Tiara- Part Two Read online

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  Home was hard. I was excited to be going home. I felt in a way like a conquering hero. I had accomplished more than Father had asked, or so I thought, and I had won over the city and its people besides.

  But, just like leaving Charth, I left behind someone I loved, and I didn’t know if I’d ever see her again.

  I sent Allium’s couriers back to her with a note of thanks, a lengthy note of thanks. I told her I loved her, and that when she comes to Barrish, I expected her to be my friend. I asked her to give Bee and Dee each a kiss from me.

  The rest of us took the southern route, passing into Flarvor. We rode without fanfare, the carriage simple, although the guards in their proper uniforms. I rode mounted much of the time, although not the first day or so.

  My staff clustered with me, and there were a few tears shared with mine, but they each expressed their own pleasure to be returning home. Even Tess called it ‘home’ and asked if I knew what she would be doing for me.

  “I don’t know, as I don’t know what Princess Ahlianna and King Leander have in mind for me. I am going to ask permission to visit the southern coast before they heap new duties on me, and I hope they’ll otherwise keep me close at least for a while. We’ll see.”

  We traveled wholly without incident, and we made it to the palace gates before anyone actually realized it was my group.

  Still, Father, Mother, and Ahlianna were on the steps by the time I climbed from the carriage, where Sergeant Felist had stuffed me for the last two hours, over my feeble objections.

  Happily, I alighted from the coach, smiling to be home, although tired and dusty as well. I climbed the steps and offered greetings to Father. He pulled me into his arms, nearly crushing me. “I am so proud of you,” he whispered.

  Mother took me from him. She, too, crushed me, and then said, “Are we leaving this afternoon or in the morning?”

  I laughed. “I need a bath and new clothes.”

  “Tomorrow, then,” she said.

  Ahlianna looked at me, cupping my cheek. We didn’t speak, but then I nodded, and we hugged tightly, too.

  Father gave a little speech. I had prepared my own, and I used it to thank Father for the opportunity and offer more thanks, specifically naming each member of my company and finding something to say. Then I turned. “Father, several of these women have vowed themselves to my service.”

  “I ratify those agreements,” he said immediately.

  “There is a dinner in the palace tonight,” Mother said. “Any of you who wish to go see your family may, of course, do so. The rest of you are welcome to dinner. Sergeant Felist, I understand you are one now vowed to our daughter.”

  “I am, Your Majesty.”

  “If you have no better housing, you are welcome inside the palace. You and your troop are welcome to dinner as well.”

  “I’ll see to it they’re settled, and then I’d love to accept your offer, Your Majesty.” I’d already told her ahead of time to expect it, and I wanted her to accept.

  “Mother, my staff.”

  “Yes,” she said. “If you have no homes here, we have room for you. We can arrange baths. There is dinner tonight. Tomorrow morning, the royal family is departing for the coast.”

  “Any of you are welcome, or you can establish your households here. I’ll send for you if I need you, or else you’ll be here when I get back. I only need to know your plans by the end of breakfast.”

  Renishta stepped forward. “Your Highness, where you go, I go.” It took moments for the rest to do the same.

  * * * *

  We saw to my staff first, and then it was time for a desperately-needed bath. Mother and Ahlianna joined me, sitting outside the tub to talk. The bath girl pampered me quite well, and I moaned my appreciation.

  But then Mother said to the girl, “Leave us now. Ahlianna and I will see to her.” Ahlianna even followed the girl, closing the door behind her. I looked at both of them suspiciously.

  Mother didn’t dance around it. “Are you in love?” I flicked my eyes at my sister, but Mother only said, “Seriously. You know she didn’t tell me. I had to threaten hot pokers and going to bed without dinner before she’d answer a single question.”

  “And she already had evidence,” Ahlianna said. “She only wanted the real story.”

  “So you told her I was dating half of Dennaholst?”

  “Not half.”

  “Did you tell her about the enchanting Alexi Chante?”

