Chapter 16 | The Queen Who Ruled by Herself

Folly

Dinner was over, the queen had retired, and Temmin was dancing with Anda Barrows, whisking her along in the more intimate dance called the Little Maiden. "And how is your ball, Miss Barrows?"

"Quite satisfactory, your highness," said Anda primly. "I have been surreptitiously pinched at least a dozen times."

Temmin stifled a horse laugh. "I'm terribly sorry, Miss Barrows, should I have pinched you by now?"

"Oh, you've done more than pinch me by now, your highness, and hardly surreptitiously. I knew it was you the whole time," said Anda serenely.

At this Temmin did laugh and spun her around double time until she broke into laughter herself. "I do like you, Anda Supplicant!"

"I like you too, Temmin Supplicant." She rested her head on his shoulder. Over the top of her carefully done-up brown hair he saw a slight movement behind a curtain where no one should be. Dancing Anda into a better position for him to see, Temmin watched the curtain until the top of a curly head in a maid's cap peeked out again. Aha, thought Temmin, I've caught you.

When the dance ended, he and Anda bowed and curtsied to one another and he left her in the press of men desiring a dance with a Lovers' Temple Supplicant. He slowly and casually made his way toward the curtain. When he was sure attention was elsewhere, he slipped inside it and made a quick grab for the hidden figure.

He found himself in a service hall, the entrance to which was camoflaged by the curtain, and his arms encircled Arta. "I thought it was you," he said, smiling. "You should be glad I'm the one who caught you peeking."

Arta blushed so hard her face nearly matched the ribbons on her cap. "Oh, please don't tell, your highness!"

"You seem to say that to me a great deal, miss. I am beginning to think you are constantly in trouble." Her blushes turned to giggles. "D'you think I'd do such a thing to you?" he chided. "What are you doing back here?"

"Truth be known, sir, I can't resist a dance," she said wistfully. "I hear the music and I just can't not look, I have to come see all the girls in their dresses and hear the music. My feet just won't stay still." Temmin looked down. The music had resumed, and sure enough, her little feet were tapping in their staid boots.

"Well, then," he said, "let's not waste the song. Shall we?" He held his arms out to her. She hesitated. "Arta, no one's going to come down this hall, am I right?"

"No, it's not really in use tonight."

"Come."

Arta shyly took his hands and they began to dance, Temmin solicitous, Arta hesitant. In short order, though, she forgot herself and danced in earnest, Tremontine red ribbons fluttering behind her and her smile enough light for the dim corridor. "All the girls want to dance with you, you know!" she said heedlessly.

"And here I want to dance with you. How lucky we are that you had this dance free!" he said.

They came near a patch of light from a lamp and Arta gasped. "Your eye!"

"Eh, you should see the one who hit me."

"I have seen him, he doesn't have a scratch on him!" said Arta impulsively. "Oh--I'm sorry!" she added as Temmin gave her an outraged look.

He shrugged and grinned. "It's true, though! Did Fen tell you what happened?"

"Only that he'd landed a good 'un and was glad he hadn't landed in prison for it!"

"Never worry, Arta, I'll beat some sense into him yet." The dance came to its end; he spun her around until her skirts flared out in a bell, and then bowed to her. She curtsied low, and he kissed her little work-roughened hand as he brought her to her feet. "Now off with you before someone else sees you. I don't want you to get in trouble when I'm not here to get you out of it."

She laughed and waved over her shoulder as she ran down the hall. Temmin slipped back to the dance, completely missing a figure hidden in the drapes.

Harsin stepped out of his hiding place and watched the retreating maid. He'd followed Temmin into the hall out of curiosity and concern; he wanted to know his son better, and here was proof there was more to Temmin than he'd suspected, at least in the girl-chasing department, he thought approvingly. A maidservant, and a very pretty one at that. How had she escaped his eye? He made a mental note to ask Winmer about her, and slipped back to the dance himself.

Temmin, meanwhile, had no suspicion he'd been seen and was dancing with Allis. She was perfect as usual; her dress was a blush pink, and her long black hair was held back by matching roses. She wore no other adornment, nor did she need any. "I would say you look beautiful tonight but there's nothing noteworthy about that," he said as they slowly turned round and round. Allis raised an eyebrow. "Oh!" he said, irritated, "I didn't mean that the way it came out!"

"It's quite all right, your highness, I get enough flattery as it is."

"It's true, though. I've never seen you when you didn't look breathtaking."

