The Differences Between Rulers

After the tea party ended, Lady Brook took me to High Lord Volanti's study. The room was as large as my bedroom had been. The desk was well-made and beautifully engraved. It matched the bookshelves lining the two walls beside the door. These shelves contained leather bound editions of books on a wide range of subjects, so that they might serve as a small, but varied library for the Dragon King's guests.

The floor of the room was covered with a forest green carpet stitched with gold thread to resemble trees in the autumn. The currents on the windows were the same shade of green. There were two small jasmine trees in the back corners of the room and when the breeze blew through the open windows, it carried the scent of honeysuckle with it. The honeysuckle and the jasmine layered together to create a sweet yet not overpowering scent that brought a small smile to my face.

"Is there something wrong?" High Lord Volanti asked upon seeing me.

I blinked, "No, everything is fine, I believe. Why do you ask?" I began to worry that he might have heard of my conversation with Prince Blaize.

The High Lord smiled at me, "I just don't believe, I've ever seen you smile like that before. You like quite becoming, Kylara."

I blushed and looked down to my right. I felt Lady Brook stiffen beside me.

"It's just the scent in the room reminded me of my mother." I said. I could feel my smile fading again.

The High Lord quickly sniffed the air.

"Honeysuckle and Jasmine. I will have someone make you some as a perfume. That way you can always carry a remembrance of your mother with you." He said with an indulgent smile.

My blush deepened and I curtsied, "Thank you my Lord."

"You are quite welcome, Kylara." High Lord Volanti said. "Now, that matter from this morning has been dealt with. Unfortunately due to the fire, most of your belongings were destroyed. I was able to salvage only these items."

The High Lord pushed my enchanted letter box across his desk. On top of it was a small pouch containing my entire collection of uncut gemstones. There were quite a few in there. I had picked them up on the journey to the palace. Finding such stones was not unusual for me. When I was near one, they'd sing sort of and I'd follow the song to find them.

I was surprised he was giving them back to me though, I'd thought the wealthy always liked to acquire more wealth.

"Thank you for saving these for me my Lord. I'd be lost without them." I said.

The High Lord continued, "This is the key to your new rooms. They are the green rooms on the first floor. I believe you will like them. The balcony lets out into the gardens. I hope you and Glade had a pleasant shopping trip today."

I forced a polite smile, to hide my true feelings. I had known that Lord Glade would have rather been anywhere else than shopping with me and when he saw the coats, shirts, and pants that I was ordering he'd gotten angry for some reason.

"Lord Glade was a perfect gentle-male the entire time and it was refreshing to get out of the palace." I replied politely. The High Lord's face remained smiling but his eyes hardened.

"I see. Well, the dressing bell rang some time ago, and I believe one of you outfits arrived. You should go change." He said.

I nodded and was about to leave when I remembered the servant, who'd been caring for me for the past four days. When I told Prince Blaize she was dead, I was just trying to call his bluff and it worked but I still wanted to know that she was alive somewhere.

"Was there something else?" The High Lord asked.

I bit my lip and nodded slowly.

"The servant, the one you told me went to get you this morning-" I trailed off at the coldness on High Lord Volanti's normally warm face.

He watched me for a moment, then smiled again, "She has of course been relocated. You do not need to concern yourself with such things." I nodded again, still feeling uneasy.

"Of course," I said, "I will go change now. Thank you for your help, my Lord."

I hurried from the room.

***

I arrived at the Formal Dining Hall for the feast which marked the official start of the mating season. Pulling a book out of my new bag, I began reading. Fifteen minutes passed before the door opened again and admitted Miss Goldleaf and Lord Rhana. Miss Goldleaf glared at me as she walked by. Once the two of them had sat in the highest seats they could, the Dragon King stood raising his hands for quiet.

"Before we begin the feast my son would like to make a few announcements regarding the mating season which he is running this year." He said. Prince Pharon smiled at his father and stood.

