Prince Hal of the Isles looked over the peaks and troughs of the nearest horizon in the pre-dawn light and reflected on how fortunate he was, not forgetting to give thanks to God. From up here in the palace, the far horizon was about forty kilometres away. The nearest horizon, however was very much closer, and nicer to hold, and kiss. It turned and smiled at him.

  “I love you too Hal,” Esme said. “And I thank God for you too. Have you looked at anything besides my silhouette?”

  “You mean, like the clock? It's almost dawn.”

  “And the clouds?” she pointed out. They were scudding across the sky quite quickly.

  “A good sailing wind if you're coming from Tew. Oh! You mean today's the day Hayeel meets her prince?”

  “Exactly, so why don't you check to see if there are any sails on the horizon or closer, so I don't need to, and work out if you can come back to bed for a bit?”

  “Some sails just this side of the horizon, I'd guess we've got at least an hour before that gets here,” Hal reported still looking out of the window. Then he asked “How long do you need to get dressed for visiting crown princes?”

  “As long as my crown prince doesn't keep peering out of windows then I ought to have plenty of time.”

  “Just, there's another ship, a quarter of an hour from the harbour. Island-rigged.”

  “So, it's not from Tesk, and so it can't be the prince's ship. Come back to bed.”

  “Tesk might not be one of the Isles politically, but that doesn't mean their sailors forgot how to set sails for where there's no coves to harbour in. Get dressed my beloved, we have a state visitor.”

  There were some clouds, but the air was clear and there was no sign of the rain that had threatened the previous day as Hayeel, dressed in her formal-wear with a cloak against the winter chill in the air, walked sedately to the top of her garden and looked out to sea. She wasn't quite as high as the palace, but she could certainly see further here than she could have from the harbour. The half-moon had risen at midnight and shone into her room an hour before dawn, as she'd hoped it might, waking her early. Hal had warned her that the wind was entirely changeable and his guess that today would be when prince Salay arrived was very much a guess. Still, she planned to set up her desk up here as long as the wind didn't get so strong that it blew her papers away. It would be a pleasant way to wait until his ship came over the horizon and she could see it gliding towards the harbour as that one there was doing, just at the place she'd worked out as being the ideal distance to head down to the port. She'd decided against waving a flag or anything else, she was too far from the coast for anyone to see her really. Her mind backtracked a little and she gave a little gasping cry, as she focussed her thoughts on what she was seeing, not on her plans. Then, turning, she ran back down the hill, calling “Taheela! Taheela!, He's here!”

  “Calling from within sight of Caneth harbour,” Salay said into the microphone.

  “What happened to getting there in the mid-morning?”

  “The wind got stronger over-night.”

  “What time is it there?”

  “Sunrise, and if you don't mind, sister, I'd like to be on deck.”

  Naneela laughed, “Now, I do wonder why that might be.”

  “How is Kahlel's revision doing?”

  “Didn't I tell you? He took his test, and passed.”

  “And?”

  “And last night we celebrated with a meal with both families, and then he and I took a walk around the heart, and then some time later rejoined our parents holding hands. It's a nice feeling and I recommend you and Hayeel try it sometime.”

  “I'll tell her you said that, if I may.”

  “Of course you may. As long as you tell her to call you by your name a few days before-hand. She's still very formal with you, brother, you might have noticed. She might be open but I got the feeling that she's not secure.”

  “I'll bear that in mind, sister, thanks.”

  “Salay,” his father's voice said, “also tell her what I told your mother: that she's not to let you kiss her on the lips until she's so comfortable with you that she's happy with the idea of putting ice down your back.”

  “What was mother's response?” Salay asked curiously.

  “She said 'if you insist imperial highness, so it shall be, but for future reference, where does one get ice around here?'”

  Hayeel watched as the Gem of Karet entered the harbour, her body-guards discretely but protectively forming a circle around her. Standing on the quayside watching the Gem arrive seemed a very familiar experience, and she tried to place it. Then she remembered: her father had once made a delivery and returned with his friend on the Gem. Now, it was not her father, of course, but her prince. She saw him climb up on the prow, looking eagerly around, and then he saw her waiting modestly, and his face cracked into a wide smile. She looked down at his hands, not wanting to breach protocol, but his hands indicated he wanted eye contact. She was not waiting at the right place, she realised, as he passed. “So near but still too far, my Hayeel.”

