A bath really does help. I wouldn't say I got really dirty, but I did not look as clean and neat a prince should look. I squeeze William's gem after drying myself. I need clothes.
"You called?" William appears readily. He smirks. "I'm surprised you didn't call prior. Not even to test it."
"Why would I? I didn't think I needed to now either. I need prince wear for this." My knight outfit is dirty. Not incredibly so, but enough I shouldn't wear it.
William hands over the outfit already planned for this. "Sorry your princess won't be there."
"I am eternally grateful she will not be."
"You won't always feel that way."
I glare at William. He disappears instead of commenting further. I'll see him soon. "I wish I could use my magic." My thoughts go to the spell books I was studying before. It was such a lacking day. I had as much ease as when I sit in a library. Maybe even more so. I didn't have to worry about someone coming upon me with ill intent out there.
"Being on mission is safer than being home." A quick look in the mirror has me stop. My image isn't peering back at me. "Odin?"
He signs 'just watching' to me. Would I not even have noticed he was watching if I didn't pass a mirror? Does he know I was learning sign language for mirror conversation? I nod at him and walk onward. I have a meeting to get to.
I should be aware my mother and Odin are both watching me intently. This is a serious mission. I have to prove myself.
"Your Highness." The greeting is normal. They bring me to the main chair. I stare at it. "No, no, Your Highness, it is your seat."
"Lady Raida?" I scan the room. She's not here yet. She should have the main chair. Is this servant trying to change rules or did Raida request this? I move two chairs down and sit. "Thanks."
The servant is still at the head chair. It is not my place, though. Even acting as king representative as I am, I should give allowance to the actual head.
Raida seems shocked to have me not in her chair. "Um... Thomas?"
"Glad you didn't title me. Much prefer that." I offer her a nod. "Sit. The head always sits in their chair. It is your home and I have offered you the allowance." That's what it means to have the title of head. "Lady Raida, you need to act as the lady."
"So I get titled, but you don't want one?" Raida huffs sitting in her chair. "Why two down?"
"Your husband goes there."
"He wants nothing to do with this." Raida sighs. "Won't even join the meal."
I pause and slowly look to Raida. "Hates goblins?"
"Hates politics more than goblins. But I don't think he's open to non humans if I was being honest." Raida watches the crowd. "I don't think we're going to marry. He wants to be a merchant. I think our relationship is at its end."
That's... Because she gained the title she wanted, he's going to skip out. But... This was her plan. Everyone knew about it. Did her boyfriend not realize she was going to succeed at it? He is giving up on her now that's she's a silver noble? "I don't like him."
"Thanks. That makes it easier to let him go." Raida smiles softly at the room. "I should question if there are any nobles open to joining me here. The only denial will be with Ryan. He is unable to do any form of politics in his original home."
I nod. Telligence is gone. "Please ask him questions, though."
"I have several advisors. And I am becoming friendly with Priscilla. She has a lot more knowledge than you think." Raida sighs leaning on her elbows. "I wonder why I always aimed. Ever since I heard that we could become a noble if we worked hard enough, I was trying. I flew through everything I could manage. I proved myself over and over. Here I am... A noble... Why did I push for this?"
"You question that now? After succeeding?"
Raida doesn't answer. She just watches the crowd.
Should I change the topic then? But everything I knew about Raida was that she was aiming for this. She's young too for a commoner at five blue. Well, technically, she received red before her silver. For everything she did during the Telligence issue. I know I can trust her. Will the politics break that trust? All of the nobles can be tried for treason. There are ways we can get them all marked. Remo0ve them as we wish. I know that. It's why Hellsgate wasn't quick to agree to taking over Telligence. He suits the yeti zones anyway.
William drops into the chair next to me. "Nice seat. I can have Dad let me take over Head seat in Pennington when we visit." He's in a good mood.
"You're looking forward to head position?" Raida asks.
"Of course. I was born shortly after my parents gained title. They're silvers, too. Pennington isn't a safe place for someone who can't teleport though." He seems at ease. "Head has to have mastery in teleportation. It'll be requirement for the heir."
