6
" Ramil sighed with relief when the talkative landlord finally decided to go, but he didn't get very far with his supper before Tashi swatted him in the stomach.
"Hot coals? Stringy hair?"
He laughed. "Shh! You know I was only saying what I had to say in front of him."
"But those words occurred to you--you must have thought them!"
Ramil scratched his head, knowing that he was probably damned whatever he said now.
"Well, your eyes can blaze when they're angry. I bet they're blazing now.
And compared to us, your hair is pale--not that it doesn't have a most wonderful color. Um . . . stringy--well, you had been in prison for a while."
"Ram!"
"But you always looked beautiful to me." He put his arm around her. "May I?"he asked.
She nodded, wondering what he was going to do.
He leant forward and sniffed. "Not a hint of brimstone. Just mud and horses."
"What!"
"But I like horses."
"Ram, if you were thinking of making more attempts at winning my affections, I don't think this is the recommended practice in any part of the known world."
"So I still have a chance?" He pulled her snugly against him so she fitted in the crook of his arm.
"Not like this you won't. And don't forget, we are supposed to be brother and sister."
"Ah yes." He dropped his arm. "What a shame "
― Julia Golding , Dragonfly (Dragonfly Trilogy, #1)
7
" At the very least, I hope it means I will get my Briony back again. I know, I'll hold a party for her--and take her on a pony ride--I think that will be quite in order, if I can be spared from my official duties for the afternoon."
"You're the King," Taris reminded him with a smile.
"But you're my conscience, Taris, you know that."
"Then your conscience says we should keep his highness's current location secret, but an announcement of his escape is most desirable. Therefore, a party is quite in order--if not essential--for the morale of the nation."
"Excellent. I really should promote you, old friend. Only trouble is, there's nowhere to go but down from your office."
"I am well aware of that, Your Majesty. "
― Julia Golding , Dragonfly (Dragonfly Trilogy, #1)
10
" We'll stick close together, but make no sign we are acquainted. The girls should go ahead so that they get through first. We'll follow close behind to be there for any trouble."
"Don't worry, my dears," said the professor gallantly, "I'll rescue you from any difficulties."
Yelena laughed and kissed the old man on the cheek. "Of course you will. I don't know why we bother with these other men, do you, Tashi?"
"But they are decorative, aren't they?" the Princess replied archly. It was fun to have a girl with whom she could gang up against the boys--she'd never had a friend like that before. "They give us something to look at on the boring stretches of the road." She let her eyes linger on Ramil, who appeared very warm all of a sudden.
Yelena swung herself into the saddle. "My, my, Princess, I didn't know you could flirt."
"I'm learning from a master--or should I say mistress--of that art," Tashi said with a bow. "
― Julia Golding , Dragonfly (Dragonfly Trilogy, #1)
15
" Ram, can't you see it doesn't matter anymore what I do, but you, you're still needed at home. You go. If my people are still there, tell them the truth. Let them rejoice that Fergox took me away before I could do any more damage to my country."
"No, I refuse that mission, Princess. See, you are still ordering me around like a ruler--it's in you, it's what you are meant to be, no matter what others are telling you. I've given my word that I'll only escape with you by my side. So forget about yourself for a moment: if you care anything about me, about the fate of my country and yours, you are coming with me or I don't go."
"But, Ram--"
"You've got my little horse still?"
She nodded.
"I believe that in the Islands it is understood that when you accepted it, you took responsibility for my soul. I'm holding you to that, Tashi. "
― Julia Golding , Dragonfly (Dragonfly Trilogy, #1)
16
" What do you want to know, my pretty?" Gordoc asked, his expression one of puzzlement. "Do you want me to scare Merl off--thump him for you? Just tell him your Uncle Gordoc will have words with him if he offends you."
"No, no, I don't mean that." Tashi smiled. "He's not insulted me--at least, not by Eastern standards, I suppose." She wrinkled her nose.
"What's he done?" growled Ramil.
"Well, first there's the gifts--flowers and jewelry, mainly. What should I say when he gives me things?"
"Thank you' usually does the trick," said Gordoc "
― Julia Golding , Dragonfly (Dragonfly Trilogy, #1)
17
" I take it, Professor, this is not only a social visit?" he asked, his voice almost normal.
"No, of course not. I've come to ask why on earth you haven't called on me before now?"
Ramil took a step back. "Er . . . well, we've been a bit busy, Professor."
"I can see that for myself. I had a terrible job getting here: they've ringed you off with troops five men deep. I had to crawl through the tunnels and some of them are in a disgusting state." Norling sniffed his robe with a doubtful look.
"But why you did not think to ask the resistance for aid is beyond me. We can be immensely helpful to you."
Ramil struck his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Stupid! I should have been drowned at birth," he muttered.
"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," said Norling generously. "I don't think it's too late. In fact, I'd say that you've managed very well without me. "
― Julia Golding , Dragonfly (Dragonfly Trilogy, #1)
19
" Tashi, look at me."
"I am."
"But I can't see you through that veil."
"Then you'll just have to trust me."
Ramil smiled. "I wanted to give you the flower just as a boy would give a girl a present--not because you are a princess, or an ally, or for any of those reasons. It came with no conditions, no schemes, except perhaps the hope that you might like me just a little better."
"Then I accept it and thank you." Tashi felt a burst of happiness. She'd got it al wrong: he did like her.
"So what's next?" asked Ramil, feeling very pleased with himself.
"How do you mean?"
"What should a boy do now?"
"On the Islands, you'd write a poem in praise of my eyebrow," Tashi said teasingly. "Around here, you'd kiss me." She spurred her pony forward, leaving him wondering. "
― Julia Golding , Dragonfly (Dragonfly Trilogy, #1)
20
" He looked for his tankard, then remembered he'd thrown it away. "Marl! Bring me more beer!"
The serving man appeared in the doorway, fumbling with his apron.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but His Majesty says you're to be sober for this evening. He asks your lordships to take the Prince to the royal baths and scrub some sense into him."
Yendral stood up. "Consider it done. Come on, let's get this pitiful prince of ours fit for his princess."
"Roll me in the mud. That's what Her Highness is used to," shouted Ramil as they dragged him down the corridor."To market, my sweet, to buy us a pig,home to our farm to make it grow big," he warbled.
"Can't you shut him up, Yendral?" implored Usk. "What if the Crescent people hear him?"
Lord Yendral took out a handkerchief and stuffed it in the royal mouth. "
― Julia Golding , Dragonfly (Dragonfly Trilogy, #1)
