Honest Inquiry

"I can't believe it," Asbel said, walking next to his brother as they followed Richard and Malik into the desert. "I really can't believe it."

Hubert lengthened his stride and kept his eyes focused ahead. He knew damn well what Asbel wanted to talk about and quite frankly, he didn't have much else to say on the subject. At least not right now. Attempting a delay tactic, he spoke. "I know I will regret asking this question, but, what is it that you can't believe?"

Asbel smiled, doubling his effort to keep up. "What you said back at your house."

With a snort and a sideways glance of derision, Hubert shook his head. "I'll thank you to keep your conjecture and musings to yourself."

"Hey, I wasn't going to insult you or anything. I want to know what she's like, though."

"You know what she is like," Hubert answered with a decisive glare.

"I meant the President's daughter."

"Why?"

Asbel shrugged. "I'm just curious."

"I don't think she'd make a good bride for you, Brother," Hubert said with a smirk.

"Hey! I'm not interested like that!"

Hubert stopped walking and turned to face him. "Then how are you interested?"

"I don't know," he said, stretching his arms above his head. "It's just…I want to know about you and your life in Strahta. I kind of want to make up for that time we didn't get to grow up together, y'know?"

"Asbel…" was the plaintive reply. "Fine, I'll tell you whatever you'd like to know, but we best keep moving or Captain Malik and Richard will leave us in the dust."

With a nod, the two began to move with less urgency and purpose in their steps. "Uh, well, what's her name? How did you meet her? Is she pretty? Smart? You know…what's she like?"

The response came as a clipped barrage of answers. "Her name is Catherine. Technically, we're cousins. I also knew her from the Academy. Yes, and yes."

Asbel's eyes widened. "Wait. Cousins?"

"Her mother's sister was Garrett Oswell's late wife."

"Oswell was married?"

"Years before I came into the picture, yes." Hubert said, a bit of sadness creeping into his words. "According to everything I've heard, he was quite the idealist in his time. Now, he's a manipulative crook, but—"

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?"

"What's to tell, Asbel? Really? Why would you insist upon knowing the history of a family you have no ties to?"

Putting his hand on his brother's shoulder, Asbel gave a smile. "But I do."

Hubert's tone instantly softened again. "What else do you wish to know?"

"How did you meet her at the Academy? Was she in the Army?"

"Before he was President, Paradine was a general in the Strahtan army. All of his children attended the Military Academy. Catherine was in my class. She…shall we say, assisted me during that first miserable year."

"Assisted?"

"I was not well accepted here at first," Hubert said, sliding his glasses up his nose. "Even you cannot be so unobservant to realize that I don't look like most Strahtans, or at least those of the nobility."

Asbel laughed. "I guess you have Mom to thank for that."

"Indeed."

"But Catherine kept you from getting beaten up?"

"In a sense. When the other students realized we were cousins and friends, they found other people to bother. It would not be smart to fight the general's daughter, especially since she was quite deadly with cryas artes."

"But you don't want to marry her?"

"I do not. She is a good friend, and the marriage would be politically advantageous, but it would not be fair to her."

"Because you're in love with Pascal."

"Correct."

Asbel chuckled. "I still can't believe that part of this."

"Why?"

"Because she's Pascal. I mean, she's…"

"Perfect," Hubert supplied. "She's intelligent, independent, and wouldn't give a damn if I only had two gald to my name and lived in a tent."

"Yeah, but she also doesn't bathe."

The response came with a dismissive wave of Hubert's hand. "A behavior that can be corrected with the proper motivation, and even then, it doesn't bother me in the least."

"That's kind of gross."

"Is it? I find the debutantes who seek a husband for his money and status gross. Surely you have found the same fate? Money and power bring all sorts of problems in this regard, and according to Mother, you have dozens of marriage proposals."

"Yeah," Asbel said, scratching the back of his head. "I wish she'd let up on that. But y'know, I kinda figured she'd understand about this a little better."

"How do you mean?"

"Frederic told me Mom was sent to Lhant to marry Dad. They didn't know each other at all. It was arranged by their families."

"Yes, I knew that. I assumed you did. It is customary in Windor. Though, as I understand it, Father managed to chase off quite a few brides who were only interested in his station. Mother managed to be more stubborn than most."

Asbel sighed. "Yeah, I guess. But—"

"Have you talked to Cheria yet?" Hubert asked, raising a brow. It was high time to turn the table of this discussion and catching Asbel off guard would be best.

"What?"

"You heard me. Quit ignoring your feelings for the woman already."

"When did this become about me?" Asbel asked.

"Right now, because I'm certainly tired of watching the two of you act out some intricate ballet of denial. Someone has to make the first move and it should be you."

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Hurry up!" Malik shouted from the entrance to the ruins. "You two are certainly slow today!"

"Don't think I won't forget to bring it up again," Hubert said as he began to jog towards the others.

Running on ahead, Asbel shook his head. "Yeah, I know. I can always count on you to be thorough!"