Pri Desert Prince, Bartered Bride

8/12/2019 Pri Desert Prince, Bartered Bride

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Desert Prince, Bartered Bride

As a diplomat's daughter, Silvia Bruntsfield has navigated many sticky situations with her sharpmind and practical nature. Now, a grave misstep y her father could cost him his career and thevery tenuous alliance etween Britain and the desert kingdom of D!aradh. So Silvia disguises

herself as a man to plead her father's case with Prince "unir al#$hash%ar, ruler of D!aradh. Butnothing prepares her for what happens when the sheikh sees through her ruse and unveils her asan imposter&."unir is intrigued y the plucky nglish girl. And he decides to make her a proposition( save herfather and the alliance&y ecoming his ride.

)hapter *ne$ingdom of D!aradh, Araia, ++-er heart was racing. /ittle wonder, with so much at stake. 0hat if her plan ackfired1 No, don'teven think aout that2ven this early the heat was searing, ut the all#enveloping cloak and headdress she wore todisguise her identity was also welcome protection from the fierce sun. Around her, the city's soukswere open for usiness, the air redolent with the scent of fragrant spices, heady perfumes and

roasting meat. 0ell#travelled as she was as a career diplomat's daughter, she had never seenanything %uite so colourful, nor so very e3otic. But now was not the time for sightseeing. erfather's entire career was at stake.Silvia tightened her hold on the tasselled reins of her camel, resisting the urge to clutch at thesides of the high o3 saddle which swayed most unnervingly.4inally, she reached the massive portal to the royal palace. 5he letter, written in an elegant handand stamped with the prominent royal seal, got her safely past the ornate iron gates and theimpassive guards with their wicked scimitars. A tall earded man in his fifties greeted her, hise3pression set in stern disapproval. 67 am Bakri, his highness's )hief of )ouncil. e is e3pectingyou, Sir 4rancis,6 he said, as he waited impatiently for Silvia to dismount.ead lowered, she followed him along a layrinth of cool marle corridors and through a pair ofheavy doule doors, where he owed curtly and departed. er heart was pounding so hard shecould scarcely reathe. er mouth was dry. Silvia linked in the multihued light that streamed

down into the long room through a stained glass window.A tall figure, dressed in a royal lue tunic trimmed with gold, was standing on the dais at the endof the room. Prince "unir al#$hash%ar, ruler of the kingdom of D!aradh. Silvia's first impression ofthe man who held her father's fate in his hands was one of almost palpale power. ere was aman accustomed to rule, a man accustomed to un%uestioning oedience. Sinking into a low ow,she stole a closer look at him. 8ounger than she had e3pected9in his midthirties, she estimated9with no trace of over#indulgence in that hard, muscled physi%ue. A little frisson of awarenessrippled through her. Prince "unir was as fiercely attractive as the desert kingdom over which heruled.6Sir 4rancis, 7 id you welcome,6 he said.6As#salamu alaykum, your highness. 7t is an honour,6 Silvia said gruffly, masking her voice. ecame toward her suddenly, and, efore she could snatch her hand away, knowing it would etrayher, he engulfed it in an une3pected handshake. 5he dark tan of the sheikh's skin made her ownseem milky white9and unmistakaly feminine. A tingle shot up her arm at the contact. er

startled ga:e met his. Dark rown eyes flecked with gold narrowed suspiciously at her.68our ighness,6 she egan, 67 can96But it was too late. 5he prince graed the igal which held her headdress in place and yanked itfree, causing her hair9a heavy fall of urnished gold9to tumle down her shoulders.63plain this treachery26

)hapter 5wo"unir ga:ed in utter astonishment at the attractive woman dressed incongruously in male clothes,a female who was %uite clearly not the British diplomat Sir 4rancis Bruntsfield. 5all, slim and


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creamy#skinned, there could e no greater contrast etween this woman and the sultry eautieswho occasionally occupied his harem&yet there was something strikingly attractive aout hernonetheless. Perhaps it was those wide#spaced ha:el eyes staring at him defiantly, or thedetermined tilt to her mouth1 ;egardless, her ehaviour was outrageous2 60ho are you1 0hereis Sir 4rancis16Silvia had visited any numer of royal courts, met countless memers of the aristocracy, ut nonehad had the effect on her of this man. 5here was an edge to him that oth attracted andfrightened her at the same time. /ike the wicked lade of his scimitar, glinting and deadly. Prince"unir could e ruthless when necessary, she knew9the rigands who had emroiled her fatherin their crime had een summarily e3ecuted. e glowered at her, his sensual mouth at odds withhis foridding frown.She took a deep reath. 8ears of playing the diplomatic hostess came to her aid. 68our highness,there is a perfectly rational e3planation. 7 am Silvia Bruntsfield, Sir 4rancis's daughter.


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granted Sir 4rancis an audience. But the deal with the nglish was too lucrative to walk awayfrom without a second thought. is neighour, Prince ;ami: of A'=adi:, had made !ust such analliance, and his kingdom was already seeing enormous enefits from the increased trade.68ou have risked a great deal,6 "unir said carefully. 65ell me, "iss Bruntsfield, what is in it foryou16Silvia stiffened. 67'm here only for my father's sake. And for my sister, who would e tainted yassociation,6 she added, ecause despite everything, she had never wished /ouise ill. Nor"atthew. Despite having !ust cause.

An idea, an outrageous idea, was eginning to form in "unir's mind as he eyed Sir 4rancis'scourageous daughter. She was slim, ut the man's tunic she wore could not conceal the curve ofher reasts, the length of her legs, the indent of her waist. Desire shivered through him. erfather would e in "unir's det and could prove a worthy and lucrative ally9particularly if thedet were cemented with an even stronger alliance.

And yet "unir's idea would undoutedly enrage the )ouncil. 0as it madness to risk estrangingthem after he had worked so hard to repair the damage his father had done1 *r more accurately,alimah had done1No. 5he )ouncil would luster as usual when presented with an idea that was not theirs, ut oncethey understood the manifest advantages, he had no dout he could win them over. 5he plan wasappealing to him more and more."unir ran his finger down the curve of the nglishwoman's cheek. 6Are you a virgin16

She !erked away. 65hat is none of your usiness26e smiled at the lush that stained her throat. er reaction told him all he needed to know aouther e3perience9or rather lack of it. She smelled of flowers. A delicate nglish rose transplantedto the sultry desert heat. 5he comination could e into3icating. 7t was most certainly arousing. 67twould e very much my usiness,6 he said, 6if you were to ecome my wife.63hilarated y the %uite unaccustomed recklessness of his offer, he pulled her into his arms.

