Ursula swallowed. "I wish that could be true, but until the welfare of the prisoners is front and center in the discussions, I'm afraid nothing will be agreed to."
He stared at her. "Is this your decision? Or the Queen's?"
How should she answer? If she said she didn't want to marry his uncle, wouldn't that be the end of the discussion? It wasn't her place to usurp Mariana's power as Queen to negotiate with Heyton.
On the other hand, she couldn't say she would marry King Killian because it just wasn't true.
She took a deep breath and said calmly, "The prisoners still in Heyton are my only concern, but I am merely the Royal Princess. The Queen has yet to make her feelings on your proposal known."
"I see, Your Highness." He nodded. "I will speak to my uncle, and I look forward to our next meeting."
Chapter 6
After the women left the library, Gideon hurried back to the guest rooms.
"Dashiel," he called before the door was completely closed behind him. The valet strolled out of his room.
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Fetch the speaking bowl."
Dashiell raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Of course." He went into the room Gideon was using and carried out a dark blue wooden box about the half the size of a travel trunk. The top and sides of the box were decorated with golden sea shells and green and yellow fish that appeared to be leaping out of the water. A golden latch and a horn-shaped pearl held the lid closed.
He set the box on the floor in front of the low table in the center of the room and opened the latch. Then he stepped back, bowing his head slightly.
Gideon walked over to the container, looking down at the blue and green marble bowl that sat within. It had been made for him by the chief of the Anamii tribe when word reached him that Gideon was a Water Sensitive. The Prince didn't even remember when he'd received it, but he knew he was the only descendant of the previous King to have that Ability.
For most of his life, he'd thought the bowl had been a pretty piece of stone work, something to set on a shelf and look at. It was a beautiful item and was the one thing he owned that hadn't come from his uncle or grandfather.
Dash went to a low counter in the corner of the sitting room and picked up a porcelain pitcher of water. Without saying a word, he brought it to Gideon, set it on the table, and disappeared into his own room.
When Gideon figured out he could communicate through the water, King Lucius and Queen Verity, his grandparents, had instructed the court that the Prince should be left alone when he did his magic. He suspected it was less out of respect and more because the rest of the family was uncomfortable about Water Sensitivity.
This Sensitivity was used to manipulate water, as in drying clothing or finding wells or springs. Some Sensitives could mute or dampen the magic of others or sense emotions.
That was something the Anamii did, not upstanding members of the Heyton court. Even Duke Thomas kept his own Abilities quiet to avoid upsetting the sovereign.
As far as Gideon knew, he was the only Water Sensitive who could use the Element to communicate across long distances, as long as a similar bowl of water was set up in the other location. When he received this bowl as a gift, the King, his grandfather, was given a matching one. Now that bowl sat in Uncle Killian's private sitting room, and he was the only one who was allowed to use it.
Initiating communication in this way was tricky because Gideon never knew for certain his uncle would be available to receive his message, but he had to try. He had too many questions to be able to go on with this assignment.
He poured the water from the pitcher into the bowl, taking slow breaths in and out, summoning the power to him.
Taking a deep breath, Gideon closed his eyes and reached out with his Water Sensitivity.
Then, as the last drop fell from the lip of the pitcher to the surface of the contents of the bowl, he felt a rush, like a tidal wave, fill him, and for a moment, his breath stopped as liquid filled his lungs. The sensation of drowning stunned him as it always did, but it was not something he feared. In fact, he almost welcomed it as a natural part of himself, something he never realized he was missing until he did this again.
Then, the feeling vanished, and he stared into the smooth fluid surface of the water, concentrating on his uncle's conduit.
"Gideon, is that you, boy?" King Killian's voice came to him, clear but faint.
"Of course, it's me, Uncle. Who else could it be?"
The King's hearty laugh filled the room in the Valborough Palace, and Gideon grimaced. He wasn't ashamed of his talent, but it felt more like a party trick he was coerced to pull out for family gatherings. He had no desire for the servants here to gossip about the strange Heytonian Prince who could talk to water.
