A little Aravis break – Faucon Bleu, I hope it is worth the wait. Sorry this is taking so long. I spend every evening editing my book, so I don't have much time to write this, and again, it's under-edited compared to some chapters, but I hope you all enjoy it anyway.

Drafting a Bill

Aravis went to the library after she left the throne room. It felt odd being in the throne room after so many days. It felt odd to be on the council, to see the chairs on the stage arranged for three royals, when there were only two left.

Her eyes prickled and she tried to think of other things. Not Shasta, because that just made her feel even worse. She flexed the fingers on the hand he'd taken and sighed. It was hard to stay strong when everyone around you was crumbling as well.

And then there was Corin, who was so confused and distraught, he'd left the castle.

She reached the library and pushed open the small clunky door. It was quiet, but it was always quiet. Usually, Lord Girrin would be sitting at a desk between the first two rows of shelves, pouring over papers and books related to all interior and exterior trade in Archenland, but he must have gone somewhere else after the council meeting.

Aravis wandered down one of the aisles – the route was very familiar by now – and picked out a book of laws. Then she dragged a chair up to the table Lord Girrin didn't use and opened the tome where she'd left off. The case of the miller's girl c.956.

Pregnant outside of a marriage. Shunned by her community, kicked out of her job and refused aid by the then King – Lune's father. Aravis' eyes prickled again and she blinked back the tears. She couldn't think of the round-faced man without her heart valves threatening to close.

She'd raised the case with him a few times, but he'd always said the same thing. It was an old case. There hadn't been any further incidents, but Aravis knew that wasn't true, because the women tended to hide it when it happened.

The library door opened and she looked up to see her lady's maid. A woman with long blonde hair and eyes like green gems. She inclined her head when she met Aravis' gaze.

"I hoped to find you here, your grace," said Merene.

"Indeed," said Aravis. "Please, sit down."

The lady's maid nodded and took a seat on the opposite side of the table, picking at her nails.

"Is your grace well?" asked Merene.

People in the castle called Aravis 'Lady' and 'your grace', though she didn't have a title. When she had been younger, she hadn't bothered to correct them, because she was a Tarkheena and she was proud, but recently it had been bothering her. She wasn't an Archenlandish noblewoman, no matter how much they called her milady.

"Yes, I am well," said Aravis. "And yourself?"

Merene placed a hand to her abdomen, crinkling the fabric that hung loose from the base of her bust so that it showed a slight bump.

"I'm beginning to show, your grace," she said.

"Hmm," said Aravis, then looked down at the book.

"Have you had any success with the laws?" asked the lady's maid.

"Not exactly," said Aravis. "There are other cases, but they have all followed a similar pattern. However, as I told you, there are no explicit laws in this instance. If we could get a law on the books…"

"You think that might be possible?" said Merene.

"I do not believe you will lose your job over this," said Aravis. "I will make sure of it myself, no matter what the chief maid says."

"Because you are the future Queen," said Merene.

Aravis blinked at the maid. "Excuse me?"

Merene shifted in her seat.

"I meant no disrespect, milady," she said quickly. "I am sorry, I shouldn't have spoken like that."

"I am not the future Queen," said Aravis. "And I never will be. So please do not let anyone else hear you say that."

"But his royal highness, prince Cor –"

"Enough," said Aravis. "Please."

"You do not love him?" said Merene, leaning forwards. "I think he loves you. The whole court thinks he loves you. He stares at you all the time."

Aravis got up from her seat and wandered over to the window, wringing her hands. Outside, the grey-stone courtyard was scattered with guards in yellow and red finery. There to protect their precious King from harm. So that she'd never miss his dimpled smiles and soft blonde hair.

"Of course," said Aravis. "We are family. That is all."

"As you wish, milady," said Merene and Aravis turned to face her again.

"Now, I was talking about the law," said Aravis, slotting a piece of parchment out from the back page of the book. "I've been drafting a bill."

"A bill?" said Merene. "Is that allowed?"

"It is," said Aravis. "Anyone can draft a bill. Whether they can get it enacted is another question entirely."

"But his highness, prince Cor has a soft spot for you," said Merene.

"Because I am his friend," said Aravis pointedly. "But that is beside the point. King Lune also had a soft spot for me and was a good man, but he was a traditionalist. Cor is not so beholden to Archenland's traditions and he is a very reasonable person. I shall put the logical case to him for an anti-discrimination law to be enacted and I am sure he will agree."

