Martians knew how to treat a guest, Daisy had to give them that. She met a Martian guard in the commons, dressed in black uniform. He escorted her to the landing pad, where a red ship waited. Her seat was comfortable, and they gave her a drink that tasted like pineapple with the consistency of a milkshake.
She felt only a little guilty she hadn't gone to class.
They blasted off and her heart leapt out of her chest. She felt numb, like she wasn't really going. Wasn't going to ask Matthew for help. Wasn't becoming the politician she dreaded.
Mars wasn't as red as she'd envisioned, more of an orange-ish brown. Judging from the red ship and red interior and red print on the screens, she guessed the color red was more of a trademark than a reality. Maybe that was the reason they didn't have gardens.
Everything there was stone, not that Neptune had them beat by much. It was a deep orange stone, like it had been baked by the sun.
A crowd had gathered on the landing pad, black with red markings, and applauded when she stepped onto the staircase to descend. She put on a wide smile and waved, walking carefully down the steps. This was different.
There was a red car at the end of the tarmac, and her guards ushered her towards it quickly, dispelling the crowd. People shouted at her, not all of it good.
"Will this be broadcast?" she asked one of the guards.
"No one knows you're here," the guard replied. Daisy twisted a strand of her hair around her finger as she climbed into the car. Her blue dress contrasted sharply with the red leather seat.
She didn't know whether to be concerned or reassured.
They drove through the capital city, and her driver seemed more of a tour guide than a military driver. "Kun City almost entirely populated by government workers," he said. "Most Martian citizens live outside the capital. Neptune just has the one city, doesn't it?"
"Yes," she replied, preoccupied.
He continued talking about the way the city was built, and Daisy tuned him out to think. Matthew hadn't met her at the landing pad. He was waiting for her to arrive. He wanted her to see the city. He wanted her to see the military. Dramatic.
The buildings were set close to each other, the streets thin. She noticed a strange darkness in the air, then realized the synthetic atmosphere was tinged with gray, like sunglasses. Red details were set everywhere, the numbers on houses, the street signs, the clothes, the glasses in restaurants, and streaks in the people's trademark thick black hair. The women all looked like Terra, and Daisy wondered if people thought the same about Neptunians. Both Celestials were pretty uniformed genetic-wise.
The palace came into view, directly ahead over the slight incline. The same red as the other buildings, it rose four times as high as any other. Carefully noting this, she realized there were no skyscrapers in Kun City. Nothing about this was a city.
The driver finished his speech. "Gem, huh?"
"Gem," she said blankly. "Where's Prince Solum?"
He frowned into his rearview mirror. "I've never met him. You're to meet one of his staff members where I'll drop you. From there, I don't know where you'll go. Probably tour the palace."
"I came here to meet Matthew Solum."
He slowly raised the divider between the front and back seats, eyeing her carefully until the gap closed.
She sighed and leaned her face against the window, her breath fogging the glass. In another five minutes, they pulled to the front of the palace and a guard opened her door. She stepped out as a tall woman with long, black hair approached her. "Welcome, Princess Edelweiss."
Daisy put on a smile and curtsied. "I'm glad to be here. When do I meet with Prince Solum?"
The woman turned on her heel. "Follow me, Your Highness."
She hesitated. 'Your Highness' hadn't been used for Celestial royalty in...ever. That was old royal tradition. Did the Solulms...expect it?
"Just 'Princess Edelweiss,' please," she said.
"Of course, Princess," the woman led her toward the gaping front doors, carved with spaceships and stars and buildings that seemed to tell the Martian story. "My name is Esmeralda Opally, and I'll be your assistant while you're here. Alum will be your guard."
The man who'd opened her door nodded and stood at attention. "Thank you," said Daisy, and let Esmeralda take her through the palace.
Everything was the same orange-ish stone, and red flowers were everywhere. Walking through the foyer, an attendant handed her three red roses and gave Alum a garment bag. "Your dress, Princess."
"Dress?"
"Traditional Martian diplomatic negotiation dress," said Esmeralda.
She led her up a long staircase that wound through three separate sitting rooms. Daisy peered over the railing at the height, marvelling that it all was solid stone, not a seam in sight. The stone floors were carpeted with red and black.
