"My Lady Empress," he said, so softly she could scarcely hear him through the cheers rising now from the cutter's crew and spreading outward to every ship. She could see the sailors spread out along the spars, the Marines manning the sides, of all those ships, and she realized they weren't cheering for Cayleb. Or, not for Cayleb alone. They were cheering for her, as well.
The line-tenders started drawing the bosun's chair down to the deck for her, and she managed not to grimace. The thought of being lifted over the side and lowered to the cutter on a line like a parcel scarcely seemed dignified, but it was undoubtedly better than trying to manage her skirts while clambering down the battens nailed to the ship's side. It would be more modest, at any rate, and she was far less likely to find herself inadvertently and unexpectedly soaked. And, anyway, it wasn't like—
Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted as Cayleb's arms went around her. Her eyes widened in astonishment, but that was all she had time for before she found herself being kissed—ruthlessly, energetically, and delightfully competently—in front of the entire watching fleet.
For one heartbeat, sheer surprise held her stiff and unresponsive in his arms. But only for a heartbeat. It was, of course, a flagrant and scandalous breach of all proper rules of decorum, she thought as she melted into his embrace, not to mention the way it violated etiquette, protocol, and common decency, and she couldn't have cared less.
For a moment, everyone else seemed equally dumbfounded by the abrupt departure from the occasion's planned, dignified choreography, but then the cheers began again—different cheers, this time. Cheers that rippled with laughter and were punctuated by clapping hands and whistles of encouragement. Sharleyan would recall that later, treasure the pleasure—pleasure for Cayleb and for her—implicit in those cheers, those whistles, that clapping. At the moment, it scarcely registered. Her mind was on other things entirely.
It was a long, ardent, and very thorough kiss. Cayleb was a methodical man, and he took the time to do it right. Finally, however—due to a simple lack of air, no doubt—he straightened once more, smiling down at her through the whistles and stamping feet. Beyond him, she saw Earl Lock Island, Commodore Manthyr, and Captain Athrawes trying very hard not to grin like schoolboys, and the delighted laughter around her redoubled as she shook her finger under her husband's nose.
"Now you've gone and proven what a lewd, uncultured lout you are!" she scolded, her eyes sparkling. "I can't believe you did something that improper in front of everyone! Don't you realize how you've violated protocol?!"
"Damn protocol," he told her unrepentantly and reached out to touch the side of her face with his right hand while his left steadied the descending bosun's chair for her. His fingers were feather-gentle on her cheek, moving caressingly, and his eyes glowed. "That was fun, and I intend to do it again . . . often. But for today, if we don't get you into this chair and off this ship, we're all going to miss the tide, and then we'll probably have an outright rebellion on our hands."
"I know."
She allowed him to help her into the chair, although she was scarcely so feeble that she required the assistance. He checked personally to make sure everything was secure, and then the bosun's pipes wailed and the Marines snapped to attention and presented arms as she was lifted from the deck. The ship's bell began to strike, its deep, musical voice ringing out even through the tumult of renewed cheering. It struck twenty-four times in the formal salute to a crowned head of state.
"Take care of him, Merlin!" she heard herself cry suddenly. "Bring him back to me!"
She hadn't meant to say anything that maudlin. Certainly not in front of all those other eyes and ears! Fortunately, the cheering all around her was so overwhelming no one possibly could have heard her.
Except for one man.
"I will, Your Majesty."
Somehow, the seijin had heard her, and his deep voice cut through the roaring surf of all those other raised voices, projected for her to hear. She looked back at him, standing by Cayleb's shoulder, like a shield at her husband's back, and his unearthly sapphire eyes gleamed in the sunlight as he touched his left shoulder with his right fist in formal salute.
Sharleyan Ahrmahk was no sheltered hothouse flower. She'd learned long ago that life was no heroic ballad in which good always triumphed magically over evil. She'd been no older than twelve when her father's death had taught her that and brought her girlhood to a shattering end.
Yet, in that moment, as her eyes met Merlin Athrawes' bright blue gaze, she felt a sudden irrational yet overwhelming confidence. She looked at him as the bosun's chair rose higher, then began to dip towards the waiting cutter, feeling that assurance flowing out of him and into her, and her eyes prickled with a sudden rush of tears.
Every eye in that harbor was looking at her. Every spyglass was trained upon her, and she knew it. Knew they could see her fighting back her tears like some sort of schoolgirl.
She didn't care. Let them think what they liked, believe what they chose. She would cling to that last glimpse of the husband she'd come so unexpectedly to love and to a sapphire promise to bring him home to her once more.
Characters
ABYLYN, CHARLZ—a senior leader of the Temple Loyalists in Charis.
AHBAHT, LYWYS—Edmynd Walkyr's brother-in-law; XO, merchant galleon Wind.
