father. They were approximately the same height and they also had similar personalities. In the past, that had been cause for a few clashes. Two arrogant, stubborn men arguing over things that they both believed to be right did not make for a peaceful coexistence. But over the years, they had learned to adjust to each other’s personalities and work with each other. The trials and tribulations, not to mention the enormous burden of responsibility that rested on the shoulders of the ruler, had forged a bond between these two men that was stronger than most fathers and sons.
But this was something about which Zoran was not backing down. There was no way that he could let go of Ciara in order to marry another woman. It didn’t matter about the consequences. He would deal with the consequences later. Contracts were broken all the time. They just needed to be dealt with in a diplomatic way.
Zoran thought through the issues quickly, his agile mind coming up with several different solutions. “Send Simon over to Altair and explain the situation. Tell him to discuss possible negotiations, and that we are sincerely sorry for any insult that might be perceived. You know that this kind of thing can be undone,” he said to his father.
Patir shook his head. “It can be done under normal circumstances but you know what has been happening on the borders over the past few months. We don’t even truly understand why it is happening. If we could understand the tensions, this might be something that we could pull out of. But because the tensions are so out of character for all of these villages, we have to act carefully. You have to marry Princess Jalayla.”
“I love her,” Zoran said with a tone that would brook no argument.
His father paused for a moment, his eyes revealing his surprise. But then he rallied, his mind coming back to the repercussions to his country. “You will love who I tell you to love,” his father roared.
Zoran smiled, understanding his father’s anger at the moment. He wasn’t going to give in, but he could understand the burden he’d just placed on the man. His father was a reasonable man and Zoran accepted that he needed to approach this in a different manner.
“Let’s talk about the benefits of a union with Altair versus a union with Tularia.” He paced back and forth, his mind sifting through all of the details that he knew about each of the countries. For the next hour, he and his father discussed the matter in greater detail, hashing out the pros and cons of each alliance. Initially, the discussion was heated. But as Zoran worked through all of the benefits, his father started to understand that a connection with Altair would have more benefits, both economic and political, rather than an alliance with Tularia.
By the time they were sitting down to dinner, his father was eagerly discussing ways that the contract with Tularia could be broken.
Chapter 7
Ciara stepped out of the limousine carefully, remembering all of the lessons on deportment that she had eliminated from her mind during her summer of freedom as she was now viewing her summer camp employment. She had carefully observed the other camp counselors over the summer camp and had tried to mimic their body movements. The rest of the world was much more casual in the way they walked or held themselves. But now she was back in Altair and she needed to remember all of the ways in which she needed to hold herself. The press would be watching her, the world would be watching her. She had disappeared for three months with no word to anyone. Even the paparazzi were out in droves, tripping over each other in their attempts to catch a picture of her returning to the palace.
She laughed softly as she listened with half an ear to some of their questions. “How was your time in rehab?” one of them called out. “Are all of the bruises healed?” another one yelled. “What does the baby look like?” yet another reporter asked
But this was something about which Zoran was not backing down. There was no way that he could let go of Ciara in order to marry another woman. It didn’t matter about the consequences. He would deal with the consequences later. Contracts were broken all the time. They just needed to be dealt with in a diplomatic way.
Zoran thought through the issues quickly, his agile mind coming up with several different solutions. “Send Simon over to Altair and explain the situation. Tell him to discuss possible negotiations, and that we are sincerely sorry for any insult that might be perceived. You know that this kind of thing can be undone,” he said to his father.
Patir shook his head. “It can be done under normal circumstances but you know what has been happening on the borders over the past few months. We don’t even truly understand why it is happening. If we could understand the tensions, this might be something that we could pull out of. But because the tensions are so out of character for all of these villages, we have to act carefully. You have to marry Princess Jalayla.”
“I love her,” Zoran said with a tone that would brook no argument.
His father paused for a moment, his eyes revealing his surprise. But then he rallied, his mind coming back to the repercussions to his country. “You will love who I tell you to love,” his father roared.
Zoran smiled, understanding his father’s anger at the moment. He wasn’t going to give in, but he could understand the burden he’d just placed on the man. His father was a reasonable man and Zoran accepted that he needed to approach this in a different manner.
“Let’s talk about the benefits of a union with Altair versus a union with Tularia.” He paced back and forth, his mind sifting through all of the details that he knew about each of the countries. For the next hour, he and his father discussed the matter in greater detail, hashing out the pros and cons of each alliance. Initially, the discussion was heated. But as Zoran worked through all of the benefits, his father started to understand that a connection with Altair would have more benefits, both economic and political, rather than an alliance with Tularia.
By the time they were sitting down to dinner, his father was eagerly discussing ways that the contract with Tularia could be broken.
Chapter 7
Ciara stepped out of the limousine carefully, remembering all of the lessons on deportment that she had eliminated from her mind during her summer of freedom as she was now viewing her summer camp employment. She had carefully observed the other camp counselors over the summer camp and had tried to mimic their body movements. The rest of the world was much more casual in the way they walked or held themselves. But now she was back in Altair and she needed to remember all of the ways in which she needed to hold herself. The press would be watching her, the world would be watching her. She had disappeared for three months with no word to anyone. Even the paparazzi were out in droves, tripping over each other in their attempts to catch a picture of her returning to the palace.
She laughed softly as she listened with half an ear to some of their questions. “How was your time in rehab?” one of them called out. “Are all of the bruises healed?” another one yelled. “What does the baby look like?” yet another reporter asked
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