The Crossing (Book 1)

Chapter 15

     Obram turned at the sound of footsteps growing louder just outside the great hall. Snapping his fingers, two servants immediately entered the hall with trays of food and placed them strategically around the table while he walked around the near-empty hall. Obram turned to see one of his guard's point at him as a gesture to the girl he roughly guided through the door. Crossing his arms, Obram smiled at Renna as she rolled her eyes and stood across the room from him.

     "What am I doing back here so soon after being denied my request, your majesty?" Renna put as much disdain into her greeting as she could, hoping that King Obram could hear it without any problem.

     "You may want to be careful with how you choose to speak with me. My patience will tire of your willfulness sooner than you may like." Obram narrowed his eyes at her as he strolled toward the table. "I told you that I may have use for you. I have brought you back so that you can do something for me."

     "And why would I want to do anything for you? I told you what I wanted, and you refused without consideration." Renna crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm sorry, but I just can't seem to find a reason to help you."

     "Do you know who Brae is?"

     "I must apologize ahead of time for this," Renna gave King Obram a look as if he was the stupidest man alive, "I came to you about him. You're seriously asking me if I know who he is?"

     Obram pursed his lips together, "Do you know who his family is?"

     "Again, I must apologize, but really?" Renna scoffed and shook her head.

     "Alright then. What I need would require you to spend a short amount of time with Brae," Obram smiled when she looked at him as if he had given her the moon, "And it will also help me acquire his brother and sister."

     "How much time will I be able to spend with him?"

     Obram could almost see Renna salivating, "That is really up to Brae."

     Renna rolled her eyes and shook her head.

     "Come," Obram held out the chair to his right for her to sit in, "Let us talk for a while. Please, sit and tell me what it is about this Brae that has you so enamored with him."

     Smiling, Renna walked over to the chair and sat down. She watched as King Obram grabbed a goblet and filled it with a deep red wine for her, "Well," Crossing her arms, she rested her elbows on the table and beamed, "he has the most gorgeous eyes, and his smile makes me melt inside, and the sound of his voice makes my heart skip a beat every time he says my name."

     Obram sat at the head of his table and poured himself a goblet of wine as well, "And what is he like when you spend time with him? Does he treat you well?"

     Renna frowned as she fingered the grooves in the goblet, wondering why King Obram would ask her that. He had said he knew that Brae and his family have told her that Brae does not want her. Renna looked up from her goblet and saw King Obram trying to cover his smile.

     "Before he told you that he did not want you, Renna. What was he like before that?"

     "Why do you want to know?" She let go of the goblet and sat back in the chair.

     "I knew his father. I have just come to know of his existence and would like to know how much like his father he really is."

     "Well then you don't really want to know how he treats me."

     "Of course I do, Renna. I knew what his father was like with everyone and the apple usually does not fall that far from the tree."

     Renna took a deep breath and shrugged, "We met when I was thirteen. He smiled at me in the market and I've loved him ever since. We don't even have to talk when we're together. I can see everything in his eyes. He's polite to everyone, he can be playful," She giggled, "A lot. He genuinely cares about everything."