The rest of the day passed without significance, except of course the news that there would be a royal ball three days after the squires took their trip to the Bazhir lands.
"A ball means I'll have to explain to Jon what's happened between Raoul and me!" Theresa said despairingly. "Why is it always impossible for me to get away with anything?"
Alana stared at her. She could get away with murder… "Why are you so worried about talking to Jon?"
Theresa looked at her as if she was absolutely insane. "How would your brother feel if you started dating one of his close friends?"
Alana looked thoughtful, then said, "I don't believe Thom has any close friends." Or any friends at all, for that matter.
Theresa rolled her eyes. "I can tell you what Brother is going to say to me. He's going to say," Theresa spoke with a deep, crackling voice. "'Theresa, why are you doing this? You've put me in an awkward position you know. If things don't work out, I'll have to take sides, and I'll have to take your side to show a united family front. Raoul is one of my closest friends. I don't want to do that.'"
Alana was laughing at Theresa's imitation of her brother's voice. After she had calmed herself she said, "I doubt he'll say that. It will probably be more along the lines of 'Finally, Raoul will stop moping around the palace like a sad puppy dog.'"
Theresa looked confused. "Moping? I've never seen him moping. And at all the balls he has had no trouble finding a dancing partner."
"Oh trust me, he's been moping, especially in the last few months when you've constantly had your tongue down someone's throat."
The princess opened her mouth to defend herself, then closed it again. "Mithros, I'm a disgrace!"
"A disgrace to what?" Gary had walked over to the two of them. "Hey Alan, I thought my father told me you had committed some heinous crime and you needed to be seriously punished."
"That was my fault," Theresa said. "It was nonsense."
"Oh. Okay." Gary turned to his cousin. "So I take it your little infatuation with our Alan is finished?"
"Yes Gary," Theresa said impatiently. "Now, don't you have some knight-like duties you could be attending to?"
"Ah cousin, you forget. None of us become knights until we pass our ordeals."
She shrugged. "Squire-like duties then. Leave us."
"It seems I've been given a royal command," Gary commented to Alana as he walked away. "Don't get in any trouble you two."
"Why didn't you tell him about you and Raoul?" Alana asked curiously.
"He's sure to tell Jon, and I want to be the one to tell Jon."
"So you are going to tell him then."
"I suppose so."
Theresa stood at the doors of her brother's room. She had been there countless times, but this was the first time she noticed how dark and looming his doors seemed. She slowly reached for the doorknob, then thought better of it and knocked. "Brother, are you in there?"
She heard shuffling behind the door, then it opened and her brother stood before her. He leaned against the doorframe lazily with a condescending look in his eyes. "Little sister, what have you done to poor Alan now?"
"I caused no problems that were not easily mended. Now let me in so I can tell you the news of the day."
Jon smirked and moved to the side to allow his sister entrance. "What is it you want to tell me?"
Closing examining the cracks in the floor, Theresa began to recite the events of the previous day. When she was done she chanced a look at her brother and was surprised to see a smile on his face.
"Is that all you needed to tell me?" He asked her.
"Yes. Now what lecture are you going to give me?"
The prince looked surprised. "Lecture? The only lectures you'll ever get from me will come when you bore your children to death telling the story of how you met their father. Honestly sister, you're a bright girl. Why did it take you so long to see Raoul's obvious interest in you?"
Theresa blinked. "You're not upset?"
He laughed. "I'm going to let you in on a secret." He leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I like to see the people I care about happy. If they're happy, that's all I need." He straightened up and added "I'm glad Raoul won't be moping around like a sad puppy dog anymore."
With that, Theresa started laughing. "That's what Alan said you'd say."
"Well that Alan's a smart kid," the prince remarked.
"I guess he is," Theresa said. If only Jon knew just how smart…
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Blah. Not the best chapter. I'll improve it, I promise.