Clitheroe: A BaRKCRound Four: Lariel

hannath, stay out of the flowers. You’ll get your dress dirty,” I called to my daughter, who was horsing around in the garden.

“Yes, mother,” she called back, though she also didn’t move.

I drew breath to call her again, but was interrupted by someone behind me saying, “Aw, looks like she’s having fun over there. That your daughter?”

I vaguely remembered the woman behind me. She was living in the tiny house behind Lariel Manor, I thought. “She is,” I replied. “Dienda Renaisse?”

“The one and only.” She smiled brightly. “Imelda Lariel, right? Nice to meetcha, finally.”

She spoke with a certain casualness that I found displeasing, but I determined to still be polite. “A pleasure. How are you finding Clitheroe?”

“Oh, it’s pretty great so far. Exhausting, but pretty great. In fact, I already…” Dienda trailed off, her eyes tracking something at ground level. Faintly annoyed by the interruption, I followed her gaze to a small boy with bright red hair, happily toddling off who knows where. Unattended.

Dienda laughed. “Hold on, let me catch the kid.”

“Hold up there buddy, what’re you doing all the way over here? Where’d your daddy go?” Dienda clucked as she reached down for the toddler.

I pressed my lips together. “You… have a son?”

“Sure do! Darion,” Dienda said cheerfully. “Isn’t he sweet?”

“Quite. If you’ll excuse me, Mrs. Renaisse.”

“Come, Shannath,” I called, and marched away. The direction didn’t really matter at this point, though I had a vague idea of finding Connor and Galain.

There was another little boy in Clitheroe. And by the looks of it, he was about the same age as Galain.

My throat constricted. I had been counting on there only being one choice for Princess Anduera when she came of age to marry—my son. It was some nerve of Dienda Renaisse to have a boy at the same time I did! Now I was going to have competition… such a dirty word.

“Attention all Clitheroans! Get your hineys over to the festival grounds place thing! Lickety split! Chop chop! Let’s hustle, people!”

You certainly have a way with words, Your Divine Majesty.

R.A. Thank you, Imelda. I worked hard on that one.

After we were sent home in the middle of the queen’s speech, we packed Shannath off to school, got Galain situated on his blanket (he was exhausted, poor thing), and then Connor and I sat on the couch. It’ll be a fantastic living room someday, you know. I snapped the paper out in front of me.

“Do you think everything will turn out right with the gods?” Connor asked, picking up the remote.

“It’ll be fine,” I mumbled. “What’s the point of having a God-Queen if she doesn’t deal with divine crap?”

“Oh hey, ‘Cooking with Don.’” Connor gave me a sideways look. “Is everything alright? That was a little abrupt for you. Borderline blasphemous, comparatively.”

“I’m fine.” I fully unfolded the paper and buried my face in it.

“Is there anything you want to talk about? Did something upset you?”

I sniffed in mild contempt.

“I’m going to the Bobbin.”

And I did.

I had a productive day there, even collecting my gold sales badge in the first hour. I felt a lot calmer after spending the evening working, and I retired that night to wake up refreshed and alert in the morning.

Alert enough to plan.

Galain had his birthday while I was at work. I am thanking every lucky star in the heavens that baldness was just a phase he went through as a toddler. Having a full head of curls will make it easier for him to compete with Darion Renaisse.

My first order of business, of course, was to place a phone call to the royal palace. I needed to ingratiate myself to the queen, and of course see if I could possibly arrange a play date between her children and mine.

Unfortunately, no one ever picked up the phone. As simply as that, my plans were frustrated.

R.A. Did Imelda call? Hm… that must’ve been while I was meditating up to rank ten at Queensgold… why didn’t she call again?

Shannath has been getting very good grades at school. She’ll make a fine heiress for this house someday, I think.

If only I could convince her not to do this…

“Shannath Lariel! Get down at once! Why aren’t you dressed? You have school in an hour! Honestly, how many times do I have to tell you not to jump on the bed!?”