"You really believe so?" said Merene.

Aravis nodded. "Shasta is not the kind of person to overlook pain when he is aware of it."

"It's sweet that you call him Shasta," said her lady's maid.

"I knew him as Shasta first," said Aravis. "Can we stop deviating?"

"Of course," said Merene.

"Do you want to read the bill?" said Aravis. "I'm trying to cover as many groups as possible."

Merene took the parchment and Aravis perched on the table, reading upside down. After a moment, the lady's maid looked up.

"You really think this will pass?" she said.

"I only have to convince Shasta," said Aravis.

Merene shook her head.

"It's not going to be that simple, milady," she said. "Not with a large bill like this. This could change a lot of the existing structures."

"And why shouldn't it?" said Aravis.

Merene held up her hands. "It is not that I am saying it shouldn't, but I worry this kind of legislation will be ripped to shreds by the Lords. His royal highness will have to put it forward for scrutiny before it can be passed."

Aravis groaned.

"I know," she said. "But if I only put forward a minor bill, I feel like it might be harder to put forward further bills afterwards."

"Yes," said Merene. "But I can't wait for the months and months of redrafting. I have half a year at best before this child comes out and I'm already showing. If you pursue this course of action, it may be too late to help me."

"No," said Aravis, taking her hand. "I promise you will not lose your job or your independence. Look, I am on the council, the first stage of scrutiny for any bill. I will get it through that and then the wider Lords can make suggestions, but they can be overruled by the King if necessary."

Merene shook her head.

"I'd like a back-up plan," she said. "I can't wait for another six months."

"Alright," said Aravis. "What did you have in mind? A half-year holiday to one of the other castles. I could arrange that. I could send you far enough away that people will not know you and you can pretend to have a husband back here."

"It feels so shameful," said Merene quietly.

"No," said Aravis. "Don't say that. There is only one person here who should be ashamed and that is the Lord who lied to you and abandoned you."

"But I was stupid, was I not?" said Merene, her voice cracking. "You would never do something so foolish."

"We all make mistakes," said Aravis. "There are far worse crimes than falling in love. I daresay I have done worse. Did you know when I ran away from Calormen, my maid took a beating for it. When I left, I suspected it would happen, but I left anyway. That seems far worse to me. You only wanted to love someone. There is little fault in that and if the system were more equal, you would not be facing all of the stigma and shame, whilst your Lord runs back to his castle carefree."

"I would like to find a husband," said Merene. "Before I can no longer hide my pregnancy."

"I am trying," said Aravis. "Men can be much harder to attain than might be expected."

"Milady?"

"Yes?" said Aravis.

"Why not prince Cor?"

Aravis frowned and levelled her gaze with the lady's maid.

"For you?" she said.

"No," said Merene. "For you."

Aravis waved her hand. "It is not suitable."

"It makes me sad," said Merene. "That you will not express your feelings. I saw you with him outside your room earlier, when I came to return your laundered clothes."

Aravis bristled.

"Well perhaps if you'd exercised similar caution with your own feelings, we wouldn't be in this situation," she snapped and instantly regretted it. "No, I didn't mean that. That was an awful thing to say. I'm sorry."

Merene wiped at her eyes. "You do think I am a wanton."

"I do not," said Aravis. "But please stop pressing me about this. I will not change my mind. I can't explain why, but you must trust me. And as a friend, you must not gossip with the other servants or spread rumours about me and Shasta."

"He will marry you," said Merene. "If you let him."

"He will not," said Aravis.

Merene sighed, then got to her feet.

"I have to get back to my work," she said. "But thank you for your help, Lady Aravis."

"You are welcome," said Aravis. "I will continue to look for suitable men. Is there no-one else you can think of? Old friends, old lovers?"

Merene shook her head.

"Alright," said Aravis. "Not to worry. I'll think of something."

Merene smiled, but her smiles were always tinged with sadness these days and it made Aravis' chest tighten. If she didn't pull off this bill, Merene would take a fall for it. She wouldn't necessarily lose her position, but people could be unkind.

When the maid closed the library door, Aravis wandered down another familiar aisle and found a book on the traditions of the royal family. Every King had married an Archenlandish woman. It wasn't a law, but there were a lot of precedents.

Ah, I love a bit of romantic teenage angst ;) Back to Corin next time.

Also, if you're following 'First Snow', I'm looking to get another chapter out in a month or so :)