  “We can be patient a little longer, my prince.” she said, walking beside the dock-edge..

  “Naneela says I must tell you to call me Salay before suggesting we hold hands, and father says you must not let me kiss your lips until you are happy to put ice down my back. So please, feel free to do both.”

  “I think, my prince, it may be hard for an employee to put ice down the back of her employer.”

  “Perhaps you would prefer to think of me as your suitor rather than your employer?”

  “But what, then of the ambassadorship?”

  “Some collect ornaments, you it seems collect titles: interpreter, teacher, ambassador, duchess, friend. I hope you do not consider the roles of interpreter and teacher beneath you, because I will need you as both, and I would like to be your friend, Hayeel, and then your suitor, and eventually your husband.

  “Oh? You wish to be so traditional about things? I wondered if you would first ask to be my husband in accordance with the prophecy, and then we would slowly become friends.”

  “I think some traditions have benefits,” Salay said,

  “Ah, but just think, my prince: if we marry first, then no one will be scandalised if we then spend days and nights in each others company talking, talking and talking.”

  “They might disbelieve that was all we were doing, though, and even be scandalised at us claiming so.”

  “Ah, you are right, my prince. We must then court scandal in the more traditional way, or perhaps ask my sister to be chaperone.”

  “This is the sister who suggested you send me scandalous pictures of yourself?”

  “Err, yes, my prince.” Hayeel said, blushing, “Maybe we should ask someone else.”

  “I think so. And I think I asked you to call me Salay,” he said.

  “You suggested I should feel free to, my prince, but does not freedom to do something come with the freedom to not do it also?”

  “Of course it does,” Salay said.

  “That's nice,” Hayeel said, “And may I also continue to feel free to make slightly scandalous suggestions?”

  “I don't think I actually have the power to stop you, Hayeel.”

  As the sailors made the ship fast, she said, “Then why don't you introduce me to your grinning retinue, and allow me the pleasure of giving your captain a letter.”

  “On the left, we have Bilay, who we learned a week ago has a new sis- before the radio cut out, and I have not remembered since to ask Naneela what she said, but we continue to think of new possibilities. More seriously, there seems to be something in the ship's food that does not agree with him, and he does much better eating fruit and vegetables. Beside Bilay is Gahel who pretended to buy a horse so his brother Mahel would get married, next is our hard-working-interpreter Saval who I think you know, there are two guards below who I need to introduce you to later, and Gathal who's just coming up the stairs promised me faithfully that he'd find a bride so he couldn't come, but he couldn't find any girl who would take him seriously.”

  “But since he couldn't you forced him to come?” Hayeel asked.

  “No, he volunteered. His words were 'I asked all the girls I knew, and they all laughed at me, so maybe this is God's way of telling me to look further afield.' or something like that.”

  “And have you persevered in language learning to that end, Gathal?” Hayeel asked, switching to the windward language.

  “Six weeks is not enough long to learn everywhere, no every-.... all words.”

  “Every thing” Hayeel supplied. But you could have said every word. There is a children's song to help you remember it: The words of the chorus go 'God made everything, God is everywhere, God loves everyone. Everybody trust in Him, I'm going to trust in grace.'”

  “You learned that song here?” Saval asked.

  “No, I learned it from my father. Yes, Salay, it was that song he was singing as he died. I didn't understand when I was growing up why it switched from talking about trusting in God to trusting in grace, and I didn't know what being graceful had to do with trust either. The songs I learned made a lot more sense once I heard the gospel and had a Bible to read. Captain Davdo, Countess Elakart will rejoice to hear your faith is still alive, and her daughter high councillor Kelara thanks you for the name of your ship, which helped persuade Elakart that the future had enough possibilities that she should not continue to pine away in self-pity.”

  Davdo looked at Hayeel and raised an eyebrow, “And you just decided my faith was alive because you heard me whistling the tune to that song?”

