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  “Oh, yes,” I said. “I wish a proper unveiling, however, so no one else is to learn of this until we present them to Her Majesty. I need your help.”

  “Of course, Yalla,” Naddí said. She turned to Féla and began speaking rapidly. Even after all these years, when they spoke that quickly in Altearan, I struggled to understand them, so I simply moved in front of my dressing table and waited for them.

  It only took them a moment. Naddí ran off, closing the door behind herself, and Féla began pulling my clothing from me. Naddí was only gone a half minute, and then she slipped in and said, “The guard understands no one is to enter, but if anyone asks, she’ll knock.” Then she moved past me to my closet, returning immediately with my vestments.

  I let them do what they wanted. I had long learned that was easiest. They were perhaps half done with me when there was a knock at the door.

  “If it’s one of the pages,” I said, “let her in. Get rid of anyone else.”

  It was Féla that moved to the door. She blocked the door with her body and poked her head out. Quiet words were exchanged, and then she was admitting Farterra.

  The page curtsied again. That really was ridiculous, but I’d given up trying to get them to stop. “High Priestess Yallameenara,” she said. “Queen Ralalta can accept you immediately. The Princess Juleena was with her. Ladareen is looking for Princess Lásenalta and will return here when she has delivered your message.”

  “Very good,” I said. “Thank you.”

  And just then there was another knock. Féla opened the door, saw who it was, and admitted Ladareen.

  That meant another curtsey and a report that Alta had been in her office. She would meet me at the Queen’s chambers.

  “Excellent. Thank you both. I need one of you to find Térel and Larien. They should be on the floor somewhere. They have two minutes to head to the queen’s chambers. I will meet them there. They may change into vestments if they can do so and still be on their way inside two minutes.”

  I received another pair of curtsies, and then Féla let the two girls out. She was still grinning.

  The two of them finished with me. I hadn’t given them any warning, but they were always ready to see to me. They got me dressed, fixed my hair, and applied a light dusting of cosmetics.

  “So, my little spies, how do we get my daughters into the queen’s chambers without anyone seeing their hair?”

  Naddí laughed. “You never used to like that we were spies.”

  “It was one thing when you were Queen Mesenorié’s spies and my jailors,” I said. “It is quite different when you are my spies.”

  “We knew you’d come to love us,” Féla said with hug.

  “I have loved you for a very long time,” I said. “Now, my daughters?”

  “That is easy. Leave it to us. We’ll be ready to go in five minutes.”

  “Excellent.”

  * * * *

  They were true to their words, and their solution was simple. They dressed both girls in hooded cloaks, the hoods pulled high and every bit of their hair tucked away. They’d even coached the girls how to walk, hiding their hands and keeping their faces in shadows, but they weren’t going to fool anyone. They couldn’t stop giggling.

  I didn’t blame them.

  Féla and Naddí presented them and asked, “Or do you need us to sneak them into the queen’s chambers. That might be more difficult.”

  I laughed. “This is perfect. All right. We’ll have a larger announcement later, but this is for our household and the queen. I will lead. I want my daughters side-by-side behind me, and the two of you behind them, watching over them.”

  That resulted in a bunch of nods. Then I knelt down. “We’re going to be sneaky, my darlings. It’s going to be so wonderful. But if Féla or Naddí tell you to do something, you need to do it. Won’t you?”

  “Yes, Mama Yalla,” they said together.

  “Let’s go.”

  * * * *

  The pages were back at their station near the door. “Terél and Larien have already left?” I asked as we approached.

  I received another pair of curtsies and assurances my priestesses had broken speed records.

  “Very good,” I said. “Girls, there is going to be a small festival, possibly as early as this evening. You are both invited. Do not mention to anyone else, but in case I don’t catch you before you go off duty, I wanted you to know.”

  “Thank you, High Priestess Yallameenara,” they intoned.

  On the other side of the door, I paused, glancing at both guards. “I wish an honor guard to the queen’s chambers,” I announced.