)hapter 4ourBeing enfolded in the sheikh's arms was, if anything, even more une3pected and shocking thanhis outrageous proposal of marriage. Silvia was so startled that y the time she thought to protestit was already too late.is kiss was like the desert9hot and e3otic, e3citement spiced with danger. By comparison,"atthew's kisses seemed tame. As "unir's tongue stroked along the soft skin inside her lower lip,

a !olt of pure pleasure shot through her, and she opened her mouth to him. is hands were warmon her ack, her waist. She felt tense and limp at the same time. is ody was hard against heryielding flesh. Solid. She had never een this close to a man. Not even "atthew."uch too late, Silvia struggled to free herself. 6ow dare you26"unir released her reluctantly. 5his haughty nglishwoman had a slumering passion !ust waitingto e ignited. 7n fact, what he wanted to do was to take her on the dais and pleasure her, righthere in the throne room. 7t was an estalished fact that no one woman could satisfy a man, ut hesuspected he would not tire easily of this one. 7t was a wholly une3pected and e3tremelydistracting onus. 0ith difficulty, he forced himself to turn his mind to usiness. 68ou are %uiteright. 5here are other, more important matters to e settled first.668ou weren't serious aout marriage26 Silvia e3claimed, desperately trying to assemle herthoughts into something vaguely coherent.67 never say what 7 do not mean,6 "unir replied crisply. e rarely spoke so impetuously, either, ut

there was no need to admit that. 65ell me, why are you not already married1667 have no desire to e married,6 Silvia replied, folding her arms across her chest. er nippleswere hard against the oning of her corset. She felt&she could not articulate what she felt.60hy not16 "unir persisted. 67 cannot elieve there has een any shortage of willing suitors.6

A veritale procession, many actively encouraged y my father in his osessive desire to find hisdaughters an advantageous match, Sylvia thought itterly. ;eali:ing that she would get nowherewith "unir y prevaricating, she opted for the truth. 67 never married ecause the one man 7 didlove9who said he loved me9married my elder sister instead,6 she said aldly. 6/ouise inheritedour mother's fortune, and was etter connected through her godfather. "y father arranged thematch with "atthew9the earl of 7nverkip, that is.6


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6And as a result, you have re!ected any attempts since y your father to f ind you a suitalehusand16Silvia's smile was twisted. 68ou make me sound petty. 5he real reason is that 7 have no intentionof emarrassing myself y falling in love again. 7 have no wish to su!ect myself to the pain of thate3perience more than once. So you can see that your preposterous notion that 7 might e yourwife is doomed to failure.6"unir smiled. 67n my kingdom, what 7 want, 7 have.6

)hapter 4ive67n my kingdom, what 7 want, 7 have.6Silvia folded her arms across her chest even more firmly as the intimidating desert sheikh heldher ga:e. 6Somehow, 7 do not dout that, Prince "unir. So it is well for me that my visit to yourkingdom will e a rief one. 7 will e returning to ngland with my father as soon as my usinesshere is settled.668ou are looking forward to going home166aving spent most of my life travelling with my father to his various postings, 7 don't really thinkof ngland as home.660here will you live1660ith my sister and her family. She has four children. 7 will no dout e e3pected to play the goodaunt.6 Silvia could not keep the itterness from her voice.6By heaven, you cannot wish to reside in the same house as the man who re!ected you for yoursister2667 don't have much choice.66But your concerns are not confined to your domestic arrangements, 7 think16is perception surprised Silvia into admitting to her innermost fears. 6"oving in the diplomaticcircles my father occupies, 7've ecome accustomed to a great deal of independence and tomaking a contriution. 7n ngland it will e&different,6 she said. 67 confess 7 am afraid that 7 willfind myself somewhat redundant.667f you ecame my wife, your contriution would e great indeed. 8ou would e facilitating theforging of a ond etween our two countries,6 "unir pointed out. 68ou would e the first, andtherefore the most important, of my wives. 5he harem would e yours to rule.665he first26 Silvia could not keep the horror from her voice.67t is a fact that no one woman can satisfy a man. 7n ngland, men have one wife and many

mistresses, and it seems to me that in that circumstance all women are treated disrespectfully.ere in D!aradh we respect and honour each of our wives.6Silvia it her lip. She could not argue with the truth of what he said. Not when everything she hadseen in her travels9to say naught of her own e3perience9proved him right. But there remained,uried deep inside her, the illogical, romantic notion that true love could make one woman morethan enough for one man.8et she would never e that woman. And Prince "unir, y his own assertions, would mostcertainly never e that man. She swallowed hard. 0hether she was his first wife or twentieth wasof no conse%uence, what mattered right now was saving her father. 67f 7 did agree to thisfantastical notion of yours, my influence would e confined to the harem16 she asked carefully.68ou would not consider a more pulic role for me as consort166As prince, 7 must e seen to rule alone. A prince must e invulnerale, infallile, superior to allmen.6

6And women, apparently,6 Silvia said dryly."unir thought of his aunt, alimah, who in her ruthlessly manipulative ways had played his fatherlike a puppet. e thought of the destruction her amition had caused. 5he loodshed.6And women,6 he said, more harshly than he'd intended. 5he nglishwoman's eyes widened atthe itterness of his remark. e took a calming reath and moderated his tone. 6)onsider theenefits. As my wife, you will have your own palace here. 8ou will not have to return to the manwho scorned you, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have saved your father'scareer and will e ale to assist promoting your country's long#term relationship with mine. 8ouwill also have the honour of eing the mother of my sons,6 he said softly, tilting her chin so thatshe had to meet his ga:e.


