Ramil held on to Tashi tightly. Coming to her senses, she returned the pressure, gripping his fingers.
"Actually, your devotee is no longer suited to maiden service in the Goddess's temple as we have just been married," Ramil announced.
The courtiers rustled and whispered to each other.
"Is this true, Taoshira?" asked Marisa.
"It is, Your Highness," Tashi replied, tempted to make a run for it before she was arrested. Only Ramil's hand
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anchored her here. "I fear you will want to cast me out of the Enclosure."
"Who dared marry you?" asked the Third Princess, turning her eyes to her co-ruler as realization dawned.
"I did, sister," said Safilen, raising her hand. "Marriage under our law is a private matter and not something we put to the vote. I was quite within my rights."
Tashi began to laugh, realizing that she might, just might, be able to escape.
"And as Prince Ramil has insulted you by choosing another wife than the one you proposed for him, you'll want to cast him out too," she suggested slyly.
"Oh, undoubtedly," murmured Ramil. "Do cast me out."
Safilen hid her smile with her fan. "Yes, begone, uncouth Prince," she said, waving him away.
"I obey," said Ramil, turning Tashi round and marching her from the room.
"Excuse me while I abduct myself a princess."
"Uncouth!" snapped Korbin, glaring at Safilen. "They are both a disgrace."
Safilen rose and spread her fan, then leant down to her sister on the Throne of Justice.
"But uncouth is fun," Safilen whispered in Korbin's ear. "The Goddess laughs with us when we are happy, remember that. Come, sister." Safilen beckoned to the terrified new Fourth Princess. "I want to have a private word with you about love."
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Ramil escorted Tashi aboard the flagship of his fleet of captured pirate vessels.
"I can't believe you just did that," Tashi said, reliving the moment in the Hall of the Floating Lily when Ramil had claimed her as his wife.
"What we did," Ramil said, squeezing her hand. "You Blue Crescent women can't pretend to be mere chattels of your husbands. I seem to remember you took me. A very novel way of marrying for us Easterners." He stroked her cheek. "I'm looking forward to finding out more about my rights later." He was pleased to see he had made her very embarrassed at the thought.
"I apologize it's not up to Crescent standards," he continued, leading her to his cabin through the ranks of grinning sailors. They whistled and cheered their new queen. "It's now manned by volunteers, but we've not had time to change the decorations."
The walls of the captain's room were covered with carvings of gruesome faces, buxom wenches, and graffiti. It was vile, but at least the sheets on the bed looked clean and the place smelt of pinewood. Ramil guided her to a chair and placed a paper dragonfly on the table in front of her.
"See, I kept it."
She pulled his horse from her pocket: it was an unrecognizable wad of paper after its dunking in the river. Her hand was shaking with a mixture of excitement and fear. Surely someone was going to stop them?
Ramil closed his fingers over hers.
"Don't, my love, it's going to be all right."
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Tashi shut her eyes: everything was happening so quickly she felt as if she had left her common sense back at the palace. "Tell me what's been going on. I've been locked away from news--from everything--since I came back.
How is your father?"
"Victorious, thanks to you. The Blue Crescent arrived in time to swing the battle in our favor. We suffered many losses but Gerfal did not fall."
"And what happened to Fergox?"
"I killed him." Ramil watched her anxiously. He knew he had rushed her into this marriage, but there had seemed no other chance to snatch her away from that oppressive court.
"Gordoc? Melletin? Yelena? The professor?"
"All alive. Gordoc is training my army for me--he's now General Ironfist and loves his uniform. He sends his love. Melletin is my prime minister and a very fine one he is too--I hardly have to do a thing. Yelena would have headed my government, but it appears that she and Melletin are due to have an addition to their family in the New Year so she suggested I pick him. I'm sure her turn will come. My grandfather is looking after Thunder and my throne for me while I go and find myself a wife."
Tashi put her hands to her cheeks. Yesterday she had been a disgraced devotee; now she was wife to the ruler of most of the known world!
Ramil hesitated, then continued.
"Duke Nerul is back in charge of Brigard. Merl has been injured in a duel with a jealous husband, but not seriously."
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Tashi chuckled softly. "No more than he deserves."
"And I've sent Professor Norling to be the new Inkar of Kandar. I think in a few years they'll be the best educated of all our subjects."
"You have been busy. I am amazed and humbled. And definitely not worthy of you." She opened her eyes and turned them on him. "Thank you for rescuing me again."
Ramil pulled her onto his knee. "I was only returning the favor. You've rescued me more times than I can count. I need you with me, Tashi. I can't do this on my own. I want to be a good king and make Holt into a free country, where people can worship their own god--or goddess--and not be afraid." He put his hand on hers, pressed against her stomach. "I want lots of children to fill the palace with life and laughter." He kissed her neck. "But most of all, I want to be your husband and make you happy." He smiled. "I've got to get that bit right, or one of my generals will thump me."
Tashi stroked the back of his hand thoughtfully. "But, Ram, you must know that things are different now. I bring nothing to you--no position, no alliance."
"Hush," he said, kissing her lips, "just as well I married you if you're going to bring up all sorts of ridiculous things like that."
She pushed him away, hand flat on his chest. "But it's true."
"Oh yes, as you well know all I ever saw in you was your navy." Ramil rolled his eyes.
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"I'm being serious. I'm not your equal now."
"No, you're far better than me. I'm still struggling to catch up with you. You'll make a brave, generous, kind queen: that's what our people need. They're lucky I've got such good taste."
She raised a sceptical brow.
"Look, Tashi, I'm not doing this as a favor to you; I'm doing it for me. I've known for months now that I can't live without you. Will you be so cruel as to deny me my happiness?"
Put like that, she knew she could not refuse. They'd have to risk failure together. Or maybe, with him at her side, even success? Tashi bent her head towards him.
"I love you, Ram."
"And I love you, my dragonfly princess."
The sounds of the ship leaving harbor filtered through from above. The room began to sway. Ramil met Tashi's eyes with a mischievous look. "Now, wife, we have a long voyage ahead of us with no interruptions, no affairs of state to sidetrack us." He brushed his fingers against the lacings at her neck. "Isn't it time you returned that shirt to its owner?"
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Julia Golding, Dragonfly
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