by D. H. Aire
Aliana shook her head, “He… has his moments.”
“Boy, you will find another room to sleep in.”
“No,” Alaina quickly said, “he won’t, Pappa… I… need to guard him.”
“Guard him? He needs a keeper, but did you have to marry him?” He winced at her gasp. “Of course, you didn’t. Forget I even said that.”
Rexil replied, “Pappa, she’s Revit’s assigned warder. As I’m bound to Aaprin and Gallen.” He just chose not to explain the degree of difference based on Revit and Terus’s nearly successful experiment. “Where Revit goes, Aliana does.”
“So I can’t even say to your mother that you love this boy?”
Aliana looked stricken.
Revit swallowed hard, “She and I can’t stand being apart… If that’s not love, what is?”
“Boy,” Grigg muttered, rattling his bane sword in his scabbard.
“Pappa, I love him!” Aliana cried.
He paused and looked deep into her eyes. “That I can explain to your mother… if you promise to visit… regularly.”
Belina looked from one to the other. “What have I gotten myself into?”
“Pappa, I promise, I will visit Mama, won’t we, Revit, dear?”
“Yes, sir… regular visits.”
“Rexil?”
“I can’t. It’s not safe.”
“Now where’s your other sister?”
The warder half turned to Aliana, “She’s at the Mage Academy… But no one can know they have female students… the traditionalists will cause all kind of trouble.”
“Is that why you all went… deep Underhill?”
“Yes, Pappa.”
“Revit, if you break my little girl’s heart, the Highmage, even the Gate, won’t be able to save you.”
“Uh, yes, sir.”
“Pappa,” Rexil said, “we really need to give them some time alone.”
“What? Oh, fine, but no honeymoon, understood?”
“No honeymoon, promise.” Rexil lowered the ward and once they were gone, Revit barred the door. “Sheesh.”
Belina looked from one to the other, “Okay, out with it.”
“What?” Revit said.
“Look, I’m apparently, uh… your wife, too… I know we don’t really know each other. But, I wasn’t raised to be a fool, either.”
“Um, Revit and I…” Aliana said, shrugging out of the bedcover, “already know each other pretty well without any of that other stuff.”
“You are joking…”
Revit sighed. “No, she isn’t. You could say, we’re, um, comfortable around each other.”
“Well, I guess that’s good since we’re expected to go to the Reception as we were dressed for the ceremony,” Belina said, then frowned. “Unless.”
“Unless what?” Aliana asked.
Belina said, “Unless you’re not wearing your Elvinsilk gown because it’s… worn off.”
“How’s that possible?”
Belina blushed. “No one told you?”
#
The instant the door closed behind them and they were alone in their assigned guest quarters, Aaprin glared, “Okay, what happened? I thought you agreed to just bond me, Ander.”
“I don’t know! It was like I was being shoved every which way until…”
“I pushed her to prevent her falling off the dais,” Juels said.
“Which is why I’m now married to you, too,” Aaprin practically growled.
Juels shrugged, “I’m too young, so at best… we’re bonded, uh, Milord Aaprin.”
“Gallen?” he rasped.
“Oh, don’t look at me, I was careful never to let go of your hand, loverboy.”
Aaprin shrugged. “Now what?”
There was a knock at the door.
“What now?” he muttered as Ander went and answered it. Peering out, she gasped, “Mother Shaman?”
“Ah, Lady Ander,” the Cathartan said, barreling past her just as Ander glimpsed Ruke and Mahr with the woman’s escort. “I’ll just be a moment, Sisters.”
Ander closed the door, looking pale.
“I must congratulate you, Lord Aaprin, marrying and bonding Cathartans, even if only by adoption. It puts you in quite a fraternity of a growing number of Lords-by-Bond here in the Empire.”
“I’m not a lord of anything, Mother Shaman,” he replied.
“Oh, but you certainly are… Gallen’s friend, Ruke, has recently joined the fraternity as well by the way. We will welcome any male progeny with utmost due ceremony.”
“Over my dead body,” Aaprin rasped.