"Thank you, Father." The Prince looked at the most of the people pread out over the tables excepting me as he unfolded a sheet of paper. "We are giving two prizes this year. The first will be four merchant trading vessels given to the first male who accepts an offer and is approved by his female's family. The second prize is the Kazak iron mines, the Zolani gold mine, and the Vikara copper mines. They will be given to the male who claims the most desirable female. That is the female whose offer was accepted the greatest number of times." The Prince finished.

I felt white hot anger well up inside of her. I recognized the names of those mines. Thomas and I owned them.

Females weren't allowed to own property inside Viceria, due to the strict laws, which had necessitated me to use Thomas to buy those mines on my behalf. Such arrangements between us were common and had been since we started selling my collections of uncut stones.

I trusted Thomas, and we were good friends. We shared the profits of such ventures evenly.

The prince, finished with his announcements, sat down and the King clapped signaling the servants to bring out the lavish meal. It might have been ash because I was so angry. I forced herself to eat a few bites but that was all I could manage.

Once the places were all cleared, and people were free to move around. I marched up to Prince Pharon. He was surrounded by a knot of males and females all trying hard to hold his attention.

"Your Highness," I said loudly cutting through the chatter. Prince Pharon looked at me coldly. "I need to speak with you."

"No thank you, I am not interested in discussing who you want as a partner at this time. I will send out the list of pairings next week. I am sure you will not be disappointed, but I wonder if you can stand the disappointment of others." He said. The polite smile on his face had turned sanguine.

"Not that it will matter who she wants. No one is going to request a cow as a partner." Some male mocked. Several people snickered. Anger made my jaw clench.

"This is a matter of business, your Highness." I said. My voice was dangerously soft. Prince Pharon's eyes lit up with amusement.

"What business would a female such as you have with a Prince?" He asked. His tone was light and mocking. Everyone laughed.

"Those mines you're giving away aren't yours. They belong to m- a friend of mine who has no interest in selling at this time." The laughter died at my words.

"Oh really? How do you know that?" Prince Pharon asked with no trace of amusement now.

"I just advised him to invest rather heavily into them to make them more profitable. He will not sell them now." I said firmly. Prince Pharon flapped a hand dismissively.

"Your friend is a commoner. Everyone knows commoners are greedy and shortsighted." He said. "When presented with our offer he will leap at the chance of such a large amount of money."

"He is not stupid, and neither am I. We know the value of those mines and he will not sell." Prince Pharon's expression switched to irritation as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Then my father will seize the mines!" He snapped. My eyes narrowed and my face hardened in anger.

"We- He paid good money for those mines. Your father should not just take them." I said fiercely.

"These lands and everything in them belongs to my father. It is his right to do as he pleases with them. Your friend had better remember that."

I felt a wave of anger overwhelm me. I smiled politely at the prince in response to it.

"Fine, if that is the way things work here, then I think none of Thomas' investments in your father's lands are safe. I will have to advise him to sell them all." I said. My voice was calm though anger raged through me.

"Excuse me, your Highness." I sneered with the shallowest curtsy possible. Then I turned my back and walked away.

As I moved through the room, I could feel someone's eyes following me. When I turned to look behind me, I saw Kane watching me with a worried expression. A feeling of sorrow welled up in me from nowhere, but I stifled it down.

Upon reaching the door, I realized why he was worried. Rhana stood leaning against it. The wine glass in his hand was empty and judging by the glassiness in his eyes, it wasn't his first.

"Miss Adamare, I was hoping to talk to you." He said with a rakish grin.

I gave him a flat look, "So?"

Lord Rhana's smile faltered a bit, "Do you know how naughty it was for you to run away like that, Kitten?"

My jaw clenched and I felt a nearly overpowering desire to kick his head in.

A Message appeared across my vision, Activate Skill: Crush lvl 5?

"No." I said aloud. The message disappeared.

I turned and left Rhana by the door as he was exchanging his empty glass for a full one from a passing servant.

I had just remembered that my new balcony let out into the gardens. I could get back that way.

Immediately upon reaching my rooms, I sat down at the desk to write a letter to Thomas explaining what was going on. I placed it in my enchanted letter box when I finished.

Having sent my letter, I meditated to calm down before going to bed.