I’d endured a Hunt. I’d witnessed a suicide-slash-execution. I’d watched a challenge for the Dax. I’d survived a bloody attack in my cham. I’d assisted in a minor medical procedure with only the most primitive of instruments at our disposal. I’d seen one of my girls beheaded. I had belatedly made one helluva match between a tiny, sweet, beautiful, timid Fleuridian girl and a dark, proud, taciturn Horde warrior.
I could create thunder, lightning, rain, flowers and rainbows.
And I’d made a savage brute fall in love with me in a month.
Hell, by his account, it was practically at first sight.
So she wasn’t going to fuck with me.
Therefore I ignored her and so did my girls.
It worked great.
* * * * *
Once settled in Korwahn, life went on as normal. I spent time with my posse (on my roof, their roofs, in my dining room, their dining rooms, in my courtyard, their courtyards, you get the picture). I wandered the city with my protectors. I met my people. I shopped in the marketplace.
Lahn came home for dinner twice and before I went to bed three times. Other than that, my man was busy.
This stunk.
But I was queen so I sucked it up.
* * * * *
When the morning sickness came, I gave up Korwahk wine. Lahn questioned this when I stopped him from pouring me a chalice at dinner and I explained in my world pregnant women didn’t drink alcoholic beverages as they’d noticed it affected growth in the womb.
His brows drew together at this but he didn’t question it further and he didn’t pour my wine.
By the by, the arrival of morning sickness, thus confirmation I was carrying his child was taken in stride by Lahn. I was freaked out but happy. He already knew in his pahnsahna I was carrying his child.
Still, I made him celebrate.
With the way I chose to celebrate, Lahn didn’t seem to mind.
* * * * *
We were in Korwahn because Suh Tunak was amassing there before they rode on Maroo.
We were also in Korwahn because Lahn had sent another message out to his brethren and that was that he was building an elite squad to be left behind in Korwahn to guard his golden queen (an elite squad, how cool was that?). Any warrior who wished to put himself forward for this squad would need to compete for it and they had to arrive by a certain date.
I was not allowed to go to the competition, it was warriors only.
This was, Seerim told Diandra, because it might turn my stomach and Lahn knew firstly, I’d had enough of my stomach being turned and secondly, my stomach was being turned every morning.
So I was glad I wasn’t allowed to go. Though I didn’t much like the word “allowed”, I didn’t share this with Lahn.
Lahn did tell me my guard would number five hundred.
And he also told me fifteen thousand competed for these positions.
Yes. Fifteen thousand.
I was amazed and touched by this.
Then again, who wouldn’t be?
* * * * *
I got to attend the Ceremony of the Paint where the queen’s warriors painted each other with their new stripes (the Xacto, I’m sure, not there because of me and the other wives who attended).
I sat on my throne of horns in the massive clearing at the very top of the top plateau that was meant for official business and I watched as the warriors were painted with three thin black strips that curved from a point at their shoulder blade, over their shoulder to a point at their pectoral. Three more were painted from that point and around their arm to the front. And one thick gold strip was painted in the middle around the tip of their shoulder.
They did not wear this paint for ceremonies. They wore it every day.
Lahn told me they did it with pride.
I was amazed and touched by this too.
So much, I burst into tears.
Lahn held me until I cried myself out.
When I was done, I explained it was hormones. Then I explained what hormones were.
He looked at me like I was crazy.
Then, wisely, he let it go.