  I had never asked for one before. But the queen’s guards were very good. One of them hurried ahead and called out, “Honor guard for the high priestess!” Then she turned and nodded to me, and I began walking again, leading my little entourage to the stairs.

  By the time we had descended to the queen’s floor, my guards were waiting, two men and two women waiting on the landing for me. I received a salute from one of them. “High Priestess, where are we going?”

  “This is for show,” I said. “We’re only going to visit the queen in her chambers. Please lead the way and give us a nice entrance. That is all I need, and after that you can go back to whatever you were doing.”

  “Yes, High Priestess.”

  They formed up, and then I followed them: two guards, two more guards, me, my daughters, and finally my maids.

  When we arrived outside the queen’s chambers, there were two more guards flanking her doors. They made to reach for the doors as I approached, but I held up a hand. “Please confirm that Queen Ralalta, my wives, and two of my priestesses are waiting inside.”

  “And Lady Malta,” said one of the guards.

  “Ah. That’s fine,” I said. I nodded and stepped forward. The doors were open before I could reach them.

  We made quite an entrance, which was my intention. I was the only one in formal attire. Terél and Larien had their everyday vestments, but I was in my best, and I knew I cut quite the figure. Everyone else was dressed quite casually, even Ralalta. As we entered, they all stood and turned towards me, their faces carrying a variety of expressions.

  Juleena and Alta both tried to move to me, but I held up a hand and looked at the queen.

  “Lady Yallameenara,” said the woman I thought of as my second mother. “Have you heard from the Goddess?”

  “After a fashion, Your Majesty,” I said. “I find myself embarrassed. I should have prepared for this, but I haven’t.”

  “We can sit,” the queen said with a gesture. “And you can explain the emergency.” Then she looked past me at my fidgeting daughters, putting on a puzzled expression.

  “In a moment,” I said. “Your Majesty, as High Priestess, and as a mother, I beg a favor of you and the palace staff. I require a celebration, but I do not fully understand the needs of this celebration.”

  “Oh. That is an unusual request. When is this celebration to occur?”

  “I believe the tradition is this evening,” I said. “But Larien and Terél probably know better than I do.” Then I held my hands behind me, gesturing my daughters forward. They stepped up beside me, and I leaned to one and then the other. “Push back your hoods.”

  Somehow they managed to do it together, and then for several long heartbeats, the room was absolutely quiet.

  And then everyone responded all at once. The queen, with tears beginning to brim in her eyes, smiled broadly and knelt, holding out her hands. The two girls ran to their grandmother, who hugged and kissed them both.

  Alta and Juleena stepped forward. Alta was beaming. I couldn’t read Juleena’s expression. But they both waited until Ralalta had gotten her hugs before pulling our daughters away, hugging them both, then trading. Juleena ran fingers through each of their hair, and then she looked at me. “Both at once.”

  “Just so,” I said.

  And then Larien and Terél began the applause, quickly joined by everyo
ne in the room.

  I started crying again, and I wasn’t the only one.

  * * * *

  Eventually we sat. Ralalta insisted her granddaughters sit beside her, so I found myself on the facing sofa, my wives on either side, each holding a hand. Alta was still wiping tears from her eyes, although we’d all taken a minute or so to clean up.

  “Well,” said the queen. “Yes, there must be a celebration. But I do not know the customs, either.”

  I looked around to the Altearan members of my household. “I’ve accepted new acolytes when they’ve arrived at the Heart of the Goddess, but I haven’t seen the celebrations at their homes. Terél, I think you once told me your entire village celebrated.”

  “Yes,” she said. “But I’m from a small village. Alta, I don’t recall any of the acolytes coming from Lopéna, so I don’t know what happens there.”

  “There haven’t been any that I know of,” said my wife. “Larien?”

  “Don’t look at me,” she said. “But I think you’re right. So we should make our own custom.”

  “But it should be today?”

