670 Second Favorite Cousin

Moving and training soldiers did not necessarily mix as Kyera was quickly finding out. She was busy with the soldiers in the wide open field behind the palace, organizing the warriors to fight alongside the dragons. Clovis and his brothers teaching the younger recruits while Kyera trained the older ones into their new roles. 

Eve and Vivian set about making this palace a home, cleaning and managing the staff while trying to handle Freya who was completely useless. Her broken heart resulted in locking herself away in the tower attic away from even her son. This left Keen all alone…

Or at least it would have, if Raina would give him the chance to be alone. He sat in the gardens, drinking tea and watching two young dragons try to puzzle their way through the dragon games. 

Currently a young forest dragon who was born to blend in with fall leaves and a small ice dragon were trying to open the huge wooden puzzle cube. Ivory and Ember had managed it in 2 days, but these little ones wanted to beat that record… however it seemed unlikely. Their antics should have made him laugh, but instead the boy just watched. 

"Hey, Keen what are you doing out here?" Raina asked as she strolled into the garden. She was dressed in a simpler dress today, not her dragon leathers. 

"Shouldn't you be at the nest?" Keen asked, avoiding her eyes to watch the dragons still. Raina shook her head with a bright smile and sat down beside him on the wall. 

"Nope, my nestling left the nest! So I'm free for a bit and I wanted to spend some time with my second favorite cousin." Raina replied bumping shoulders with him playfully. He shot her a disdainful look. 

"Second?" He asked raising a brow. She chuckled at his expression. 

"Yes, second. No one can compete with baby Drynala." Raina pointed out and the boy thought about it a moment… Dryn was pretty cute. Then again… she wasn't his favorite cousin. 

"Suit yourself. I prefer my older cousins honestly." He replied with a shrug playing it off cool. Raina smiled and set her head on his shoulder. Use to this by now, he put an arm around her. "So what's wrong?"

"I'm worried about a friend of mine." Raina replied her voice sad as she huffed a big sigh. 

"Oh and why is that?" The older boy asked glancing at his younger cousin. They were a year apart, yet it didn't feel that way. 

"Well he's been depressed and avoiding me." Raina explained and he frowned. Avoiding her? Who was competing for her affection and why was he avoiding her? 

"I see. Well avoid him back. He will get over it and you two will make up." He replied and she shook her head. 

"He's not mad a me. Just upset over home stuff… your a boy, how can I help him?" She asks batting her eyelashes. He hated when she fixed him with those big blue help me eyes. 

"Invite him to do something he likes. Get his mind off it." He replied, feeling a little jealous. She was trying so hard to please this other kid…

"Okay, would you like to come spar with me?" She turned and invited him hopefully. He sighed, she could change modes so fast it wasn't even funny. 

"Sure Rain. Let's go spar." He hopped off the ledge and reached for her hand. Raina smiled brightly, all traces of her sadness gone. The pair made their way toward the training grounds. "So whose this friend anyway?" He asked kicking a wayward rock off the smooth path. Raina blinked and looked at him like he was silly. 

"You, cousin. I know that look on your face. Your hurting. I just want to make that look go away for a while." Raina admitted and his first reaction was to scoff at her. How dare… she actually be right. Deep down he knew… and the part his father groomed wanted to slap her away. However… the boy the frostlands made him wanted to hug her. He settled for taking her hand. 

"Thanks for paying attention cousin." He swallowed his pride and Raina smiled at him. Her eyes sparkling with mischief. 

"Well someone has to take care of you. I am elder." She replies smoothing her dress with one hand and putting her little nose in the air proudly. He shot her a bit of a dirty look. 

"Your older but I'm taller and grandpa's favorite." He replies teasingly, defending his little boy pride. 

"And you never let me forget it." Raina replied softly her tone suddenly sad. Keen could have kicked himself.

"I'm sorry Raina… I didn't mean to say that." Keen looked down, shamed. 

"It was true though." Raina admitted and he sighed. 

"It was only true because Grandma and Daddy talked bad about you to the Emperor and it wasn't true. None of it, they lied to me too and because of it I didn't treat you so good. I'm sorry, Raina." Keen admitted honestly ashamed. Raina offered him a smile. 

"Keen, let's not worry about that anymore. We are favorite cousins now. Family. Now come on, you promised to spar with me!" Raina sped up to a run and he had to jog to keep up with her. For a moment… his troubles were gone.