(Don't worry, if I brought it to an end it would still be quite long, I was just wondering if you wanted a whole other adventure, like the others. But I know what I shall do. Thank- you so much for your advice! It helped. Forgive me if I seem to rush this a bit.)

Chapter 38: A Roseless Conversation

Rose was talking hoarsely in Conrad's saddle. But I don't think any of us paid attention. Conrad and Minerva were content to ride behind me in silence. Conrad, because he was too tired to even lead Shika, and Minerva because she was too busy staring at the ground or trees, thinking.

I was thinking too, but not of much. My head was bouncing with thoughts of my father and my future life and course. Of course as soon as I got to the castle I would be swamped with royal duties and reporters from local and faraway printing shops. They would want to know why, where, when, who, and how and who knows what else, about my mysterious disappearance, and my sudden return.

There was no time for sorrow; I carried the weight of the world on my shoulders. With this thought I straightened and lifted my chin a little, and even nudged Ares to go faster.

"Lance, will you do something for me when you are king," asked Rose suddenly stopping her nonsense talk to interrupt my kingly thoughts. She had hopped onto Minerva's horse, and was looking at me intently.

"I'm not restoring you to your natural form, if that's what you want."

"Ew, no, not that. I want to be one of the royal council members."

"I'm sorry, Rose, but a council member must allow others a chance to talk, and must be able to restrain himself from talking when necessary. That rules you out."

"Are you sure it isn't because I'm a girl?" she retorted.

Conrad came alive. "Rose, you're a frog."

"A female frog mind you, and wartless."

"Females are allowed to be council members," said Minerva thoughtfully. "However, I doubt princesses are. Especially if they are animals. Besides, you really can't restrain yourself from talking."

"Oh, yes I can!" she snapped back. She hates being told what she can and can't do.

I smiled immediately because Minerva sprung her trap said calmly, "Oh, really? Then I challenge you to stay quiet for fifteen minutes. A small trial don't you think?"

"Very small," huffed Rose. "I accept and I'll show you..."

"Marvelous!" cried Conrad. "I'll keep the time. Starting now!"

Rose sealed her lips and sat still, a determined look on her face.

"Ha," I said. "A clever trap, Minerva. I think it is an absolute blessing that you have been able to make her shut up without giving her a sleeping potion or gag."

"Even if I did that, she would have made enough noise to make the noisiest bird shudder."

I saw Rose open her mouth, but she quickly clamped it down again. She was glaring fiercely though, and looked fit to kill. We all laughed at her and Conrad said, "Congratulations, my princess, you have remained silent for exactly one minute!"

I could just imagine her shrieking, "I'm not your princess, you creep! Don't call me that again!"

"Perhaps," said Conrad, "She can be a council member, I never thought she would be able to do for so long."

This made me ask a question. "How did you know females could be council members at the Adelfian court, Minerva?"

She pinked slightly and said, "I studied the Adelfian law when I was younger. I guess some of it still stuck."

"You studied law," I asked incredulously. "Gosh, I thought only the poor crown children had to suffer through that."

"It isn't required in Gaul. I did it on my own free will. When my horse was sent to the royal stables, and when I met Eric, the first Adelfian I'd seen, I decided to learn more about the country that ruled me. It did get dry at times, but I guessed that if I ever got in trouble with the law, I would know how to slip out of it."

Conrad shook his head in disbelief. "Lance once tried to explain some of the concepts to me, but it whooshed over my head."

"You studied the law, Lance," said Minerva, her eyes lighting up. "Suppose you are king. If someone is murdered, and the killer not found, and yet you have some suspects brought to you what would you do with them? Are they innocent until proven guilty, or guilty until proven innocent? How would you go about with the trial?"

"They are innocent until proven guilty," I said without thought. "However, I would not stuff my jails with murderers and thieves who are not proven guilty. I would have the trial then and there."

"Ha," she said. "Good luck. A murder doesn't happen once a month, and thieves aren't scarce. As a king you would swamped with the work of a judge. Sure there are judges, but they like to send the cases to the king, because they are lazy and they can just put it in your hands and still get paid."

