Rifiuto: Non Miriena
A/N: Written: 2015, Found: 2018- Licia
He couldn't wrap his head around it. Why on earth would anyone- least of all the Queen of Marberly herself- want to kill her own daughter? Let alone try to? After hearing the whole sordid tale, Riain had asked him to keep the reason behind Bronwyn's removal from Raven's life a secret. And so it was with a heavy heart that the young prince agreed to keep The Good King's secret from his beloved wife. Despite the fact that he and Raven made it a habit not to have secrets from each other, he knew this was one secret he had to keep, for her own sake and safety.
"What are you thinking about so deeply, my husband?" He looked up as Raven joined him. It was the early evening of a late July day, and the couple had escaped to the garden to avoid the stuffiness of the palace. The russet color of her dress was beautiful against her skin, and she wore her hair pulled back in a messy braid. She'd spent all afternoon stuck in meetings with her advisers about strengthening infrastructure, and so when he'd informed her that he'd be in the garden if she wanted to join him after, she'd jumped at the chance. Dinner was an hour and a half away, and the couple were taking this precious time to enjoy each other's company.
He sighed, shaking his head. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" She raised an eyebrow. "It has to be more than just 'nothing', considering the look in your eyes."
Another sigh, heavier this time. "Trying to... figure how I'm going to live with being apart from you for a whole year again, is all."
"Oh." She lowered her head. "Right. You have to go back to Ever After."
"Hey, don't worry." He reached over, tilting her head up to meet her gaze. "We'll figure it out. I won't go all semester, or all year, without seeing you. I promise." He kissed her softly, slipping his other arm around her waist and pulling her closer. She curled into his chest for several minutes, feeling the lightness of the breeze gently push the swing back and forth, before speaking.
"What if I came?"
He furrowed a brow, pulling away. "What?"
She looked up at him, eyes wide. "Back. What if I went back with you to Ever After High? Then we wouldn't be apart-"
"But you have Marberly to rule-"
"I can just as easily rule my country from Ever After High as I can when I'm here. I did it last year, remember?" She curled closer. "Besides, I don't want to be away from you any longer than I have to be. And who knows, it might be good for me."
"How can going back to Ever After High possibly be good for you, my wife?"
She sighed. "Call it a lesson in... politics."
They returned from the garden an hour later, entering the dining room hand-in-hand, having talked through a possible plan in regards to Raven's returning to Ever After High with Mika. Her father, Mira and Ivarr- for it was customary for Mira and her father to join the royal family, being of nobility themselves and the closest to the royals- all looked up as the couple entered, silent. As Mika held her chair out for her and she took a seat, Raven glanced at her father.
"I have an announcement." The others waited, and Raven glanced at her husband, reaching for his hand, which he took with a gentle squeeze. "As everyone knows, Mika's under contract with Ever After High- a trial run for... ten?" He nodded, continuing where she left off.
"I am under contract with the school- ten years of teaching, and if the board is satisfied with what I am doing, then I will be given tenure- permanent residency as a professor. If not-" He shrugged. "I have three more years to complete before the board makes its decision. Frankly, if you want my honest opinion, I hope they will release me from my contract once the ten years are up. I would rather be here, in Marberly with Ravenna than in that kingdom. But since I won't be-"
"I want to return to Ever After High."
Silence met her declaration.
"I... I'm sorry?" Mira was the first to break the silence, setting her knife and fork down with a clatter. "You wish to... what?"
"Ravenna, think about this." Her father replied, folding his arms on the table. Raven sighed.
"I have. I've given it a lot of thought-"
"Are you sure you aren't just deciding to do this to be with Mikalos, Rae?" Ivarr asked, and she shook her head.
"I'm not, Ivarr. Yes, my husband plays a small part, but... I also figure that... that maybe there is still much left for me to learn at that school." She met her husband's gaze, as Mira sipped her tea.
"Raven, that school nearly-"
"I know, Mira. But maybe this will be good for me. As I told Mika, I'm considering this a lesson."
"A lesson?" Her best friend raised an eyebrow. "A lesson in what?"
Raven swallowed a sip of her coffee. "In politics." The others shared glances. "Think about it. My being there started a revolution among the students. It got them thinking that maybe there is something beyond the lives they'd be forced to live after signing the Storybook of Legends. The girls said it themselves on our wedding day when they gave Mika and I that petition- we taught them that they can find their own happily-ever-afters, that they don't have to do what their parents expect them to." She glanced at Mika. "And it would give me better insight on how not to run my country."
Mira wrinkled her nose as Ivarr and The Good King chuckled. "If you feel you're up for the challenge, my little blackbird, you may return with Mikalos to school. But you must keep us updated on everything that goes on."