JК
A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 175 из 293”
“Queen Andais,” I said.
She didn’t even look at me.
“My queen, you said that the guards who came to my bed were mine to keep.” I made my voice as neutral as I could, but I knew it was a bad idea to say it.
“Would you not share him with me?”
I thought about that. “Perhaps, but after he and Biddy have had their night.”
She touched Biddy, turned her face upward, so she gazed down at both of them. “But if she gets with child then they will be married and monogamous, and even the Queen of Air and Darkness will not be able to force him to forsake his marriage vows.”
“My queen, Aunt Andais, if Nicca and Biddy could make a baby, then it might mean that others of the sidhe could as well. That is a good thing.”
She let go of their faces and walked between them, forcing them to let go of each other’s hands. She traced the upper edge of Nicca’s wings. “But he is mine, Meredith, my pretty toy, and I do not share my toys.”
“You said that any guard who went to the bed of the princess was hers,” Afagdu said. “Nicca is her pretty toy now.”
She turned abruptly and started walking toward Afagdu and his table of lords. “What the queen gives, the queen can take away.”
“Even the queen must honor her word,” Afagdu said, “and you gave your word before the court that the guards who went to Meredith’s bed were hers.” The fact that he would say such bald truth to an angry Andais showed how confident he was that he could survive an attack by her. There were few magicians among us who thought they were her equal in magic; Afagdu was one of them.
“Few would dare make me eat my own words in open court, Afagdu. Do not let your magic make you bold beyond your abilities.”
“Is it bold to speak the truth, my queen?”
But, of course, two could play at that particular game. “Very well, Nicca is Meredith’s now, but Biddy is not. Meredith can do as she will with Nicca, but Biddy is not hers to give to another man. Biddy belongs to my son, to Prince Cel.” She looked at me. “Would you steal even the women from his bed?”
“You cannot steal that which is offered,” I said.
“And what does that mean, Meredith, with your Seelie eyes?”
I swallowed hard, and promised myself I’d think better before I spoke next time. “The ring gave Biddy to Nicca.”
“So you say, but I say that the guards serve only my bloodline.
“Queen Andais,” I said.
She didn’t even look at me.
“My queen, you said that the guards who came to my bed were mine to keep.” I made my voice as neutral as I could, but I knew it was a bad idea to say it.
“Would you not share him with me?”
I thought about that. “Perhaps, but after he and Biddy have had their night.”
She touched Biddy, turned her face upward, so she gazed down at both of them. “But if she gets with child then they will be married and monogamous, and even the Queen of Air and Darkness will not be able to force him to forsake his marriage vows.”
“My queen, Aunt Andais, if Nicca and Biddy could make a baby, then it might mean that others of the sidhe could as well. That is a good thing.”
She let go of their faces and walked between them, forcing them to let go of each other’s hands. She traced the upper edge of Nicca’s wings. “But he is mine, Meredith, my pretty toy, and I do not share my toys.”
“You said that any guard who went to the bed of the princess was hers,” Afagdu said. “Nicca is her pretty toy now.”
She turned abruptly and started walking toward Afagdu and his table of lords. “What the queen gives, the queen can take away.”
“Even the queen must honor her word,” Afagdu said, “and you gave your word before the court that the guards who went to Meredith’s bed were hers.” The fact that he would say such bald truth to an angry Andais showed how confident he was that he could survive an attack by her. There were few magicians among us who thought they were her equal in magic; Afagdu was one of them.
“Few would dare make me eat my own words in open court, Afagdu. Do not let your magic make you bold beyond your abilities.”
“Is it bold to speak the truth, my queen?”
But, of course, two could play at that particular game. “Very well, Nicca is Meredith’s now, but Biddy is not. Meredith can do as she will with Nicca, but Biddy is not hers to give to another man. Biddy belongs to my son, to Prince Cel.” She looked at me. “Would you steal even the women from his bed?”
“You cannot steal that which is offered,” I said.
“And what does that mean, Meredith, with your Seelie eyes?”
I swallowed hard, and promised myself I’d think better before I spoke next time. “The ring gave Biddy to Nicca.”
“So you say, but I say that the guards serve only my bloodline.