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Chapter 33

Dah that ere still abed The sound of tiny bells wokeinto the still shadowed roo, and that was Ros to wake us for some time and finally resorted to the tiny bells and the scent of roses

I tried to sit up, but was so tangled in Nicca’s long hair and Rhys’s arood eye and blinked blearily at me "What time is it?"

"Early," I said

"How early?"

"If you’d move your arm, I’d be able to see the clock and tell you"

"Oh, sorry," he muttered into the deep purple sheets He ht"

"Sweet Consort, what could be so i to sweep his hair behind his back and failing because Rhys and I were still sitting on it I loved the feel of all that hair draping overto re

Rhys and I h for Nicca to retrieve his hair He didn’t so much sweep it behind his back as lay it down the side of his body like a slightly tangled cloak

Rhys turned onto his back -- not to flaunt hih he accomplished that, but because he wanted to be able to see the ood eye

Nicca stayed propped on his elbow behind ed to tug enough sheets out from under everyone so that I was fairly covered Nudity was casual in the Unseelie Court, but not always in the Seelie Court Huious there The three of us were placed to receive when Rhys and I realized at the same time that someone had to touch the mirror

"Shit," he said, then he rolled off the bed touched the mirror, and rolled back into bed very fast, as if we had posed for a picture with the camera set on autoht of his body tore the sheet out of my hand and down to my lap Rhys realized that he noas on top of the covers, not underneath the to be struggling with the sheets when the mirror flashed to life, or be calmly posed We both chose to look coth in front of me, one arm behind his head, the picture of ainst Nicca as if he were a chair back He curled himself around me from the back, so that his body both cupped and fraroin so that he was covered

Dame Rosmerta appeared in the htly darker shade of pink today, almost fuchsia Her dark yellow braids were entwined with pink ribbon that old and perfect like a doll Her tricolored gold eyes were bright and clear, as if she’d been up for hours

Her sood look at us She opened heryou wanted, Daathered herself visibly, re Taranis would like to invite you to a feast in your honor a few days before Yule We are very sorry for theabout the Yule ball We understand completely that you must, of course, attend the festivities at your own court" She sht aht even have been sincere

I was tired Nicca and Rhys had begun to routinely share their nights with hts in a row, rather than one having any preference over the other; but it ht had been very busy Since we didn’t have to go to e hadn’t worried about the late hours Now here was Ros It was discouraging

Why was the King so insistent on seeingelse? Why did he want to seeme before

"Dame Rosmerta," I said, and tried not to sound as tired as I felt, "I need to be blunt here, which I know isn’t polite, but I need some questions answered before I say yes or no to the feast"

"Of course, Princess," she said, ht bow as she saidthat he would give a feast inand planning for the ball for months The servants and the functionaries ht of a feast only days before the great event Why would the king need to see ed, never wavered "For that you would have to ask the king himself"

"That would be lovely," I said, "if you would be so kind as to put him on"

That threw her; confusion chased across her pretty face I think et to talk directly to the king, but too s were afoot to be that polite

Rosht, but finally said, "I will ask His Majesty if he could speak with you His schedule is very full, though, so I can make no promises"

"I wouldn’t ask you to make a promise on Taranis’s part, Dame Rosmerta And I’m sure his schedule is very full; but I really do need the question answered I cannot possibly agree to the feast without an answer, and I think getting the answer directly fros up considerably" I s her own pleasant, nearly professional se He est that you take this ti your station" She shtness around her eyes that said she wasn’t sure she should have said anything Oron

"I think that I will presentas I see fit, Rosmerta" I’d left off the Dame deliberately She was a ave her the courtesy of her title was just that, a courtesy I didn’t have to do it

"I meant no disrespect, Princess Meredith" She wasn’t s now Her face had closed down into that icy beauty that the sidhe are so capable of

I ignored it, because to say al Maybe she hadn’t meant to be disrespectful; maybe she just couldn’t help herself "As that may be, Da fro Do you think he will call back before we have time to rise for the day?"

"I did not realize that I had woken you, Princess, I am most huiven ti duties" She actually blushed a little, and I wondered ord she’d thought of before duties or exactly what she thoughtduties were

I realized suddenly that Ros up Andais did answer the Seelie in flagrante delicto more often than not, or nearly so Maybe they expected the same of me

"I thank you for the time, Dame Rosmerta It isbed to speak with a king"

She s below the e Rosmerta was the picture of absolute propriety A deep curtsy froh praise indeed, for it meant she understood I was but a step away from the throne It was nice to know that someone in the Seelie Court understood that

She didn’t rise, and I realized, a little late, why "You may rise, Dame Rosmerta, and I thank you"

She came to her feet, a little unsteady, but I’d left her in a deep curtsy for too long I hadn’t otten that the Seelie Court was a lot like the English court; once you curtsied you really couldn’t rise until acknowledged by the royal before you It had been a very long ti to be a little rusty on court protocol The Unseelie Court was much less formal

"I will speak with His Majesty on your behalf, Princess Meredith Good day to you"

"And good day to you, as well, Dame Rosmerta"

The mirror went blank I felt all three of us relax, let out a breath

Rhys put both his hands behind his head, crossed his ankles, and said, "What do you think? Maybe a little jewelry so we’ll be th of his body, re over his fir lower I had to close ht before I could answer

"No, Rhys, I think clothes first We’ll worry about accessorizing later"

He grinned up at me "Oh, I don’t know, Merry Aren’t you the least bit tempted to have all of us on the bed when he calls? You, draped in bodies"

I started to say no Then realized it was a lie "A little te to behave ourselves, Rhys"

His grin widened "If you insist"

"You’re the one that’s always going on about, ooh, the King of Light and Illusion Why the change of heart now?"

"He’s still scary, Merry, but he’s also a terrible stuffed shirt He wasn’t always like that, but somewhere over the centuries he becarin faded around the edges

"What’s wrong?" I asked