Now he understood why his mate had taken to hiding.
Halfway in their flight to the Light Field and Dawn has yet to shut up. Dealing with reminding randy coming-of-age youth to behave is so much easier than having to listen to his mate's sister endlessly talk about the many male fairies that she is interested in and about how they interest her. He nearly laughed aloud when Remus questioned in goblin speech on whether fairies needed to breathe or not.
Good thing that he and Marianne had already had the talk about what to expect for the coming season or he'd be as scandalized as the goblin guards accompanying them over the fairy princess' desire for that many males. He quickly explains in goblin speech to the others what Marianne had explained to him about fairies having nothing against casual courting, a difference to the goblins' preferences to only courting one at a time.
Dax's grunted question nearly makes him fly into a tree and he glares backward to the long-snout goblin. The desire to use his royal scepter to knock him off his dragonfly is thwarted as Marianne abandons her place farther in front with Dawn and joins his side.
"What's wrong?" Marianne questions.
"Nothing," Bog mutters.
"Bog!" Marianne growls warningly.
"His Majesty was telling us about fairies being so casual with their courting and I had asked if you were like your sister. Sorry," Dax murmurs, keeping his dragonfly behind the others.
"Stop growling, Bog, it's an honest question," Marianne chides. "The answer is no and Dawn isn't supposed to be either!"
The loud rough groaning sigh from ahead is a clear indication that Marianne's pointed comment reached the ears of their intended target. Another indication is Dawn flying off away from them, causing the two fairy guards accompanying her to fly faster to keep up.
"Ah! Sweet silence," Marianne hums, grinning at the laughing goblins. "Now, as I was saying, while fairies have nothing against it, it's kind of...forbidden for members of the royal bloodline to be casual in their courtships. After all, it wouldn't be good to have a royal infant that no one knows who the sire is. So a royal fairy accepting courting attempts is the same thing as accepting them as an intended."
"But your sister...," Adder starts, gesturing to the empty space in front of them as words fail him.
"Is the reason Dad assigned married guards to her to make sure nothing happens," Marianne explains. "An older male might have enough brains left above his britches to remember that she is off-limits but a coming-of-age male might forget with all her flirting. The guards will help them remember."
Loud laughter echos through the air as they cross the border into the Light Field and Bog grins as the nearby villages turn their attention to the sky, waving excitedly to the passersby. Some even follow them to the outskirts of their villages, yelling greetings to their crown princess and crown prince.
It doesn't take long before they're standing beside Dagda and Dawn in the Light Field palace's outer courtyard gate, watching as the parade of saddled rats and loaded-down pack rats approach the palace. In his opinion, it seems flamboyant to travel at such a rhythmed and sedate pace.
He withholds a snort as Dawn tries to muffle a yawn from beside him, her jeweled golden circlet glinting in the sun.
"They're like this every year. Can't they see how stupid it is?" Dawn complains.
"They know," Marianne sighs.
"Well, I wish they'd hurry up," Dawn mutters. "I'm gonna be late meeting Sunny."
Bog opens his mouth to comment but stops as a male sprite ruins the Breezy Meadow's organized procession by abandoning his position on a saddled rat to fly ahead of the slow leaders. A rainbow sheen shimmers across the male's three pairs of small clear wings as he flies toward the waiting royals and the long antennas sprouting from his bushy yellow hair glint in the sun's rays from the golden bands adorning them.
"Marianne!" the male sprite yells, landing in front of the taller fairy. "Long time no see! How's my favorite snarky fairy?"
"Still snarky, Vincent!" Marianne chuckles. "How's the Crown Prince of the Breezy Meadow?"
"Terrible," Vincent groans. "Aunt Vesper isn't dead yet."
"Prince Vincent, please remember your manners," an older male sprite scolds, coming up to stand behind his charge.
"Right, right, Sir Thadius, my manners," Vincent mutters. "Marianne, how could you marry someone else?! I was counting on you to help me bump-off the old..."
"Prince Vincent!" Sir Thadius warns.