(peeks her head in looking extremely apologetic) Sorry this update took so long guys! A couple weeks ago I had the sucky luck to get laid off from my job which while leaving me more time to write, also totally killed my muse due to the stress of the job hunt. Needless to say, it's been quite difficult for me to write.
I only forced this one out due to the sweet Celia Stanton bribing me with more chappies of Bound. I hope yall like this one- I was going for goofy just to cheer myself up I suppose. BTW, this DOES fit back into the timeline of most of Down the Road, minus the little 'sentences' speedbump!
DG felt she'd been more than patient or civil. But as His Lordship the Grand Something-or-other of her mother's Council of Advisors continued to press the suit of his son (the latest in a rather obnoxious list of noblemen apparently determined to change the younger princess's single status) for her hand, she felt her patience rapidly dissolving.
"No, he isn't," she interrupted, referring to yet another of His Lordship's list of young Neville's virtues. "He's in no way honorable or a gentleman, and I most definitely won't be marrying him." This rather startling announcement brought the council room to a sudden silence. Most of the members of Queen Lavender's council simply stared at her, disapproval obvious in their gazes. Only a few, notably Glitch and her favorite Guard Commander, seemed to be fighting amusement instead. She also noted with some surprise that her family was actually sporting a set of matching mischievous smirks. She hadn't thought her mother could pull off mischievous quite that well.
His Lordship, however, was just this side of apoplectic. "Excuse you! Young lady, I know you might have been raised on the Other Side," his voice dripped with derision at her former home, "but in this Zone, we have certain standards of behavior that all young people are expected to follow! Especially when in conference with their betters, and-"
"Lord Covington," her mother's voice was quiet, but still cut through his tirade effortlessly, "May I remind you that you are addressing my daughter, and a princess of the realm?"
DG fought a grin as the startled lord blinked and sputtered. Obviously the man was not very bright; he'd actually dared to call himself her 'better' in front of her mother of all people. In the months following the witch's downfall, DG (and most of the realm in all honesty) had learned that her mother could be fiercely protective when it came to her daughters; DG and Az had guessed it had something to do with all the mothering she hadn't been able to do while the witch held power just kicking into gear to make up for lost time. Or something. In any case, it could be amusing as hell to watch, and she leaned forward to watch the show.
"I… I…" As Lord Covington struggled for something to say, Queen Lavender Eyes just raised an imperious eyebrow. The Lord swallowed a bit and finally managed to speak. "I do apologize for my impertinence, Your Majesty, but surely you understand that it is hard to swallow these dreadful aspersions against my son's character. Especially in light of how... harshly most of her suitors have been treated thus far." He glanced around, obviously trying to gain the Council's support. "Let's be honest, Your Majesty, you daughter seems, at times, to be… less than diplomatic in her dealings with these: some of the best and brightest of the O.Z.'s noble families."
DG had to force back a grin. 'Less than diplomatic' was one hell of an understatement. Especially considering the last suitor had been sent off with his hands literally blistered and burned after he'd refused to move his hands from her ass, and the one before that had gotten a swift kick to the groin when he'd dared to insinuate that perhaps one sister wouldn't be nearly enough for his 'powerful' libido and that he'd hoped Az was a masochist.
So, no, DG thought, diplomacy really wasn't working for her. Just as aggravating in her mind, most of these men only threw themselves at her, when in reality, they were totally courting the wrong sister. It wasn't exactly a secret that their mother was still encouraging Az to wear the emerald, and if the idiotic little crown-hunters couldn't figure out what that meant in the whole 'heir to the throne' thing, DG thought they deserved whatever 'harshness' she gave them. She shook her head at those (lately rather repetitive) thoughts and forced her attention back to the conversation at hand. After all, it did directly concern her.
"-if she cannot learn to conduct herself more gracefully during courtship, then perhaps the Council should consider making other more formal arrangements for her Consort."
That statement certainly had her attention jerked back to the forefront. Did he seriously just suggest that they needed to arrange marriage for her? Seriously? Surely not. She decided it was probably another opportune moment to speak up.
