15. FIFTEEN
FIFTEEN
Mina
Iexpect our first formal dinner together to be a grand affair. The palace has no shortage of dining halls, yet Darius and I meet in his office where a small table has been tucked into the corner by the large windows, bathed in candlelight and waning moonlight.
The scene is rather romantic despite piles of papers and rows of well-read books. An intimate meal, perfect for the clandestine nature of what we need to discuss.
“Princess Mina,” Darius says, holding out my chair.
His black suit hugs his broad chest perfectly, and silver buttons shine like the stars on display behind him. Not a hair is out of place. Even with the shadow of stubble on his jaw, he looks utterly perfect.
I curse Katherine and the second dress I purchased. Dark blue cotton flows to the floor, the thick skirt limp from my refusal to wear all the underlayers. I feel weighted down, constricted. His armor fits him perfectly, while mine is borrowed.
I count the minutes until tomorrow when I will have some pieces of my own. If Katherine fails to deliver, hopefully Jaime’s friend will succeed.
“Emperor Darius,” I echo the formal address.
His walls remain up long after our food is brought in and the attendants dismissed. Gone is the man I argued with in the kitchens yesterday.
He tastes the food on my plate before sliding it over to me. I let the silence fester, savoring the smoked meat with each bite.
At least the cuisine is more enjoyable than the company.
A part of me desires to finish the night without uttering a single word, but pettiness gives way to logic. We have limited time in each other’s company. My home can’t afford for me to waste it.
“I suppose you’re waiting on some sort of thank you.” I try the glass of wine, licking my lips after the first sip. I can’t place the flavor, but it is delicious and highlights the meal perfectly.
Darius stares at my mouth for a fraction of a second before meeting my gaze. “A thank you for what?”
“For the tea. And honoring me with the ability to redecorate.”
He clears his throat with a sip of his own wine. “I don’t need your gratitude for simple gestures.”
“Those simple gestures secure my place and power as your queen. While they are appreciated, I believe I told you that I did not need any help.”
I am grateful, but I am also irritated that he didn’t listen. My pride won’t just let it go, and I hope my words will coax a response from him. He reacted to my strong will before.
Darius’s arm freezes halfway between the plate and his mouth, wrinkled brows fracturing his mask ever so slightly—I sit up a little, hopeful to see his walls come down—and then his features smooth to neutrality. So close.
“I can assure you they were not given in an attempt to help you succeed,” he says firmly. “Gifts are customary between betrothed, and decorating the palace falls under your purview as queen. I simply allowed you those duties early.”
“I wasn’t aware that being an interior decorator was part of my job.
Still, I’ll happily add some life to this ice palace.
” His gaze follows my finger as I trace the rim of my glass.
“Though my time would be better served preparing to take back my home. Your men are severely lacking, and we have limited time to fix their errors and train the new recruits.”
A proud soldier through and through, I hope the jab at his precious men will help break down his royal front. His clenched jaw is the only indication that I got to him at all.
“The troops you’ve interacted with so far do not reflect the skill and ferocity of my army, Princess.” He leans forward in his seat. “I did not unify an entire continent with weakness.”
“Almost an entire continent,” I correct, using my new knowledge from Lady Victoria.
His mask finally cracks. “Elaborate.” His lips turn down as he studies me with an intensity that warms the room. His glare a slow caress that gives me a sick sense of joy.
“The north. Veloria stops at the massive mountains behind us. A hundred years ago, trade existed on both sides of the peaks.”
That’s how the tea we drank today came to be in Darius’s possession. Many rare items are still floating around with no way to procure more through the iced-over passes.
He relaxes back in his seat, resuming his meal. “A lot can change in a hundred years. There’s nothing north of the mountains now—no people, no animals. Just ice and death. They’re impassable and impenetrable, but you’re more than welcome to try one day if you don’t believe me.”
People believed the same to be true of Kalisham. “I’m surprised you agreed to our arrangement. The Draconos Pass and vast deserts of my home are equally impenetrable. By your logic, why bother?”
His eyes darken. “Were impenetrable,” he corrects. “Your very existence changes that.”
I swallow the wave of guilt his words summon. If there were any other option to save my home, I would’ve taken it.
