Can you guess who Bruce wants his little boy to marry? Find out this chapter!
Jesters and Kings
Part the Third
The time soon came for Richard to leave, and Barbara was sorely grieved, though she hid it well. They both knew that, with the Duke forbidding Barbara to go to court, they were unlikely to see each other for a very long time. Barbara was holding back tears, something very uncharacteristic of her. She flew into Richard's arms, not caring about propriety, and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.
"I'll miss you so much," she told him, her voice near shaking.
Richard stroked at her red hair, near tears himself and trying to hold them back it was an effort just to speak. "I know, my love. I shall miss you dearly, too. I will write you diligently, though, and we will be regular correspondents."
Barbara snorted, pulling away from Richard with a fragile smile on her face. "Of course," she said, the sarcasm falling from her voice like rain from a cloud. "You always say so. And yet it is always I who ends up the primary correspondent and you are not nearly as diligent as you always claim you will be."
Richard smile guiltily and shrugged. "I always intend to, but Father keeps me so busy with matters of state that I never have the time."
"Yes, of course," Barbara agreed. She pointed an accusing finger at him and rammed it into his chest as she spoke, punctuating her words. "But you will make time to write to me, Richard Grayson, or so help me, I will tell Donna that you used to think that you were in love with her."
Richard paled and caught Barbara's hand as she moved to return it to her side. "Don't," he pleaded. "I'll write you a letter a day if you swear you will not tell her."
Barbara laughed and yanked her hand back. "Worry not, darling, I shan't tell her. Just write to me. I'm going to feel your absence enough as it is."
Richard smile once more and grabbed Barbara's hand once more, bringing it to his mouth to kiss it, letting his lips linger there for a moment more than was strictly necessary. "As I will feel yours, my lady. As I will feel yours,"
He let her hand go, then, and turned to his horse, mounting quickly and gracefully, with the ease of someone who was used to greater feats of agility. He blew her a kiss and spurred his horse, taking off quickly. She stood and waved until he was so far down the road that she could not see him and then turned back to the manor. She looked over her shoulder only once before walking in and going back to her sewing.
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When King Bruce received his eldest son back at court, Richard was not unsurprised to find many new ladies. They came in almost all shapes and sizes, but he was pleased to see a few familiar faces. Princess Diana was there with Princess Donna, and Lady Raven was in the corner speaking an old friend, Sir Roy. Richard shook his head at this; Sir Roy was famously known as someone who liked to "board other men's boats", as the saying went, and though Richard was not as familiar with Lady Raven as he was with Princess Donna, he was fairly sure that she was too shy to stop any of Roy's advances. Sighing, he made a mental note to speak with his friend about his womanizing ways. Still, he had more pressing matters of diplomacy to deal with. He started with the Themysciran princesses, bowing low to Diana and Donna in respect.
"Your Highnesses," he greeted them with an easy smile. "It has been an age since we last met, if I do say so,"
Diana smiled and Donna giggled. "Your Highness." Donna said. "It certainly has been rather long. Tell me, how are things here?"
"They are well," Richard answered. "As a matter of fact, I am fresh from a visit with the Duke of Acryl and his daughter."
"Ah, how is Lady Barbara? I am exceedingly fond of her, though I fear I have not heard from her in even a longer period than I haven't corresponded with you, Your Highness."
"She is quite well," he assured the princess. "When I spoke to her of you on my visit she begged that I give you her affections and her promises that she would write to you as soon as she was at leisure to do so."
"Then I shall expect a letter from her soon, I expect," the Princess said. "No, if you will excuse me, Your Highness, my sister and I must be off. There are many people that we have yet to greet."
Donna curtsied to the young prince, and together with her sister, walked away. Richard shook his head, smiling as he watched the pair walk away. He knew exactly why both of them were at court; Bruce wanted Princess Diana, and had in mind that Richard should want Princess Donna. He knew that his father was eager for him to marry, but Richard had other ideas. He knew was long passed the age princes were expected to marry, much less heirs apparent, but this did not faze him.
He saw her then, standing in the corner, chatting with his friend Wallace of Starkend. He had mistaken her for Barbara at first, because of her long and flowing red hair, but upon second glance he had no idea how he had mistaken the two. Her hair was much longer, her skin a much darker tone than Barbara's light peach. When she laughed at something Wallace said, she threw her head back, her long curls dangling lower, past her waist, her clear, emerald eyes shining, even from so far away.
He felt himself drawn to her, taking a few steps towards her before he realized what he was doing. She was gorgeous, and though Richard was not the type of man to stare at a woman, he could feel himself staring at this woman nonetheless. He could think of only one other woman who had ever had such an effect on him, and that woman was Lady Barbara, though in a radically different way.
Shaking his head briefly, Richard walked towards Wallace and, clapping him familiarly on the shoulder, asked who the beautiful lady he was conversing with was.
Wallace opened his mouth to speak, but the lady beat him to his introduction. "I am Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran, my lord," she said, sweeping into a low and elegant curtsey. She came back up, smiling widely and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "And I am most pleased to meet you."
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Barbara looked up from her sewing, a strange feeling washing over her. She felt as if her world had suddenly shifted. Her brow furrowed for a moment, but she bid the moment pass, and went back to her sewing.