Sharon Shinn - Reader And Raelynx

“There is still the matter of heirs,” Senneth said faintly. “Eventually, she must produce a few of those.”

His smile was even broader. “She wouldn’t need a husband for that, either.”

She couldn’t bite back a laugh. “But this is too amusing!” she exclaimed. “You have always been far stricter than I have about the boundaries of class! And now you would upend everything! Just for the pleasure of the debate? Or is this how you truly feel?”

“I never understood why Amalie was being rushed toward a wedding. I do understand why you want her to marry within her own rank and station, but I am not worried that a liaison with Cammon will harm her.” He shrugged. “In fact, the opposite.”

“You think it would be a good idea for her to fall in love with Cammon?” Senneth demanded. “Oh, no, surely not!”

“If he is lying in bed beside her at night, no assassin will be able to reach her in stealth,” Tayse said deliberately. “My first goal is to keep her alive. Everything else bends to that imperative.”

Senneth caught her breath. Yes, Tayse always saw life in the starkest and most absolute terms. It was something she had had the skill for at one point-when her own life had been simplified to the most drastic choices of survival or death. She had lost her way a little in these past months, as she had reentered the social circles she had scorned for so long. She had gotten muddled. She had lost her focus.

“I am not going to encourage him, even on those grounds,” she said. “In fact, I still want to wring his neck for being so heedless and-and stupid. But you might be right. Perhaps. Some small part of your argument might have merit. I will think it over.”

His lurking smile was back. He placed his right fist against his left shoulder and bowed from the saddle. “Serra, that is all I ask.”

DANANHall was festive with bridal decorations, but they had to work their way through a half dozen checkpoints to get a glimpse of the bouquets and garlands. Senneth could tell that Tayse approved of the soldiers massed around the city that surrounded the Hall; more guards patrolled the grounds of the manor itself. Trust Malcolm Danalustrous to protect his own.

Kirra met them in the great foyer while they were still being interrogated by the steward. “Carlo, of course you remember Senneth!” Kirra exclaimed, flinging her arms around first Senneth and then Tayse. “She used to live here! Though, of course, it was a long time ago.”

“Yes, serra, and she and her escort were here last fall,” Carlo replied. He was a thin, precise, well-dressed man who was a little vain about his appearance. “But your father has instructed me to ascertain that everyone who crosses the threshold is, in fact, on the list of expected guests.”

Kirra had taken hold of Senneth’s arm and was pulling her toward the gracious, polished staircase. “Well, both of them are,” she said over her shoulder. She glanced at Tayse. “At least, I think so. Are you going to attend the wedding? Or are you going to spout some nonsense about Riders not being fit to participate in the celebrations of the nobility?”

“No, Tayse is in quite an iconoclastic mood these days,” Senneth said. “Topple the social conventions! Let peasants mingle with princesses! We shall all be equals.”

“I think I’ll need to hear the rest of this story later,” Kirra said, herding them upstairs. “But I’m glad you’re here. I was afraid you’d decide not to come.”

“Well, with the news about ships at Forten City, I wanted to stay in Ghosenhall,” Senneth replied. “But Baryn insisted we come.”

Kirra turned off at the landing on the second floor and tugged Senneth forward again, down the main corridor. The ceiling arched high over their heads and banners fluttered on the walls. Danan Hall was so beautiful and so restful that it scarcely allowed a visitor to entertain thoughts about something as ugly as war.

“Baryn has called in his reserve troops. We’re readying for an onslaught,” Tayse said.

Kirra stopped at a room not far from the stairwell and pushed open the door. The room was decorated in dark maroon shades lightened by accents of pale wood, washed gold, and pale green. “This is where you’ll stay. Isn’t it pretty? I’ve put you in the family wing, so you might stumble over my father or my stepmother when you come and go. But you’re right down the hall from me, which should be convenient. I hope our new egalitarian Tayse isn’t going to insist on sleeping in the stables.”

Grinning, Tayse dropped his saddlebags to the floor beside the bed. “I slept inside the walls at Brassen Court,” he said. “I suppose I can do Danan Hall the same honor.”

Kirra’s laughter pealed out. “And, of course, it is an honor to have a Rider staying under our roof again!”

“Who else is here?” Senneth asked. “All the Houses?”

Kirra shook her head, suddenly sober. “My father and Kiernan decided it would be unfair to ask marlords and marladies to leave their own properties when the realm is in such turmoil. Well, can you imagine? Ariane certainly wouldn’t want to desert Rappen Manor at a time like this! So they have sent out announcements proclaiming the wedding will be this day but saying that they have decided upon a private ceremony. That way, no one has to turn them down.”

“Good strategy,” Tayse said.

“Are all my brothers here?”

Kirra shook her head again. “Only Kiernan and Harris. Nate stayed behind. Officially, he is ill, but Kiernan told my father honestly that he wanted to leave one of his brothers in place in case there should be trouble.”

“And that neatly solves the problem of whether or not to bring Sabina Gisseltess with him,” Senneth said. “More excellent strategic thinking!”

“I would not want to match wits with Kiernan,” Kirra confessed. “I like Will so much better!”

“Though Will is not stupid, either,” Senneth warned. “He just doesn’t have Kiernan’s ruthlessness.”

“No, Casserah will supply that,” Kirra said.

“What’s on the schedule? Does something happen tonight?”

“Just a dinner for everyone staying in the manor. The wedding will be tomorrow at noon. There might be a hundred people present-vassals from Brassenthwaite who made the journey, and some of our own lesser lords.”

“So we can leave tomorrow afternoon?” Senneth said. Tayse laughed, but Kirra was horrified.

“Of course you can’t! How rude! There will be another dinner tomorrow night, and of course there will be dancing afterward, and I must see you take a turn around the ballroom in Kiernan’s arms! And then the following day there will be a breakfast, and I think there will be a hunt for those who can’t force themselves to leave, but I would think you could be on your way as soon as the breakfast is over.”

“I want to get back to Ghosenhall with all speed,” Senneth said.

“Did something else happen?”

Tayse didn’t quite laugh. “It’s a long tale,” he said. “Where’s Donnal? I’ll leave Senneth to fill you in.”

Kirra immediately settled herself in the middle of the maroon bedspread. “Yes. Sit down. We have at least an hour before we have to dress for dinner. Tell me everything.”

THEmeal was lavish, delicious, and surprisingly informal. Forty people sat at the two long tables, but they were all the most trusted vassals of two friendly Houses, and so there was little pomp, little posturing. Then, too, Senneth reflected, neither Malcolm Danalustrous nor her brother Kiernan had much use for frills or ostentation. If Kiernan had had his way, no doubt he would have seen Will and Casserah married in some hasty ceremony in a back parlor with only a handful of close friends in attendance, and he would have sent them out the door the very next day to go on with the unromantic business of ordinary life.