A/N: Happy Saturday!
Aubrey: Yep, Scout's a princess now :)
Raider: haha...and the ships are off :P I had a life last night. Was a lot of fun :) Today...not so much of a life. Stupid adulthood with its responsibilities...
Saberin: Have fun traveling! Hope you enjoy whatever culture you're diving into :)
Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan. And still not Australian.
Scout, Gwen, and Kelly rode with Warden and the rest of their party towards the port. They boarded a wolfship bound for Araluen. The three followed the jarl below deck to the room they'd share. When he opened the door Scout squealed with pleasure. The room was twice as big as the usual stateroom and held six beds. Two were already occupied. Scout left her companions and ran into the arms of Alyss, Pauline, and Halt.
"I think you need to scream a little louder. Arrida didn't quite hear our welcome siren," her grandfather teased her grimly. Scout threw her arms around him.
"Daideo, I've missed you so much!" She turned to Pauline. "You too Grandmother…and you as well Aunt Alyss. What are you three doing here? I thought I was meeting you in Araluen."
"What type of Courier would I be if I didn't come to personally welcome the new princess to our mission?" Alyss laughed lightly. "Especially a princess from a country we are so closely aligned. As for those two…"
"I retired finally," Pauline told her. "Halt and I wanted to travel a bit together before we got old."
"Though one of you is already there," Alyss whispered. Scout giggled but her grandfather grimaced.
"You see what I've put up with, Scout?" Halt asked sympathetically. "They've have been tag-teaming me ever since we left Araluen."
"I'm sorry but what gave you the impression I'd be on your side?"
Pauline and Alyss laughed. Halt just scowled. "I can't believe I let you two talk me into this voyage. We haven't even left the ship since it made port."
"You wanted to see Scout," Pauline reminded him.
Halt eyed Scout brightly. "And the first thing she does is insult me."
Scout wrapped her arms around him again. "I've missed all of you."
"Who are your friends?" Alyss asked. Scout looked over at Gwen and Kelly. Gwen seemed nervous while Kelly smiled warmly.
"Lady Gwen and Kelly…and this is part of my family. That's Lady Alyss, my aunt, and these are my grandparents Ranger Halt and Lady Pauline."
Gwen and Kelly both curtsied. "Shall we find somewhere else to sleep, Your Grace?" Gwen asked with uncertainty. Why Gwen, a lady of the court, had less confidence than Kelly, a maid, Scout would never know.
"No need there's enough beds here for everyone," Alyss told them when Scout faltered. Scout watched as Gwen set the small pack she'd been carrying on a bed while Kelly set to ferrying everything else in. Scout sat with her grandparents and aunt telling them all about Hibernia.
"What's happened in Araluen?" Scout finally asked. "How is everyone?"
"A lot has happened since you left and I believe most everyone wants to wait and tell you themselves. Everyone will be gathering in Redmont when you are scheduled to go through there. You'll only have a night to catch up, however we can tell you Kane's in Iberion scouting for campaign there and your dear little sister has begun taking muffins to the Ward twice a week," Pauline answered. Scout smiled with the building anticipation.
"Everyone will be there?"
"Almost everyone," Alyss promised. "I believe Rosalina and Carissa are on a return trip from Celtica by now. They've been on a trip similar to the one you've been assigned. A trader told us there was quite a bit of storm damage to the port they were set to depart from so we predict they'll be a little late and Daniel's been busy with some criminal in his fief."
Later that night Scout stood at the bow with Gwen, Kelly, and Warden. The group huddled together as the sea air chilled and warmed their hands with cups of hot beverages Kelly had prepared. Gwen drank tea almost as religiously as the Araluen Rangers drank coffee. Kelly herself drank black coffee so bitter Scout couldn't believe her maid could stomach the stuff. Scout and Warden, however, drank cocoa. Scout had taught Kelly her mother's secret after receiving one too many overly-sweet and too-chocolaty drinks from the maid. It wasn't as good as her mother's but it was close.
