Chapter Two

A sandstorm descended in the late morning and lasted for hours, easing off only as dusk began to creep across the sky. Aradishir was equal parts annoyed and relieved, as some of the gifts he'd ordered had not quite yet arrived and definitely wouldn't now, but he'd also gone to a lot of trouble for Princess Relanya's reception, and all those plans were now neatly out the window.

Ah, well. At least the storm was past, and his parents were handling her arrival, having said he would not have to begin his duties until the following morning. Gave him more time to refine everything and send servants out to ascertain when the straggling gifts would now be delivered.

He was also compiling a list of all the ways Bakhtiar owed him, because no way was his brother squirming out of these debts. If he dared to say one single word about how much of his money Aradishir had spent, he would find himself missing several teeth.

"You can't spend all your time plotting your brother's demise," Merza said with a laugh.

"Oh, yes, I can," Aradishir muttered. "I—" He stopped as a strange sound, like a child giggling, caught his ear. There were no children in the royal wing. The only child that should be here was still inside his sister, waiting to be born. "Am I losing my mind? Did anyone else hear that?"

"I did," Heydar said, setting down the book he'd been reading and crossing the room to slip through the archway into the garden.

He returned just a moment later, eyes wide. "Um. My prince… there appears to be a child playing in your fishpond."

"What!" Aradishir stood so quickly he slammed his knee into the table. Swearing, wincing, he walked-hobbled to the archway and out into the garden. The sky was clear, the air redolent with the scent of flowers, especially the night-blooming jasmine he loved so much.

More giggling came, along with splashing, and he followed the sound around some trees and shrubs to where his fishpond was located in the back corner, flanked by a stone bench on one side and a small tree on the other.

Wading in the water was a boy of not more than five years of age, splashing the water to make the fish startle and swim about. He had brown skin, but a very different tone than was common in Tavamara. His hair was a sleek black, pulled back in a tiny braid, and his clothes were of a style Aradishir had never seen, stitched along the edges in bright colors depicting little black and white creatures with yellow beaks.

"Hello," Aradishir said tentatively.

The boy startled—slipped, crying out in panic. Aradishir surged forward, sliding down the bank of the pond and scooping the boy up out of the water. "Merciful Divine." He handed the boy off to Heydar as he came rushing up. "Who are you then, little bird?"

Eyes widening, tears immediately fading as he broke into a smile, the boy said, "That's what Mama calls me! Little bird! Do you know Mama?"

"I have not yet had that pleasure," Aradishir replied. "What is your Mama's name?"

"Princess," the boy said promptly.

Aradishir laughed. "However did you get into my garden, little bird?"

"I climbed the ivy." He eyed Aradishir warily as Heydar set him on his feet. "Are you going to tell Mama?"

"I'm afraid I won't have much of a choice, given she is probably searching for you, wondering where you have gone." It was certainly an impressive escape. His garden didn't even directly connect with the garden attached to Princess Relanya's chambers. The only way the boy could have come this far was if he climbed the wall, then walked along the top of it until something—the pond, presumably—drew his attention enough that he climbed down. "I bet you give your mama fits."

That seemed to please the boy. Kerrin, that was his name. This was Prince Kerrin. "Mama says that a lot. 'You give me fits and fits, Rin!' What's a fit? No one ever says."

"It means you make them scared and angry. Come on, we'd best return you."

Kerrin pouted. "Aww, I want to play with the fish. We saw lots of them while on the big boat, but we couldn't stop to play with them. Back home there's too much ice, but here the fish are right there , and the water isn't too cold—"

"Kerrin! Kerrin!" Came a beautiful but frantic voice. "Damn it, I will kill him myself for real this time."

Flinching, Kerrin said, "Mama is having a fit."

Biting his lip to avoid laughing, Aradishir bent and scooped him up. "Yes, she is. I used to give my mother fits when I was your age too. 'Ari, you are a brat and you will go to your room!' is what I heard almost every day."

That seemed all the permission Kerrin needed to launch into an avid, wandering discussion of all the ways his mother had fits about him, even though he wasn't doing anything wrong.

When they reached the chambers assigned Princess Relanya, the guards there slumped in relief. "Your Highness, you found him. I don't know how you managed it, but we're happy you did."