"Your meeting with Prince Solum will take place tomorrow. Tonight, you'll attend dinner with the prince," she said, as a girl came around the corner in a wheelchair.
"I...won't be meeting the king and queen?" she asked.
The girl in the wheelchair stopped dead in front of her, making Daisy stumble backwards. "Hi," she said. "Your Princess Edelweiss, right?"
Daisy frantically scanned her memory for who this was. Martian royal family? She couldn't remember. "Yes."
"Amethyst Solum," the girl said, extending a hand for her to shake. "You've come to meet my brother, I assume?"
"Yes." She brushed her hair out of her face and noticed Esmeralda had crossed her arms.
"He's a snake," she said.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
Daisy was at a loss for words. "It's diplomatic."
"Is that what my sister taught you?" asked Amethyst, nudging her arm. "Well, we told her she should've been a doctor. Have a nice time here, I don't, but I'm sure you will."
"You're Terra's little sister?" said Daisy, finally putting it together. "She's mentioned you before."
"She best have."
"You look alike."
"Even more in person," Amethyst said. "You'll see tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow night?" Daisy scratched the back of her neck.
"State dinner," Esmeralda interjected. "Amethyst, our guest has things to do. Leave us be."
"Leave us be, Amethyst," said Amethyst, winking at her. "Don't bother us with your conversation. Heavens."
She rolled away, and Daisy followed Esmeralda up the staircase. The doors were, thankfully, wooden, and she pushed hers open to find a trademark red-decorated bedroom. "Beautiful," she said.
"One of nearly fifty," said Esmeralda. "We will leave you now to prepare for dinner."
Daisy watched them leave the room in awkward silence. It was three o'clock. Two and a half hours until dinner. What was she supposed to prepare for?
She sat down at the vanity and started to pin up her hair, thinking and finding she couldn't. For the first time, it hit her that she'd been waiting all this time for something to happen. Waiting for a chance to change something. Here was the last stretch.
There was no screen, no magazines. There were book on the bookshelves, history and a couple classics she'd already read. Waiting, she doodled on paper and looked at her dress, trying to figure out what part of it was traditional. It just looked like a red dress.
When five-thirty rolled around, she slipped into the dress and put on the black shoes that had come with it, taking several deep breaths to calm her nerves. The guard outside her door escorted her to the dining room. The walk was longer than she would have expected.
The dining room was as red as everything else, and Daisy wondered if she would leave tinted red. The guard helped her into her chair and bowed. "Prince Solum will be here momentarily."
Daisy nodded and thanked him, eyeing the chocolate dessert on the table before her. She was hungry. Then she was left in silence, wishing there were windows to see outside instead of Martian historical tapestries. The room felt heavy.
The door at the end of the room opened, opposite her, and she stood as Matthew entered. "Good evening," he said, walking quickly to her. He shook her hand and gestured for her to sit.
"Thank you for meeting with me," she said. "And for your hospitality."
"It's my pleasure," said Matthew. "It's not often we have the pleasure of hosting royalty."
Something in his expression changed, and he recovered just as quickly. Attendants entered, carrying trays and pouring their drinks.
"How has school been, Princess Edelweiss?" he asked.
"As school usually is," she replied with a smile. "Quite tedious and never-ending." He didn't laugh, as she expected him to. The air was thick. "And how have you been?"
"Quite well."
She couldn't remember what kind of "quite" Martians used, so cleared her throat. "I'd like to discuss our partnership now, if that's alright."
"Yes, let us," he said. "I assume you've been planning your terms and conditions."
"Yes," she said. "I would like my family to maintain its royal status. And for Neptune to retain its status as its own Celestial."
"Of course," he said. "Now, you said you were approached by the Silver Fire?"
"Yes," she said. "They asked me to consider joining. I'm sure they can help me, but not as much as you would be able to. I would also like to keep finances separate, with conditions of assistance from both parties when needed."
"What did Edmund Seele ask of you?" asked Matthew.
"If I would be willing to consider joining."
"He didn't offer any other information?"
She tested the soup they'd brought, the hot broth sliding down her throat. The flavor was sharp and poignant. "Nothing secretive," she said. "He mentioned I would be told more once I joined- my parents have already aligned with them."
Her skin prickled as he watched her lift her glass to her lips and gulp thickly. "I only said I would consider it. I didn't tell him Mars was my first priority."