"Your family seems nice," Kelly said as she pulled her cloak closer. "Though your grandfather is…well, a bit grim."
"Kelly! He could have been our king!" Gwen gasped. Kelly nodded.
"Yes and he is grim."
Scout just smiled. "He's grim," she agreed. "But it's all just an act. He's really not that bad if he likes you."
"And if he doesn't like you?" Warden asked.
"You are doomed."
"Scout, what is Araluen like?" Kelly asked with genuine interest. Scout shrugged.
"A lot like Hibernia, I suppose. Just different people."
"Will we meet your parents?" Warden asked. Over their short friendship Scout had learned Warden thought her father a hero. Scout shrugged.
"Probably, but I'm not sure."
"Seems like she's made friends," Alyss said softly from where the Araluens gathered far away from the young group of Hibernians. Scout, as they'd expected, was accompanied by a dozen people. There were six guards, the personal maid Kelly, a lady-in-waiting, a Courier, and two lawyers shadowing her. Seeing her with the youngest of the guards, obviously a protégé apprentice added to the princess's entourage so she could be around someone her age, made them smile. The young guard was clearly good looking. The younger lady seemed stiff but her maid appeared comfortably at ease with her superiors. Scout smiled as they chatted.
"It's good she's happy," Pauline agreed. "I was worried she wouldn't find a fit."
"She's adaptable, like her mother," Halt said.
"More like her father."
Alyss smiled as she watched the young circle. "What do you think she'll do when she sees her parents?"
The other two Araluens shrugged. "We'll find out."
"Papa!" Scout exclaimed as she raced down the gangway. Liam caught her as she threw herself at him. "Papa I can't believe this! Where are Mama and Caitlyn?"
"Scout!"
Scout turned around just in time to catch her little sister. Caitlyn had grown a lot in the year and half Scout had been away, at least four inches. Caitlyn latched herself to Scout's waist. "Hello Caitlyn," she laughed.
"Scout, I've missed you so much!"
"They really do love each other," Pauline said to Alyss.
"Wish mine would do that every so often."
"Where's Mama?" Scout asked after turning away from her sister.
"In Redmont," Liam told her. "You'll get to see her tonight."
"She couldn't come?"
"She's been busy with work. She really wanted to be here, Scout, but you know how the Battalion is."
Scout nodded. She hugged Caitlyn again and then turned to meet the others. William and Ace were there with their mother and so was little Dalby, Gilan and Jenny's youngest. Scout lifted Dalby when he reached her and spun him around. "Where are your parents?" she asked.
"Daddy's working and Mummy's making dinner for us in Redmont."
"All hail Princess Scout," William shouted. He tossed up his hands in mock praise. Scout slapped him playfully before embracing him. Dalby latched himself to William in the transfer so that Ace could grab Scout by the waist from behind. He lurched her away from his older brother and spun a few times before setting her down. Scout wrapped her arms around him.
"Ace," she laughed.
"Welcome home Scout."
Scout noticed Warden, Gwen, and Kelly standing patiently to the side. Warden and Gwen stood side by side looking official while Kelly stayed a few steps behind them with her hands folded over her apron. Scout gestured for them to come closer. "These are my cousins…sort of," she told the Hibernians. "That's William and this is Ace, and this is Dalby. Say hello Dalby."
Dalby grinned. "Hi!" he told them.
"Prince William?" Gwen asked. William and Scout shared a glance.
"Some would call me that," William answered slowly. Scout's friends immediately changed. Gwen curtsied low and Warden bowed. Kelly curtsied in a far swifter fashion and averted her eyes. Scout gave William an apologetic look.
"You don't have to do that right now," she insisted. "William and Ace are…"
"You'll get used to that Scout," Cassandra said as she stepped forward to embrace her. "Don't worry over it." Scout smiled and hugged her back.
"You've come."
