The God's Game

Chapter 3- The Princess is cursed?

"Ooh ! What is this?"

"It's a blueprint," River answered, clumsily stuffing the mess on the table in to drawers. "Put that down."

Valour looked around the candle-lit workroom, brows furrowed. The corners of his lips were tugged down in a slight frown.

"You need windows, Fuuko," he pointed out. "How do you work like this?"

He vaguely waved at the room, which looked like someone had tried to trap a whirlwind inside it. Tools and metal scraps were hazardously strewn across the floor, and the table was overflowing with parchments of sketched graphs. Hot wax beads rolled down the candle, pooled on the leather cover of Art of Warcraft, and hardened.

"Sit," River signaled at the single chair he owned, diverting the conversation from the depressing topic of absent windows.

Valour sank into the chair and grunted, "New chair, too."

River rammed himself into the overfilled drawer, struggling to close it."Humor me, what's going on in the world?"

"Azi has all her baby teeth!" Valour stated, sounding proud. "And she bites everything now."

River chuckled. "What else?"

Valour tapped his fingers on the table. "Nothing much; everything is peaceful out there."

He started drawing lines on the wooden surface with his index finger. "Ayla got you something for tonight's banquet."

River snapped his head to look at him. "What do you mean for the banquet?"

"You are coming to the banquet."

River stared at his brother, dumbstruck. His heart did a little blackflip at the idea of attending his niece's banquet, but that was not possible. They both knew it.

"Val, I'm not."

"You are," Valour said firmly, an uncharacteristic frown clouding his face.

River scrutinized the older man, trying to find a hint of suppressed laughter. This has to be one of his unfunniest jokes. The King would never permit such a thing. Even if he did, the Queen would not.

"What did you do to make them agree?" River asked.

"I told her that if you are not coming," Valour paused, tasting his words. "We aren't either."

Against his better judgment, River slapped the man- who would become the future King of  North- on the head.

"Awww!" Valour whined, like a kicked puppy. "What was that for?"

"The Queen is going to roast me over a bonfire and serve me to guests!" River pulled on his hair in frustration. "What have you done!?"

"It's my daughter's banquet, and I decide who comes," Valour argued, "and her uncle must come."

River found himself rendered speechless. He could get angry at his brother for pulling a stupid stunt like that, but what was done was done. He inhaled deeply, forcing himself to calm down.

Despite his sunny temperament, Valour could be as stubborn as a mule at times. If he set his mind to something, he would see it through, no matter what came in his way.

"You do understand that Verlice of the North has only one prince, don't you?"

Valour looked up at him, looking like he might start crying, but said nothing. They both knew it was the truth. No matter how hard Valour tried, the Verlices would never accept their second son as a part of the family. They would never acknowledge his existence.