Book 3, Chapter 23: Outside the Cathedral
Brin was walking toward the cathedral, just as I was exiting it. Stepping out of that building, the air smelled clean and fresh, the sky a bright blue with little tufts of clouds floating along unseen winds.
“Cayce!” she called, hurrying over, “The Barclay Duchy has sent over an ambassador!”
I scowled, mostly inside, “Yeah, Hafthon just informed me.”
“You don’t want to talk to them, I see.”
“Did they bring my gold? Promises to support the kingdom?”
“Well, we’ll have to ask them to find out.”
I gave her a look. “Did you invite them here?”
“Not as such, no. I did, ah, send a message about the coronation, though.”
“Brin!”
“It had to be done, Cayce. Proper etiquette and all that. Plus, maybe Saph’s older brother sent a marriage proposal.”
“You are enjoying this too much. Maybe you should be taking suitors instead of me?”
“If you make me princess, then I will gladly do so, Your Royal Highness.” Brin bowed as we walked along.
“Can I do that?”
“No, Cayce, you cannot.”
“Fudge.”
“Yeah, so, you’re in a mood.”
“It didn’t go well,” I thumbed back at the cathedral, “in there. Also, the building made me feel strange and kinda sick. Does it have that effect on you?”
“You aren’t feeling well? Hold on a sec.” We stopped, she put her wrist against my forehead. “No, you aren’t warmer than usual, so you don’t have a headache.”
“Just a light lingering malaise, I guess. Nearly gone.”
“They won’t support your ascension to queen?”
“They won’t.”
“Bastards.”
“All of them.”
“I’m sorry, I can try to talk to my father.”
“Nah, don’t bother. It’ll just widen the rift between you two. He and I do not get along.”
“That’s an understatement. Well, he doesn’t trust anyone who wears a dress and tosses men out of windows.”
“That was Morry. And, damn, I didn’t know he was wearing a dress.”
“I’m guessing you don’t want to meet the ambassadors now.”
“No. They can wait. I’m scheduled to meet up with Reese and the head doctor. And go over the process of distillation with them.”
Brin shook her head, “Not in that dress you aren’t.”
“But you said I could just add a smock.”
“A royal smock. I changed my mind. Come on, let’s get you all, what did you call it? Dolled up? We’re doing the opposite. Dolling you down.”
“Ok, ok. I give up. Dress me as you would.”
“Huh.” She put her hand on her hip, “You’re finally gaining some small amount of wisdom. What should I tell the ambassador’s party?”
“They can wait a couple days. Although, if that’s too difficult, I’ll accept an apology by way of ritual suicide.”
“Cayce!”
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