***
The dream ends the next morning, after Daromir’s routine stretches turn into ten minutes of lazy kissing on the floor. After Vana reluctantly bathes and dresses alone because otherwise they’ll take hours in there. When Daromir is braiding Vana’s hair and asks, “Are we keeping this confidential, by the way? It’s your call.”
Vana can’t even pretend to hesitate. “For now. I need time to consider the implications.”
He’s twenty-eight and still unmarried. Imrik has never mentioned the matter, which Vana isn’t sure whether to be grateful for or wary about. Vana doesn’twanta political marriage, but he won’t mistake the king’s disinterest for kindness. Imrik prefers to consolidate power. Vana would have expected him to plan for the future, yet all his sons remain unmarried. Kazia is only eighteen, but Marek is already twenty-five.
Then again, candidates for royal marriages are thin on the ground. House Dire doesn’t need to secure its Draskoran interests with a domestic marriage. As for vassal regions, Imrik has already adopted Vana from Kaiskara and Marek from Helra. Foreign alliances are even more unlikely. Imrik would hardly entertain the notion of a Silaisan suitor, even if House Sandry’s princes were still available.
Then there’s Vana’s other concern, which he knows Daromir understands too. Loving Daromir could threaten Daromir’s wellbeing. Daromir is already endangered just by being at Vana’s side. Perhaps the increased risk is negligible, but Vana hasn’t had a chance to weigh the odds yet. He can’t unsay a secret, so it’s better to keep it quiet for now.
Everything has happened so fast. Just two days ago they were attacked in the Organ Caverns. Just yesterday, Daromir took a day off, and Vana panicked.
Just last night, Vana became whole.
Nothing’s changed, Daromir said. But that’s not quite right, and the changes are fragile. New. Vana selfishly wants to enjoy this revelation in private before he shares it with the world.
“Fine by me,” Daromir says, tying off Vana’s braid.
“I’m not hiding you.” Vana meets Daromir’s eyes in the mirror. Like this, the difference between violet and green is starkly clear. “I want to tell the whole world you’re mine.”
Daromir grins. “The whole world already knows I’m yours. They can wait for the sordid details.”
***
“They caught a woman, but we took custody first like you ordered,” Zuzana says. “She had water magic, but the drasgard hunter tried to argue she might be using illusion magic to pretend to have water magic.”
Vana and Daromir were in the aviary when Zuzana and Indra arrived to report. Legs crossed on the bench, Vana lets Stanza play with the laces on his leather glove. Daromir is in the next room now, his back turned as he fusses with the breakfast tray.
Hopefully, it’s not too obvious what they were doing before they were interrupted.
Indra stands at Zuzana’s side, arms crossed. Her lips press together in the frown she wears when she’s trying not to laugh. “Then Zu ordered the prisoner to dump water on the hunter’s head.”
“And did she?” Vana asks.
Zuzana shrugs. “Proved the water was water, didn’t it?”
Stanza jumps from Vana’s wrist to her roost and tucks in her head. Vana tries to watch her, or Zuzana, anyone but Daromir in the next room.
Zuzana continues. “We’re keeping the suspect in custody for a week and arranging the usual compensation package. Need to look like we’re taking her seriously. What’s wrong with you today, Your Highness?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” Vana says.
Indra frowns. “Now that you mention it, he does look…” She exchanges a glance with her wife.
“Do I have something on my face?” Vana asks.
Indra crosses her arms again. “You look happy, Your Highness. Please stop. It’s disconcerting. Daromir, get over here and look at him. There’s something wrong.”
Daromir walks up and sets a fresh cup of tea on the stone bench next to Vana. He cocks his head, raking his gaze up and down Vana’s body. “You might be right,” Daromir says neutrally.
Vana sips his tea. Daromir always chills the cup to the perfect temperature.
Zuzana suddenly gasps. “What the fuck? It finally happened!”
“What happened?” Indra asks, as apprehension rises inside Vana.
Zuzana points indecorously between Vana and Daromir. “They’re together!”