"Have you gotten me wed already, son? I'm proud of you. You work fast."
"No, Your Majesty. The Queen is going over your proposal with her advisors. I have been talking to Princess Ursula, however. Is it true there are Valboroughan men in our prisons and dungeons?"
"Old news, Gideon. The war is long over. You are there for the future."
"Uncle Killian, how can you say that? These men should be sent home."
The King's features became hard, and he leaned closer to the water. "Their King refused to talk of reparations or ransoms. Can we help it if Jonathan cared nothing for the lives of over two hundred men?"
"Do you care nothing for them?" Gideon could get angry too. "We won. Why do we need to punish those men? Aren't we supposed to be the superior kingdom? Sending those men home will go a long way toward smoothing the path to peace between our two countries."
"So would the payment of the reparations to the rebuilding of the destroyed port. Are you on their side now?"
Gideon swallowed. Both sides had erred in this, and who was he to make sense of all the political moves and counter moves? After a moment, he continued, "Someone has to give in first, sire."
"Fine. Tell the Queen I will release the prisoners as soon as Princess Ursula becomes my wife. In body as well as name."
"You would blackmail the Princess into marrying you?"
Uncle Killian shook his head. "It's a deal, not blackmail. Don't be dramatic, Gideon. This is how politics is done. Didn't they teach you anything practical in that school?"
"They didn't teach me about using people as currency."
"And that is why you will never be King. Do it, Gideon. Show me that for all your deficiencies, you can be of use to Heyton."
Without waiting for his nephew's answer, Killian disturbed the water in his bowl, disrupting the connection, and leaving Gideon staring into nothing.
"Deficiencies?" Dash asked.
Gideon spun around at the sound of his friend's voice. "You heard that?"
"I hadn't intended to eavesdrop." Dashiell walked to the table. Gideon still sat on the floor, and his friend joined him there. "I heard your voice raised, and I thought someone had come in."
After a moment, he continued, "The King still sees you as less than a man? Even after five years at the university?"
Gideon winced at his friend's blunt words but couldn't deny the truth of them. "The schooling doesn't matter to him. I could be made chancellor of the whole Element-forsaken thing, but I still can't hold a sword or ride a horse. In his mind, I am barely any better than a child."
He struggled to his feet, grateful Dash didn't try to help. They'd been friends long enough that his friend knew he didn't want to be treated like a cripple. Why didn't his own family recognize he could take care of himself?
While he retrieved the bowl's box, Dash dumped the water out a window and brought it back to the Prince.
"Why do you jump to obey him?" his friend asked, holding the lid open while Gideon wrapped the bowl and set it inside. "I mean, I know he's the King, but he could have sent someone else to do this."
Gideon sighed but said nothing as he refastened the box's clasp and set it on the floor. Then he limped to the liquor cabinet and pour
ed himself a glass of Jena Vendemmia, a red wine made in the southern mountains of Valborough. After drinking it down in one swallow, he returned to his friend who was now sitting on the sofa.
"I thought maybe this was a chance to prove I don't have to be a warrior to be useful." He raised his eyes to Dash. "Pathetic, huh?"
Shaking his head, Dashiell said, "Of course it isn't. Everyone wants to figure out where they belong. It's normal."
Gideon sat next to his friend and laid his head on the back of the sofa, staring at the ceiling. "I just want to get this over with and get back to the university. At least there, no one reminded me constantly I was less than a man."
Dashiell jabbed the Prince with his elbow. "I'm certain there is one young lady would who testify to your manhood."
In spite of his frustration with the situation, Gideon had to grin. "Kaiya. She was beautiful."
Dash sighed. "What was it about that university that it attracted such lovely women?"
"I did enjoy being around so much beauty and not being related to any of it."
"You're not related to any of the beauties here," Dash reminded him. "From what I've seen, there are quite a few, too."
