! He is utterly deplor---"

"I must advise you not to speak ill of the future King, for your own sake." Then he added in a hushed whisper, "Besides, they would only give him the crown if your father dies. The king is in perfect health; he has many more years to come. And according to his living will, the crown would skip over all you girls and your distant cousin in favor of a legitimate direct male descendant."

"But there is none--"

"Yet, Princess. Yet. Whichever one of you and your sisters give birth to a son first, he would be the rightful heir to the throne."

"Any of us?"

"Indeed. Ruby may be the eldest but, in these matters, you all carry the same amount of First King Blood... and are the daughters of legitimate marriages. That is why there is so much discussion surrounding your marriages. Except for Princess Indigo, of course."