Sworn To Defiance by Terah Edun

question and a confirmation. 
    He looked down at her with a silly grin on his face.
    “What are you smiling at like a loon?” she finally snapped.
    “You actually—” he said with a pause. “You’ve been unconventional since the moment we’ve met. I don’t know why I thought our courtship and engagement would be anything but abnormal.”
    She shifted uncomfortably, well aware that he had yet to answer the question and there were at least three pairs of ears attuned to this conversation. 
    “Well?” she demanded.
    “It was quite romantic of you,” he said. The mocking tone in his voice made her draw back. She had her answer.
    Before she could turn away, his voice caught her attention, “I, Sebastian Athanos Algardis, accept your proposal of marriage, Ciardis Weathervane of the Weathervane family and the Companions’ Guild. In return, I submit to you my proposal to be your husband as well as your patron before the Companions’ Guild.”
    Ciardis looked over at him puzzled. “Doesn’t one cancel out the other?”
    “No,” said Vana behind her. Ciardis was pretty sure Vana was answering her question.
    “No,” said Sebastian with an unreadable look in his eyes, “but for now we’ll let them both stand. What’s your plan, wife-to-be?”
    Ciardis raised an eyebrow.
    He amended the statement. “Well, I assume there was something else to go along with this proposal.”
    “Yes,” Ciardis said. “Let’s get everyone cleaned up. Someone will need to summon Lord Meres and Terris, then we can figure out where we go from here.” 
    Sebastian looked up at the sky and back down at her. “I know just the place. But I suggest Terris and Meres stay where they are. We’ll send word to them to keep our home away from home fortified in case we need to beat a hasty retreat and send them supplies for the space.”
    She nodded, reluctant to leave Terris there but seeing the wisdom in his counsel. Besides, she’d pushed enough in these last few minutes. She had other actions in store, including the confrontation over her powers that they had yet to have. Storing goodwill for that would be better. Because come hell or high water, Sebastian and Thanar would learn that she was their equal. Treating her like baggage stopped now.
    “Where are we going then?” Ciardis asked.
    A solemn expression appeared on Sebastian’s face as he answered, “To my mother’s palace.”
    Without a further word to her, he rode off to inform the captain of their decision.
    Ciardis sat back in the confines of the moving palanquin, her mind abuzz with thoughts.
    Seraphina looked over at her. With the impetuous nature of youth, she informed Ciardis, “You don’t look too happy for a lady that’s getting married.”
    Ciardis looked over at Seraphina. “I’m not sure I should be.”
    “Why not?” Seraphina blurted out.
    Ciardis gave a weary smile. “Because to be honest, I had a lot less to worry about when I was planning to be engaged to a baker’s nephew.”
    Seraphina blinked and sat back. There wasn’t really anything you could say to that.
    Vana announced from her perch across from Ciardis, “I’d be more worried about the verbal agreement he just trapped you in.”
    Ciardis looked over at the assassin with a frown.
    Vana leaned forward and said with deadly seriousness, “Exactly how much of the Companions’ Guild handbook did you read?”
    “All of it,” Ciardis quickly said.
    “Most of it,” she amended when Vana raised an eyebrow.
    Vana snorted. “There’s your problem. It’s designed to be read from the first page to the last. We haven’t been the empire’s preeminent guild for over a hundred years by welcoming slackers into our fold.”
    Ciardis sighed and said, “What did I do wrong this time?”
    “I can’t tell you here. But you’re going to need to know this.”
    Ciardis sat back with a groan and hugged a pillow to her chest. Whatever it was it didn’t sound fun. Life had been so much easier trapped in