Veronica Mayer, daughter of one of the richest dukes in the land of Allar, was bored.
She'd been stuck in a carriage for days now, traveling to Ersta, and it was all her father's fault. Her blood still boiled whenever she thought about it, weeks after she'd found out. Her father had run up countless gambling debts, and now all their family wealth and lands were in jeopardy. Rather than own up to his mistakes, the Duke was convinced that everything would be fine if he could marry off his only child to the highest bidder. This was merely his third attempt, and no amount of tears, tantrums, or pleading would deter him. Veronica vaguely wondered if he'd picked this far-away suitor simply to get her out of his sight.
She sighed, leaning her head against the carriage window. She didn't particularly care where she went or who she met. She would simply refuse this potential husband just as she had done the other two. Those men hadn't seemed particularly bothered by her refusal of their offers of marriage, most likely because they understood the situation. They probably had a better idea of everything than she herself did, since her father hardly ever let her out of the house, and she had no idea what the gossips were saying about her.
Well, no matter. Veronica was out of the country now, and she wouldn't have to face those gossips for several months at least. What's more, she might even get to see the seashore on this trip - there, a silver lining!
As she watched the foreign scenery roll by, Veronica fingered the pendant at the bottom of her long necklace. Once upon a time, she'd been eager to marry and settle down. The wedding had practically been all arranged. A naive young girl then, she'd excitedly dropped hints about her engagement to everyone who graced her sitting room. The rumors spread like wildfire, and soon, she was being told that she was engaged to the crown prince of all people!
At first, the rumors had amused her. Veronica had laughed about them with her friends and her fiance, fully prepared to refute them and present him to all the world as soon as the ring was on her finger. Unfortunately, she never got a ring.
Veronica lifted her head from the window, heaving a sigh as she did so. It wouldn't do to dwell on what was past; she couldn't change it, after all, and it would only make her cry. She tucked her pendant back into its usual place under her bodice, and patted her hair, doing her best to freshen up her appearance. They were getting close to the royal palace, and despite the fact that she had no desire to marry anyone within its walls, she still wanted to make a good impression.
Riagen lifted a pillow to his face and screamed into it as Mahkai snickered behind him. A footman had just left after summoning the prince and his best friend to yet another tea in the queen's sitting room. This was the second time this week, and after nearly two months of simpering females, the prince was quite ready to go back to sea.
"Stop laughing!" Riagen shouted around the cushion.
"No!" Mahkai chortled, truly unable to control himself. Riagen was always so polite, so refined when in company that seeing him completely fall apart when they were alone was always hilarious.
"I don't see why you're laughing anyway," Riagen grumbled, pulling his head up. "I always make you come with me."
Mahkai sniffed self-importantly. "No one pays any attention to me, and I get tea and cakes out of it. It's no hardship for me."
Riagen smirked. "I had noticed you were getting a bit pudgy."
His friend gripped his midriff protectively, looking appalled, but said nothing, since they both knew it was an outright lie. If anything, Mahkai's stomach was flatter than ever before, because of the intense training regime his father had started with him as soon as they'd set foot back in the palace. It was another reason Riagen insisted Mahkai accompany him to basically every social event he was forced to attend; if left to his own devices, the general would have Mahkai working in the training circles from dawn to dusk.
Riagen stepped over to a nearby mirror, checking his reflection more for his mother's sake than any young lady he may meet. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear and straightened his collar.
"You're as ugly as ever." Mahkai's face appeared over his shoulder in the mirror.
"So are you," Riagen answered, tugging Mahkai's tie so it was off-kilter.
Reluctantly, Riagen made his way down to his mother's sitting room. Queen Caroline smiled at her son and his ever-present shadow. The two had been attached at the hip since they could walk, and in fact, it was a cause for concern to see one without the other.
"Boys," she said, in a voice that was at once commanding and gentle, "I am so glad you could both join us today."
The boys bowed politely to the queen, and accepted kisses on their cheeks. Mahkai's mother had died when he was very young, and Queen Caroline had not hesitated to accept him as her own son, which meant he was still subject to the occaisonal embarrassing display of affection.
"I believe you have been introduced to everyone here, save one," she continued. Riagen looked around the room, seeing the save fluttering eyelashes that had been haunting his nightmares for about six weeks. "The Duchess of Kanesbury arrived just this morning."
A delicate blonde girl stood from an overstuffed chair at the queen's left and curtsied deeply. Riagen blinked in surprise, and didn't dare look over at Mahkai. It was the first curtsey that didn't subject him to an embarrassing view of something he shouldn't be seeing.
Belatedly, he bowed to her, inclining his head at the same time as Mahkai.
"Lady Veronica, this is my son, Riagen, and his friend, Mahkai, who is the son of our commanding general. I'm afraid you will never find one without the other."
