IN THE GARDEN of the Manor, Cabe stood with one arm around his wife. The two of them stood staring at the spot where, moments before, the portal that Darkhorse had used had stood.
Cabe blinked and smiled. “We should do this more often.”
“I keep telling you that. Why do you think that I bring the children out here? There’s something about a walk around this place that puts one at ease.”
The two walked slowly to one of the benches. The Lady Bedlam sat down, looking briefly confused.
“What’s wrong?” Cabe asked, sitting down beside her.
“I keep thinking that Aurim was out here-but that’s silly. He’s not.”
“You sent Aurim, Kyl, and Grath to their rooms, remember? We wanted privacy.”
“Privacy.” She kissed him. “We don’t get enough of that, do we?”
“No. Still, we can’t complain. Things have been pretty peaceful over the last few years. Even Talak’s been quiet for months.”
Gwen settled into his arms. “Let’s hope it stays that way. I’d hate for something to ruin as lovely a day as this.”
They kissed and then sat quietly on the bench, listening to the birds and enjoying the day. Neither of them spoke of the return of Darkhorse, Talak’s army marching, or Shade’s plot. What point was there in talking about such things?
None of them had happened.
XIII
A day had passed since the departure of the column, and it had been a day of change. It was not something that Erini found she could put her finger on at first. A glance from one of the palace guards, the curt words of one servant to another, and the politeness of Counselor Quorin. The last worried her most, for if the advisor had reason to be polite to her, it probably meant trouble.
Melicard’s manner seemed to be the only positive result of yesterday’s events. He was actually jubilant.
One final change confused more than worried her. After insisting that she allow him to protect her better, Iston had found reason after reason to summon his men away. From Galea, she had been told that the captain was out somewhere, honing his troops to battle-fitness as every good commander should; while from Magda, she received only an amused smile, a response to Galea’s simplistic explanation. Erini suspected that neither of them really knew what Iston was actually doing.
Breakfast with Melicard went swimmingly, as her father would have put it. The princess was astounded at how pleasant he could be. More and more, his talk turned to peaceful times, times without the Dragon Kings and what he would then hope to accomplish. He even began talking about bridging the chasm that he had set up between himself and his neighbors, especially Penacles and Irillian. It would have been an idyllic world, the one he built up over the course of the meal, if it had not had one major flaw.
There was no mention of the drake race in his new world. From the way the king spoke, Erini knew that there would be no room for the drakes. It marred an otherwise wonderful morning. Finally, she put the thought aside, assuring herself that she would press him on it once they were married.
For the first time, Melicard broached the subject of marriage.
The two of them had walked outside onto one of the marble terraces that seemed to have been a preoccupation with one of the palace’s designers. Two sentries stood stiffly at attention as the royal couple glided by. At home, Erini would have expected to see at least a dozen guards nearby-just for her protection. Melicard, however, seemed confident of his own safety. Erini was not so certain.
“You’ve made a change here, my princess. You know that, do you not?”
“What could I have done? I’ve only been here a short time.”
The king closed his one eye (though the light made it seem as if both eyes closed) and appeared to make a rapid calculation. He opened his eye and smiled with the good half of his mouth.
“It has been only a short time, hasn’t it? I’ve begun to feel as if you have been here always. Quorin says the same thing.”
With a very different meaning behind it, the princess thought in grim satisfaction. “This is my home. I feel that way, too.”
Melicard turned his gaze away from her, embarrassed. This was not the sort of thing he understood well. Battles and vengeance were his forte. “I told you something to the effect that love at first sight exists only in tales. I think I was wrong.”
“You were. I know from personal experience.”
Without thinking, he brought up the elfwood arm and took her hand. The arm was pleasantly cool to the touch, smooth without feeling lifeless. Erini noticed how its feel seemed to be dependent upon her betrothed’s mood.
“I cannot say how long this crusade will last, or if it will even end during our lifetimes, for that matter. Regardless, if you are willing, I think it’s time that we put an end to the ‘royal courtship’ and began planning for-the future.”
She laughed lightly, positively delighted with the way he had put it. “Marriage? Is that the word you sought, your majesty?”
Melicard nodded with mock severity. “Yes, I think so.”
Her kiss proved to be the proper response. As with the false arm, she hardly noticed that a part of the lips that touched her own was not real. The elfwood was wood only if the two of them saw it so. Now, their belief made it flesh.
“Your-majesties.” Quorin’s voice threw a deep chill on the day, dousing even the fires of happiness that had enveloped Erini during Melicard’s proposal. Still, there was some pleasure in seeing the look on the counselor’s face. He was confused and livid, and both those emotions were barely being kept in check. Erini gave him a polite but false smile.
“What is it, Quorin?” Melicard, unlike his future bride, bared his teeth in something that could never be termed a smile. Its ferocity surprised the advisor, who had probably never had it turned on him before. “I left orders that no one was to disturb us. That included you, I believe.”
“Forgive me, my lord… I was under the impression…” He stared at the princess, who had the feeling that the man had not expected to find the two of them in so intimate a moment.
“Since you are here, Quorin, I have something for you to do.”
“My lord?” Feral eyes drifted to Erini.
“Announce that, with the campaign underway and a new era beginning in which Talak will be at the forefront, the Princess Erini of Gordag-Ai has consented to be my queen. We will be married in a citywide ceremony in-how long would you say, my princess?”
She gave Melicard a smile. At last! “Since this marriage was arranged before I could walk, there is little preparation needed on my part. I would prefer it as soon as possible.”
By now, the counselor had recovered somewhat. With a slight gleam in his eyes, he quickly said, “It would be remiss to have a less-than-regal wedding ceremony, your majesty. The princess’s family will wish to attend and all of the nobles from both city-states will demand their rights, too. Such an event calls for extravagance.”
Erini grew cold. “I’ve never been one for extravagance. If there is someone who can marry us now, so much the better.”
Melicard patted her hand. “My sentiments exactly, but Quorin is, unfortunately, correct. We owe your family and the people a ceremony-a festival even.”
“One month, your majesty! If I can help organize several thousand soldiers, a wedding will seem simple in comparison! One month!”
“That long?” The king seemed more reluctant now. “I was hoping two or three weeks at most. Make it a smaller ceremony. The nobles and the royal family of Gordag-Ai. Announce that a festival for the people will commence two weeks after that. They’ll understand.”
Quorin sighed in evident defeat. “Two weeks, then. May I be the first to extend my congratulations to both of you.”
Melicard thanked him, but Erini could only nod her head. As the advisor turned to leave-supposedly to begin those preparations, especially the announcements that would have to be carried by courier to Gordag-Ai-the princess could not help thinking that he had given in too easily. In fact, it seemed that his main purpose had only been to assure that the wedding did not take place immediately. A month or two weeks; a delay was a delay.