“Perhaps he and Colonel Grady could get together to perform for… someone.” Rysha didn’t know who. She couldn’t imagine a king showing up with a lute at a tavern. Maybe when he’d been just a prince, such things wouldn’t have been seen as odd.
“Careful. Don’t volunteer to be his audience. He sings a lot about nature and symbolism—or so he claims. All I remember is flowers weeping with the morning dew glistening on their petals. But he sits patiently while I talk nostalgically about the old 37-A dragon bombs, so I guess I can listen to flower songs.”
“Clearly, you two are a perfect match.”
“You’re the first person who’s said that, however sarcastically.” Kaika thumped her on the shoulder. “That’s why you’re standing beside me.”
“Oh, is being supportive required?” Blazer asked, strolling up beside Kaika, her cigar leaking smoke into the air.
“Do you mind?” Kaika plucked the cigar out of her mouth. “This is a non-smoking wedding.”
“What? The invitations didn’t mention that. And you said we didn’t have to get girlie and mannered and such for this, that we’re making a statement.”
“Yes, but it’s a non-smoking statement.” Kaika held the cigar away when Blazer reached for it.
“Are you even allowed to be out here?” Blazer asked. “I thought the bride was supposed to hide among her ladies attending and make a dramatic appearance right before the music starts.”
“I shooed away the people who showed up wanting to attend me. I can put on a uniform by myself after almost twenty years in the army. I even bathed myself and trimmed my own fingernails. It’s appalling what noble people pay others to do for them.”
“You’re going to put people out of business if you don’t use their services, ma’am,” Rysha observed.
“I hardly think that’s true. Besides, Angulus said I was saving the taxpayers a lot of money by singlehandedly being responsible for this being the least expensive of his three weddings, and likely the least expensive of any wedding. They should love me. I also said no to the florists, the jugglers, and the person who makes decorative pamphlets for all the guests. A thousand nucros? For a stack of calligraphy cards? Who would pay that?”
“Well,” Rysha said, “at least you said yes to him.”
“You may be the first queen in history to save the country money,” Blazer said.
“Maybe so. I helped him do his own bathing and nail trimming this morning too.” Kaika grinned a tad wickedly. “I admit, it was half bribe. I’m trying to get him to say his part of the oath without using my loathed first name.”
“Your parents are here, aren’t they?” Blazer asked. “Won’t they be confused if he just confesses his love to a Kaika?”
“I make them call me Kaika too.”
“Don’t they find that weird, ma’am?” Rysha asked.
“They shouldn’t have given me such a dreadful first name if they wanted—”
The musician changed his tune, playing the refrain of the Royal Ceremony, a cue for the guests to find seats and for everyone involved in the wedding to take their places.
Kaika clapped Blazer and Rysha on the back, then strode out of the gardens so she could come back in on Angulus’s arm.
With nerves tickling her stomach, Rysha headed to the front of the gardens, to the same area where the king had stood to deliver their medals. Now, his assistants carried velvet trays with promise necklaces on them, and a royal officiator waited to perform the ceremony, with a priest from the Order of Nendear looking on. It was no longer the most dominant religion in the country, with devotion divided between the seven gods, along with a smattering of agnosticism mixed in, but the Order had backed the throne for centuries and continued to do so, so the priest would bless the union. Bhrava Saruth, when he’d heard about the preparations, had offered to take the priest’s place and give a far more meaningful blessing. Angulus had sadly informed him that some nods toward tradition had to be given.
As Rysha took her spot with Blazer behind the officiator, she caught herself patting and smoothing her uniform, the same way Kaika had been doing. She snorted at herself. She didn’t have to do anything except step forward on cue, give Angulus a look over, and say, “Yes,” to the question of whether he looked healthy and fit and like a good provider for his wife-to-be. But it seemed terribly presumptuous for a lieutenant to make such a judgment over a king.
She wondered if General Zirkander, who had a similar responsibility when it came to Kaika, would follow the script or make some irreverent joke. Even now, the corners of his mouth kept twitching, as if he was having all manner of amusing thoughts about the proceedings.
Rysha smoothed her uniform again, then caught herself. She was sure she looked fine. Besides, who would be looking at her?
You look beautiful, Trip spoke into her mind. He’d finished speaking with Prince Varlok and now stood with Leftie, Duck, and a few other Wolf Squadron pilots. Almost as beautiful as last night.
I was naked last night.
Exactly.
I’m afraid it would be scandalous if I got naked here.
I thought this wedding was already scandalous. Three out of four newspapers said so in their headlines.
It would be four out of four if nudity broke out in the castle gardens.
It’s possible our people are terribly repressed.
That sounds like something Major Kaika would say, Rysha observed as the music swelled, promising the bride and groom would soon appear. You aren’t getting brochures from the Sensual Sage, are you?
No, but Leftie recommended that place. He went and had a good time.
I’m sure he did. Did the ladies there like his balls?
I believe they’re paid to like men’s balls.
No wonder he enjoyed himself. Rysha looked around the crowd, most of the people now sitting, and marveled again at how crisply she saw everything. She spotted Varlok in the front, surrounded by an entourage of people in the currently fashionable flowing silk attire. The princess sat at the end of the retinue with Captain Pimples next to her, his Iskandian uniform in stark contrast with their dress. He and the princess stole shy smiles at each other.
Maybe this won’t be the only wedding this summer, Trip observed, following Rysha’s gaze.
Oh? Rysha pretended to misunderstand him. Should I brace my parents for something more dramatic than you appearing at the dinner table with me?
I’d be amenable to making long-term plans with you, though I think I should get some more money saved up first, so we can buy or build a place of our own.