"And that's why Uncle Killian didn't dare send one of the other nephews." He looked at his friend, raising one eyebrow.
The valet stood, heading toward the liquor. "You're joking, aren't you?"
Gideon dropped his head in his hands. "It's maddening. I love Heyton and want to be of service to her, but not this way. Not as a non-threatening escort to the King’s new bride."
"What does Princess Ursula think of the King's proposal?"
"I don't know. I haven't had a chance to talk to her officially."
"Officially?" Dashiell grinned. "Did you talk to her unofficially?" He came back to the sofa and dropped onto it like he was ready for a long, interesting piece of gossip.
"I ran into the Princess and her Ladies when I was reading in the library. We had an interesting and surprisingly civil conversation."
"She's beautiful, or so I understand from some of the servants."
"She's attractive," Gideon admitted. "And she has some strong ideas about Heyton. I think Uncle Killian may be in for a surprise if they do marry. She might not turn out to be the simple heir-breeder he's looking for."
The next morning, the kitchen staff brought two waist-high buffet counters into the conference chamber. On the first, they set out an array of pastries on silver trays, a large glass bowl filled with cut up fruit spiced with cinnamon and saffron, and two large ceramic pots on metal stands over heating candles.
From the aroma wafting from one of the pots, Ursula knew it held coffee made from the special beans grown by Sahdeer Legeradan. The Flora Sensitive had given Mariana three hundred bags of them in honor of her coronation.
The second buffet counter held four silver serving dishes on matching raised stands above small, custom-made heating trays. In addition, on one end sat bowls of clotted cream, pitchers of milk and three kinds of juice, and a tray of cold, sliced meats.
After pouring herself a cup of coffee and adding cream to it, Ursula took a plate from her place at the large dark wooden table in the middle of the room and lifted the lid of the first serving dish.
The enticing aroma of Onaret chicken eggs mixed with yellow tomatoes and sweet purple peppers made her stomach gurgle in a quite unladylike fashion. Fortunately, she was alone in the room. She dished herself a generous portion of the eggs, took some bacon and ham from the second tray, and went back to the table.
A few moments later, Orlando and Traren came into the room, each dressed in a formal uniform. Orlando's had been made by the royal tailor for his wife's coronation.
The red jacket had a deep, round neckline which revealed part of the black shirt worn below it. Gold embroidery embellished the jacket, depicting the yellow fish he had taken as his symbol. A wide red sash was draped from his left shoulder to his right hip. This was a sign of his Blood Sensitivity.
Traren wore a silver-gray military uniform with gold buttons and black, fringed epaulets. The trousers were tucked into knee-high boots made out of leather dyed to match the color of the garment.
The sleeves of his jacket flared from elbow to wrist and had a band of red satin along the edges. This signified his recognition of Orlando as his commanding officer, so symbolically, Traren claimed Blood Sensitivity, although he had none of his own.
Both men had been rebels against the crown when Ursula's father had been King. Then, they were committed to doing what they could to convince King Jonathan to pay whatever ransom Heyton demanded to get the prisoners returned home.
It was not surprising both of them wanted to be involved in the negotiations. What surprised Ursula was that more of the former rebels had not demanded to be here.
"Is Mariana well enough to attend the discussion?" Ursula asked her brother-in-law. The Queen was expecting twins, according to the Court Physician.
"She will be here soon," Orlando said as he prepared himself some coffee and breakfast. "The babies shouldn't be making their appearance for a few more weeks, but Kylan and the Court Physician will be nearby today just in case something unexpected happens."
Before Ursula could respond, the Queen came into the room, shadowed by Jessamae, her constant companion since the pregnancy had begun to affect the Queen's daily activities.
"Good morning," Mariana said. She walked, although Ursula thought waddling was a better description, to the chair at the head of the table. She smiled, but Ursula could sense an edge of discomfort coming from her.
