The Adventures of Rhiannon
Summer 2030Princess Rhiannon of East Moreland
Future Sheriff of Iskor
"Rhiannon" the teacher sounded annoyed, "Rhiannon Ironside" he raised his voice slightly, "are you listening" he repeated as he walked down the row of desks in the Friday final period History lesson. He tapped on her desk and the 18 year old Princess jolted back to reality away from her day dream. "That's your 2nd warning of this lesson" Mr.Curtis returned to the front and wrote her name on a board, one more and she'd get a detention after school today.
"Sorry sir" she said realising her classmates where looking at her. "Could you repeat the question?" she asked.
"Very well" Mr.Curtis sighed, "What was the main reason for the collapse of the CNN in your opinion?" he folded his arms no doubt anticipating some gem of wisdom from the heir to the throne but frankly speaking she would rather have been at the gym practising for next weeks national swordsmanship finals.
"Well sir, some would say that its because it was too diverse and built upon the personalities rather than the nations, I mean when Finley died and his son was too weak to stop Queen Cait becoming the Celtic Empress it kind of meant everyone was screwed.....I mean the organisation couldn't admonish them. Then the Maori invaded the Seleucid not caring it'd get the Cultists their killed and that drew a wedge between us and them because Piripi's son didn't really understand the feelings of my father....I mean King David. Then today we only really have Lodja and East Moreland where the old ties bind. So I'd say the changes at the top split it apart sir." the bell rang and Mr.Curtis seemed satisfied with the answer.
"We got their eventually" the teacher said, "Class please read pages 18-30 for next week, place your chairs on the desks otherwise the cleaners will be moaning again. Those going home have a good weekend." The class began placing their stuff in their bag before placing the lighweight chairs onto the desks and heading for the door. "Rhiannon may I have a word please." The teacher perched on the edge of his desk and waited for the room to empty, Tom Saxby her security agent took her rucksack and stood outside the door. "Rhiannon, you've got to stop this day-dreaming. You've three weeks left before your exams and you've every chance of getting into Royal Northfort University if you focus." Rhiannon knew her father wanted her to go there but she wasn't too sure. "Hows the preparation for your Lodjain exam coming?" he asked.
"Fantastika" Rhiannon smiled, "My Step-Mum's been helping" she explained. Queen Stasya had been teaching Rhiannon since the age of six and so by now it was almost second nature for her. "Its my French that I'm worrying about" she added, the year she'd spent at 14 in a boarding school in Nemerie had flown by and she was a little out of practice. "History I think I'm ok at......but I think I may just join the Air Force." she admitted.
"The Air Force has existed over 100 years Rhiannon, it won't go anywhere in the three years your at University." Mr.Curtis was a former Air Force officer himself and knew Rhiannon had the potential to make a good officer, she was athletic, confident and rather bright if not prone to day-dreaming. "You need to get that revision booklet done sooner rather than later. OK" Rhiannon nodded, she knew Saxby would be jotting down what had been said and on the flight this weekend make sure she'd get it done. They also had a bet on the go, Saxby was sitting the same exams as Rhiannon and whoever did the better got ice cream everyday for a month from the other. "Enjoy your weekend" Curtis stood up and began sorting his desk.
"You too sir." She said as she exited, Saxby handed her the backpack and pocketed his notebook. Evie was waiting, the two where like cousins since Evie had been adopted by Freya and Redfern when she was six and they'd been in classes together almost all the way through school since, except for Rhiannon's exchanges to Nemerie and Lodja. They chatted as they headed out of the Northfort Academy boarding school, "I'd have prefered to hang out with you but duty calls." Rhiannon mocked as she placed her bag on the backseat of her car. It was a far cry from the battered old mini her father had learnt to drive in and the Rytol Roadster was a thing of beauty. Saxby tossed his bag to the Red Legion escort team in a black SUV and got the L plates out of the glove box sticking them on before getting into the passenger seat. Rhiannon slipped her trainers on and got in next to him and started the engine. As she pulled forward the gears grinded together.
"You been having lessons from Warrant Officer Thomas?" Saxby asked noticing his Legionnaire buddy in the SUV behind them.
"Yeah."
"It shows" Saxby shook his head. "We've an hour once we get back to the Palace to get sorted, the Queen's packed for you. Your father wants a quick word and then we're on the helicopter to meet Ironside One at the airfield." Saxby briefed her. "We should be in Gaia by just gone midnight all being well." The two discussed the upcoming exams for the rest of the journey and as the car pulled up outside the Palace doors King David was already waiting and descended the steps on his walking stick. In his late 40's his back was giving him worlds of problems but he did his best to still be active.
