A guest-tent was prepared for the newcomers; but somehow, when it came time to retire, the Prince followed Alanna to her home. Once inside the tent, they were alone—even Faithful had found someplace else to be.
For long moments they stared at each other: the short, red-headed, violet-eyed woman in a Bazhir’s pale blue robe, its hood thrust back from her hair, and the tall, broad-shouldered young man, his hair coal-black, his eyes a brilliant sapphire blue. He wore serviceable tan breeches and a cotton shirt beneath a tunic of his favorite royal blue, but only a blind man would not have seen his royal heritage.
“I didn’t want to disgrace you in front of the tribesmen,” he said at last, his deep voice making her shiver happily. “Myles said women don’t touch men in public.”
“No,” she replied, twisting her hands in her robe.
Awkward, he tried again. “I’m going to be here for a while. Ali Mukhtab says there’s much I have to learn.”
“Do their Majesties know where you are?”
He shrugged. “They know I’m with Myles. I told them I had to get away from the court. I’m tired of people fawning all over me.” He smiled. “No one argues with me, now that you’re gone.”
Troubled by the arrogant tone of his voice and the flash of pride in his eyes, she asked, “Is that the only reason you came? To get away from home?”
“Of course not.” Suddenly he swore. Covering the space between them in two great strides, he seized her and held her tight, burying his face in her shoulder. Alanna threw her arms around his neck. This was the Jonathan she loved.
He forced her to look at him. “I missed you so much,” he whispered. He kissed her fiercely. She returned the kiss, feeling heat rush through her at his touch. He bore down to her sleeping mat; in the time that followed, they knew they still desired each other.
Afterward, Alanna got up to blow out the lamps. He watched her as she moved around the tent. “What are you grinning about?” he wanted to know as she doused the last light.
She lay down and snuggled up against his shoulder, smiling contentedly. “Well, ’women of bad reputation’ go without veils among the Bazhir,” she confided. “All this time I haven’t worn a veil, but it took me until tonight to get a bad reputation.”
Jon chuckled and kissed her. “I’m glad to hear that. I was worried about you, among all these handsome men.”
“You didn’t have to,” she grinned. “They respect me as a shaman and a warrior, but they don’t even remember I’m a woman most of the time.”
“Silly of them,” Jonathan whispered. “I can’t forget it—not that I haven’t tried, these past months.”
“I’m sure you have,” Alanna drawled, remembering how the women of the Tortallan Court always flocked around her Prince.
For a while they were silent in the dark, thinking, and being content just to hold each other. Then Alanna ventured, “Jon?”
“I intend to become the Voice of the Tribes.” He stroked her hair.
Alanna sat up. “How did you know that was what I wanted to ask?”
She could feel his shrug. “I just did.”
Slowly she lay back down. “Ali Mukhtab said the ceremony is dangerous.”
“I need the power I can get from it. The Bazhir are incredible people, Alanna. Their history is as old as ours—older. And we lose too many men to the Bazhir. It will be better for everyone if they take part in Tortall, instead of tying up our armies within our own borders.”
“I’ve been happy among them,” she admitted. “I’ll be glad when they aren’t at war with our soldiers.”
“Have you been so content that you won’t consider leaving?”
Alanna stiffened, feeling wary. “I have to bring Kara and Kourrem through the Rite of Shamans before I can go. Why?”
“Once that’s done, I had hoped you would come home.”
“I doubt that the scandal over my fight with Duke Roger has died down,” she reminded him.
He silenced her with a hand over her lips. “Come as my betrothed.”
The word lay between them, growing larger and larger. Finally Alanna gasped, “Jon, I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m a scandal. I killed your cousin. For six years I was disguised as a boy—”
“I knew what you were, for most of that time.”
“You should marry a princess who’ll bring you power and gold,” she went on. “That’s your duty. And you should marry a virgin.”
“You were a virgin when we first made love.”