The Offering

Chapter Thirty Seven - Alvaryn

I was looking forward to this afternoon, after the solstice and the news we had discovered I have been wanting to spend time alone with Dae and make sure she is ok. Aeris had spent yesterday with her but was quiet at breakfast this morning, not his usual arrogant and charming self.

I had put it down to our deal of keeping our time with Dae more secret from Dem and father.

"Excuse me Your Highness, a letter for you." One of the maids says with a curtsy as I walk down the corridor.

"Thank you," I nod taking the letter from her before she curtsies and hurries away.

I open the letter quickly and read the neat script.

Alvaryn,

Thank you for your invitation but I am unable to make it.

Daella

I read the note, and read it again. There was no reason or explanation, just a rejection. She had never turned down spending time with me. Was she unwell? Did she have something else planned? Should I go ask her? I'm sure if it was something serious she would have told me, right?

My thoughts circle around themselves as I continue walking down the corridor, mood deflated as my idea of spending the afternoon with Dae is now gone. I suppose I will just have to wait another day.

---

"Excuse me our Highness, I have a letter for you." A servant says stopping me as I walk towards breakfast.

I thank her as I take the letter, my mind already scrambling as thoughts of Dae and her familiar handwriting from her letter the other day take over.

I clench my jaw as I read her rejection and tuck the letter into my pocket marching towards breakfast. Twice, she has turned me down twice and again with no reason for explanation. I had even gone out of my way in worry to ask one of the maids if any of the chosen were unwell and she had informed me that all were well and attending lessons as normal.

"Ah, Alvaryn, good morning son." Father smiles as we reach the door at the same time.

"Good morning Father." I smile tightly following him into the dining room.

"And how are my sons today?" He asks walking in and looking at Demwyn and Aeris as they sit in their usual seats at the table.

"Well Father, yourself?" Aeris answers as I take my seat.

"Good, good. And you Demwyn?"

"Fine Father." He answers around a mouthful of food.

Dae's note burns in my pocket and I am focussed on wondering what it meant and why she was refusing to meet me. Did it have something to do with Aeris? Has he done something or said something to her? Did she not want to spend time with me anymore? Did she prefer his company to mine?

"We have another banquet tomorrow evening." Father says interrupting my line of thinking. "Another chance for you to narrow down your selection decision." He smiles. At least I would have the chance to see Dae.

"I hope each of you are narrowing down your choices, there isn't long to go now." He says as he serves eggs onto his plate. "Your mother is very excited at the upcoming nuptials."

"Is that the reason why you decided this offering was the year we would all choose a wife?" Aeris asks with a sly expression.

"She may have mentioned it was time for you three to start bringing heirs into our kingdom and I agreed with her." Father nods in answer.

"So the real reason is because mother wants grandchildren and didn't want to wait any longer." Aeris replies shaking his head.

"You have all passed the age of marriage and neither has found their mate, it only makes sense to find a wife and start a family."

"Mates." Aeris snorts softly. I guess he wasn't someone who believed in mates, they were rare, they hadn't always been, I wondered if it had anything to do with females being unable to bare children anymore.

I wondered what it felt like, finding your mate, was it instant? Was it just looking at someone and knowing? Was there more to it? What if there were different kinds of mates? What if it didn't mean an instant connection but something that happened over time?

Why was I even thinking about mates? What I needed to find out is why Dae had turned me down again.

"Aeris," I say stopping him as he walks out of the dining room.

"Yes?"

"Did you see Dae yesterday? Was she okay?" I ask quietly not wanting to catch any unwanted attention.

"No, she wrote me a letter saying she wouldn't be able to join me." He answers and I let out a sigh grabbing the letter from my pocket and holding it up to him.

He stares at it, tilting his head slightly.

"This is the second one I have received. I haven't seen her since we all spoke in the atrium. When did you last see her?" I ask, gripping the note tighter.

"The day after, I took her to see the pups." He answers with a distant look on his face.

"Did something happen? Did she say something? Was she behaving any differently?" I ask as thoughts and ideas run riot in my mind.

He doesn't answer, expression serious for a moment before he blinks and shakes his head.

"No, no she didn't say anything. Well she was a little worried about your know who, but other than that she was her usual self, maybe a little quiet but I just assumed it was from the solstice." He shrugs looking at the note again.

"Well then why is she refusing to see us? And without any kind of explanation." I ask hoping someone would have an answer.

He stays quiet, eyes hard in concentration.

"I suppose we will have to wait for tomorrow night to find out."

"What about the plan?" He asks quietly.

I shrug. "We will be discreet, one dance won't cause any suspicions, and then I can find out what is happening."

While I wanted desperately to know why she is no longer spending time with us I am also terrified of what her answer might be. But not knowing is even worse, at least if she gives me a reason I should be able to think of a solution or explain or ease a fear of hers. I mean there has to be a reason for her to stop so suddenly. Surely it couldn't just have to be to do with Varis?

What if it was? What if he approached her again? What if us knowing only made her more scared?

I hated this feeling, of knowing I couldn't do anything about it, of knowing I just had to be patient and wait and hope that there was a good reason or explanation and everything would go back to normal. Or maybe not back to normal, but at least to a place where she would actually spend time with me.

"You look like you want to hit someone, didn't get enough this morning?" Aeris asks folding his arms over his chest.

"I don't like not knowing." I answer quietly.

He nods in understanding. "I guess we will just have to wait and hope that whatever the reason is will make sense and she will be back to normal."

I nod as he claps me on the shoulder and walks past me.

I guess I am in for another long day of trying to distract myself from thinking about her.