Alliance by Marriage

Chapter 12

More voices join in—the exclamations of joy and surprise and the squeals of excitement, as more women appear in the arched doorways that run along the walls. There're no doors here, so even though each of them has her own alcove, there's not much privacy—and not much opportunity to bring in a guest unnoticed.

"My King! We were so worried!" Camilla, a young, blonde girl dressed in a northern fashion, joins Masal in hugging me. It's curious how some of the women cling to the dressing traditions of their native lands despite living far away. There're exceptions to it, though. Some are wearing revealing southern tunics that would have been considered inappropriate in their homeland. Perhaps the prospect of sweating all day in a buttoned-up dress is too high a price for preserving traditions.

More women run over to me, their voices rising in a whirlpool of excited exclamations, their hands open for a hug. A few others watch me warily, standing in their doorways, only bowing their heads as my eyes fall on them. They don't bother me. The unwilling ones can keep to themselves. I have enough of the others swarming around me, hoping for attention.

Speaking of the unwilling ones, I look around and almost immediately find Emilio. He's walking over to me from the distant side of the hall, wincing at the loud noises produced by the women surrounding me.

"Harpax, damn you," he calls out, trying to overcome their loud chattering. "Harpax! Do you hear me?"

I ignore him, concentrating on the faces around me, asking about their wellbeing, dealing hugs, pinching cheeks and patting heads. Yet over the noise, I keep hearing him calling for me. When I look his way again, he glares at me, positively enraged.

He's dressed in a long, peach colored tunic, which probably plays a part in his being so upset.

"Are you deaf?" he snaps, and a few women look at him with horror. "I've been calling for you!"

"What for?" I say, wrapping my hands around the shoulders of the two closest girls who seem pleased with this sign of affection.

"I have told the eunuchs a number of times that I needed to talk to you. Haven't they told you? Or have you been too busy?"

"Too busy," I say flatly. "So, you better talk now, for soon I'll be busy again." I nuzzle at Camilla's neck and she giggles before leaning into me.

He looks around, clearly uncomfortable with most of the eyes now being on him. Then he shakes his head dismissively and draws himself to his full height.

"Placing me here is a disgrace," he says. "I can't live in this hen house! I can't be dressed like this—why can't I get proper clothing, like the others?"

"They wear what they brought from home."

"You didn't exactly give me time to pack!" He glares at me. "This is ridiculous!"

Some of the girls giggle, earning an angry glance from him. A few others grin at him smugly, as if reveling in his distress. Perhaps it feels refreshing to them, to see a man reduced to the powerless position normally reserved for women.

He glowers at them, supporting my guess that the few days he's spent here haven't produced any new friendships.

"I actually think it suits you well," I say, nodding at his tunic, and a ripple of laughter runs through the little crowd.

His eyes turn into two angry slits. "Can we talk somewhere private?"

"I didn't come here to talk," I say, looking around. "Perhaps some other—oh?"

I go quiet as my eyes fall on one of the stone baths in the background.

A naked woman slowly gets up there, her back turned to us. Two hands rise to squeeze the extra water from the black hair reaching down to her buttocks. Then, she turns around, water running down her full breasts, and smiles at me.

I smile back, and, as if it was a signal, she steps gracefully out of the bath and begins to walk towards me, displaying all her curves to their best advantage. She goes slowly, showing no discomfort at being the only naked person in the room. The other women go quiet as she approaches, and I can almost feel the tension in the air; yet they step aside to let her come closer.

She stops close enough for me to see the drops of water and the tiny goosebumps on her skin. Despite the heat outside, it's chilly in here.

"Aren't you cold, Narin?" I say, placing my hands on her shoulders.

"Won't you warm me, my king?" she says, and leans in to kiss me.

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