Ripples in Royalty

Chapter Sixteen

Randolf was not at the meeting place when Aldric got there.

Half an hour passed with no sign of Randolf.

After forty five minutes Aldric was ready to turn around and find a different solution.

Robert stood up, smiling, “Look, look,” he said, pulling on his mother’s dress. “It is Leif.”

Aldric whipped his head around in the direction Robert was pointing.

Sure enough Leif was there, Randolf following behind.

Holy Cynus, Randolf. I told you not to bring him. That was the thing I thought I stressed the most. We need to get deeper into the forest before they reunite. If they do it here we will get caught.

Leif started running towards Aldric’s party.

Robert ran towards him, Francesca following close behind.

They collided in a large embrace and toppled to the ground.

“Leif,” Francesca shouted. “You are back. You are back.”

They untangled themselves, Leif dusting the sticks and dead leaves out of his siblings' hair.

“You have both grown so much,” He said, “If you keep growing you are going to be taller than me.”

They both giggled.

Mrs Payne had not moved since she saw her oldest son, she was stiff, silent, and staring.

“Ma?” Leif said, looking worried.

She did not respond, just stood, as if she was looking at a ghost.

Randolf tapped Aldric on the shoulder. “I am sorry,” He said. “I tried to stop him, but he needed to come. He said he could not just wait around for news when his family could very well be dying.”

Aldric nodded in understanding.

I would have said the same thing if I knew Eris or Hemlock were in danger. I do not know why I expected Leif to act any differently.

“Time to break it up,” Aldric said, approaching the siblings. “We need to keep moving.”

Mrs Payne, snapping out of her daze, picked up her family’s bags.

“I can get them Ma,” Leif said, walking towards her.

“No, no,” She said, “I can handle it fine on my own.”

Leif backed away, trying to conceal the hurt in his eyes. His mother had moved on. He was just a ghost.

♠♠♠

“You do not have to go,” Eris said, following Thaddeus around his chambers as he grabbed things and shoved them into bags.

They had announced their engagement two days ago. She could not have anything bad happening to Thaddeus now. Going to Roterin is bound to end badly.

“I have to,” He said. “We have been trying to reach your mother since you told us he was from Roterin. She has had time to respond and has not.”

“That is not your fault.”

Thaddeus sighed. “Eris, As much as I would love to stay here, I have to leave. If she finds out that we have him before she hears it from us, it will look like we took him for our own malicious intentions.”

“Send someone else.”

“We already tried that and they were not even allowed inside the castle gate.