He nodded. 'Mira said you'd appreciate it,' he said.
'If your servants don't frak it up,' Jurgen said, oblivious as ever to the niceties of non-military protocol, but our hosts didn't seem to take it amiss. Mira was used to him, after all, and I was pretty sure Metrelle would go along with whatever seemed to suit her. 'I'd better go and show them how it's done.'
'Thank you,' Mira said, and smiled at the governor again, seeming as gooey as an eclair in a heatwave. 'Would you mind pointing him in the right direction, dearest?'
'Of course.' Metrelle heaved himself out of the garden chair, and led Jurgen through the archway. His voice diminished in the distance. 'Just down here, past the toad pond and across the courtyard...'
'I know what you're going to say,' Mira said, switching off the simper and watching me through narrowed eyes, 'but what did you expect? You went gadding off to that drifting mausoleum and let everyone think you were dead.'
'And why bother fighting for a throne back home when there's one here you can just help yourself to with a smile and a quick proposal?' I added.
'Precisely.' Mira nodded, looking more aristocratic than ever, even if she was still spilling out of her gown like a joygirl desperate for custom. 'Viridia's going to be a complete mess for years after all the fighting, and it's a lot more comfortable here. Besides, Metty's quite sweet really. I could do a lot worse.'
I smiled, feeling a rush of relief so strong it left me breathless.
'Then I suppose congratulations are in order,' I said.
Mira watched me narrowly, sifting my words for any hint of sarcasm.
'I take it you're not going to make a scene, then?' she asked at length, sounding vaguely disappointed.
'No,' I said gravely, trying to look as though I was holding my emotions in check, and firmly suppressing the impulse to start doing handsprings round the garden. 'I won't spoil it for you. Best man won, and all that.'
Her expression softened again, so I assumed I'd got away with it.
'That's very sweet of you,' she said, although she must have known me better than that by now. 'And speaking of the best man, I've got a little favour to ask...'
'By all means,' I said, distracted by the mingled odours of Jurgen and freshly brewed tanna. He and the governor were returning, with a small comet tail of retainers, all bearing trays. Things were definitely looking up.
'Can you find some excuse to frak off back to Coronus before the wedding?' Mira asked. 'You're not exactly low profile around here, and I don't want to be upstaged on my big day, do I?'
'Consider it done,' I agreed. In truth, I'd already made up my mind to leave as soon as I could, the idea of living on a planet under Mira's capricious and pudgy thumb being far too uncomfortable to contemplate. I raised the tea bowl Jurgen had passed to me in a toast to the happy couple. 'The Emperor protects.'
Well, He'd definitely come through for me today; it was only polite to say thank you.
[On which note of uncharacteristic piety, this portion of the Cain Archive finally meanders to an end.]