Fade by Viola Grace Page B

around and around, an elaborate embroidered icon centred across her torso, and Amy knew that it was carefully calculated to sit just so. If they had started it in the wrong place, they would be undoing it now.
    All the maids in the room exhaled in relief. Even Teriki cracked a smile. “One more.”
    The wrapped parcel from Mistress Keeku’s shop was put in front of her, and Teriki opened it carefully. She lifted out the robe that was embroidered with the symbol of Lord Akutan’s household. The maids gasped and everyone handled it as if it was made of crystal.
    They took the greatest care to adjust the robe just so. When the robe was in place, Porali took down her hair and brushed it flat so that it hung straight down her back.
    Teriki smiled, “Lovely, mistress. You are lovely.”
    That one word gave her a clue. “I am getting married?”
    The maids laughed softly, and Teriki shook her head as she took Amy’s hand to lead her out of the changing room. “The people of Rai do not engage in premarital relations, so as Lord Akutan is insistent upon having you in his bed, he had to marry you. It is that simple.”
    “So today was…” she spoke softly. She could hear masculine voices ahead in an area she had not been allowed inside—the audience chamber.
    “Arranging the bride gifts and introducing you to your people. They all know you now, so they can ask you for assistance and you can ask them for their craft.”
    The doors to the audience chamber were open and the magistrate was inside speaking to Akutan.
    Teriki released her hand and rushed forward. Bowing low to the magistrate and drawing Akutan’s attention to the woman behind her.
    He gestured slightly, so Amy walked forward slowly, the outer robe dragging ten feet behind her and every inch covered in gold and black embroidery.
    The magistrate jerked in surprise at her entrance and backed up slowly so that she only needed to draw next to the Lord of Rai before he began to speak.
    His words were said in an ancient language that Amy didn’t know. Apparently, she didn’t need to know, because all the question and answer portions were addressed to Lord Akutan.
    He answered in low tones, and each time he did, he was required to sign a long document that the magistrate’s assistant held toward him.
    Finally, the magistrate asked Amy a question and Akutan translated it.
    “Say your full name, and then, say that I take Lord Akutan, Ruler of Rai, as my husband. I will stand at his side and defend our people.”
    Amy inhaled. It was now or never. “I, Amethyst Lenore Decker, take Lord Akutan, Ruler of Rai, as my husband. I will stand at his side and defend our people.”
    The assistant held out the document, and she signed her name with a flourish. It was the one piece of calligraphy she could manage.
    The magistrate inclined his head and spoke in that ancient language again. Akutan got angry and snapped at him, but the magistrate held his ground.
    “He wants to know what you offer as dowry.” Akutan gritted his teeth.
    Amy twitched her lips while she weighed her options. “I bring power to walk through objects. I bring skill to assemble machines made of any substance allowed by Rai. I bring Guardian registry to Rai, providing it more protection from those who would take advantage of the planet or people.”
    The magistrate’s assistant scribbled all of it down, and she signed it again.
    Akutan was smiling. His seal was put on the bottom of the agreement, and the magistrate and his assistant smiled in relief.
    She was taken in her husband’s arms and kissed carefully.
    “You look lovely, Amethyst.”
    She took in the extra care that had been taken with his appearance and the nine under wraps that he was wearing. His outer robe only hung to the ground but otherwise they were perfectly matched.
    “You look wonderful as well, Akutan.”
    “Call me Jivo. It is my given name, and now, you are able to use it.” He kissed her again. “Come now, we have a