The Blue Desert

Chapter One

"How have you been, my lady?" the king asked as he began to slowly ascend his throne.

"I have been well." Eada watched him in suspicion. She still felt that something more was needed; the whole process lacked a sense of finality.

"You must forgive the lack of display," he said, sitting down on his throne, the cord and goblet still in his hands. "You should understand why I do not wish to celebrate at this time. Of course the people will be celebrating; they don't know all that has happened. How does it feel? To be married to a king."

Eada blinked. That was all it had needed for them to be married? Such a simple ceremony had bound her to him for the rest of her life? She could find no reply.

A smile spread itself across the king's face. "So there is much to-do about these sorts of things in your country. This isn't how I originally had it planned, you understand, but I decided it would be easier to have a simple marriage. Was it not easier? In Vasda, marriage is a sign of unity; we are one."

Eada could feel her face twist in derision of such a statement. Unity in marriage in a country such as Vasda? She could not believe such a thing. "There is much more to unity than simply tying two people together."

"Yes," he agreed. "They share the same goblet as well." He raised it to her before setting it on the arm of his throne and letting the twine fall into it. "That is unity in Vasda; you may go."

Eada turned to leave, but paused. "How long will I be followed by guards like a prisoner?"

"Do you dislike my gift?" the king questioned, frowning at her. "You are an ingrate, aren't you? I shall decide when you are no long a prisoner. Dismissed."

Eada's eyes narrowed as she left; her spine prickled with the injustice of his actions and words. Unity in marriage. A union where the wife could submit was all that she could hear from him. But as she thought about it, she realized she had never noticed any signs of husband and wife between the nobles she had seen. There were no looks or touches that made her believe two people were married. It was simply an agreement.

She returned to find Kurah and Vye waiting for her in her room, an outfit laid out on the bed. Kurah instantly jumped to her feet from where she had been sitting beside it. "The wardrobe has been finished," she explained quickly. "Vye wanted you to wear this."

Vye glared at her out of the corner of her eye as she stepped forward. "My lady," she said, "since you are now married to the king, I think it best that you wear this to celebrate. It is Vasdan, and you are Vasdan now." She smiled, clearly believing herself.

Her ladies had stopped calling her "empress" a few days after the king returned. Eada guessed that it was another form of the king's punishment. But even though she wasn't the empress of Tria any longer, she did not view herself as Vasdan. "No, Vye," she said as nicely as she could. "I will wear a Trian dress."

The girl was disappointed, but she still helped her dress in a Trian gown. Eada was looking forward to the celebration despite the occasion. It would be a chance to talk with Gersha again, and without soldiers hovering over them waiting to tell the king what they said. It would also be good to leave her rooms again. Eada had not participated in any dinners since Gersha's visit; food had simply arrived in her rooms each night.

The sun was just setting when her ladies finished helping her get ready. They walked to the garden in silence, the soldiers trailing after them. The pagoda was lit up more than usual. Lights hung from the ceiling and sat on little hollowed shelves in the pillars. The people seated within were brightly dressed and chattered happily.

When she arrived there were nods from various women that she acknowledged. It seemed that people were accepting her. When she passed someone in the hallways of the palace, they no longer walked along as if she wasn't there. Many nodded and greeted her at least politely. Now that she was married to their king, she suspected there would be more such meetings.