Chapter Text
“I keep expecting my face to give everything away,” Turunesh confessed.
Medraut looked up from his reading and smiled at her. “What were you expecting? That you would suddenly look more beautiful? More wise? More kind? More happy? I don’t see--”
Turunesh was laughing before he finished. “The last one, of course. You are as transparent as can be when you are home. How do you hide it while you work?”
“I spend a lot of time frowning at records,” Medraut answered solemnly, “so that my happiness at other times can be construed as relief from not looking at records.” He drew his legs up under him so he could turn to face Turunesh on the couch. “Do you want people to know?”
“They will know, sooner or later. I must brace myself for the barrage of questions from my friends, and after I have told them the gossip may flow as fast as it likes.” She paused to study his face; he was watching her thoughtfully. “Unless you would not like me to tell?”
He answered with a small smile. “I don’t mind. People have been asking about lovers since I arrived, after all.”
“So they have.”
“What topic will they turn to once they have an answer?”
“They will find someone else to gossip about.” Turunesh considered this and amended, “Perhaps.”
“Perhaps,” Medraut agreed. “There are no new ambassadors arriving that I know of.”
Sesuna greeted them politely at the entrance, then immediately said, “Excuse me, I need Turunesh for a moment,” and dragged her over to where Daniat and Tsige were talking.
She waited for their friends to notice them and demanded, “Look at her. Did you see them come in?”
“I didn’t,” Tsige said. “What was I supposed to see?”
“I saw,” Daniat said, with a meaningful look at Turunesh. “You would have noticed how Turunesh looks at her ambassador, Tsige. And vice versa.”
Tsige turned to Turunesh and said sympathetically, “Are they teasing you again, or do you have something to tell us?”
“Both,” Turunesh admitted. “Before anyone starts in with questions, it has been barely a week.”
“Did you sense I was about to ask what he is like in bed?” Sesuna complained.
“We all sensed it,” Daniat told her. “But does your father know? What does he think?”
“He knows. He likes Medraut, and does not want to interfere, but he has made a pointed remark or two about illegitimate children.”
“You want to ask the Queen of Queens about that,” Tsige offered. “Though that tea tastes vile, I can tell you.”
“I am sure you will be responsible,” Sesuna sighed, “which is unfortunate for me, since I am curious what your children would look like.”
“Sesuna!” Turunesh exclaimed.
“Oh, I am not saying you should have them. I am just picturing them.”
Daniat suggested, “Picture your own children. Just think, you could have one a year from now.”
“Well,” Sesuna started, then looked over Turunesh’s shoulder and paused.
Medraut came up next to Turunesh and offered her a cup of honey wine. “I win,” she told him quietly.
“What do you win?” Daniat asked.
“We had a bet over whether you would know before I told you.”
“We have known Turunesh since we were babies,” Daniat said with mock offense, “and you bet against us?”
“I apologize,” Medraut said. Turunesh could feel him smiling at her. “I was sure she looks the same as ever.”
Sesuna suggested, “She looks the same way at you, maybe. We should see if anyone else notices. I’ll bet they won’t.”
“I think the same,” Turunesh said. “Is anyone going to bet against us?”
“I would have bet someone would notice sooner or later, but now you will be trying to keep it secret,” Daniat complained.
Turunesh promised, “I don’t plan to act any differently.”
“I can be the mediator,” Tsige offered.
Daniat shrugged. “And which way will you bet, Ras Medraut?”
“It seems I cannot trust my judgment on this,” Medraut answered. His fingers brushed against Turunesh and briefly squeezed them.
A couple hours later, as soon as Turunesh was not talking to anyone for the first time since she had arrived, Sesuna appeared seemingly out of nowhere to hiss in her ear. “Is he doing that on purpose?”
“Is who doing what on purpose?”
For answer Sesuna took her by the shoulders and turned her to face a group of young men. It was just in time for Turunesh to see Medraut turning back to the group. “He is looking at you constantly. Does he want us to lose the bet?”
“You're exaggerating. I doubt anyone has noticed.” Turunesh examined the men with Medraut. “Maybe Mehari, but Tsige probably told him.”
“They don’t seem to have noticed,” Sesuna conceded, “but I am not exaggerating.” Medraut glanced towards them again, and Turunesh caught a fleeting smile. Sesuna said, “Mother of God. I should have bet with Daniat.”
Turunesh laughed. “It’s not like we actually wagered anything. I don’t mind if you switch.”
“I’ll switch, then go around and tell everyone.”
“That does not count as them noticing. But you are welcome to go around telling, if Daniat agrees to end the bet.”
“Well,” Medraut murmured as they stepped into the street, “were you thoroughly questioned?”
Turunesh put her arm through his. “No more than I expected. I don’t envy you going to the palace tomorrow, but we will be old news in a week.”
Medraut kissed the side of her head and said, “The gossipmongers have no taste, then. You are the most interesting news I’ve ever had.”
Turunesh laughed. “I am not sure your metaphor holds up.”
“I am not sure it needs to.”
“Perhaps not.”
At home Turunesh lifted the dim lamp Ferem had left burning for them from its hook by the door. The windows let in enough moonlight to see by, but all the same she said, “I’ll light you to your room.”
Outside his door Medraut took the lamp from her and rested it carefully on the floor. Just as carefully, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her slowly. Turunesh leaned in to him and considered, for much longer than she should have, following him into his bedroom.