His eyes darted to the door as she heard it open, more attendants bringing food. "Good."
One of the attendants was dressed differently from the rest, in all black like Matthew. Guessing he was an adviser, Daisy inclined her head respectfully as he stood between them. "Prince Solum, we've received news."
Wasn't that...normal? To receive news?
"Of course," said Matthew, standing. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, Princess Edelweiss."
She was left alone with five attendants and took the opportunity to eat quickly, shoveling copious amounts of noodles into her mouth. The conversation had been too heavy for her to take advantage of the spread they'd laid before them. Gosh, Terra never talked about Mars in a good way, but did she remember the food?
As she slurped a noodle, Matthew reentered and she quickly swallowed, licking her lips and facing away from him. He didn't take his seat. "I'm sorry, Princess Edelweiss, I have some matters to attend to. Esmeralda will see you back to your room when you're finished."
Her mouth dropped slightly open, surprised. "May I inquire about this emergency?"
He was already opening one of the room's panels she didn't know existed. He inhaled, stopping his breath. "No." Then he vanished into the wall.
She couldn't help think it was a little melodramatic.
Esmeralda nodded at her and gestured for her to keep eating. After a few half-hearted bites of beef, the door she'd originally come through opened. Amethyst wheeled herself inside, eyes widening at the sight of the table, or the sight of Daisy alone. Daisy couldn't tell which.
"My brother go off to start a war?" Amethyst pushed aside Matthew's chair and ate a piece of chicken.
"Um..."
"Probably."
"Oh."
"How was dinner?"
"Quite good." She drank a sip of sparkling cider.
Amethyst chewed her chicken slowly. "Is that white wine?"
"What? No." Daisy blushed. "I'm only eighteen."
"The drinking age is fifteen on Jupiter," said Amethyst. "I thought it might be different on Neptune too. Funny- my brother's too young to drink too."
Daisy found herself compulsively sipping water, noticing how tense Esmeralda had become. But she wasn't stopping Amethyst.
"Little politicians. Like "The Little Senator" but oh, so much bigger," she said, winking. Daisy set down her glass.
"You don't like your brother?" she asked.
"He's a snake, I told you," said Amethyst. "Don't trust him. My sister will tell you the same tomorrow."
"The same tomorrow?"
"State dinner. Terra's coming."
Oh. Daisy hadn't even thought of it. However, she was sure Matthew had.
Amethyst gathered food from the various bowls and plates and set her own plate on her lap. "Well, nice chatting with you, Miss Edelweiss. I'm sorry Matt left you to dine alone- he's pretty much the worst. I don't know how things are in royal relations, but he's probably the worst of the princes to hang out with. The missing Prince Atlantic seems like quite the heartthrob."
Daisy's heart skipped a beat. "What?"
"Just got word. I'd turn on the Lunar Broadcasting Service when you get back to your room," Amethyst gave her a wink before pushing open the door and leaving. No guards moved to escort her out.
Daisy set her napkin on the table and stood, looking to Esmeralda. "I'd like to return to my room now, please."
"Of course, Your Highness."
"Can I ask that a tablet be brought to my room?"
Esmeralda hesitated as the guards opened the doors. "Yes, Your Highness."
Daisy set the pace, walking quickly, and paced the room until the tablet was brought. She pulled up the LBS screen. A small gasp escaped her.
Artemisia's picture, next to James'. Hers was obviously from her Neptunian school, and she was beaming, unlike her. And a photo of James, taken in a studio with perfect lighting. Also completely unlike him.
The headline ran above their smiling faces, unrecognizable faces. MISSING: PRINCE CURRENT ATLANTIC AND SILVER FIRE COLUMNIST MCCOURT.
Daisy scanned the article, finding it held no more information.
But she knew better.
Artemisia had come to her, and she'd thought it was Artemisia being Artemisia, pulling her into the unknown and political. She'd shaken her off and pretended Artemisia wasn't serious, wasn't a real, honest ally.
But she knew better.
Apparently, so had James.
When the ship landed, Terra didn't want to get off, completely content to sit here in her harness holding Ian's hand for the rest of her life. But he let go and released his harness, offering her and hand up and escorting her out into the atmosphere she'd hoped not to breathe for a while. Her eyes felt heavy until she spotted Amethyst out on the landing pad, wheeling herself through a crowd of reporters with gusto. "Terra!"
