CHAPTER 24

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Rave sighed as Aurilean tenderly rubbed her back, "How much longer, love?"

"Until Taiskin gets his Thinlinyte wife, or so he says." She scoffed, "But who knows? If he wants to, he'll keep me there for as long as necessary."

"Talk to your father, Rave. I miss you so much. And we aren't getting younger, you know?" Aurilean laughed, "I want to see you filled to the rim with my brood, Ravenna." He whispered in her ear.

Rave shivered, "You can't just say that, Aurilean! We just finished!"

Aurilean pulled her face towards him, "I'll enjoy watching you when you're so full of my seed that you can barely think." He kissed her.

"Looks like I need to return back to Rayner quickly then."

--

Rina giggled as Irene continued her strong about Taiskin as a child. "And then he yelled, on the top of his lungs on the dining table, 'I am the king!'. Before his wet nurses chased him and Contyer away."

"Oh, I can't wait to get to know him more," Rina said.

"Just say you can't wait for marriage, my lady!" One of her ladies laughed.

"Yes! I can't wait to have you here, Rina. I'm so lonely now that Rave will permanently start in Rayner soon," Irene said.

"I am excited too," Rina played with the hem of her sleeve, "But I don't know anything about Bellayong. I am nervous."

"I want to go to Thinlin with you, see everything there," Irene pouted. "Maybe I can go with you to 'advice' you." She winked.

"Oh, can you? Please?" Rina needed a strong ally in Bellayong, and who better than Irene? "I would love to have your counsel."

"Let me talk to my father, Taiskin and Rave." She nodded, "But I promise I will come with you, one way or another. I'll convince Rave, she listens."

"It will be great," Sonia said sarcastically. Rina had forgotten that she was even there with them.

"Do you have a problem with my princess?" One of Irene's ladies snapped.

"Rina doesn't need her advice, she isn't going to marry Taiskin. She would never soil herself like that." Sonia said.

"Sonia, keep quiet!" Rina glared at her.

"I told you, Rina. Don't go down to Rave's level, you are a princess. A proper princess born of two royals." Sonia smirked. "She is pure royalty."

"She is her highness, Princess Ravenna Mina, to you." Dona, Irene's Raib replied angrily.

"Why would I call the child of a concubine 'princess'. Rave is no such thing. Rave is merely a bastard." Sonia looked at the fuming Bellans with glee.

Irene stood up, clearly outraged, "I assure you, Rina, Taiskin will never even consider marrying you if he hears of this. You can't insult our sister and find us sympathetic." The Bellan ladies stood up too, giving Sonia the dirtiest of looks. "I suggest you control your ladies."

Rina watched helplessly as the ladies followed Irene stormed off. "What did you do?!" She yelled at Sonia.

"I just saved you from the humiliation of begging Irene!" Sonia yelled back.

"Stop it! I don't need you or your bad advice. I know what I am doing." Rina wanted to throw the chair at Sonia. "Don't come near me or my ladies ever again. I do not want to see you ever again."

--

"How do you do it, Rave? How do you let them call you such horrible things?" Irene didn't know how it was, but hearing it face to face was worse.

"I hate it, but I have to take it." She replied.

"And what did Rina do?" Taiskin asked.

"She was staring at us like a gasping fish out of water." Irene said, "No wonder no one wants anything with Thinlin. I'm sure those sisters sour and poison every meeting they sit in."

"The royal sisters or the poor sisters?" Rave laughed.

"Aren't they the same?" Taiskin grinned.

Rave shook her head, "Sonia is much less experienced in subtle insults, you should see Lina."

"According to one of my ladies, Rina yelled at Sonia. Told her that she never wanted to see that bitch again." Irene said, "We clearly have some influence over her now."

"Good. With your marriage, Bellayong will have a permanent place on the Thinlinyte council table." Rave nodded.

"You need to make up with her, Irene. Make sure you go with her at all costs." Taiskin said.

"Oh, I will," Irene said, "I am not done, I want to isolate Rina and her ladies from the sister completely. Though they make it pretty easy, I still need to completely destroy their trust in each other."

"You sound too much like Taiskin now." Rave groaned as they all laughed.

--

Rave didn't know why she felt so choked up about leaving Bellayong this time. She'd blame Aurilean, who she wouldn't see for gods knew how long. The Thinlinytes party would be the first to leave, for they still had their own festivals to plan. It was Rina's birthday soon.

Rave tightly hugged Aurilean, before kissing his cheeks. "Soon, call for me, as soon as you can. We aren't getting any younger waiting, just as you said."

"I will," He promised before kissing her again.

Rave nodded at him. Turning to Leo, she motioned for them to start leaving. The Thinlinytes were waiting already. Leo's eyes were puffy, "Are you alright, Leo?" Rave asked.

"I had a tearful goodbye with Ragnor." He admitted hoarsely, "I don't really want to go back to Thinlin."

"Neither do I," Rave replied quietly. "Let's just finish this marriage business, then we can go join Aurilean and Ragnor."

"Taiskin should try and do something by himself for a change. Let him dirty his hands once."

"He does," Rave smiled. "He has to keep Hanara happy and stop her from cursing him, doesn't he? But you never heard me say that."

"So I haven't." Leo paused, "It's good that Irene is coming with us. She can help balance the duties between the wedding and Rina's birthday."

"I won't be so lonely now. Especially since Prim will stay back this time."

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