The Family at dinner
Squabbling
Well, this is the end of what I have typed up for the Princess Janomi stories. I’ll continue this as I find other parts to type up. At one point I had a full storyline in my head. (Not an outline, I don’t do outlines.) I’ll see if I can find other storyline fragments to put up on other days. Otherwise, you might be subject to my poetry. And no one wants that.
Princess Janomi arrived at the table with Princess Letara, her face flushed out of its normal paleness, only a little late. They arrived a few minutes before the boys, who of course took longer, not having Princess Letara watching over them making them hurry. Princess Letara had managed to get all the flowers out of Princess Janomi’s hair, and combed it out as smooth as silk flowing down her back. Her dark curls shone in the sunlight showing its last through the window. While it remained warm enough, they could not afford even a fire for light, let alone lamps or candles. Most of the wood that had been growing had by this time been cut down long ago.
“And how was your garden today?” The queen asked Estra Jasini.
“Drying out, of course,” Jasini answered. “But not nearly as bad as I expected from the heat of the past two weeks.”
“I’m surprised you can keep anything growing there at all,” the king said. “Scarcely a drop of rain in nearly fourteen years, and still being able to get something alive out of that ground.”
“Thankfully there’s still the river,” Jasini said. “When that dries up, nothing will grow.”
“At least the river is spring-fed above Telnbeth,” said the king. “If it were entirely rain-dependant, it would have dried out in the first few years.”
"If the Dark Lord takes in his mind to poison it, or dam it up still further, we will be terrible shape," murmured the queen.
"He can do neither, for his trolls and ogres depend on the water as much as we do. He mayn't think too much of them, but he needs them to fill out his army against us."
"Why do you even bother to try to garden, Estra?" Princess Letara said. "Nothing's going to live to harvest anyway. You haven't gotten one harvest worth saving since you started that thing."
"I didn't hear you complaining when we had those carrots last week, Princess. You said they were a 'refreshing change.'"
"Oh, were those from your garden? I never would have realized. They were so small. The way you always brag about your garden, I figured your carrots would have to be much larger."
"That's enough," said the king. "Sister, please kindly refrain from criticizing at the table."
"Where would you rather have me criticize, brother dear? In the council chamber, perhaps?"
"I said, enough." The king looked at her stonily. "I am still master of this household, no matter who may hold the kingdom. We are all allies here, not enemies, and I would appreciate it if you would remember that."
Princess Letara lowered her eyes. "As you wish," she said softly, her voice still bitter. "I suppose it doesn't matter to you that it is Jasini who always gets the favors, while I am always the one forgotten and disliked."
"Not this again!" Estra Jasini exclaimed. "I tell you, cousin, it was not my wish for the High Prince to fall in love with me. Indeed, for all the trouble it's caused, I'd far rather that he had fallen in love with you."
"I don't see you refusing him, for all your words, cousin," Princess Letara said. "I think you rather like him."
Estra Jasini flushed. "I love him. I love him more than you can understand. I did not choose to, and I sure didn't choose for him to love me, but it happened, and I'm glad it happened."
"How many times must I tell you too to be still?" the king asked. "If you don't hush now and let us eat our meal in peace, I shall throw both of you into prison, and sort out who's guilty later."
"I'm sorry, cousin," Estra Jasini said. "I should have not gotten out of temper like that."
"I'm sorry, too," Princess Letara said, her eyes flashing, determined not to let her cousin get the best of her in anything, even apologizing.
"Now, having gotten that over," the king said, "May we finish the meal in anything like peace."
Jasini thought, "I certainly hope so. I wonder what's bothering her? She's usually not this hard." Jasini sighed, remembering past meals that had seemed like battlegrounds. But they had not been as frequent lately, and she had hoped that the princess had mellowed enough to let things slide, with just a touch of anger now and then. It seemed it was too much to hope.
For the next several minutes they ate in silence, the adults too preoccupied to notice when Princess Janomi began to slip the greater part of her meal, in bite-sized pieces, to the pet dog which lay at her feet. Tharton saw her and frowned, but didn't say anything, for fear that either the queen or Princess Letara would notice him, and being the old argument that since Tharton was not really a member of the family, his place was not to be seated with the family, but serving.
Princess Janomi stuck out her tongue at him, and continued to slip bits of food down to the waiting dog. She was never afraid of Tharton, though he was the one she listened to the most, and had the most influence over her behavior.
She knew something was unusual tonight, for most nights she only got to slip a bite or two to Blackie before someone someone made her stop, but tonight she had slipped him nearly half the meal before her brother at last noticed.
"Janomi's feeding the dog again," he said, his voice loud in the silence.
"Hush dear," the queen said absently, which caused all three of the younger ones to stare at her in amazement, for she was always trying to make the little princess eat, when the princess would far rather be out playing or exploring the castle, following after Estra Jasini.