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6And daughters.6"unir laughed, as roused y her refusal to e emarrassed as he was y the challenge in hereyes. "arriage to this woman held a most definite appeal. 6Sons and daughters. 7t will e apleasure.6Silvia flushed deeply. Desire hung in the air etween them, heady as a perfume. "unir's fingersstroked down the long column of her neck, raising goose umps, lighting sparks. is eyesdarkened. She saw the sharp intake of his reath eneath the silk of his tunic. is latant arousalwas provoking.60hat is your answer, "iss Bruntsfield16 he whispered seductively. 60ill you e my ride16

)hapter Si368our ride26 Silvia pushed "unir away. 68ou cannot e3pect me to give an instant answer to sucha %uestion, asked y a man 7 have never met efore.66*h, ut 7 do. 7s it really so different from the marital matches your father has tried to foist onyou16 aving set upon this reckless course, "unir wanted the deal concluded efore her father orhis )ouncil had time to interfere. D!aradh deserved prosperity. 5he kingdom needed an heir. 5hathe personally craved this woman was serendipitous. 65he terms are simple. 7f you accept myproposal 7 will sign the treaty and smooth over your father's indiscretion. 0e will e marriedefore he departs for ngland and a hero's welcome. 7f you do not, you, your father and yourcountry must endure the conse%uences.6 "unir stifled the tiny sta of guilt his ultimatumprovoked. e was ruthlessly e3ploiting the situation, of that there was no dout.65hat's lackmail,6 Silvia said itterly, seeming to read his thoughts."unir's e3pression hardened. 6A arter. "ay 7 remind you that you came here, unidden, with thee3press purpose of making me change my mind. 8ou implied you would do anything to save yourfather's reputation. 7 am offering you the opportunity to do !ust that.6Silvia flinched. 5he stark choice she faced was of her own making. er mind raced. 5o marry avirtual stranger, to commit herself to living in a country where she might e even more suffocatedand constrained than she would e in ngland9it was madness. But to e forced to live in thesame house as her erstwhile lover, to see him every day acting the husand to her sister, and tohave nothing more to e3pend her energy on than playing aunt to their growing rood of children.No2 5hat didn't ear thinking aout. 7t may well e a choice etween two evils, ut Prince "unir'sproposal most certainly seemed the lesser of the two. 6But 7 know nothing aout D!aradh and itspeople,6 she said distractedly. 67 know nothing aout you.6

6D!aradh has a history more ancient than any sovereign state in urope, and our traditions andculture are richer y far than most 0estern civili:ations. All of which you will learn in time. As mywife, you will want for nothing. And as to your knowing little aout me&7 am a prince and anhonourale man. 7 do not offer love9we are oth too wise to place any value on such emptyprotestations9ut 7 will always treat you with respect. ow many nglish wives can rely on that16e did not love her. *f course he did not, and nor would he. Besides, she'd told him herself thatshe had aandoned any thoughts of love, which she had. is offer was tempting&. After all,would sharing a harem with his other wives and their children really e so different from life inngland with /ouise1Still, Silvia hesitated. ven though she did not love "unir, she didn't think she could live like that.She had no wish to share her husand or her household, and what's more, she wanted herhusand to value her for more than her aility to ear him children. But there was a chance thatshe could prove herself to him, and y doing so, forge a future for herself in this alien country.

"aye, if she had a year&5he idea appealed immensely. Silvia relished a challenge almost aove all else. er stomachlurched at the thought of what would happen if she failed, ut she had already decided.She smiled, not her usual, %ui::ical smile, ut a real one that lit up her eyes. 6>ery well. 7 have ananswer for you.6

)hapter SevenSilvia e3amined herself in the long mirrored tiles that formed the wall of the harem's athing


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chamer. After the e3cited chatter and giggling of the army of maidservants it had taken to dressher in her wedding finery, the silence was a welcome relief. 7n the past week she felt as if she hadeen in a play acted out at top speed in her head.er father's initial anger at the news that she was to marry "unir %uickly shifted to relief and thenastonishment at his good fortune. is talk was all of settlements and spheres of influence. ewas so carried away with the conse%uences of his daughter's astounding etrothal that it didn'toccur to him to %uestion her actions. e'd said his goodyes this morning after the formal signingof the contracts. 67'm damned proud of you. ngland will e proud of you,6 he'd said gruffly. Afterthe ceremony, he would leave for ngland, and her last tie with her old world would e severed.5oday, she would enter another world entirely.5he figure ga:ing ack at Silvia from the mirrored tiles was an alluring creature. er skin was softwith scented oils, and her hair gleamed like urnished gold against the urnt#orange silk of herkaftan, which was weighted with semiprecious !ewels woven into the gold#threadedpassementerie. 5he pantaloons eneath were crimson organdie, full and pleated into her waist,yet almost transparent. ?old ells tinkled on her wrists, ankles and on the headand that held thegossamer#fine veil in place. er hands and feet were painted with henna. er kid slippers wereemroidered with pearls. Around her neck was an intricately designed gold necklace with ashower of pink and yellow diamonds that "unir had given her."unir& )ustom forade contact etween them in the whirl of preparations efore the wedding,and so she had spoken to him !ust three times since he had very reluctantly agreed to her terms.

5onight he would e her husand. And for the ne3t year, she had made him promise she woulde his only wife.6A year to prove that you can e all the woman 7 will ever need1 7 look forward to it,6 he had saidwith a wicked smile.

As she followed her coterie of female attendants from the harem to the main ody of the palace,an unsettling thought revererated in Silvia's head. Before she could egin to erode the arriersthat confined her to the harem, she must first prove herself within it. Before she could e useful,she must e desirale. And she had asolutely no idea of how to go aout such a thing.0ith her nerves !angling, she could eat nothing of the feast laid out efore her on gold plates.5hrough the grille that separated the men from the woman in this strange ceremony, she couldhear the low rumle of masculine laughter. 0hen they finally led her to the dais where "unirstood, magnificent in gold and lue and even more fiercely attractive than she rememered, herheart lurched.

er moods swung like a pendulum, from e3hilaration to agitation, from anticipation to dread. Andwhen "unir finally slipped the ring onto her finger, panic flared. 0hat was she doing2 er eyesflew to his aove her veil, sending a frantic message. Stop2 Stop2"unir took her hand. e smiled at her reassuringly, anchored her firmly to his side. 6Are wemarried16 Silvia asked tentatively. 67s it over16e pulled her to him. 67t has arely started,6 he whispered huskily, 6for now the honeymoonegins.6

)hapter ightStars glittered overhead, a thick carpet woven through the inky#lack midnight sky. Silvia reined inher camel alongside "unir's. Before she could dismount, his hands were around her waist and heeffortlessly lifted her clear of the seat.60hat do you think16 he asked.