“Oh, do not be hasty. I have a surplus of nieces of age, who would be most happy to… protect your Household from harm.”
Gallen shook her head, “We’re more than enough for him, thank you.”
De’ohr nodded, “I understand. You seek to follow Lord Je’orj’s example. While that’s laudable under normal circumstances, my Shattered House, will be looking out for you, anyway.”
“We’re quite happy where we are.”
“Living in Je’orj’s manse? We will do our best to find you more suitable lodgings.”
“Mother Shaman, my… Household is none of your concern.”
She stroked Ander’s stomach, “Do you know that you are ripe?” She glanced at Gallen and frowned, “Even unable to wield illusion at the moment, you are difficult… to judge. But, I believe you will serve well enough.”
“Well enough for what?” Gallen said.
“Why isn’t it obvious? You will be his House’s Mother Shaman, Lady Gallen. Albeit, not a traditional one.”
She turned to Juels, “You will watch over them, won’t you, little dove?”
“Of… course.”
“Keep that blade close during the reception. I judge there are others who wish your family ill.”
Juels frowned and nodded, as without another word the Mother Shaman left.
“Ripe?” Ander muttered. “Is she mad?”
Gallen said, “I think the four of us need to have a long talk.”
Shaking his head, Aaprin said, “We are not a Cathartan Household.”
“Uh, I think we are now,” Gallen said, “and, she’s told us she intends to see to it you’re our Prince.”
Juels swallowed. “Um, in that case, I think I’m going to need some more daggers to wear to the reception.”
#
They trooped into the Empress’s bridal suite. Once inside, Lonny barred the door. Fri’il held her baby and took a seat, which she thought safest.
“Husband, my…” the Empress said, “I guess, Sisters, is the appropriate term. What happened?”
:An assassination attempt and total chaos.: Staff replied.
George grimaced as Raven sniffed at him. “Do I smell different?”
Smell… good.
“And he hasn’t before?” Se’and asked.
Different. Raven sniffed, rubbing up against his flank. “Itches.”
“Uh, sorry, sweetie,” George chuckled.
She put her arms around him, “That better.”
The Empress gasped, “Oh, my.”
“What?”
“Was she touching anyone when the ceremony ended?”
Staff projected a beam of light, which showed the scene on the dais, then focused just about them.
“Well, Lonny, looks like you remain just bonded,” George said.
“Well, perhaps you will still consider siring my foals.”
The Empress frowned, pointed, “Raven reached out to Se’and.”
Lonny said, “Je’orj, I am certain you will have lovely wolfenbeast cubs one day.”
“I’m not married to Raven!”
Raven rubbed her cheek against his forearm, I… too young. No need mate.
“See?”
Not smell right, she thought sniffing his chest. But good, very… good, Raven looked up at him, her eyes misting.
“Heaven help me,” George muttered.
The Empres
s shook her head, “I take it being married to you is not going to be dull, is it?”
He didn’t know what to say. Lying to an Empress could be dicey.
Cle’or nodded, “Perhaps it would be best to discussion the other business this image shows us.”
“What did he spit at you?” Fri’il asked.
“He didn’t exactly spit. He exhaled… what, Staff?”
:Completing analysis of the virus. It appears to be a modified cold.:
“He was trying to give me a cold?”
The image tightened on a tiny flash, which grew bigger and bigger— :It has been laced with, what the archive recognizes, as a plague. I am detecting genetic modification.:
George saw details flash through his mind. “Oh, how nice… A plague tailored to harm only humans… and it has a very brief life span. Infect quickly or it dies.”
“I would have survived contact then?” the Empress said.
“Yes, but not Se’and or Fri’il. It would likely have killed Cle’or… I don’t know about Ander.”
:Vector of the virus and motion of the air makes that unlikely.:
“I will need that placed into the Imperial record.”
“Which Westerleaf will doubtless contest,” Se’and commented.
“I expect so,” the Empress said, “but he will not escape my justice.” Looking at the women about her, the Empress walked across the room and muttered a spell. The wall before her unfolded, revealing shelves of jewels. “Fri’il, I think this necklace will look lovely on you.”
