"Ramil!" growled the King.

"I didn't know!" he protested. "What was I supposed to think? She came thousands of miles and gave me a squashed paper model."

"Actually, the squashing was my fault," admitted Lord Usk, his blushing cheeks clashing with his coppery hair. "It was very neat the way she made it, but by the time it reached Prince Ramil, I'd .

. . er . . . sat on it."

48

King Lagan buried his face in his hands and groaned. "So we have a stranger in our midst, a

princess, but also, let us remember, a girl of sixteen.

She's come to do her duty by giving herself in marriage to my son, behaving with decorum

beyond her years, and what do our young people do? They snub her, sit on her gifts, then fling

them back into her lap."

Ramil and Usk looked at each other guiltily.

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"Suggestions?" rapped Lagan.

"Send her home," mumbled Ramil.

The King scowled at his son.

"I think we owe her an apology," said Lord Taris. "Your Majesty, if you could perhaps speak to her?"

"I'll talk to her, but Ramil is the one who should apologize."

Ramil felt hot under the stares of all the ministers. He knew that Hortlan and Yendral would

tease him unmercifully for crushing his future wife's gift like an ill-mannered oaf. But it hadn't

been his fault. He'd warned his father that the two cultures were completely incompatible.

"Of course I'll say sorry," Ramil said grudgingly. "I did not intend to insult her."

"No? I am surprised to hear that." Lagan felt like shaking his son. He sat there so sullen and uninterested in the business, almost as if it were someone else's betrothed they were talking

about. He acted as if he had no inkling of the true seriousness of the situation. Gerfal could not

afford the failure of this union. "I'll seek an audience with Her Highness and then perhaps,

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Ramil, you can make your own peace with her in a suitable setting, away from the confines of

the court. Do something that shows that you do have a good side. Sometimes I need reminding

you have one too!"

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"The Princess shows an interest in the horses, Your Majesty," interjected the chamberlain as the King and his son exchanged stony glares. "She apparently visited the stables early this morning."

"That's it!" Lagan thumped the table. "Take the girl riding. Show her you can be considerate, if you try."

"So I'm allowed out again, am I?" Ramil said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Even you, Ramil, would not abandon a foreigner in the forest. I trust you to show her the

courtesy of a host," Lagan replied, moving on to the next item on the agenda.

Tashi was in a terrible state. She realized she had to face the Gerfalian court again, but now that

she had hidden in her rooms for a week it was doubly difficult to come out. She felt humiliated--

and knew she was a failure.

Wrapped in one of the furs bought in the Ice Archipelago, she paced the private terrace in front

of her chamber, staring down on the city below her with unseeing eyes. She already hated it

here and suspected that the people despised her. Even in the stables, the servants had all gazed

at her like some curiosity in a menagerie. No one lowered their eyes respectfully as she passed.

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On her desk lay the many drafts of the letter announcing her decision to return home

unmarried. She hadn't plucked up the courage to send it yet, but she knew with a fierce

certainty that she could not abide to be married to that sneering boy who'd insulted her so

publicly. All who had travelled with her were whispering about it behind her back. She

understood that scuffles had broken out down at the docks between sailors from the two navies.

If she stayed much longer, she'd end up causing a war, not bringing about an alliance.

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The Etiquette Mistress appeared at her elbow.

"Your Highness, the King wishes to speak to you. He is waiting outside and asks if you are at

leisure?"

Tashi felt a momentary panic: she couldn't refuse to see the King though she would've liked to.

She smoothed her robe. There was no time to change into more formal attire. She was wearing

barely any makeup apart from the everyday kohl around her eyes. At least her hair was decently

covered.

"Tell the King I will receive him now," Tashi said stiffly.

The Mistress departed and returned swiftly with the King. He strode towards her, arms

outstretched.

"My dear princess! It grieves me that we have offended you."

Tashi flinched back but, before she knew it, found herself hugged to his chest and patted on the

back.

"You have been so brave to travel all this way and we failed you. My son is heartily sorry for the incident

51

with the paper dragonfly. He had no idea of its significance and thought you were playing a joke

on him."

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Tashi disentangled herself from his robes. "A joke, sir?"

"Come, sit by me." King Lagan slapped the seat beside him. "Damn chilly out here, isn't it?"

He was swearing and talking about the weather now. Tashi did not know what to do.

"Don't be scared: I'm not going to eat you, if that's what you're thinking,"

continued the King. Without all that make-up and glitter, he could see that she was a pretty little

thing. And so young. It made him sad to think that she'd come to the other end of the world to

marry his inept son when she should be growing up peacefully in her own home. Another

sacrifice. He pulled her gently to the seat beside him. "There, that's better, isn't it?"

Tashi nodded, finding it easier to do as he asked than explain why it was inappropriate for a

Crown Princess.

"We got off on the wrong foot last week, but I would like us to start again. I think it wise for you to get to know Ramil away from everyone. He's a good boy really."

Tashi supposed she could forgive a father for blind prejudice but she could see no redeeming

feature in the Prince.

"He's offered to take you riding, if you would like that."

"Your Majesty is very kind, but I do not ride."

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"What! Not ride! Well, then there's a treat in store for you. Ramil is an excellent rider--gets it from his mother, Zarai, a princess among the Horse Followers. He'll have you in the saddle and

away before you know it. He's a very good teacher."

Tashi did not trust Ramil to come within a foot of her, let alone teach her to ride, but she did not

know how to refuse this attention without seeming rude.

"I would not dream of taking up the Prince's time. If I am to learn to ride, I would be happy with one of the ordinary instructors."

"Time? Why, there is nothing more important than him spending time with you. Say nothing

more on the subject. Tomorrow morning, just after nine, he'll be waiting for you in the stables."

King Lagan rose and patted her again on the shoulder.

"I hope to see you at dinner, my dear. Good afternoon."

Tashi watched him leave, in a state of shock. He'd patted her several times--

no man had touched her like that since her father said goodbye to her on Kai four years ago.

He'd called her "my dear" as if they were already kin. Clearly he did not respect her, regarding her as a wayward daughter to be cajoled into accepting his son's grudging attentions.