CHAPTER 52 A Real Princess

Keith

Keith led Ria through the main street of Gren's Keep and pointed out the shops that might interest her.

Keep was a bit of a misnomer, as it was the remnants of an old fortress once owned by Grendelyn the Grey. He'd been a crotchety old sorcerer who'd collected interesting people. The people, including an unorthodox amount of beastfolk, had not been impressed.

They'd burned it down and cleared it out and built a quaint country town on the spot of the ruins. It had been the first metropolis of beastfolk on the continent, and over the generations, more people had moved there. Apparently, they kept the name because the old sorcerer had always despised being called Gren.

And then the Pixie Prim had moved in.

The entire city now overflowed with flowers and vines and beautiful gardens thanks to the influence of the Prim. Even the Damp Gizzard had morning glory dangling off its low-hanging eaves.

Keith gently guided Ria off to the side of the entrance as he pushed open the front door to Olen's place. A mug missed his head by a full hand's length and crashed into the street.

There was a brawl going on inside that came to a comical stop when Keith walked in. A partially transformed bearman in the process of wrestling an angry drunk ratkin to the ground looked up at them. "Yer Viciousness, I didna see you there!"

"Don't stop for me, Olen. I'll grab us a seat." Keith brought Ria over to a table against the wall close to the bar.

"Oh, is Olen from the north country?" Ria asked upon hearing his dialect. It resembled the folk north of the Baldorin mountain ridge. "And did that otterfolk just smash Olen over the head with a chair? What if he breaks the chair?"

"He has to pay for it or repair it," Keith replied. He contemplated pouring them a cup of water while they waited, but Olen had already tossed the drunk ratkin out the conveniently still open door and picked up the otterfolk to do the same. They would have their drinks shortly. "And I think he inherited the Gizzard from his uncle. He moved here about a decade ago to take over. If I'm remembering his paperwork correctly, he's from the bearfolk village, Orsons Pass."

Olen Orrin clapped his hands together twice and wiped them on his apron. He gave the room an intense once over to make sure no one else was getting uppity. Either Keith's presence had settled things down, or no one else was in the mood.

"Sorry about that, my liege." Olen picked up the not-broken chair and pulled out a notepad that looked tiny in his giant bear paws. "What can I get you for dinner?"

"Let's start with drinks. Ria?" Keith tried to get his princess's attention.

Ria was staring, captivated by the bearman's clothes. "What? Oh. Did you know I have the same apron?"

Olen gave a self-satisfied grin. "Did you win it off Gerda in a tablero game?"

"No!" Ria laughed, and Keith settled back, enjoying her enjoyment. "She gave it to me after we baked bimbleberry scones together. What's tablero?"

"It's—"

"Master Olen." A squirrel hopped up onto the ledge of the serving hatch window leading into the kitchen. "Orders up!"

It hopped back down at the same time two bluebirds flew out of the window with napkins, alighting on a table and cleaning it. They chirped, and Olen told them, "Lyle's mug flew into the street."

More chirping.

"No, I'm busy. With the king."

Chirp.

"Well, he's mine, so I'll do the thing and then be right back."

The two birds twittered, one grabbing both cleaning rags and the other flying off in search of the missing mug.

Keith cut in before Olen taught Ria the rules of tablero … a game for which he was sure she'd drink everyone under the table. Another night. "They have some lovely berry teas and a sparkling mint liliput. What do you think, Princess?"

She rolled her eyes at the title and said, "I'll take the sparkling. And your famous stew!"

"Make that two, Olen."

"Right away!" The bear beastman nodded. "We'll chat later."

Olen ambled over and slapped their order down on the ledge before grabbing several plates and bringing them out.

Someone started singing in the kitchen, and the light aria filled the tavern.

Ria leaned in close. "I thought that beastfolk couldn't get smaller than a cat?"

"They can't," Keith replied. "Those aren't beastfolk."

A purple lizard no bigger than Keith's hand slithered onto the window ledge, its scales shimmering despite the fading light from outside. It carried a tiny oak wand with an amethyst at the tip. With a swish, it cast a long spell, and suddenly, all of the Damp Gizzard's lamps blazed with light.

"Wait!" Ria grabbed a hold of Keith's tunic and exclaimed. He resisted the urge to cover his face with one hand from how adorable that was. "Is that Lavender the Lizard Wizard?"

"Yes."

"The one and only!" Lavender bowed from her perch. She turned and slithered back into the kitchen.

"That means …"

Olen went through the kitchen door, revealing a sheer menagerie of woodland creatures inside.

"It means," Keith finished, "that Olen married Princess Penelope of Peldeep. And now his entire restaurant is run by her animal friends."

"He married a real princess?"

"I'm having dinner with a real princess," Keith reminded her. He chuckled as Henrietta almost fell out of her seat trying to get a better look. Luckily, she was still holding his sleeve.

"You know what I meant," she countered. "Someone who can sing like a nightingale, make friends with beasts of all kinds, and overcome her traumatic past by besting evil to find her happily ever after."

Keith just stared at her.

"I can't sing to save my life," she protested, her cheeks blushing pink.

"I also wouldn't call my minions beasts. That's a bit rude, even if the shoe fits." Keith ran a finger and thumb along his chin. "Especially for Chloe."

"Isn't she human?" Ria questioned.

"Yes." Keith nodded. He stood by what he'd said.

The song in the kitchen came to a full crescendo, and the doors burst open to reveal a beautiful black-haired princess dressed in a blue day dress complete with short poofy sleeves, and a pristine white half apron around her waist.

Olen came up to stand beside his wife, holding the bowls while she held the drinks. Purple sparkles danced across the cups as the last remnants of Lavender's [Bubble Blitz] spell finished.

Princess Penelope curtsied low. "My king, my queen, allow me to present your dinner!"

Keith quite liked the sound of my queen. Ria choked on air beside him.