  “No, captain, because I heard your surprise that father never explained the songs he taught us and your regret for never explaining the gospel to us either. Hal of the Isles heard Taheela singing to her babe, though, and explained the gospel to her and her husband, and they explained it to me. Taheela is avoiding Hal now, she's happy just being insightful. I've got the whole gift, as has princess Esmetherelda.”

  “Oh, not the whole gift, young one. You don't get the whole gift just from hanging around that family. The whole gift comes from God's grace alone.”

  “You speak of the gift the aliens have.”

  “The gift that a very very few aliens have and some of us have been granted too. My grandfather's great-grandfather among them. Perhaps we should be praying that God in his mercy might give that gift once more, when the time is right.”

  “A man of Tesk with the whole gift?” Salay asked, confused by the translation that Saval provided. “I thought only women ever received the gift.”

  “The funny thing is my ancestor wasn't even from Tesk,” Captain Davdo said, shrugging, “He was from one of the outer zones of the empire.”

  “My prince,” Hayeel said, “The honourable captain does not say what he thinks: that the daughter of his grandfather's blessed great-grandfather travelled to Dahel with the normal gift of Tesk, where she met the emperor, and was declared dangerous.”

  “Then I should embrace you as distant cousin, should I not, captain Davdo?”

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Davdo shrugged. “I've never really known if the family legend about her was true, highness.”

  “The name of the Empress from Tesk is not well known in Dahel.” Hayeel said, “Do you know her name, captain?”

  “She was called Abigail, and according to the family legend, she felt God prompting her to go and stop a war just as her wise name-sake did.”

  “Then I shall certainly name you cousin, captain Davdo. Because her denouncing those war-plans are why she was named the most dangerous woman in Dahel.”

  “Permission to come aboard, captain?” Hayeel asked.

  “Of course, Hayeel.”

  “Rituals must be observed,” Hayeel said, “no, not that one, my prince, it's too cold. This one. I extend to you the welcome of princess-Regent Esmetherelda to Caneth, my prince, she and her husband sent a message asking you to allow them a little time to dress, rather than run down here in unseemly haste, but they will be here soon. And while we await their formal welcome, in the presence of my father's friend I extend to you my hands, accepting your kind offer of friendship and also accepting your desire to be my suitor.”

  “And taking your hands, may I also kiss them, Hayeel?”

  “As long as having kissed them you put your arm around my waist so I don't faint with joy. I don't know that I will, but one can't be too careful.”

  “Are you feeling faint?” Salay asked, as concerned, he wrapped an arm around her waist.

  “I don't know. I've never fainted before, nor felt like this before. Maybe it's just happiness that you're here at last, my suitor.”

  “You might notice I'm happy to be here too.”

  “Yes, I've noticed. And I notice you are happy to be holding me, my suitor, which is nice.”

  “You really prefer to use titles, don't you?” Salay said. “I'm now your suitor, but I'm still not your Salay.”

  “We will not truly be each others' until we wed, Salay.”

  “You reprimand me for being too intimate?” Salay asked.

  “No. Naneela was correct, I think. I do not feel secure enough to think of you as truly mine, even though I hear your every thought about me.”

  “You fear rejection though the prophecy tells me not to reject you?”

  “I still have not heard or read the entire prophecy, my suitor.”

  “We have so much to tell each other, don't we?” Salay said, “I have some pages written to you, even.”

  “I too,” Hayeel said.

  “Only some pages, or is it past a hundred yet?”

  “I tried to limit myself to only write a page or two per day.”

  “Every day for for six weeks?”

  “Not every day.”

  “Will you read them to me please, Hayeel who will be mine?”

  “Some parts are perhaps better read quietly than spoken aloud. But if it pleases you.”

  “It pleases me to spend time with you.”

  “People are noticing that, I notice. Including my friend Esmetherelda, shall we drag ourselves away from the future and into the present?”

  “I thought I was concentrating on your presence quite hard,” Salay replied.

  “Yes. I noticed that. To the exclusion of all else except the future. Please greet my friends, my prince, before they think they could have stayed in bed longer.”

  Tearing his eyes away from Hayeel's Salay realised she had understated the crowd who had arrived. “You're not taking the prince swimming in the harbour then, Duchess Hayeel?” Hal teased.