George stared at the stampede, then glanced down. Raven was scratching at her back. Then turned and rubbed her back up against his, “Ah.”
“Um. Raven…”
She paused and glanced back at him, “Love you.”
“Uh, love you, too.” She went back to rubbing her back against him.
:George, I had the oddest notion.:
He shook his head as Raven went back to sniff him as if he were some sort of catnip. “What?”
:Well, Lonny was holding me at the end of the ceremony. You don’t suppose that means I married her?:
George nodded. “Most definitely.”
There was silence, then his staff changed to a shade near chartreuse.
George went over and sat down, shaking his head. “I hate my so-called weddings.”
Chapter 12 - When in Rome…
An orchestra played outside the Great Hall on one of the sculpted terraces. Gardens flanked either side of the grounds. Buffets were set up on either side of the wide dance floor, where dwarves were already doing acrobatic dances in the Empress’s and George’s honor. Imperial Legionnaires were stationed near every entrance as warder mages and ogres watched for any hint of treachery.
Esperanza frowned, “I tell you, I can’t scry him at all.”
Her husband said, “I don’t know why you’re so worried about Terus. He’s never far from his near twin, Es.”
“Well, I am. I find it odd that Revit has found himself, well, married as he has. Normally, such trouble would mean that Terus is somehow in similar straits.”
“Fine, I know to trust your intuitions. I’m certain Revit will be here at any moment, we can ask him. Or we could try Aaprin and his lady friends, there.”
She frowned, seeing Lucien and his wife quickly going over to his son surrounded by dwarves, who patted them on the backs so hard she was afraid they might bruise. “I’d prefer speaking with Revit first.”
“And here they are… oh my.” The crowd went quiet and moment, then the murmuring started and the couple was mobbed by the curious.
Esperanza turned and blinked. “The redhead and Revit are dressed.”
“Either he’s joking or someone did not explain to them...” Lee commented.
“You don’t suppose that… well, that boy has just made a statement… proved his manhood with one of his elfblooded brides.”
“And they weren’t gone long…” Lee chuckled. “He’ll never live that down… Oh, dear, the look on Karolynia’s face…”
#
There they are.
Terus, what… what do they think they’re doing?
They’re wearing clothes?
#
“Ah, Revit, ladies, congratulations. It’s rare to be married off so young, but I’ve heard a rumor you’ve already made master at the Mage Academy, young man.”
He nodded as the warder moved to stand behind them. “Uh, not many people know that.”
Belina glanced at him.
Esperanza smiled. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced to your ladies.”
“Uh, Aliana and Belina,” Revit said, gesturing, “the Lord and Lady Lyai.”
Belina bowed and Aliana hastily matched her to the same degree, nearly.
“Revit, that’s a lovely robe,” Esperanza said. “Lady Aliana, yours looks lovely as well.”
“They’ve been drawing lots of… comments,” Aliana said.
“I can’t imagine why,” Lee said, wryly. “The Court is such a polite bunch, normally.”
“I hope you know what you two are doing,” Esperanza said.
Revit glanced down at Aliana’s hand and smiled, “We must be respectful of elvin tradition, so…”
“Do explain that to the Highmage,” Lee said. “I am certain he will find it, uh, entertaining.”
“Lee, stop teasing him,” his wife said.
“Sorry… I couldn’t resist.”
“I do have a question for you, though, Master Revit. We noticed your late arrival without your friend Master Terus. Is everything all right?”
“Something he ate didn’t agree with him,” Aliana answered for him.
“I, uh, see,” Esperanza said, no closer to learning the truth.
“Oh, there’s Talik,” Lee said. “Pardon us. I’d like to get to know my new cousin better.”
“Of course,” Revit muttered.
Aliana frowned, beginning to wonder if walking naked through the throng would have been worse.
#
Herald Varian entered and paused at the top of the stair down to the main reception level. “Announcing, Her Imperial Majesty, and her husband, the Highmage of the Aqwaine Empire.”
