Amber Kell - Birthday Bash

As best selling m/m author Amber Kell celebrates her birthday, we're a stop along the way in her birthday blog hop as she shares the story "Rhea"....

From Amber, here's the segment of story we're posting here and a link back to her blog so you can follow the tale:

http://amberkell.wordpress.com/birthday-story-wandmaker/

“Maybe I’ll take mom up on her harem idea,” Rhea said with a sigh.

Jamie laughed.

The room she was shown to was nice, not as nice as the king’s but not shabby by any means. Still she thought fondly of his giant bed. If it hadn’t been the best sex of her life it was close.

Jamie bounced on the bed across from her.

“So tell me all the fabulous details.”

“A lady never kisses and tells.” Rhea tried to look as prim as possible.

“Uh huh, so tell,” Jamie urged.

Rhea tossed a pillow at her sister beaning her in the face.

That’s all it took to degrade into a pillow fight.

Someone clearing their throat cut through the chaos of their fun like a gunshot.

They looked up from their pillow forts to see a diminutive woman with an iron spine. Her delicate features were set into lines of disapproval.

“I’m looking for my future daughter in law.”

Jamie slid out of the bed and straightened her dress.

Rhea couldn’t stop the giggle erupting until she was releasing peals of laughter as she tumbled back on the bed kicking her heels.

“Are you the one my son has chosen?” The voice sounded even more disapproving.

Rhea counted her stars and blessings that she wasn’t going to get involved with that woman. Yuck.

“That would be me,” Jamie said.

“I’ve come to meet my future daughter-in-law and to accept my present.” The older woman had the imperious manner Rhea always associated with snotty royalty. Her own mother and stepmother had it down to an art form.

“What present?” Jamie asked.

Rhea sighed. Would it hurt too much for the girl to put a filter between brain and mouth. “The gift you put in the blue trunk.”

She gave her sister a significant glance.

“Oh of course. With all the excitement I’d forgotten.” Jamie walked over to the trunk with perfect grace.

See her sister be a princess.

Rhea glanced over to the older lady to see if she noticed her sister’s straight carriage and beauty, but the nosy old woman was staring at her.

Luckily Jamie returned with a brightly colored gold package with a red ribbon before Rhea could say something bitchy.

“Here, um your highness.” Jamie gave a short curtsy one future monarch to another. Rhea glanced to see if the snotty royalty noticed her sister’s precise depth of curtsey.

The old woman was looking at the package.

Rhea blew back her hair in annoyance.

“Well I’ll leave you two to your thing.”

Really what was she thinking to hang around? It was best for her sister to get used to being on her own, Rhea wouldn’t be around forever to hold her hand.

“Wait a moment dear.” The queen patted her arm in her first sign of friendliness.

Damn.

“You of course know that the present must be hand made.” The queen was saying to Jamie.

“Of course.” Jamie swallowed, wow that must’ve been a big lump.

Rhea gave her a sweet smile.

With surprisingly deft fingers the queen removed the ribbon, the packaging, both she handed to a nearby guard. She lifted out the velvet box and opened it.

A soft gasp greeted the opening.

“By the goddess this is beautiful,” the queen said reverently touching the pendant.

“My sister has a talent for gem and metal work.” Jamie said, her voice soft.

Rhea almost growled in frustration. Couldn’t Jamie at least pretend to take some credit.