Silvia ga:ed around her at the inviting cool of the deep, crescent#shaped oasis. A huge tent litwith ra:iers stood under the shade of the palms that fringed the water. 67t's eautiful.Breathtaking.6 Silence lay heavy as a lanket. 60here is everyone16"unir smiled. 65his is our wedding night. 0e are %uite alone.66*h.6 Nerves clutched at Silvia like tiny tugging fingers. 6Prince "unir, 7&66@ust "unir. 7 am your husand now, Silvia.66*h.6 7t was the first time he had spoken her name. No one had ever made it sound like thatefore. So much depended on her doing this right. But suddenly, fiercely, she wanted it also to especial. 6"unir, 797 don't know9 0ill you tell me&what 7 should do1 7 want this to9 7 don't wantto disappoint you.6


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She was lushing, ut still she held his ga:e. e could not ut admire her courage and herhonesty. "unir raised her hand to his lips. 68ou won't disappoint me, Silvia. 7 promise. 5rust me.6e kissed her palm, licking into the soft skin etween each finger. is lips lingered on the wildlyeating pulse at her wrist. She tasted delicious. 65rust yourself,6 he said huskily. 6Do as yourinstincts tell you.6

All her life, Silvia's instinct had een to use caution. 5o wait. 5hink. valuate. But this could not ewhat he meant. She looked up at "unir. is eyes glittered, dark with something that she hopedwas desire. 0hat she wanted was for him to kiss her. 0hat she wanted was to see her husandnaked. 0hat she wanted&She stepped closer, inhaled his scent. Desert heat. Something very male that made her feelasurdly powerless. 7n thrall.6"unir,6 she said in a voice she didn't recogni:e. She reached up to push ack her veil, then shetugged his headdress off. is hair was !et#lack and close#cropped, emphasi:ing the sharpplanes of his face. She curled her fingers into his neck, pulling him toward her. Desire flared in hiseyes. She heard the intake of his reath. 5hen she touched her lips to his.Not like efore, his kiss. Deep, passionate, dark and hot, it set her instantly aflame. She twinedher arms around his neck and he pulled her closer, moulding her against the solid muscle of hisody, stroking her ack, the curve of her ottom, all the while urgently laying claim to her mouth.eat surged through her, pulsing out from where he touched, pooling in her elly. e picked herup in his arms as if she weighed nothing and carried her to the tent.

She had a rief impression of sumptuous hangings when he set her down, then she forgot allaout her surroundings as "unir9her husand, "unir9ecame the focus of her world as he setaout inhaiting every fire of her eing.

)hapter Ninee undressed her slowly, as if he was unwrapping a precious gift. $issing, stroking, caressingevery part of her as it was revealed9her neck, her arms, her reasts. specially her reasts. ishands moulded them, his mouth licking, sucking, making her moan, a strange sound that arousedher further.e discarded his own clothing at the same time, taking her hands, showing her how to touch him,to learn the map of his ody, the contours of his shoulders, his chest, the concave of his elly.Naked now, she resisted the urge to wrap her arms protectively around herself and saw that shehad done the right thing in the way he looked at her, with a hint of admiration and a gratifying

la:e of desire slashing crimson on his cheeks. is focus intensified. e, too, was naked. Sheslanted her ga:e down to the proud, thick length of his arousal. She urned with wanting andwondered how he could possily& ow they could possily&65ouch me,6 "unir said, taking her hand and laying it on his shaft. ard and silken, so very, verydifferent from anything she had known. So very, very arousing.e laid her down on the low divan and gently parted her thighs, his fingers stroking into the hotwetness etween them, making her moan again. 6"unir, what should&6e kissed her. 6Nothing,6 he commanded, 6you should do nothing. 7 am your husand, Silvia. 7t ismy pleasure to teach you pleasure.6e kissed her again. er mouth. er throat. er reasts. er elly. /ower. is mouth was on thetender skin etween her thighs, his fingers parted her and then his tongue licked in. 5here2She gasped. Shock. 5hen a olt, a surge of heat, as he licked into her again, coa3ing andcircling, stroking and stoking up the spiralling, clenching, tightening heat until she gasped again

and let go ecause she could not hang on any longer, though she wanted to. She was hurtledand spun into the air, high, higher still and higher, and she wanted only this. 5o fly effortlessly.ven as she soared, "unir was kissing her mouth again, his ody covering hers. 5ilting hertoward him, he eased himself inside her, riding on the e and flow of her clima3. ermaidenhood gone, he pushed deeper still, so that Silvia felt herself gathering anew, tighteninganew. e paused, waiting. 4or what1 She arched, dug her hands into his uttocks, saw from thetautness in his face that he liked it. She arched again.is hands on her hips, "unir pulled her even closer to him. is wife. is wife2 is. So strange tofeel so possessive. And for this to e so much more intense than he'd ever e3perienced, muchmore so than he had ever imagined.


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e thrust into her, his length enveloped in her slickness, his movements making her shiver andtighten around him. arder, higher, deeper he thrust, feeling himself swelling inside her until shelet go, and then he spilled himself with a harsh moan, kissing her, clutching at her, lost in theraging tempest of his clima3 as he had never een efore.

)hapter 5en

Save for the mysteriously invisile servants who delivered food regularly, Silvia and "unir wereentirely alone at the oasis. Seven days passed of lissful, syaritic pleasure. 5hey athed nakedin the warm, almy depths of the pool y the light of the full moon, and lay together in theshallows, the water lapping over their skin as they stroked and caressed each other to fulfilment.Silvia e3alted in the sensual power she held over her new husand, growing older in her touch,in giving as well as taking her own pleasure increased y the pleasure she saw etched in hisface when she sheathed him inside her.60e must return to the palace in the morning,6 "unir said at the end of the week, as they layentwined in the cool of the dusk. 67 have already een away far longer than 7 intended.66Doesn't the )ouncil have the authority to act in your asence1665he authority, ut not the will. A legacy from my father's rule.6Silvia propped herself up on her elow to study his e3pression. 4or the first time since theirwedding, "unir had that distant, foridding look on his face. A week ago, she would havehesitated to ask, ut now her desire to know more aout the man she was to spend her life withoverrode her natural caution. She stroked his cheek. 6ow so16"unir sat up, knocking her hand away. 6Silvia, 7 am well aware that you hope to use this year topersuade me to give you a role outside the harem, ut it cannot e. Perhaps 7 should have madeit plainer efore we married, ut the truth is&6 e roke off, ruing his forehead. 67t is a painfulsu!ect.67t was his hesitancy that touched her. 5hough she knew what he was aout to confide was goingto e unpalatale, she was moved y his wish to do so. Silvia took his hand. 65ell me.6"unir closed his eyes, frowning. 5hen he nodded several times, something she'd noticed he didwhen he'd made up his mind. 6"y father was a very weak man,6 he said. 6is sister, alimah,was his elder y five years. alimah means gentle. Never was a woman more wrongly named.She was self#seeking, amitious, a tyrant who elieved her royal lood entitled her to everythingshe wanted, and she would stop at nothing to achieve it. "y father was her puppet, and the)ouncil learned the hard way not to interfere. But her policies devastated the country, and 7 have