"Priscilla can teleport, but I don't think she can pull off mastery classification."
William rubs his head. "Yeah... It's rare someone can. I hope we don't have to split up the territory or give it back to the monsters. It's a safe zone, but you need to handle the complexities."
"Because of the dragons?"
William grins. "No idea what you mean, Raida."
Raida grins back. "Been there, kid. You really should get the knights involved more."
"No, no. Too dangerous." William holds up his hands and shakes his head. "Many are more likely to mess with them. There's a give and take. We're like ants to a dragon. If they will seek revenge. Once they can pick you out special, assume you're dead." He pauses looking to me. "Excluding us. They know the crown prince."
"They do?" I stop.
William's face is grim. "Um... You have a dragon curse on you... So... Yeah... They know you."
My birth?! I was given a dragon blessing? Which one?
"I think Odin had an easier time figuring out that counter than the one the elves gave you." William continues.
"Elves?"
"Both don't exactly see time the way we do. So I'm going to assume you make an impact on them in the future, so they had to learn of you in the past." William nods. "The dragons respect a proper mage who can teleport at their level."
"Mastery of teleportation." Raida says. "So that's the required reason more than the terrain."
"Terrain's bad enough, but yeah... You'd be hard pressed to get a dragon to let you claim their land as your own. Royal line having already done so was... Something else. Dad willingly stepped from his job at the king's right hand man to handle it."
I think of my father who managed to become known to dragons. "Do you think their blessing was because of my family tree?"
"Nope." William waves his hand in the air. "They made it very clear when visiting according to Odin. You needed to be questioned."
So... I'm going to be something important to a dragon. "Does that mean I can be a threat to them?" I pause. Given the spells I'll have access to... Yeah, I would. But it won't be unable I reach masteries in things. I am limited. "They'll kill me if they think the blessing on me isn't enough."
"Yup." William doesn't even offer me false comfort. I shiver. "They're fine. They just want to live peaceful where they are. Minus a few issues when they are trying to mate, it's fine."
"Mate...? Dragons..." Raida covers her face. "That was silly. Of course they mate."
William chuckles. "Every decade, we'll have a mating take place. Then they'll be a new baby dragon. It's important we offer the new baby dragon a cart full of gold and a pen of sheep. It's to welcome the baby and to say we aren't a danger to them."
I think of that. It's not uncommon we gift babies things. A cart full of gold and pen of sheep is normal level of gift to a baby noble, so no one would be shocked. Dragons are that level.
By their view, I will be a threat, but most humans are just ants to them. Having a head there will protect the dragons just as much as it protects the people.
Lucas looks at us in the chairs. "Are you asking that I sit beside you, Raida?"
"Only if you're thinking of giving up titles." She grins back. "It's open for my future husband. Interested."
"I will need to start a war with you if you don't call this a jest." Lucas's grin is hellish. He really would create a rift with Raida. I would hope he didn't.
"You're a bit old for me." Raida waves it off. She turns to me. "Isn't Keith Warton still available? I met him before, but I can't recall much."
"He stays at the castle or in Warton. A little shocked the third child of the Warton house didn't go for mage tower or knighthood." William rubs his chin.
"Didn't want to gain extra consideration. When he would've joined, things were unstable with his older brother and his sister had just married out." Lucas waves it off. "But things settled. I wonder if he regretted not doing so."
"He's a minister prospect." I offer. "I met him quite a bit growing up. I think he hated me, though."
"Why?" Lucas stares at me then clicks his tongue. "True love. He'd know who it is. Might regret that even more." He looks at the door. "I'm getting the others."
"I'm here." Ryan sits at a nearby table. "Daniel is two steps behind me." Daniel waves upon entering. He'll sit with Ryan, though. Close guards.
"Good. I'm on guard duty for dinner. Don't bother Michael. Pretend he is just a servant." He knocks the table and walks off.
Raida hms at Lucas's retreating figure. "The goblins will be here soon."
I nod. So will our food. I can smell the trays coming out. We'll be served first given where we are. I hope the goblins don't take much longer.