"Ettinsmoor? Is that what we're calling it now?" Imira asked.
"Better than 'the northern lands the Ettins inhabit' don't you think?" Peter asked in return.
"I suppose it's catchy," she agreed. "So what do we do now?"
Peter looked around the room...
"What a pleasant surprise," Queen Vale said, stopping at the bottom of the grand stairs.
"Lady Mother," Hayley resisted the impulse to simply wrap her arms around her mother. As much as she missed her, Lycia was a place of traditions and protocol. Running up to one's mother was simply unacceptable behaviour, especially for royalty.
That was one of the many things James simply did not get about Lycia. He was familiar with the protocol and rules, and he was okay with it, but he had grown up in such a free society he simply did not understand why the Lycians were so stiff. Datramites were nothing like that. No, they were very physical. If they were happy you could see it, they'd throw a party, slap someone on the back enthusiastically or embrace each other, even if they weren't very familiar with one another. He was never discouraged from showing affection to his parents or his sister. Sure, as a member of the royal family there were appearances to keep, but never in the same degree as in Lycia. After his family was gone he did shut himself up and started hiding his feelings, ever but since his sister came back he had started to emote a bit more. He just couldn't wrap his head around how Hayley coped with all the coldness.
They all bowed or curtsied, as protocol dictated, and kissed each other's cheeks.
"Oh, it is so nice to have you here, darling." Queen Vale said, taking her daughter's hands. Protocol or not it was her daughter and hse missed her every day. "Have you had dinner yet?"
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"I really missed that stew," Hayley said, looking at the empty plate a servant was taking away.
"It was very tasty," James added.
"Oh, you know you are welcome here anytime. Both of you," Queen Vale said, glancing at the couple. "But I've got to say, we were expecting to hear from you a few weeks ago. What took you so long?" Queen Vale said looking expectantly at her daughter.
Hayley shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she tried to come up with a convincing lie. "Oh, yes, we..."
"We decided to stay in Narnia for a little longer," James intervened. "I'm afraid we missed the return party,"
"I am afraid that's not all you missed," Queen Vale said, confusing James and Hayley. "King Peter, Queen Imira and Queen Susan are in Datram as we speak, with an entire regiment," Queen Vale explained.
James turned pale.
"Is there something I should know about?" Hayley's mother asked James directly.
"Nothing to worry you, mother," Hayley said, placing her hand on James'. "But we are a bit tired," she said standing up. James did as she did and followed he lead. His mind was whirlwind. Going to sleep was the last thing he could think of. What was Imira doing in Datram? And with a regiment? That could only mean one thing.
"She wants it back," James said as soon as Hayley had closed the door.
"Wants what?" Hayley asked.
"The throne. Why else would they be here? She's come to claim it," James said.
"She wouldn't, King Peter signed those accords," Hayley remembered him.
"Yes, but my sister didn't," James insisted. That's when it hit her.
"So she's going to depose... us?" Hayley asked.
"Why else would she be here with a regiment? With King Peter and Queen Susan. Fuck, she probably has our cousins backing her up. And Maxwell. Oh, she's definitely got Maxwell on her side,"
"Do you really think they'd betray you?" Hayley asked him.
"Why, yes. They all adore her," James said. "Ever since she came back, there's nothing they wouldn't do for her. And that's without even mentioning Maxwell. If he hadn't married Rebekah he would have gone after Imira and I'd bet anything he would have had it his way and married her. He would die for my sister just as she died for Datram. Everyone would, she's a bloody national hero and I... I'm bloody fucked!"
"Alright, alright, that's the worst-case scenario," Hayley said, trying to tranquilise James, but his mind was just all over the place.
"No, that's-that's the only scenario," he said worriedly.
"Alright, that's the only scenario," Hayley agreed. Discussing with him was plain pointless. "What do we do now? Do we stay here, or...?"
"No, I'm not hiding from my sister. The time for taking it back is gone. If she wants my throne she's gonna have to fight me. I am not going down without a fight, twins or not. I still have loyal men. Lycia's with us, right?"
"Right,"
"And I believe I can get our Acanthæan cousins on our side, and if Imira hasn't talked to Æric I might get him on our side," James said, starting to formulate a plan.
"So there are sides now?" Hayley asked. It was all just so sudden.
"There've always been sides," James said darkly.
"So what can I do?" Hayley asked. She did not want to be sidelined. Not any more.
"I don't know I... I need to come up with a plan. Can I count on your family's army?" James asked.
"Of course. I'll make sure you do," Hayley reassured him.
"Thanks, love," James said, taking her hand in his. "You should get some sleep. I'm going to stay up late coming up with something, but you should rest,"
"Do you need my help? Because I can stay up with you and help," Hayley said.
He was about to refuse her, but he did not want to feel any more alone than he already was. "Actually, that'd be nice," James admitted.
Hayley sat a little more straight and paid him all her attention.
"Alright, assets, what do we have?" James said, thinking out loud.
"You've got my father's army and navy. And our men from the ship." Hayley said.
"That's good, that's good. Could you write that down please?" James asked her.
"Right on," She found some ink and parchment on a desk nearby and started writing.
"The south would be with you," Hayley added.
"Yes. Write that down, yes," James said, "And the North. But she'd have the East most likely, and Ardenton. Definitely Ardenton,"
Hayley wrote that down in a quick but neat fashion.
"So, they're in Datram. Alright, alright, I've got this. Well, I've got the element of surprise. They won't know when to expect me. We can use that. We have to use that. But if she's expecting us we'll need some sort of diversion..." James talked and talked and talked. Minutes went by. Minutes that turned into hours, and when he finally stopped talking he realized he had bored Hayley to sleep.
He chuckled at the sight before him. Hair spilt all over, shoes on the floor, a smudge of ink on her cheek. He didn't want to wake her up but also didn't want to leave her sleeping on a chair so he gently moved her waking her up a bit, not fully but just enough. He helped her to her feet and then picked her up. She was still asleep, but instinctively wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on the crook of his neck. James couldn't help the smile that was tugging on the corner of his lips as he carried her across the room. He laid her down gently and covered her with a blanket. He whispered good night and decided he should get some sleep as well, although the uncertainty of what the next day might bring made it difficult.
THANKS FOR READING THIS FAR! DON'T FORGET TO VOTE PLEASE, IT HELPS ME KEEP WRITING.