Darius massacred under the pretense of peace and slaughtered families like Zala did my own. It’s why I need him. I am not strong enough to return and kill Zala alone.
With Darius’s history, I am lucky he agreed to our union at all.
“Why not just take me prisoner and force the information out of me? I heard what you did to the former monarchs of your prized lands.”
Darius cuts into his dinner a little rougher than necessary.
“I could have. Easily and without hesitation. Though I have a feeling you’d be harder to break than most,” he clarifies darkly, gauging my reaction over the rim of his glass.
“But as it was, my council believed a wedding would solidify the empire’s future.
Give the people something to celebrate in unified joy.
You needed an army. I needed a wife. Fate’s timing works in mysterious ways. ”
“We should clarify the boundaries of our contract then. The means and their ends.”
He sets the napkin from his lap on his plate and stands, offering me his hand. I ignore it and lead myself to the couch on the other side of his desk. We sit with a healthy distance between us.
“We marry in a little over two weeks,” he begins.
“Our honeymoon will be a tour of Veloria to appease the people and act as a recruiting operation for the army. You said you wanted female soldiers, so that’ll be your opportunity to gather them.
Upon returning home, we train and prepare to leave for Kalisham at the next summer equinox. ”
Simple on paper. The people will be in such high spirits, I doubt they will bicker too much about allowing women to join our caravan to train as soldiers. Opposition will still exist, but not at the level of an all-out decree.
Next summer feels like a lifetime away. So much can change in a year, and I’ve already been gone so long. Each minute adds an unbearable weight to my heart. With all we have to accomplish, I know the timeline makes sense if we want to succeed, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
I will be home in a little under one year. Wait for me.
“What happens after Kalisham joins Veloria?” I ask, curious to see how our arrangement will come to an end. “I have no intention of leaving my home again.”
He drapes an arm over the back of the couch between us and studies the ceiling.
“Trade routes will be established, and leaving you behind to oversee their development could be spun as a wise decision. People will have to accept a long-distance marriage for the success of our alliance. We will have to visit each other occasionally to keep up appearances, though.”
“You won’t drag me back?” I’m surprised he caved so easily to my desire to remain in Kalisham. I narrow my eyes, leaning forward in mock outrage. “Who will make sure the palace decor is up to date? Or plan the next big gala?”
With a quiet laugh, the man from the kitchen is back. “I’ll have to manage without you. Your poor ladies-in-waiting will be quite busy.”
“I’m sure they wouldn’t mind helping you elsewhere.”
Darius’s gaze slides to mine like an eagle spotting its prey. “I didn’t quite catch that.” The sly curve of his lips says otherwise.
“I am certain the council would be pleased if one of my ladies-in-waiting assisted you in a more personal way.” It has only been a day, and I can already point out which are the most willing candidates.
Darius can sleep with whomever he wants, despite my traditions. The idea of disrespecting Kalisham irritates me, though, and acts as further proof that I can’t let another man rule over my home.
Darius replies, “This may be a contract marriage, but I have no intention of dishonoring our vow. You may take a lover if you wish, though.”
Does he really expect me to believe that? “I have no intention of doing so either. Marriage vows are taken very seriously in Kalisham, though we do have a ceremony to unbind them honorably should you find someone to love one day.”
People are constantly growing and changing. Sometimes that growth takes two people in love down separate paths. Forcing them to stay bound would be cruel.
“That won’t be a problem.” His hand tightens on the back of the couch. Which part of my statement made him uncomfortable? “Let’s focus on making it through the wedding and honeymoon for now,” he says tightly.
“So, a honeymoon is a celebration tour held under the moonlight?” What in the world does honey have to do with it? Perhaps a meal or offering. I don’t fully understand the vast religions Veloria represents, since no one group seems particularly devoted to the notion of a god either way.
“No. A honeymoon is a post-wedding celebration. Couples usually travel somewhere together to solidify their nuptials. Ours will simply have a dual purpose.”
He smirks at my confusion. I am still missing information.
Darius leans forward, closing the gap between us further.
“Honeymoons often result in a child,” he says, voice dropping low as if he’s sharing some conspiracy.