AHBAHT, ZHEFRY—Earl Gray Harbor's personal secretary. He fulfills many of the functions of an undersecretary of state for foreign affairs.
AHDYMSYN, BISHOP EXECUTOR ZHERALD—Erek Dynnys' bishop executor.
AHRDYN—Archbishop Maikel's cat-lizard.
AHRMAHK, CAYLEB ZHAN HAARAHLD BRYAHN—King of Charis.
AHRMAHK, CROWN PRINCE ZHAN—younger brother of King Cayleb.
AHRMAHK, KAHLVYN CAYLEB—younger brother of Duke Tirian, King Cayleb's first cousin once removed.
AHRMAHK, KING CAYLEB II—King of Charis (see Cayleb Zhan Haarahld Bryahn Ahrmahk).
AHRMAHK, PRINCESS ZHANAYT—King Cayleb's younger sister.
AHRMAHK, QUEEN ZHANAYT—King Haarahld's deceased wife; mother of Cayleb, Zhanayt, and Zhan.
AHRMAHK, RAYJHIS—Duke of Tirian, Constable of Hairatha, King Cayleb's first cousin once removed.
AHRMAHK, ZHENYFYR—Dowager Duchess of Tirian, mother of Rayjhis and Kahlvyn Cayleb Ahrmahk, daughter of Rayjhis Yowance, Earl Gray Harbor.
AHRTHYR, SIR ALYK, EARL OF WINDSHARE—the commander of Sir Koryn Gahrvai's cavalry.
AHSTYN, LIEUTENANT FRANZ, CHARISIAN ROYAL GUARD—the second-in-command of King Cayleb II's personal bodyguard.
AHZGOOD, PHYLYP, EARL OF CORIS—Prince Hektor's spymaster.
APLYN-AHRMAHK, MIDSHIPMAN HEKTOR, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY—a midshipman assigned to HMS Destiny, 54. An adoptive member of the House of Ahrmahk as the Duke of Darcos.
ATHRAWES, CAPTAIN MERLIN, CHARISIAN ROYAL GUARD—King Cayleb II's personal armsman; the cybernetic avatar of Commander Nimue Alban.
BAHNYR, HEKTOR, EARL OF MANCORA—one of Sir Koryn Gahrvai's senior officers; commander of the right wing at Haryl's Crossing.
BAHRMYN, ARCHBISHOP BORYS—Archbishop of Corisande.
BAHRNS, KING RAHNYLD IV—King of Dohlar.
BANAHR, PRIOR FATHER AHZWALD—head of the priory of Saint Hamlyn, city of Sarayn, Kingdom of Charis.
BAYTZ, HANBYL, DUKE OF SOLOMON—Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald's uncle and the commander of the Emeraldian Army.
BAYTZ, NAHRMAHN HANBYL GRAIM—see Prince Nahrmahn Baytz.
BAYTZ, PRINCE NAHRMAHN GAREYT—second child and elder son of Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald.
BAYTZ, PRINCE NAHRMAHN II—ruler of the Princedom of Emerald.
BAYTZ, PRINCE TRAHVYS—Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald's third child and second son.
BAYTZ, PRINCESS FELAYZ—Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald's youngest child and second daughter.
BAYTZ, PRINCESS MAHRYA—Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald's oldest child.
BAYTZ, PRINCESS OHLYVYA—wife of Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald.
BREYGART,
COLONEL SIR HAUWERD, ROYAL CHARISIAN MARINES—the rightful heir to the Earldom of Hanth.
BRYNDYN, MAJOR DAHRYN—the senior artillery officer attached to Brigadier Clareyk's column at Haryl's Priory.
BYRKYT, FATHER ZHON—an over-priest of the Church of God Awaiting; abbot of the Monastery of Saint Zherneau.
CAHKRAYN, SAMYL, DUKE OF FERN—first councilor of Dohlar.
CAHNYR, ARCHBISHOP ZHASYN—Archbishop of Glacierheart; a member of the reformists.
CHALMYRZ, FATHER KARLOS—Archbishop Borys' personal aide.
CHARLZ, MASTER YEREK, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY—Gunner, HMS Wave, 14.
CHERMYN, GENERAL HAUWYL, RCM—the senior officer of the Charisian Marine Corps. He will be the SO for the Marines in the invasion of Corisande.
CHERYNG, LIEUTENANT TAIWYL—a junior officer on Sir Vyk Lakyr's staff; he is in charge of Lakyr's clerks and message traffic.
CLAREYK, BRIGADIER KYNT, RCM—CO, Third Brigade, Royal Charisian Marines. One of the senior Marine officers assigned to the invasion of Corisande. He is also the originator of the training syllabus for the RCMC.
