Page 51 of The Second Marriage
“For the rest of our lives,” Taral said like a vow. He kissed Sejun again and then sat up and got to work.
As much as Sejun loved finding his pleasure inside Taral’s body—and he did love it—his favorite part came after his knot swelled, when they were locked together for a few minutes and Taral was loose and dazed from orgasm. This time he lay slumped on Sejun’s chest, drawing shuddering breaths as Sejun rubbed his back and kissed his temple, damp with sweat.
“My Sejun,” Taral whispered, his voice filled with the same fondness that poured through the bond, waves and waves of it battering at Sejun’s defenses. How could he protect himself when Taral spoke to him in that way? How could he pretend he wasn’t already in love? He couldn’t. There was no helping it.
“Rest now,” Sejun said, and turned his head to blow out the light.
* * *
Feba cameto visit with Taral after his heat was over but before he had left confinement. He was glad to see her and receive an update on the talks, even though Sejun lurked disapprovingly the whole time as he thought Taral should still be in bed. Taral was amused by his expression of pinched dissatisfaction even as he had no intention of obeying Sejun’s dictum of rest.
“Nothing of interest has happened, I’m afraid,” Feba said. She accepted a cup of tea from Sejun with a nod of thanks, ignoring his furrowed brow. “We’ve finally reached the point of both parties actually outlining what it is they want, but the opening position of both nations is that they want full sovereignty over the Kasauli, so there isn’t much room for compromise.” She sighed. “None, in fact. I can’t imagine what Queen Mentun is thinking. She seems too canny to believe she’ll have success with this strategy. Aditya is only willing to negotiate because he fears what Skopa’s sorcerers can do, and if she pushes him too hard he’ll call his army back to the field in short order.”
“She could have asked for full sovereignty over all of Chedi, I suppose,” Taral said.
Feba snorted. “We’d be here for the next three years in that case, and I can’t bear to be away from my children for that long.” She turned her gaze to Sejun. “Have you learned anything useful from the courtiers?”
Sejun looked startled to be spoken to, but he recovered quickly and said, “I can’t say that I have. Well, that’s not entirely true. I’ve learned some things, but I don’t know if they’re of any use.”
Feba patted one hand on the table. “Sit down and tell me, and I’ll judge for myself.”
Sejun conveyed a series of seemingly unrelated anecdotes. Taral couldn’t make much sense of them, and from Feba’s thoughtful frown, Taral didn’t think she could, either. When Sejun fell silent, Feba said, “Can you tell me anything more about the crown prince?”
Sejun shook his head. “They all seemed to understand the implications and didn’t explain for my benefit. I don’t know if they were even accusing him of anything or merely gossiping. For all I know, it’s that he has a mistress in the city.”
“That doesn’t align with what I’ve heard of him, but I suppose it’s possible. But it seems even less likely that he’s conspiring with the separatists. Perhaps there’s a separate coup afoot, although Aditya seems to trust his son without reservation.” Feba sipped her tea and frowned. “This is a confounding country. I’m half inclined to leave the Skopai and Chedai to settle their own disputes and take all of us back to the mountains.”
Taral was surprised to hear her express so much frustration, but also relieved that he wasn’t alone in his bewilderment. “It’s true that we owe them nothing, but what about your political maneuverings?”
Feba waved a dismissive hand. “It’s the wrong time for that. With the Etsukai abroad once more, I expect all the coastal nations will be drawn into conflict with them sooner rather than later. Better for us to wait it out in the mountains and worry about politics later.”
“War?” Sejun asked with alarm.
Feba smiled at him. “Nothing to worry yourself about. The Etsukai are sailors, and no one has made a ship that can travel to our mountains.”
They were all quiet for a moment, considering what was to come. Then Taral said, “What happens if these peace talks fail?”
“They won’t fail. Neither Skopa nor Chedi can afford for their war to continue, not with the threat of the Etsukai looming. At worst, the badlands will remain disputed while both countries turn their attention elsewhere. There are other sources of tin, and gold makes kings rich but doesn’t put food in anyone’s bowl.”
“But it pays for warships,” Taral said, and Feba conceded the point with an inclination of her head. “So you think they’ll simply pause their conflict until the Etsukai are dealt with?”
“I’m beginning to wonder if that isn’t Mentun’s intention. She can draw out the negotiations long enough for the Etsukai to become a more pressing concern, and then have an excuse to return to Skopa without conceding anything to Chedi. She’s gambling that Chedi will have a worse time with the Etsukai than Skopa will, and gain herself some time to rebuild her forces and regroup.”
“Thinking about this exhausts me,” Sejun said. “Why do they fight so much? If I were a king I would throw parties and ride around on my horse and fight no one.”
“We enjoy our peace in the mountains now, but don’t forget how we used to battle each other,” Feba said. “Each kingdom has a fortress for good reason.”
“Well, I suppose that’s true,” Sejun said, and frowned at his tea. Taral touched Sejun’s foot with his own beneath the table until Sejun glanced at him and smiled.
“At the very least, Jaysha has been ingratiating himself to the Chedai nobility, so I imagine we’ll manage a few trade agreements for our trouble.” Feba sighed. “I was naïve, I suppose, to think that meddling in other nations’ affairs would bring anything but trouble.”
“I don’t think it was a mistake to come here,” Taral said. “I don’t think you’re wrong that we should be more involved with the coastal nations rather than less. The world is bigger and more complex than I imagined, and while it’s true we’re isolated in our mountains, we aren’t inviolable, as the Sarnai proved to us. Better, I think, to venture out a little, and not be taken off guard by whatever might come to pass on the coast.”
“Oh! Surely you’re too wise to be my husband,” Sejun said, one hand pressed to his breastbone in mock astonishment.
Feba laughed. “He’s wise indeed. I’m afraid I need to be on my way as today’s meetings will begin shortly. Prince Taral, I wish you well in your recovery and look forward to you rejoining us once you leave confinement.”
“My thanks to you, Queen Feba,” Taral said, returning her formality with his own, and she smiled at him before rising to her feet.