I furrowed my eyebrows, I had forgotten about that.

"The law is a very good law," she continued, "And I have no doubt that you probably have it memorized. However, the law isn't always real life and not everyone abides by it. That's why we have thieves, murderers, cheats, and liars."

"I would regulate the judges' pay according to how many cases they do and complete," I said. "That would handle getting swamped. If they do not do their job, then they do not get their pay. It is in the law. However, with the cases that are brought before me, I would decide if the suspect is guilty or not according to the evidence, and also the type of man he is. If he is a low down who works slopping pigs, and spends is time in the local bar, then I have great reason to think he did it. But if he is an honorable hard working farmer, then I would doubt his ever doing it."

"Good men are not always what they seem," said Minerva softly. "Many 'good' men can be corrupted, and become envious, or be blinded by revenge or lust. I thought Eric was a good man. He wore his guise well. There are many actors in the world, and we do not always know their intentions."

I chewed on this a bit, then threw the question back at her, "What would you do with the suspects?"

She smiled. "I would know if they are innocent or not, simply by looking at them."

"Ach, your Gaulish gift, I forgot," I groaned. Then I became serious. "If you can see the intentions of a man's heart, then why is it you were so easily deceived by Eric?"

It was a touchy question, and I regretted it immediately when I saw her face fall and pale. But she still answered, "I admit I was blinded by his charm and good looks. But Eric was a worker of the devil and he could mask himself very well."

"But remember, the first demon we encountered you recognized, and warned us not to follow him. You knew he was a demon. Could you not tell this of Eric?"

"Eric wasn't a demon. Just a helper," she paused then added thoughtfully, "I think my mother knew he was of the evil ones."

That was a surprise, and then again it wasn't. I felt a surge of irritation. "If she knew, why did she let you associate with him? Surely she knew he was trouble and would only bring you pain and grief. Why would she let that happen?"

To that she had no quick reply. Finally she just shook her head and said, "I don't know."

"You don't?" cried Conrad suddenly. I had forgotten him, but apparently he had been listening very closely to our conversation. "I'm shocked! That question is as easy as pie!"

"Please," I growled, "Enlighten us, Conrad, we hate floundering in darkness."

"I once heard a wise man say, 'There must be opposition in all things'. If we don't taste the bitter, then we can never enjoy the sweet. It seems to me, that you, Minerva, had a very easy and happy life. You were, and are, the respected young woman of the clan and no one was ever your enemy. If you didn't ever taste a bitter life, you would have never been grateful for your sweet one. So, your mother, knowing you had too sweet of a life, decided it was best for you to have a bitter one. She knew you'd come out stronger in the end. And you did."

This caused us all to consider in silence. It was a profound thought and explained the question well, but we still thought about it. Finally I broke the silence by saying, "That is the wisest thing I've ever heard you say, Conrad."

He smiled sheepishly, and said modestly, "I guess hanging around you and Minerva was finally worth it."

Before I or Minerva could deny this, a snore pierced the intelligent air and we all jumped, slightly. It was Rose. We had absolutely forgotten about her in our conversation, and I think it had been more than fifteen minutes. The urge to talk had tired her out. Also it was in the wee hours of the morning, and she hadn't slept all night.

"Look," said Minerva, nodding towards the eastern sky. "Dawn approaches, and it is colorful."

Indeed the sun was climbing slowly out of its bed, and was sending streaks of pink and orange across the sky, as well as a light autumn breeze. The birds were rousing, and were getting ready to sing, but now, all was as still as it had been in the middle of the night. We stopped to breathe in the crisp morning and gaze at the sunrise.

"I once heard that when it is a colorful sunrise, then it will be a sweet day with many surprises and exciting outcomes," said Conrad.

I smiled and just the words made me feel excited. "My, my, Conrad, but you are full of wisdom today. Today must be special."

"If, so," said Minerva nudging her horse forward, "We had better see what is in store for us. Today, life is sweet."