Remtani sat alone in one of the meeting rooms. He had picked one warded against scrying. He wasn’t talking to anyone. He just wanted to be sure that he was really alone. He had Jaidu and Shay spend the night in one of his guestrooms. Jaidu spent the night having nightmares. Shay did too, when she wasn’t up comforting Jaidu. Jaidu saw her father briefly that morning and it was clear that she was afraid. It was also clear she had reason to be. He had been told about Shay’s collar being broken. He had demanded her return and that they provide them with a new collar and wristbands. Both demands had been refused. Emeton said they had no spare collars. Remtani said Jaidu needed Shay to stay with her. He had spent the day with her again. He couldn’t keep neglecting his duties, so he had her sit with him. As they assumed, she hadn’t been educated. She couldn’t read or even count. She knew nothing of current events or politics. However, she had an excellent memory and reasoning skills. She sat and listened attentively to whatever was going on. Occasionally, he asked what she thought. At first, she was hesitant to answer but she did when he insisted. When she understood that rather than being hit for a wrong answer, he’d correct her and explain why, she answered more readily, although, she never said anything without him asking. Now, he reread the message he had received a short time ago, insisting that he send her back to the delegation, without the bodyguard. The tone of the message indicated she’d be paying for his actions. He was not going to let that happen. There was only one way he could stop it. He’d made up his mind. He went to the room where his father and Pt’this were meeting with the delegation. Kortu, the chief steward, was outside to prevent interruptions. Remtani started to walk past him, but the steward stepped in his way. “They don’t want to be disturbed.” “You’re barring me?” Remtani asked. “You’re not allowed to bar me.” Kortu was very diligent with keeping Emeton’s children from seeing him, forbidding them entry, and even not giving him their messages. Originally, it was supposed to be when they were young, he was to keep them from pestering their busy parents with every little thing that the nurses should handle. He had taken it too far and continued to block them. He especially did this frequently with Ann. He’d been talked to several times about it, but apparently, he still felt free to do it. “They are not to be interrupted,” Kortu said again. “Move aside. You aren’t to keep me out,” Remtani insisted. Kortu held his ground. Remtani was already in a bad mood. He pushed Kortu aside and strode into the room. The occupants all looked up surprised. He walked up to Kamlia, leaned down on the table so they were nose to nose. “You have lied, cheated, and manipulated us from the first. I do not know why my father is still trying to salvage this treaty. I have seen nothing to indicate you will ever honor it. I, however, do believe in keeping my word. I agreed to marry your daughter. I will follow our laws for arranged marriages. I will be pledged to her until she comes of age, our age of consent. At that time, she will be given the choice to marry me or not. Until that time, she will stay here in Sen-gan, and she will be educated in all she needs to know to help me once I become king since, apparently, Yarba lacks teachers. Shay will stay with her to see she is educated properly. I do not have time to do it, and since Shay raised her and didn’t see to her education, she can spend the next five years correcting that mistake.” “That is unacceptable,” Kamlia said. “Too bad. That’s the way it’s going to be. She’s underage. She needs a guardian. You want to get rid of your daughter. You heard what I did ten years ago and you assumed I’d be willing to do it again. I will never do that again. You don’t want us to wait. You think an heir will tie us together. You’re wrong. That heir will be Menthanlan, not Yarb. I am Menthanlan so our children will be too. The queen can’t be a citizen of another country. She can’t hold dual citizenship. If Jaidu and I get married, she will have to give up citizenship of Yarba. “She and any grandchildren will still be family, no matter what citizenship they hold,” Kamlia said. “And my servant, she will be returned in five years, correct? “That will be her choice. The nobles will never accept the queen educated by a foreigner. She’ll have to be made a citizen too. She can hold dual citizenship. After Jaidu is of age, Shay can return to Yarba if she chooses.” “Unacceptable,” Kamlia said again. He turned to Emeton. “These terms are unacceptable. Talk some sense into your son.” Remtani held his breath. Most of what he said was the law but there was no law stating Jaidu couldn’t hold dual citizenship or her tutor had to be a citizen. Yes, the nobles would complain, but the nobles were complaining already. They didn’t like their future queen being a foreigner. They had all hoped he would marry one of their daughters. “You’ve been pushing this marriage from the start. My son’s requests are not unreasonable. Unless you suddenly do not want this treaty, I suggest you agree with him,” Emeton told him. “Fine,” Kamlia said. Remtani left to find Jaidu and Shay to tell them the news. “Sire,” Pt’this said. “Annlonna tells me Thailyn is here, and Mishtali is coming to see him.” “Who are Thailyn and Mishtali?” Kamlia asked. “Ann’s birth father and grandfather,” Emeton explained. “More dragons here? These dragons are bad influence. They’re what are causing all this trouble,” Kamlia said. Pt’this growled. Emeton put a hand on his arm to steady him. That was all he needed, was to have Pt’this go mad dragon on them in a confined space. “You’re right about one thing,” Emeton agreed. “The dragons have influenced me. My advisor here is the one who encouraged me to consider the treaty with you. My daughter was the one who drafted the treaty and made all the arrangements. The emissary is the one who helped finalize the treaty. I find myself wondering if I should continue working with them.” He stood. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my wife is expecting me for a late dinner, and I’m sure Lady Sapphire is wondering why Sir Pt’this was on the verge of mad dragon.” “Actually, I already told both Dae and Ti. She has me trained better than that. I have no desire to face her wrath again,” Pt’this said. Emeton laughed as they left. “I’ve been on the receiving end of that once. I’d rather face a troll.” “Once? I’ve had it several times. You think I’d learn.” “Obviously, you don’t, which would explain why you’re still an apprentice after five hundred years.” “Yeah, that has nothing to do with the fact that my mentor was missing for that five hundred years.” Pt’this laughed. Emeton did too. “Go greet your mentor and your brother. Tylan and I will come by later. My wife has me trained too. There’s no being late to a private dinner with her.” Pt’this laughed again. “Just be sure you tell her Thailyn’s here before you start ‘dinner’ or you may not get ‘dinner’ for quite a while.” Emeton laughed again too. Neither noticed Kamlia’s advisor watching and listening. He hurried off as the two went their separate ways.