QueensQuest by Suz deMello Page B

rinsing the ruby Kaldir had given me.
    “You’re one of my rivals.” Kaldir sounded surprised.
    Frayn smiled. “A friendly one, of course.”
    “Of course.” Kaldir continued to wear an astonished
expression, and I grinned. He had evidently failed to consider the Shadowland
nobles as suitors for my hand.
    “Frayn is also coming on the Royal Progress,” I said.
    “Really?” Kaldir tried to look pleased.
    “Really.” I smiled at them both. They were sitting close
enough to touch each other…or to kill each other. Which they would choose? I
continued, “I could not do without my Minister for the Exchequer.”
    Kaldir cleared his throat. “Has Your Majesty considered what
route we should travel?”
    He did not want Frayn around, and didn’t know what to do or
say about it, so he chose to change the subject. I said, “We are in the north,
and I should like to go south through my realm.”
    “The closer we are to one of the poles, the cooler is our
desert. It’s almost tolerable in the far south, and that’s where the majority
of our people live.”
    “Then that is where we should go.” I smiled at Kaldir. “I am
glad our plans mesh so well. South through the Shadowlands, to the desert, then
back through the WestMarch. Then it will be Storne’s turn to show me the
Darkside.”
    Both men frowned.
    “Then I’ll choose my mate.”

Chapter Eight
     
    Once the major decisions had been made, planning the Royal
Progress moved swiftly. We set out before second moonrise two weeks later, Lady
Mercourie having handled arrangements with admirable efficiency. The Royal
Progress consisted of the three retinues, with the horses of Shadow leading the
procession. My soldiers were dressed in our bright livery, red with black trim,
and my retinue in vivid colors that defied the constant gray of my lands.
    At the head of the Progress, I rode my favorite palomino
mare, her mane woven with red-and-black streamers, her tail braided also. To
honor Mercourie and her efforts, she rode by my side, and I welcomed the
opportunity to deepen my relationship with this clever, talented woman.
Watching her manage the myriad details of the Progress, sending messengers
hither and yon, had been a lesson in organization.
    The graceful horses ridden by the DesertDwellers followed
us, with the Children of Light, arrayed in their white, flowing robes making a
grand display as they rode their prancing steeds. Darkness’ taqqa formed our
rearguard. Depending upon the weather, the beasts’ ponderous hooves and great
weight kicked up clods of mud or clouds of dust, and no one wished to ride
behind them despite the magnificence of Storne’s knights, clad in polished
armor. The somber standards bearing the silver sigil of oak and firemountain
floated above their part of the procession.
    Parlous, seemingly invigorated by the Progress, rode up and
down the procession accompanied by outriders. Coaches, Storne’s taqqa, and
carts carried tents and provisions, for although the Shadowlands were the most
populous area of Janus, that term was still relative. In comparison to Old
Terra, our realm is empty, with many leagues separating villages, towns and
castles. We could not depend upon reaching a convenient inn or mansion every
nightfall. Moreover, our numbers were too great to be accommodated in the
average manor.
    So we camped. Again, a relative statement. My tent was large
enough to fit my high platform bed, a smaller cot where Maia rested, and
pallets for my guards—usually Rall and Parron. My apparel had been minimized,
but still, the tent held the chests and portmanteaux needed to carry various
gowns and riding gear. The Queen of Shadow’s appearance was important, as
Storne had astutely noted.
    Every morning when I awoke, I stepped onto rugs of woven
silk and donned my usual yellow robe. As I breakfasted, I gazed at tapestries
draped over the walls of my tent before I bathed and dressed in a riding habit.
A smaller, portable version of the Golden