Read Dragonfly for Free Online Page B

created by the Mother," she replied, giving the answer the priests had taught her.
    "What, even wasps and wolves--and pigs?" A young
    44
    man snorted on her other side.
    Tashi turned to him with a frown. He looked different from the others--his skin was darker and his black hair tightly curled like a Southerner. She wondered if he was some kind of entertainer, a court jester perhaps. He was very sloppily dressed and had already spilt something on his red velvet tunic.
    "Yes, even those, for they all have their place in the Mother's plan for her world," she said in a haughty tone that the Third Princess would have been proud of.
    King Lagan was looking thunderous but he struggled to keep his temper.
    "Princess, may I introduce my son, Prince Ramil, to you."
    Tashi faltered. "This is Prince Ramil?"
    "Yes, this is Prince Ramil," the young man repeated, giving her an insolent smile and tapping his chest.
    "Ramil!" warned the King.
    "Oh, I apologize, Princess. I am hopeless at these sort of introductions."
    Ramil seized her hand and kissed it quickly. "You-honor-us-with-your-presence," he gabbled.
    Tashi was aware that all eyes were upon them. She wanted to slap the boy for his behavior but instead clasped her hands in her lap. It was worse than she had feared: he was unspeakably rude and not even trying to be pleasant to her.
    "Thank you, sir," she replied quietly, trying not to show that she was upset.
    "Your welcome to a stranger displays all the qualities I have come to expect of Gerfalians."
    45
    Ramil frowned. If he was not mistaken, the little peasant had just reprimanded him.
    "And your present to me on your arrival--apologies that I was unable to attend, by the way--shows all the generosity of your people." He pulled a sorry-looking piece of paper out of his pocket. To Tashi's horror, he spread it flat, obliterating her model, and made a crude paper dart. "Here, accept this with my dutiful best wishes." He dropped it in her lap.
    "What's this?" said King Lagan, picking up the dart and looking at it in confusion.
    "A love token, Father," said Ramil, tucking into the plate of meat in front of him.
    "Strange token, my boy. There's nothing written on it."
    Ramil merely smiled and shrugged. "The Princess understands. It's a Blue Crescent tradition."
    Tashi swallowed and dug her nails into her palm to control herself. She feared she was going to burst into tears in front of all these barbarians. The gold trimmings of her headdress trembled.
    "I am sorry, Your Majesty, but I find I am tired after the long voyage. I will retire. Please enjoy the feast in my absence." Tashi rose to her feet and swept from the hall before anyone could stop her.
    Everyone jumped to their feet to bow as the Princess made her escape. King Lagan narrowed his eyes at his son.
    "What?" said Ramil innocently.
    46

Chapter 3
    The King and his ministers were holding an emergency meeting. The Crown Princess had refused to leave her quarters for the last week, and
    preparations for the wedding were making no progress as the Blue Crescent delegation was withholding its cooperation.
    "What has got into the girl?" asked the King. "She said she was tired. She can't still be tired!"
    Prince Ramil sprawled in his chair, feeling quietly pleased with this development. Perhaps his father might be having second thoughts about the advisability of the union.
    "Your Majesty, I have spoken to the Etiquette Mistress," replied Lord Taris,
    "and, after much prevarication, I persuaded her to explain the situation. It appears our greetings turned out in Crescent culture to be a catalogue of insults to the Princess."
    "Insults! But you met her yourself! We held a feast in her honor. What more could Her Highness want?" King Lagan stroked his favorite hound's silky ears to
    47
    calm himself. His country was on the brink of disaster and all because of some white-faced girl who was keeping to her room in a tantrum. He wanted to box her ears. Didn't she understand what was at