She cast him a cold glare, the viciousness in her eyes commanding him to shut his mouth, and he obeyed. She had trained him well.
‘Anyway, River baby, you never visit us any more. I’m so glad you came, and that you brought your…’ Her eyes danced between us, a mischievous glint shining in her gaze. River shifted uncomfortably. ‘Friend, was it?’
Looking a little worn, he ignored her latest quip. ‘I’m busy with the court, the war, there is so much—’
‘You need a queen then, don’t you?’ his grandmother quipped, voice dripping with amusement. ‘To share some of those duties with, of course.’
The air thickened, charged with tension, and I felt out of place, like an intruder eavesdropping on a conversation meant for only the two of them. My fork hovered uselessly halfway to my mouth.
‘That would be ideal, grandma.’ River sounded irritated. ‘I’ll keep note of your infinite wisdom.’
‘Please do. It’s no small feat to rule alone and no accomplishment when done unnecessarily. Ava, darling, I thought perhaps I should explain my actions from earlier. You see, my precious husband here', she gestured to River’s grandfather, ‘burned my gown for the Independence Day banquet, the very one my seamstresses had spent months crafting from the rarest diamond spider silk. One sneeze from an old man, and the work of half a dozen people goes up in flames. Just like that.’
The husband rolled his eyes, his frustration as heavy as the humid air that seeped in through the ajar window. ‘Hey River, I’ve got new fishing gear. Want to check it out? Come on.’
The idea sounded ridiculous, but I tried not to show it. ‘I didn’t even know you could fish here, with the land so full of lava.’
Seconds before vanishing, River shot me an apologetic look, as if that were compensation for leaving me alone with the madwoman.
‘Oh, he doesn’t fish here, darling. He portals halfway across the kingdom just to eyeball a trout and toss it back. You’d think he would use a bloody phone, but apparently slimy scales are part of the charm,’ the peculiar woman complained. ‘Tell me, is fishing something one often does in Ortensia?’
At first, she seemed open-minded, or at least polite enough not to show otherwise, but at the mention, I felt my blood pressure spike. ‘The fish trade is mostly in the water court. I’ve never known any Ortensians to select fishing as a hobby, though many appreciate having fish in private aquariums.’
‘Ah, yes, my granddaughter has been pestering my husband about one. Personally, I’ve never seen the appeal. Maybe you can shed some light, since you’re from a water-wielding kingdom.’
‘I’ve owned several aquariums. I enjoyed having a piece of the ocean with me at home, especially with community fish. It served as a little reminder of the peace and harmony within those vast waters.’
Swirling the last of her wine, her eyes grew distant. ‘When you put it like that, I’m closer to understanding. Do you miss home?’
‘I miss the sea,’ I said truthfully. Going into specifics wasn’t something I considered with somebody I had just met.
The inquisitive woman pressed, ‘And your family?’
Such intrusiveness flustered me, and I started to wonder whether River’s grandmother had put me in an awkward position intentionally.
With an audible sigh, I explained, ‘We have a complicated relationship.’
‘And how does that make you feel?’
‘A lot of angst mostly.’ The origins of River’s tendencies to psychoanalyse others became obvious, though his meddlesome streak wasn’t quite as deep.
‘Interesting.’ His grandmother poured more wine. ‘Will you go back?’
Growing more agitated, I wasn’t sure how to answer. ‘I’m not sure that I can.’
‘But would you want to?’ she insisted.
The tirade of questions was starting to make me feel sick and worn out, especially since so many revolved around the stranger sticking her nose where it didn’t belong.
Of course, thoughts about my homeland plagued my mind. Mentioning my family felt humiliating; I was aware of their wrongdoings, but at the end of the day, they were still my family.
‘I don’t know,’ I murmured after a long pause.
The woman seemed to get lost in thought, and as her eyes softened, she continued, ‘You make my River happy. He all but gave up on conjuring a dragon some time ago.’
That surprised me; he seemed set on it. Determination had shone in his eyes the very day we met. ‘I didn’t know that.’
‘I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t know if he will ever let you go back,’ she said calmly.
