Kethril Read Online Free PDF

ghosted behind Liselle’s
eyes, as they tended to do when she felt strong emotion . . . like
anger. For the first time Anilyia ignored the flames. “Why must I
be responsible for the actions of two foolish kingdoms? They will
not let me rule or make decisions after all. I am merely a copper
coin to be bartered. If our kingdoms wished to have peace, they
would do so irregardless of whether or not I am married.”
    Liselle didn’t have a response for that and
the fire in her eyes died. Tathan squeezed the princess’s hand in
comfort. Anilyia pressured Tathan again. “I love you. Do you love
me, Tathan?”
    Tathan sighed. “I don’t know.”
    Confusion washed across the princess’s face.
Liselle frowned. “That’s not an answer, Cousin. Do you love her or
not?
    “ I don’t know ,” Tathan insisted. “I think I love her, but I just don’t know.” He turned back to
Anilyia. “I feel good when I’m with you. The problem is that I
don’t know if it’s because you’re so unattainable or if it’s how I
truly feel. I’m still trying to figure it out.”
    “I don’t like that answer. You’re not very
good with answers, Tathan,” Anilyia accused.
    “I know. It’s a failing of mine,” he replied
with a twitch of his lips.
    “Yes, yes it is, Tathan. That’s alright.
I’ll wait until you realize you love me. I know you do.”
    Liselle frowned as she stirred the stew. The
wonderful smell was causing all their mouths to water. “What if he
does love you, Your Highness?” She emphasized the title. “What will
you do?”
    “I will do whatever he wants me to do.”
Anilyia was sincere, holding her chin high. “If he wishes me to
return to Mayncal to be married in return for great reward, I will
see to it that he is showered with wealth. If he wishes me to run
off with him to become a criminal and steal things, I’ll do that.”
She leaned her head on Tathan’s shoulder and brought her leg over
his lap. Looking up at him she said, “I love you, Tathan. If you
love me too, we’ll let my daddy and his friends figure out how to
make peace on their own.”
    Tathan didn’t know how to respond to having
the fate of two kingdoms on his shoulders. Regardless of whether or
not the countries should be at peace, things just didn’t
work that way. If he took the princess home, peace would be likely.
If he didn’t, they would almost certainly go to war, dooming their
people to years of suffering.
    It had been Liselle’s idea to save the
princess, charged to her by Yebisu, the Yellow Bird of Sunshine.
Letting his cousin make decisions as to which quests they should
accept didn’t seem like such a good idea anymore. He had a feeling
that if he continued to listen to her, they would end up trying to
save the world while everyone in it tried to kill them.
    “You don’t have to answer now,” Anilyia
assured him, nestling her head further into his chest. She was now
sitting completely in his lap. He hadn’t even realized it.
    “It’s a good thing,” Liselle said with a wry
grin. “I’m not sure he’s capable of speaking at the moment.”
     
    ***
     
    Dinner was excellent and they took turns
cleaning up in the pond. The boys were told to go away while the
girls bathed. When the boys bathed, the girls stayed and watched.
Liselle watched Vevin while the princess stared at Tathan.
    The last bit of light was glowing in the
western sky as they dried off, dressed and sat down, both leaving
their shirts off much to the delight of the ladies. Tathan asked,
“Why do you two get to watch us while we take a bath but we have to
go away when you do the same?”
    “Because you’re boys, we’re girls and that’s
the way it is,” Liselle explained as she stoked the dwindling
fire.
    “What she said,” Anilyia agreed.
    “I’m not a boy. I’m a man.” He flexed a
toned arm muscle. Anilyia wrapped her arms around it and purred.
White scars crossed the suntanned skin in a few places, which the
princess began tracing