  “Yes,” Larien said. “My village mayor declared a holiday, although not everyone celebrated it.”

  “We had a little parade,” Terél said. “But I know some villages make less fuss.”

  “We will certainly be making a fuss,” Ralalta declared. “Malta, I know this is short notice, but can we assemble something?”

  “Of course, Your Majesty,” said the castle chatelaine. “Something akin to a ten and eighth birthday celebration?”

  “Yes, perfect,” said the queen. “If that’s fine with you, Yalla.”

  “Do we get presents?” Mandi asked.

  “It’s my birthday,” Nissi pointed out. “I should get presents.”

  “And you will get your birthday presents,” I said. I turned back to the queen. “I believe there are traditions from that day we can forego.”

  She smiled. “Quite so. Who should we invite?”

  “The palace?” I made it a question. “And our extended family? I already invited the pages who delivered my messages.” I paused. “Queen Ralalta, this is not an affair of state. This is for friends and family. Is that all right?”

  “Of course, Yalla,” she replied with a smile. “Does the definition of friends include the guards?”

  “Yes,” I said. “And Mellara and her daughter,” I said. “Hmm. Andro and Valara should bring their children.” Yes, my matchmaking had worked. Their eldest daughter was called Yearie, and she had a younger brother named Rolent. Rolent was Mandi’s age, and they got on well, but Yearie had her mother’s charm, and all my daughters absolutely adored her. “Is there anyone we have to invite, Lady Malta?”

  “No,” the queen said for her. “Malta, what do you need us to do?”

  “I’ll handle this,” she said. “Is there to be this parade that was mentioned?”

  “A parade!” the girls said together, clapping their hands. “A parade!”

  That earned them laughter, but then Juleena said, “I’m not quite sure how to spread the word.”

  “That’s easy,” Alta said. “We do an unveiling in the market and then a slow ride out to the race track. We can spend an hour or two riding, and by the time we get back, half the town will be watching.”

  And so that was what we did.

  * * * *

  Malta and the palace staff outdid themselves, but then they always did. Somehow they managed to decorate the dining hall, dividing the room in two, one side for Mandi and one side for Nissi. For food, they made both girls’ favorites, although with enough choices to please everyone. And they’d even had time to bake and decorate a cake for each of them, which I found touching.

  Everyone came, as best I could tell, with one notable exception: I couldn’t find Mellara anywhere, and she hadn’t responded to the notice we’d sent. I hoped everyone was okay. We’d drifted apart over the years, but she remained one of my friends, and I missed her. But she was a wife and mother now, working in her husband’s business while the two of them raised their children, so I didn’t get to see her very often at all.

  Larien and Terél were, unsurprisingly so, quite popular with the children. They devised games for the kids and made sure everyone had fun. That made things so much easier for me, and so I could roam the room, talking to people.

  I kept looking for Mellara, but I didn’t see her.

  It was the queen that organized the next phase of our party. Juleena helped her gather attention, and then Ralalta said, “We mustn’t forget that today is someone’s sixth birthday.”

  It wasn’t the tradition in Framara to offer birthday gifts widely. Even the queen received presents only from the closest members of her family and one or two special friends. And so our guests hadn’t arrived with presents for either of my daughters.

  But Ralalta had a present. Juleena, Alta, and I had one more, plus there were a few more from amongst the other members of our household. As per the custom, those were small gifts, but Nissi was very gracious, thanking and hugging each giver. Even Mandi, with a little help from her Mama Juleena, had a present for her little sister, and Juleena had told me Mandi had picked it out entirely by herself, needing Juleena only to pay for it.

  It was while Nissi was opening her present from Larien and Terél that I heard a voice, speaking over the other voices in the room, “Lady Yallameenara! What have you done to my daughter?”

  Threes

  Nissi didn’t notice, so engrossed in what she was doing, but every adult in the room stood and turned towards the door to see the newcomers. I suddenly found the view blocked by far too many bodies, but that was easy to resolve.

