Page 107 of Tashama
“Will you kiss me, Tashama?”
“I’m trying to teach you to swim, sire.”
“If I try to move from this position, I will surely sink and drown. Will you not lean over me and kiss me just once?”
“Kiss him, Tashama!” A sprite darted from the water.
“Kiss him, kiss him,” several chanted as they danced upon the water.
“They wish you to also.” He touched her cheek. “I cannot select a wife, Tashama, from the fourteen other women listed, asI have fallen in love with you. Kiss me, Tashama, and show me you love me too.”
“I cannot.” A tear rolled down her cheek.
He reached up to wipe away the tear but sank below the surface of the water. She pulled him from the water, and he touched his lips to hers and kissed her with determination. She kissed him back as their spritely audience grew quiet. All the while, the princess and Aleron paddled their feet to keep afloat in rhythmic motion while their hands touched each other’s faces as if they wanted to memorize every part before they were torn away from each other again.
Aleron wrapped his arms around her in an embrace as tight as any merman would have on his mermaid as Tashama gave into the feeling of his water-moistened lips against hers. His desire for her grew as he held her close while the nymphs giggled as they floated in her golden strands.
“He loves you too, Tashama,” they chanted. “A royal baby water sprite you will make.”
“No,” Tashama said to the nymphs, and Aleron looked at her in surprise. “I weary. We must go in.”
“All right, but I wish another lesson tomorrow night at the same time,” he said as she helped him to return to the edge of the pool. “I wish to swim underneath the water as you do.” After Aleron hurried to climb out of the pool, he reached for Tashama and lifted her out too.
Her gowns clung to her shapely figure. She studied his breeches as his desire for her hadn’t begun to wane. He chuckled, then grabbed up his tunic and hurried her back to her chambers. When they arrived at her room, he said, “Tomorrow, I will see you at breakfast.”
“Tomorrow, sire.”But not if I can help it.
The next morning,Listra hurried to get out of bed. “We’re late to breakfast.” She slipped her robe to her feet.
Tashama sat in bed and stared out the window as she tried to consider what had gone wrong. Were her visions of being aided to escape from Banff incorrect?
Listra pulled her gown over her head. “Hurry, Tashama. We must attend the feast.”
Tashama dragged herself from the bed, then selected a gown from the peg on the wall. As she pulled the green velvet dress over her head, Listra attached veils to her own hair. “That’s the gown His Highness likes best on you of all the rest.”
“He told me he loved me.” Tashama fastened a gold chain at her waist. Listra grew quiet as her dark brown eyes were as round as Aleron’s crown. “But of course I’m sure he tells all of the ladies such a thing.”
“No, my lady. He wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“How would you know what he says to the other ladies when he’s alone with them?”
“He’s always chaperoned. Though with you, it’s not always been so. And the ladies do gossip, Tashama. Had he told any of them such a thing, the news would have spread like the jasmalange jelly the courtiers coat their bread with at breakfast.”
“He knows it can never be between us, so he says it in mockery.”
Listra shook her head. “When he said this, did he say anything else?”
“He would not choose one of the other ladies to wed, but I know this is not true.”
“You have seen who he has chosen then?”
“No.” Tashama slipped her shoes on. “I just know Carissian, as his advisor, will ensure Aleron does what is expected of him.”
The two women walked into the hall, and the guards hurried to escort them to the great hall. When the ladies entered the room, the first course of the meal had already been served.
The room grew quiet except for a fork poking into a grape as it scraped on the pewter plate. Tashama and Listra hurried to take their seats, all the while watching the expression on Daveal’s face. “Well, she’s taking it very well; if she was disappointed that we’re here at all, I cannot see by her emotionless face what she’s thinking.”
Carissian studied Tashama, and Listra said to her, “Carissian seems to be concerned about you this morning.”