  “No,” Mother said, cocking her head. “Was that a fresh sortie, Daughters?”

  “No,” Ahlianna said. I grinned. And mother turned to look at my sister. “You, daughter, hid something from me.”

  “I had one brief liaison,” Ahlianna said. “It was deeply enjoyable and unlikely to be repeated.”

  “She had a brief liaison with the newest minister on the Gandeetian council,” I said.

  “She won?” Ahlianna asked. “She actually won?”

  “Resoundingly. I congratulated her.”

  “I should hope so,” Mother said. “If I’m not mistaken…”

  “The first woman minister in their country,” I said. “Ahlianna is clearly good luck.”

  “Clearly,” Mother said. “But while that is very, very interesting news, you both admit it was a brief liaison, and I rather doubt the word ‘love’ came into play.”

  “Lovemaking,” I said. “Does that count?”

  Ahlianna waved a finger at me. Mother laughed and said, “You mean sex.”

  “Whatever.”

  “I want the truth, Youngest Daughter. All of it. Do not vex me. I have a long, long, very long list of potential suitors for you, and if you don’t want me to say yes to every one with a male name, you will answer every question I ask.”

  “You wouldn’t really do that to me.”

  “It is entirely in your control whether I do or not.”

  “I know how to get rid of them,” I said.

  “And I have the authority to say ‘no’ to anyone I want,” she added.

  “You’re not going to win this, Sis,” Ahlianna said. “You wouldn’t believe who she said ‘yes’ to for me.”

  “Bad?”

  “Yes,” Mother said. “Horrible.”

  I snorted. “Fine. But can I get dressed first?”

  “No. Ahlianna, if she tries to get out of that tub, grab her feet and hold them in the air.

  “Hey!” I complained.

  “Are you in love?” Mother asked. I sobered and looked away, then nodded and started to cry again. “Oh, darling,” she said. And then she was on her knees beside the tub, pulling me to her, ignoring how wet I was.

  “Mother,” I managed to say. “If she comes, please say ‘yes’.”

  “We’ll see,” she replied. “We’re going to talk about it, about all of it.”

  “Mother,” said Ahlianna. “If she comes, and if she’s taken my advice, please say ‘yes’.”

  I felt Mother nod. And then, slowly, while I didn’t tell her everything, I answered all her questions. It took a long time, but they let me out of the tub before I was done, drying and dressing me before taking me to my room, where I finished the story.

  They both held me, sitting on my bed, and then I said, “Ahlianna, I’ll go where I’m sent, but if at all possible, could I please stay home with all of you for a while? Well, you know what I mean. The coast or here, but with all of you.”

  “We’re both going to put on the princess for a while,” Ahlianna said. “You’ve been gone too much, and now we need to let people see you.”

  “We’ll spend the worst of the summer in the south,” Mother added. “Everyone else is already gone, anyway. When they start to come back, we will, too. And then it will be an active social cale
ndar.”

  “I’d like that,” I said.

  “You have to accept other suitors,” Mother said. “You know that.”

  “I know.”

  “And you won’t fight me. I won’t say ‘yes’ to any I think are horrible, but I’m going to say ‘yes’ to more than you would prefer. Everyone gets at least one chance, and then you may talk to me. You will not do what your sister has done.”

  “Offered a duel?”

  Mother laughed. “No, but she may as well have. If you do this my way, then I will also let you say ‘yes’ to any young ladies who come calling.”

  “Openly?”

  “Yes, Daughter. Openly.”

  I began to cry again and thanked her, over and over and over.

  “But we’re doing this slowly,” she said. “You can marry a nice young man next month, but if it’s a nice young woman, we’re doing this slowly. Do not fight me, daughter.”

  “Are you going to fight me if we have ‘slumber parties’?”

  “I guess we’ll see. No one is moving into the palace, Darfelsa, anytime soon.”

