Sels pulled his hand free of Sesay’s and turned, stumbling away in a daze. Sesay called after him, though didn’t chase him when he ignored her. He wandered through the palace, knowing he should return to his rooms and his sleeping soil to try to get a few claw-marks of rest before having to face his mother at dinner, but he couldn’t get his mind to slow down.
Unexpectedly, he found himself in front of Sesay’s door without quite knowing how he’d gotten there. He turned to leave without knocking, but the door opened. The guard in the hall had probably alerted Recka to his presence.
“Sels, please come in. Sesay is waiting for you in the parlor,” Recka offered Sels a smile and stepped aside.
His gut churned as he made his way down the hall to Sesay’s parlor. Behind him Recka’s claws clicked softly on the polished wood floor. Sesay had changed since he’d seen her last, out of the court finery that she’d worn to the execution and into an unadorned robe and slippers. She was reclined on the couch with a book in her lap, but as Sels entered she sat up and put aside the book. Sels moved to take the chair that faced the couch, but Sesay patted the cushion at her side with a friendly smile.
Sels sat down at the edge of the seat, keeping some distance between them. He twisted his hands in his lap, unsure why he was here or what to say.
“Sels,” Sesay leaned forward, reaching across the gap to touch his shoulder. “You aren’t to blame; for any of this.”
Fresh tears filled his eyes and he turned away from Sesay so he could rub at them with his sleeve, the sap staining the delicate embroidery work at the cuff. “If I hadn’t started that fire in the market and gotten us banned from the council-”
“Stop, Sels,” Sesay scooted closer and took his hand, pulling it from his face, then delicately touched his chin and turned his head to face her. She reached up with a handkerchief and dabbed at his cheeks, while biting her lower lip. When she was done she lowered her hands to her lap and looked away with a big sigh.
“I have a confession to make.” she sighed again and looked him in the eyes. “I need to apologize.”
“For what? If anything I should be apologizing to you for, well, any number of things, not the other way around.”
Sesay twisted the stained kerchief. “To start, about you getting banned from the council.”
“That wasn’t your fault, Sesay. I know you voted to allow me in.”
“You do? I appreciate your faith in me, but,” she bit her lip, eyes downcast. “I was the one that gave Elric the idea for the vote in the first place.”
“What?”
“It happened even before your trip to find a sedyu-bonded. Before you found your magic, and, to be perfectly frank, before the maturing you’ve done over the last few months. I’d gone back through the Royal Law, all the way back to the founding of the Empire. At the time I was focused on your lack of magic and inability to cast the Royal Magic, and if I could use that to bar you from politics. Elric is an expert on law and the Royal Family, so I consulted with him several times.”
That trip had been his first time ever leaving Sebaine and when he’d really begun to learn just how pampered he really was. “I don’t blame you, honestly. I was immature; probably still am, in many ways. But I’m trying to improve.”
Sesay glanced at him through lowered lashes, then, to his surprise, leaned over and pecked his cheek. “Thank you.”
“So you said to start. What else was there?”
“About the marriage; when your Mother informed you that it was to happen sooner than expected you handled it graciously and tactfully, however, I know you still have interest in that peasant girl, Roel.” Her smile darkened into a petulant frown.
Sels squirmed, uncomfortably aware that he’d invited Roel on a date to their engagement party. It was a coerced invitation, but still an invitation none-the-less. “Um, about that...”
“No, no need to explain. I was jealous when I found her in your apartment, but after I calmed down and found out that she’d shown up unannounced and uninvited, it's obvious that the girl was throwing herself at you and you were at a loss on how to react.”
“Her behavior did catch me off guard,” Sels vividly recalled the feeling of Roel’s lips on his fingers, her tongue catching on his skin, and he blushed. “But -”
Blue eyes flashed, shushing Sels with a look. “Let’s not talk about her ever again.”
Sesay leaned forward, wrapped her arms around his neck and planted her lips on his. Her tongue probed until he opened his mouth in surprise. Her tongue wrapped around his and his buds responded, blooming open. Sels draped his arms around Sesay’s shoulders and sunk back on the couch, pulling her on top of him. Sesay giggled; her breath hot on his mouth. Sels ran his hands down her back until he cupped her butt, wishing her robe wasn’t between him and her bare skin.
They lay there curled together; kissing and hands exploring each other, for who knew how long. He tugged up Sesay’s robe, running a hand along her exposed thigh. His flowers were all the way open, stamen waving, when a door banged nearby. Sels and Sesay both froze.
“Lsander,” the Queen’s voice dripped ice from every syllable. “Saywyn.”