CLYNTAHN, VICAR ZHASPAHR—Grand Inquisitor of the Church of God Awaiting; one of the so-called Group of Four.
COHLMYN, SIR LEWK, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY—Earl Sharpfield, Queen Sharleyan's senior naval commander. Also the equivalent of her Navy Minister.
DAHRYUS, MASTER EDVARHD—an alias of Bishop Mylz Halcom.
DAIKYN, GAHLVYN—King Cayleb's valet.
DAIVYS, MYTRAHN—a Charisian Temple Loyalist.
DARCOS, DUKE OF—see Midshipman Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmahk.
DARYS, CAPTAIN TYMYTHY, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY ('TYM')—CO, HMS Destroyer, 54. Flag captain to Admiral Staynair.
DAYKYN, CROWN PRINCE HEKTOR—Prince Hektor of Corisande's second oldest child and heir apparent.
DAYKYN, PRINCE DAIVYN—Prince Hektor of Corisande's youngest child.
DAYKYN, PRINCE HEKTOR—Prince of Corisande.
DAYKYN, PRINCESS IRYS—Prince Hektor of Corisande's oldest child.
DAYKYN, PRINCESS RAICHYNDA—Prince Hektor of Corisande's deceased wife; born in the Earldom of Domair, Kingdom of Hoth.
DEKYN, SERGEANT ALLAYN—one of Kairmyn's noncoms, Delferahkan Army.
DOYAL, SIR CHARLZ—Sir Koryn Gahrvai's senior artillery commander.
DRAGONER, SIR RAYJHIS—Charisian ambassador to the Siddarmark Republic.
DRAGONMASTER, BRIGADE SERGEANT MAJOR MAHKYNTY ("Mahk"), RCM—Brigadier Clareyk's senior noncom.
DUCHAIRN, VICAR RHOBAIR—Treasurer General of the Church of God Awaiting; one of the so-called Group of Four.
DYNNYS, ADORAI—Archbishop Erayk Dynnys' wife. Her alias after her husband's arrest is Ailysa.
DYNNYS, ARCHBISHOP ERAYK—former Archbishop of Charis.
DYNNYS, STYVYN—Archbishop Erayk Dynnys' younger son, age eleven.
DYNNYS, TYMYTHY ERAYK—Archbishop Erayk Dynnys' older son, age fourteen.
EDWYRDS, KEVYN—XO, privateer galleon Kraken.
ERAYKSYN, LIEUTENANT STYVYN, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY—Admiral Staynair's flag lieutenant.
ERAYKSYN, WYLLYM—a Charisian textiles manufacturer.
FAHRMYN, FATHER TAIRYN—the priest assigned to Saint Chihiro's Church, a village church near the Convent of Saint Agtha.
FAIRCASTER, SERGEANT PAYTER, CHARISIAN ROYAL GUARD—one of King Cayleb IPs armsmen. A transfer from Crown Prince Cayleb's Marine detachment.
FHAIRLY, MAJOR AHDYM—the senior battery commander on East Island, Ferayd Sound, Kingdom of Delferahk.
FHALKHAN, LIEUTENANT AHRNAHLD, ROYAL CHARISIAN MARINES—commanding officer, Crown Prince Zhan's bodyguard.
FORYST, VICAR ERAYK—a member of the reformists.
FRAIDMYN, SERGEANT VYK, CHARISIAN ROYAL GUARD—one of King Cayleb II’s armsmen.
FYSHYR, HAIRYS—CO, privateer galleon Kraken.
GAHRMYN, LIEUTENANT RAHNYLD—XO, galley Arrowhead, Delferahkan Navy.
GAHRVAI, SIR KORYN—Earl Anvil Rock's eldest son and CO of Prince Hektor's field army.
GAHRVAI, SIR RYSEL, EARL OF ANVIL ROCK—Prince Hektor's senior army commander and distant cousin
.
GAIRAHT, CAPTAIN WYLLYS, CHISHOLMIAN ROYAL GUARD—CO of Queen Sharleyan's Royal Guard detachment in Charis.
GALVAHN, MAJOR SIR NAITHYN—the Earl of Windshare's senior staff officer.
GARDYNYR, ADMIRAL LYWYS, EARL OF THIRSK—King Rahnyld IV's best admiral, currently in disgrace.
GRAISYN, BISHOP EXECUTOR WYLLYS—Archbishop Lyam Tyrn's bishop executor.
GRAIVYR, FATHER STYVYN—Bishop Ernyst's intendant. A man after Clyntahn's own heart.
GRAND VICAR EREK XVII—secular and temporal head of the Church of God Awaiting.
GYRARD, CAPTAIN ANDRAI, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY—CO, HMS Empress of Charis.
