Forest Kingdom Trilogy 1 - Blue Moon Rising

unconcernedly into the top of her boot.
    The dragon smiled widely, light gleaming prettily on his pointed teeth. Several of the nearer courtiers had
    a sudden attack of modesty, and faded quickly back into the crowd. The unicom bobbed his head nervously, and christened the door jamb.
    'Do that again,' muttered Rupert, 'and so help me I'll tie it in a knot.'
    'Rupert, dear fellow, so good to see you back safe and well,'boomed a deep voice from the rear of the Court. Rupert turned to see an aisle open up in the courtiers as his brother Harald came striding confidently forward to greet him. Tall, classically handsome and loaded with muscle, Harald looked every inch a hero out of legend, and he knew it. He clapped Rupert on the shoulder and shook his hand firmly.
    They both tried for the knuckle-crusher and Rupert lost, as always.
    'Interesting dragon you've brought us, dear boy,' said Harald brightly, 'but you are supposed to kill them first, you know.'
    'You're welcome to try,' smiled Rupert, surreptitiously trying to shake the blood back into his fingers.
    Harald glanced at the dragon, who was licking his lips with a long forked tongue and eyeing the elder Prince hungrily.
    'Perhaps later,' said Harald, and turned quickly away to smile charmingly at Julia. 'Well, Rupert, at least your taste in women has improved. Aren't you going to introduce us?'
    'I have a feeling one of us is going to regret this,' said Rupert. 'Princess Julia of Hillsdown, may I present my brother, Prince Harald of the Forest Kingdom.'
    Used as he was to violent reactions to his friends, Rupert was still rather taken aback when the entire Court gasped with what sounded suspiciously like shock. Julia took one look at Harald's outstretched hand, and let fly with a scream of pure rage. Harald looked at Julia's right hand, and his jaw dropped. He fell back a pace, making helpless little shooing motions with his hands. Julia was all set to lunge at Harald and punch him out, but Rupert recognised the build-up and grabbed her from behind.
    'Now what's the matter?' he demanded wearily. 'Can't you get on with anyone?'
    'It's him!' shrieked the Princess, fighting to break free.
    'I know it's him!' snapped Rupert. 'I introduced you, remember?'
    Julia stopped struggling, and Rupert warily released her. 'You don't understand,' she said dully. 'He's the Prince I was supposed to marry; the one I ran away from.'
    Rupert closed his eyes briefly in disgust. Every time he seemed to be getting the hang of things . . .
    'Why didn't you say something earlier, Julia?'
    'I never knew his name, Rupert. They never told me. I was promised in marriage when I was still a child; the ceremony was supposed to take place once I came of age. Your father and mine exchanged rings of engraved white gold as a token of the arrangement. I've worn mine since I was four years old, and Harald is still wearing his. I saw it on his hand. It bears exactly the same design as mine.'
    Rupert glared at his brother, who was busily gathering the remaining shreds of his composure.
    'Is that right? You're supposed to marry her?'
    'Well yes, dear boy, at least I was, but ...'
    'But what?'
    'Well she did run away, after all,' said Harald huffily. 'That being the case, father quite naturally arranged another marriage for me, with one of the Barons' daughters. Nice little filly. Damn fine dowry, and good political connections. Now, thanks to you ...'
    'Thanks to you, Rupert,' said the King, his dry, even voice cutting effortlessly across Harald's, 'since the contract with the Duchy of Hillsdown still stands, technically, the original marriage will have to take place after all. Any other disastrous news you'd like to share with us?'
    'Give me a moment,' said Rupert. 'I'm sure I can think of something.'
    Harald stalked off to have several quiet words with the King, while Rupert did his best to mollify the fuming Julia.
    'I'm not marrying him,' she snapped furiously. 'I'll enter a nunnery first.'
    Rupert boggled at the thought of Julia in a nunnery, and strove to remain calm.
    'You won't have to marry him,' he promised soothingly. 'I'llil sort something out.'
    Julia sniffed, unconvinced, and studied Harald dubiously.
    'He's your brother — what's he like?'
    'Rich, good-looking, and successful with women. Three good reasons to hate anyone. Harald, however, is also a pompous, meticulous, occasionally hard-working twit who thinks fun should be outlawed for everyone not actually of noble birth. When I was a