Tiger Wings

Chapter 3

Despite the fatigues of the journey the princes were less than fatigued after their dinner with the royal family. Being ten persons, and royal persons at that, they had been given the next biggest house besides the palace. It was a mini palace of itself and would house them all comfortably during their stay in South Cenna.

The night was dark by the time they returned to their palace, but it didn't stop them from crowding after their eldest brother into his chambers. Jravic immediately took his position on the bed, crossing his booted feet on the bedspread and watching with amusement as his brothers fanned out around his bedroom. They all fell into various positions of comfort, preparing to debate the Pastopian food, king and queen, and of course the princesses.

"I like it," the youngest announced first. It was his gift, or his curse, that he could not remain quiet for long, and silent almost never. "I like it all."

"Of course you do," Braff agreed with a roll of his green eyes. "You liked the corn mush we ate on the journey and the ten mules that carried the luggage. It's not like you are going to like real food and ten princesses any less."

"I might," Harley said indignantly. "I certainly don't like you very much."

"Nothing's new there," Braff muttered and then in a louder voice, "They needed more meat on their table. Too many vegetables will make a person go soft. Not to mention skinny."

"I like vegetables," Harley gushed, "and they were good vegetables, much better than we ever have. And more. I've never even seen some of those vegetables. Who knew there was any vegetable that was purple? What a weird color for food."

Jravic shook his head at his brothers. "You just met a king and queen with ten daughters and all you can talk about are the vegetables?" He chuckled. "Oh, the innocence of childhood."

Most of the boys were laughing, so Harley crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. He grumbled, "It's not like I didn't notice them, but none of them were purple."

"Except the one you were talking to." Avran elbowed the only little brother he had. "At the rate you were speaking, it's a wonder she didn't get dizzy."

Harley tilted his head as if he was trying to remember something. "That wasn't you? I did think the voice was a little high pitched... Huh."

"I think," Jravic said with a clearing of the throat, "that they are all charming girls and I look forward to a summer where we can become better acquainted with them and their country."

A few of the brothers exchanged glances. Then Chrael, twenty and blunt, commented, "That would have made a fine toast, but we're in your bedroom, brother. Who you got your eye on?"

"Maybe I was making a toast," Jravic replied. "A toast to going to your own bedrooms and going to bed."

"It was probably that dark one," Harley suggested loudly. "Jravic would always go for the difficult ones. And she agreed with Braff. There wasn't enough meat on that table, and we looked edible enough."

"And you weren't even sitting near her!" Serl exclaimed. Being the third oldest, he had sat close to the king and queen and eldest daughters."When all the courses were through, I was afraid she would start on us."

"It wasn't that bad," Gregor said realistically. He had sat just after Serl. "She was only... reserved."

At that Harley snorted, but Chrael held up his hands and replied, "It would have been all right, all right. Klyde could have taken her any day. He'd never let an evil witch, however powerful, eat any of his brothers."

He was teasing, of course, but Klyde never cracked a smile. All trip he hadn't smiled. At dinner he had tried to smile, once, to be polite, but it hadn't gone well. He was the only one who didn't want to be there. Second oldest, he knew he wasn't going to become king, so he had become a soldier. Already naturally stoic, now he was virtually stone.

Jravic shook his head. "She's going to be the queen, you know. You shouldn't say such things about her."

"Who knows what she's saying about us," Chrael interjected. "'Not enough fat on those bones,'" he mocked, waving a finger around the room. He targeted Avran's thin frame. "'But maybe the bones are so small, I could pick my teeth with them.'"

Avran was used to being picked on, being the smallest despite not being the youngest. As a boy he had been the sickliest of them all. He also was unamused. "Yes, I'm sure she'll have us all eaten by the end of the summer."

"Not unless our boy Jravic here can charm her," Harley disagreed, watching the crown prince steadily.

"And you tell me I have no charm," Jravic said dryly.

"Did I say that?" Harley wondered with an innocent look.

"Now you tell me I have charm so I can save your life. Ha, you won't get that from me, littlest brother."

Harley studied him sourly for a moment before his face brightened. "I have a wonderful idea," he announced, a happy, sneaky smile on his lips.

"Oh great!" Braff moaned, his head falling back against the chair he was seated in. "And what happened to your last wonderful idea?"

The youngest pursed his lips a moment in thought before he said carelessly, "I don't remember. Now look." He leaned forward on the edge of his seat. "We have a summer. We have ten of us. And we have ten of them. I pronounce a challenge."

"I'll tell you what happened to your last wonderful idea," Braff broke in. "My arm still hurts from falling out of that tree."

"That was just your stupid interpretation of my wonderful idea," Harley tossed back, unperturbed.

"Alright, what's the idea?" Avran asked.

"The idea," answered Harley importantly, "is simple. We each get a girl. Whoever can charm theirs the fastest, wins."

"Klyde will lose," Chrael responded with a plain, faithless look at his brother.

Jravic frowned. "And after the charming? These are real girls, you know, with real hearts."

"I don't know about the hearts," Harley said. "I guess we'll find out. But they've got real lips."

"Harley," Jravic cautioned. "I don't approve."

Harley sighed and rolled his eyes. "You're only grumpy because you've got the uncharmable. You don't want to take part, you don't have to. Whatever you say, the challenge is already underway. Can't take it back now. Who's in?"

Jravic looked around at his brothers, a frown creasing his dark features. "I don't think it's wise," he repeated.

"I don't care who says anything," Harley decided. "I'm keeping score anyway. Do what you want, all of yous."

"I can't speak for any of you, but I speak for me," Jravic announced. "I will not take part, but I do believe it's time to find your own chambers and your own beds. Who knows what tomorrow will be like, so I suggest we all get some rest."

Harley frowned, but the others respected their brother enough to bid him good night. "I think," Gregor said, watching Harley sulk out of the room, "we should dissect his brain to see if that's purple."