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Of Dianora di Tigana bren Saevar, a sculptor's daughter; a dark-haired dark-eyed child, gawky and unlovely in her youth, serious and grave, though with flashes of wit and tenderness, beauty coming to her late, and wisdom coming later, too much later
She took no food, though she'd allowed herself the khav, a last concession to years of habitShe didn't think that doing so would violate any ritualsShe also knew it didn't really matterScelto helped her dress, and then, in silence, he carefully gathered and pinned her hair, binding it in the dark green net that would hold it back from her eyes when she dived
When he was done she rose and submitted herself, as always before going out into the world, to chanel white bucket handbag his scrutinyThe sun was up now; its light flooding the room through the drawn-back curtainsIn the distance the growing noise from the harbor could be heardThe crowd must be very large by now, she thought; she didn't go back to the window to lookShe would see them soon enoughThere was a quality of anticipation to the steady murmur of sound that gave evidence, more clearly than anything else, of the stakes being played for this morningTwo different dominions here, if it came to thatPerhaps even the very Empire in Barbadior, with the Emperor ill and dying as everyone knewAnd one last thing more, though only she knew this, and only she would ever know: TiganaThe final, secret coin lying on the gaming miu miu charm bag table, hidden under the card laid down in the name of love
"Will I do?" she asked Scelto, her voice determinedly casual
He didn't follow that lead"You frighten me," he said quietly"You look as though you are no longer entirely of this worldAs if you have already left us all behind
It was uncanny how he could read herIt hurt to have to deceive him, not to have him with her on this last thing, but there was nothing he could have done, no reason to give him grief, and there were risks in the doing so
"I'm not at all sure that's flattering," she said, still lightly, "but I will attempt to think of it that way
He refused to smile"I think you know how little I like this," he said
"Scelto, Alberico's new cartier watches entire army will be on the border of Senzio two weeks from nowBrandin has no choiceIf they walk into Senzio they will not stop thereThis is his very best chance, probably his only chance, to link himself to the Palm in time She forced herself to sound a little angry
It was true, it was all trueBut none of it was the truthThe riselka was the truth this morning, that and the dreams she'd dreamt alone here in the saishan through all the years
"I know," Scelto said, clearly unhappyAnd nothing I think matters at all
"Please!" she said, to stop him before he made her cry"I don't think I can debate this with you now, SceltoShall we go?" Oh, my dear, she was thinkingOh, Scelto, you will undo me yet
He had chanel earrings stopped, flinching at her rebukeShe saw him swallow hard, his eyes loweredAfter a moment he looked up again
"Forgive me, my lady," he whisperedHe stepped forward and, unexpectedly, took her hands, pressing them to his lips"It is only for you that I speak
"Of course," she saidThere is really nothing to forgive, Scelto She squeezed his hands tightly
But in her heart she was bidding him farewell, knowing she must not cryShe looked into his honest, caring face, the truest friend she'd had for so many years, the only real friend actually, since her childhood, and she hoped against hope that in the days to come, he would remember the way she had gripped his hands and not the casual, careless sound of her patent leather chanel handbag words |
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