Chapter Ten

Luc nervously walked to the Coach station where his Lady would be arriving very shortly. The preparations for her arrival had been done and redone over the last couple weeks. He was not the only one who was nervous about what the new Queen would want, and it was not amusing to see his people panic despite what Allan and Alec thought.

The people of Eyota were excited and terrified at the thought of an Ebon-Gray Jeweled Queen being the ruler of the Territory as well as staying in their town. The Queen's Residence was cleaned and given all new furniture, the Providence and District Queens were all ready to meet the new lady that would be the future Territory Queen if he had anything to say about it. The Elders were on board, all of the paperwork was in order, and the rings for the Triangle were sitting in her vault, waiting for her to give the males of her choosing. It was agony to have the jeweler make the Consort ring in just the standard size, because the thought that she would choose another male over him was excruciating. However, he did what he had to do in order to make things perfect for his Queen. Now, the only thing they had to go over was the pay for the contract that she would choose. Everyone knew that the contract length had a huge impact on the wage the Queen would earn from the Territory.

*Luc! Luc!* the sceltie shouted with scampering feet as the youngster ran up from behind Luc and used Craft to leap over Luc. The sceltie landed on air, directly in front of Luc's face.

"How many times have I told you that is rude, Sunny?" Luc told the pup sternly. Sunny just sat there, tongue lolling out of his mouth and happy look on his face, and let out a yip.

*I am going to meet the Queen with you!* Sunny shouted so loud Luc was pretty sure that the entire village heard the pup.

"I don't want anyone but me to meet the Queen at the Station," Luc replied as he reached out to his mother on a distaff thread. *I thought you were going to keep the youngster busy while I met the Queen.*

*Do you want clean children to present to the Lady, or do you want to have a sceltie free meeting with her?* her retort was before snapping the connection with a frustrated flavor. He sighed, and resigned himself to having the company.

"You will walk on the ground beside me if you want to meet the Queen," Luc said sternly to the pup. The sceltie immediately dropped to the ground, floating the last few inches and landing by Luc's side. "You will not jump on the Queen. You will not scream at the Queen-"

*And don't dig in her garden!* the pup said.

"Yes, don't dig in her garden," Luc replied.

*I will be a good dog!* Sunny barked and turned in circles.

"Now, let's go before we are late," Luc told the pup as he began to stroll towards the Landing Web once again. The youngster was vibrating with energy next to Luc, but he did keep beside the more powerful male in the party much to Luc's relief. He didn't want dirt covered paws to get all over his Lady's fine dress. Sunny was a White Jeweled Warlord, and any chance that he had to claim a female before anyone else he took. The poor youngster hasn't had a chance in ages to try and claim a woman, so Luc understood his eagerness. The two of them reached the landing web without any more incidents, and he was pleased that he had reached it before the coach.

*Cookie?* Sunny asked, sitting dutifully next to him on the platform and holding up his paw as if Luc was to shake it. Luc sighed and called in a dog cookie for the boy. Sunny crunched on it happily while Luc raised his eyes to the sky. The coach would appear any minute with his Lady and her entourage, who his aunt was anxious to meet. A Gray and Ebon-Gray Jeweled Healer were far more powerful than a Dark Opal, and she was anxious to see exactly what kind of power that they could do together.

*They are here! They are here!* Sunny yelled to everyone within range on a common thread and howled so everyone who didn't have Craft knew that the new Queen was swiftly coming down on the landing web. The wolves who lived in the woods began the yipping and howling to let the people know that the Queen would soon be on her way to the village. The coach was gently drifting onto the designated landing area. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched as a strange man stepped out of the driver compartment, followed by Teral.

"The Ladies are most anxious to get to town," Teral sighed as he used Craft to open the luggage compartment. "Well, I should say one of the Ladies."

"Marilyn?" Luc asked, watching as the driver opened the door and Prince Niall stepped out. Prince Alec followed suit, and both of the gentlemen helped the ladies step down.

"Actually, Talia," Teral chuckled. "She is most anxious to spend some of her savings on a place to live and to make it known that she has officially retired from her previous profession."

"It was an uneventful travel the whole way, and it was a much quicker ride since I used my Red Jewel to take us most of the way to save the poor driver some time," Teral said as he vanished all of the luggage. "He has been booked solid for days, and this is his last trip for a few days. I told him that he might be able to rest in town if it was agreeable to you." Luc took a look at the driver, and agreed with Teral that the haggard looking fellow needed to rest a few days. From the looks of how Marilyn was studying him, he was sure that she also thought the same about the poor man. It took every ounce of will power not to pull Mirana into his arms when she stepped off the coach.

