In that moment, however, I knew the last thing I should do was escape. I did not know for I had not paid attention to how Aunt Mercy handled these things. I would need to work much harder and much longer to turn them.Īnd I would need to do this, for even if the male approved Mars bending me over his arm and smiling wolfishly in my face before he claimed my mouth for all to see, that male’s wife might have his ear only five minutes later, and with whatever she said, that would be the end of that.

The first, like my mother, who could be won by wedding gowns and accepting very public affection from my new husband as that was his wont, so it should be mine.Īnd the others, I suspected the ones like Aunt Mercy, who absolutely were not won by these things. Or allowing my new husband to touch me, kiss me, clutch me, swing me around, all at whim. Or laughing at something bawdy Jasmine said. The shift in attitude was almost entirely complete.Īdd how they favored my taking in of smoke with Elpis (the best part of the evening so far, outside how proud and charming Mars was being, however, the smoke I’d taken in had sadly worn off). Then wear a gown they approve of at your wedding… This was because, that day, I felt the shift toward me by the barons and chieftains.Īpparently, if you wear a blood-soaked nightgown, witness your very soon-to-be husband and his men emotionlessly causing pain to screaming prisoners, watching those condemned die in more than one way, then be wed, all of this on top of what had happened the night before (all of it)… Not due to all that was going on around me, I found that fascinating.Īlthough I could never know I would need to do so, I was seeing then I should long ago have paid more attention to Aunt Mercy. The din in the palace rivaling that which could be heard pitching ever and ever higher coming from the city.Īnd I saw, in the gardens of the palace, as the baths (and even some of the bigger fountains) got more and more crowded with naked bodies, and men and women (or men and men or women and women) disappeared behind shrub or tree or frond, that the tales of just how thoroughly the Firenz enjoyed a celebration were not exaggerated.Īunt Mercy and King Wilmer had gone to their chamber ages ago.Īs had my mother, and I assumed, my father. It had long since grown loud and even rowdy. The front and back gardens and the entryway of the palace were opened up, decorated in red blooms, red ribbons and glowing lanterns with many tables laden with food and dozens of servants bearing heavy trays filled with drink. Even (I was shocked to learn, not to mention meet) respected madams and traders in smoke, ashesh and koekah. There were wealthy merchants (and their wives). It was not just the guests in the palace, the barons, clansmen, chieftains, tribes.

At peace kristen ashley read online