Terra smiled and raced down the stairs, dragging Ian with her. She caught Amethyst up in a hug and stepped back, breathing slowly. "Amethyst, this is Ian Khione. He's..."
"I'm her guard, though I'm sure she'd be perfectly fine without me," he said, shaking Amethyst's hand.
Amethyst yanked his arm down and slipped an arm around his shoulders. He hugged her, glancing at Terra with a grin.
"I know who you are," said Amethyst. "You're her squeeze."
"Amethyst!"
Ian smiled. "Sounds about right."
Terra nudged him with her elbow. "Ready to deflect questions and pretend we don't know what they're talking about?"
Amethyst nodded. "That's my hobby. Step aside."
They followed her through the crowd, Ian at her side, face set as she'd seen it while he was working. The reporters threw questions at them, most of which Amethyst caught.
Reporter: "Are you together?"
Amethyst: "Yes, she's here, thank goodness. I'm so happy I'm with my lovely sister again."
Reporter: "Any plans for the future?"
Amethyst: "Yes, dinner with aristocrats and stuffy politicians. What are you doing tonight, ma'am?"
Reporter: "Anything to say about your missing student?"
Amethyst: (in shock) Why would you bring that up? Sensitive subject, tsk, tsk.
Terra pretended she didn't hear a thing and responded to a few questions with yes or no or that's in the future and smiled whenever Ian's arm brushed hers. Amethyst pulled them both into the car she had come in, waving away the car that was meant to pick up Terra. "It's been too long," she said once the doors closed.
"I've missed you," said Terra, squeezing her tight. "I wish I could take you with me."
"Just two more years..." said Amethyst. "If I get that far. Right now, Matthew seems to think I've evaporated. Didn't even invite me to dinner last night."
"Dinner with who?" Terra adjusted her collar and checked her reflection in the window.
"Princess Edelweiss," said Amethyst. "I sure didn't miss out- she has the personality of mashed potatoes."
Ian's eyebrows flew upwards as Terra turned to face her. "Daisy Edelweiss is here?"
"Unfortunately."
"That's unexpected," said Ian softly. "She's...talking to your brother?"
"Yes, unfortunately."
Terra shook her head. "Daisy wouldn't do that- she doesn't take charge."
Amethyst scratched behind her ear and rolled down the window. "There's a bit of a breeze when we drive- like on Earth, right?"
"Right," said Ian. "It gets really windy sometimes."
"Daisy wouldn't do that," Terra said again. "Are you sure she's not here for...something else?"
"Oh, she's done it," said Amethyst. "I'd talk to her tonight at the state dinner if you don't want her moving into the palace."
"What does that mean?" Terra's eyes widened as her stomach shrank.
Amethyst rolled her eyes. "They're forming an alliance, and I don't know the details, so don't ask."
Terra sat back against the seat with a huff. "I can't believe she didn't tell me."
"She's not excused from class?"
"I'm the one excused from class," she said. "I didn't think two students would consider themselves excused from class as well."
Ian flipped the light on the ceiling on and off. "James is fine- we know that. And you know Daisy- she wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize Neptune's future."
"You're right," said Terra.
"For Terra," mumbled Amethyst.
"He's right about Daisy," Terra repeated, eyeing her sister. "The problem is, Daisy doesn't know when she's being cheated. Matthew can play her like a fiddle."
They pulled into the palace driveway, coming to a stop in front of her parents, eight or nine attendants, and Matthew. She smoothed her dress and looked to Ian, who smirked. "Can't be that bad."
"Don't curse me," she said, and stepped out of the car to a sour round of applause. Amethyst followed, nearly running into her. "Good morning," she said, wishing to be anywhere but here.
"Terra, my lovely daughter!" said her mother, approaching her. "And...Prince Khione. Pleasure to meet you."
"That's captain, actually," said Amethyst.
"We've missed you," said her father. Neither embraced her.
She walked through the crowd of attendants.
"Welcome, Your Highness."
They all greeted her in unison, and Ezzy stepped in front of her. "I'll show you to your rooms," she said, face serious and eyes bright. Terra allowed herself a small smile as the doors shut behind them and Amethyst breathed a sigh of relief.