*The Queen!* Sunny howled as he ran towards Mirana before Luc could stop the pup. Mirana looked startled, and laughed as she watched the sceltie dance towards her. Sunny was looking his best puppy cute that he could manage, and brought laughs from all the ladies, including Talia who just set her feet on the dirt as Sunny pranced up to Mirana.

"Aren't you just adorable?" Talia chuckled as she leaned down and picked up Sunny. Luc watched as Talia bathed the dog in kisses and called him a good sweet boy while Sunny ate it up. When she set him down, Sunny air walked so he was level with Talia's hip with a happy dog smile on his face.

*How much you wanna bet that dog doesn't leave her side?* Teral asked Luc on a Red spear thread. Luc snorted and stepped forward. Mirana looked at him warily, her eyes full of questions as he stepped forward and offered his hands in formal greeting.

"Welcome Lady Mirana to Eyota," he said warmly as she placed her hands on his own.

"Thank you Prince Luc," she replied shakily.

"Well, this should be interesting," Lord Richard said as he looked up at the clouds rolling in.

"It should hold until we reach Eyota," Marilyn told them as she turned in a circle. Luc shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He could feel her wariness as she noticed there wasn't a guard shack, nor was there an actual station for the people landing in Eyota. She would have to have a conversation with his mother about the wolves who came here in the last years of the Rose Queen's reign to protect her as she started to fade away. Jared Blade had passed a few years before, and Uncle Lucivar said that the wolves would always take care of the land around the designated landing area as long as they took care of the wolves. As far as Luc knew, the wolves have never had an issue with anything, and if they did Luc would make sure it was taken care of straight away.

"Are we going to walk back to Eyota?" Talia asked, her eyes to the sky.

"If we are I suggest we hurry," Prince Alec said. "I rather not arrive with a soaked shirt and pants as a first impression."

"Agreed," Prince Niall sighed as he stepped out of the coach.

"Then I shall lead you to the village that I call home," Luc told them, holding out his arm to Mirana, who took it apprehensively. It didn't occur to him until they were halfway to the village she was on his right side instead of his left

Jolin slid into the stables with a relieved sigh. She didn't have a moment alone since she arrived, and she desperately wanted to think over everything that had happened in the past few weeks. It was so different than the other places that she had been, and she wasn't used to it at all. Everyone was so in charity with each other and helpful that she wondered if she was actually in a Court at all. The servants were familiar, which didn't bother her as much as she thought it would since they were so nice. The cook, a rather thin and hawkish looking woman named Mrs. Thorne who ran the kitchen with an iron fist and a scowl most of the time, gave her such an understanding warm grin when she asked if she could pilfer a couple of apples for a walk that it was hard to believe that it was the same woman.

"Well of course you want a moment to yourself you poor dear," she warbled as she handed Jolin a couple of apples from the bushel on the table before giving her a wink. "Now, I didn't see you slide out the back to the stables for at least fifteen minutes. I don't know if I can keep them from you for longer than that."

"Thank you Mrs. Thorne," Jolin said breathlessly before dashing out without a moment's pause. Having a member of the household on her side for once was a nice change. She took one of the apples out of her pocket and bit into it. The juicy sweet red apple was not her favorite, preferring the green slightly bitter apples, but it was nice to have at least a moment to herself to eat without a group of males watching every bite she chewed. It was as if they were waiting to see if she would reject a meal out of hand for something or other.

A noise in the back of the stables caught her attention. Curious, she made her way to the area in the back of the stable where the indoor walking ring was located. The horse that was in there seemed to over wrought for some reason, and if it was she wondered why there wasn't a stable hand in the room with the poor creature. She used Craft to slowly open the top half of one of the doors, and peered into the area. What she saw there was absolutely astounding.

The horse in the walking area was massive. It was a stallion, at least nineteen hands high, and his coat was something of a marvel. He was solid black with bursts of grey all over him as well as a grey mane and forelock to match. She couldn't help smiling as she watched him rear up and gallop around the area. "My, what spirit," she said softly. The horse slowed, faced her, and twitched his ears. Jolin's smile grew. "You are quite pretty, you know." The horse nickered and trotted gaily toward her. Jolin took a furtive look around and opened the bottom door of the area to let herself in. She shut the door and faced the horse, who stopped an arms length in front of her.