"He climbed the wall and found his way to my garden," Aradishir replied, and motioned with his chin for them to knock on the door.

It swung open a moment later, and every carefully rehearsed word fled Aradishir's head.

The thorough description of Princess Relanya had not done her a single bit of justice. Her son looked just like her, from the brown of her skin and black of her hair, to the beautiful gray eyes currently filled with murder as she glared at Kerrin. Her features were soft, slightly rounded, giving her a gentle appearance further enhanced by her buxom figure. She looked… huggable. Touchable. Achingly beautiful, even when she was clearly exhausted and furious. Aradishir had never seen such a fascinating woman in all his life.

Aradishir gathered his scattered thoughts. "Um. Beg pardon, Your Highness, but I believe this belongs to you?"

"Yes," she said with a long sigh. "Where was he?" Her eyes skimmed Aradishir, then looked past his shoulder to where Heydar stood just behind him. "Oh, my, Your Highness, I didn't realize! I'm so sorry, how in the world did my son come to bother you?"

Chuckling, Aradishir handed him off. "He was playing in my fishpond. You apparently have quite the climber on your hands."

"Climber, swimmer, digger, runner, everything but a hold-stiller," Relanya replied with another sigh. "Thank you for returning him. I am so very sorry he bothered you."

"No bother at all. I hope the rest of your night is peaceful, and I will see you at breakfast, Your Highness." He bowed and departed, heading quickly back to his own room, silently willing his pounding heart to calm.

*~*~*

He woke bright and early, bathing and dressing with care, and double checked all the gifts were wrapped and waiting, ready to be given to Relanya after breakfast. She would open one or two, then have the rest sent on to her room while they headed off to begin their day.

Aradishir wished desperately that his heart would stop racing.

"—shir?"

"Huh?" He stared at Heydar, shook himself. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked if you were all right," Heydar replied. "You've been a hundred leagues away all morning."

"Sorry, guess I'm distracted worrying about this visit."

Javed laughed. "You'd think, given you returned her son last night, already putting you in her good graces, that would have calmed some of your nerves."

"I'm certain there's nothing to be anxious about, my prince," Merza added. "Worse comes to worst, the betrothal is still largely in the trial phase. There's nothing to worry about."

Aradishir sighed. "I know. I just… My useless brother isn't even here, her arrival was less than ideal… I just don't want her to dislike Tavamara right from the start."

"If she was that shallow and absurd, your mother never would have worked so hard to arrange this marriage," Heydar said. "Also, her son seems really sweet. A child like that would be raised by a woman with sense and kindness."

"I know, I know," Aradishir said. "Let's get to work then, before I fret myself into even more of a knot."

There was no way he would be admitting to anyone, not even his harem, that he was distracted not by anxiety, but eagerness, by a need to see Relanya again. Reassure himself that he'd blown that fleeting encounter from last night out of proportion. She wasn't as beautiful and fascinating and compelling as he'd thought all night. He'd exaggerated the brief encounter in his head. That was all. She was beautiful and interesting and his future sister-in-law. He just wanted to do well on Bakhtiar's behalf, even though the reckless jerk would deserve it if Aradishir ruined everything for him.

Normally, he'd only have one of his concubines accompany him throughout the day, swapping them out as they each needed to be somewhere else—training, practice, fittings, other little errands and chores they did for him. Contrary to the licentious suppositions of gawking foreigners, concubines did not spend their days lying sensuously about waiting to be ravished. As delightful an image as that was, they would all get bored very quickly.

Today, though, he wanted to make the best impression he could, and in Tavamara there was nothing more reassuring and impressive than a royal figure surrounded by the whole of their harem. It conveyed trust, faith, and competence in a way nothing else quite could.

Aradishir reached the breakfast room first, pleased to see that all was ready: food, flowers, the gifts to be presented. Even the weather was cooperating.

He wanted badly to pace around the room, but it wouldn't do for Relanya to walk in and see him behaving so gracelessly. Instead he accepted the cup of tea Javed brought him, thanking him with a soft caress to his cheek.

"You need not be so nervous, my prince," Javed replied. "When have you ever made anything but a wonderful impression on anyone? I'm certain she was charmed by you last night."

"She was," Heydar replied. "A little frayed and tired, but definitely charmed."

Aradishir cast him a disbelieving look. "She barely noticed me."