  “There is no need, highness, since it is not a custom either of us grew up with. Also, the wind is getting rather bitter.”

  “And of course, you've got that pool at the embassy, haven't you?” Esme said.

  “My prince,” Hayeel said, “Esme and Hal suggest that we should enact the custom of the Isles, and put ourselves at risk swimming around this busy port for their entertainment, or failing that around the pool at the embassy. Shall I tell them of the ice your back dreads and your lips look forward to?” Hayeel asked. “I trust you, my ambassador, to know what it is right or wrong to say in the circumstances. Did they swim the harbour?” Salay asked.

  “Not as far as I know, but I shall ask,” Hayeel said. “Royal highnesses, did you swim any harbour for the amusement of others?”

  “No, Hayeel, we didn't,” Hal said, “but we did swim the harbour of Captita for our own. We will cease our teasing.”

  “Please be welcome to Caneth, prince Salay,” Esme said, pausing for Hayeel to translate. “Our teasing was not meant to cause upset, though I understand that is hard with translation. We have much to discuss with you about the situation on Tesk, and my father would like to greet you. And I also present you with a choice. It is the custom here to invite royal visitors to stay at the palace.

  "You may choose to accept, and so ensure that there is no vile rumour about you and Duchess Hayeel, or you may decide that Duchess Hayeel has her sister for chaperone and in any case there will be other men staying in the embassy who are not the duchess's relatives.”

  “We have discussed Taheela's effectiveness as a chaperone,” Salay said to Hayeel.

  “Yes.” Turning to Esme she said, “You are correct, highness, that there is great opportunity for scandal that I should have considered. I see three alternatives: I ask, say, budding reporter Karna to stay with me, I try to hire someone or we convince Salay that marriage before midnight is a sensible idea.”

  “You'd have to convince me of that first. Karna has possibilities I suppose, but you could ask Isthana too.”

  “I will discuss things with Salay,” Hayeel said. “Did you understand, my prince?”

  “Who is this Karna?”

  “She goes to the church I attend here, and is now a reporter. It is of course a form of protectionism to pick her because I know her, and her stay would probably allow her daily interviews or opportunities to learn our language, or similar professional advantage in exchange for her being chaperone. Isthana is Esmetherelda's sister, who is in love with a musician who is not sure if he is in love with her.”

  “That sounds messy.”

  “Oh it is. His previous girlfriend broke off the relationship, admitting that she'd been faking her faith. Between Esme's wedding and us going to Tesk she visited my church, got talking to me, of all people about the reality of God and has now genuinely turned to Christ. She had no idea he'd started spending his every evening with Isthana, and turned up on his doorstep saying 'I'm really a Christian now, and I still miss you. What do you think about getting back together?'”

  “I'm very happy to say that's not going to happen to either of us. The reporter sounds less likely to run away in tears saying it's all your fault.”

  “I don't think Isthana would blame me. But yes, it might be really hard on her. And she's a thought-hearer too.”

  “You could ask other single female reporters, couldn't you?”

  “I could, yes.”

  “And then we could spend long winter evenings talking matters of state.”

  “Matters of state?”

  “You know, when and where to marry, how many children we might have, things like that that affect the whole world or ought to,” Salay said.

  “Esme, Salay likes the idea of asking Karna, and maybe other single women reporters if there are any.”

  “You'd better send out some invitations then,” Esme said. “Can you come and see father? He wakes early these days, and then has a nap from mid-morning.”

  “Urm, OK. What about unloading fragile and valuable equipment, and the prince's cargo?”

  “How much is there?” Esme asked.

  “Salay? Esmetherelda invites us to the palace now. How much of the cargo is yours and your men's?”

  “Don't forget yours, Hayeel. Almost all of it.”

  “Those carpets too?” Hayeel asked, noticing the familiar rolls covered in waxed-cloth in the hold.

  “The ones from Repink. They seemed quite tradeable to me, plus you said the embassy had none, so I brought a complete mixture of sizes.”

  “Esme, my prince has decided to enter the carpet trade. Almost the entire cargo needs to get to the embassy.”

  “The porters will be busy, then.” Hal said.

