Pandora was put away in a small pasture with a couple retired horses, her bridle tucked away. She had taken a treat gently from my hand before she decided that she was indeed done interacting for the day and trotted off to be with her companions. I was certain she would be harassing them in no time.

"She's going to be such a muddy mess tomorrow," Xion pointed out.

I was well aware of the fact, but thought she could use the open space. And, I had a hunch that her little temper tantrums stressed out some of the other horses and some of the staff members as well. Everyone would be relieved to have a break from her antics, I was sure.

"I know you haven't been following me around to tell me that Pandora is going to need grooming tomorrow," I muttered.

Xion had been hovering over me ever since Seraphina had departed. He hadn't said much, but his presence had been heavy. I hadn't given him the luxury of breaking the silence myself either. If he wanted to follow me around like an overly attached ghost, that was his choice. Now, I sat on the top rail of the pasture fence, my back to him.

"Was I supposed to leave you alone right after my sister just announced that we would be meeting my mother?" he asked.

"Oh, I didn't realize that I had agreed," I mused, watching Pandora chew through a mound of grass.

Xion was silent for a beat, the sign that he was trying to think of the proper phrasing to keep me from exploding. So far, it hadn't provided much of an outcome for him.

"My mother is not just some woman who wants to meet her potential daughter in-law. She is not the kind of person you can just say no to," he explained.

"You say no to me all the time. Try it out on her," I suggested.

Another moment of silence. "If you would like me to say no to her, I will. I do not want this meeting any more than you do, even if you don't believe it. However, I know my mother. If we tell her no, that will not prevent her from meeting with us. She has no issues coming here, no issues lying to me to get me to do what she wants. At least, if we agree to her now, we can set some terms. It will not be a surprise for either of us. There's also the logistics of crossing kingdoms which is not ideal for either of us."

"So, if you deny her, she will just show up here and demand to meet with me anyway? Sounds like she doesn't respect you very much."

"Whether I like it or not, she is a woman of means and very little boundaries. Leaving her kingdom from a couple of days will not be of any concern to her, even if her actions stomp all over treaties and rock our already struggling ship."

The thought of meeting anyone's family was terrifying and now, the idea of meeting the vampire that had produced a son that could kill his own father was making my stomach churn. I didn't want to encounter this woman ever, from the sounds of it. But did I really want her showing up here unexpectedly? Did I want to feel as if I were tiptoeing around the palace, wondering when she would finally appear? How would she even get here without raising alarm all over the province?

I turned my back to Pandora and slid off the fence to begin walking back to the palace. The king followed me as dutifully as Croissant followed him.

"I don't owe you anything, Xion. And certainly not this. She is not my mother. I am not the one who told her of my existence."

"You do not owe me, but if you choose to do this, I will owe you. Greatly."

"But not so greatly that you would allow me to go home," I said, opening the door to the palace and slipping inside.

Little Croissant decided that she had heard quite enough of our squabbling, not that anyone could really blame her. With a huff, as if she had spent the day doing hard labor, she hopped up onto a small chair tucked into a corner and curled up tightly for her nap.

"We agreed to three months, Lark. You may still loathe me at the end of all of this. I would hate it, but I would understand. And if that is the case, you will be safely returned home, but not a minute before those three months are up. For your safety as well as my own. But anything else is on the table."

I thought of my idea earlier, thought of the family I could not see, could not touch. I wanted a hug more than I wanted anything. But maybe being mated to a king would have its advantages. I wanted time to strategize, to determine how best to play my hand.

"How about we meet in the library in half an hour? I love horses but would prefer not to smell like one for the rest of the day."

Xion eagerly agreed. So willing to take even the smallest seed of anything that could resemble hope or even just a civil conversation.

I disappeared into my bedroom. I needed new clothes, something that didn't have traces of horse slobber and chewed carrots on it. My mother had always thought that women had a gift of conveying their needs, their status, their personality, more through their clothing than men. I never knew if it was a good thing or not, but at that moment, I didn't care. This was no longer about me. And for my family, I would pull any cards I could.