"I hate that part," she said, pulling on Terra's sleeve. "Matt didn't even say anything- I think he's mad Ian's here."
Terra eyed Ian and Ezzy cleared her throat. "Glad you're back."
Terra hugged her old friend. "I haven't seen you in way too long."
"It's tedious without you," said Ezzy. "You should hear the cabinet meetings."
"I can only imagine," said Terra with a smile as they climbed the stairs. A guard nodded his welcome. "Has it turned into a complete dictatorship? Do my parents bother to show up anymore?"
Ezzy laughed bitterly. "They do...sometimes. Matt's always there. And if he's there, I'm there."
"You've been promoted?" said Terra.
"Sadly, yes," said Ezzy.
"Wasn't that much of surprise," said Amethyst. "Matt gets far nicer when she's around. We're not sure if it's due to the long, curly, shiny dark hair or the big brown eyes."
Ezzy rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I'm watching out. He hasn't attempted anything too far out of line. Though I suspect his letters to you aren't exactly cordial." She stopped in front of a bedroom down the hallway from Terra's. "Here's your room, Captain Khione."
"Thank you," he said, taking the key she offered.
"Attach that to your ID," said Ezzy. "And, try to stay there. Don't wander down the hallway."
He slipped the key onto his ID. "Understood. Thank you." Terra nudged him with her elbow.
"Would you like to go to your room for awhile, Your Highnesses?" asked Ezzy, nose in the air.
"That's how she talks to Matthew," said Amethyst.
Terra laughed. "I wish to walk in the gardens, Miss Esmeralda Opally. Please, lead the way." She stuck her nose in the air too.
"You have gardens on Mars?" said Ian.
"Yes," said Terra. "No gardens on Mercury?"
He shook his head. "Eternal Winter Act."
"That's a terrible name for a legal order," said Amethyst, heading for the elevator.
He laughed. "It really is. My great-great-grandfather instituted it to rally Mercurian pride. There's not a speck of green on the planet."
Terra looped her arm through his as they stepped onto the elevator and pushed the button for ground-level. Ezzy waved and set off the way they'd come. "I've got more work to attend to. You'll be alright alone?"
"Thanks, Ezzy," said Terra. She adjusted her uncomfortable collar as the elevator slid downwards.
"Old friend?" said Ian.
"She was my lady-in-waiting when I was about ten," said Terra, rolling her eyes. "When I went to UAA, I got my parents to hire her as an assistant. She's crazy smart."
"She's smarter than Matt," said Amethyst, staring out the window as the ground crept closer and closer. Terra had forgotten how slow the elevators were. "That's probably why they let Matt do what he does. He checks everything with Ezzy. She vetoes anything she doesn't like, a.k.a. what any regular person would see as wrong."
"But she didn't veto Daisy Edelweiss coming here?" said Ian, as the doors spit them into the gardens.
Amethyst rolled onto the cobblestones. "I think Matt might know this is bad. She said he didn't tell her until her ship had landed."
Terra slipped her hand into Ian's. "That's a bad sign."
James hadn't thought he would ever be friends with Artemisia McCourt. Now, he was sure he would never be friends with her. She was like Daisy, silent most of the time, and they looked a lot alike. But Daisy's silence made him wonder what she was thinking so much about. Artemisia's silence made him uneasy, like maybe he should keep that trash can lid in arm's reach, just in case.
Also, she'd somehow gotten him to go with her. She sure wasn't bad to talk to, or that mean, but she'd managed to convince him to board a ship full of revolutionaries. Terra Solum couldn't convince him the Silver Fire was a legitimate organization with hours of class time and articles and essays. Artemisia McCourt had woken him up in the middle of the night and he figured if he was ever going to change anything, now was the time. She hadn't even persuaded him. He just...followed her.
They were given gray jumpsuits, with tags for their names. He had a tiny Jupiterian insignia next to the ATLANTIC badge. He discovered everyone had their home Celestial next to their name, that it wasn't unique to him. In fact, he wasn't unique at all here. And he liked it.
He'd been on a Civiler before- they had one on Jupiter. Apparently, this was the other lost one. The ships were larger than he could comprehend, not that he had any time to do so. After a quick tour of the dormitories and facilities, Professor Greenhue put him to work.
