Lyriena squirmed in her seat nervous, worried, and fighting feelings of shame as the moment she had been dreading all week approached. Any moment her father would be here, and she couldn't bear to think about what he would say. She had been dreading this conversation more than she ever had dreaded meeting with Trogar.
She looked around her room nervously. She had been confined to her suite ever since she arrived back in the city yesterday. She didn't know what her father had been doing this whole time, though it probably wasn't anything good. He had probably been talking to Trogar, getting his version of events, and reviewing the existing trade negotiations. At least she'd have that in her favor.
Or maybe not. She had heard that everyone was thanking Trogar for the commerce that had flowed into the capital and giving him all the credit. Despite all she had done, all she had sacrificed for the deal they only had praise for the foreign orc. What was wrong with them? Had they really grown so resentful against her and the royal house that they thought an orc was their salvation?
Anything was possible, given the reception she received at the docks. She had never imagined her return from the trade mission would be so humiliating, so shameful. The whole story in every lurid detail was on every lip in the city. Someone, probably Trogar, had gone to great lengths to ensure that everyone knew exactly what she had done. The worst part was that he didn't even need to exaggerate anything. What was she thinking? What was wrong with her?
Lyriena rose from the chair and walked across the room to the balcony overlooking the window. She gazed down at the crystal city, which seemed to thrum with new life. Trogar's entourage had brought plenty of gold with them, and they were spreading it around liberally. Everywhere she looked her people her vibrant and excited. It would be heartening to see if not for the cause of it.
A deep sigh escaped her lips as she turned back and reentered her room. As she did, the glint of the morning sun on golden metal caught her eye. Resting in a small box beside her bed was a tiara that Master Weylan had given her before departing the city.
"It is just a small token of appreciation for your efforts and hard work in performing to restore trade between our peoples." He had said. She had wanted to smack the smirk off his face as he said it, as if her 'performance' had somehow been in his service. And despite all the appreciation, the Guilds had no interest in applying any further pressure to assist her. They had gotten what they wanted.
She looked down at the golden crown. Elfin, Human, and Orc bodies were intertwined around the base leading to the center, where an elf held an emerald, a human held a sapphire, and between them an orc held a ruby. It was supposed to be a symbol of the three races living in harmony. She briefly considered throwing it over the side of the balcony, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. The craftsmanship was too fine to destroy.
The sound of the door opening made her turn, and she paled as her father entered the room. If the elfs below seemed to have their lives restored, the opposite was true of her father. He looked ten years older than when she had left.
"Father, I-"
"Do not say anything Lyriena." He looked at her with sorrowful eyes, but even worse was the shame that festered beneath them. "That my daughter should behave so; that in only a fortnight my daughter, the Sun of Deznessuian, should be so corrupted by the orcs and humans. I cannot even credit it. How could you Lyriena? You have brought tremendous shame on our house!"
What could she say to him? Everything that he had said was true. She had brought shame to her father, herself, to all elfs everywhere. His words crushed her like a rock slide. There was something in her father's eyes though, a fire that kindled a flame in her as well. When she left her father had been depressed and defeated. Not just by the trade problems with Zentara, but with the overall decline in elfin society.
That hadn't made him feel anything, but her indiscretion did? He couldn't get angry about their people suffering, but he could get angry about her corruption? "I am sorry for the way I acted in Zentara, father, I really am. I wish it had gone differently. But at least I did something to help our people. My virtue is a small price to pay in exchange for our people's future. What have you done? What have you been doing? You gave up; but I fought for them. Have you been outside lately? For better or worse, there is a vitality in the streets of Yemora that I have not seen before. Not in my whole life, father!"
"Do not speak to me like that, I am the King and your father! You are practically a child, a spoiled, soiled child! You know nothing of the challenges I have face, the hardships-"
"I know the challenges facing our people, despite how you attempted to shield me from them. I have seen what our people have been reduced to, and-"
Coron cut back in. "You have done much more and much worse than seen what they have been reduced to!"
The princess had the grace to blush. "Maybe so. Maybe that is for the best, maybe experiencing first hand makes me better prepared to lead them," she hoped so, at least, maybe there would be a reason for all of this after all, "but nonetheless, our people were suffering, and now they have hope."
The king's lips curled into a sneer. "Our problems have stretch back far beyond these trade disputes. Do you think solving them will make everything all better? Our people are still dying out. Is your plan to whore yourself out to the orcs, to whore MY subjects to the orcs and and let them repopulate the Isles? Do you want Deznessuian to go the way of Zentara?"
Lyriena's flushed deeper. "No, of course not. I did not want this; I am merely trying to make the best of it. But would it not be better to live on as a people, even with diluted blood? Maybe not with the orcs, but with the humans at least! Maybe even just a few drops of new blood would rejuvenate our people."
"You might lead them the way in that, and not with a human. Even now you might be carrying the orc's child. What am I supposed to do, daughter? You have disgraced every tradition our people have. You are a princess. You have cavorted shamefully outside of marriage with an orc, and publicly at that. If the orc were anyone else you would be married now." Coron paced back and forth around the room frantically.
A flicker of hope sparked inside her. "Then you have not yet decided on his suit? I was given to understand that given the betrothal rights you granted him that you were amenable."
The King's pacing came to a halt and he started to calm down. "I had to agree to that to stave off the scandal. But betrothals can always be broken, I was buying time."
"That's a relief, father."
"Do not raise your hopes too much; I might still grant him your hand." Coron's long boney fingers stroked his chin. "There are advantages, despite his heritage. He is certainly wealthy, and of royal blood. Close ties to Zentara would prevent any further machinations against the Isles."
"He is a brute. He would treat Deznessuian as his private fief and whore his way through the Isles!"
"If what you say is true, he is already doing that." Coron stopped pacing and turned to look at Lyriena, narrowing his eyes. "The Prince has spoken to me of you; and your relationship. For better or worse, there is a compatibility between you, is there not?"
The people of Yemora could probably hear her teeth grinding. "Like a hammer and anvil, maybe."
"Yet you put up with him. More than once."
Thankfully her father didn't push her on the specifics of their encounters. That would be the straw that finally broke the horse's back. She didn't think she'd be able to withstand the shame of her father directly listing her sins. "He is still a brute. Datoran would still make a much better husband, and-"
"Datoran will not have you, nor can I blame him. What elf would respect him? No honorable elf would have you after all that you have done, I can tell you that right now. Which is one more reason I am still considering the Prince's suit. No one else is willing to have you."
Lyriena froze in place. Was it really as bad as all that? It shouldn't be surprising, really. Still, she was the princess of Deznessuian, surely that would grant her some leeway! "Perhaps if I talked to him, I can change his mind."
Her father scoffed at that. "Not likely, but if you like, you can send a message to him. I will allow him to visit you, and I am sure he will still come. The Duke is dutiful, and will not snub a summons from the Crown Princess, no matter how well deserved."
