A Royal Conversation

"Mother? You wanted to see me?" Kori asked as she walked into the Tamaran throne room.

"I did, Koriand'r. The servants have told me of our new guest..." Queen Luand'r started. "I hear you have offered her accommodations in the guest quarters."

Kori shrugged and nodded. "Yes, I have. I apologize for not discussing her with you earlier -- I intended to do so, but you have been so busy with your duties..."

"There is no need to apologize -- between your father's **** and the plague ravaging our people, I've not had much time to myself," Luand'r admitted. "I am sure you intended to discuss our new visitor with me as soon as you had the chance."

"I did," Kori confirmed. "Her name is Mary Jane Watson, and she is from the planet Earth. We are unsure how she found herself on Tamaran..."

Luand'r sighed. "...Another mystery I don't have time to solve..." she lamented.

"You need not worry about our guest -- consider her my responsibility," Kori insisted. "I want to help her find out why she suddenly appeared here..."

Luand'r responded by giving Kori a curious look. "You seem rather eager to take on this task," she pointed out, causing Kori to blush slightly.

"I must admit, I *am* eager to spend more time with her... I'm interested to learn more of her, her people, and her homeworld. Beyond that, there is something incredibly compelling about her..."

"Then I'll leave you to your new guest. I look forward to meeting her when I have the chance," Luand'r told her.

Kori smiled widely in excitement. She'd enjoyed the time she spent with MJ immensely so far, and found her stunningly beautiful; the thought of getting to know this visitor better thrilled her. She had felt an immediate, intense attraction to the Earth woman -- one that Kori believed was mutual -- and although she wasn't 100% sure if that was indeed the case, she really, really wanted to find out. "Thank you, Mother. I'll be sure to tell you more about her when I know more of her," she promised. "I have a very good feeling about her, as though..."

Kori was quickly cut off by one of the palace's servants. The woman, who had been working as a nurse since the plague had started, had an excited yet shocked look on her face. "Queen Luand'r! You have to come with me, now!" she exclaimed.

"Calm yourself, Lythara. What is going on?" Luand'r asked, looking worried.

"It's Prince Ryand'r! He has somehow recovered!" the servant explained.

"Ryand'r has... recovered? X'Hal..." Luand'r said in disbelief, tears forming in her eyes. The plague had already taken her husband, King Myand'r from her, and although she had exhausted every conceivable option to save her son, she was bracing herself for his **** as well. But somehow, apparently, he'd recovered. "Thank you for informing us, Lythara... please, take us to him at once..."

Kori let out an emotional sigh of relief herself upon hearing her brother was seemingly no longer sick, and both Princess and Queen quickly followed the servant out of the room, anxious and hopeful to see what condition Prince Ryand'r was in.