"You're the first member of a royal family to board this ship," he said.
"Is that an achievement?" asked James, and the professor laughed.
"I'd call it that," he said. He left him with Nate and told him to learn it all.
Nate rhymed everything. It was helpful when James was trying to remember how to fix things, and what parts were which, and annoying the rest of the time. Nate also helped him learn what exactly he was doing here, on a ship, in space, with a bunch of intellectually-capable revolutionaries. And they'd made it pretty clear from the beginning that he was a revolutionary in name only.
"Professor Greenhue is an old blue," said Nate. "Senator from Neptune, forever ago."
"Good to know," said James, tightening a bolt and rubbing the grease off his forehead.
"Like Artemisia McCourt," he said.
"She wasn't ever elected," said James.
"She was going to be," Nate said, putting the part James had installed at another angle. "I've got a bit of a fancy for her."
"A fancy?" James rubbed at his forehead again, feeling the grime smear across his temple.
"If you could help me out, that would be great."
"I don't know her that well," said James. "But I'll mention you when I talk to her again."
And he had to talk to her a lot. He called into a meeting with a bunch of people everyday- what they called the "Blue Council." He wasn't supposed to do anything- just sit and listen. Usually, he was kicked out with Artemisia before the end of the meeting. The council discussed even more secretive things than James could hear, which surprised him.
The first day this happened, Artemisia huffed. "Not allowed in? We're supposed to have highest clearance."
"We...kind of do," he said. "Maybe this is really sensitive information."
"I'm not going to tell," she retorted. "Let's study."
They'd given them books of regulations and rules to study, and they were in charge of looking for ways around laws. From what James could tell, most of what they did was already against the law. Artemisia found loopholes all the time, and wrote briefs like her back was to the wall. James was good at looking for typos.
Now he was just waiting.
Daisy read the letter over again, making sure she'd got everything right. State dinner. Martian politicians. Matthew would not be in attendance. Here was her dress- blue, like at home. They wanted her to look Neptunian. She shook her head and adjusted her collar, annoyed they'd made it so tight.
A knock came at her door. "Come in-" she began when Terra's little sister burst in, the guard outside holding the door like he'd tried to stop her.
"Hi," said Amethyst. "Nice to see you again."
Daisy fixed a pin in her hair. "Hi."
"What did you tell my brother?"
Daisy shared a panicked glance with the guard, who promptly shut the door, leaving her to her own defenses. "Nothing," she said.
"He's not sleeping," said Amethyst. "He's on something big right now, which means bad things. What does he know?"
"I talked to him about my options," she said, spraying perfume. Amethyst made a face as the mist spread over her.
"What is that?"
"Daisy," said Daisy.
"Did you talk to him about the Silver thing my sister is a part of?" asked Amethyst.
Daisy pursed her lips. "Terra is in the Silver Fire?"
"And her boyfriend," said Amethyst. "I'm pretty Matt is about to declare war on an interest group. What did you tell him?"
"I don't know anything," she said. "It's my parents that are involved, not me." She put her hands in the air as Amethyst's mouth dropped.
"You really don't know anything," she said quietly. "You told him that?"
"About my parents?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
"He's gonna go after them," said Amethyst. "And Neptune."
"He's aligning with me," said Daisy. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."
Amethyst headed for the door, knocking for the guard to open it. "Nice talking to you, friend."
She was gone as fast as she'd come.
Terra fixed the straps on her heels and ran out the door, running into Ian. He jumped in surprise. "I was expecting an attack from the front," he said, smiling and kissing her.
She pushed him off reluctantly. "Act professional- There's a camera in every corner."
"Who would care? Everyone knows," he said. He certainly looked professional, in military uniform with his hair neater than usual. Taking his hand, she set off for the dining hall. The corridors were void of people in this area of the palace, reserved for the royal family.
"Does everybody know?" she asked.
"I think so," he said. "It's been in the news, and your parents aren't completely cut off from the world."
"Matthew is probably plotting to break us up," she said. "Then he can continue with his other plans."
"And if you get married?" Ian said, a little quieter, stopping. The light from the window fell across her face, darkening his features.
"I don't know what happens," she said, catching his hint of a smile.
