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Authors: Laurel Mojica
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was one of your father's, which is why his father kept him out of our schemes for conquering Valstadt. But he always struck me as a practical man. I suspect that once you're safely home I could claim the role of court mage."
"Oh! You have ambition. I would have thought you'd want to remain inconspicuous for a while. Maybe a decade or two."
"As you might recall, I was extremely inconspicuous the last few decades."
"I don't think you get credit for that. It's not like you chose to become a statue. Don't you think people will be nervous having you around? You haven't exactly shown yourself to be reformed."
"Kings often find it useful to have people fear their mages. It discourages intrigue."
"Valstadt's court mage is respected, but I don't think anyone's afraid of him. Besides, what if you make King Fenril nervous? He has a daughter too and may not like the cavalier way with which you run off with princesses."
"You mentioned her before. How old is she?"
"Two years older than me."
"Is she pretty?"
Tabitha glared at him.
"Oh, don't worry! I wouldn't kidnap my own king's daughter. Is she pretty?"
Still glaring, Tabitha answered. "I've heard she's exceptionally beautiful."
"And King Fenril's only child? So whoever marries her gets a bride and a crown." James's eyes lit speculatively. Tabitha was furious.
"I can't believe you. You try for one crown, get turned into a statue for twenty-some-odd years and within weeks of breaking the spell you're scheming for another one."
James laughed softly. "Don't worry. I'm sure she's not half as interesting as you."
Tabitha's jaw dropped. It took her a few moments to construct a response. "I'm not jealous! You can't possibly think...Just because...You'd start a civil war. Destroy the alliance between Valstadt and Xentia. People wouldn't accept you as king. They'd never believe that King Fenril would give his daughter to you willingly."
"Yes, and I suppose Valstadt would take exception to me carrying off their princess for a few weeks, then returning her so I could marry another."
Tabitha's face felt like it was on fire. She stood up and brushed the dirt from her skirt. "This isn't about me. I'm not one of your jilted lovers. If you can win the heart of Anya and her father's approval, then you'll get your throne. Only you'd better make sure everyone believes you did it honorably if you want to avoid war." She turned and stalked back in the direction they had come.
Within a few steps James had caught up to her.
"I'm sorry. We're supposed to be acting like friends. I guess you're not used to getting teased."
"Teased?" Tabitha stopped to re-evaluate the conversation. She shook her head. "I have two older siblings. I am very used to it." Not certain if she was allowed to point out that they weren't actually friends, she was at a loss to explain why what he said couldn't count as teasing.
James took her hand and linked her arm through his, patting her fingers reassuringly. "No more teasing. Not yet."
He turned and led her farther into the woods. Tabitha was amazed by how lost she was in this forest. Normally it didn't take her long to get her bearings in new terrain, but somehow landmarks never seemed to appear where she expected them here. As they walked, he talked more about the court at Xentia, the people he used to know and how he expected them to react to his return. Then he asked her about the kind of reception she expected. He seemed very concerned about her father's reaction, which amused Tabitha a bit. She wasn't worried about his reaction to her return, but rather his current state of mind. He had to be beside himself. She hoped he hadn't said anything to King Fenril that would cause permanent harm to their alliance...or friendship.
Without ever having returned to the direction from which Tabitha was certain they'd come, they re-entered the yard right at lunchtime. This time the table held a bouquet of orchids.
"How do you do that?" Tabitha couldn't resist
"Oh! You have ambition. I would have thought you'd want to remain inconspicuous for a while. Maybe a decade or two."
"As you might recall, I was extremely inconspicuous the last few decades."
"I don't think you get credit for that. It's not like you chose to become a statue. Don't you think people will be nervous having you around? You haven't exactly shown yourself to be reformed."
"Kings often find it useful to have people fear their mages. It discourages intrigue."
"Valstadt's court mage is respected, but I don't think anyone's afraid of him. Besides, what if you make King Fenril nervous? He has a daughter too and may not like the cavalier way with which you run off with princesses."
"You mentioned her before. How old is she?"
"Two years older than me."
"Is she pretty?"
Tabitha glared at him.
"Oh, don't worry! I wouldn't kidnap my own king's daughter. Is she pretty?"
Still glaring, Tabitha answered. "I've heard she's exceptionally beautiful."
"And King Fenril's only child? So whoever marries her gets a bride and a crown." James's eyes lit speculatively. Tabitha was furious.
"I can't believe you. You try for one crown, get turned into a statue for twenty-some-odd years and within weeks of breaking the spell you're scheming for another one."
James laughed softly. "Don't worry. I'm sure she's not half as interesting as you."
Tabitha's jaw dropped. It took her a few moments to construct a response. "I'm not jealous! You can't possibly think...Just because...You'd start a civil war. Destroy the alliance between Valstadt and Xentia. People wouldn't accept you as king. They'd never believe that King Fenril would give his daughter to you willingly."
"Yes, and I suppose Valstadt would take exception to me carrying off their princess for a few weeks, then returning her so I could marry another."
Tabitha's face felt like it was on fire. She stood up and brushed the dirt from her skirt. "This isn't about me. I'm not one of your jilted lovers. If you can win the heart of Anya and her father's approval, then you'll get your throne. Only you'd better make sure everyone believes you did it honorably if you want to avoid war." She turned and stalked back in the direction they had come.
Within a few steps James had caught up to her.
"I'm sorry. We're supposed to be acting like friends. I guess you're not used to getting teased."
"Teased?" Tabitha stopped to re-evaluate the conversation. She shook her head. "I have two older siblings. I am very used to it." Not certain if she was allowed to point out that they weren't actually friends, she was at a loss to explain why what he said couldn't count as teasing.
James took her hand and linked her arm through his, patting her fingers reassuringly. "No more teasing. Not yet."
He turned and led her farther into the woods. Tabitha was amazed by how lost she was in this forest. Normally it didn't take her long to get her bearings in new terrain, but somehow landmarks never seemed to appear where she expected them here. As they walked, he talked more about the court at Xentia, the people he used to know and how he expected them to react to his return. Then he asked her about the kind of reception she expected. He seemed very concerned about her father's reaction, which amused Tabitha a bit. She wasn't worried about his reaction to her return, but rather his current state of mind. He had to be beside himself. She hoped he hadn't said anything to King Fenril that would cause permanent harm to their alliance...or friendship.
Without ever having returned to the direction from which Tabitha was certain they'd come, they re-entered the yard right at lunchtime. This time the table held a bouquet of orchids.
"How do you do that?" Tabitha couldn't resist
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