A Necessary Conversation

It was possibly the most thrilling moment of 10-year-old Roald's life. It was also possibly the shortest. Roald, in an uncharacteristic moment of courage stemming from the dare issued by Thom and the doubting smirk on Kalasin's face had actually done it. He was kissing someone. A girl to be exact. A frightened, thoroughly overwhelmed servant girl to be painfully precise.

However, unfortunate though it was for everyone involved, King Jonathan IV of Contè had chosen that small window of time to sneak away from a rather boring meeting about military things to get a midafternoon snack. So it was that the King of the realm of Tortall was sneaking through back passages, making his merry way to the kitchens, when he stumbled upon quite the sight: his eldest son, the heir to the throne, kissing what appeared to be a quite unwilling servant girl on the lips! Several seconds elapsed before Kalasin noticed the shocked man standing in the hall. A scream escaped her lips and the whole party fled, including the servant girl.

Roald, who had been quite preoccupied, was a bit slower than the rest of his siblings and friends, and nearly choked to death when a large hand grabbed him by the shirt collar, abruptly ending all plans of retreat.

"Dad, ow, could you – umph." Roald had been deposited on the ground at Jonathan's nicely polished shoes.

"Be thankful that I'm hungry and will deal with you later. My office, 8th bell. Do not be late."

With that, the young boy scampered off to kill Thom of Pirate's Swoop and outlaw any further games involving dares.

XXXXX

A sheepish Roald entered his father's office 10 minutes before the 8th bell to find both of his parents in a heated argument that stopped abruptly when he shut the door behind him.

His father spoke first, clearing his throat rather loudly. "Now, son, as you know, there are certain basic….rules of nature in regards to…er men and women and their relationships –"

He was cut off by an exasperated-looking Thayet. "Look, darling, what your father is trying very hard to say"- she shot a glare in Jon's direction – "is that it's time for you to learn the facts of life."

Roald blushed a deep crimson. "Mom, dad, I know what-"

"No, no, son, it's quite alright," his father interrupted. "Not every young man is as knowledgeable as I was at your age." Chuckling to himself, he added, "Although I would have made sure the girl was at least willing before I tried any hanky panky-"

"JONATHAN! Enough! Clearly you are ill-equipped to talk about this sort of thing with our very impressionable young -"

"Ill-equipped? Woman, how dare you say that to me when I clearly have more experience in that…department…than half of the man in this Palace put-"

"Clearly I am in no position to argue with that statement if you were such a womanizer that-"

"You wish I was a womanizer!"

Silence. Roald, very confused and alarmed by the exchange occurring between his parents tried very hard to imperceptibly back towards the door.

His mother's tone was icy. "I do not hold past actions with certain very good friends of ours against you and I-"

"Are you still harping on that? That was a good decade ago and –"

"DECADE? Jonathan we have been married for almost 15 years now, you can't possibly be implicating that –"

"You know how I hate it when you combine big words and numbers in the same sentences, Thayet. Now if we could just calm down and see this from –"

"You want me to calm down when you have possibly had inappropriate relations –"

"I never said that and you can't prove it!"

"You bastard, I swear to the goddess I will cut off your –"

That was the last thing Roald heard as he quietly shut the door behind him.

Man, oh man. At this rate, I'm never going to learn where babies come from.

A/N: Review!