"You are a beautiful boy," she breathed as she circled around him, chewing thoughtfully on the bite of apple in her mouth. "Magnificent coloring for a horse, rare even. Someone has taken great care with you." The horse nickered at her and moved his head toward her, nudging her pocket with the other apple in it. She laughed and withdrew it so the horse could take it into his mouth. She took the chance and used Craft to get a brush off the wall so she could use it on him. After a few test brushes, she began to use it in earnest once she realized the horse was fine with her touching him.

"I haven't done this in years," she confessed to the horse, who shook his head at her. She gave a laugh and shook her head as well. "I know, most young ladies have servants who do this for her, and my household wasn't any different. But, since you can keep my secret I will tell you that I loved taking care of my horse when I was younger. I would brush and rub down Jewel after every ride till my mother saw me doing it as an adolescent. I was strapped good for that one, let me tell you."

"To tell you the truth, I honestly hated being a Queen when I was younger. I loved riding, but my mother told me that proper young ladies ride in carriages instead of horseback. Only common hoydens ride on the back of a horse. I miss the wind blowing through my hair when I would gallop very fast and I felt like I was flying when Jewel would take the jumps," she told the horse. The horse took it upon himself to gnaw at a stray strand of hair that had escaped from the confines of her updo. Jolin giggle and laid a smacking kiss on his nose. "I don't much like the updo either, but my maid wanted to practice for all the parties we would be having in the Winsol season. Being a Queen, I am to set an example for all of the other ladies to set the example by. I am to be prim and proper among my peers. I am not to talk to people of a lower social standing. I am to dress in only the latest fashion." The horse snorted and stamped his front hoof on the ground at that last remark, which cause Jolin to laugh once more.

"Well, I agree with you on that score," she said. "I personally cannot stand most of the fashion trends that came to pass, like those dreadful headbands. A bunch of paste gemstones with feathers and scratchy fabric called fancifiers. Mine would often find its way to more of an eye patch than a forehead decoration. And the retched boots will all of those buttons. It took me forever to put them on and take them off, which was torture after dances. Of course, you would know the pain of aching feet after a long day of them carrying weight. Would you believe some of my dresses a century ago weighed as much as fifteen pounds?" She used Craft to replace the brush and bring over the comb for his mane. "I must say, I was delighted to find all of those old dresses in the attics the other day. Someone must have put a preservation spell on them, because all of the fabric was in excellent condition. Of course, most of them will have to be altered to be in the more current style, but the money we would save on the new garments would be amazing. Although, to be fair, the dresses are in pristine condition, and they are gorgeous as is. It would almost be a crime to waste such wonderful styles to conform to such silly social standards." Jolin stopped combing the horse's mane and stood in thought for a moment. The horse nudged her shoulder and huffed through his nose at her. "Sorry, just thinking for a moment. It would seem such a waste to alter such fine craftsmanship, wouldn't it? After all, I would love to wear such fine gowns, and all it would cost is a couple of hems and tightening here and there. Queens are supposed to set fashion standards, not follow them."

"Lady," Unther said from the door of the indoor walking area. "We have been looking everywhere for you."

"Oh, I am sorry, I was just, I mean I…" her voice trailed off, a blush coming to her cheeks as she wrapped an arm under the horses head to pat his cheek.

"I see that you made a friend," Unther said. "However, we are about to start going over the books of the silver we found upstairs and would like to have your opinion on what you would like to keep or give to the poor."

"I suppose I should be getting back into the house," Jolin sighed. The horse whinnied shook his head. Jolin laughed and rewarded the horse with another smacking kiss on the nose. "Now, you great big baby I promise to come back and visit if you both promise not to tell on me for doing something unladylike by spending time in the stables."

"I would rather like you spending some time in the stables if it helps you feel more relaxed," Unther told her.

"Well that is that," Jolin said with a rub on the horse's head. "I will see you later my sweet boy. Of course, covered in storm clouds like you are I suspect there is more to you than meets the eye. I will see you in the formal sitting room Unther." Jolin almost skipped out of the room, feeling better confessing to someone who could keep the secrets of her heart without fear of them running off blabbing to everyone else.

Unther watched Jolin leave the stables before turning to deal with the very large problem that just arrived in his backyard. "All right boyo, we need to set some ground rules," he said to the four-footed Red-Jeweled Warlord Prince that wanted to place a claim on their Queen. "Because I am telling you right now, you have to share." The horse stomped his foot and snorted, but at least he didn't trample Unther.

Author's note: I am sorry I have been gone so long and given such a short chapter. My life has been significantly difficult as of late, and I am going to be trying to write to relax more. I will also try to get all the Ranks and Jewels Written down for all of you soon. Thank you