  “I don't understand,” Hayeel replied.

  “Local rules to keep people honest and busy,” Hal expanded. “Cargo that you don't take off a ship yourself is designated into the care of officially recognised porters until it's delivered, that way if there are breakages or losses then you know who to blame. They charge a certain amount for pick up and set down, plus an amount per step. Or perhaps you ought to hire a warehouse for a few days?”

  “You'd better negotiate with the guild,” Esme said. “They do have some carts and wagons for longer journeys.”

  “Go pay your respects to his majesty,” captain Davdo said. “The men won't mind having orders to play dice and keep your guards company for a few hours.”

  “Thank you, captain. I'll leave Saval here as interpreter. Oh, I'm stupid. Hayeel, let me introduce you to your honour-guard, two capable soldiers who remained below on duty guarding the radio and your grandmother's travel chest.”

  “My grandmother's travel chest?” Hayeel asked, confused, following him.

  “Yes. It was confiscated as well as the title, and so on, and seemed an appropriate thing to bring some of your loose change in. Father expects it's been in your family for generations. Captain Takeel and lieutenant Malene of the empress's guard, I introduce you to Duchess Hayeel.”

  “Your grace,” Captain Takeel said.

  “Captain, lieutenant, I had no idea that her imperial majesty shared her guard with anyone. And now I understand why my prince accused himself for a lapse of memory, and why he was trying to be careful to think of you only as soldiers.”

  “We heard the prince make his exclamation, Duchess.” Takeel said.

  “And do you find it such a challenge to believe I hear your thoughts when I am near, lieutenant Malene? If you wish to think of a sentence, a number or a poem, I can prove my gift. I do not hear every thought, unless there is bodily contact, but I do hear your self-talk, and decisions.”

  “I apologise for any offence, Duchess.”

  “There was none. My thought-hearing range is not very far, perhaps fifteen steps. Certainly a shout can reach further, and I have not had the title duchess for very long. I am far more used to answering to my given name, and as Salay says you are to guard me, I would be a fool to insist on the delay that calling me by title might cause. If it does not give you problems, please call me Hayeel. You will also find that formality is not expressed in the same way here, military ranks are normally used except in social contexts, but noble ranks are not after an initial introduction. The princess-regent understands you cannot leave your post, so comes to introduce herself. She also has the gift of Tesk and I have thought your names to her.”

  “Was naming us necessary, Duchess Hayeel?” Takeel asked.

  “Yes, Captain Takeel, I believe so. She is a friend, an ally, and is trustworthy. And in any case, she would hear your names from Salay's thoughts even if you and I were able to avoid thinking them. My prince, your thoughts are not correct. It has been a stressful journey for these noble officers, and they are a longer way from home than even you. Ladies, you do not need to fear reprimand that you have chosen your profession from the princess-regent, only amazement that such a profession is possible.”

  “But we do need to preserve our anonymity for the sake of our families' honour,” Takeel said.

  “Perhaps,” Hayeel agreed, “Or perhaps your families and your cousins' families should be publicly honoured for having a relative who serves with distinction in the imperial guard in an undercover role?”

  “A dinner invitation to the heart of the empire, perhaps?” Salay asked.

  “Please, highness,” Takeel said, “do not make light of my parent's shame.”

  “I do not make light of their feeling shame, but I have questioned it. And I think that Hayeel's suggestion has some merit.”

  “My cousins do not know, Highness.”

  “Do they know your grandmother also served?” Salay asked.

  “Grandma served?”

  “You follow in your father's mother's steps, Takeel. Didn't you know?”

  “No. I knew only that grandma was a friend of the empress-mother.”

  “I remember her telling the new candidates, 'You've probably all been told 'Girls shouldn't have to fight.' Well that's right most of the time, but if you do have to then don't you think it's worth knowing how to properly?'”

  “She remained in service? Even into my lifetime?”

  “She was immensely proud that you were applying, but fully retired when you did. She felt that it was better that way, for fear of showing favouritism.”

  “I know that grandma said 'If she wants to be a soldier, there's no shame in her joining the empress's guard,' but mother disagreed and father said 'there's no shame on her, no. But what will her future in-laws and children think?'”

