The Dragon Prince's Consort

Thirty

Upon entering his suite, Valen was swarmed by Fang, Yena and little Susa. "Well?" Yen began, gesticulating excitedly, "what did he say?"

Susa ran up, underfoot as always, and tugged on the fabric of his robes. "Did you see any humans? Were they here?"

"Eyah, just a moment!" Valen pulled his tablet from his robe-pocket to keep it from being crushed. "I need a moment to think!"

"How did it go?" Fang set her hand on his arm, and through his surprise at being so suddenly buttonholed his hearts gave a mighty thud at her touch. Pay close attention to her... He turned fully to her, taking both of her hands in his. Fang's beautiful brown eyes glittered with hints of gold and jasper, and from the very second Valen looked into them his concerns about becoming the governor of a colony – the first mixed colony in Drassian territory – evaporated and blew away. I can do this. Because of you, I can do this.

"Fang," Valen put on his most serious manner, "he's looking it over right now – he said he'll need time to fully consider my proposal – but at the moment, he's happy with it. Hold on!" he cautioned when her face looked to break into a grin, "There's just one thing I want to ask you before I tell you what he said." He watched Fang's expression change from mild curiosity to a mix of anxiety and resolve. She's thinking about becoming Lady Consort, she doesn't know what my father said. "How would you like to be a governor's woman?"

At first Fang stumbled over the unfamiliar word – her Drass was good, but the subject hadn't come up. "A what now? Governor's woman? What does that–" Her eyes widened and she drew a quick breath. "Governor? Is he going to make you governor?!"

"Not this second, he has to submit my proposal and speak to the committee–"

"Firemother's ashes!" Yena cried, clapping her hands together over the gold chains and jewels on her chest, "Valen, this is huge!"

"–then he'll put my name in as a recommendation," Valen continued, ignoring a fluttering, bouncing Yena. Yen knew the procedure, telling Fang was more about setting her at ease. "Once my proposal is accepted, it's going to move fast compared to everything else the Empire has its hands in – it could be as little as a few months or even weeks. It's expected that you'll come with me, but I didn't want you to find out the last moment or through someone else." Valen squeezed Fang's hands, fairly sure she would understand but still worried. I hope I can still keep my promise.

Yena glanced between the two and her excitement quickly shifted. "Su, it looks like Atta Valen and Lady Fang are busy, let's go see if your father left any messages for us." She extricated Valen's robes from her daughter's hands, making polite excuses for them both and vanishing from the suite like a wisp of incense smoke. Valen hardly noticed they were gone.

"Valen..." Fang breathed, her eyes huge. "Are you serious? Did he really say...?"

"Yes, Fang, I heard it with my own ears. He said he's impressed with how I've handled all of this," Valen gestured broadly, including his piles of books and papers as well as Fang and her little stack of primers and writing practice sheets. "Not just the colony, but you, too." He watched her blush and shook his head. "I mean, not like that, but making sure you're part of it. He said he can tell you helped considerably, and that it's not a bad thing – he said it showed foresight and that I've considered more than just what my people need to make a colony successful. I couldn't have done this without you, Fang, I..." Valen paused, the words dangling from his tusks like a shulong clinging to an icy cliff-wall by its claws. I... I can't say it, I can't tell her I love her. Doing so would ruin everything. No, my feelings aren't as important as hers. I made a promise. He forced different words in their place. "I don't know if I could've done this without you." Close enough.