I wrote this in response to kelkyag's second prompt and paid extension.

There was a second shot and this time Rensa was looking in the right direction to see plaster falling from the ceiling.  She couldn’t see anything lower than that because her escorts were now between her and whoever was firing, their side arms drawn and their bodies poised for action ( Read more... )

Rensa let everyone finish adjusting her.  The wedding she’d always expected would have had simpler seeming preparations, if only because she would have known what to expect.  There wasn’t going to be any all-concealing powder over her face, hands and neck so that when her veil was lifted for the sealing kiss everyone would see the face she should ( Read more... )

This follows on from Wedding Preliminaries.

It was the early hours of the morning when Yannic and Rensa left the party.  He was the one who led her out ‘the back way’ in case anyone was still waiting out the front for the Emperor but she was the one who knew her way around the back corridors of the palace and steered them back in the direction of ( Read more... )

This follows on from About The First Wife's Family.

“My mother and aunt,” said Mirren, “are organising the pre-wedding family get-together.”

“Pre-wedding family get-together?”  Rensa looked at her with concern.

“You know,” Mirren explained, “that thing where the two families get together for a party about a week before the wedding, get introduced to ( Read more... )

Another piece of Rensa.  This is number twenty - I'm mindboggled.  There is a landing page.

Rensa was nervous.  When her family had been alive she’d known all of her potential mothers-in-law, at least in passing.  She didn’t know Yannic’s mother.  She’d never been in a position to.  Yannic was the result of some away-from-home cavorting by one of ( Read more... )

Another piece of Rensa.

Rensa was having a wedding dress fitting.  Verrin, the designer, was making adjustments for her blossoming curves and selecting the exact shade of the contrasting flounce.  Fortunately Verrin was one of those people who thought Rensa should return to a healthy weight so there were no professional or artistic tantrums from the ( Read more... )

This follows on from 'Personal Issues.'

“It was a good thing we spoke to you,” said Tuluc precisely addressing Rensa. There were six of them in the compartment of the train travelling back from Montjoy and fortunately none of them were Kolloc. Rensa, at least, could happily have murdered him after a day of sotto voce comments lamenting his original ( Read more... )

This follows on from A Day In The Life Of...

Rensa’s next few days passed in consideration of healthy eating and moderate exercise plus dress and shoe fittings. Several establishments whose doors they had not been permitted to enter had contacted the Palace attempting to arrange private showings for the Princess. Mirren and Rensa took a small guilty ( Read more... )

This carries on from "The Dress".

Yannic woke. Suddenly wide awake but unsure why. He rolled over and checked his watch, the glow in the dark numbers bright enough to be read but not light the room. It wanted a quarter of an hour for the alarm to go off. He lay there for a moment. The alarm was still set for the time Kiriel had liked to get up. Up ( Read more... )

This follows on from Conversation.

“I suppose that up until then you’d thought that it was our idea for the Emperor to be a member of our family.” Rensa wasn’t quite smiling, “Would you have believed us if we’d told you?”

“Trado certainly wouldn’t have,” Yannic agreed. “Some of his strongest adherents are still unhappy with my elevation. Diligence ( Read more... )