Nixiesocean: Whoopiee! I'm back! Sorry for the huge delay in updating. First, I had to write the chapter, then life caught up and I suddenly had a lot of things I needed to get done (stupid science papers… boo hiss) and work (explains itself) and babysitting two adorable little boys (although they can be handful. 5 and 3. Terrible ages for boys, though I suppose they get worse as they get older).
So, I'm back with 1,900 words for you to digest! Yay for me!
Responses:
Bingo5: So, um see the other three chapters :-) for your response. I'm too lazy to type it out again…
Piratess of Summer: Thank you! And, of course they're the most famous last words. Why would I have them both use that line and not get 'em together? Of course, they can't get together at ten! How fun would that be? Sheesh… no, I'm just setting up the plot:-) This is probably the longest set-up-the-plot time span I've ever done!
Dark Ninja of Mount Hope: Have you read Terrier by Tamora Pierce? Although it's not letters, it's a diary. I could never write and entire book in journal entries!
Rush of Waves: Yes. It would.
Read, enjoy and review!
Chapter 4: Midnight Meeting
"She isn't ignorant, Marcus, I see no reason why you should have such hatred for her! Hannah is a perfectly fine girl." Mercy told her brother that night. "What is your excuse? Is it because she's different? Not pretty enough? You like us fatter, plumper northern-bred girls?" Marcus never answered. Mercy knew she was talking at him not with him. Growling like any commoner, she added, "I think you like her and you're too scared to admit it."
That got a response! "I will never like some shallow-hearted southerner. They can't appreciate the majestic mountains of northern Hessex. They can't delight in the wonders of new-fallen snow! They can't breathe in the fresh, sharp scent of our night and revel in it!"
Mercy shook her black head. "I wonder what Hannah must think of you, Marcus. You're nothing like you showed her today. You showed her a prince that hates his duty and would rather be elsewhere-"
"That is me!"
"No interruptions!" Mercy reprimanded her elder brother. "You showed her that in meanest, cruelest, rudest way possible. I know you, Mar', and you're nothing like that! Don't deny it, brother, you're as mean-hearted as a wolf is a plant-eater."
Marcus laughed from the other side of their hole. "And you're as blunt as a rock. That'll get you nowhere in diplomacy."
"If I'm a rock, you're-" A door opened on Marcus' side. Curious, Mercy put her ear to the hole.
"Marcus? It's nearly the middle of night! Why are you up so late?" Queen Anna asked her son.
"Mama!" Mercy heard her brother say. "I couldn't sleep. The whole princess-thing has me shaken up."
"Poor Marcus," Anna crooned. "I hope you'll feel better in the morning – I'll let the maids know to let you sleep in later than normal."
"Thank you, Mama." Marcus replied.
"Mother." Anna said before closing the door.
- - - - - - - - - -
Hannah lay awake, the darkness closing around her like a blanket. Why was he so rude? She wanted to know. Just because I'm not some big-bosomed northerner doesn't mean I' m not pretty.
"Your Highness," Her maid called. " 'Tis nearly midnight. These northerners like to be up with the sun."
"Yes, Marie." Hannah said. "I'll get to sleep straight way." Her maid was a substitute for her aging nursemaid, Gyamia, who was too old to travel farther than between the royal residences in Bavar.
Sleep never came. Hannah wasn't a beauty of the court, like Mercy was to Hanor, but most boys her age didn't ignore her entirely – like this… this barbarian. She buried a fluffy pillow to her face. Her elder sisters had tried to get the youngest princess to flirt a bit, stretch her wings, but Hannah was unmotivated.
Why would she need to flirt? Her parents would probably arrange a marriage anyways. Hannah felt tears seep out her eyes. I HATE IT HERE! She yelled internally. It's cold, inhospitable and worse, there's an arrogant prince! She promised herself she would write to her father to ask him if she could leave sooner than planned.
Grinning to herself, she started thinking up how to play on the king of Bavar's pride. Tell him that His Most Arrogant Highness Prince Marcus Jonas of Hessex snubbed me?
That would only lead to political tension between Bavar and Hanor – something the princess surely didn't want. That would mean she and Mercy wouldn't be able to send letters without them being read intimately. How could the princess leave Hanor, without offending the king and queen, go home without shame on her shoulders and still look like a plausible match for some men?
It was a dilemma for Princess Hannah. She decided that she needed some air.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Good night, Mercy." Her brother whispered. She didn't reply. Marcus shrugged and sunk back into the coverlets. Mercy must be angry, he decided. Could he be more civil to the princess for his sister's sake? Could he put aside his irritation and solve this grown-up problem of his?
Yes. He could. It would prove to his parents he was old enough to go do real hunting, not these fake release-a-captive-pigeon-for-Pine-and-Spots they insisted on now. If he were more civil with the foreigner, would it please his dear sister and his parents?
Marcus shook his head. His dislike was so unfounded. He only didn't like her because she kept him inside when his passion was so obviously the out-of-doors! Growling in annoyance with his weird thoughts, Marcus got out of bed and went out to his balcony. The air was crisp with the end-of-winter's chill. The moonlight glinted off the snow.
The prince of Hanor was reminded why he loved this land. The mountains provided scenery never seen anywhere else. The snow was soft and kind. The forests held secrets he intended to discover.