"Well I'd better. The crown princess of Hibernia is arriving today." Cassandra leaned close to Scout's ear and whispered, "You learn to have fun with your pack of hovering servants who can't distinguish formal and casual occasions." She leaned up and looked toward Scout's Hibernian friends. "I'm Queen Cassandra of Araluen."
They curtsied and bowed again. Scout smiled nervously. "Um…well that's Lady Gwen, Warden, and Kelly."
Lady Melissa came forward and, after a formal curtsy, glared at Scout. "Your display was unbecoming. We'll have to work on that." She nodded to Cassandra. "Your Majesty."
Lady Melissa went to bark judgments at the men unloading the ship. Scout blushed with embarrassment. Cassandra just smiled. "The lady in charge of your training, I presume?"
"Yes," Scout answered.
"Charming woman."
Scout looked back towards her sister. Caitlyn was standing a few feet away from the Hibernians with an odd look on her face. The Hibernians studied her. "I'm Caitlyn," she told them. Warden and Gwen exchanged nervous looks but Kelly took a few steps closer and knelt to her sister's level.
"I'm Kelly, Miss Caitlyn. You're Scout's little sister, yes?"
"Yes. Are you from Hibernia?"
"I am."
"Do you work with Scout?"
"In a manner of speaking, I do."
Caitlyn smiled widely and grabbed Kelly's hand. "Come meet my cousins. You'll like them…except for William. He's thickheaded."
William narrowed his eyes towards her but was at a loss for words. Instead he said, "I'm the crown prince of Araluen and I get put down by some teenage Ranger's daughter."
"Yes you do," Caitlyn retorted. The exchange got a smirk from Warden and muffled giggle from Kelly. Gwen was mortified. Scout smiled.
"Well come on then," Halt beckoned. "Jenny's cooking in Redmont. If we're late she'll have our heads."
They all mounted up and rode towards Scout's childhood home. She was able to convince Kelly to ride with her and the Araluen princes but Warden and Gwen both kept their distance. Dalby rode in front of Alyss. Scout wondered how he'd weaseled his way into coming along with the others. She urged her horse faster once the Leaf cabin was in view. Her mother leaned against the porch railing waiting for them. Gilan sat on the steps with her uncle Will with Quinlan between them. A boy about Scout's age wearing a Ranger uniform practiced throwing knives in the yard at a makeshift target.
Scout dismounted and collided with her mother in a very un-Melissa-approved fashion. Her mother stumbled back but the porch railing kept them both upright. Lina laughed and tightly embraced Scout as well. "I missed you too," her mother laughed. Liam joined them and steadied Lina so she didn't have to use the railing for balance. David, Dalby's older brother, came outside and hugged Scout before running to do an errand for his mother. Gilan and Will welcomed Scout and then went back to monitoring the knife throwing practice. Scout barely got through the second round of introductions before William pulled her to the side.
"I've got something to tell you before you hear it somewhere else," he told her.
"What's that?" Scout asked.
"I'm getting married."
Scout stared at him. "No you're not."
"I am, to Princess Anamaria of Iberion."
"Aren't Araluen and Iberion on unfriendly terms? If I remember right Kane's scouting for a company there."
"Yes but we're trying to change that. See, Anamaria came to Araluen for schooling when we were young. She's the youngest of six siblings so she hasn't really any responsibility other than to be a figurehead in Iberion. We've kept in touch and shortly before you left she returned to finish her education. We've been seeing each other and…well I spoke to my parents about it and they think it's a great idea. We love each other but my whole crown prince thing sort of dictates they type of person I can marry and well…everyone loves Anamaria. She's charming and clever and knows what's expected of her…and she can ride a horse better than half the Royal Cavalry."
"I'm happy for you, William, but what do you mean being the crown prince dictates who you can marry?"
"Come on, you understand…that's why you went to Hibernia instead of Caitlyn right? A crown heir has to marry either a good leader or a good figure people can unite under."
Scout nodded. "That's right I suppose."
"You'll get to meet Anamaria before you go on to Arrida. She's great. I know you'll get along great."