THE DOUBLE CROWN
King Frebar looked up. "Well, if it isn't my twin brother, the little library mouse."
Tobar swallowed hard. The retort he could have made would have been wasted on Frebar. He ran his hands nervously through his thick dark hair.
"Well?" Frebar leaned his chair back against the wall and folded his arms across his chest. Frebar was nothing like his brother. They had been mirror images as boys but now a more accurate metaphor would describe them as views from opposite ends of a spyglass. Both were dark-haired and fair featured but Frebar was taller and heavier muscled. His hair was cropped short, military style and his clean-shaven jaw was hard and set. He wore a plain blue tunic in the privacy of his study but his sword of state lay across the desk within easy reach. His clear blue eyes stared straight at his brother.
Tobar looked down. His clothes were dirty. His boots were ragged. "I...I wanted to...to congratulate you brother...that is assuming you already heard the good news."
"What news is ever good?" Frebar swung his up his feet and cocked his heavy, polished boots on the desk.
Tobar took a step back. His drooped shoulders made him seem even smaller beneath his oversized shirt. "You...you are a grandfather again by Elanille," he said, lips barely moving behind his full beard.
"Another son?"
"No a...a daughter this time."
"Why congratulate me on that?" said Frebar swinging his feet back down to the floor.
"She's a pretty little thing," said Tobar. His eyes sparkled as he peered above his spectacles. "She's all golden-haired like Elanille was as a babe."
Frebar's face softened a little.
"I...I thought...maybe it would be nice...to...to give her a little something. The naming is in five days."
"A little something?" Frebar almost smiled. "What did you have in mind, little brother, a dusty old book?"
"No...no something pretty...a woman thing. Maybe a gem from the treasury. After all she...she is a little princess."
"Naming..." Frebar said to himself. "The people would expect me to give a gift."
"Yes, the people would expect the royal gems to...to be passed on to the next generation.."
"I never gave a gift when she had the boy," Frebar mused. "She chose to stay in Arindon when she came of age, then she married a common soldier. And on top of that Arinth had the audacity to knight him as a reward for sleeping above his rank and station. But Elanille wanted him. She was stubborn at that age. An Arindian bowman could bend her will but not her father the king." Frebar let out a sigh of regret then looked at his brother. "Perhaps I was to hasty to judge. She loved her bowman didn't she?"
"That she did."
"I heard he was killed by Delven a while back?"
"The massacre at...at High Bridge" answered Tobar fidgeting to return the conversation back to the naming gifts.
"She grieved for him?"
"With only the boy, your...your grandson to console her."
"I haven't seen much of my grandson," said Frebar. "She named him for her bowman not for his grandfather, her king."
"Young Keilen, she calls him Kylie, he...he's a fine boy," said Tobar straightening up a little. "A Frevarian through and through...likes to watch the men in the practice yard....looks right cute waving his little wooden sword."
Frebar stood up. He walked to the window and looked out. "I will have to think about this," he said.
"If I may make a suggestion...about the gift that is?" said Tobar.
Frebar turned around to face his brother.
Tobar pushed his spectacles back up onto the bridge of his nose. "The sapphire tiara would look good on those golden curls...when the girl grows up."
Frebar raised his eyebrows. "What about the boy? I suppose you have a suggestion for him too."
"Well..." Tobar hesitated. This had to be done exactly right for his plan to succeed. "Well," he said again. "There is always the amulet...the big topaz...that should impress old Arinth."
"Yes it would," Frebar agreed. "You are pretty good at this brother. You know I'd do anything to tweak Arinth's nose given the chance, but what's in it for you?"
Tobar forced a laugh. "The gem would not...not only show your wealth and generosity, it would show that Frevaria and not Arindon has...has produced a male heir to the throne." His heart pounded. He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead.
Frebar laughed. Tobar risked a sigh of relief.
"You're clever, I must admit, little brother," said Frebar. "I never thought I'd have the occasion to say that to you." He reached for a decanter on the desk. "Let's have a drink together to celebrate."
Tobar took the glass. The dark wine looked inviting but he knew he had to keep his wits about him. He gestured with his glass but did not drink. "To the future of Frevaria. To your grandson and heir. To your new granddaughter." He paused then added with calculated nonchalance. "And to my son."
"Your son?" Frebar set his glass back down on the desk with a clunk. The wine sloshed over the edge. "Damn!" he roared and grabbed a wad of papers to blot the spill. He tossed the soaked paper into the cold fireplace behind him then turned back to Tobar. "Your son?"
"My...my Analinne gave birth the same night, just...just minutes after Elanille."
"So there's more to your being here than gift giving to my grandchildren?"
"No...no I wasn't...I mean I just thought you would like to know...he is your little nephew after all...just a nephew...no contender of course..." That was the last bait. Tobar held his breath and waited.
"No contender to Frevaria but Analinne is Arinth's eldest and the child is male. I suppose Arinth will name him heir."
"Let him," said Tobar. "Keilen is three years older...he will ascend three years sooner and...and will most likely marry and sire a son and heir three years sooner and...and...
"Go back to your library and give me time to think." Frebar waved his dismissal.
Tobar practically ran from the room. "Yes! Yes!" he cheered as he closed the heavy door behind him. His plan had worked. Little prince Keilen would wear the topaz amulet and no one would know its dark secret until it was too late.
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