spent the entire period of my reign unravelling the conflicts that are alimah's legacy. ven now,some of our Bedouin tries live on the knife#edge of war. 5he least little thing can set them off.5here was this one time&67t was as if a wall had een reached. All the painful memories, the vicious arguments that hadarisen as he'd grown up and attempted to e3ert his own authority, the agonies of conscience he'dhad as he was torn etween loyalty to his kingdom and to his father, it all poured out. "unir talkedas the sun rose higher in the sky and the tent grew hotter, and Silvia listened in growing horrorand dreadful understanding.6So you reali:e now why you must confine yourself to the harem,6 he concluded. 6Never againcan a prince e seen to defer to a woman.6Silvia it her lip.68ou do that when you disagree with me, do you know that16 "unir said.6Do 71 7 don't know what 7 think, save that&7 thought you valued my opinions. 5hese last few

days&667 do, you have the mind of a man when it comes to politics, ut such discussions can only evere etween us.667 see.6 4or the first time since their wedding day, Silvia felt the fluttering of dout, like a smallcaged ird trying to set itself free. She wrapped her arms around her husand and urrowed herface into his chest. 5he rough hair on her cheek, the scent of him, the hard maleness of himeneath her started up the thrumming pulse of wanting.e had pulled ack the princely cloak of infalliility and let her into his confidence. 7t was a step. Aig step. 7t would e enough for now.


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)hapter leven*n the following day they returned to the city, and so, too, did Silvia's douts as the reality of hersituation confronted her. "unir led the way imperiously through the city to the gates of the royalpalace. is su!ects threw themselves to their knees as their prince passed, leaving Sylvia toring up the rear, arely acknowledged y the cheering throng. alimah's legacy had not only

een wholesale unrest, she had oviously engendered in "unir's people an innate distrust ofroyal princesses.Bakri awaited them at the palace. 60e did not e3pect you to e gone from us for so long,ighness. 5here are many matters now re%uiring your attention.66)ome, Bakri, 7 am !ust married. Surely even you would allow my wife to claim my undividedattention for such a short period,6 "unir replied.65he wife of a great prince must learn not to make demands,6 Bakri said, making no effort todisguise the enmity in his tone.6"y intention is to e a support to my husand, not a hindrance,6 Silvia said hurriedly, meetingBakri's hostile glance with a placatory smile. 65he urdens of state can e heavy, and 7 hope&6She stopped, for Bakri was staring at her in horror, and then he spat at her feet. /ooking to "unir,she saw his mouth was set in a firm line.68ou will e3cuse me while 7 see my wife settled in the women's %uarters. 5hen 7 will e free toconduct our usiness,6 he said to Bakri in clipped tones.6"unir2 5here is no need96e ignored her protest, sweeping her along the cool corridors, ignoring the hurried salutes of theguards. 5he harem doors closed, leaving them alone in the s%uare courtyard with its centralfountain shaded y lemon trees."unir released her so suddenly that Silvia stumled. She could see his pulse eating furiously atthe ase of his throat. ;ecalling her very first impression of him, that he was not a man to etrifled with, Silvia felt a flutter of fear. But it was lost as her own temper woke slowly, like acreature that had een hiernating. 60hat on earth have 7 said to make you so angry1667 told you how things were with alimah. 8ou should not have spoken to Bakri of usiness.66Business2 All 7 said was9667 know what you said.668ou were the one who made light of it in the first place. 7f you had not !oked that 7 demandedyour undivided attention96

67 am aware of what was said26 "unir cursed under his reath, something he very rarely did. eshould have known etter than to !oke with Bakri, ut in this last week with Silvia he had forgottenall his own dire warnings. e was furious with Bakri for the insult to Silvia, furious with Silvia forcompounding the mistake, ut more furious with himself for having made it in the first place.Snatching off his headdress, he ran his fingers through his hair. 68ou saw how Bakri reacted. 8ousee now how it will always e.667 see that you will not change it,6 Silvia replied tightly, too hurt y the unfairness of "unir's angerto guard her tongue.6)annot change it,6 "unir snapped. 6And now, as Bakri pointed out, 7 have usiness to attend to. 7will come to you when 7 can.6 Before Silvia could protest further, the heavy doors of the haremshut ehind him.

)hapter 5welve

"unir had intended to wait efore seeking Silvia out, thinking that y introducing a distanceetween them it would enforce her understanding of the situation. But after a usy day of officialusiness with every one of his opinions deferred to, he missed the counteralance of her sharpmind. And after a sleepless night on a divan, which seemed to have grown far too wide, he achedfor her ody.67've made a decision,6 he announced the ne3t morning as he strode into the harem, surprisingher at her reakfast. 67t will e good for my people to see us together. 8ou were right,6 hecontinued in answer to her unasked %uestion, 6some things can change. 7 don't want youfollowing in my wake like a servant as you did yesterday. 7 will have you treated with respect.6


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65hank you.65he previous day had shown Silvia the e3tent of the attle ahead of her, and she'd spent thehours since fighting off the depression that had followed. She was delighted at his une3pectedchange of heart. She had missed her husand9not !ust his ody, ut the man himself. Perhapstoo much. She would do well to have a care, for it would not do to fall in love with a man wholoved only his kingdom.5hough when he took her around it, she could easily see why he was so devoted to it. D!aradh,city and desert, captivated her, and her ovious rapture, the %uestions she plied "unir with,delighted her husand. 5he hours passed too %uickly. Afterward, in the sultry, sensuous amianceof the harem, their lovemaking took them oth to new heights. e needed no encouragement toshow her more of the sites the ne3t day. And the ne3t. *ver the ne3t few months, he forgot allaout putting distance etween them.6A new gold mine has een found in the east,6 "unir said as he sank down on the cushionseside Silvia. Dinner was spread out on the tale efore them. e had not eaten in his own%uarters for some time. Spending every spare minute he had in the harem with Silvia hadecome a hait. 6


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the notion of sharing him. 7 !ust can't2 7f he will not love me, and me only, then 7 must find anotherway of eing y his side. 4or my own sanity, 7 must carve out a meaningful role for myself, else 7would have een etter off to return to ngland with Papa. 3cept that then 7 would not haveloved "unir, and 7 cannot regret that. 7 have to find a way to convince him. 7 will.65he opportunity to do so arrived when "unir appeared in the harem not long after. e lookedtired. A crisis had lown up, the details of which she managed to e3tract y gentle %uestioning.er suggested solution made him smile.67t is an e3cellent idea. 7f only 7'd thought of it9ut it is done now. 0e settled it another way.667f you'd talked to me earlier, perhaps&667 could hardly have walked out of a )ouncil meeting saying 7 had to go and consult my wife26"unir laughed.67s it so unimaginale16is smile faded. 68ou know it is. /et us not go over old ground again. Already, 7 spend far moretime with you than other men do with their wives.667 should e grateful, you mean,6 Silvia said, frustration and disappointment making her rash.6?rateful1 4or what16 "unir demanded.67n si3 months our agreement will e over. 8ou will have another wife to make demands on yourtime,6 Silvia said, unale to keep the hurt from her voice."unir stared at her in astonishment. 5he idea of another wife, another woman who was not Silvia,here in the harem&he could not imagine it. 7n fact, he had almost forgotten their agreement. A

year had seemed such a long time. 6Are you saying you are growing tired of me16 e held hisreath while he awaited her answer.

