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Lawrence followed Skye and Shasta back because he had a meeting with his father, and noticed the tension as they all trotted along. He could tell that there wasn’t any issues between the two women, and could only think of one reason that they’d be in a foul mood after such a satisfying meal..

Coming up along-side his future bride, Lawrence practically yelled over the sound of the hoof beats; “Don’t get too flustered, ladies! You have to deal with the situation head on! Or she’ll chew you up!”

The two shared a quizzical expression with one another before Shasta asked; “What the bloody hell are ya talking about?!”

Now it was Lawrence’s turn to look confused as he shouted; “Aren’t you two upset over having to deal with Karena?!”

“Didn’t ya hear our conversation before?! In the cottage?!” Skye yelled-asked as she kept Thoth relatively even with them.

Lawrence shook his head; “Na! I was talkin’ with Tidas about you two visiting Ruscovic on occasion in a few years! Why?”

They exchanged another look between them, then Skye nodded at Shasta; giving her permission to tell him. She told her future husband the entire conversation that she, Skye, and Maevis had about Marco. The immediate contemplation on his face was a sign that he wasn’t brushing off their theory, which Shasta didn’t know how to take.

On one hand; he took her thoughts and opinions seriously, regardless of if her knowledge on the subject was extensive, or not. She’d never had a partner respect her intelligence and instincts so much, and a bubble of joy rose up in the back of her throat. But it was quickly popped by the other hand..

.....

‘Lawrence wouldn’t be thinking on it so hard if it wasn’t a real possibility..’

As the thought crossed Shasta’s mind, Skye yelled; “What will ya do, Lawrence?! If Marco moves against me husband?! Yer brother?!”

Lawrence looked ahead at the quickly approaching buildings of the city as he replied; “I’ll do whatever is best for my people! So of course you know what that means!”

“You’ll wait and see who kills the other first?!” Skye yelled with a dark look on her face.

Lawrence grinned at his sister-in-law. Skye had always been an honest person: inside and out. And he was happy to see that the capital or battles hadn’t changed that fact. His smile touched his eyes as he yelled; “Hell no! We’re repeating the Summer Games on his arse! But next time: we win!”

Skye smiled and laughed hard as she kept her balance on top of Thoth. Shasta smiled as she reached out for her fiancé’s hand, squeezed it with hers, then went back to gripping her reins. As they headed into the city, Lawrence called out; “So where Are you two supposed to meet Karena?!”

All joviality drained from Skye and Shasta’s faces as they remembered that they had to deal with her as soon as they returned. Looking up at the sun, Skye yelled; “She’s probably gonna be pissed that we’re so late! Tis around three or so!”

Shasta barked a sharp laugh before saying; “Damn! I can’t believe we were at Zazzy’s Place that long! Oh well! It’s My wedding, not hers! And how much you wanna bet that she’s only Actually been waiting like half an hour?! But she is Always late to meet up with us! Let her sit and simmer a bit!”

Skye and Lawrence both laughed at her tone before she replied; “Well, it’s not like we canna do much about it now! We can still apologize fer it, though!”

“Why?!” Shasta yelled to her as they passed by the checkpoint into the city; “She’s such a Bitch to Everyone! Screw her!”

“I refuse ta sink ta her level,” Skye replied with a smug expression.

Shasta barked a sharp laugh; “Oh whatever! You told me about the ‘puddle incident’ when you two were supposed to be guides! Don’t go acting all high and mighty with me, Mrs. Petty!”

Skye coughed for a second; “I told ya that she’d earned that! AND it was said in confidence!”

Shasta and Lawrence both laughed as the streets started to thicken with people, and they slowed their pace. She apologized for saying anything, but Lawrence still teased her a bit. He made sure not to say Karena’s name since they were surrounded by the public, and they didn’t want any additional gossip to spread.

The people all cheered for and praised Skye like usual, but most were also cheering and congratulating Shasta and Lawrence as well. Shasta got acknowledged for her strength, speed, and rank often, but she never expected so many humans to wish her a ‘long, happy marriage’ to a human. Of course there were many shooting them dirty looks as well, but they were easily overshadowed by the unexpected amount of support that the public was yelling out.

Shasta’s heart swelled with happiness as they slowly trotted through the streets. People gathered on the walkways and cheered like they were watching a parade procession. The happy cheers continued until they reached the few blocks outside of the palace: the nobles’ district.

The nobles held all of the high-end properties in the center of the city. Whether it was a business or a private residence; only the wealthy could live closest to the palace. It was why it took over an hour to reach Zazzy’s Place on horseback, and why Skye always stopped at Alfred’s for lunch after her morning rounds.

