Page 22 of Tashama
One of the ladies gasped. “You cannot refuse to see His Highness, miss. It just isn’t done.”
“I can,” Tashama said as one of the ladies fastened a veil to her hair. “Come, ladies, get me another gown, or one of you switch your gowns with me. Then I will see your prince and all will be well.”
“He had the gown designed specifically for you, miss. If you don’t move around too much, the gown is not all that revealing.”
Tashama folded her arms. “Very well, I’ll stay here.”
The royal guard appeared at the door, and one of the ladies said, “He’s ready for you, miss.”
“I’m not ready for him.” Tashama sat in an oversized, pale-blue, velvet chair.
She sank into the goose-down pillows, and the lady motioned for the royal guard. The leader of the escort waved to two of his men, who responded by grabbing Tashama’s arms and half-dragging her to the door as she grasped at the doorframe.
One of the ladies frowned at her. “If you would go calmly, you would reveal much less than you desire.”
She motioned for the men to take Tashama to the prince’s chambers. They yanked her from her tentative grip on the doorframe. Tashama glanced down at her bare feet. “I don’t have any shoes.”
“He would rather you were without.” The lady walked beside the guard.
“What? He likes his women barefoot and…” Tashama stopped her speech as the ladies all turned to hear what she had to say. She closed her mouth and said nothing further.
“Barefoot and what, miss?”
“Nothing,” Tashama said.
“Barefoot and nothing doesn’t make any sense,” the lady said.
Seeing her nipples pressed against the thin satin, Tashama shook her head. “The prince is not a gentleman.”
They walked into the prince’s apartments, and the ladies directed Tashama to sit on the colorful pillows in the corner of the room. She shook her head.
“He wishes to dine with you here.”
“On a bunch of pillows? Not at a table?”
“Sit please, miss.”
Tashama backed up to the door.
7
“He’s not going to poison you, miss,” the one woman said to Tashama.
“That’snotwhat I’m afraid of.”
“Whatareyou afraid of?” Prince Aleron walked into the room. The ladies quickly curtsied. He motioned for them to step aside. Holding his hand out to the pillows, he waited for Tashama to comply.
“If we are to dine, can we not sit at a table?”
“Sit,” he said.
“Do you often bring prisoners here to dine with you?”
He took her arm and nudged her toward the cluster of pillows. After he encouraged her to sit, he sat beside her. He studied her eyes, then passed her a goblet of wine. “Drink.” He touched his gold cup to hers.
“To what?”
“To the end of hostilities between our peoples.”
