Page 53 of Tashama
“It looks as though he cannot decide which he would rather have—the mermaid or the lobster.”
“And the mermaid?” He untied the ribbon from her hair.
“Why, she has chosen the lobster, of course.” Aleron unraveled her braid. “Whatareyou doing?”
“Seeing your hair wound so tightly gives me a headache.”
“My hair gets in the way when it’s undone.” She wriggled to get comfortable on the pillows. “Why have you dismissed the servants?”
“They talk.”
“Will they not talk concerning you having dismissed them?”
“The stories are greater this way.” He smiled as she frowned at him. “You have said I’m full of myself. What does this mean?”
She shook her head. Aleron touched his fingertips to her cheek.
“Your skin is as soft as the newborn peach in springtime.” He rubbed his chin and furrowed his brow. “While mine has a fine stubble, always by late evening.”
She touched his face and smiled. “It tickles.”
He kissed her hand, then leaned over her. Her heart beat beneath his chest, and he smiled as she closed her eyes and puckered her lips slightly in anticipation of his kiss.
“Sire!” Carissian said, before Aleron could touch his lips to Tashama’s.
“Carissian!” Aleron exclaimed as he sat upright.
“May I have a word with you, Your Highness, alone?”
“No.”
“Sire.”
“This is not a good time, Carissian.” Aleron jumped to his feet. Grabbing his sorcerer’s arm, he yanked him into his bedchambers.
“What are you thinking, sire? You cannot get tangled up with the Karthlander princess.”
“I only wish a kiss from her lips, Carissian.”
“One thing leads to another. You must send her back to her room.”
Aleron’s face turned dark. “You forget your place, Carissian. You advise me, you do not make demands of me.”
“Forgive me, Your Highness.” Carissian bowed deeply. “I’m only concerned that the woman has truly bewitched you. The word throughout the palace is how several wish the lady would be theirs, and now the gossip is that the prince has fallen in lovewith the prisoner. Sire, consider this. She’s the ruler of the realm that has warred with us for years. Sheisthe enemy.”
“She’s the ruler of naught, Carissian. She’s in exile, remember?”
“Exile is it now? What if Loran wants her back? Are we to refuse to send her to him if he agrees to the hefty ransom we’ve asked for?”
“He will kill her, of that I’m sure.”
“What difference does this make to you? She cannot be your wife.”
The prince stared at his advisor, then, as his brow knitted tightly, he scowled, “What’s the matter with you? I have no intention of marrying such a creature. She intrigues me, nothing more. Still, I wouldn’t wish to sacrifice her for some paltry sum of money.”
“The sumissubstantial.”
The prince waved his hand at his advisor for his silence, then walked back into the room. He considered Tashama as she slept soundly now. He shook his head. “You were to report concerning activities on the battle front, not come barging in here to give me grief.”
