Wildas was happy to see that Coulta looked rested by the time they met for dinner in the sitting area of Wildas's chambers. He still wasn't moving his injured shoulder very much, but at least he wasn't dragging his feet with exhaustion.

They left the door open so there would be no gossip once Anil and Myri joined them, and the meal passed pleasantly after a few moments of awkwardness. Clearly Anil had overheard what Rohan had said earlier that day about her not wanting to kiss Wildas, because she seemed uncomfortable until he asked after Zairn's reaction to the note. Hopefully she'd be even happier after hearing the offer he'd been asked to pass on to her.

"I haven't been told not to help the ill," Myri commented. "It seems that would be a greater concern than cleaning up after horses."

"Master Zairn voiced his concerns to the Royal Horsemaster," Wildas began, glancing at Anil, who was seated in the chair beside him. "He's in charge of all the stables here; the breeding, training, and care of every horse at the castle. The Royal Horsemaster, one of my uncles, then spoke to me and suggested you might be interested in being his assistant, if you're not happy working for Master Zairn. My uncle plans to retire eventually, but he has no successor."

After everything he'd done by giving her a job to begin with, then asking her to marry him, Wildas didn't think he could possibly surprise her any more. But he watched her gray eyes grow wide and she stopped buttering her roll, probably without realizing she had.

Finally, she smiled. "I'll certainly consider it. I'm not sure if there will be more trouble or not, but I'll certainly consider the offer. Thank you."

Wildas smiled back at her. "You're welcome, of course."

Shelton arrived soon after they finished eating, and asked to speak with Coulta. When Coulta stood to go, Wildas pulled him back for a quick kiss on the cheek, knowing that Shelton certainly didn't care. Coulta returned the gesture, then followed Shelton out of the room.

Wildas turned to Anil and Myri, who were both finishing their wine – the plain, unspiked kind, Wildas had made sure. "Are you both happy with your ladies-in-waiting?"

They both nodded and Myri said, "Marla seems interested in being a healer, too. She'd make a good assistant if she could be."

"Of course she can," Wildas replied. "Her job is to do whatever you need her to. If she'd like to be an assistant healer, she'd be attending you that way, as well."

Myri nodded. "That's what I had hoped."

"I also met Lissa," Anil told him. "She seems very sweet."

Wildas smiled. "She is. I think she was holding on to the hope that I'd take a few more years to marry, so she could be a lady-in-waiting. She's too young to have been considered now."

One of the Guardsmen who had been stationed outside the open door stepped inside suddenly and bowed to Wildas. "The healer, Mistress Sara, is here for Lady Myri."

"I almost forgot that I promised to help her pick night herbs tonight," Myri stated, setting her wine down. "Is that all right?" she asked, turning to Wildas.

He nodded. "Of course." He rose when she did and kissed her cheek before she followed the Guardsman out the door.

That left him alone with Anil, who looked just as awkward as she had earlier that day in Shelton's office.

"I suppose I should leave, too," she said, looking at what was left of her wine.

"There's no rush," he told her as he sat back down. "Finish your wine, at least."

She nodded. "Dala showed me my new room, but I'm not sure I know my way back there."

"Would you like me to send for her?" he offered.

"I want to apologize first," she replied.

"For what?"

"Earlier today. I heard what Rohan said, and I'm sorry. I just... I suppose I'm not sure how I'm supposed to act around you, especially with others."

He reached out to touch her arm. "Don't fret about it. You don't need to do anything around others if it makes you uncomfortable. You don't need to do anything at all that makes you uncomfortable, truthfully. No one expects you to be affectionate at all, especially the members of the court. Shelton, my mother, and my siblings wouldn't mind if we kissed in greeting or farewell. It's your choice, though. I want you to be comfortable."

Anil was blushing and quickly finished her wine. "I'm still trying to realize that this is happening." She shook her head, still not looking at him. "I'd never even imagined getting married in Windwick."

Wildas felt his heart ache for her. He'd completely turned her life upside down the day he'd arrived in that village outside Arren with Coulta. "What can I do to make it easier?"

She shook her head again. "It's all right. I'm adjusting." She smiled over at him. "There are worse men who could have asked for my hand."

He returned the smile. "I'm glad you think so."