  “My staff needs housing. Some of Ahlianna’s staff have rooms here, and my staff is a third of the size of hers.”

  “Are you sharing a bed with any of them?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then it’s different, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  “All right then.”

  * * * *

  I met with Father and Ahlianna. The first thing I said after sitting down was, “Lord Whitedale is an ass.”

  Father sighed. “I know. But he’s also brilliant and understands what we need.”

  “I did a lot of work getting them to love me, and he’s going to ruin it.”

  “Probably,” Ahlianna said. “They’re already burning you in effigy.”

  “I’m serious.”

  “Well, you’re probably right,” Ahlianna said. “He isn’t going to be loved by anyone outside his family. But he’ll get the job done, and he won’t give away our country while he’s at it.”

  “He treated me like an imbecile. I couldn't have been more gracious. I had already vacated the ambassador’s suite, and as far as he could have noticed, office by the time he saw it. Everything was waiting for him.”

  “Daughter,” Father said. “He’s an ass. You know it. We know it. Even he knows it. He probably couldn’t have done what you did, however.”

  “He couldn’t?”

  “Things were a mess. It took one of the three of us. Lord Whitedale doesn’t remotely have the power I gave you, and I’d never give him that much authority. You were ready to close the embassy. He couldn’t have done that. He might have bluffed it, but it would have been a bluff. Who cares what he thinks? I imagine Prime Minister Githien was quite pleased to work with you, based on some of the things he told your sister.”

  “When did you see him?”

  “Oh, I bumped into him.”

  I stared at her. “You could have done that openly.”

  “It wasn’t intentional. I was there to see Flame. He met me at the door, offered tea, and told me all about you. It was five minutes, and then he left. I should have told you, but basically it was one big ‘Darfelsa is spectacular’ session, and I didn’t want to let it go to your head.”

  “You’re teasing me now.”

  “No, not really,” she said.

  “Daughter,” said Father. “Would someone else have applied different tactics? Probably. Would they have worked? Maybe. But what you did worked. Furthermore, in spite of being extremely heavy-handed, you gained the respect of the prime minister and love of the people. Your mission was an unqualified success.”

  I thought about it then nodded. “All right, then.”

  “Let’s talk about what you want,” he said. “Short term?”

  “Coast. Swimming. Maybe a little sailing. And I want to understand what I’m supposed to do with my staff.”

  “Medium term. Back north?”

  “No.” I glanced at Ahlianna. “Father, I left there on bad terms.”

  “No, you didn’t,” he said. “Gretchena turned out not to be the woman for you. Our relationship with Ressaline is strong, and Lady Olivia hopes to see you very soon.”

  “It wasn’t finalized when I saw you, but we have a new agreement,” Ahlianna said. “It’s one of the things we were going to talk about.”

  “Permission to travel?”

  “Yes. It’s not everything you wanted, but it’s enough. Honor guard, up to six if travel is limited to Ressaline, but ‘as appropriate’ if passing through.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. Women only though.”

  “Of course.”

  “Four additional companions, discounting any who are already free to travel.”

  “I only had three.”

  “Well, there you go, then.”

  “What if we’re traveling together?”

  “We share the honor guard, and up to four staff each. You, I, and Allium are the only people authorized for this. It requires Lady Olivia to extend the list, and she already told me she’s not adding any names unless Mother comes and negotiates it directly.”

  I laughed. Father didn’t even flinch.

  “No cheating. Allium can’t meet you at the border and make it eight, or, for that matter, come down here to get one of us. Olivia asked us not to push it.”

  “I don’t think it’s going to matter.”

  “Probably not,” she agreed. “But it wouldn’t have happened without you.”

  “What else is going on?”

  We talked for an hour.

  * * * *

  “Darfelsa,” Mother said. “This is Alluin Cairolei.” She handed me to a well-dressed man of perhaps 25 years, moderate height and reasonable looks. “Alluin is the son of, well, a friend of your grandmother’s.”

