Many a night of love between them has grown from this same conversation, though all the passion in this faerie princess of his will have to live in a kiss for now.
Passion. His Viala.
When he suggested to the King of the Lothlesi that a binding between an elf prince and a Lothlesi princess might alleviate some of the concerns the Lothlesi people had about the treaty the elves had made with the humans, Tharios didn’t really expect King Brassios to agree.
Though the king’s youngest daughter may have had a part in convincing him it was a good idea.
“Wouldn’t you feel the same way?” she whispers against his lips, this time in Elvish.
He sighs. Of course he would. But it doesn’t matter how either of them feels about the fact that someday he’ll grow old and die, and she’ll return to her people under the mountains. Find someone else to spend her immortal life with. It’s what they both agreed to when their binding contract was signed.
He rests his forehead against hers again. “Let’s focus on this day, all right? And perhaps...”
She pulls back and looks hopefully up at him, her blue eyes flitting back and forth between his own eyes. “Perhaps...?”
“Perhaps we could ask your father to reconsider.”
Her hope deflates, and she looks away. “He won’t.”
Tharios wraps his arm around her shoulders and tugs her to his side before resting his cheek on her hair again. “We have centuries to convince him if that’s really what you want. I just want you to be happy.”
For a few minutes, neither of them speaks. Eventually, Viala breaks the silence. “Do you think Elowyn and Cerian will be happy?”
Laughter flows from Tharios before he can help it. “I’m sure Elowyn will be. Cerian probably will be, eventually. If he ever stops glaring at his human princess long enough for her to see past his bluster. Shall we find our way to this wedding feast the humans have planned?”
“Only if you promise to try everything I put on your plate.” She sends an impish smile his way, her teasing eyes looking at him from beneath lowered lashes, and he leans in for another kiss.
“I’ll do anything within my power to keep that smile on your face, my love.” He steals one more quick kiss. “Anything that won’t earn me too much of your father’s ire.”
“Maybe we should see what he says after we give him a grandchild.”
Tharios stills before pulling back to look into Viala’s eyes, and she runs her finger along the clasps of his jacket before smiling up at him.
“You do need an heir, elf prince,” she says.
It’s something Father’s Council of Elders likes to bring up every time Tharios appears before them. Much to his consternation.
They both agreed they wanted to wait until Mother’s health returned, though.
Which should be soon.
His mouth ticks up, and he leans close to Viala’s ear. Her perfectly rounded ear. Will their elflings have ears like hers? Magic like his? “We could skip this feast. I wouldn’t complain.”
Viala laughs and wraps her arms around him. “I think our absence would be noticed. Besides, I want to see you try all the human foods.”
He grins and helps her to her feet before pressing his hand into the small of her back to close the distance between them. “Fine, but when this feast is over, you’re all mine.”
“I’m always yours, Tharios. I always will be.”
His heart warms at her words, and he kisses her one last time before taking her hand and leading her toward the doors at the back of the assembly room as they make their way to this human feast.
He’ll eat anything if Viala will keep looking at him like that.
Contents
From Here to There
Episode 22