  I elbowed my way through to find myself facing my former maid, Mellara. She had come with her daughter.

  I stared.

  Mellara had her hands on Lamarta’s shoulders, and the cause of her consternation was evident.

  “What did you do?” Mellara asked again.

  I stepped forward slowly, staring at Lamarta. Then I looked up at her mother, and I found I couldn’t read Mellara’s expression.

  Lamarta raised a hand and fingered her hair. “It’s like yours, Lady Yallameenara,” she said.

  “When?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

  “I went to bed last night, and it was black,” said the girl. “I woke up this morning, and it was like this.” She fingered her hair again. Black. White. Black, and the tips just showing white.

  “Yallameenara?” Mellara said. There was pain in her voice. “When does she have to leave?”

  Then Larien and Terél were there, coming to a stop flanking me. Terél put on her charm, stepping forward. “Congratulations, Lamarta,” she said. “Nissi was opening her last present, and then we were going to have cake. Would you like cake?” She held out her hand and took Lamarta from her mother, leading her away, but with a hand, I stopped them.

  I knelt down before Lamarta, looking into her eyes. I held out my hands, and she came to me, letting me gently clasp her by the arms. “In Alteara, this is the greatest honor they know,” I told her. “Little girls with black hair, sweet girls like you, wonder if the Goddess will choose them.”

  And then I felt her. I felt the Goddess. She didn’t often come to me when I was so far; she’d told me it was difficult. But she had said she could hear when I prayed to her, and from time to time, she could reach me even at this distance, but it was rare.

  “Congratulations, Yalla,” she whispered. “I want this one very much, and bring her mother as well.”

  And then, before I could even respond, she was gone, just like that.

  “She was here,” Larien whispered in Altearan. “The Goddess?”

  I looked up at Mellara. “She wants to meet you.”

  “Who does?”

  “The Goddess,” I said. “How do you fancy an all-expenses paid trip to Alteara?”

  Indorítanda

  “I’m going to miss you,” Juleena told me. “All of
you. I can’t believe everyone is going and Mother is making me stay here.”

  “Someone has to mind the store,” Alta said. Then she grinned. “I can’t wait to see Mother’s and Father’s reaction when they see who replaced you on the trip.”

  “I can’t believe she didn’t write ahead,” Juleena said. “I wonder how well her disguise will hold up.”

  Alta laughed. “Féla and Naddí have been conspiring, so perhaps better than if Ralalta were left to her own devices.”

  “Is she capable of even walking and not looking like a queen?” I asked.

  “No,” Juleena said. “At least, not that I’ve ever seen.” She shook her head and then fiddled with my clothing. I got a kiss, a warm kiss and an even warmer hug, and then she pulled Alta into her arms.

  We had an interesting relationship, the three of us. We were two princesses and a high priestess. Three intelligent, powerful women.

  But I forever saw myself as a girl of the horse people, and I thought I always would. And so, I put on my role of High Priestess when appropriate, but most of the time, I was still that girl, and now a mother of four daughters.

  And Juleena was the princess, and Alta, too.

  And so, the dynamics between us were unusual. We were three, but we were also two and two and two. Juleena and I had our relationship, and I had a separate relationship with Alta. And they’d been friends of sorts since long before I knew them, and they were as in love with each other as they were with me. And so they had their relationship. And together, the three of us had one more relationship.

  I thought it was perfect.

  I loved watching Juleena with Alta. She was every bit as tender with her as she was with me.

  Juleena was our warrior, our strength, our steel. She watched over her wives and our family.

  Alta was the organizer, the one who knew not how to move a mountain, but to convince the mountain it must move. And so she moved mountains, seeing to the needs of her wives and our family.

  And I? I wasn’t quite sure what I was. I was slight in stature and could barely lift Juleena’s swords. But I had been learning the magic the Goddess gave to her priestesses, and I could use that magic to watch over my wives and our family.