"Not even with my wet hair up in a towel?"

"Especially then. Will I see you that way again soon?"

"We will need a bath after tomorrow night, so yes," she answered smugly.

"Why haven't you come to see me, or let me come to you?" He pulled her closer. "I've missed you so."

"We've missed you too. I can't tell you how much we've wanted to be with you, but this is the busy season for us. Normally we wouldn't even take a Supplicant at this time of year, but we made an exception for you. Sending Anda to you was the best we could do."

"Did she--?"

"Oh, of course we made her tell. We had as much fun in the telling as you did in the doing. I'd tell you just what happened, but I don't want to get you overly stirred up before tomorrow," she said, with a little smile.

Temmin grimaced. "I'm already overly stirred up."

"That's what I thought," she said. "There's something we can do about that. Walk me out to the terrace."

His heart in his trousers, Temmin danced them to the edge of the throng and then bowed them off the floor. Offering his arm, he walked them as casually as he could through the open doors onto the terrace, where dancers were catching their breath and fanning themselves in the cool spring air.

"There you are," said Issak, lounging on a railing. "I've been waiting. I have your shawl, sister." He wrapped it around Allis's bare shoulders and took her other arm, leading them all down the stairs into the gardens.

"Where are we going?" said Temmin, slightly apprehensive and greatly aroused.

"Somewhere," said Issak as they came to the main garden path. "Where would you suggest?"

"Me?"

"It's your garden," said Allis.

"That would be supposing I actually walked in it," said Temmin, casting about. "Ehm, let's try this way."

They walked toward an allee lined with flowering pear trees that met overhead, but Temmin quickly turned them around when he spotted two figures near the end. As they walked away, a voice floated toward them in breathy abandon: "Gods, I don't care about them! Just don't stop, Fred! Yes! Oh--!"

Temmin flushed to the tops of his ears. "Well! I didn't expect that!"

Issak shot him a look. "You really don't walk in your garden much, do you?"

"Not lately. D'you mind a longer walk?" said Temmin, wishing to avoid being seen himself. He led them off the paths and onto the lawn. "I know just the place if not."

"Lead on," said Allis. "The grass is dry."

Temmin kept himself from running, settling for a hasty walk, and dragged Issak and Allis across the wide lawn so eagerly they were all laughing by the time they made it to the cedar grove and its Inchari folly.

"Perfect--mmf!" said Issak in surprise as Temmin pushed him against a column with a smothering kiss.

"Don't ever," said Temmin, pulling away, "ever leave me alone that long again."

"You're not in a position to make demands, Supplicant," said Allis in her sharp official tone.

Temmin turned on her. "This isn't the Temple, Holy One, this is the Keep," he said harshly. He kissed her just as searchingly, Issak's arms around him from behind. He broke it off, leaving all three of them panting and wild-eyed. "Aaaand," Temmin finally said, "I don't know what to do next." Issak and Allis fell apart, Issak resting his head against Temmin's shoulders as he laughed helplessly and Allis holding herself up on Temmin's arms.

"Oh, Gods, Temmin," she hooted, wiping her eyes.

"Well, it's true," he said uncomfortably.

"Stop!" begged Issak. "Oh, Nerr, please stop! I can't breathe!"

"You know, people have been executed for laughing at royalty."

"We're sorry, sweetheart, we're sorry," gasped Allis, bringing herself under control. "You are just so adorable."

Issak squeezed him gently. "Very few young men would admit to things you admit to all the time, and it's not just funny, it's very endearing."

"I'm not aiming for endearing, I'm aiming for alluring."

"Temmin, you don't know enough yet to be alluring," said Allis, tenderly stroking his furry cheek. "Be content where you are."

"And where am I?" he said softly as Issak kissed his neck.

"You're right here," Allis answered and drew him down again. She gently bit his lips, urging them open, and he let out a protracted whimper. Issak drew him backwards until they were all at the bench that ran around the inside of the little folly.

The bench was wide enough for Issak to sit with Temmin in front of him between his legs. Issak took him by the head and began kissing him, long, open-mouthed kisses that had him gasping. He tried to turn his body more toward Issak, but a pair of hands running up his thighs stopped him. Issak put one arm across his chest, pinning him. He disengaged his lips long enough to look down. Allis had spread her shawl on the floor of the folly and was kneeling on it; she smiled with her eyes and began unfastening his trousers and pants. The last thing he saw before Issak turned his head to resume their kisses was his cock springing into her hand.