The Duty of a Queen Read Free Page A

head and walked away. She watched him
go for a moment. There was, it seemed, more to her husband than it appeared.
    ***
    Astrid was unsure of what she was supposed to do now. She and her
court had boarded the ship that the prince had called The Lady's Ransom ,
and once she had seen them all settled below decks, Prince Oliver had shown her
to their quarters, then said that he would return after consulting with the
captain. She had never been aboard a ship before, only the small boats her
people used around the island. The prince's quarters were the size of the main
room of her home on the island, the bed against the wall twice the size of hers.
The furnishings were richer than anything she had ever seen, and for the first
time, she wondered what her life as queen of a foreign land would be like.
    The door opened and she turned, swaying as the motion of the ship
beneath her threw off her balance. She had not become ill as she had heard some
did, but she did not like the disorientation. Her annoyance must have shown on
her face, because as the prince stepped inside the room, he frowned.
    “Is something amiss?”
    Astrid breathed deeply through her nose, then out through her mouth.
She did not want the prince to think her ungrateful for the alliance. “Just
becoming accustomed to the ship, my prince.”
    Prince Oliver closed the door and crossed the room until he was
within arm's reach. “I am not your prince, Astrid. I am your husband. I would
that you called me Oliver, if it pleases you.”
    She could not disguise her surprise.
    The prince — Oliver — reached out and brushed a curl back from her face. “I do not wish
for a subjugate, but an equal. You will bow a knee to no one.”
    Astrid bowed her head to hide the emotion passing over her face. She
had not expected this. The best she had hoped for was the prince to be kind.
“My prince.”
    “Oliver, please.” He hooked his finger under her chin and raised her
head so that their eyes could meet. “Now, my princess,” he smiled as he
continued. “We have a decision to make.”
    Astrid frowned. What decision could that be? Had they not made all
of their arrangements prior to the ceremony?
    “While I would never ask a lady to do anything with which she was
not comfortable, I know that my people will not truly be at rest with our
alliance until there is proof of the marriage's consummation.”
    A child. Astrid nodded. She, too, knew that her people would not
accept the truth of the marriage until a child was born. She could, she
believed, ask him to wait, but she knew that if she did, the temptation would
always exist to continue to delay the inevitable. She reached for the tie on
her right shoulder and pulled the string, letting the soft fabric of her dress
fall to the top of her breasts. Without saying a word, she pulled the second
tie and her dress pooled around her feet.
    She expected his hands on her breasts, rough between her legs. He
would put her on the bed, perhaps not even remove his strange clothing, and
mount her. What she did not expect was the look of wonderment on his face, the
heat in his eyes that spoke of a desire different than wanting ownership. He
did not touch her, not yet, only looked. She saw his eyes widen as they saw her ma'sgi .
    “I did not realize...” He gestured at her arms.
    “They are ma'sgi ,” she said softly. “When I began training to
lead the People of the Grey Stones, I received my first marks.” She turned.
“And I received my ka'sgi when I completed my training.”
    She caught her breath as she felt his fingers trace, not her marks,
but her scar.
    “Does it hurt?” His voice was closer than he had been before.
    She shook her head. His hands moved to her shoulders and slid down
her arms to rest at her elbows.
    “Is it...” His voice faltered. “Did this happen...?”
    She knew what he was asking and answered honestly. “Yes. It is a
result of the war.”
    His lips touched her shoulder and a spark went through her,