Shannath sighed. “Yes, mother…”

With both of the children in school now, Connor was finally able to join me at the Bobbin, so long as one or both of us were back at the house by three. It was a great relief to have someone running the register full-time while I was on the sales floor.

“Do I hold the gun like this?” Galain’s voice.

“HA! Missed me again! You’ll never hit me! Never!” That would be Shannath.

The children often play loudly in the halls. Almost every day, I get woken up from my after-work nap by the sound of stomping feet and shouting. I’ve gotten up to tell them to quiet down a few times when I was especially tired, but for the most part, I just listen to their sweet voices and go back to sleep.

Our family dinners are quiet affairs. As sweet as their voices are, Connor and I don’t encourage speaking at the table.

The next thing I tried in setting up my son and the crown princess was taking Connor and dropping by Godseat Palace uninvited. Every little bit counts, you know.

No one answered the door. We went to work at the Bobbin instead.

R.A. Actually I remember this. This really did happen. I was sleeping in late when the doorbell rang, and I looked down out of the window and saw these two loitering around, and decided to just go back to bed. …er, sorry, Imelda.

Shannath finally became a teenager Friday evening. Maybe this means she’ll be less disposed to jump on the bed, or crawl in the flowerbeds, or any of the mischief she got up to as a child.

I have to admit, though, I was a little surprised that she took out the braids she’d had since she was a toddler. And in favor of such a slick, mature hairstyle, too. I’m so proud.

By Saturday morning, I was getting desperate. I still hadn’t managed to catch a moment to talk to the queen about Galain and Princess Anduera. All that was resolved, though, when the town crier came around.

“Connor!” I cried, having chased down my husband after hearing the news. “Put that down!”

“Hmm? What is it, dearest?” He looked over his shoulder, milk carton still in his hand. “Has this gone sour?”

“This is it!” I was so happy I could have cried. I wrapped my arms around Connor, nearly causing him to drop the open milk carton he was holding.

“Imelda?”

“Queen Keika is holding a coming of age ball for Princess Anduera tomorrow!” I laughed in sheer delight. “This is our chance!”

Saturday would have been Shannath’s first day of work at the Silver Bobbin, but in light of the circumstances, we left her home instead. Connor and I put in some time there but closed up early to arrange for everyone’s outfits for the ball.

Still, the Bobbin gained three ranks this round, bringing us up to rank eight. We’re getting very close to that magic tenth level.

“Mother… these clothes are itchy…” Galain murmured in that quiet voice of his.

“Come here, Galain,” I beckoned. “Let me do your hair. Your suit looks very dashing, don’t pick at it.”

“Aw, but…”

“Come here, Galain.”

“Aren’t you excited?” I asked, beginning work on taming that mess of curls of his. Of course they were endearing, but I doubted they would be acceptable in a royal palace.

“I guess…” he whispered.

“You guess? Wouldn’t you like to be king? Live in that big, expensive palace and buy anything and everything you want?”

Galain shrugged. “That does sound pretty cool…”

“Don’t move while I’m working on your hair, Galain.” I patted his shoulder. “I need to go get some gel. I’ll be right back.”

“And here he is!” I cried exultantly, throwing open the door to the living room, where Connor and Shannath were waiting. “Doesn’t he look perfect? Stop tugging at your jacket, Galain.”

He balled his fists up and held them stiffly at his sides. Shannath, for some bizarre reason, was frowning.

“What do you think of my dress, mother?” she asked. “I’m going to this ball, too.”

“The prince is a little young for you, don’t you think, Shannath?” I answered dryly. Honestly, that girl. “Off we go!”

You of course know exactly how the ball went, Your Divine Majesty. We all enjoyed it a great deal, and should you decide to throw another one, well. We would be ecstatic to join you for it.

Well, your majesty, I believe that covers it. It was quite a round. I can’t believe my eldest, my little girl, is already a teenager.

May I ask you tell the princess “hello” from Galain?

Signed,

End of the Lariel record of Round Four.

“…I’ll just… pretend I didn’t just read all that about Imelda trying to play matchmaker with my baby girl. Yeah.”