I reach home to find my father by the main door.
"Ahh I ve been waiting for you, princess" My father says by way of greeting.
"Father please, the nickname is embarrassing to be called for a woman my age"
" Well I seem to recall someone insisting we all call her that claiming Jordyn sounds like a boys name."
"Yes well now I think it suits me perfectly" I say smiling.
" Come, let us have a round of chess, its been a while since I let you beat me" He says placing a hand over my shoulder as we walk to the gaming room
We reach the game room where a chess board is already laid. I take black as I always do.
"Please don't let me win this time father, I honestly think I have a chance. I m practically unbeatable" I say pausing, "at least to anyone outside this family". I grit out. My father was quite literally unbeatable, save for the one time Weylan managed to win. But that was only once and it never happened again.
"That s good Jordyn, always rise to the challenge. Fine, I ll play seriously" He says, moving his pawn forward.
"Jordyn, there s something we must speak about" he says, his tone taking on a more serious note. "About your brother" He looks sharply at me, an inquisitor assessing for signs of unease at the change in topic.
"Terence?" I ask casually meeting his gaze. Calm, cool and clueless.
"No, Weylan"
"What about him?" I say focusing on the chess board.
"I think you know, Jordyn. And I d appreciate it if you told me what you know about his little package yesterday. " My father says, knocking my bishop off the board with his horse.
" What on earth makes you think I know something?"
"Your maid says she heard you go back to your room late, very late. Around the time she also heard squabbling and heaving in the hallway."
"Well wasn't me father, maybe Weylan brought a special friend home" I counter with a wink.
"Jordyn, if you think –"
"Honestly father, is this the only reason you wanted to play chess with me? Youre hardly ever at home and now when you are its only to interrogate me" Yes, I m playing the guilt card, quite pathetic I m aware but there was no chance of surviving this game without giving something about Weylan away by accident.
He sighs, "Very well, youre right. I m hardly home these days. Tell me about your classes. Are you doing well?" He says truly sounding like he regrets the long separations. The truth is he lived in another estate away from us, more to escape my mother then anything else. The most powerful Lord at court, hiding from his wife.
"Excellent as always. Will mother be attending the hearing this evening with us?"
"No, she- Edmund has a fever, she will be staying home with him"
"Where is it you stand on this notion that we should go to war in the north before it reaches us?"
"I believe to be a mistake. If anything we should be fortifying our own defenses rather than wasting our resources on another kingdoms problem"
"But wouldnt it better to nip it in the bud before it manifested itself on our shores?"
"I think its partially a ruse. The armies in the north are nearly double our own, you really think they cant fend for themselves? No, I think they want to assess us, see ur resources so they can reserve their own. Its just like it is in chess Jordyn, you never move a piece to a vulnerable position unless there is another piece to defend it, were it killed. Likewise, I believe they want to use us as their back up piece so they dont have to drench their own resources quite as much."
I take in the information, not very sure where I stand now on the decision.
"Are you sure you want to move there? Youre leaving your queen wide open"
"Damn it!" I exclaim as I realize it. "Well its done now so do your worst. No mercy remember?"
Chuckling, my father check mates my king in the final two moves.
"One more!" I call, slamming my hand the table for emphasis.
"I wish we could, but we both should be getting ready" My father says laughing at my sore defeat.
"Fine, but we will rematch so be prepared to lose".
I ponder over our discussion of the hearing as I arrive at the gate where Jillian is waiting for her cousin to arrive.
"He s arriving any time now" she says
"Sorry I m late Jill" I say fidgeting with my sleeve.
"Youre right on time, he's late" she says rolling her eyes.
Finally, a black carriage pulls up bearing her family crest. The carriage stops and a dark haired man strides out.
"Hello Jill" he says his voice deep but friendly as though his known Jill her whole life.
"Cousin. Its good to see you. Allow me to introduce the lady Jordyn Rosenberg. Jordyn, this is my cousin Lord Caden Tyron" she says. He straightens recognizing my last name. Rosenberg, a most uncommon name in Korinth. A name feared amongst ever noblemen at court solely due to my father`s notoriety in his unorthodox methods of dealing .
"How do you do." I say with a courtesy
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance lady Jordyn." He says bowing.
"So how long will you be staying at court" Jillian asks
"As soon as my business here concludes." He says as we begin to find our way inside to the drawing room.
"And what business is that? Did father send you? Or are you here for the audience with the general and Lord Trowe from the North"
" War is brewing in the North Jill, Your father believes we should all begin preparing for whats to come though the king may not believe it wise to send our men to fight a war that isn't ours but we must consider of course that if they do not win the war in the north it will come to our doorstep next." Caden says in all seriousness. For a moment I m surprised. Men don't usually involve women in such matters. Any other man would just have told her that their here about matters of state and left it at that deeming women too dense to comprehend or be interested in such topic.
"You and how many others believe this is a war worth fighting" I ask, curious to know how many oppose my father`s standing in all this.
"That I do not yet know"