Page 6 of Dragons & Dumplings

He nods. "This one's different, though. Supposedly, the King of Someil himself is coming, along with his daughter."

"Let me guess, Father is hoping that you fall madly in love with her?"

Arthur laughs. "I'm seventeen, as is she. I doubt anyone is going to be falling madly in love."

"There must be a reason the King is bringing his daughter, and she's your age," I point out. "And they're hardly hoping that she'll make a match with Ernest, are they? I suppose they could be trying to match her with Veronica, though."

Arthur laughs. "Our parents would never force one of us into marriage."

"Maybe. But logic would say that they would like an advantageous marriage for each of us. Especially one with a kingdom as wealthy as Someil." I take a sip of my tea.

"I don't like it when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Think about things without taking any feelings into account."

I frown. "That's not what I'm doing. I'm just saying what makes the most sense to me."

"I think it would make you a good ruler."

"Well, that's immaterial because Kathryn is going to sit on the throne after our father," I remind him.

"For now," he mutters.

"What do you meanfor now?" I ask.

He shrugs. "You never know what could happen."

"Nothing is going to happen. Father is in good health, and Kathryn too. All of her children would be ahead of me in the succession as well. The chances of you ever calling me Queen Evelyn are very small. And if they become higher, I'll just abdicate and then the throne is Veronica's problem, or yours if she doesn't want it."

He laughs. "I'll pass."

"Right, then Ernest it is." I finish my tea and set it down, leaning back in my chair.

Arthur grins. "So we should start preparing for him to be a king, then?"

"Exactly. Kathryn can have her dresses, you can care for your animals, I can bake, and Veronica can do whatever it is that she sneaks off to do when she thinks no one is paying her any attention."

"The gardener," Arthur mutters.

"What?"

He clears his throat. "She goes to the gardens."

"Oh, I would never have guessed that. I didn't think she liked flowers that much." My gaze falls to the teapot, and I wonder about making myself another cup of tea. I don't have anywhere to be, and I can't go down to the kitchens until later, so maybe I should.

I pick up the pot and pour myself a cup. "You never said if you were planning on going on the picnic?"

He shakes his head. "A farmer sent a message this morning about one of their goats having a problem, I'm going to go down and take a look."

"Ah." I should have known he had plans involving an animal. He truly has a way with them.

"I'll get you that book on dragons first."

"Thank you." I'd much rather spend the day reading about baking techniques, or even better, trying them out, but I can't go down to the kitchens while they're busy making all of the meals for the day, that's a good way for me to find myself banned in the future for making a nuisance of myself.

Besides, I do need to know what to expect from my dragon. It might not hatch, but I don't want to take the chance that it does and realise that I don't know anything about it.

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