I tugged on a sapphire gown made of the softest velvet. Delicate silver stitching accentuated the neckline and the sleeves. I'm sure that the little seamstress would roll her eyes and tell me it was one of the blander dresses I had, but I wasn't sure I could wrangle myself into the other options alone. Besides, this one had a lower neckline than I had ever worn before, my pale skin exposed. I pulled my nearly white hair up into a crown of braids, spraying just a little perfume in it to chase away the remaining scent of the barn. Then I set off for my negotiations.

Xion was already there, lounging by the fireplace with Croissant curled up on the floor at his boots. Perhaps it was me that she was trying to avoid. A book was in his hand, but the way his eyes snapped up so fast told me he had not been reading it at all. He had been waiting. Judging by how long his gaze stayed on me, I was assuming my appearance adjustment had been worth the wait.

"I didn't realize this was a formal event," he said, sounding oddly out of breath for a man seated.

"Is that your idea of a compliment, Xion?" I asked with a cocked brow as I settled myself across from him.

His eyes refocused on my face. "You look wonderful, Lark. Incredible. And I think you look just as stunning when you're riding your horse as you did the evening of the ball. But I do appreciate you putting in all the extra effort for me, even if I have my doubts about your pure intentions."

"My intentions are pure, even if they are not for you," I said coldly.

Xion leaned back into his chair, assuming a position that reeked of arrogance. I wondered if they taught that pose in royal academies or if it was a natural talent for those born into wealth. "I feel like this has turned into a negotiation."

"Then start by telling me your plan and I will tell you how much it's going to cost you to have me go along and act like a sweet little human mate in front of your mother. "

If he was intimidated or annoyed, he didn't show it. He just rose and stared at the map, the same map that I had been marveling at when the alarm bell had sounded and Seraphina coached me under the table.

"My mother is here," he said, pointing to the witch kingdom. I recalled what he said while in the hot room with all of the tropical plants. It had reminded him of home. The witch kingdom was known just as much for it's cunning creatures as it was for it's strangling foliage and unrelenting heat. It was centered around a volcano after all. His tanned skin and dark hair should have been more than enough sign to me that at least half his lineage was not from these colder lands, but it was still a shock nonetheless. "Vampires and witches aren't exactly on good terms for the most part, though there are obviously some rare exceptions. The only way to cross into the witch lands without being immediately slaughtered is to announce royal status. However, through announcing royal status, I put a target on our backs because my rule is still fresh and as I'm sure you're aware, not every one of my subjects is my most loyal citizen. Alternatively, inviting my mother here would not be a wise move."

By the sounds of this woman, I wondered if she was the type to overstay her welcome. She certainly must have been something intense if it could make a vampire king fear her arrival.

"If we cannot meet her in the witch kingdom and we do not want to have her come here, I suggest that we meet her half way." His finger landed on the Merfolk's territory. I had heard about it, even dreamed about it when I was a little girl, but the desire to follow my father on all of his adventures died the moment I realized just how many villains occupied this world.

"Are they safe?"

"The merpeople?" Xion asked, his tone implying it should be obvious. "The merpeople are just as reasonable as any other creature or human. Should you not test them, they will not find a reason to retaliate."

My hand instinctively went to my throat, to the scar I had received after I had been almost drained dry. I hadn't thought that I had goaded anyone into retaliation. I had simply thought I was doing my duty.

Xion caught the movement, something that was permanent stoic in him seemed to soften. "Lark, we will move in a way that does not attract attention and I am the king, it is my duty to keep positive relationships with the other kingdoms. The merkingdom is no different. If we want their goods and services, we have to play nice."

I cleared my throat in an effort to make my voice stronger. "How will we travel?"

"'An unmarked horse and carriage for us and we will need a guard to come along as well. I'm a competent fighter, but we all have our limits. And this way we will be discrete, we'll be comfortable, and the roads are maintained well enough to make it efficient."

"And how long will traveling take? How long will your mother want to be with us?"

"Two days of traveling each way. The traveling will be the intensive part of our time away. There's about a day of distance to cover on either side of the veil. As for my mother, she will not spend long with us. Her duties won't allow it."

Xion sat himself back down across from me, hands folded neatly in his lap. "Now, do I dare ask what this is going to cost me?"

~~~Question of the Day~~~

What is your favorite form of social media?