Chapter Five.

It was early afternoon and Roald was waiting for the report to come through from Lord Provost. With the realm being in its high-security war phase, the King wanted careful tabs kept on the shadier characters of Corus. Lord Provost was sending reports through every other day, even during the cold winter months. Although mobility was harder when the streets were icy, the people became more desperate, with little food to eat and little wood to keep their drafty homes warm.

At first Sir Gareth had been receiving these reports, and when Roald had begun helping out he had sat in on them too, curious. When Sir Gary had to be called away one day, Roald had taken over and ever since then the reports had come to his desk instead.

Roald found the reports on criminals strangely intriguing. It made him wonder what might convince someone to lead such a life, and often increased his longings to be a "normal" person- to understand the pangs of hunger and poverty and not have the future responsibility of so many hanging over him.

His thoughts dashed to his family and to his wife. He sighed. He had barely spoken to Shinkokami after riding yesterday and their conversation from two nights ago still played on his mind. He should not have been so quick with her that night- particularly when she had brought up the topic of her name. He had been tired, but that was no excuse.

In truth, her comment about a "motive" had hit a sore spot. She had aimed, fired, and hit the target and he didn't think she was even completely aware of that herself. In his own defence, he hadn't particularly noticed that he didn't use her nickname any more; he was making an effort to now. But it was true- there had been a "motive". They were growing apart instead of closer and it felt almost too intimate to call the Princess "Shinko", despite the fact they were now married.

'Excuse me, your Highness?'

Roald looked up, hoping this was Lord Provost's man. It wasn't. The man was dressed in the blue and white of normal palace servants, not the black and red livery of my Lord's men.

'Princess Shinkokami wishes to see you, your Highness.'

Roald pursed his lips together: it was time to make another quick decision. He was expecting this report at any moment, but on the other hand, Shinko never requested him during the day. If he didn't see her, it would likely upset his wife.

She, however, had to be aware that his duties came first.

'Please convey my apologies to the Princess. I am very busy at the moment.' Dismissed, the man left and Roald went back to his work while he waited for the report.

To his surprise, the next arrival was once again not the man he was expecting. Roald looked up to see Shinko shutting the door.

'Shinko,' he commented. Then he frowned a little, adding, 'Shinko, I'm sorry but we cannot talk for very long, I'm expecting an important report to arrive any minute.'

'This will not take long. It's about Lianne.'

Roald went rigid in his chair and very slowly laid down his quill. 'What's wrong with Lianne?'

'There's been an accident.' Roald paled. His eyes seemed even more startlingly blue than normal. 'I was nearby at the time; I sent for you- your parents are unavailable at the moment.'

Roald fought to keep focused. 'Is she badly hurt? Where is she?'

Shinko was, as ever, an image of undisturbed calm. 'Lianne is with the healers, currently unconscious.'

There was a knock on the door and the Lord Provost's man- long past due now- came into the room. He took one look at the Prince's face and stopped short, glancing at Shinkokami.

For a moment, there was silence as everyone waited. Roald was trying to get a grip on the situation and decide the best course of action, Shinko felt it was not her place to speak up, and the newcomer was too surprised to do anything but wait.

Finally Roald stood up and beckoned to the black-and-red-dressed man.

'Come with me.' Striding determinedly, the Prince crossed to Gareth of Naxen's private office, a large room crammed with intricately labelled documents.

'Uncle, can you see this man, please,' stated Roald, his tone slightly clipped. Gary looked up in surprise.

'Is this my Lord Provost's man? Roald, what's wrong?'

Roald glanced at the eagerly-listening reporter and decided to keep his sister's affairs hushed for now. They would be in court gossip soon enough without him assisting.

'There's been some family business I need to attend to.'

Gary's face- normally so composed- expressed the sudden shock and fear he felt. It was obvious he itched to know what had happened but, above all else, Gary was a politician and understood the need for privacy. He swallowed his questions and nodded, allowing Roald to leave.

Shinko was waiting for Roald and together they walked briskly down to the healer's wing, Roald's hands as curled fists by his sides. No-one stopped them, particularly not when they began to talk in clipped whispers, but giggling gossips set to work as the Royal couple passed.

'What happened?' Roald asked his wife as they came closer to the healers.

'There was a scuffle between some men. Unfortunately, Princess Lianne and some of her friends were passing by at the time. The Princess was knocked down the stairs.'

Roald sucked in a deep breath. No man, be him servant, Courtier or warrior, should be scuffling in the palace corridors, particularly not when ladies were around. Roald clenched and unclenched his fists, struggling to keep his calm. He cared deeply for his sisters and felt very protective of them; if anything happened to them it always angered him. Now, being so tired and emotionally drawn, he was furious.