"How are you feeling?" the Princess asked her sister.
Mariana sighed. "I know you can tell I'm not comfortable, but it's not as bad as it could be. Liliana and Victoria charmed a pendant with some of their magic so I can use it to help carry some of the extra weight."
Ursula frowned. "You couldn't use Air Abilities yourself? Is something wrong?"
"No. It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but at this point, it would take quite a bit of concentrating to do it myself. If we didn't have the negotiations today, I wouldn't even bother."
Ursula bit her lip to keep from grinning. Her sister did look like she was growing an over-sized watermelon inside her. "I didn't realize how the new Royals were affecting you," the Princess was able to say after a moment.
Mariana shook her head. "You can laugh. I'm sure I look like a duck walking through the palace."
"A sweet, lovely duck," Orlando said as he bent over her to kiss her cheek.
"Well, there is something all women want to hear from their husbands," she said, patting his cheek and laughing.
Ursula smiled, watching her sister. Mariana deserved this happiness. Even with all the responsibilities and pressures that came with running an entire kingdom, especially one in the condition their father had left it, Mariana was happier than Ursula had ever seen her. Marriage must be good for her.
The thought of marriage brought Ursula back to one of the main points of these negotiations, and her stomach clenched. Suddenly, her appetite disappeared, and she set her fork carefully on the edge of her plate. Lady Rebecca, who sat near the wall behind Ursula, ready to take notes or be available should the Princess need something, stepped up to her.
"Is something wrong with the food, Your Highness?"
Ursula shook her head. "No, Becky. Thank you. I'm fine. I suppose I just took more than I needed." She met her friend's eyes. "You needn't worry."
As her companion went back to her seat, Prince Gideon and another man stepped into the doorway of the conference room.
Mariana clanked her silverware against the china as she tried to stand. Orlando put his hand on her shoulder from where he stood behind her. "Don't get up."
"No, please," Prince Gideon said, motioning to the Queen with a flattened palm. "I don't want to cause any distress." He bowed. "Although, I probably violated about fifteen different rules of protocol by even saying that."
Mariana and Orlando exchanged gl
ances, and Ursula saw a tiny grin tug at the corners of her sister's mouth.
"Undoubtedly," the Queen said, tipping her head in the Prince's direction. "However, at this point, I am willing to overlook it. I certainly have no desire to force the issue. Please, help yourself to some breakfast."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Gideon said. He glanced at Ursula, and she saw the same beginnings of a smile on his face. Her skin flushed, and she lowered her eyes. Why should she react to him looking at her? It wasn't as though his expression was some kind of special one just for her.
"Your Majesty, may I present my chief advisor, Lord Dashiell of Botham?" the Prince said. He hadn't moved from where he stood in the doorway, and Ursula was surprised. How long had she been thinking about his face? It felt like several minutes, but clearly, almost no time had passed.
The man standing behind Gideon stepped forward. His dark tousled hair was a stark contrast to Gideon's sandy blond straight cut. Also, where Gideon had striking blue-green, almost turquoise eyes, Lord Dashiell's were deep brown. He had a muscular build and was a bit taller than the Prince.
"Welcome, Lord Dashiell," the Queen said. "Prince Gideon, I hope your accommodations were satisfactory and that you and your party slept well."
Gideon and his friend went to the buffet tables and began filling plates with food. "The rooms were quite satisfactory, Your Majesty."
A few minutes passed as the two men from Heyton got their food and settled themselves at the far end of the dining table. Kitchen staff and footmen hovered nearby.
Margress Whillamina, head of Mariana's protocol office, bustled into the room, her arms laden with books, undoubtedly having to do with the history of the two kingdoms and the rules of how negotiations such as this one were to be handled. Three young men followed her, carrying scrolls, pens, and even more books. They waited for her to sit at the small desk behind and to Mariana's right. Then two of Lady Whillamina's assistants arranged her pens and ink wells, and the third prepared a cup of coffee.
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