"Of course I do. You're much kinder than I'd ever have expected a prince to be, especially the heir." He was amazed to see her blush go deeper. "And you're handsome, too. Being such a plain girl, I never expected anyone handsome would actually be interested in me, though I know Myri and I were mostly chosen for convenience."

His smile died. "Why would you think that?"

She looked away again and shrugged. "We know about the soul-bond between you and Coulta, and that you'll always love him more deeply than anyone else. But you also need wives for appearances and children."

He gripped her hand. "Gods, Anil, that's not true. Not completely, anyway. You and Myri are good friends of mine, the only people who haven't tried to trick me into marriage somehow. I've said this before, and I mean it. I want people I can trust in my life, and I trust you both. I care about you both. I feel terrible that I took you from your homes, that I'm the reason Myri's mother and all the people you knew in Windwick are gone."

He had a feeling he wasn't exactly impressing her so he went on, still with all the honesty in his heart, "And I don't think you're plain. I don't know why you'd think you were. Anil, I find you quite beautiful." That got her blushing deeper again. "You're also kindhearted, and that's the greatest thing a person can be, in my opinion. Please don't think you were a convenient choice. If I wanted something convenient I would have been married years ago."

She nodded, but still didn't look at him. "I'm sorry."

"And I wouldn't have thought less of you if you didn't want to marry me," he added. "I'm sorry if you felt pushed into this."

"I don't," she replied, glancing at him.

He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad."

She surprised him by pulling him back and kissing his lips, but he returned the kiss without hesitation. He felt her lips part under his and all her awkwardness seemed to vanish as the kiss dove deeper. It wasn't quite like kissing Coulta, but it had the same effect on his body. As for his heart, he felt utterly happy to know Anil wanted him, but he didn't quite feel the same overpowering elation he did every time he kissed Coulta this way. He assumed it probably had more to do with the soul-link than anything else.

The kiss lasted for what felt like several long minutes before Anil pulled away. He stared at her mutely for a moment as she blushed and looked away from him yet again. Wildas finally realized that no words could express what he felt, so he gently took her hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Was that acceptable?" she asked quietly.

"Acceptable?" he repeated with a laugh. "More than."

She smiled shyly. "Thank you."

"Do you want me to send for Dala now?"

"I suppose you should."

He squeezed her hand before moving to the door. He hadn't worried before that afternoon that any of his future spouses might not be fully comfortable with the arrangement, and since then he'd been fretting about it constantly. But he was glad to know that he didn't need to worry about Anil's feelings now.

---

Coulta followed Shelton from Wildas's room to the Second King's office. Shelton paused at the door to point across the hallway. "That one will be yours. I know your magic is more black than silver, but I suggested a silver dragon would be easier to see on the door. Is that agreeable?"

It took a moment for Coulta to understand what the question meant. "Isn't that the symbol of the court sorcerer?"

Shelton motioned him inside and answered with a simple, "Yes."

"Wildas said he didn't expect you to choose a successor for years yet," Coulta said as he sat by the hearth.

Shelton walked to the cabinet where Coulta knew he kept wine. "If you weren't a sorcerer that would be true." He pulled a bottle from the cabinet and checked the label. Satisfied with whatever he saw, he poured them each a cup and put the bottle back. "Because the Crown Prince also chose to marry a sorcerer, we have an interesting arrangement." He walked over and offered one of the cups to Coulta. "Essentially, we are both court sorcerers, though you are more of an apprentice until I want to retire."

Coulta took the cup and thanked him. "What exactly does that mean? I have no idea what I'm expected to do anymore, honestly."

Shelton smiled as he sat down on the other side of the low table from him. "That's why I thought I should speak to you. As long as I'm around, nothing will change for you – aside from you getting significantly more attention from people. You will remain Wildas's protector, but being his husband gives you the right to join him in any meeting or event he wants you to be at. No one can challenge your presence anywhere in Ryal."

He paused to sip his wine before continuing. "You will need to spend some time with me periodically, however. Gods willing, Wildas won't take the throne for several more years, but you still need to know what your tasks as Second King would be. If, when Wildas becomes Grand King, I am still capable of doing my duties, I would remain the court sorcerer, unless you asked for the full responsibility. The same of our other duties, which you'll be sharing with me until I give them completely to you."

