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Kaerius glanced at her, unsure what she meant, and she lifted her cup a little. He shook his head.

“This is a breakfast tea, from the south. Hold the cup like so and take small sips.”

The scent of the tea tickled Kaerius’s nose, and he inhaled the unfamiliar notes. The porcelain of the cup felt fragile in his hands. He took a sip. The very act of drinking from a cup was strange; the liquid was so contained and tame, so separate from the world. Not to mention that it was hot!

“Do you know these other foods?” Marin watched him curiously.

He shook his head.

“This is an apple tart flavored with cinnamon. This is goat cheese with apricots in it, and this is a sharp cheese called glince. I like it on plain sourdough with a little bit of fig preserves.” She indicated a small pot of dark brown sludge with tiny speckles in it.

He watched as the princess spread a bit of the preserves on the bread, topped it with a thin slice of glince, and took a delicate bite. When he did the same, the taste sensations that exploded in his mouth nearly made him choke.

“Are you all right?” asked Marin in concern. “You look pale.”

Kaerius nodded, but his head swam, and he felt a strange, sticky sensation under his arms and and across his shoulders. Sweat? What a disgusting human weakness! The room seemed to undulate before him, and he closed his eyes and opened them again. His breath came short and fast.

Brighton gripped his shoulder with one strong hand, a steady rock that helped the prince regain a sense of stability, though the world still wavered a little. “You don’t feel feverish. Are you allergic to something?”

The prince swallowed and forced a shaky smile.I’m all right. Everything is new, and I didn’t expect the bite to feel like birdsong and sunlight and make my head spin.Then, with a recklessness born of knowing he would not be understood, he added,I do not have to pretend to be noble, Your Highness, but pretending to be human is more difficult than I had anticipated.

Marin said, “I did not realize you were still suffering from your ordeal. I will ask Brighton to select one of his men to escort me so you can recover more fully.”

No!Kaerius sucked in a startled breath and met her gaze, his own eyes wide with dismay.I would be honored to escort you, Your Highness. It would grieve me deeply if I could not serve you in this way, for multiple reasons.He bowed deeply, and, with a boldness that startled both the princess and Brighton, bowed in the human way over her hand. He pressed his forehead to the back of her hand in the Mer gesture of devotion to a loved one, head bowed and eyes closed.

She pulled away, just a little, and he looked up, his expression open and sincere.

The princess swallowed and pressed her pale lips together. “Do you… do you not want me to choose another?”

Kaerius shook his head emphatically. He let her hand go as she pulled away again, savoring every moment of the touch of her hand on his. Her skin was so warm that desire flashedthrough him, and her compassion seemed so generous and so lovely that admiration made his heart beat faster and harder.

She shared a glance with Brighton for a moment. “If you are sure you are recovered,” she said finally, “I would appreciate your assistance. Do rest tonight, and see the physician again if you feel ill.”

Kaerius’s mouth felt sticky with the lingering taste of the cheese and fruit preserves and bread. His body felt simultaneously hot and chilled, and gravity pulled at him so heavily. He took a sip of tea and found it too flavorful, but at least a little steadying. He closed his eyes for a moment to regain his composure. His senses were merely temporarily overwhelmed; he was not actually ill or injured.

When he was able to meet the princess’s gaze again, he found her watching him with concern. He managed a roguish smile, and when his lips trembled a little, he hoped fervently that the princess either did not see it, or did not think less of him for it.

“If you are sure,” said the princess again. “The delegation arriving tomorrow is from Boravia, to the south. It is headed by Lord Hugh Ralph, cousin to the king His Majesty Bruce Ralph. He is likely to be named heir to the king, too; His Majesty has no natural children, and his only brother died years ago with no heirs. Lord Ralph is reputed to be prideful and a man with a quick temper, neither of which I find remotely appealing. Still, he is not entirely without virtue; I have heard he pays his servants well and is generous with his wealth. Of course there are the obvious benefits of having a connection to the Boravian throne both in preventing an outright invasion from Boravia and in opposing Severt.”

Kaerius nodded and took another sip of tea, his gaze fixed on the princess.What does he look like?

These signs must have been reasonably clear even to humans, because Marin responded, “He’s tall, dark, andhandsome enough, I suppose. I’ve been told he’s a good swordsman and rider, accomplished at everything a nobleman ought to be.” She looked at him thoughtfully, studying his face. “He will probably be polite to you, especially if he believes you to be royal. He will likely want to show himself to be a good match, to bolster his own pride and that of his nation, so he will bring small gifts to woo me, as if he wants me for myself rather than my kingdom.

“If I dance with him twice in a row, or more than thrice in the evening, by Boravian custom I have consented to a formal courtship and spurned other offers. Of course, he knows our customs are different, but he will seek to advance his suit by any means possible. I do not wish to be pushed into the unpleasant situation of violating his customs and tweaking his pride in order to gain a little time.

“There will be others in his delegation; I have met some of them, but I am sure there will be some I do not know. Eat something, please, or I will think you too ill to escort me tomorrow.” Marin smiled.

Kaerius swallowed, unwilling to be so disoriented in front of her again. A little hunger was of no consequence, but another blow to his pride might begin to teach him humility, and he had no desire to learn that.

“This is honeydew melon. It’s a fruit, rather strong. These are candied plums, and these are starfruit and dragonfruit. Dragonfruit is quite mild. The cream pastries are also delicately flavored.” The princess eyed him over the rim of her teacup. “What did you eat, where you are from?”

He made a swimming motion with his hand.

“Fish?”

He nodded.

“What else?” She smiled encouragingly at him, and it provoked a strange tightness in his chest, a desire to see her smile again.