A bit of something original
I'm pushing myself to write this novel, and I think I'll do it if I post it on my LJ. Wish me luck.
"Is everything alright?"
"Your son decided he would try to jump the South Wall, like his brother. Ilres is fine and resting. Just one broken bone and it's already mended. He'll be sore, and needs his rest for the remainder of the week." Queen Simona reported with a smile as she looked down at the young prince. "He still hasn't figured out he can't keep up with Irgas."
King Ilbas huffed and shook his head. "I don't think I listened either when my older brothers went playing. At least it was just a broken bone. He'll remain in bed from his studies tomorrow, and light activities for the rest of the week."
"You can be the one to tell him that. This time of year the forest holds as many treasures as the royal vault. He'll whine for days." Simona didn't look forward to that particular talk, but could not help but smile as her husband pulled her close and kissed her.
"I'll do anything to make sure my queen is happy," Ilba said with a grin. "Slay the dragon, tell the child he has to stay in bed..."
"Mediate the Qilb Border dispute?" she asked hopefully. Ilba snorted as he released her and tried to flee the room. The queen laughed and trotted after her husband, and managed to grab him on his ceremonial cape. "Not so fast, my champion. What happened to making sure the queen was happy?"
"I refuse to get in the middle of family conflicts. Tell them both to go jump into the Yellow Sea and be done with it."
"I can't," she wailed forlornly. "My mother would have a fit."
"Exactly. Yaena Krisdea is just now getting to like me; why would I ruin it?" Ilba paused and took a closer look at his wife. "You have bags under your eyes."
"Thanks. Every wife wants to be told she's ugly," Simona rolled her eyes and stepped around her husband to move farther down the hall. A small group of servants bowed deeply as they passed, and continued on their way.
"That's not what i mean, Simona. You look tired," he said quietly.
"We've been holding court all day. Why wouldn't I be tired?" she asked lightly. Ilba frowned and took Simona's elbow.
"Is it a vision?" he asked carefully.
Simona's jaw tightened, and after a moment she nodded. "I cannot see it clearly, but something tells me it isn't good."
"Have you meditated on it?"
"Yes, of course I have. I just can't seem to get it to come in any clearer." Simona sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I don't think I can force it."
"So don't," Ilba responded simply. "You're meditating with a goal in mind. Why don't you try to do so with relaxation as your goal? If you're meant to know what's on the horizon, it will be come clear."
Simona regarded her husband briefly and shook her head. "I do love you, you know," she said fondly.
"I know," Ilba said smugly. "It's because I'm handsome and wise."
"Well, one of two isn't bad," she said. She gave him a kiss. "I'll go down to the cove and actually try to relax."
"Take Riva with you."
Simona sighed. "My husband, the castle is locked down tightly. Why do I need Riva?"
"Indulge your husband, please. Riva!" Ilba barked. After a moment a slender woman with dark hair came around the corner and dropped to one knee.
"Your majesty," she said pleasantly. "I am at your whim."
"Accompany the Queen to the Ruby Cove. She'll be meditating and is not to be disturbed." Ilba smiled as the lady in waiting rose gracefully.
"Yes, Your Majesty. No one will disturb her." Riva rested her hand on the hilt of her sword belted over her gown and inclined her head toward Simona. "Your Majesty, I am at your disposal."
Simona smiled and nodded, but sent a raised eyebrow to her husband as she led the way.
***
Riva didn't have the patience for meditation, although she'd had the best teachers growing up the daughter of a minor nobleman. That meant she was distantly related to the Queen, although familiarity was not something that was encouraged.
But still, Queen Simona was kind and without many airs that accompanied the High Nobles, and when they were alone, Riva was allowed a measure of respectful freedom. Although what gnawed at her and wished to be spoken most likely did not fall under that lenience.
Queen Simona had changed into a simple blue dress and over smock, and a plain circlet over her pulled back hair. Her face was drawn and irritated; the meditation didn't seem to be working either.
"My Queen," Riva ventured quietly.
"Riva, speak. I can hear your questions from here." Simona opened one eye and regarded her friend with a tired smile.
"There are people talking - "
"There are always people talking," Simona interrupted. Riva quieted and nodded quickly. "Continue."
"There is talk that the enemies of the crown are talking to neighboring countries." Riva looked appalled and concerned at the same time. "That these countries are actually listening."
Simona stared off into the distance and sighed. Their own intelligence network had alerted them to that fact many months ago, and Ilba made sure that they were on good terms with everyone as best as they could. This passive uprising of mutterers and complainers did not like how Simona and Ilba agreed to give refugees from across the Yellow Sea some land of their own, and allowed them to govern themselves.
She sighed again. It was all very complicated. "Riva," Simona began; but was cut off by the sound of sword against sword, and quite suddenly her sight turned inward. She came to with Riva supporting her head as she stared down at her with worry.
"My Queen, you fell over in mid-sentence. I didn't dare leave you, and would've carried you if you hadn't woken so quickly."