“Mother!” Sels couldn’t see her past the cascade of Sesay’s petals in fell into his face, but could imagine her expression. On top of him, Sesay pulled down the back of her robe with one hand, while pulling shut the gaping front with the other. Sels wasn’t even sure when her robe had become untied.
“I expect this kind of behavior from Sels, but not from you Sesay.”
Sesay pushed off of Sels and slid off the couch, her face bright emerald. “We were discussing wedding plans,” she mumbled as she stood up and retied her robe.
“It’s my fault,” Sels offered as he pushed himself back up to sit on the middle of the couch while struggling to calm down and get his buds to close back up, but they stayed stubbornly open all the way, betraying his excitement. “I thought Sesay didn’t want the marriage, and she showed me that I was mistaken.”
“Very much mistaken,” a giggle burbled up through Sesay’s words.
The Queen suppressed a small smile, although a twinkle in her eyes betrayed her amusement. “I’m glad to see you are both enthusiastic about your upcoming nuptials. But until you are officially wed I expect you to keep it to hand holding.”
“Yes, Mother.” Sels blushed again and glanced at Sesay. Her head was bowed, expression contrite as she peeked back at him through a cloud of pink petals, but when his mother turned to leave she winked at him. Sels’s stomach turned to ice, all thoughts of romance fleeing. Roel was going to show up at the party, and Sesay was going to kill him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
PARTY WOES
After the executions Arara had spent several days hiding from Sels and her responsibilities, but last night Recka had tracked her down and reminded her that the engagement party was the next morning and that she was expected to attend. So here she was at the crack of dawn, yawning and trying not to scratch at her black sedyu uniform while she watched Sels getting dressed with the help of several attendants. She had to admit that the purple and yellow robes really complimented the dark violet of his flowers.
Once Sels was dressed they headed downstairs. The ball didn’t start for another few claw marks but as the hosts he and Sesay had to oversee the final preparations of the hall.
Overnight the bottom levels of the tree had been transformed. Colored silk hung down from the vaulted ceiling, amidst dangling reflective crystals that caught and refracted the morning light filling the room with glittering rainbows.
“As the ball gets underway,” Sels said, pointing up as they descended the curving walkway, “Kin mages will fill the room with a gentle breeze and the whole room will sparkle.” Sels stopped and moved to rest against the railing, looking down at the activity below.
Arara stepped up next to him, stifling another yawn. She ran her claws through the fur on her head as she peered between the balusters, too short to see over the
top of the railing.
Below them pink and silver bedecked royal pages rushed about, carrying pots of flowers, laden trays, and other last minute preparations. A few Earth mages in their rust-red robes milled about near the walls, their magic sending a riot of flowering vines crawling up the walls and pillars.
Cloth rustled behind them and a moment later Sesay joined them, moving to stand on Sels’s other side. Sesay’s petals had been curled and pleated together and she wore a yellow gown accented with rose sequins. A surge of guilt came through the bond as Sesay linked her arm through Sels’s and smiled brightly at him.
Sels glanced at Sesay then down at Arara.
Arara’s eyes widened and she craned around to look at Sesay, although she kept her mental shields tightly closed.
A memory came through the bond to her, of him and Sesay making out on Sesay’s couch.
Sels looked pained for a moment, although the expression was quickly replaced with his normal court smile.
“Sels,” Sesay smiled and poked his hand lightly. “It’s rude to ignore your date at a party, especially to chat with your bonded.”
“Sorry. How did you know I was talking to Arara, anyway?” Sels turned to Sesay.
“I remember how it was with Recka at first,” her eyes got wistful. “But that must have been quite an intricate discussion for it to have taken you that long.”
“No. Not really.” Arara touched Sels leg and he took a step back so she could see Sesay better.
Sesay’s eyes snapped back to reality and focused on Arara. “Communication with your bonded is almost instantaneous. Or at least it should be. More like,” she waved her free hand, “a melding of minds than a conversation.”
Arara frowned and shared a glance with Sels. “It has been like that a few times,” Arara said, remembering in the garden, as the kwaso leapt towards them; the feeling of being one mind in two bodies. “But lately it has been just like gefiring with another Jegera, just a bit more intimate.”
“So you and Recka share every thought with each other?” Sels asked with a shudder that Arara shared. She couldn’t imagine Sels watching in on her private time with Yegra and knew Sels felt the same about his privacy.
“Of course,” Sesay quirked an eyebrow, gave Sels a warm smile and squeezed his arm. “Now, would you like to share with me what is bothering the both of you? Perhaps I can help.”
Sels closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
She could feel Sels trying to find a way around Arara’s arguments and coming up short. Resignation flooded her through the bond.
“Care to share?” Sesay tugged playfully on Sels’s arm and as a group they began making their way down to the ballroom floor.