)hapter 4ourteen67t is rather you who will tire of me,6 Silvia threw at him, aruptly losing control of her temper. 67t isyou who said that one woman can never e enough. 8ou are unfailingly attentive now, ut in si3months, perhaps earlier&667 am unfailingly attentive ecause you are unfailingly satisfying,6 "unir snapped, unsettled andconfused y the way she was looking at him. ven more unsettled and confused y the feelingsthose looks were rousing in him. e felt as if the rock he'd thought he was standing on wasinstead turning out to e only sand.Silvia flushed. She was angry, frustrated, hurt. And still she wanted him. She could notunderstand it, ut she could not deny it. She wanted him !ust as fiercely as he wanted her. 7n this

aspect of their relationship at least, they were e%uals. =uite delierately, she ran her palm overher reast. er nipple udded. 65hen we should make the most of it,6 she said. 67n si3 months&6"unir shook his head. e didn't want to think aout what could change in si3 months. 6Silvia, youcannot dout that 7 want you.6 7n truth, he could not imagine a time when he would not.6Prove it.67t was a challenge he could not resist. "unir dipped his head and sucked on the hard ud of hernipple through the silken arrier of her clothes. Silvia clutched at his shoulders. 5he air waspotent with their arousal, a salty, vanilla perfume all their own. 7t into3icated them, making themtear at their clothing, clutch at each other, kissing thirstily. Silvia's nails dug tracks into "unir'sack. is mouth ruised her lips. She tore his tunic to get at his chest. er pantaloons fell to thetiled floor of the courtyard. e ent her over the fountain. She raced herself on its marled edge,her hair trailing into the cool waters, scattering the silver fish that swam there. is first thrustmade her cry out with pleasure.

She pushed ack against him. 5heir coupling was like a continuation of their argument, the thrustof one against the other, pushing to the limits, determined not to surrender until finally they cametogether in an e3plosive, shattering clima3 which left them reathless.Shaken y the depths of emotion their union had roused, "unir pulled his ruined tunic ack overhis head. e had always en!oyed their !oining ut this&this had een something different. e feltas if they had fought, and he wasn't sure who had won.Silvia's hair dripped water. er skin was flushed. e wanted to take her in his arms, to sleepcurled into her. e had never spent the night in the harem( it was one of the lines he kept rigidly inplace and he was not aout to cross it now. e turned and strode away.But as he walked toward the harem door, he sensed her ehind him, standing ereft. 7t took all


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his resolve to keep going.

)hapter 4ifteen7n the weeks that followed, a distance opened etween them that %uickly yawned into a chasm.Simple self#protection made Silvia close herself off from her husand. 7t was an agony, ut

nothing compared to the agony she would feel if she gave herself to him completely and he tookanother wife, as she was certain he would inevitaly do. She knew it would kill her inside, and soinstead she tried to kill her love for him. 5heir lovemaking took on an edge of desperation.

er retreat confused "unir, and she wished fervently that he would find a way to ridge the gap.But he left her every night, and she lay wide awake long into the morning, so alone.But her love refused to die, and Silvia reali:ed she didn't want it to. So if she could not e his onlywoman, then she could still at least try to e the most valuale one. 7t was not enough, ut acrum was etter than nothing.0hen "unir announced that the British )onsul was coming to inspect the newly refurished port,Silvia grasped the opportunity like a drowning man grasps at a rope. 67 know /ord 0incester verywell. e attended the same school as my father9they are old friends,6 she told him."unir dropped onto the cushions eside her. 65he trip should take three or four days.6

67 look forward to it,6 Silvia said with a right smile.68ou can't come with me,6 "unir said flatly. 68ou know how resistant some of the elders on the)ouncil have een to change. 8our presence would make it look as if this deal were your doing.6Silvia frowned. 6But it was my doing, in as much as our marriage facilitated it. And it is a gooddeal for the future of D!aradh.66A good deal, too, for your ngland.667t is not my ngland2 "y loyalties lie here now, with your kingdom.6 0ith you, she wanted to tellhim, ut could not. *ur kingdom, she wanted him to say, ut he did not.7nstead, "unir shook his head. 6Such usiness is the preserve of men.6Silvia's temper flared. 68ou do not think that e3ploiting my personal connection to the )onsul ismore important than nursing your )ouncil's fragile egos16 she asked tightly. 65hat clutch ofchildren would run in terror at the very idea of making a decision. No wonder your aunt found it soeasy to wrest control from them. 7 am your wife, "unir. 0hy will you not have me y your side1667 am a prince first, and husand second,6 "unir replied, his mouth tight with anger. 67 rule alone.665hen your destiny is always to e alone, no matter how many wives you take.6 Silvia dashed herhand to her eyes. She never cried in front of him, she would not do so now. 6And 7 am destined toe a very lonely woman. 7f you are not willing to let me prove myself then&6

An uneasy silence reigned for some moments. 6ave a care, Silvia. 5hink, efore you utteranother word.65he telltale pulse at his neck leapt. )olour streaked the sharp contours of his cheekones. Silviaclenched her fists eneath the long sleeves of her kaftan. 67 want you to leave,6 she said shakily."unir stared at her for a long moment. Determinedly, she held his ga:e. e turned swiftly on hisheel and walked away. Silvia dropped onto the scatter of silk and velvet cushions and let go astorm of tears.

