Zandria Reclaim: Shopping a Suitor for a Squire's Hand

"Oh, by the way," Aquine began to say, "you really have to watch yourself from now on." He winked to Taye for the heads up about the tease. "Your first touch on a boy really left an impression on his tender heart." "Huh?" Ikrah arched a curious eye at him. "The Crown Prince of Falshire asked for your hand." She was appalled in so many degrees the measurements went off the scales. "That pig!?" "Apparently, he liked your foot." Her expression changed to some enlightenment that ignored the subject all together. "Brother, I want to learn the rest of the Eagle Dance." "Oh? All eighteen lessons?" "The steps you taught me. I felt... good moving like that. It was like flying." "Well, of course. As soon as you are well." "Give me the whole book. I will study it." "About that prince----" "I don't care for him. He is offensive to me. I'd rather serve Zandria. Our Crown Prince has more manners." "Um... and if our Crown Prince proposed to you then...?" Taye let the question trail to imply the rest. Ikrah looked at her seriously. "Why are you two teasing me? We each know I'm lowly born and that notion is impossible." "Well... it's just talk."

The young woman considered for a long moment. A truly forlorn frown saddened her face. "It would be treason. I'd probably be thrown in the dungeons or ... worse." "So, you don't feel you belong in either lands." Aquine asked quietly. "I like this house." She picked up both their hands. "When you married Taye, I felt I gained a brother. And then, when I came here, I know I have a home. But all that time, you both made me feel like I belong... like a real family of our own doing." He kissed the back of her hand then. "Well, there is a place for you when you feel like that. A place call Heart of Obendell. My clan is there. They will welcome you with open arms." "Obendell...." Wonderment filled her mind with that name on her lips. The weeks to follow were happy times. She ate good food and grew strong. They enjoyed feeding her as much as she loved training her skills in dance, her hidden magery and druid skills, which aid her in hunting very well. She cleared out the snow in the backyard voluntarily. Endless stories about the mountains and his clan filled their time as they worked together. They were summoned to Tare by spring. At least, the weather was warmer than the snowy season of Falshire. They shed their winter clothes, trading in the Tarennei light fashion: robes and straight cut dresses that hugged their figures elegantly. The Zandrian Royal Family were very pleased to see them. Spring came early this year in Tare. Butterflies flew about the gardens in flurries. While the two families enjoyed a picnic lunch, Aquine and Legran wandered off together to the far end for a private conversation. They walked on the man-made stone archway to an island in the middle of a lake. The water surrounding them favored Legran. The two men stood at pace enjoying the scenery of sky and water mirroring each other endlessly. "Will I really know your true identity some day, Aquine?" "My secrets die with me, Sire." "I am not your enemy." "No, but I'd rather keep Ikrah safe while I live. And if in some unfortunate event, I die in battle.... Sire, if I may have your guarantee to take her in as your Royal Scribe." "That's easy. I can do that now. She won't have to be a Herald." He turned to face the King. "By all accounts, I've groomed her to be the Lady of a House. Taye and I molded this girl into a strong maiden with knowledge of the House Rules. The Lords of Gorra won't be able to beat her into submission." "What are your intentions for her? Exactly." He breathed in and let out a heavy sigh. "It is not me, Sire. It is her. She has her flaws." "That temper," Legran chuckled. "It does need taming."

"Stubborn will. We... haven't told her about my service to the Emperor yet. But I know she will find out eventually and there is no way I can stop her from contending for me to leave." "Well, my advice for such a strong willed heart is to make room. I married one. Took years to soften her." Aquine squared the man in the eye with chagrin. "That wouldn't be my right to do, Sire. No man is pure of heart, that is true. But I've witnessed twice the Crown Prince tasted her lips with no regrets. How stands the Zandrian throne if he fell from grace?" The older man's expression was of dismay and amazement, then recovered with calmness. "You do realize what you're implying could lead to your head lopped off." "I do, and I've said it." A smile scrawled onto the King's eyes and lips. "When was this second kiss that I had the misfortune to miss?" "Winter Solstice. He breathed life into her after we found her near death from that box. I'd say the Goddess arranged that." "Really?" Legran was pleasantly surprised, as he began to grin just imagining that heroic scene. "Sire, did you purpetrate their first dance?" "I did. I had hoped they would be friends. Their personalities are highly compatible." "I guess... if I divulged that to her, maybe she will bow to the Crown Prince more often. She owes him her life, after all."

