Fiery Lands and Stormy Seas (Pokemon Watty Award Winner 2014)

Chapter 2

LUNA

After the feast, Luna had Lily put to bed. She smiled at the little princess as she clutched the Mudkip egg close to her underneath the blankets. She left Gardevoir with her child, and her Spirit Pokémon began humming a sweet song that Lily loved.

"Sleep well, my love," she whispered as she leaned in to kiss Lily's tan forehead. "Gardevoir, come to me when she's fast asleep." Her Spirit Pokémon nodded her graceful green head and continued her soothing lullaby. The Slateport's Chieftains and King Spark waited for her back in the hall to discuss the proposal.

She shut the bedroom door behind her and waved her hand at the Spear Guard and the Crawdaunt to put the salute at ease. Behind the wooden hall were the quarters of Slateport's royalty, a meager two story building with sleeping quarters for only the immediate Marsh family and their Pokémon. It wasn't much compared to the other Chiefs and Kings of Hoenn, but the Marsh family didn't believe in using taxes of their citizens to live lavishly. In the town of Slateport itself, they also participated in the fish trade, for the Marshes believed that even the royalty must work like the common man to have their best interests at heart. Even the great wooden hall itself was built by the hands of the first Marsh Chieftain and his Pokémon, and was since maintained and upheld by his descendants in turn.

Luna Love was descending the stairs when her eldest son was waiting for her, his Marshtomp right beside him blocking her path.

"I don't want to marry the girl," he said.

Luna sighed. "It's not set in stone yet, Chris, we must still discuss it. It would come with its benefits, though."

"It's not yet, and it won't be," he said. Marshtomp must have felt the same way as the Pokémon crossed his arms. "I refuse."

"Come now, my son, you must at listen to what King Spark has to say. He was a great friend of your father, and friendships binding kings are few and far between. You must consider the possibilities this will have for the future of Slateport. The relation between kingdoms is important, especially now that Slateport has lost half of its own territory during the Great War."

"I won't marry because it's forced on me," said Chris Marsh. "I am the Prince and I say no."

"And I am the Prince's mother, ruling in his stead until his Spirit Pokémon evolves," Luna looked at Marshtomp who hmphed at the mention of it evolving. "Don't forget that my father promised me to your father all those years ago, and we proved to love each other well enough. Come with me, Chris, let us hear what King Spark has to say, as well as the other Chiefs of the kingdom."

Chris Marsh shot his mother a disgusted look. "Go yourself," was all he said before he and Marshtomp stormed down the stairs.

Luna knew then that he would not be joining the discussion. I hope King Spark doesn't take this as an insult, she thought as she reserved herself to be objective and consider all the options as the de facto Queen of Slateport.

More chairs had been pulled up at the high table to accommodate the Chieftains and the guests. Luna took the place in the sandstone throne. She looked around at the other men and lady gathered along the table chatting amongst themselves while King Spark and his beard was all smile. It seems Princess Sarah won't be joining us, either. She was almost relieved at that. This would leave the proposition to mature adults.

Luna cleared her throat. "Let's get right to it, then. Do any among the Chieftains of the Slateport Kingdom have anything to say of the proposition to wed Prince Chris Marsh to Princess Sarah Spark of Mauville?"

Luna's brother, Apollo Love, Chieftain of Oldale, leaned back in his chair in the same manner that his Gallade was standing behind him. "My daughter is too close in blood to marry her own cousin, yet even so, I say it's an excellent opportunity." It was customary for Kings to wed their children to the children of their loyal Chiefs, it was rare for a Prince to marry outside his own Kingdom.

Luna Love nodded. Her niece, Hera was a girl of sixteen with a Kirlia as her Spirit Pokémon. She could not help but to be impartial to her twin brother, who was wise yet amiable.

Chief Kevin Wood of Petalburg was the next to speak up, his Slaking lazily sprawled in a chair next to him. "I have no daughters, I have no say."

"Nor do I," added Chieftess June Howl of Littleroot, stroking her Mightyena. "But then again, I have no children at all." Chieftess June's brother was killed during the surprise assault as Slateport's envoy, the catalyst for the Great War. She had only a niece of five, the same age as Lily, who she was ruling in place for.

King Spark was beaming by this time, tapping his fingers along the arms of his chair. His Manectric sat disciplinal at his right side. It seemed to be that there was no dissention among the Chieftains and the seed of his proposal was bearing fruit.

You played your cards right, thought Luna to herself. You knew the situation of our Kingdom well.

Of course, there still remained one Chieftain to give his acceptance. Old, grey bearded Chief Nicholas Granite lent his voice to the conversation in the shadow of his immense Aggron. "I have two daughters of a similar age," he said. "Why shouldn't the Prince consider my daughters as well?"

Inside, Luna was thankful that there was dissent other than just her son. Should this proposal fall through, it wouldn't look entirely bad on Slateport and the Marshes.

"I was under the impression that my daughters were in excellent standing to wed back into the Marsh family. Dewford has been long without this kind of representation."

King Marcus Spark of Mauville stopped tapping his fingers on the chair, but the friendly smile never fell from his face. "See here friends, this could be a new beginning for Slateport, to join our two kingdoms as one." He leaned over and put a big strong hand on Chief Granite's shoulder. "If I am not mistaken, you have a young grandson as well."

"Yes, of course, my eldest son's son just turned nine."

King Spark let out a big booming laugh. "Thank our lucky stars, then. It seems if I recall that there is another young Marsh child. Why not wed Princess Lily to his grandson? That way, we may appease good Chief Granite so that we may bring this fruition. It's a win-win all around." He sat back in his chair and smiled his big smile.

The thought made Luna uneasy. Was she supposed to sell off both of her children? What would her late husband have done? She didn't even notice Gardevoir slip back into the hall and take her place next to her Spirit Human.

"I will sleep on this decision and ponder it for as long as possible. We should also give Prince Chris time to ponder the decision," Luna's final words seemed to appease both King Spark and Chief Granite. She stood up and bowed to all her guests when Marcus Spark interrupted one last time.

"Let him ponder it in Mauville City," he said. "Let me show my best friend's son what he can gain from this. Let him spend time with my daughter, too. No doubt he will approve after the visit." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chief Granite scowl.

Luna and Gardevoir looked at each other. There is only so much the Prince's mother can do, her Spirit Pokémon seemed to tell her with her gaze.

Luna Love answered the last request by simply saying, "That is something you must ask the Prince himself."

She saw her brother give a slight nod as if to say "you did the right thing." She bid farewell and safe journey back to the Chiefs of Slateport. As she climbed the old wooden stairs of her little palace, she found herself leaning on Gardevoir.

"Sometimes fighting against your enemies is easier than trying to keep all your friends happy," she told her Spirit Pokémon as she prepared herself for bed. "Chris is old enough to make his own decisions yet I pray they won't have consequences for us. It's poor Lily I worry about. What would she think of her mother if she doesn't find happiness with Chief Granite's grandson?"

Gardevoir's thoughts and feelings linked up with her own. It's not set in stone, yet, Luna's Spirt Pokémon reassured her.