He smiled and shook his curly hair. His eyes caught something moving his left. Mercy was on his right, so that wasn't possible. He looked over. A small frame with a bear fur was on the balcony looking out across it, just as he had been doing. Suddenly, as if she knew he had been looking, Princess Hannah looked his way.
Embarrassed that he had seen her in a nightgown, he was happy it was dark and she couldn't see his face flush. Even she could, he would blame it on the cold air. He bowed and excused himself.
She had seemed thoughtful.
Was it possible that they could come to a truce?
- - - - - - - - - -
Morning came too quickly for Mercy. She was tired and wanted to sleep late, but she knew that breakfast would be served earlier than normal. The winter was beginning to break and the sunlight was returning to the world in longer days. Mercy stood and yawned. A maid dressed her and in no time, she was in the informal dining room. Her mother and father were there, already talking. Marcus and Hannah were absent. She took her usual seat and silently began eating.
Marcus entered a little while later. His cheeks were rosy – Mercy guessed he had been outside before he came like he did every morning. He sat down and was lost in thought. Hannah entered and with a curtsy and apology for being late, sat down next to the princess of Hanor.
"How did you sleep?" Mercy inquired.
Hannah smiled. "Very well, thank you. And you?"
Mercy's hand paused midway between picking up some egg and putting it into her mouth. "I was warm. I slept soundly. Marcus?"
If King Jonas and Queen Anna were curious as to the small talk that passed between the children, they made no comment. Marcus spoke, "It was… restful." His eyes unintentionally caught Hannah's and he turned away rapidly. "Father, Mother, may I be excused?"
"You may," Anna said quietly. Marcus left. In a commoner, it would've been described as 'dashing'. "Mercy, How about you show Princess Hannah how to go snow-walking?"
"Yes, Mama." Mercy murmured. She stood. "Hannah would you like to snow-walk? It is quite easy and you can wrap up in some furs."
Hannah had been well trained in royal etiquette. "I would, thank you." Hannah stood and followed Mercy out the door. After they were outside, Hannah asked, "May I write to my father to tell him I arrived safely? He will be quite worried, and I want to soothe his fears."
Mercy nodded. "I will tell the servants to get our things ready, when you are ready to go snow-walking, send a servant and I will meet you outside. I can catch up on some sewing while I wait." She entered her rooms and Hannah, hers. Mercy sat down, unable to lift the embroidery thread to finish her roses.
In fit of needlework genius, the small princess took up a spare linen, one that was very sheer and near invisible, and put it on her small wooden hoop. She took charcoal and lightly sketched her design on the parchment on her writing desk. When she looked down, she saw the smiling face of Hannah, complete with the learning gleam in her eye. Mercy hadn't been paying attention to what she drew, because when she drew her sleeve back, the face of her brother was there, looking very at home in the wild and she looked at him curiously. His curly hair framed his face like a lion's mane and Hannah had an odd shine to her skin, almost like if Mercy drew thread for her skin, it would have a green tinge. It also seemed… pebbly?
Mercy shook her head and blinked. They were there but the images she saw in their faces were gone. There was still her brother with the out-of-doors look and Hannah's learner's gleam. The urge to add green to Hannah's skin and the lion's mane of hair around Marcus was gone. A knock on her parlor door roused her from her stupor.
The princess of Hanor hid the sheet of parchment amongst her other drawings. The door opened. A servant entered. He bowed respectfully and spoke,
"Her Highness Princess Hannah of Bavar, daughter of the king of Bavar, the duke of Diamond Coast requests your presence in her parlor, Your Highness." He said.
Do they always say that long title in Bavar? Mercy wondered. She smiled at the manservant. "Tell Her Highness I will meet her presently." He turned to leave, Mercy added, "Tell her Mercy will meet her presently."
"Yes, Your Highness." He said, completely unperturbed by her request. Mercy followed the man out the door and into Hannah's parlor; he introduced her with a mere, "Her Highness, Mercy."
"Hello." Hannah greeted. "I hope Marc didn't fluster you." She lamented. "I need to remind him that in Hanor we may call each other my first names."
" 'Tis of no consequence." Mercy supplied. Switching to a far more informal speech, she added, "Ready to go snow-walking?"
Hannah grinned and replied, "As ready as one can be to freeze her toes off!"
Mercy laughed. "Don't worry, when I visit Bavar, you can show me all the warm things you do there!"
"Like sunbathing?" Hannah asked eagerly. At Mercy's confusion, she added, "Laying in the sun to get brown."
"You can lay in the sun without wearing a coat?" Mercy's eyes widened. "Don't you get cold? Do you get wind-burned? How can you get so brown?"
Hannah patted Mercy. "You'll have to visit me." She winked. "Who knows, maybe a brother of mine will catch you eye!"
Mercy's foot tapped. "I'm eight, Hannah. I'm not in the mood for marriage at this moment."
Hannah shrugged. "In Bavar some girls get wedded as young as fifteen. Luckily, I can declare my Intended on my twentieth birthday, since twenty years of life will give me 'enough experience to be a worthy bride'."
"In Hanor, commoners marry at twelve. Nobles at sixteen and royalty at twenty-one." Mercy supplied. "Come on, enough talk! Time to snow-walk! It's great fun!"
- - - - - - - - - -
Review, please. I will do my best to update faster, but next week is Spring Break and I'm redoing my room. I'll try to update once before then. :-)