"Hi Dad" Rhiannon kissed him on the cheek as the pair hugged. The King spouted some history question in Lodjain at his daughter who just shook her head. "Dad, schools done for the week" The King however repeated the question at Saxby who instantly replied in heavily accented but largely correct Lodjain.
"We spend thousands on your education" her father chastised her, "You should know that." he shook his head. Rhiannon just shrugged and headed inside and up to her room.
"Hi Goldie" Rhiannon walked into her room, her ageing Fennec Fox merely lifting his head off the bed to greet her, Rhiannon ruffled its neck and a purr of enjoyment eminated from the greying creature. "Come on" she removed a piece of chicken from her mini fridge and held it up, Goldie sniffed at it and stretched for it taking it from Rhiannons hand. "Good boy" she patted him once more before checking her phone. She had a message from her mother wishing her good luck and one from Duke Anatoly from Lodja. She smiled at his familiar voice as his poor Morelandish said he was looking forward to "seeing tonight through her." The pair had meet years ago at some function, Rhiannon wasn't even sure which and had stayed in touch, he'd become Duke at just 16 years of age and was as much of a dreamer as she was. She was about to phone him back when unannounced Queen Stasya walked through the door.
"Rhiannon" the former Lodjain lady in waiting sat down on the bed and gave Goldie a stroke. "I've picked out that nice white dress for you, but I've been very clear to Sgt.Saxby, under no circumstances is he to allow you to take your sword with you." Rhiannon scowled.
"I need to practice every day." she protested, "I've a final coming up and I'm sure I can find some time to practice in a garden or something."
"Last time you damaged several bushes in the Queen's garden and nearly gave the Conclave a heart-attack." Rhiannon chuckled as Stasya explained her decision. "You have no idea how important tonight is, especially for me." The pair had got on great since Stasya had married the King, in many ways Stasya had more influence on Rhiannon than her own mother. Matilda had thrown herself into charitable work and with laws on DNA screening embreyos relaxed had two daughters now, Rhiannon's half sisters, Amy and Cassiopeia. She hated her step-father Sam Halliday though, he was an arrogant pig who seemed to think his racing success meant he could use Rhiannon for publicity for his racing team. "You have to act like a proper lady tonight, think like you do when that boy Thomas is around." Rhiannon blushed, Thomas was the grandson of Sir Harry Samuelson and was currently on attachment to the Palace during his national service in the cultural branch. He was a year older than Rhiannon and a bit of a dreamboat. "I've seen how you look at him." Stasya teased the Princess.
"OK" Rhiannon said reluctantly she knew Stasya had been preparing for this for weeks, the made to measure dress she'd designed herself, endless correspondence to Lodja and finding hairdresses and the like to travel with them, time was critical. It was the start of the Lodjain summer ball season where those Lodjain noble girls made their debut on the social circuits. Rhiannon had been to Lodja many times, usually when Stasya and her little half-brother Paul had gone home to visit family, a family Rhiannon now considered just as much her own as the Osman's and Ironsides. She had been so welcomed into the family that her Step-Grandfather Duke Tobias had agreed to split his two titles, Rhiannon would one day become the Sheriff of Iskor, a minor rank by Lodjain terms but still one that meant she was now a child of two nations. It was therefore important she make the most of the ball.
"I've also sorted you this dance-card" Stasya handed it over, it was full of names. "You remember I told you, you'll be expected to dance with the people I've arranged there, you may excuse yourself from dancing but for the duration you should keep their company....ok?"
"Yes I remember" she said as she scanned the list of names, she recognised just one, "King Leopold?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, King Leopold, the 1st husband of Queen Klara II my former boss" Stasya explained knowing Rhiannon knew exactly who it was. "You're a future Queen of East Moreland and you're visiting a dance the royals attend, it would be expected" she added. "And you already know that Anatoly boy" Stasya predicted what the Princess was about to say next. "And tonight is about making new contacts and getting noticed, not letting him have a chance to get in your pants ok." Rhiannon laughed, it was at times amazing she and King David where a couple, he was so conservative and she was so liberal but somehow it worked. "So we go now" Stasya took hold of her step-daughters hand and headed out the Palace. As they passed Paul's room Rhiannon peered round the door to her 11 year old half brother.
"Hey Paul....feed Goldie while I'm away ok?" she asked.
"What you paying me?" he asked looking up from his video game, the lastest Medieval Mixed Martial Arts game on the XBox Two.
"If you do it I'll do your maths homework next week." she offered.
"You got one wrong last time......but ok." Paul went back to his game while Rhiannon headed off to a far flung ball.