A/N: Enjoy this chapter while I shower and crash for a few hours. Love to travel, but the 'travel hangovers' are worse than real hangovers!
AER: Haha...glad you like Reese :) Here's more of him!
TheRanger'sDaughter: Are you implying Liam corrupted Jin somehow? Nonsense. He's an upstanding gentlemen who wouldn't dream of training any of his daughters to harass a prince. My travel day was indeed safe. No problems whatsoever and the train was only 30 minutes late (which for long distance trains, is pretty good!)
Aubrey: Ah...strike the theatre term...I just came from a city where they are all buzzed with the other kind of strike. Bad me. Anyway, Hibernian family...Sean and Kineta, obviously, then Elizabet has married Neil whose brother is Noah, and Gabe will soon marry Lorelei who has no strings attached. Scout is married to Mason and they have Hazen and Mara...and that's the Hibernian royal family.
Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan.
"Did you know about Kaito?" Reese asked as he and Jin continued along the hallway. Jin shook her head.
"I did not. I know Empress Sun had a man, but I did not know he had a son. It will be like Elizabet and Noah, yes?"
They'd switched back to the common tongue without realizing it, something Reese later regretted. How could he practice Nihon-Ja if they kept reverting to his native language?
"No," Reese replied. "Noah is Neil's brother. He's been made an earl, not an heir."
"Right," Jin agreed. "So Kaito will be like you."
Reese bit his tongue. Yes, Kaito would be like him. Only Kaito would likely thrive, or at the very least appreciate his new role in society. Reese tried to appreciate his place in Araluen, but all he could do was appreciate his parents.
"You know I help you, yes Reese?"
Reese gave her a curt nod. Jin would help him. She'd probably marry him if he asked her to. Her sense of duty would drive her to, as would her desire to climb the ladder Reese could push her to. She'd be a good queen. Poised, well-spoken, well-traveled, not to mention beautiful and confident. Liam and Talia had raised her well, and marrying Jin would seal a relationship with Hibernia through Jin's connection to Queen Scout. Marrying her could save him from having to farce a friendship with Hazen and Jin was perfectly capable of running a country while he shirked the duties he so avidly disliked…but he couldn't bring himself to such an arrangement. Not yet.
Invitations for an informal gathering on the Nihon-Ja ship Empress Sun had docked in the harbor arrived the next morning bright and early. Reese pulled open the flap of bright red paper. The silk parchment headed with strokes of careful, linear characters named Empress Sun's full title in her native language. Reese secretly felt a twinge of pride upon finding he would read them. The rest of it, however, was in the common tongue.
"His Royal Highness Prince Reese Altman of Araluen is invited to a casual dinner hosted by Kaito Wu at seven o'clock on the Royal vessel of Empress Sun of Nihon-Ja."
Reese smirked to himself as he read the invitation aloud. One of her secretaries must have written it for her, a secretary who was either recruited from the western world or had the nerve to ask for help. Perhaps Jin herself wrote them. Empress Sun did have a soft spot for her, after all. And Jin strived to honor anyone she saw as above her in rank.
Reese found a servant boy to send his acceptance to the empress. Casual to the Nihon-Ja people was semi-formal to Araluens. He wouldn't have to wear his crown or anything marking him a prince, but he'd be expected to wear nice clothing and be on his best behavior. He finished dressing for the day and went to meet his family for breakfast.
"I'm glad you've chosen to grace us with your presence," William teased him as he entered. Reese shrugged and took a seat next to his mother. His grandparents sat at the head of the table side by side. It seemed this morning it would only be Araluens at the meal.
"Where are our hosts?" Reese asked.
Anamaria pointed down the other side of the table where the gaggle of small girls had been posted. Princess Mara, complete with her circlet of braided silver, sat as hostess.
"The others all had business to attend fairly early. Mara's playing hostess for breakfast," Aunt Rosalina explained. Reese couldn't help smiling. The girls, usually in a pack of six, had one more sitting on Mara's right, a place of true honor. Anne had joined them with no sign of her parents or sister to guide her. She must have come with Mara.
"Empress Sun has invited a few of us to meet her future stepson," Reese told his parents as he began to eat.
"Future stepson?" Grandpa Horace repeated.
"I hope you accept," Anamaria whispered with a raised eyebrow. Reese nodded and tried not to seem too frustrated with the relieved sighs from most in hearing range.
"I don't think anything is official yet, but she said she'd like several of us on friendly terms with him before he is made her heir," he went on to explain between bites of sausage.
"Good," Grandpa Horace agreed. "Try to enjoy yourself."
"This time," William added.
Reese nodded. He'd accepted the invitation before any of them knew it existed. He knew shirking his crown at the dinner would be too great a sign of disrespect, especially to Empress Sun.
"When is this dinner?" Aunt Kelly asked from her place further down the table. Sweet Aunt Kelly. She'd likely appear in his room a few hours before he needed to leave to ensure he wore the appropriate clothing and washed his face. She'd been a lady-in-waiting prior to marrying his uncle. Old habits certainly died hard.
"Tonight," Reese answered. "I believe Hazen will get invited as well, and Jin."
"Oh? Will they invite Robin to even things out?" Uncle Frey asked.
"It would be smart, as involved as she is with trade."
"Frey was teasing you," Aunt Rosalina rolled her eyes.
"Where are all their parents anyway?" Reese asked, nodding down to the gaggle of girls.