Coulta took a drink of his own wine and waited for Shelton to continue, but when the pause lasted longer than he'd expected he asked, "What are the other duties?"

Shelton took another sip before answering, "They are mainly those of the spymaster. There is a network of spies that can be employed during times of war or unrest. It's very active now, with all Varin is doing to cause trouble."

"That girl I found is a part of it now?"

"Not exactly. I just saw a means to hopefully keep her and her family alive. I knew she was being truthful, but she doesn't have the same qualities I usually look for. That's something I will be teaching you, as well as how to ascertain if someone is being honest with what they report, and how to locate them. That can wait a bit, though. I'd rather sort out your magic first. I'd like another practice duel with you in a few days, if Myri approves. I know you've been improving, but I also want to see if the curse has weakened further, as Asema seemed to think it would."

Coulta nodded. "I don't know if it has. It certainly isn't gone, but I don't expect it to ever be."

"But Wildas won't take advantage of that," Shelton assured him, not that Coulta needed the assurance.

There was a knock on the door then, and Shelton set down his cup before going to answer it. Coulta turned to see a young man give the Second King a nod. Coulta wasn't sure he'd seen the boy before, but the fact that he didn't bow and that he was dressed not in a servant's uniform but deep blue clothing in a similar style to what Wildas wore around the castle suggested that he was one of the younger princes.

"A note for Sir Coulta," the boy said, handing something to Shelton.

"Since you're delivering it, I assume it's from Wildas?" Shelton asked.

"Yes. Was I supposed to say that part?"

Shelton chuckled. "You'll get used to it, Star. Does he want a response?"

The boy, who Coulta assumed was named Star, looked thoughtful for a moment. "He didn't say," he answered finally.

Shelton motioned him inside and Star stepped into the office. "Wait for him to read it, then take back a verbal answer."

Star nodded and stood with his hands behind his back, gazing all around the room. Coulta took the letter from Shelton and broke the seal. Did they all seal notes out of habit? Or did Wildas not trust his brother not to read it?

When he read it, Coulta couldn't stop a smile, considering what Shelton had just said before the interruption. Wildas had written two lines: Come back for the night – if you wish to. He'd underlined the second part three times, then signed his name.

He glanced up at Star, who was still looking around the room. "Tell him I'll be there."

Star nodded to him. "Is that all?"

"Yes."

The boy bowed his head quickly to Shelton, then left the office.

"I'm sure I can guess why you're smiling," Shelton said with a smirk as he sat down again.

Coulta was annoyed to realize he was actually blushing a little, but he showed Shelton the note. "If you wanted proof that he won't take advantage of the curse. He's careful not to accidentally order me to do things, too."

Shelton smiled. "That's very good, though I'm sure he'll slip up at some time or another. I hope you don't let that make you think differently of him."

Coulta shook his head. "Of course not. I don't think the soul-link would let me." He finished off his wine, then asked, "Why am I being called 'sir' now?"

"If you weren't his personal protector, you'd be 'Lord Coulta' until you became the Second King. You're an honorary member of the Guard now, in title only. 'Sir' is what they call any regular Guardsman who is assigned as a personal protector for a member of the royal family."

"I like it better than 'lord'," Coulta replied. "I won't be called 'prince'?"

Shelton shook his head. "Only those who are royal by blood have that title."

"I'm fine with that," Coulta assured him. "Why didn't a servant deliver the note?"

"Star is now Wildas's personal attendant. He's the youngest prince, seventeen this winter. You'll have your own attendant in the next day or so, likely one of Wildas's cousins." He took another drink of wine before giving him an annoyed look. "They'll tend to show up at the strangest times, too. They are expected to be quiet and not to share anything of your personal lives, but you'll learn to keep the bed curtains closed. There's also Anil and Myri's ladies-in-waiting. Wildas's sisters. It's the same with them."

That didn't make Coulta feel especially comfortable. "Wonderful."

"It is." The Second King nodded and finished his wine. "You shouldn't keep Wildas waiting too long."

Coulta rose from his chair as Shelton did, handing over his empty cup. "Thank you."

"Make sure you both get some sleep," Shelton said as he went back to the cabinet. "There's a meeting in the morning. And every morning until Varin stops this nonsense."

Coulta nodded. "Of course."

He doubted the "nonsense" would stop any time soon.