98 - I Was Going to Beg You

“Hara! Hara! You aren’t going to believe this!” Kyrus came blasting in the door to find that Haraklez wasn’t there.  He stopped, panting, looking around wildly.  His whole world was being flung into the air in eight directions and he was now free to tell Hara at least... and Werfas.  Oh Dark.  Will it be safe enough to ask that Werfas - my wingbrother, he should he'd want to, maybe, but...would he - come along to Lainz? I’ll be able to show my wingbrother the city I grew up in without having to show him the Basin sludge I knew.

The door behind him flew open, hitting him in the back.  “Hey!”

“Kyrus! Oh.  Kyrus you’ll never believe it one of those Lainzers’ war birds got loose and Faraman and Orma said they saw the old Amir guy get down on the street on his knees to you... and everybody’s talking about it and...” Kyrus had recovered from his stumble forward, wheeled on his front foot and he and Hara had somehow ended up in each other’s arms.  “Amarnon’s little boy was playing in his sandbox and this bird draped with Lishan’s clean bedding crashed through and shat on him and the trailing laundry, including everyone’s underclouts...”

She stopped and stared at him. “Kyrus... why was that Lainz on his knees to you, offering up his sword, in the street?”

Kyrus closed his eyes.  “I’m never going to get used to this.  My grandma... though she was married to Raghnall Talain, apparently was pregnant by His Radiance... so they say I’m a siwion of Lainz and my dad might be the Kraganzh. Depending on what His Radiance decides.  If he thinks it’s a good idea.” He was beating his head softly against her shoulder.

She caught his hair in her hands and stopped him, pulling his face up so when he opened his eyes he was nose to nose with her.  “Stop that.” He found himself staring into her eyes. “So, of course you have to travel to Lainz to be vetted by his Golden Stare himself.  My pa won't let his new inamour go so far away alone... or unescorted or any such stupid thing, especially if he's suddenly gone from dead to prince and heir in one breath. Especially since its only a few days into their post wedding honey month." She grinned at that.  "Lainz would certainly be supportive of that. We are all going to be going, I'd bet my best beaded shoes.”

He stared at her silently as she worked it out, out loud for herself.

“I’m just your first lover so I’m hardly going to swear undying love or anything stupid like that, despite things I feel.  My elders tell me first loves aren’t usually long term.” He gasped in dismay but she let go the side of his head to lay fingers over his mouth.  “I’m not saying I’m going to drop you like a horse turd in my hand, silly. I still want to be part of this whole ridiculous caravan and I am of age, though still living in my parent’s house. So nobody’s going to stop me coming along.”

He exhaled sharply.  “Oh good.  I was going to beg you to come.”

“You don’t need to beg.” She smiled at him, mischief in her eyes.  “Werfas is going to need to get permission from his parents.  He’s a few months under age.”

“Um.  Would it help if I asked or just make it worse?”

“Probaby help.  His parents understand that being ‘shiny’ means something in Lainz.”

“This is a magnificent disaster, Hara.”

“Of course it is.  Let’s start packing.”