"Umm… Excuse me, but don't I have some sort of say in this? Especially considering that—so far—all the men that the Council have 'approved' have been chauvinistic and had roving hands." The Council began to grumble again, but DG pressed on, trying to channel her mother and Az for effect. She turned her gaze to Lord Covington. "Let's be honest here, assuming the Council did decide to pair me up with some random noble, the fact of the matter is that I'm still going to have the same reaction to those kinds of men." As Lord Covington opened his mouth to obviously make another reprimand and/or 'grand statement' (Seriously could the guy not see her mother's death glare?), DG continued, "And if, as Lord Covington has so…kindly suggested, I'm ordered to avoid a strictly physical altercation because, it's 'not ladylike,' I'll just shoot them."
She shrugged and sat back to enjoy the uproar that now erupted around the table. The Queen and Consort allowed the noise for a moment or two before Ahamo's steely remark of "Gentlemen, that is quite enough," calmed the room to more of a dull roar.
"To begin, you must all understand that the matter of my youngest daughter's marriage is absolutely none of your concern." He stared around the room, somehow seeming to slip into the rather hostile visage of the Seeker to DG's eyes. Cain was watching the Consort with the air of a very self satisfied hawk. She swallowed another grin: if Wyatt (as she'd started referring to her Guard Commander in the privacy of her own mind) was smug, then something must be going right. Ahamo glanced over at his daughter and seemed almost to wink. "And, truth be told, considering some of the reports I've received about her previous suitors, I would fully back my daughter's method of rejection." He let out a rough bark of laughter. "Indeed, as a father, I suppose I might support the shooting method, myself."
DG finally allowed herself to cackle as her mother rolled her eyes. Apparently, her father was just as fond of causing the Council's blood pressure to rise as his daughter was. Still laughing, DG wiped her eyes and glanced around the rest of the table. Az and Glitch had apparently been laughing as hard as DG herself, and now Az was hiding her face in Glitch's shoulder, apparently trying to compose herself. DG heard a loud cough and sighing inwardly turned her attention back to Lord Covington.
He, apparently seeking to win back the Consort's approval, decided to try a little sarcasm. "Well, in that case my lord Consort, I suppose I should be grateful that your daughter neither owns a firearm, nor has the knowledge to use one."
DG couldn't resist. "Oh please, like that would really stop me. I'd just borrow Wyatt's." She froze. Had she actually called him that out loud? Not daring to actually glance in Wyatt's direction, she widened her eyes in hopes that she looked a bit more innocent and continued. "And in any case, how hard can it be to shoot someone at close range?"
She kept up the innocent expression, despite the fact that the Council had gone nuts yet again. In her opinion, possible epic embarrassment and Ozma only knew how much teasing from her friends and family far beat out mere outrage from the Council. Hell they didn't really like her anyway. Once again, it took her mother's patented 'I'm-the-Queen-and-you'd-best-listen-to-me-now' voice to hush everyone up.
"Enough!" The Queen smiled serenely. "That's much better, thank you." She turned to Lord Covington one last time. "Now, my lord, I do believe you have finally raised a valid point before this Council." DG's jaw very nearly hit the table along with those of the rest of her family.
Lord Covington eyed the Queen as if she was some sort of poisonous snake preparing to strike. "I did, Your Majesty?"
"Indeed you did, my lord." She turned her gaze to her daughters. "My darlings, I do believe it is past time that you both learned to defend yourselves." This time it was Lord Covington's jaw that dropped. Her smile now utterly superior, Queen Lavender Eyes addressed her Chief Advisor and Guard Commander. "Ambrose, my dear, I can think of no one more qualified in hand to hand combat, and Mr. Cain, your skill with a firearm is indeed as impressive. Would you both be so kind as to instruct my daughters in this matter?"
Glitch babbled something about how honored he was, but DG tuned him out. She was far too busy trying not to stare at her newly appointed firearms instructor. She failed, of course, and glancing over, found him staring at her with a most peculiar expression glinting from his eyes.
"Wyatt?" he mouthed.
So yeah, there it was! Let me know what you thought, my dears- reviews really do get my muse out of his rut!