'How badly is she hurt?'

'I do not know, Roald. I have not heard the diagnosis.'

They had entered the healer's section of the palace and the staff bobbed respectful curtsies as the Royal couple hurried by. Shinko went directly to the room where Lianne was lying, still unconscious. Immediately, Roald was by her side, taking the young girl's hand and dropping to his knees.

Apart from being asleep and quite pale, Roald had to admit Lianne didn't look injured. He turned to the healers standing at the end of her bed. They were young and looked nervous in the presence of the Royals.

'Duke Baird will be along directly to explain your sister's injuries, your Highness,' said one of them suddenly. Roald nodded and turned back.

'Where are my parents?' he asked Shinko suddenly, remembering she had said they were unavailable.

'They are in Council.'

'They should be sent for,' he stated. 'They would want to be here.'

Shinko nodded. 'I shall see to it.' She left.

Roald ran the pad of his thumb across Lianne's knuckles. He was tempted- oh, so sorely tempted- to use his Gift to check her himself. But he was too scared of what he might find; too many days spent struggling to heal the soldiers wounded on the border played in the forefront of his troubled mind. Often, the warriors that looked well could hold the biggest secrets beneath skin and muscle and be the hardest to heal.

His heart began to speed up as his imagination got the better of him. He found he was remembering everything he and Lianne had done when they were younger, and was recapping all the little injuries she had had in the past, searching for something that could complicate matters now. He began to sweat.

'Ah, Roald,' said Duke Baird as he entered. He handed one of the young healers the chalkboard he had been examining and came to the Prince's side. 'Don't look so worried, your Highness. She'll be fine.'

'So no internal injuries?' That had been seriously worrying Roald: if he couldn't see the injuries, they must be inside, which were much more serious.

Baird smiled and shook his head. Leaning forward, he shifted Lianne's shoulder-length black hair, revealing a cut on her scalp. The blood was already dry.

'She's bumped her head nastily, your Highness, but nothing too serious. It's just a surface wound and can be healed up in no time, without leaving a scar.'

'Is that all?' Relief flooded Roald's face.

'No, not quite.' Baird pulled back the right shoulder of Lianne's dress. Beneath, the soft white skin was marred by a spreading, ugly dark bruise.

'She's broken her collarbone. It will need setting, hence why we've kept her unconscious for now.'

'Lianne!' The men looked up to see Thayet in the doorway, cheeks flushed from her rush to her daughter. Roald stepped back to let his Mother sit on the bed next to the Princess. She took the hand Roald had just dropped.

'Is it serious, Baird?' Thayet's voice was harsh. Jon entered the room in time to hear the reply.

'No, Thayet. A broken collarbone and a cut on the head.'

The Queen sagged in relief and Jon squeezed her shoulder. 'Thank you for sending for us anyway.'

'Shall I proceed with the setting immediately?' asked Baird, needing their permission.

'Yes,' said the King. 'And we must return to Council- we shouldn't have left. If it had been anyone else… Baird can you make sure she is not alone when she wakes up please?'

Thayet smiled grimly. 'Lianne never takes well to healings. It always disorientates her.'

'Of course, your Majesties.'

Thayet smiled at Roald and Roald suddenly looked for Shinko. She stood on the other side of the room, separate from the Contés. When she caught Roald looking at her, she whipped open her fan to cover her face.

---

Princess Shinkokami walked briskly down the corridor, her fingers tight around her blue fan. After six years, she knew the palace as well as she ever would and her feet never erred on their way to the menagerie.

She stopped outside the large area that held the striped horses and the exotic-looking deer. She watched them graze, remembering when Roald used to bring her here in the evenings- just the two of them- and talk quietly.

Those days were gone now. Now she was lucky if she saw her husband long enough to have a decent conversation.

Shinko had known she would never marry for love; it wasn't the way her people dealt with marriage- regardless of whether she was a princess or a chambermaid. Marriage in the Yamani Isles was a measure of status and was inevitably arranged through your parents. If she had stayed at home and married a Yamani, chances were she would not have met her fiancé before the wedding ceremony. At least she had been given a chance to get used to Roald before they completely shared their lives.

Shinko had therefore never come to Tortall with the expectation of falling in love. The Tortallan women that cooed and swooned over the men that paid them attention were a surprise to her- their behaviour completely bemused Shinko. Without the deep belief these Tortallan women held in the prospect of love, and knowing what was expected of her, she had actually welcomed the chance of travelling abroad and moving to a new land. As much as she loved her home Isles, Tortall was a completely different world.