Lady Veronica smiled serenely. "The pleasure is mine, Your Highness." She spoke with a faint accent, and she seemed to be looking more closely at Mahkai than at Riagen.
Queen Caroline frowned, and Riagen placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping she would understand his meaning.
Mahkai said, "You are the duchess of Kanesbury? Is that not a region in Allar?"
"Yes, although my title does not hold as much power as one might think. My father is a duke with several different holdings, and Kanesbury is the smallest of them. As his only child, I was granted the title."
"You are his heir, then? To all his holdings?" Riagen finally found his tongue.
Lady Veronica tucked a bit of golden hair behind her ear. "Yes, I believe I am, though of course I cannot inherit until his death. As my father is not ill or very old, his titles will most likely fall to whomever I marry, if the man agrees to take our surname. If not, some will fall to me, some to any children who are not my husband's heir, and some to distant cousins."
Riagen smiled, perhaps the first genuine smile he'd ever graced that room with. "That's rather confusing, is it not?"
She giggled softly. "I suppose so. I just consider myself lucky that, as a girl, I can inherit anything at all."
Mahkai nodded sagely. "Very true."
Queen Caroline entered the conversation then. "Would you do the honors, Lady Veronica, and serve the boys some tea?"
Lady Veronica curtsied to the queen, and made her way to the tea service not too far away. Mahkai followed her, and Riagen would have as well, but his mother grabbed his sleeve. "Riagen, what are you doing? I think Lady Veronica -"
"Yes, Mother, I know," Riagen said quickly. "Don't worry, I will explain everything later tonight. Just please, go along with it for now."
The queen narrowed her eyes at him, which told him in no uncertain terms that an explanation was due as soon as they were alone, but did not refuse him.
As Riagen approached the tea service, Mahkai shot him a quizzical glance over Lady Veronica's shoulder, but merely shrugged when Riagen indicated that he would explain later. Riagen breathed a sigh of relief. There was nothing quite like a best friend.
For the remainder of the hour, Mahkai and Riagen stayed with the duchess, ignoring the hateful stares of the other young ladies boring into their backs. Riagen was astonished to discover a young woman with whom he could hold an intelligent conversation. Lady Veronica told them about her home country, and how she worked to manage her duchy of Kanesbury with her father's steward.
"If I may ask, Lady Veronica," Riagen began cautiously, "why did you come so far to our country, Ersta? To travel from Allar by carriage is a four-day trip."
Lady Veronica set down her teacup, biting on her bottom lip. She looked up at Mahkai from under her eyelashes and quickly redirected her gaze down to her hands. "Well, I simply wanted to see more of the world around me. Aside from traveling between my father's estates, I have not gone anywhere in my entire life." A sudden blush stained her pale cheeks. "I'm sorry. I sound so conceited!"
Riagen shook his head. "No, not at all! Trust us, we feel the same. You go everywhere with your father, correct? Where he goes, you go, and if he has a lot of holdings, it means you have to travel to them all. We completely understand."
Mahkai nodded in agreement, and Lady Veronica was visibly relieved. "Oh, well, when I recieved an invitation from Queen Caroline to come and visit, and my father approved, I simply couldn't resist the opportunity."
A footman appeared in the doorway and spoke in the queen's ear. Mahkai noticed, and stiffened.
Riagen stood smoothly, re-buttoning his jacket as he did so. "Your Grace, it was wonderful to meet you. I hope to see more of you very soon."
Lady Veronica stood as well and curtsied to them both. "It was wonderful to meet you. I greatly enjoyed our conversation."
Mahkai bowed. "I, too, enjoyed our conversation. Perhaps we will see you tonight, at dinner?"
She smiled. "I would be honored."
The footman was waiting patiently for them in the doorway. "Mr. Arevalo, your father is looking for you."
Mahkai stifled a sigh. "Yes, of course. I will be along presently. He's down at the training fields, or the stables today?"
"The stables, sir."
Mahkai nodded, and the footman disappeared down the hallway. Mahkai turned to Riagen. "You owe me an explanation. I could get in serious trouble for pretending to be you."
"Not if I want you to be me," Riagen said eagerly, gripping Mahkai's shoulder and leaning in close. He spoke in a low, urgent tone. "You know they - girls - treat me differently than they do you, and only because of a fluke at birth! I just want to know what it's like not to be looked at for a crown."
Mahkai looked at him sidelong. "But she doesn't treat me - you - like a crown."
"No." Riagen fumbled and stuttered over his words, "she doesn't. That is, she didn't. Today. But -"
"You like her."
"What? No! I just met her!"
Mahkai nodded slowly, pursing his lips. "All right. I trust you. Just don't get me thrown in the dungeons for this." He slapped Riagen's shoulder and turned down the hall.
"We don't have any dungeons!"
