September 3, 1186
"So, um..." Mona bit her lip as she stepped back, her hand on the shoulder the one remnant of her hug. "My brother is here."
That explained the enthusiastic greeting, and the lingering hand. Well as she knew him otherwise, Mona did tend to overestimate Zareth's capacity for anger. The age gap, he feared--someone of her age might have not have unlearned just yet to see someone of his age as a disapproving authority figure, even if Mona did tend to prefer forgiveness to permission. He hoped that vanish as the years went by. "I know. The steward told me.""You don't mind?"
"No. I have nothing against your brother." If anything, he couldn't have thanked the man enough for not blowing Mona and Anna's covers at any chance he got. An unexpected visit was no issue--well, not in regards to Searle himself, at least. "But it sounds like he had a reason for showing up?"Eyes shut, Mona bowed her head. If he'd brought her a puppy, this would be where she announced her allergies. "My mother wants to visit."
Bad allergies indeed. "Shit."
"That's what I said." A sigh--most unlike her. Other people who pulled such stunts would have dreamt up cover stories, but Mona had been so certain of her family's forgetfulness of her that she likely hadn't bothered. And inconvenient as it was, Zareth couldn't blame her for that. Most of his family forgot about him too. "I always kind of thought that if anyone came to see me, it would be Ietrin--and I could make him look like a fool by switching back and telling everyone at court that it's an old Dovian tradition, swapping the princess and her handmaiden to test the visitor's memory. But I don't think I can do that to my mother, not after she's lost so many people these past few years.""So we'll have to tell her the truth." And hope to God that she's as cooperative as Searle. Not that any marriages could be annulled, what with the presence of Lara, plus Anna's two-going-on-three... but if word got out, it was bound to piss off at least Ietrin, and who knew what diplomatic nightmare that would breed.
"Yes." She wrung her hands together, something he'd never seen her do. While she wore them well, the six or seven years the gesture added were not unnoticeable. "But how?"
That question, he suspected, would take most of the time they had to figure out. "Gently, I guess. Gently, and discreetly."NEXT CHAPTER:
7 comments:
Damn sinuses, interfering with my writing time... :S
*Van sucks at general well-being.*
Yeah, they're going to have to cut Laralita off at the pass before she arrives at court looking for her daughter. She was never going to win any mother of the year awards but she is making an effort and does deserve to be told.
Yeah, there will be some sort of interception required. As far as Laralita knows, she's supposed to head to the big castle. :S
Laralita... yeah, she has grown up in recent years, even if it was a little late for many of her children. But she still deserves the truth.
I hope your sinuses are feeling better!
The new Laralita might be okay with this, especially considering the grandbaby named after her. Mona's happier now than she ever was as a full-time princess. Roderick never had to know his daughter wasn't queen, and Ietrin is the one who would look foolish now, so that's a bonus, too. I just hope they get to her before she creates a scene at court.
Thanks! They've improved somewhat.
Laralita has gained some perspective, so she might just be happy that Mona is happy (and granddaughter Lara is a bonus!). It's better that Roderick never knew, and there's potential for Ietrin to look foolish no matter what, so that's all good there. But yeah--someone's going to need to fill her in before she reaches the castle.
I did comment on this using my phone but of course it didn't work.
I think that Laralita won't react badly, I mean, I imagine her to be at a point in her life when she just wants to be happy. And if she can see that her daughter is happy, with a cute little grandbaby waiting for her, then she should be able to come to terms with it. Although I'm guessing there will be a measure of shock when she does find out, assuming that ^^ she is interrupted before reaching the castle.
No worries! I don't expect everyone to comment on every post.
Yeah, Laralita's entered that twilight phase where she's more about comfort than anything else (luxurious comfort, but comfort nonetheless). She's bound to be shocked, but I don't see her pitching a fit like she would have in the old days.
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