Preserving the Ingenairii (68 page)

“I should know.
 
This is the third time we’ve performed this ceremony,” Alec replied aloud.

There was a murmur among all the members of the family.
 
Jeswyne placed her hand atop Alec’s.
 
“You don’t know what this means,” she said.

“I do know,” Alec said quietly.
 
“The third time the ceremony is performed is a confirmation of our intention to be married, isn’t it?”

“Yes.
 
Alec,” she paused.
 
“Are you sure about this?” Jeswyne replied.
 
“Are you ready?”

He placed the teapot back in its spot, and returned to his seat.

Jeswyne rose, and stepped over to pour his tea from the left.
 
Another murmur rose from the family members, and Alec noted that servants were discretely entering the room to stand against the walls as witnesses to the unexpected event.

“Do you think I came all the way from the Dominion for anything less important to me than you?” Alec said as she stood beside him.
 
She looked down silently at him,
then
returned to her seat.

Alec rose and walked around to pour her cream into her cup.
 
“But what about Bethany?
 
How can you become engaged so soon after her death?” Jeswyne asked.

“She came to me in a dream.
 
She told me it was right to follow my heart with you,” he felt a tear forming in his eye.
 
“She approves of you, I know it, and she wants me to enjoy life again.”

He sat down, and she stood to serve his cream.

“Besides,” he told her.
 
“I made a promise that I must keep.”

“What promise is that?” she
asked,
a puzzled look on her face.

“I’ll show you tonight,” he promised with a wink.

“Alec!” she hissed.
 
“We’re in my father’s palace.
 
You have to observe our rules.”

She returned to her seat.

Alec stood to pour her honey.
 
“No one will know that any rules are broken,” he insisted, and took his seat.

“I don’t think even you can do it,” Jeswyne replied moments later as she poured his honey.

They sat in silence for several moments, until Alec moved to place his cup in front of Jeswyne.

“When you go to your room, put on a party dress,” he said.

“I could stand in the middle of my room in my birthday suit, and you’ll never know,” Jeswyne taunted as she placed her own cup in front on him.

They sipped their cups of tea, their eyes locked upon one another over the fine porcelain rims.

“I look forward to the chance to see your, curves,” he answered as he replaced her cup.

“My door will be bolted from the inside tonight, Alec.
 
But if you carry this out correctly, perhaps the time will come,” she said playfully as she returned his cup.

Alec saw the eyebrows exquisitely arched in triumph as they sipped tea again to finish the ceremony.

Alec stood and offered his hand to
Jeswyne,
they faced her family, and bowed together.

The servants around the wall were smiling and began to clap in applause.
 
The sound continued for several moments, until Alec began to lead Jeswyne back to the sitting area.

“There typically isn’t so much, conversation, during that ceremony,” the duchess said with a smile.

“Yet I don’t think anyone doubts its sincerity,” the emperor replied.
 
“We’ll need to negotiate a dowry now.

“You know,” he turned to Jeswyne, “if you had done this a month ago before I was emperor, you would not have to cost me so much as you will now.”

“Actually, all I ask in dowry is that you end the war and withdraw your armies from the Dominion,” Alec spoke boldly.

Every head in the room turned to look at him.
 
“I speak from the heart,” he said insistently.

“We’ll talk about this,” Sergey said, not wanting to negotiate in front of so many people, nor sure how serious
the comment was
.

“If you’ll excuse me father, I’m tired after such an exhausting day,” Jeswyne said.
 
“I’d like to retire to my room.”
 
She looked at Alec, her golden eyes sparkling.
 
“I look forward to locking my door and getting out of these clothes.”

“By all means, dear,” the emperor acquiesced.
 
All the members of the family rose to kiss and hug her good night, and a waiting lady escorted her to the door, where a guard joined them as they walked through the hallway.

“I’d like to retire as well,” Alec said a minute later.

“We’ve had quarters prepared for you in the visitor’s cottage in the garden,” the empress spoke.
 
Alec saw that Geni was waiting at the doorway.
 
Alec thanked them for their hospitality, said good night to everyone, and then joined Geni for the walk through the palace and the gardens to his cottage.

“Is that what all this is about, an end to the war?” Geni asked.

Alec looked at the man, and extended his Spiritual powers to judge his honesty.
 
“No,” Alec answered, satisfied with the officer’s character.
 
“This is all about Jeswyne.
 
The prospect of peace is just a wonderful opportunity.
 
I’d hate to have to go back to the Dominion and resume slaughtering all my father-in-law’s soldiers, you know?’ he grinned, and he felt the reciprocating humor as Geni joined him in a grin.