That got him a pensive look from Merza, always a little too sharp for Aradishir's piece of mind.

Thankfully, before he could speak, the door was opened by one of the guards in the hallway and Relanya stepped inside, accompanied by two other women. All three were in Tavamaran dress, and one of the women looked as Tavamaran as was possible. She looked vaguely familiar, but she was the daughter of an ambassador, so that made sense.

Aradishir's eyes were only for Relanya, though. The short top and skirt were made of a beautiful fabric that shifted between gray and lavender, bringing out the smoky gray of her eyes. Chains of amethyst, diamond, and pearl were wrapped around her waist, and she'd affixed a ring of keys and a small pouch to them. On her head was a matching diadem, and rings glittered on her fingers. Her beautiful ink-dark hair had been pulled into a single braid, affixed with white gold clasps at regular intervals.

Most fascinating of all was a beautiful, colorful tattoo on her right arm, a complicated geometric pattern done in myriad colors; a beautiful, intricate rainbow that covered her entire arm like a sleeve. Tattoos were not something done by royalty or nobility. They were for commoners or performers, concubines. The court was going to throw a fit. All Aradishir could think about was tracing every single line, first with his fingers and then—

Nothing. He was not going to make an absolute fool of himself and his family by lusting after his brother's betrothed .

Crossing the room, he bowed, arm across his chest. "Your Highness, it's an honor to properly make your acquaintance. I am sorry that your arrival in Tavamara has been so tumultuous.

Bowing in turn, Relanya replied, "Not at all, Your Highness. Not even monarchs can control the weather. I prefer your sand to my snow, to be certain. Thank you again for retrieving and returning my errant son. I wish I could say he will behave from here on out, but I expect that now I'm out of sight, he is once more into mischief."

Aradishir laughed, motioning her to the table and their waiting breakfast, trying and failing not to notice the beautiful perfume he caught a whiff of as she passed. Something delicate, honeysuckle and the barest hint of orange blossom and ginger. It suited her perfectly.

Taking a deep breath, Aradishir let it out slowly and went to take his own seat directly opposite her, his harem spread around the table so they could serve both parties easily, interspersed with Relanya's two handmaidens.

He could do this. His parents were trusting him. Bakhtiar was trusting him. He would do his duty, and this stupid little infatuation would pass. He was just flustered because he'd never been trusted with a duty like this, had never interacted with more than the women of the court, and Relanya was ridiculously beautiful and fascinating. Everyone was counting on him to do this right, and do it right he would.

"I am sorry, again, that Bakhtiar could not be here himself. I know he very much wanted to be, of course."

Relanya smiled. "These things happen, Your Highness, please do not worry on my behalf. Your home is even more beautiful than I imagined. So much green! Your deserts of sand are far more amenable to such things than my desert of snow. I brought some of my songbirds with me, and they have been trilling all the day long."

"They do not mind the lack of cold they must be used to?"

"No, my songbirds come from all over the world. I used to keep them in a specially made greenhouse. I'm told your temples keep birds as well."

Aradishir nodded, thanking Heydar for the tea he poured them before replying, "Yes, it's an old, old tradition of the temples. You'll no doubt hear the entire history when you visit them with my mother later in the week, so I won't tell it now. Today I thought I could show you around the palace and, if there's time, some of the city. Tonight of course there will be a banquet in your honor. I can regale you with the other plans arranged for the week later. Is there anything you would like to do that we might not have thought of?"

"I have every faith that Prince Bakhtiar planned everything perfectly," Relanya replied. "It's kind of you to carry out his duties in his absence. I hope he is recovering well?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Aradishir replied, even though for all he knew his dumbass brother's leg had rotted and fallen off. It would serve him right. Bakhtiar had his good points, but he was also a spoiled brat who never thought things through nearly as much as he should. Or put much effort into things he did not care about, like arranging all the details of his future wife's visit or buying her gifts or even pretending to care. Yet he was still getting all the credit, and Aradishir couldn't say a damn thing.

Whatever. It didn't matter. All that mattered was Relanya's happiness, and securing the marriage once and for all. Bakhtiar was going to owe him so many favors after this.