)hapter Si3teenSilvia woke up drained from her crying and the restless night that followed. 0hy did love have toe so painful1 She loved "unir not !ust with her ody, nor even !ust her heart, ut with her soul.She loved him, ut "unir would never love her. e ruled alone and he lived alone, inviolate. 7twas not that she wanted him to change, merely that she wished he would make room in his heart,in his life, for her.But she would always e3ist on the periphery, in the shadows of the harem. e would not admit toneeding another person, for he would e admitting to eing as weak as his father had een."unir lamed alimah for ringing D!aradh to the edge of ruin. But he couldn't see that had hisfather een stronger, his aunt would never have grasped power. "unir thought that isolating


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himself made him strong, ut it only made him weak in a different way. e could not grasp thatlove, true love, could make him so much more powerful.5wo days after he left for the meeting with the British )onsul, Silvia was wandering listlessly inthe palace's main courtyard when a messenger arrived. 5he gold mine that had een discoveredon the order of the two Bedouin tries was erupting into the very dispute that her husand hadeen worried aout. Prince "unir was most urgently re%uired to aritrate, for the tries were uponthe rink of war.7n the midst of the commotion caused y scurrying, harassed palace officials and an emergencymeeting of the )ouncil, Silvia went in search of "unir's !unior secretary, Dair, whom she hadefriended in the long hours she spent reading in the palace lirary. She had already coa3ed thefull story from him when Dair, reali:ing far too late that he should not have confided in theprincess, egan to retreat nervously.60ait. 5ell me, what has the )ouncil decided to do16 Silvia asked.65hey will dispatch a messenger to recall the prince from the port.66But he is more than a full day's travel away. And then it is at least another to the order.66All the more reason for a messenger to e dispatched urgently.667s the situation really so grave1667ndeed, Princess Silvia. Apparently hostilities may reak out at any moment.66Surely it makes more sense for Bakri to aritrate in my husand's place1667 am afraid that the )ouncil& 5hey will not act without the prince, ighness.6

Silvia knew how proud "unir was of the hard#won peace he had estalished in his kingdom,knew that he feared a dispute like this could %uite easily escalate into nationwide war. ow couldthe )ouncil not see it, too1 Briefly, she contemplated petitioning them, ut %uickly aandoned thisidea as eyond foolish. 5hey would not listen, she would offend them with her presence and,more importantly, they would have lost precious hours. 65here is no time for this. 5he matter muste addressed now.668es, ighness, ut Bakri and the )ouncil will not96Silvia clapped her hands together decisively. 6Never mind them. 7 will resolve the matterpersonally.6

)hapter SeventeenDair stared at Silvia, openmouthed at her decision to deal with the political crisis herself. Shewould have laughed at his e3pression if her mind hadn't een whirring with possiilities. 67'll needa camel. No, two camels. And supplies. And9668ou cannot2 7f the prince discovered ighness, you must not2660hat do you think my husand would prefer1 5o have war reak out ecause no one tookresponsiility to prevent it1 8ou know the answer to that, even if the memers of the )ouncil donot. 7 am not afraid of the danger.6Don't worry, 7 will travel in disguise,6 Silvia said in a hasty attempt to reassure the horrifiedsecretary. adn't she done so once efore, and hadn't it paid off1Pushing past Dair, she hurried ack to the harem. She still had the outfit somewhere. Doutassailed her as she pulled the headdress over her hair and fastened the and in place. She wasnot only defying "unir, she was pulicly usurping his authority. *r at least she would e, if he didnot authori:e her as his envoy. 0hich he could do retroactively.

ncouraged y the thought, Silvia fastened a leather elt around her waist and slipped a !ewelleddagger into the sheath, conscious that she was, with this single act, risking everything. ven ifshe did manage to roker a deal, even if "unir did place the veneer of authority upon it, it waspossile, very possile, that far from eing impressed with her resourcefulness, he would neverforgive her. She would lose everything. Perhaps he might even divorce her. 7t was possile in hiscountry. She would e shamed. She would have to return to ngland. And if that happened, "unirmight even renege on the deal he was at this very moment going to discuss with the British)onsul. But he had given his word, and that was one thing she did not have to dout.0as she eing foolish1


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her one opportunity to make the man she loved see her in a new light. 5hat was worth any risk.;esolutely, Silvia pulled the voluminous cloak around herself and made her way out to the mainpalace courtyard. Dair was waiting, dressed for travel. 67f 7 cannot persuade you to reconsider,ighness&668ou cannot,6 Silvia said, clicking her tongue so that her camel fell to its knees to allow her tomount.65hen 7 will e your escort,6 Dair said.65hank you, ut 7 cannot allow you to get into troule on my ehalf.667 am already in troule,6 Dair said sadly. 65he prince will e angry with me for not preventingyou from going. 7f 7 come with you, ighness, at least he will know that 7 tried my est to protectyou. And esides, you are right. e would want everything possile done to prevent a war.6Silvia hesitated. An escort would undoutedly e useful, especially one she knew and could trust.67 will intercede with the prince on your ehalf,6 she said. 64ear not.6Dair smiled weakly. is actions might cost him his !o. But did the nglishwoman reali:e shemight well lose her head1 e could not help ut admire her courage. Any man would e proud tohave such a wife. Any man, with one notale e3ception. 6"ay the fates smile on us oth,6 he saidfervently, as he followed the princess out of the courtyard.

)hapter ighteen5he missive dispatched y the highly insulted Bakri on ehalf of the outraged )ouncil reached"unir early the ne3t morning. /ord 0incester, the British )onsul, was with him when he roke theseal of the note.6Something wrong, ighness1667 must leave at once. 7 am afraid the conclusion of our treaty must e postponed.66Postponed2 But there are only a few formalities, a matter of a mere hour or so&6 /ord 0incesterspluttered.6A matter of a mere hour or so could e the difference etween life and death,6 "unir said curtly.6"y wife's.6 e lanched as he said the words. 6So you will understand&6/ord 0incester fanned himself with his copy of the contract. 0hat was it aout thesenglishwomen who came to Araia1 4irst /ord Armstrong's gal, and now this one. 6>ery well,very well,6 he said, making no attempt to keep the irritation from his voice. 67 will await yourighness's pleasure.6But the door had already closed ehind the prince. "oments later, he could e seen disappearingout into the desert, a cloud of dust in the wake of his pri:ed white camel the only thing visile, sofast was the east travelling."unir did not stop for sleep. e did not stop for food. e drank water from his goatskin flask whilehis camel pounded out the miles across the sand. 5ime and again his hand crept to thereassuring weight of his scimitar.