The crowd applauded as they descended the stair with Se’and, Fri’il, and Cle’or in step behind them, Lonny and Raven following in the rear. George’s staff glowed offering a protective field against any other attacks.
:Power levels stable, but you will need something to eat soon.:
“I know,” he muttered.
“Talking to yourself again?” the Empress half-whispered.
#
“Revit, what were you thinking coming to the reception with both you and Aliana dressed?” the warder said in a voice that sounded nothing like Terus.
“I was embarrassed,” Aliana whispered back.
“And you aren’t now?” the warder said in a slightly different timbre.
Revit sighed, “Look, it’s not like I could have left her behind and she just…”
Belina frowned, “It’s was this or let everyone think we were starting the honeymoon.”
“You stay out of this,” the warder said.
Shaking her head, Belina knew it best not to answer, wondering if the warder could be Aliana’s younger sister.
“Quiet, we’ve company coming.”
Belina’s eyes went wide. “Oh, no…”
“You little… you’re making my granddaughter a laughingstock!”
Revit stiffened his shoulders. “This is none of your affair, Milady.”
“You trumped up little apprentice… Well, you are married to my Belina now and coming out with this one dressed…”
“Implies he loves Lady Aliana,” the Empress stated, coming up behind Lady Karolynia.
“Your Majesty,” the elflady said with a bow.
“I must say I am surprised by this… But I can understand his feeling the need to… prove he is an adult, which leaves his marriage uncontestable on accou
nt of his age.”
“I am not a child,” Revit asserted and put his arm around Aliana. “Or must I prove that with Belina this very night as well?”
Her grandmother seethed. “My pardon, Master Revit, you are apparently no less a mage than your master the Highmage, here.” That said, she turned and left.
Belina sighed in relief.
The Empress nodded to them, which seemed to include Belina, “May yours be a happy and fruitful marriage.”
“Yours as well, Your Majesty,” Revit said.
Lord Je’orj eyed him. We’ll talk later, understand?
Yessir.
The Empress turned and walked away as they hastily bowed. Se’and clouted his head as she turned to follow.
“Ow.”
“You’re in for it now, Rev,” the warder whispered.
Even Raven gave him a dark look.
Aliana, on the other hand, whispered, “I’m sorry.” His heart inexplicably seemed to skip a beat.
#
The Empress’s table offered the best view of the dancing along the top tier of the seven of what might be considered an amphitheater. Each tier was wide enough for the servants to easily traverse and serve. George sat beside the Empress, whose jewels sparked in the sunlit afternoon. Food was brought, items passing through the hands of several tasters, elfblood and human, before finally being brought to them.
Juels watched the process as she was seated on the tier below the Empress’s and Highmage’s, beside Ander at the table set for those of the next rank of the groom’s and bridal wedding party. Aaprin sat alongside Balfour, Me’oh and Carwina. Me’oh cradled Rachiel, who was watching wide-eyed.
Raven stuck her black haired head out from beneath the tablecloth and sniffed at Carwina, “Uh, hi, there.” Satisfied, Raven ducked back under the table.
The Lady Rowena glanced back, clearly amused as Sianhiel whispered to Talik beside him.
The Empress’s table jostled a bit. Se’and, seated beside George, looked under the table and said something in a harsh whisper. The table ceased moving.
Revit, Aliana, and Belina were soon heralded to their seats at the next table below those who had stood on the upper dais. The newlywed couples who had married in the aisle began being seated and were led to tables on the lower level tiers.
From across the gardens Tristan Y Tane watched with a thin smile. Westerleaf’s scheme had been brilliant. Even he would not have realized that the cheating elflord was behind it. But this was not the Empire under Highmage Alrex, where ogres were said to have been driven out of the city by Her Late Majesty. No, this one offered dwarves and humans more than just guest rights. The Highmage, even his apprentices, claimed rights that proved Her Majesty must be unfit to rule… were it not for the unexpected army of Cathartans, dwarves, former veterans, and the Lyai Legionnaires, who patrolled beyond the city walls.