Sisters Three (Completed)

18. Morna (2/2)

"I have something to tell everyone," Robbin said, his words slightly slurred.

Brenna reached up and tugged on his sleeve. "Robbin, not like this." She'd said it so quietly that even Morna barely heard her from just a seat over.

Robbin shook off Brenna and fumbled to grab his ale. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the liquid and then looked back up at the expectant guests. "There's been a little bit of negotiating going on behind the scenes. A little bit of contract making."

Robert Glenfarrow looked sharply to Afton. "What's he talking about?"

Afton shrugged with one shoulder. "I haven't the slightest clue, Father."

Robbin snorted. "No need to worry about the golden prince, he's still perfectly safe from the wild vixens that would snatch him. No, it's not Afton that's the bearer of this contract." He turned slightly to offer his hand to Brenna. Looking mortified, she placed her hand in his, and he hauled her jerkily to her feet. She stumbled at the force and he slid an arm around her waist, pulling her in tight to his side. Morna saw her sister's jaw tighten.

"Dearest, Brenna," Robbin slurred.

He looked out to the nobility and to his father, his face stilling into a look of grim determination. "May you all be the first to know of the promise made between myself and Brenna Ildersong. We are to be wedded, and we hope that the union of our two families will be fruitful and advantageous."

A collective gasp filled the room. Ladies looked to their friends, gentleman to their colleagues. Whispers ran the length of the tables as neighbor asked neighbor if this was some drunken joke. Brenna answered these questions by smiling tightly and lifting her wine goblet. Robbin raised his own, and they clinked them together before drinking. Robbin downed his entire serving of ale, but Brenna merely sipped her wine. With this, a tepid clapping began, mixed with the murmured confusion of the Anjeluund nobles, and the starting of excitement from the Ittalans.

As the clapping died down, Morna's eyes went to Robert Glenfarrow. His face was deep red, his hands clenched on either side of his plate. A carving knife lay not but a few inches from him, and Morna almost felt like lunging forward to remove it. He stared hard at his son and then at Brenna, his jaw working and his teeth almost audibly grinding against each other. Afton began to whisper to his father, desperately trying to calm him down before a scene was caused. Morna quickly got to her feet to help on her end.

"Brenna, what wonderful news!" she said, breaking through the muttering and gossip. The guests looked to her as if to a news bulletin, and Morna had to swallow before continuing on. "It seems like a fairy tale. You've fallen in love with a foreign prince, and your happiness is to soon be completed with a wedding! I will be the first to dance on that joyous day." Brenna shot Morna a look, but concealed its malice behind a smile.

"Thank you, sister," she replied.

Aunt Nora and Aunt Perta, now over the initial shock, began to congratulate their niece. They were obviously not entirely thrilled at her sudden dip in standards, but they did a moderate job of acting the overjoyed family members. At the very least, their chattering signaled that the tense moment was over, and the guests slowly began to eat again and talk in their own little groups. Robbin stood for a moment longer before either the ale or his darkening mood got to him and he flopped into his seat with a heavy thump. Brenna cast him an angry glare, but didn't say anything.

Morna sighed and tipped the contents of her goblet into her mouth. It had been a close call. An argument, or worse a fight, could have erupted over that announcement. Brenna and Robbin were fools for thinking that telling their countrymen about an approaching alliance at a dinner would be the best plan. The Anjeluunds were obviously not thrilled to be joined to the small and obscure Ittal, and the Ittalans were offended at the Anjeluunds' disdain. Hopefully Morna's mention of Brenna falling in love with Robbin might assuage a few of the rumors of Ittal vying for a bit of Anjeluund's power that were bound to crop up.

Morna knew full well that love was not a factor in this scheme, but it still hurt that Brenna hadn't told her before letting practically the entirety of society know. Marriage was a life changing event, and sisters should be together in the days leading up to it. The fact that Brenna had kept such a thing from her, and Morna had no idea how long she'd been engaged to Robbin, pulled at Morna's heart. She'd been so focused on making sure Brenna knew nothing about her budding feelings for Afton, that she'd completely neglected to realize what was going on in her sister's world.

Morna took a deep breath. She couldn't let this happen again.

So while Robert stewed, Afton tried to placate, Robbin drank, Brenna avoided Morna's eyes, and the aunts fielded awkward congratulations, Morna vowed to keep her feelings for Afton quiet a little longer. For even though now Brenna had no claim over him any longer, Morna couldn't risk pushing her sister even farther away. Something told Morna that being Robbin Glenfarrow's wife would be a hard and dangerous living. She couldn't leave Brenna to face that alone.