She laughed, and they walked back to the family room, where her grandparents looked wary.Ival smiled, and her family settled around the low table while Priana served dinner.
Priana was looking at Riimal like he was dangerous, but Ival patted his thigh under the table as they had a family meal.
He smiled and leaned toward her.“The queen would like to meet with you tomorrow morning.”
“With Ylara?”
“No.Not at first.This is just so that you may meet as sisters.”
Ival paused.“Does she have guards that enforce protocol?”
Riimal thought.“They may.”
“It is acceptable for me to have a bodyguard, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Nandy, do we have enough room for a bodyguard’s room?”
Her grandmother nodded and smiled.“We do.”
She smiled, typed something into her com, and then waited.She looked at Riimal.“What are your household colours?”
“Gold and dark blue.”
She typed the colours into her com and then waited again.When she got the notice that her assignment had been taken on, she waited.A glowing orb appeared in the centre of the room, and it got larger.
A woman with tattoos running down her arms and legs, as well as across her face, appeared.The tattoos were vines and lightning.Her eyes were white-blue, and her hair was black, a thick wave of black to her mid-back.
“Hello, Roar.Would you like dinner?”
“No, thank you, Ival.This is your family and your partner?”
“Yes.”Ival made the introductions of her grandparents and Priana, and then she smiled.“And this is Riimal.He’s the king’s brother.”
“Hence, needing me to ride herd on the household guards.Easy enough.It is nice to be back.”
Riimal blinked.“You as well?How many actives have we thrown away?”
“A rough estimate is five hundred.Only obvious omegas get an education, so it forces families to feed those of us who are late bloomers.Getting rid of us to keep our prettier siblings or the alphas in the family.It is more fiscally responsible for the poorer families to sell off their children.I was sold for five thousand credits and ended up across the world.”
Riimal shook his head.“What the actual hell?Why did they sell you?”
“My brother needed to buy a home for his new bride.I was fifteen, half-starved, and grubby with a bad attitude, and that meant I wasn’t a boon to the family.He convinced our parents to sell me, and it didn’t take much convincing.”
Riimal frowned.“Are they still around?”
“No.Well, I mean, their homes were destroyed in a weirdly localized storm, and they were forced to seek shelter at the stronghold.I don’t know if they are still in the commons, but their little house got trashed.Very sad.”She grinned.“The stronghold should really keep track of its young ladies.There is a wave of power coming through, and it is finally addressing the balance.Mother Nature is finding her lost daughters.”
Ival smiled.“I feel found at long last.Ramera is back to be a cheerful thorn.Roar, I think you are here to make a point.”
“Oh, I definitely am.”Roar looked down and grinned.Her outfit was a loose dark blue top and two panels that became the skirt.Her feet were in knee-high boots, and the marks that were on her slowly started to move.She looked like she was dressed in warrior casual.
Priana was looking at her in surprise.“May I show you to your quarters, miss?”
“Please.Everyone else should finish their meal.”
Priana smiled.“We are done.I will show you your rooms.”
