Nixiesocean: Hey! I'm back! And thanks for all the reviews! I enjoyed reading each and every one! (I'm on something, I'm just so happy!) This story has surpassed one of my other bigger stories, The Fatal Mistake in reviews! Thank you all!

Responses:

AphroditeIncarnate: I was hoping so. I liked the whole throwing-herself-into-Hannah's-arms things, kind of the thing two friends would do if they hadn't seen each other for ten years – royalty or no. I was just wondering how you pronounced it, because I've heard both. BTW: It's 'schon' b/c 'schön' is beautiful.

Dark Ninja of Mount Hope: Of course you do!

Piratess of Summer: My worries or the musician's? In any case, I loved writing, however unconventional it was. I like Vincent too – don't worry, he'll be more of a character later.

Read and review!

Chapter 10: A Letter to the King

"Excited?" Hannah asked when Mercy had relented.

Mercy shrugged. "I was reenacting my response to your appearance." They laughed. When a stumbling sound caused Mercy to yank open the parlor door, an unbalanced Marcus fell into the room.

He sheepishly grinned. "Can I join the party?

- - - - - - - - - -

Royal Cousin,

Marcus and Hannah are seen constantly in attendance to one another. Mercy has been spotted in and out, but the two are continually together.

When would be the best time for you and your lady to attend a wedding in Hanor? At this rate, we may not have to wait out the summer for their lasting attachment.

- - - - - - - - - -

Mercy sighed and looked out the window. She was still studying Ancient Hanor. Laughter wafted up from the courtyard and she spotted two bodies, closely touching, talking in the gardens. They had two guards trailing them.

Marcus and Hannah, Mercy sighed again. With Finny and Thomas.

If only she had – No. She stopped her thoughts. Long ago, Mercy had promised to marry whomever her parents wished. They would never marry her off to some old man with one wife in the ground and one on the way; they were too kind.

If only she could – NO! She shook her head and tried to concentrate on the little-used language. If she could drown herself in the harsher language, maybe she would forget her petty thoughts.

If only – SHUT UP! She told herself and stood from her desk. She stormed out her study in a worse mood than ever. Stalking like an angry cat, she marched to the stables and had Fauna saddled; and she rode away, dimly hearing Renold following her.

- - - - - - - - - -

Mercy is often alone, although and her and Hannah have reconciled from an argument from long past. In the short month you have given Hannah, our court has been alight with new fervor; much unheard of since the years I first took the throne.

- - - - - - - - - -

"What is sunbathing?" One pale northern lady pestered. "Can you truly lay in the sun without being burnt by cold winds?"

Hannah smiled. "Of course." She turned to another northerner, this one a lord. "Yes, you can sail on an ocean completely devoid of ice." Marcus grinned and held her hand, like a true prince, he didn't object. "No, I was born with this skin color, although I could be darker if I sunbathed more."

- - - - - - - - - -

My lady and I are happy to mention the outstanding results of this meeting. Marcus and Hannah get along nicely, intimately. They do our respective countries the honor of giving us something to be joyful about. Soon, the Days of Light will come, and Hannah will be here, to witness the twenty days of pure light.

It is magical, and I hope she will stay after it.

Yours in Royalty,

King Jonas

- - - - - - - - - -

Renold followed his charge silently. Mercy was prone these days to run off into the fields or other wild places and speak to herself, write, complain or vent her anger.

This time was the last on list of things Mercy did in this peaceful brook side.

Mercy allowed her horse, Fauna – given to her by Marcus four years ago – to drink from the brook while she screamed and yelled. Renold never spoke.

"Why can't I fall in love? Am I so undesirable? Why do the men look at me like a nice trophy? Why does Marcus get Hannah and I get no one? Why?" Her tirade ended. She fell to the ground sobbing. Her parlor dress was grimy from the horse-riding and muddy from the water. Renold watched from afar, detached.

Mercy's tear-spotted face turned up to heaven. "God send me someone." She whispered. "Someone nice, who's like me and will care for me," She breathed deeply to calm herself. "Send me someone like Marcus."

- - - - - - - - -

Thomas sighed and gave Hannah another arrow. "Here, Your Highness."

The stubborn princess was insistent on learning the northern-style bow. She had missed eight out of ten, and the more recent two were only because Marcus had held the bow steady. She hadn't even come close to the bull's eye in the center of the target.

"It is not fair." She complained aloud to Marcus. "You can aim a Southern bow with no problems, but me? I am stuck with shaking arms and poor aim."

Marcus shrugged good-heartedly. "My father ensured I could change weapons – even foreign ones – rapidly."

"I wish mine had been so obliging." Hannah muttered.

Thomas wisely kept silent.

"Hannah, I think we should go in, you are starting to tremble." Marcs whispered after gently kissing her cheek.

Hannah rolled her eyes but allowed Thomas to take the hard-to-pull Northern bow away. She looked after it with disgust. "I am so weak." She pronounced.

"But you are far stronger mentally, sweet." Marcus pointed out. "You're so much better at Arithmetic or learning new languages than I'll ever be."

"You are such a sweet talker, Marcus." Hannah told him as Thomas and Finny followed them out of the archery yard.

- - - - - - - - -

Thunder rolled across the plains and cracked in delight. It hadn't been here in a while…

Mercy was soon drenched in rain. Surprisingly, it did nothing to wash away the ache in her heart. Is this just girly hormones? She wondered. Is this natural?

Renold stood out of the rain, ready to cover up his charge when she decided enough was enough.

But she never did.

It felt like hours to the guard, who normally was patient enough to wait out a blizzard in one place, if need be. He sighed, took his waterproof cloak and wrapped it around the drenched princess.

He knew well enough the dangers of staying out in the rain and cold rain at that.

"Come on, Your Highness," He murmured gently. Mercy stood numbly and walked with Renold. "We need to go back." The princess didn't respond. Her hair was drenched and would take hours to dry; her eyes were red and puffy; and she was soaked to the bone and shivering. She went along mutely, ignoring Renold.

He wasn't used to it, but kept her steady on his horse while leading Fauna and his own horse, Winter's Chill. She never spoke a word, the whole way back.

- - - - - - - - -

So we see that Mercy actually – however subconsciously – does indeed care about who she marries. She's a real girl!

Have any of you girls with brothers ever wished – sometimes – that you knew a guy that was like your brother? I have on occasion. No, Mercy doesn't have feelings – aside from brother-sister kind – for Marcus; she just likes his character.

I hate incest.

Tschau:

Nixie