They reached the cottage door, where two guards waited.
 
“You’re sure that was Jeswyne’s room we visited?” Alec asked.

“As sure as I can be,” he replied.

“In that case, good night all,” Alec said, and he stepped inside the cottage.

Chapter 50 – At the Promenade

Alec walked around the rooms in his guest cottage.
 
A fire blazed merrily in the sitting room fireplace, while candles were lit in most rooms.

Meanwhile, Jeswyne stood in the middle of her own room, a maid removing the heavy gown that she wore.
 
“Would you go start a hot bath for me please?” Jeswyne asked the woman as her layers of clothing fell to the floor.
 
“I’ll be there in just a moment.
 
There’s something I want to do first.”
 
The servant bowed and quietly slipped away.

“Alright Alec, here I am.
 
What promise do you intend to keep?” Jeswyne said aloud, standing and laughing at her own audacity.

“I’m surprised you don’t remember,” Alec spoke from behind her.

Jeswyne shrieked in confused embarrassment, and flew into a closet.

“How did you do that?
 
I locked the door and there are guards out there?” she demanded.

“I happen to have certain abilities,” Alec reminded her.
 
“Pick out a dress, one that’s not too regal, so we can blend in with the crowd,” he suggested.

Jeswyne emerged from the closet a minute later, wearing a dark blue dress that was almost austere.
 
How did you get here?”
 
she
asked.

“Come here,” Alec replied, and he placed his arms around her.
 
He closed his eyes and concentrated, and moments later they were standing on a hillside among trees and bushes.

“That’s it!
 
You used that power to sneak into my room!” Jeswyne shrieked.

She looked at Alec and saw his eyes were unfocused, and a moment later there was laughter and music and light below them on the hillside.

“I think ‘sneak’ is a harsh word,” Alec replied, and he laughed at the expression on her face.

“I promised you that someday I would take you to the promenade, and we would walk among the common folks to enjoy the crowds and the food and the entertainment,” he told her.
 
“So here we are,” he took her hand and led
her a
few steps down the hillside so that they emerged from bushes to step into the promenade crowd.

“Here now, what were you two doing in the bushes?” a laughing minstrel asked as they stepped onto the pavement nearby.
 
His audience laughed, and he began to strum his lute to a bawdy tune that made Jeswyne blush.

Alec led her away and then pointed up.
 
“This is the promenade from last year.
 
I thought it would be a happier time.
 
Look up there and tell me what you see?”

Jeswyne looked up at the veranda and saw her family there.
 
“Look!
 
There’s
me,” she pointed to a girl who appeared bored.

“You didn’t have much fun at the promenade last year, it appears,” Alec said.

“We have to sit up there and be seen.
 
That’s all,” Jeswyne said.

“Let’s go do more than that,” he replied, and he bought them two candied apples, then skins of berry juice, and carved wooden knifes, and they began walking along the crowded pavement.

An animal trainer with four chained monkeys put on a show that made Jeswyne laugh, while she insisted that Alec throw a coin to a musician who played cheery tunes on his flute.
 
They bought meat kabobs even though they both said they weren’t hungry.
 
The crowd was festive, and Jeswyne laughed at the laughter and good humor they encountered all night long.

“Look over there, Alec,” Jeswyne whispered, and she pointed to where a discrete couple stood in the shadows off the walk, kissing passionately.

He slid his arm around her waist and held her tight, and his lips touched hers as he bowed his head.
 
“Go get a room somewhere!” an anonymous voice called, and Alec good-naturedly waved his hand above his head as the kiss lingered for a moment more.
 
They strolled further, to the end where the carriages were dropping off and picking up guests, then turned and began to stroll back.

“I always imagined it would be fun, but I never knew it would be this much fun,” Jeswyne said as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Step up and win a prize for your pretty friend,” a barker shouted to Alec, stepping in front of him.

“No thank you,” Alec replied, looking at the throwing game.

“It’s simple,” the barker insisted.
 
“Just knock down those three cans with three balls.
 
Even someone like you could manage this.”

“Not tonight,” Alec refused again.

“Afraid you’ll look bad in front of the girl?” the barker needled.

“What will I get if I win?” Alec asked, tired of the pitch.
 
He’d been in a carnival and he knew the game barker fully expected him to lose.

“Double your money back,” the operator said, confident now that he’d found his mark.

“Tell you what,” Alec began.
 
“I’ll only throw one ball, and if I knock them all down, you have to get up on the counter, dance, and sing a song as loud as you can.”