  And so it started.

  “My pleasure, Mr. Cairolei.” I offered my hand.

  “I am enchanted, Princess Darfelsa,” he said, actually bowing over my hand and kissing it. He then tried to maintain possession, but I was better at this game than he was.

  I leaned to Mother. “You could have given me one night home.”

  “Behave,” she replied. “He’s a nice boy. Embarrass me, and you won’t like the next one.”

  “What does your family do, Mr. Cairolei?” I asked.

  “Please, call me Alluin,” he said, trying to take my arm. “We’re spice merchants.”

  Rather than letting him have my arm, I turned and stepped away, leaving him to scamper after me. “Spice merchants,” I echoed. “How interesting. Tell me about that.”

  He actually was knowledgeable, and I learned things I didn’t know. He got the hint to stop trying to control me, however, as we walked the room.

  I had a destination in mind, however. Not that he knew it, and not that my victims knew it, either. My staff was clustered together at the far corner, looking quite out of place. I turned to him, and this time, I set my hand on his arm. “I wonder if you would help me with something.”

  “Anything, Your Highness.”

  “I have staff.”

  “I imagine you do.”

  “They’re over there.” I gestured with my nose.

  He barely glanced. “Quite lovely.”

  “You’re clearly far more comfortable in this setting than they are. I wonder if you could help me make them feel more at home.”

  “I’d be delighted to help, Your Highness.”

  “Excellent.” I smiled and got him moving again. My staff saw me coming and all turned. Tess had her lip between her teeth, and Renishta was shifting her weight back and forth. They were all far more nervous than they should be. But I brought Mr. Cairolei to them, provided introductions, and then said, “Alluin was curious about events in Dennaholst. Perhaps you could talk to him about them.” Then I stepped away, inserting myself between Tess and Terla, causing Tess to make room for me pushing her closer to Alluin. A mo
ment later, I stepped away, leaving him behind.

  And from across the room, Ahlianna was silently laughing at me.

  Mother caught up to me perhaps ten minutes later. “Whatever happened to Mr. Cairolei?”

  “He’s helping my staff feel welcome in the palace. They were looking decidedly out of place.”

  “I thought you agreed to behave.”

  “I did him a favor.”

  “Darfelsa,” Mother said in a certain tone.

  “I did all of them a favor,” I added. “I gave my staff something to focus on besides how nervous they are, and I handed him into the care of five women, any one of which he has a better chance with than he does with me. Furthermore, they all range in attractiveness from ‘cute’ to ‘lovely’ to ‘quite striking’.”

  She waved a finger at me.

  “Mother, it was not two hours ago I was crying in the tub. Do you really think I’m in the mood to be gracious? Can you please let me settle in, and I’d rather you not surprise me with them? Where did you get him on such short notice, anyway?”

  “It was quite enterprising of him to show up an hour after you arrived,” she said.

  “Quite enterprising?” I looked around. “He’s the only stranger in the room.” I turned to her.

  “Fine,” she whispered. “I sent for him.”

  “Why?”

  “To see if you intended to behave. He’s a very nice boy.”

  “I promise to behave, but not tonight.”

  “I’m moving him back to your side for dinner, and you will be gracious.”

  “No,” I said. “I will see if he’s hitting it off with anyone from my staff, and if he is, we’re going to let nature take its course.”

  “And if not, he joins your side, and you let him hold your hand besides.”

  “Why is this so important to you?”

  “Do you think I’m trying to make you miserable?”

  “No, I think Grandmother forced him on us, and you caved into her pressure. Maybe you don’t know how to say ‘no’ to her, but I do.”

  “I never should have let you go to Charth.”

  “Funny,” I said. “You like knowing I stick up for myself.”

  “Maybe,” she said more gently. “If he’s not hitting it off with one of your delightful ladies, then you’ll take him back.”

  “Yes, fine. But if he kisses my hand again, I’m going to tell him you prefer being called by your name.”