In Which Lorn Gets a Lesson in Flirting

December 21, 1160

"Ah-ha!" exclaimed Prince Ietrin triumphantly as he released an imaginary arrow. "Right in the heart! You're dead, knave!"

"No, I'm not!" Lorn protested. "I moved--you missed."

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did not--and when we're older, I will be a king, and you will only be a duke, so I'm right."

Such was the logic of Ietrin, whether it was playing pretend or fighting over the larger piece of cake. Lorn was not particularly fond of the crown prince--Ietrin had always been rather pompous and self-important for Lorn's taste in friends--but today, the alternative to playing in the forbidden sanctuary of King Roderick's study was helping his mother and Queen Laralita and Lady Alina make dresses for their babies, so he'd figured Ietrin had been the wiser choice.

"And I just got you through the head!" Ietrin added smugly. "You're twice dead!"

Lorn winced. "Twice dead? That's impossible."

"Maybe for humble sons of dukes such as yourself, Lornie-boy. I suppose I can't blame you; after all, your father is really only a lord's second son, and your mother, while she is the daughter of a princess, is also the daughter of a count's third son, whereas my father is a king and was a prince, and my mother was an earl's daughter."

He had to admit, he'd stopped listening after 'your father is'.

"All right, fine, I'm twice dead," he sighed, not wanting to have to put up with any more of Ietrin's senseless banter. "Can we play something else now? I'm bored."

"No, you're just a sore loser," the prince argued, "but fortunately for you, I am bored. If only the girls were here--then we could flirt."

Lorn raised an eyebrow. "Flirt? You've never flirted."

"Have so!" insisted Ietrin. "Stupid! I'm six--how can you think I've never flirted? I flirt all the time!"

"With who?" Lorn demanded.

"Whoever I want!"

He could have expected that response, he supposed.

Ietrin frowned. "Although... since you're only five, I suppose I can forgive you for being ignorant. You probably still think girls are gross."

Rolling his eyes, Lorn shook his head. "Do not--I think you're gross."

Someone knocked on the door.

"Who goes there?" demanded Ietrin, though Lorn could tell that he feared it was his father, here to catch them trespassing in his private domain.

The girls didn't answer--they just barged right in, Raia in the lead, Leara following.

"Excellent!" whispered Ietrin to Lorn excitedly. "Watch and learn, Lornie-boy; I'm about to give you the best lesson of your life."

Something about that statement seemed somewhat off to Lorn, and Raia was quick to confirm that--though he didn't quite understand her reply either.

"The best lesson of his life?" she repeated with a laugh. "I'm sorry Ietrin, but I think that will be up to Leara on their wedding night. If you want, though, you can have one of my brothers when they're a little older--my papa says we can all marry whoever we want."

Lorn shared a quick glance with Leara, who seemed just as confused as he was. It had been a few weeks since he had seen her, and it seemed that it was only just now that he was beginning to realize just how much he'd come to appreciate her company--her beauty, her pretty laugh, her good heart. Leara, he knew--he was a big boy of five, after all--was the sort of girl he was willing to kick down doors for.

Raia, of course, was of an entirely different sort. While Lorn liked her well enough as a friend, he could never imagine kicking down a door for her--not that Raia needed it. Raia was perfectly capable of kicking down her own doors. In fact, she didn't even have to bother; doors sensed her presence and opened themselves, fearing what she might do to them if they didn't.

"Good lord! That's all you ladies ever think about, isn't it?" teased Ietrin, his eyes wide. "But anyway, why would I want one of your brothers when they're older when you yourself are already a big girl--not to mention, much prettier than any of them?"

"To be honest, I can't see why you would want any of us," Raia replied, "considering you're already betrothed to Jeda."

"Jeda's just a little girl."

"She's less than a year younger than me, Ietrin. She won't be little for long."

"Yes, but while she still is..."

Whatever sort of lesson this was supposed to be, Lorn wasn't learning much, and Leara seemed to be of a similar opinion. They locked eyes once more, then she pointed toward her brother and mouthed the word "Stupid".

Fully and heartily, Lorn agreed, and he showed it with a nod. Leara smiled; he felt his face grow warm.

God, she was pretty. Could this beautiful girl really be the sister of ugly old Ietrin? Lorn would have had his doubts had they not shared the same violet eyes. Maybe those features were of the sort that only looked decent on a woman.

And to think, he would marry her one day! Being a five-year-old boy, he wasn't particularly excited to get married any time soon... but at least it would be Leara walking down the aisle toward him. The thought of her almost made the thought of marriage sound agreeable.

Meanwhile, Ietrin was still 'flirting'--rather unsuccessfully, from what Lorn could tell.

"Really, Ietrin," laughed Raia, "did you honestly think that line would work? No girl in history has ever fallen for anything of the like, I assure you; perhaps you ought to regroup and come up with some new material."

"But my father's steward used it on my stepmother's maid, and it worked," Ietrin protested.

Raia didn't seem convinced. "Knowing your stepmother's maid, she probably wasn't evening listening to him--she was just looking for an excuse. He didn't floor her; she let herself be floored."

Ietrin opened his mouth to argue, but his response was shortly prevented by the arrival of Lorn and Raia's eight-year-old mutual cousin Searle, Lord Severin's page.

"Hello, ladies," the older boy greeted Raia and Leara, hardly giving Lorn or Ietrin a second glance. "I was just about to go for a ride. Would you girls like to accompany me? I would hate to inflict the sight of my thornish self upon the citizens of Naroni without a fair rose on either side. I asked your mothers, and they said it was fine."

"A ride does sound like fun," mused Raia. "I'll definitely go. Sorry Ietrin, but I've been presented with an opportunity much more pleasurable than your company. Leara, are you coming?"

Leara flashed one last grin Lorn's way, then nodded. "All right."

"Excellent!" her friend exclaimed. "I'll race you, Searle!"

"You're on!" he accepted, and the two then bolted from the room.

"Good day, Lorn," Leara bade him as she followed after the other two.

Lorn gave a small smile. "Good day, Leara."

He couldn't take her eyes off her as she left--even the way she closed the door behind her was mesmerizing.

"Damn girls," Ietrin swore under his breath.

As he turned to face the prince, Lorn couldn't help but grin. "Looks like you need a lesson in flirting, Ietrin."

Ietrin bit his lip. "Shut up, Lorn--just shut up."

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