Simona swallowed over her suddenly dry throat and managed a cough. "They're coming," she rasped. "They're coming!"
"Is everything alright?"
"Your son decided he would try to jump the South Wall, like his brother. Ilres is fine and resting. Just one broken bone and it's already mended. He'll be sore, and needs his rest for the remainder of the week." Queen Simona reported with a smile as she looked down at the young prince. "He still hasn't figured out he can't keep up with Irgas."
King Ilbas huffed and shook his head. "I don't think I listened either when my older brothers went playing. At least it was just a broken bone. He'll remain in bed from his studies tomorrow, and light activities for the rest of the week."
"You can be the one to tell him that. This time of year the forest holds as many treasures as the royal vault. He'll whine for days." Simona didn't look forward to that particular talk, but could not help but smile as her husband pulled her close and kissed her.
"I'll do anything to make sure my queen is happy," Ilba said with a grin. "Slay the dragon, tell the child he has to stay in bed..."
"Mediate the Qilb Border dispute?" she asked hopefully. Ilba snorted as he released her and tried to flee the room. The queen laughed and trotted after her husband, and managed to grab him on his ceremonial cape. "Not so fast, my champion. What happened to making sure the queen was happy?"
"I refuse to get in the middle of family conflicts. Tell them both to go jump into the Yellow Sea and be done with it."
"I can't," she wailed forlornly. "My mother would have a fit."
"Exactly. Yaena Krisdea is just now getting to like me; why would I ruin it?" Ilba paused and took a closer look at his wife. "You have bags under your eyes."
"Thanks. Every wife wants to be told she's ugly," Simona rolled her eyes and stepped around her husband to move farther down the hall. A small group of servants bowed deeply as they passed, and continued on their way.
"That's not what i mean, Simona. You look tired," he said quietly.
"We've been holding court all day. Why wouldn't I be tired?" she asked lightly. Ilba frowned and took Simona's elbow.
"Is it a vision?" he asked carefully.
Simona's jaw tightened, and after a moment she nodded. "I cannot see it clearly, but something tells me it isn't good."
"Have you meditated on it?"
"Yes, of course I have. I just can't seem to get it to come in any clearer." Simona sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I don't think I can force it."
"So don't," Ilba responded simply. "You're meditating with a goal in mind. Why don't you try to do so with relaxation as your goal? If you're meant to know what's on the horizon, it will be come clear."
Simona regarded her husband briefly and shook her head. "I do love you, you know," she said fondly.
"I know," Ilba said smugly. "It's because I'm handsome and wise."
"Well, one of two isn't bad," she said. She gave him a kiss. "I'll go down to the cove and actually try to relax."
"Take Riva with you."
Simona sighed. "My husband, the castle is locked down tightly. Why do I need Riva?"
"Indulge your husband, please. Riva!" Ilba barked. After a moment a slender woman with dark hair came around the corner and dropped to one knee.
"Your majesty," she said pleasantly. "I am at your whim."
"Accompany the Queen to the Ruby Cove. She'll be meditating and is not to be disturbed." Ilba smiled as the lady in waiting rose gracefully.
"Yes, Your Majesty. No one will disturb her." Riva rested her hand on the hilt of her sword belted over her gown and inclined her head toward Simona. "Your Majesty, I am at your disposal."
Simona smiled and nodded, but sent a raised eyebrow to her husband as she led the way.
***
Riva didn't have the patience for meditation, although she'd had the best teachers growing up the daughter of a minor nobleman. That meant she was distantly related to the Queen, although familiarity was not something that was encouraged.
But still, Queen Simona was kind and without many airs that accompanied the High Nobles, and when they were alone, Riva was allowed a measure of respectful freedom. Although what gnawed at her and wished to be spoken most likely did not fall under that lenience.
Queen Simona had changed into a simple blue dress and over smock, and a plain circlet over her pulled back hair. Her face was drawn and irritated; the meditation didn't seem to be working either.
"My Queen," Riva ventured quietly.
"Riva, speak. I can hear your questions from here." Simona opened one eye and regarded her friend with a tired smile.
"There are people talking - "
"There are always people talking," Simona interrupted. Riva quieted and nodded quickly. "Continue."
"There is talk that the enemies of the crown are talking to neighboring countries." Riva looked appalled and concerned at the same time. "That these countries are actually listening."
Simona stared off into the distance and sighed. Their own intelligence network had alerted them to that fact many months ago, and Ilba made sure that they were on good terms with everyone as best as they could. This passive uprising of mutterers and complainers did not like how Simona and Ilba agreed to give refugees from across the Yellow Sea some land of their own, and allowed them to govern themselves.
She sighed again. It was all very complicated. "Riva," Simona began; but was cut off by the sound of sword against sword, and quite suddenly her sight turned inward. She came to with Riva supporting her head as she stared down at her with worry.
"My Queen, you fell over in mid-sentence. I didn't dare leave you, and would've carried you if you hadn't woken so quickly."
Simona swallowed over her suddenly dry throat and managed a cough. "They're coming," she rasped. "They're coming!"