Sels shook his head no and a few of his vines fell out of his elaborate coif and into his eyes. Sesay stopped him and helped tuck them back into place just as the Queen approached them. Like Sels and Sesay she too was dressed in her a court gown, her vines braided and looped around her head, each positioned just-so.
“Sels, Sesay, good morning,” the Queen smiled at the two of them, her eyes barely glazing over Recka and Arara who stood on either side of the couple.
“Morning, Mother,” Sels replied as Sesay retook his arm. “Where is Tukura?”
“Supervising the placement of the security for the ball.” The Queen looked up to the window. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do myself. As do you.” She gave them a parting smile before catching the attention of a passing page and moving off to talk with them.
“What do we have to do?” Arara asked Recka.
“Our job at this whole affair is simple, keep out of the way and let the Prince and Princess have their day.”
Arara figured she could do that. The next few claw marks were boring, as she and Recka trailed the couple through the hall. Sesay stopped at intervals to give instructions to servants or send messages. Arara took the opportunity to dash off for a moment to ask the guards at the front door to gefir her privately when Roel showed up.
When the first of the guests started to trickle in Sesay and Sels took up position near the head of the room, acting as hosts while graciously fielding well-wishes from the guests. Recka and Arara stood to either side of the couple, acting as a buffer to keep the royals from getting overwhelmed.
Nobles had come from far and wide, from in and out of the Kingdom, in order to celebrate the engagement of the Princess Sesay of the Southern Summer Archipelago to Prince Sels of the Kin-Jegera Empire. Even most of the surrounding towns had sent a representative. Arara’s head spun trying to keep track of everyone; how Sels managed not only to keep it all straight but to greet almost everyone who approached by name was beyond Arara.
As more and more had arrived the hall had filled with Kin and Jegera. So many guests had shown up that the Queen had allowed the party to spill out of the ballroom into the surrounding gardens.
A commotion near the front door caught Arara’s attention even over the din and a moment later the expected gefir arrived.
She didn’t wait for a reply but dropped to all fours and minnowed her way through the crowd. Her small size was an advantage in such tight quarters, letting her slip in between and around the knots of people that had congregated throughout the hall. She found Roel waiting impatiently just inside the doors, kept in place by two Jegeran guards who blocked her from further entry with crossed wooden poles. Rather than her usual green Healer robes she wore a blue silk gown with offset shoulders and substandard embroidery around the hem and the sleeves. Among the over-the-top finery of the court it stood out for how plain it was, although Arara knew that in the poorer districts the dress would be considered very elegant.
“Arara, it’s about time,” Roel snapped as Arara trotted up. “I have an invitation, but they won’t let me in. The Prince invited me personally,” Roel said, turning her attention to the guards.
“I’ll take you to Sels, but we need to talk first.” Arara pushed up to two legs, to make it easier to chat, and motioned for the guards to let Roel through.
“First,” Arara said as she led Roel back through the crowd. The going was slower but Arara intended to take full advantage of that time. “How is my friend doing?” she risked cracking her shields a touch, just enou
gh so that she began getting vague impressions of thoughts from those closest to her.
“I assume he’s fine,” Roel shrugged her shoulders, most of her attention diverted as she stared around with wide eyes.
Roel was telling the truth. Arara bit back a sigh. She’d wanted to go visit, but hadn’t dared try in the days since the execution, leading up to the party. The security at the palace had been heightened after the escape. She knew the Queen and Tukura at least suspected her involvement. Tukura had been trailing her almost everywhere and when Tukura had been absent Recka was always nearby.
“Second, remember this is Sels’s engagement party. You will not touch him. You will not flirt with him. Got it?”
“Sels promised me a date.”
“He did not,” Arara tried to keep her tone civil and polite but couldn’t help but growl at the last word. “He promised to show you around the party, nothing more.”
“That is a date.”
Roel was petulant enough that Arara stopped, holding out her paw in front of Roel. She didn’t want to make a scene in front of the curious nobles, who had already started whispering about who the commoner accompanying the sedyu was, but she owed Sels this much at least for helping her to save Ottont. Arara stepped around to face Roel, craning her neck up to look Roel in the eye. Roel was shorter than Sels, not by much, but she was still at least a tail length taller than Arara standing tall on her hind legs.
“You will agree to my terms or you will leave.” She was gambling that Roel, now that she was here would be reluctant to leave just to prove a point.
Roel frowned and nodded her agreement, although from her thoughts she didn’t intend to keep that promise.
Arara huffed, but was reluctant to call Roel on her intended duplicity. Instead she moved aside and resumed leading Roel towards the Prince. She’d warned Roel, so she’d done her part. If she did come on to Sels and Sesay threw her out, she wouldn’t be able to blame either Sels or Arara; at least in theory.
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