Chapter 39: An Unexpected Invitation

Rowan stood, stunned. The bow hummed quietly in her hand, so quietly Rowan thought she must be imagining it.

“Lea...are you certain?”

“I am older than you think I am,” Lea smiled kindly. “Yes, Queen Rowan. I am sure about this bow.”

The queen absent-mindedly put her hair behind her ears. Knowing who made the bow made her miss the blacksmith prince. Then she remembered his treatment of her when they parted at the half-elven settlement, and sighed.

“What is it, Rowan?”

Rowan explained what happened when the group parted ways, and Lea listened sympathetically.

“The prince did not want to leave you, but he did have a job to do,” Lea began.

Rowan snapped back, “He said he was going to stay and help, then leave. I just wanted him to stay a bit longer.”

Lea sighed herself, “Sometimes, we have to do our duty, my queen, and ignore the call of our hearts.”

“Oh Lea, I just don’t feel like having a lesson on being queen right now,” Rowan said in frustration.