The Semi-Collected Adventures of Alex (working title only)
an excerpt

Alex shook her head slightly in irritation, but only said, “Fine. Send her in, then.” She leaned back in the chair, crossed her legs, and folded her arms over her chest with the orange fruit still cradled lazily in one hand. Although outwardly she was merely relaxing, the pose was calculated to emphasize her choice of clothing, which in turn would make Linae uncomfortable. If Linae must see her now, meal or no meal, Alex was certainly not going to go out of her way to make it a comfortable conversation.

Queen Linae, however, did not so much as bat an eye at her niece’s small act of rebellion. She sailed in, wearing a fine gown of heavy claret silk and velvet worked with silver embroidery. Her dark auburn hair was twisted into a tight knot beneath the informal white-gold coronet that served as her everyday crown, little resembling the intricate arrangement that had supported the Queen’s Crown of State the previous day. Alex looked closely at her expression, searching for some hint of remorse for her rough handling and disarmament prior to the wedding ceremony—for if Linae had not personally disarmed her, she had given the orders—but found only a bright, unyielding cheerfulness that said no day had ever dawned brighter or finer.

Behind the Queen trailed her daughter Porshia, who in turn was followed by a man in plain brown robes and a handful of ladies-in-waiting. Porshia, a year Alex's elder and already married two years herself, was at least not as sunny as her mother. A smile stretched her lips, but her eyes were still heavy and tired. Almost unconsciously her hands skimmed over the front of her blue gown, where her abdomen had just begun to show a slight bulge. Alex blanched inwardly and considered herself repaid in kind for her efforts at making Linae uncomfortable. She sat up straighter again, but did not rise to her feet when Dane did.

“Good morning, Alexys,” Linae said. “Dane.”