Ragged Royals: Gwenwyn

Chapter 28 - A Bold Move

Unfortunately for Creatin, Russel and Jenkins wore those nicknames with pride, and refused to change his despite his reasoning that they should at least have similar nicknames.

"You've been chasing that mousey little red-head since your uncle brought you here." Creatin reminded, his scolding as much a part of his personality as ever. 

"Mousey?" Russel, grabbed his heart as if wounded. "Lillany is beautiful."

"And she doesn't mind one wit that Peter is shorter than her," Freddrick added grinning, "by half a hand."

Russel reddened, "It's barely two fingers."

"I've always thought that Lillany was a bit on the short side to begin with." Creatin tacked on.

"Why are you two ganging up on me when it's Marcus Daniel Creatin that is going to end up alone?"

"What did you just say?" Gwen asked Mryah as she distractedly brushed back a lock of hair.

"I understand, your confusion." Mryah gossiped happily. "You'd think someone like him wouldn't have such a common sounding name. I mean he is a second son. They don't have the lineage, or the pedigree to live up to, so you'd think-"

"Yes, but his name?" Gwen interrupted.

"Well, he had to tell me for added realism." Mryah continued. "You know, when he first brought it up at the port, I thought he had finally lost his mind. Who would honestly believe we were a couple. After all he'd literally left me in the dirt, only the day before."

"Mryah-"Gwen tried, but her lady-in-waiting would have none of it.

"He completely infuriates me. So I told him-" She continued. "I said, 'Creatin, if I can't imagine such a thing, how, in the Thirteen Kingdoms, will we get others to believe it.' You remember? I told you all about it after I returned that day."

"Yes, yes." She affirmed, "But you just said his name, which-"

"Which he sprung on me." She babbled energetically, relaying a story that Gwen had thought she heard Mryah tell several times before.

Gwen tried to turn and face her Lady-in-Waiting, but Mryah had a firm grip on her hair.

"Things just seem to be happening so fast lately." Mryah prattled, completely tuning out Gwen's struggle. "We caught that guard. Bingham, that was his name right? The guard that escorted us during the Negotiations. You were caught in that horrible storm."

As Mryah continued to prattle, Gwen tried to wait patiently for her to get to the point. 

"Then the whole port charade, followed by Captain Perez's retirement debacle, which was just a trap that revealed Captain Waddle to be some Noble extremists set on reforming the entire Royal Guard. I mean, who could have seen that coming. Captain Perez was just his first victim. I heard he planned to remove a third of the palace staff. I mean, did you hear what he said about lowbreds, that was foul."

"Mryah?"

It was little use. The girl felt it necessary to run through the events from the last few months.

"What a mess, and one we couldn't have expected to have to clean up. And that incompetent Doctor was in on the whole thing. At least it brought more nobles under his Highness's control. No one wanted to be linked with those radicals. Oh! Then, we had to inure that onslaught of meetings." She sighed dramatically. "And I had to set up those meetings, for you and His Highness. Public meetings, not-so-public meetings, dinners, luncheons, council meetings, visits to town, visits to port, societal tea gatherings. You are lucky that the social season has passed, otherwise you'd be just as exhausted as I am."

"Yes, you are a wonder to your station."

"I am aren't I." Mryah agreed, her selective hearing causing Gwen to roll her eyes. "But all of that work meant that I was having to meet up and converse with him more often than I originally would have liked to."

Originally? Gwen thought, not missing the particular clarification. "And now you decide to share his name because-" She prompted.

"Is that strange?" Mryah wondered, not picking up Gwen's hints. "I feel strange. I can't seem to read him, and I not quite sure if I detest him or if I-" she paused her face going red. "if I- But, Sky above that would be indecent."

Gwen couldn't help but laugh at Mryah's plight.

As improper as it actually was, Gwen was no stranger to indecency. Not that any of it had been made public knowledge. She just felt so assured when her body, her lips, or even just one of her hands was encompassed by Fredderick. It was a sensation that she knew she should be ashamed of, after all they weren't married. Well, not for a few more hours.