If it weren’t for the citizens recognizing Thoth and clearing her a path every day, it would take Skye nearly the entire day just to visit all of the hospitals. The only place that she ever had issues was in the noble districts. There was a fair number of nobles that didn’t care who or what Skye was doing, so she made the Medical Ward in the palace her first stop each day.

It was the closest hospital for the nobles, so she intentionally visited at a time when she’d have to interact with the least amount of them. The outlying hospitals were more important to her because most couldn’t afford treatment without her help. The nobles resented that she prioritized the commoners over the elites, and sometimes made her travels through the district difficult.

It was things like blocking her with carriages and stagecoaches, or stepping in front of her; trying to get Thoth to throw her off. That nasty little trick had happened twice before Thoth showed them not to screw with an oversized, hangery horse. But with multiple targets galloping down the road; a few idiots rushed out in front of Shasta’s horse..

Unlike Thoth, the horse that Shasta had was a veteran war horse. He was retired two years prior, but Shasta had kept him as a personal horse to save him from being put to ‘other uses’. When the two men ran out, instead of rearing back in surprise, the horse rammed into one with it’s head, then hit the other with one of it’s front hooves.

As the two rolled around on the ground in pain, Skye huffed in irritation, hopped down from Thoth, then healed the two. She spent over eight minutes lecturing them, then chased them off with a wee display of her Earth magic. After smoothing the road back out, Skye, Shasta, and Lawrence all headed to the palace..

************

Karena watched the three entering the palace from the window with a sour expression. She honestly didn’t want anything to do with the wedding, but her position as the future Queen of Alcon was forcing her hand. With a heavy huff of irritation, she waved off the two servants that she had following her, then headed for the staircase.

She had gone to Lawrence and Shasta’s chambers twenty minutes ago, but no one had been there. One of the servants had mentioned them leaving a couple of hours ago for lunch. When she’d gotten to the banquet hall and couldn’t find them, her temper had flared.

‘How Dare they leave the palace when they Knew that they had a meeting with me! Low-class mongrels, the lot of them! Lawrence is a pathetic excuse for a king! Marrying an animal like Shasta! She’s the same as a wild beast!’

Out of spite, Karena told a few of her noble lady ‘friends’ that she ‘had just heard a juicy bit of gossip’. Gathering them away from Magnus so he couldn’t hear, Karena told her ladies that she had found out the reason that King Lawrence was marrying Shasta..

“You all know that that disgusting beast woman visits some kind of orphanage, correct? Well, I heard from a servant that she discovered one, if not several, of King Lawrence’s illegitimate children! She’s threatening to tell King Magnus about them if he doesn’t marry her!”

An older women sighed; “Why would it matter if she told him?”

Karena put on the best innocent-looking smile that she could muster before replying; “Because my father-in-law would make him recognize them! If they’re made his legal children, and they’re older than the twins he had with the Queen..”

The group of ladies around Karena looked like they’d just seen a ghost as one of them exclaimed; “There could be a succession issue!”

The older woman from before sighed heavily again; “There would be no issues with the succession in Ruscovic. The Princess was the one with the blood tie! Do you honestly think that the people will accept a ruler that doesn’t, at the very least: share their heritage?”

Karena narrowed her eyes on the older woman; “Well Rose, did you stop to think that other factions within the Ruscovic government might use a bastard of their king to start a rebellion? Or at the least: use him to sow further discord within the kingdom?”

Rose smacked her lips together; “Wouldn’t there have to discord to begin with to ‘sow it further’? Ruscovic is one of the most peaceful kingdoms in the world, thanks to King Lawrence’s efforts. He and his brother Tidas treat their people very well, and have earned the trust and admiration of the people around them...unlike some.”

Karena glared at the older woman with unfettered animosity; “Watch it, Rose. Or I’ll have you ostracized from every inner circle in decent society. And that’s just for now: while I’m not Queen Yet..”

The old woman cleared her throat, but didn’t say anything until after Karena had finished up her story, then left. The women watched her leave, then shared astonished expressions between themselves..

A younger lass sipped her wine, then shook her head as she said; “By the gods! That woman’s audacity knows no bounds, I swear it.”

Rose nodded; “Aye, she does.. I understand her choosing you three to gossip with, but why did she pull me to the side as well? She should’ve known better than that..”

As Rose grinned mischievously, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. When she whipped around, Rose was ecstatic to see one of her favorite people standing behind her. After greeting and gushing over her clothes; the woman named Rose looked at her friend, and asked; “So how was your trip, Marie? And more importantly: are All of your relatives assholes?”

Marie chuckled, then said; “Only on occasion, why? What happened?”