A Swordsman's Duty - Part Two

            “Mama look! Eagles!” Anaya yelled.  Gensieve wished her daughter would learn the value of an inside voice.  Anaya was riding next to the water on the small strand of beach.  They were travelling north on the Coast Road.  Gensieve had planned to ride as far north as they could go in a few hours.  She had been too long kept inside the past few days.  Time to get outdoors.  Fortunately, the weather was holding steady.  It was gray, but the kind of bright gray that was still cheerful despite the lack of sun.

            “Anaya, don’t go too far in!” she called to her daughter.  The girl was a mess of laughter and flailing dark hair. 

            “Shall I go collect her?” asked Rylan.  The young maid’s pale hair had been pinned back at one point, but most of it had escaped to blow in her face.

            “No, let her run for a bit.” The Queen said.  “So long as the guards are watchful, she can have her fun.”  Rylan was staring at Anaya as the girl rode her horse along the edge of the water. 

            “She’s fine Rylan.  I think you worry more than I do.  You’ll be a good mother hen to your own.  Whenever you have them.”

            “I haven’t found the right man yet.” Rylan replied.  She tucked her hair back behind her ears.

            “Hmmm, the new Swordsman may be to your liking.  He seems earnest and easy to entrap.” Said Gensieve.  Rylan raised an eyebrow but Gensieve laughed.

            “I jest.  He does seem like a forthright fellow though.  And easy on the eyes.” Gensieve laughed again.  “Don’t look so aghast.  Matchmaking is a Royal prerogative, after all.”  Rylan rolled her eyes at the Queen.

            “I will also Royally ignore that eyerolling.  Most unseemly my dear.” Gensieve couldn’t keep a straight face.  The gray hairs may be fighting the brown, but she could still take her fun when she found it.  She also noticed Rylan taking a peek, though trying not to be obvious.