Chapter 7: The Consequences of Dying
Sorry, dear readers, for my week of neglect. Here's the next installment. I have exams all next week, so wish me luck. Oh, the overwhelming victor of the survey was option A. The majority of readers think it's Thom or nobody. This is rather a boring chapter, but it had to be done.
Evidently that was not the response that Alanna had been anticipating. She stared at Imogen, her mouth working soundlessly. "I spend my energy trying to pump all that fluid out of your lungs and all you can say is you died? the Lioness finally spluttered. "Imogen, you terrified us out of our wits! What possessed you to go swimming? If Thom hadn't come running in, screaming that you were drowning, you would have stayed dead –"
"Wait a minute," Imogen interrupted, her head ringing. She couldn't have heard correctly. "Thom told you I was drowning? As in my worst enemy, who hates me and wants me dead? That Thom?"
The Lioness scowled. "What other Thom is there?" she would have gone on further if Imogen hadn't done something very humiliating, something she had never done in her life before.
She fainted.
This time Imogen didn't regain consciousness slowly. Her eyes snapped open as though propelled by springs. She was in her own room and, judging by the quality of the light, it was early evening. "Loge, you have a lot of explaining to do," she groaned.
There was a snort from beside her. "No more than you do," a familiar voice retorted. "And who in Mithros' name is Loge?"
Imogen turned her head on the pillow. "Oh, it's you," she said expressionlessly. "What are you doing here?"
Thom scowled. "Ma's making us sit shifts until you wake up," he explained. "It's my turn."
Ah," Imogen said. A moment later, "I suppose you expect a fervent expression of my eternal gratitude."
"Don't bother," the boy said dryly. "I'd probably die from shock."
Imogen regarded Thom thoughtfully. He was her enemy, but he had also saved her life. Why?
Ever direct, she asked him straight out. "Why did you bother to save me? You hate me, I hate you, and I thought you would be perfectly happy to shove me off the nearest cliff."
Thom shrugged. "Maybe I was temporarily insane."
Imogen snorted. "Temporarily insane? I thought you were permanently off your rocker. But seriously, why did you save me?"
Thom looked uncomfortable. "I can't watch anyone die in front of my nose, not even you, royal pain that you are."
"I'm touched," Imogen said sarcastically.
"Mithros, Minos, and Shakith, you two are actually having a civil conversation?" a new voice broke in. Alanna was standing in the doorway looking flabbergasted. "I didn't think it was possible."
Imogen made a face at the woman. "He did save my life," she reminded Alanna. "I owe him at least that much."
Alanna raised her eyebrows but chose to remain silent. "You," she said, pointing to Thom. "Out."
The redheaded boy made a face but complied with his mother's command. Halfway out the door he hesitated and turned back to face Imogen. "By the way, I wouldn't have pushed you off a cliff," he said, a demonic glint in his eye. "Not nearly creative enough. Feeding you to the sharks bit by bit would be better."
"OUT!" Alanna bellowed.
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"Now what could this be?" Alanna wondered aloud, waving a parchment envelope as she strode in. "It bears the royal seal and just arrived by messenger from Corus. I hope Jon isn't ordering me back to his stupid, idiotic, pointless Royal Progress."
It was a week since Imogen's escapade in the cove, and life in the Swoop had returned to normal, or as normal as it ever got in that household. There were only a few differences. After learning that Imogen didn't know how to swim, the twins had undertaken to teach her as soon as she got over her initial fear of water. It was still hard for Imogen to so much look at the cove without shuddering. Also, Thom and Imogen had called a truce. Though their arguments were still as frequent and explosive as before, they were now civil to each other between times. They weren't exactly friends, but it was a step.
Now Alanna was opening the envelope. It was on official Royal Stationary, with the coat of arms emblazoned on it, marking it as something serious, not just a casual note (it had taken Imogen a while to understand that Alanna and the monarchs were on first-name terms). Alanna glanced over the paper and snorted. "Should have guessed," she said. "It's an invitation to Roald and Shinko's wedding, with this enclosed." She waved a piece of ordinary paper that had fallen out of the invitation.
Alanna (it read),
I know you don't want to come, but you are, and that's an order. You are the King's Champion after all. Bring your family and your peculiar guest. Jonathan and I are most anxious to meet her. We expect to see you in Corus as soon as possible (this means next week),
Regards,
Thayet
"Well, that just about settles it," Alanna said, biting her thumb. Suddenly she grinned, looking at Imogen. "Be prepared, peculiar guest," she said. "You get your first taste of real court life. Ah, balls, dress fittings, gossip, dress fittings, more balls, more dress fittings, more gossip…"
"Oh joy," Imogen groaned. "I can hardly wait. I hate formal clothing."
I'm sorry to all who thought that Imogen and Thom should stay hating each other, but logically, how long could you stand living with someone you hated, even if you liked the rest of the family? This still doesn't mean Imogen will end up with Thom, though! Remember, they still argue and they're still not exactly friends!