  “They ought to be proud.” Hayeel said. Then in Windwardese, said “Come in, Esme, you don't need to hover outside.”

  “It seemed rather an emotional discussion, and I didn't want to interrupt.”

  “Captain Takeel of the empress's guard has just found out that her grandmother not only was part of it, but only fully retired to avoid accusations of favouritism.”

  “I've heard of the empress's guard from Hayeel, but never thought to meet any. My immediate thought is if you'd be willing to train an equivalent group here.”

  “Would we have any recruits?” Malene asked.

  “Probably. Not to mention a lot of inappropriate comments when you first venture onto the streets in your armour. There may be more than comments, of course, but that ought to tail off when you have broken some bones.

  "Use your discretion and try not to kill or permanently injure anyone, please, but you have diplomatic status.”

  When Hayeel had translated that, Takeel said. “Can you explain please diplomatic status?”

  “You will be considered embassy staff. If you do something that would be breaking a law here, including if you kill or injure someone, then the ambassador will be asked to explain, and depending on the circumstances she may be asked to keep you off the streets until you are sent home for bringing dishonour on your nation. You will not be tried here, except by your own authorities.”

  “Thank you, highness,” Takeel said.

  Esme added “I expect that if you walk to the palace dressed as you are then some drunk sailor or three will not recognise your armour and will decide your polished breast-plates are to excite male attention, and if a simple 'go away fool, I'm on duty' does not work, I ask you try a throw to the ground, a knee to the groin or a fist to the stomach or even all three before you draw edged weapons or use those lovely morning-stars. If any soldiers decide to pick a fight with you ... they will be disobeying orders. As they potentially represent a bigger threat, you may use whatever method you choose to maintain your honour and that of the empire, including lethal force if needed.”

  “Our armour is likely to cause trouble, then,” Takeel said.

  “Any armour on a woman is going to be very unusual.”

  “Not so different from home then,” Malene said. “Lust and mockery from the men, shock and disgust from the women.”

  “I expect it will be different. Prince Hal, now my husband, was very impressed that I could fight. I would not be surprised if you find yourselves being followed by young men who are not sure if they should be offering you an elegant knife or a bunch of flowers for the privilege of asking you to a dance or a meal so they can try to win your hearts. From the women, expect confusion about why you'd want to carry weapons or envy that you do.”

  “If you wish to wear your helmets, you may,” Hayeel said, “But the summer here is much hotter than the central zone in summer, even spring. And in any case you do not need to hide from relatives here, I expect. So, if you wish to pretend to be my ladies in waiting, that will certainly cause less controversy. As you know, there are styles of dresses that seem designed to conceal weapons, and there is hardly any recognition of social rank by clothing here. I expect that Salay will not object if you choose something that is practical even if it is above your station. I know that I will not.”

  “The empress's guard are anyway required to blend in when that is needed,”

  Salay said, “and that has included wearing the styles of even countesses in the past.”

  “I believe we've given you enough to think of for now.” Hayeel said. “I do not mind if you wish to consider it in tactical-strategic terms or personal preference. In any case, I'm pleased you have come.”

  “We present you with problems, I know,” Takeel said, “But I thank you, lady ambassador for sounding sincere.”

  “Oh, I am sincere. I've failed to convince anyone — including myself, by the way — that it would be a good idea for us to marry before sun-down, and you being available means I don't need to move out of my room in the embassy to avoid the scandal of being a lone woman with four or five single men just down the corridor. Except of course I thought the guards watching the radio were men, so it would have been six or seven.”

  “What of your sister?” Malene asked.

  “She lives in another part of the embassy with her patient husband, her toddler and her nursing baby who still thinks that daytime is for sleeping, looking around at things making sweet coo-coo sounds, and nighttime is for crying loudly until you're fed twice as often as during the day. Which is to say, Taheela is somewhat more capable of being a chaperone than someone on the other side of the city, but not much.”

  “Should you not translate for the princess-regent?” Salay asked.

  “I've been doing so, thinking to her in Windwardese and speaking in Dahelese. But we should be going. The king is still not recovered, but likes to keep abreast of things.”