The Message

As Adelynn leaves the kitchen she hears footsteps coming down the stairs. She stops, places the tray in her hands on a table to her left, and smooths down her skirt. When the prince reaches the first floor, she bows her head. He walks past her without glancing in her direction. Adelynn frowns and returns the tray to the dining room.

When she enters the room, Tobias and Betram cease their conversation. She places the tray in the center of the table and walks toward the door.

"Adelynn. Please stay. And give me your honest opinion on something," Tobias says. Adelynn stops, wondering if this a joke. Her opinion is hardly ever asked for, and on the rare occasion it is, never valued or taken seriously. She turns and gives the prince a questioning look. He nods and pulls a chair out for her to sit in. Betram's eyes have glazed over and his features are hardened. Adelynn wasn't sure she wanted to participate in this discussion at all.

"Betram wants me to return back to the palace. Do you think that is wise, Adelynn?" the prince asks. Adelynn thinks about the question for a few seconds. She opens her mouth but is interrupted by Betram.

"You are about to take the advice of an unschooled woman. Obviously you should consider your options more, Your Highness," he taunts.

Adelynn waits to be dismissed, but receives the opposite. "I prize the opinion of everyone. Her schooling and gender mean nothing to me. It is you who should consider these things more. Do not speak to me in that way again or you will no longer live in this beautiful estate. Adelynn?"

"I know of the attack on your father. I assume there will be one on you as well. You are now more vulnerable and other countries will want to take advantage of that. As far as we know, no one knows of where you are now. They will expect you to be in the palace, the home of the King and Prince. So, if you stayed here, it would be safer. Am I correct?"

Betram stood rigid with his eyes wide open in shock. He had never heard Adelynn speak so much in a day as she had spoken then. And never so intelligently. Prince Tobias nods and smiles at her. 

"Thank you, Adelynn," Tobias says. He sits and begins eating his breakfast. Adelynn stands and starts toward the kitchen but hears a knock at the door. She opens it to reveal three soldiers with looks of grave concern on their faces. They push past her and into the dining room.

"As we were preparing your father's body for travel a piece of paper fell out of his coat," a soldier hands an envelope to Prince Tobias and he takes it.

He opens it and reads.

"I know you dislike war, Tobias, so we can arrange a compromise. You will send soldiers to my palace with an official surrender. Nebran and Adria will combine as one and I will rule. If I do not receive your word in ten days, war will begin. Our armies are superior to your and we will win. I'm not a patient man, Tobias.

King Peter Alexander Kern"

Reviews

[Norbanus]

Ah, So! another super step toward the coming conflict.

The nits I pick are only but a few
sweet Adelynn's respect is moving up
among the lackeys of the inn she knew.
watch Betram, he'll still treat her as a pup.

A few trivial point to note:

As Adelynn leaves the kitchen she hears footsteps coming down the stairs.(It adds to the tension if you put the action first. Consider: Adelynn hears footsteps coming down the stairs, as she leaves the kitchen.) She stops, places the tray in her hands(Unnecessary words. Cut ‘in her hands’) on a table to her left,(.) and smooths down her skirt.(Short sentences add to the flow, in a situation like this. Consider: ‘…on a table to her left. She smooths her skirt.) When the prince reaches the first floor, she bows her head. He walks past her without glancing in her direction. Adelynn frowns and returns the tray to the dining room.
When she enters the room, Tobias and Betram cease their conversation. She places the tray in the center of the table and walks toward the door.
"Adelynn. Please stay. And give me your honest opinion on something," Tobias says. Adelynn stops, wondering if this a joke. Her opinion is hardly ever asked for, and on the rare occasion it is, never valued or taken seriously. She turns and gives the prince a questioning look. He nods and pulls a chair out for her to sit in. Betram's eyes have glazed over and his features are hardened. Adelynn wasn't sure she wanted to participate in this discussion at all.
"Betram wants me to return back to the palace. Do you think that is wise, Adelynn?" the prince asks. Adelynn thinks about the question for a few seconds. She opens her mouth but is interrupted by Betram.
"You are about to take the advice of an unschooled woman. Obviously you should consider your options more, Your Highness," he taunts.
Adelynn waits to be dismissed, but receives the opposite. "I prize the opinion of everyone. Her schooling and gender mean nothing to me. It is you who should consider these things more. Do not speak to me in that way again or you will no longer live in this beautiful estate. Adelynn?"
"I know of the attack on your father. I assume there will be one on you as well. You are now more vulnerable and other countries will want to take advantage of that. As far as we know, no one knows of where you are now. They will expect you to be in the palace, the home of the King and Prince. So, if you stayed here, it would be safer. Am I correct?"
Betram stood rigid with his eyes wide open in shock. He had never heard Adelynn speak so much in a day as she had spoken then. And never so intelligently. Prince Tobias nods and smiles at her.
"Thank you, Adelynn," Tobias says. He sits and begins eating his breakfast. Adelynn stands and starts toward the kitchen but hears a knock at the door. She opens it to reveal three soldiers with looks of grave concern on their faces. They push past her and into the dining room.
"As we were preparing your father's body for travel a piece of paper fell out of his coat," a soldier hands an envelope to Prince Tobias and he takes it.
He opens it and reads.
"I know you dislike war, Tobias, so we can arrange a compromise. You will send soldiers to my palace with an official surrender. Nebran and Adria will combine as one and I will rule. If I do not receive your word in ten days, war will begin. Our armies are superior to your and we will win. I'm not a patient man, Tobias.
King Peter Alexander Kern"