"Yes, but will she see it your way or will she think she serves him best as a Knight of Tarenne?" "That's my sister, all right." He lamented. "You truly love her. Is that how you really feel about her?" "I encourage what is best for her. She may not want the suitor I have in mind for her. Strangers and all, it could be awkward when they meet. Besides, she has expressed to me she favors Zandria." "Ah-huh..." Legran drawled thoughtfully. "This is between us, I had wanted to keep her to be near me. And tying her to my family would be ideal." "So we agree, only a Crown Prince would be fitting for her." "I really like you, Aquine. Would be a fine addition, too." The younger man bellowed out a laugh. "Too bad, you have no daughter. And Taye won't take kindly to those words either." "My General's daughter." Legran smiled pluckily. "Close enough." Suddenly, the shadow of the Dragon floated over them without a roar, though Wind stirred the waters at the flapping of its wings. It circled around the island before spiraling down to land gently where they stood. Dregin dismounted from climbing over its shoulder to plant his feet on the solid stone surface. His boots were light brown, laced to the shins with tucked crimson pants. The half robe was the color of azure brown cut to fit his body perfectly with a matching wide belt.

"I thought I might find you here," he said walking up to them. The Dragon wandered to the walkway, extending its mouth into the water for a drink. "Good day, your Imperial Majesty." Aquine greeted with a bow in the Tarennei fashion. "You must not like me very much." "There is no like or dislike from me----" "Dregin, he's not yours until Little Phoenix fulfills the treaty." Legran was ready to intervene. The golden haired man folded his arms with a smirk. "Well, I have to say I am impressed. Every one of your Knights has enough bravery to match their noble deeds." "I invested enough in them."

Author's note: Just who is shopping for whom now?

He paced to the side, looking at the lake's end meeting the sky in its reflection. "Legran, I came to apologize." "What for?" "My nephew came clean about what happened. Solaren was wrong for mistreating your Royal Squire the way she did. Eight days of exposure like that would have killed a person. I can understand your anger." The other two were uncomfortable with the Emperor's new approach. Surely, he was not asking for Ikrah to be tied to Sky Fall now. He turned around looking at them both.

"Am I that much of a monster now, Legran? I can't even have a normal conversation with you?"

"When have I rejected your friendship? We are relatives, still." "It's been so long living in the palace full of servants. And I have no child with the Empress." Legran sympathized. "That can't be helped, Dreg." "She has made a grievance to me lately. And upon hearing this pending treaty, she insisted that I come here with a small request." The King looked at Aquine with some apprehension. The young man only moved his eyes from one man to the other, standing there stiffly. He had no idea where this was leading. "That is, if he agrees." "Which is what?" "I'd like for him to come live in the palace with us." "I don't think that is best, given the friction with the Royals of Falshire." "No, it's just us, me and White Mane." Legran looked to Aquine, giving him permission to speak. The young man calmly faced the Emperor. "I would have to respectfully decline." Needless to say, Dregin was heavily disappointed. "But... I must ask why this sudden invitation?" The man walked up to him, arms unfolding to relax at the sides. "Is it not obvious? What with you dropping all those hints. Or were you just flirting with us the idea?"

Aquine's features changed seeming to let out the other soul inside him. His eyes became hazel losing the emerald green, reflecting Dregin's amber and White Mane's silvery grey. He tried to steady himself. He breathed, visibly quivering in composure. "In this lifetime, I cannot serve such a sentence, your Imperial Majesty. I would if circumstances were different." "Then, I will make the circumstances different." "I beg you to not do so. The Imperial Courts will surely band together against you." "I am Emperor." "And I am a Knight of Tarenne." "You can be on loan to me, surely." Aquine was checked in this mind game. "Perhaps... if I may have permission to research in the Imperial Archives for historical----" "Done. You are an ambassador in capacity already." "Your Imperial Majesty, it would be temporary residence. And I still need to consult my wife before taking up your offer." "A carriage will be at your door daily." Dregin was very pleased. "I prefer my own horses. I will be diligent," Aquine promised, which assured the man into nodding. "I never take no for an answer." A smile took on the man lips. He was so pleasant at the moment, it was hard to think of him as the Dragon with that extreme kill personality. "You will come to favor me."