"Let's see," Grandma Cassandra said, leaning back and looking up as though counting through a list. "Mason and Scout are with Sean and Kineta doing…something Hibernian. Warden and Carissa are both busy with the final preparations for Gabe's wedding. Warden's heading up security again, which is also where Daniel and Julia are come to think of it. Carissa is assisting Lorelei's bridesmaids in the final décor touches and….who am I missing?"
"Gabby's having breakfast with Lucy and Robin," Aunt Kelly finished for her. "Kane threw out his back playing with the girls last night so he's resting today."
The girls must have spent last night with Kane and Gabby. Perhaps that had been one of the nights Robin volunteered for. She had her own room in an inn he knew, a room her aunt's company kept rented year around for their own use as required. The room was spacious but not near what would be needed to host seven lively young girls. Kane and Gabby likely welcomed the sleepover under Robin's supervision. It would have been good for Anne to host one of the sleepovers and both of them adored children. Especially Kane, who often paid a hefty price when he had a bit too much fun playing with the little ones.
Reese wondered what Gabby, Lucy, and Robin were talking about over breakfast. If Caitlyn covertly joined them, he had no doubts they'd discuss the business Lucy so magnificently orchestrated. Even she didn't, they'd eventually slip around to the company in which all three worked. The company Reese would give anything to be free of his responsibilities so he could work there too.
The door opened and instead of servants coming to replenish the food, Gabe appeared with Max, Noah, and Carter huddling behind him. He held a red envelope similar to the one Reese had received earlier that morning.
"Morning," he greeted them, his Hibernian accent still thick with sleep. "We've come to see if anyone else received one of these invitations."
Gabe spoke as though addressing everyone at the table, but his eyes settled on Reese. Reese simply nodded.
"What's the invitation for?" Iris asked. Of course she'd be the first of the little girls to notice the conversation. She was so much like her mother.
"Just a dinner," Gabe told her gently. "Boys only, it seems."
Reese looked back to the three behind Gabe. They all clutched invitations of their own. He wanted to point out that Jin and possibly Robin at least would receive invitations before the dinner came, but didn't want to stir jealousy among the six, now seven since Anne joined them. Iris may very well demand her own invitation on grounds she's older than Carter and Noah, which could put a damper on the entire day…more if Empress Sun denied the invitation.
As though sensing the unrest brewing with Iris, he walked over and stole an apple from her plate. Iris began to argue but burst into a fit of giggles when Gabe held it just out of her reach. His playful game demanded attention from the other girls as well, even Anne who leaned close to Mara for commentary.
"Hey! Give it back!" Iris demanded with high-pitched giggles.
Gabe lobbed it in a high arc over their heads to Max, who caught it without issue. Jasmine, being the competitive little sister she was, jumped from her seat, overturning her chair in the process, and tore after her big brother. Max jogged down the hallway, allowing Jasmine to get the apple just almost in her grasp, tossed it over to Carter. Carter held it to his lips and acted as though he'd take a bite. Now more of the girls were up, all rushing him. He threw it to Noah, who wasn't yet accustomed to teasing royalty aside from his brother and new sister-in-law. Noah clearly wanted to be part of the game though, and quickly tossed it back to Max. Max caught the apple in one hand, turned on his heels, and tore off down the hallway. The boys followed in formation with the girls hot on their heels.
"Come Anne," Mara insisted, looping her hand through her arm. "This will be fun!"
Reese expected Anne to protest, to seek a familiar adult to return her to her parents, but instead she laughed and found her feet. Those two followed at a severe disadvantage, as the others were no longer in sight. That didn't matter, though. Mara and Anne left happily darting around the turn after the others.
Gabe shook his head and took what had been Halle's seat next to Aunt Kelly. He picked up a left behind piece of toast and then nodded to the remaining Araluens.
"Who is keeping the girls tonight?" he asked, helping himself to a bowl of jam for the bread.
"We are," Grandma Cassandra answered, rubbing Grandpa Horace's arm.
"It seems the plan to dump them on Warden and Carissa has backfired," Aunt Kelly said. "They just go from one sleepover to the next. It seems to be working out, though. Especially for Anne."
"Mara truly enjoys her. She'd probably make her a lady-in-waiting or something when she's of age, if Anne and her parents chose to accept such an offer."
Gabe downed the rest of what had been Halle's milk and moved on to the remains of Maggie's juice. He nodded to Reese.
"So, you received an invitation too?"
Reese nodded.
"Are you going?"
"I've already sent an acceptance."
"Do you know this Kaito?"
Reese shook his head. "Just that he's the son of Empress Sun's fiancé, and she plans to make him her heir before their wedding."
Gabe nodded. He motioned for a servant to come over to them. A young kitchen boy grinned widely as he came to Gabe's side. Gabe must be as popular with the children among the castle staff as he was with the family. "Do you know where the docks are, Luke?"
The boy, Luke, nodded. Reese wondered how Gabe remembered the name of a simple kitchen boy. There had to be dozens of them running around the castle. Reese wondered if Gabe knew all of them, or just this one. It didn't matter. Reese couldn't recall the name of even that back in Araluen.
"Will you take this to the Nihon-Ja ship and let them know I accept?"
Luke nodded. "Yes, Your Grace. I can."
Gabe ruffled the boy's hair with a grin. "One more thing. Did you see that herd of oxen trampling through the castle just a moment ago?"
Luke, again, nodded enthusiastically.
"Find them and collect the answers from those with red envelopes like these. It'll save someone a trip."
"Yes, Your Grace," Luke assured him, tucking the envelope deep into his pocket. "Right away!"
"You are good with the children," Anamaria said once Luke ran off. "You should take girls one night."
Gabe chuckled. "Not on your life."