At an oasis, waiting impatiently for his camel to take on water, he honed the wicked lade of hisdagger on a rock. 0hat was Silvia thinking, putting herself in such danger1 She knew howdelicate the peace was etween these two particular tries.0ith a sick feeling, he reali:ed that her understanding of the situation was precisely why she hadacted. Because his )ouncil had not2 e cursed. Silvia was raver, more resourceful and morecourageous than every man on his )ouncil. But she was not a man.$icking the camel once more into a thunderous gallop, "unir tried desperately to %uell the

churning in the pit of his stomach. 0hen the Bedouins discovered who they had in their midst,they would not hesitate to use her. She would not !ust e a pawn in the artering game, shewould suffer for alimah's crimes. 5hey would& 5hey would&6No26 e ellowed the word out loud at the moon that hovered fat and full over his head. Silviawas his. *nly his. Always his. is wife. is heart. is love.6No26 5his time the word contained a lifetime of anguish. e loved her. e needed her y his side.She was a part of him. ow could he not have reali:ed1 0hy had he not reali:ed1 She was theonly woman he needed. 5he one woman he needed. e loved her. And Silvia9his eautiful,proud, rave Silvia9loved him. e could see that now, understand her retreat from him these


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past weeks as an attempt to protect herself from the threat of another taking her place. As if anywoman could2ow close alimah had come to lighting his life along with his father's. ow could he not haveseen9as Silvia had so clearly9that his self#imposed isolation was wrong1 5hat Silvia was noalimah1 5his old play of hers, to prevent war, she had done only for the good of his kingdom.5heir kingdom. e'd never said it. e did not deserve her.6But 7 will learn to, if only she is safe,6 "unir shouted to the wind. e cursed his lindness. ecursed his history, which until today had ound him as effectively as alimah had ound hisfather to her will.

And then "unir prayed. /et Silvia e safe. /et her still love him.;iding pell#mell across the desert to come to the rescue of his love, "unir cast off the chains ofhis past. e forgot he was a prince. e was !ust a man. And he simply wanted his woman ack.

)hapter NineteenAs he reached the orderlands, "unir reined in his e3hausted camel. Drawing out his scimitarand !umping down from the saddle in one lithe movement, he strode toward the largest of thetents, intent on murder if necessary. But he stopped short as the heavy curtain that formed thedoorway was thrown ack and Silvia stepped out, wearing a man's tunic and cloak, ut noheaddress.is heart leapt. "unir ran toward her, sweeping her up in his arms. 6Are you hurt166"unir, 7 must tell you966Are you unharmed16She didn't recogni:e his e3pression. An3iety1 4ear1 No, something else. e looked stunned.Silvia's heart egan to eat too fast for her to reathe. She had to warn him&ut the words fled.6"unir.6 She touched his face. Dusty, hot from the sun. 67'm perfectly fine. 7 promise.667 thought& 7 thought&6She touched a finger to his mouth. 6"unir, please don't e angry. 7 had to do something toprevent war. 7t was not Dair's fault. e could not stop me9no one could have stopped me9so ifyou must e angry&667'm not angry with anyone, save my )ouncil.66*h.6 5he way he was looking at her made her nervous. e had never ga:ed upon her like thatefore. As if& As if& 65he gold mine,6 Silvia said distractedly. 67 should e3plain what's eenagreed to so you can formally endorse it. 5hey were only willing to accept me as your envoy if 7

promised that you would come personally. Dair told me the )ouncil had summoned you so 7hoped9knew you would come. 7 need to e3plain, efore the head triesman&66No.6 4or once, "unir had no interest in either his people or his kingdom. 6No, whatever it is canwait. 7 have something of far more import to tell you.64or a terrifying moment, the urgent note in his voice made Silvia fear the worst. e was done withher. As he strode away from the Bedouin settlement to the relative privacy of a rocky outcrop,pulling her along ehind him, Silvia wondered if she could ear losing him.She felt nauseous, ut gathering up the remnants of her courage, she prepared to fight one lasttime for her future. 4or their future. 6"unir, let me e3plain&6is smile stopped the words in her throat. 65here is no need. 7 understand,6 he said, pulling her tohim, pressing her into his ody as if he would make her part of him. 68ou did it for D!aradh. *urkingdom.66*ur kingdom,6 she repeated in wonderment.

6*urs,6 "unir said firmly. 6


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)hapter 5wenty67 love you,6 "unir said tenderly. 67 love you with all my heart, Silvia. 7 didn't know. 7 didn't reali:eit, ut 7 do now. Say it's not too late.66"unir26

6Say you love me, Silvia. 7 want you y my side. 7 want everyone to see you y my side, as mye%ual. 5hat is where you elong. 7 understand now that my thinking has een so skewed y thepast9ut you are different. So very different. 8ou are more than enough woman for me. 7 couldnever want another. 7 eg of you, put me out of my misery265ears sparkled on her lashes. 5he world narrowed, so that it contained only the two of them. 67love you, "unir. 7 feel like 7've loved you forever. 7 can't elieve& Do you really mean it16 Shewas crying and laughing at the same time.67 have never meant anything more in my life,6 "unir said. is lips touched hers. 5here was atenderness in his kiss that melted her. Silvia wound her arms tightly around her husand's neck,opened her mouth and her heart and let him in.7t was the cheers from the Bedouin triesmen that rought them to earth some moments later."unir colored, grinned, ut did not release his wife. 6So, diplomat's daughter, tell me, how haveyou managed to pour oil on trouled waters16

67 wish 7 could tell you that 7 had an inspired idea all of my own, that my skills alone rought aoutthis truce,6 Silvia said, 6ut the truth is, apart from asking them to treat me as an honorary manand your trusted envoy, 7 had asolutely no idea what to do. So 7 asked myself what you wouldsay, and 7 said that. And it worked. 5hey listened, ut only ecause 7 promised that you would sayit again in person. 7 knew you would come, ecause whatever you felt aout me, you would notallow war to reak out, and9667 came here for you and you alone, Silvia. 8ou are my kingdom. 5he only star in my sky.6Silvia linked away a tear. 67 was afraid that you would divorce me for disoeying you.6is hand tightened around hers. 65o e without you would kill me. 7 will never release you frommy side again. And if that means taking you to )ouncil meetings&66?ood grief, "unir, they would e3pire with shock,6 Silvia said, laughing with sheer happiness.65hat won't e the only shock. 7 intend to put the ma!ority of them into well#earned retirement. Butenough of the )ouncil, let us get the formalities of this treaty you have rokered over and donewith. 7 want to make love to you.65he gleam in his eyes made Silvia shiver. e stroked her reast, and heat pooled in her elly. 67tis a full moon tonight,6 she whispered. 6A honey moon.6"unir's husky laugh gave her goose umps. 67 love you. very night will e a honeymoon. 7 haveno intention of ever spending another apart from you, 7 promise you, my wife.6

And it was a promise, like all his others, that "unir kept all the days of their lives.

5 ND

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