Merza served their breakfasts, and Heydar easily kept conversation flowing from there. He'd set Javed to serve Relanya, though at the banquet his mother's concubines would have that honor. Aradishir smiled faintly to see how intently the handmaidens were watching his concubines, no doubt trying to learn all they could, if they were indeed Relanya's future concubines. Truly impressive that she'd come so prepared, and people would be rightfully impressed that she arrived with three women already willing to devote their lives to her.

Who wouldn't want to, though? They'd only been speaking for an hour or so now, and she'd proven to be kind, friendly, charming, and an expert conversationalist, all vital to being a princess of Tavamara.

No, a queen. She was intended to be a queen someday.

Why did that reminder leave an ache in his chest?

Aradishir ignored it, focusing on the beautiful woman in front of him, discussing all the things he wanted to show her in the city, gritting his teeth that he had to spin them as Bakhtiar's plans and wishes that he was only carrying out.

As breakfast was finished and cleared away, Aradishir motioned for Merza to bring forward three of the many, many gifts he'd managed to secure, despite the challenges.

The first gift was a necklace from the vaults, a beautiful piece he'd bought years ago of a water lily made from precious jewels, with leaves all along the chain and on the right side, a jewel dragonfly on its way to perch on the water lily.

"Mercy me," one of the handmaidens said, while the other gasped. Relanya, of all things, seemed surprised. Why would a princess and future queen be surprised by jewelry?

"This is absolutely beautiful," Relanya said. "I love water lilies. They do not grow back home. I've tried to import them for my private garden, but they never survive, despite our best efforts. How incredibly thoughtful of Prince Bakhtiar."

Aradishir bit back every rude thing he wanted to say about his stupid brother and only smiled, "He'll be delighted to know you love it."

A servant took the jewelry case, and one of the handmaidens pushed the next gift in front of Relanya. "I feel a bit silly being the only one opening gifts."

"Not at all. Bakhtiar doesn't deserve them anyway for being a reckless fool and breaking his leg right on the cusp of your arrival."

Relanya laughed. "Brothers, all the same everywhere." She unwrapped the next gift, the wrapping itself a shawl made of softest wool and dyed an ombre purple. Within it was a book of poems and illustrations, bound in purple leather and debossed in gold leaf, more gold on the edges and in each of the illustrations. Only one hundred of them had been made, and Aradishir had volume number one. He hated to part with it, but a future queen deserved gifts worthy of that station.

"Oh, my goodness, this is the most beautiful book I've ever seen," Relanya said. "I cannot wait to read it. Look at this artwork!" She looked up with a smile that made her more beautiful than ever, like a little girl given the doll of her dreams for her birthday. "Your brother put a great deal of thought and care into this. I am deeply honored."

Death wasn't good enough for Bakhtiar. Aradishir was going to shackle him to the face of a cliff and leave him to rot.

For the present, he returned her smile. "I'm happy you like your gifts, Your Highness. He'll be delighted to know his efforts succeeded."

The book was taken away, and the third gift presented. This one was more basic, but a tradition all the same: a set of wine carafes and cups for her private use, at dinner, in her room, wherever else she wanted. She would gather more of them over the years, gifts from visitors, friends, and more, but this first set came from her future husband.

Aradishir had chosen it himself, from a variety of samples that had been sent to the palace for him, and delivered the moment the storm had cleared and it was safe to do so. The carafes were made of frosted glass that was pink at the bottom and a delicate orange at the top, the very colors of a setting sun. Each of the cups was a different coordinating color, rimmed in gold and the outside painted with gold flowers and butterflies.

"These are stunning!" Relanya said with a gasp. "Your brother has exquisite taste."

"I will be sure to convey your happiness to him," Aradishir said, mustering the smile he very much did not feel. It was stupid. He had no reason to be upset that Bakhtiar was getting all the credit. This was exactly what his mother had set him to do: make her happy, keep her safe, ensure the marriage went through.

It still hurt. He had picked out the necklace suspecting she'd love it. He'd known from everything he'd read that she'd love the book. He'd picked out her first personal wine set.

She would never know. Never should know. What did it matter? It didn't.

The more he repeated the words, the more hollow they felt.

"It makes happy hearing that you like your gifts so much. I hope you enjoy the others when you open them later. Shall we go on with our day? We can start with the royal gardens while the weather is still cool, and move indoors as it gets hotter."

Relanya rose gracefully and fell into step beside him as they left the dining room.