Chapter seven 

Cyrus sat rigidly as the carriage made its way on the bumpy road. Fin yawned loudly, rolling his neck side to side. Cyrus felt his muscles strain and tense as each rushing thought made its way through his brain, his left foot bouncing his knee up and down, trying not to nervously bite the nails on his fingers. 

“You’re worrying too much,” Fin spoke at last, 

“Worrying? Worrying?” Cyrus answered in a frantic voice, “i was worrying four hours ago, i am beyond worry now, i am a desert dragon ready to plunge out from the dunes, spitting fire onto all,” 

Fin gave his king a blank look, “as i said, you’re worrying too much.” 

Cyrus fell back into his seat like a pouting child, groaning with pain, “I just do not know what I have done. If anything i have done the opposite of bad, i have done good,” 

“Maybe she just wanted to spend some time with her sister and brother,” 

“I knew i should have spent more time winning them onto my side,” 

“Winning them?” Fin spoke in disbelief, “I think I understand why they don’t like you.” 

“I need them to like me, Fin, if they do not like me, then the next seventy years is going to be a nightmare.” 

“For Clover or her siblings?” 

Cyrus groaned louder, “this is a fucking nightmare,” 

“You’re a fucking nightmare,” Fin muttered, 

“I heard that,” 

“Good, because you're a literal child, and you are reading too much into a simple act of deciding to ride in another carriage instead of riding with you.” 

“But-” 

“No,” Fin cut off, “it’s my job to stop you being an idiot,” 

“And to get my food, fetch my water, empty my chamber pot, fill my bath, carry my luggage-” 

“But mostly stopping you being an idiot, which you very much are, your royal stupidness,” 

“Your comebacks are becoming quite lazy,” 

“You’re draining the life out of me, the quality of my qibs aren’t exactly going to stay the same forever, well that is unless i die, in that care, my qibs will just stop.” 

“If only,” Cyrus moaned, 

“You are a king sire, a king with power, wealth-” 

“Good looks,” 

Fin stared at Cyrus as he looked at his cockily, “i won’t response to that, but my point is, Clover seems like a nice enough girl, who sees past all that-” 

“I thought those were my selling points?” Cyrus asked, 

“They are, i’m saying she sees your failings and likes you anyway, i mean she was blushing and giggling whilst you were telling her about your idea for a sewage system,” 

“I am telling you it will improve the living conditions of the people living in the city, as well as help with infections and cleanliness.” 

“See, absolutely tedious and boring, as well as revolting.” 

“Clover found my ideas interesting,” Cyrus grumbled, “as do my council, whom think it will make it easier to make the lower city much more habitable,” 

Fin sighed, “i know you have waited years for the moment to meet your one, but do not allow that dumb head of yours to get in the way of your happiness by over thinking it all. She is head over heels for you, anyone can see it, so do not worry and enjoy the quiet while you can.” 

Cyrus puffed out some air, crossing his arms, “maybe you are right, i can not imagine much frightening Clove-wait did you say quiet?” 

“Yes?” 

“Are you implying someone about my Clover?” 

“No?” 

“Fin,” Cyrus growled, 

“She is just very, um, talkative, and, um, loud, and excitable and well, you, but hyped up.” 

Cyrus glared at his manservant, Fin placed his hands up in surrender, “please your majesty, i meant nothing by it.” he paused a thoughtful look painting on his face, “although, i have noticed some odd things about her, and her siblings, i can not explain it but-”

There was a knock on the carriage door, Cyrus slid the glass open, revealing Kain, “we just passed the border, your majesty. We think we’ll get to your sister's manor no more than near sun down.” 

Cyrus nodded, “pick up speed,” he ordered, “has someone rode on ahead to tell her know we will be arriving.” 

“Yes,” 

“Good, want to get there before sun down,” 

Kain gave Fin an odd look at the king's words, wanting an explanation, but Fin only shrugged, Kain nodded again to Cyrus’s words, urging his steed to move on forward.

✶✶✶

Sure enough Cyrus’s words were met and they made it to his sister's country estate before sundown. Within the bustle of the many servants and guards, Cyrus hardly noticed the chestnut haired girl marching towards him. She was a curvaceous girl, with a delicate yet demanding way about her, her hair was tied behind herself, long with braids tangled among her locks, she wore a light flowing gown of chiffon, white with golden embroidery. 

She frowned at the sight of her brother, “you are late,” 

"And you should be in bed." 

Her face turned red at Cyrus’s words, "I am sixteen not five!" 

"You always do get cranky when you stay up too late." 

Her eyes narrowed as she gritted her teeth, "You can go sleep in the stables tonight. I'm sure a night in the cold and horse shit-"

"Language," Cryus warned, 

"-will teach you to treat me better," she held her head up turning away from Cyrus, 

"Ophilia," Cryus signed, "I may be your brother, but kicking your king out is a punishable offence." 

She scoffed, "don't threaten me," 

Cyrus took a step closer to his younger sister, raising up his left hand, then flicking his fingers against her forehead. 

She snapped her neck to her brother, her mouth agape, her eyes narrowing. "Did you just-" He flicked her forehead again, "Cyrus-'' he continued to flick her forehead, till she screamed at him to stop. 

"Okay, okay, I shall stop flicking your forehead." He smiled wickedly, then flicked shoulder. 

"CYRUS!" 

The king could not stop laughing as he chased his sister about the courtyard as she ran from his annoying flicking hands, teasing and annoying his sister had always done the trick to forget his worries. 

Fin who watched his childish king chase his sister, spies Clover and her siblings, stationed by the stable hands who began and failed to drag the horses away from the three. 

The horses huffed and snorted, stomping their hooves on the ground in protest at the urging of the stable men, yanking on their reins. 

Clover giggled, stretching one of the horse's chin. Fin frowned, the mares and stallions that came with them were normally well behaved, they being knights, guard trained mounts, not pampered like the likes of Cyrus’s personal stock, who’d run at the sight of a battlefield. Besides they were not the affectionate type of horses, they were serious, ready for any threat or order from their guard or Knight.  But yet there they were nuzzling and leaning over Clover, Aster and basil, welcoming the pats, and strokes layered on the aquarine creatures, as if they were one of princess Ophilias ponies. 

Fin raised his brow watching at the horses, ignored the stable hands and their masters orders, and instead listened and complied when Aster patted their sides and told them to go with the stable hands, and not to make a fuss. Instantly they listened and did what they were told, though Fin caught Clover promising to go visit them soon which gave the horses a proud stride about them. 

It was puzzling and Fin questioned his sanity, it was surely in his head right?