HAHLMYN, FATHER MAHRAK—an upper-priest of the Church of God Awaiting; Bishop Executor Thomys' personal aide.
HAHLYND, ADMIRAL PAWAL—CO, anti-piracy patrols, Hankey Sound. (A friend of Admiral Thirsk.)
HAHSKYN, LIEUTENANT AHNDRAI, CHARISIAN IMPERIAL GUARD—a Charisian officer assigned to Empress Sharleyan's guard detachment. Captain Gairaht's second-in-command.
HAIMYN, BRIGADIER MAHRYS, RCM—CO, Fifth Brigade, Royal Charisian Marines.
HALCOM, BISHOP MYLZ—Bishop of Margaret Bay.
HARMYN, MAJOR BAHRKLY, EMERALD ARMY—an Emeraldian army officer assigned to North Bay.
HARYS, CAPTAIN ZHOEL—CO, Corisandian galley Lance.
HOLDYN, VICAR LYWYS—a member of the reformists.
HOWSMYN, EHDWYRD—a wealthy foundry owner and shipbuilder in Tellesberg.
HOWSMYN, ZHAIN—Ehdwyrd Howsmyn's wife.
HWYSTYN, SIR VYRNYN—a member of the Charisian Parliament elected from Tellesberg.
HYLLAIR, SIR FARAHK, BARON OF DAIRWYN—the Baron of Dairwyn.
HYNDRYK COMMODORE SIR AHLFRYD, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY—Baron Seamount, Charisian Navy's senior gunnery expert.
HYNDYRS, DUNKYN—purser, privateer galleon Raptor.
HYRST, ADMIRAL ZHOZEF, ROYAL CHISHOLMIAN NAVY—the third ranking officer of the RCN. SO in Command, Port Royal.
HYSIN, VICAR CHIYAN—a member of the reformists (from Harchong).
HYWSTYN, LORD AVRAHM—a cousin of Greyghor Stohnar, and a mid-ranking official assigned to the Siddarmarkian foreign ministry.
HYWYT, COMMANDER PAITRYK, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY—CO HMS Wave, 14 (schooner). Later promoted to captain as CO, HMS Dancer, 56. ILLIAN, captain AHNTAHN—one of Sir Phylyp Myllyr's company commanders.
JYNKYN, COLONEL HAUWYRD, ROYAL CHARISIAN MARINES—Admiral Staynair's senior Marine commander.
JYNKYNS, BISHOP ERNYST—Bishop of Ferayd. He is not an extremist and does not favor excessive use of force.
KAHNKLYN, AIDRYN—Tairys Kahnklyn's older daughter.
KAHNKLYN, AIZAK—Rahzhyr Mahklyn's son-in-law.
KAHNKLYN, ERAYK—Tairys Kahnklyn's oldest son.
KAHNKLYN, EYDYTH—Tairys Kahnklyn's younger daughter.
KAHNKLYN, HAARAHLD—Tairys Kahnklyn's middle son.
KAHNKLYN, TAIRYS—Rahzhyr Mahklyn's married daughter.
KAHNKLYN, ZHOEL—Tairys Kahnklyn's youngest son.
KAIREE, TRAIVYR—a wealthy merchant and landowner in the Earldom of Styvyn.
KAIRMYN, CAPTAIN TOMHYS—on of Sir Vyk Lakyr's officers, Delferahkan Army.
KEELHAUL—Earl Lock Island's rottweiler.
KESTAIR, MADAME AHRDYN—Archbishop Maikel's married daughter.
KESTAIR, SIR LAIRYNC—Archbishop Maikel's son-in-law.
KHAILEE, MASTER ROLF—a pseudonym used by Lord Avrahm Hywstyn.
KNOWLES, EVELYN—an Eve who escaped the destruction of the Alexandria Enclave and fled to Tellesberg.
KNOWLES, JEREMIAH—an Adam who escaped the destruction of the Alexandria Enclave and fled to Tellesberg, where he became the patron and founder of the Brethren of Saint Zherneau.
LADY MAIRAH LYWKYS—Queen Sharleyan's chief lady-in-waiting. She is Baro
n Green Mountain's cousin.
LAHFTYN, MAJOR BRYAHN—Brigadier Clareyk's chief of staff.
LAHRAK, NAILYS—a senior leader of the Temple Loyalists in Charis.
LAHSAHL, LIEUTENANT SHAIRMYN, ROYAL CHARISIAN NAVY—XO, HMS Destroyer, 54.
LAIMHYN, FATHER Clyfyrd—King Cayleb's confessor and personal secretary, assigned to him by Archbishop Maikel.
LAKYR, SIR VYK—SO, Ferayd garrison, Kingdom of Delferahk. About the equivalent of a brigadier general.