It had been hard to adjust at first- these people were so extroverted! And she had been terribly nervous around her future husband until they had become good friends. She had even pondered for a while the possibility that that friendship might develop into something deeper.

But in recent troubles, their friendship had somehow dwindled to the barest embers. Neither of them were largely artificial or extravagant people (Yuki had once said to Shinko that the Royal couple were "cut from the same cloth") but they had enjoyed spending their spare time in each other's company, walking, riding, and talking. Plus as Shinko became adjusted to the Tortallans, her fiancé gradually got her to open up more.

Now all of that seemed gone, as if it had disappeared over night. She knew it hadn't of course- relationships just didn't disappear- but they were not the same as they had once been.

The Princess moved along to watch the big cats. A few of the lionesses prowled around their home; the rest lay in the tall grass, seemingly enjoying their dreams. The male lion- "King of the Beasts" Roald had said the scholars called him- lay in the midst of his lionesses, watching everything around him with a careful eye.

He certainly looks very kingly, Shinko thought. She sighed inwardly. She didn't expect to love Roald, nor for him to love her, and she would not create a fuss if their friendship was not to be either, but what she did want was for them to talk again. One day he would be King, and if she was to be the Queen by his side, she needed to know she could completely support him. How could she do that if he acted like she was unimportant?

It did hurt her sometimes that he obviously couldn't care for her. After six years, she had thought they shared some kind of bond that couldn't be breached; clearly she was wrong. She didn't know if it was right or not for him to care more for his sisters than his wife.

The lion yawned and settled his big, crowned head on his paws. Shinko smiled. He truly was a magnificent creature, whether he was King or not.

There was a dress to be fitted and arrangements to be made for various upcoming events; she couldn't stand around here all afternoon daydreaming. She was in Tortall now, not the Isles: in a place of action, adventure and chivalry.

In a place of war and business and death, just like any other realm.

---

Roald tried to keep calm, knowing that a man that lost his temper was impolite, and a king that lost his temper was a sure advertisement for discontented subjects. So he bit down hard and clenched his fists, willing himself to remain the cool-headed, collected prince he had always been.

But it was difficult. He was- as his wife had witnessed first hand recently- considerably short tempered at the moment and these men had hurt his sister, one of the worst offences as far as he was concerned.

'Would you mind just explaining again, please, gentlemen.' He tried not to lean too heavily on the table; his voice sounded forced as he fought to stay just.

'Well, Highness,' said the merchantman, wringing his hat between his hands. It was a gaudy affair- bright silks, layered with Gallan fur and decorated with shockingly-coloured feathers of ridiculous size: it made him seem the upstart he was, trying to impress, rather than a true wealthy gentleman.

'Well, you see, it was an accident,' the merchant continued. 'This man here- this good fellow-' he indicated the tight-jawed tall palace servant beside him- 'well, you see, we had a slight disagreement and things got a bit out of hand.'

'You're not being very helpful,' Roald growled. 'The Princess was knocked down the stairs because of your folly. She is injured and currently recuperating in the Healer's Wing of the palace, under the Duke of Queenscove's care. I hope you realise what might have happened instead.'

The merchant had stopped twiddling with his hat. He looked ill. The servant continued to stare at the same spot on the wall that he'd been watching throughout the entire interview.

Roald surveyed the two men. They should both know the rules as to no fighting in palace corridors, especially the servant- and the consequences.

However, Roald was not stupid. At this time they couldn't afford to lose more people and support through a broken collarbone: he would make sure neither lost their life as a traitor, or their job. But they could not get away completely free. The merchant would have a hefty fine and the worker would have his wages cut short this month.

The Prince sighed. 'I'll take down your names and you will be contacted within the next few days as to the details of your fine for your ill behaviour on palace grounds. My Lord Provost may wish to see you. You will not lose your jobs.'

Both men- even the composed servant- looked relieved at that. The fine would probably have more impact on him than the well to-do trader, but that could not be helped. At least he should remember not to start any fights in the future.

Roald took their names down. He also wanted to speak to the servant at another time, without the merchant present, to see if the tight-lipped man would give his own version of accounts.

Just as the men were leaving, a messenger came for the Prince, dressed in the green-trimmed white of the palace healers. Duke Baird wished to know if he could contact Roald when Lianne woke, as her parents would be too busy; the Chief Healer knew Roald held a soft spot for his sisters.

The Prince chewed on his lower lip. After everything that had happened today, he didn't really feel like going back to his office. He made his way to Lianne's rooms, hoping to find a little sanctuary.

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