"Would you want to get married?"
She pushed him gently towards the cubby in the wall. "Do you want to get married?" she whispered.
"Yes," he said, eyes fixed on hers. "I can see myself spending the rest of my life with you."
She grinned and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer. "Wasn't expecting that."
His hands were on her back and neck, and he tilted her head up to look at him. "So, is that a yes?"
She kissed him. "That's a yes."
He kissed her again. "I love you."
"If you love me, you'll get me out of this dinner," she said, beaming and pulling him out of the alcove with her. She felt light.
He laughed and followed her again, a little faster when she saw the time. They were entering the dining hall as Chancellor Steele was mounting the podium to speak. She took her seat next to Amethyst and noticed Matthew hadn't arrived yet. She switched his place card with Ian's and motioned for him to sit next to her.
The room was full of politicians and members of the upper-class. The royal table faced them all, and Terra could feel eyes drawn to her and Ian. A glance at him showed he was quite capable of unwanted attention- something she'd already known. He was listening intently to Chancellor Steele, as though his life revolved around Martian architecture preferences.
Amethyst leaned in close, smelling like something familiar. "I've got urgent news," she said. "Silver Linings stuff."
"You mean Silver Fire?" Terra whispered softly.
"Yeah, that," she said. "That and Daisy Edelweiss. I stopped by while she was getting ready and...learned a lot."
"Does it have to do with Matt's empty seat?" asked Terra, scanning the room for Daisy. She was three tables back and to the left, looking like a deer in the headlights.
Amethyst nodded, then fixed her attention back on the chancellor.
Terra looked at Ian, whose concern was evident through his false focus. "Matthew knows something about the Silver Fire," she whispered.
"What?" he asked.
"Amethyst knows," she said. "She's going to tell us later."
Chancellor Steele finished his speech to applause. "Enjoy dinner!" he said with gusto, bowing and stepping down.
The room filled with conversation and Amethyst turned to Terra and Ian, leaning over as far as she could. "Daisy told Matt her parents were involved in the Silver Fire. That they joined. She's planning on aligning with him."
Terra grew suddenly cold. "He knows?"
"He knows- I think he's planning an attack," she said, whispering.
"He doesn't have that authority," said Ian. "What about your parents?" He glanced over at her parents, her mother laughing and her father silent as usual.
"They'd have to give him permission," said Terra. "Unless we proceed as planned, and join the Silver Fire. That represents me giving up my title and-"
"Matthew has heir status," said Amethyst, eyebrows furrowing. She stabbed a piece of beef and chewed slowly, looking out over the sea of faces. "He can legally move military forces."
"He can call it as defense of Celestial," said Ian, growing slightly pale. "The UA will have difficulty protecting an interest group."
"Especially one they don't like," said Terra.
Amethyst swallowed loudly. "You can't join."
"I have to join- or this situation is perpetual," she said. "James Atlantic joined. People are on the move. I can't turn back now."
"Seele will understand. Greenhue would encourage you to stay," said Ian. He grabbed her hand under the tablecloth.
"I can annul his heir status," said Terra. "If I do that, he can't move his military, and I can go with you."
Amethyst spit water on her lap, choking in surprise. "You'd have to be queen..."
"I can be queen," said Terra. "I can be queen for an hour, annul his status, and leaving for the Silver Fire ship."
"You have to be married to be queen," said Amethyst. "Or king. Why do you think Matt brought Daisy here as soon as he heard you might be joining?"
Terra put her head in her hands, feeling sick. "I didn't even think of that."
"Daisy or you being married?" asked Amethyst.
"Daisy," she said. "I was already..." She paused, looking carefully at Ian. He winked.
Amethyst picked up on their exchange. She punched Terra in the arm. "Why. Didn't. You. Tell. Me.?"
Terra chuckled softly. "It's recent. Don't tell anybody."
"Who would I tell?"
Terra watched Ian fixing her eyes steadily on his. "We're set to go on Saturday?" she asked.
"Saturday at midnight," he said.
She squeezed his hand. "How's Saturday for a wedding day?"
His eyes grew wider. "This...Saturday."
"An hour to annul Matt's status and get on board the Silver Fire. I have to be pronounced dead to not be queen. My parents would act in my stead, and they're safe for the meantime." She picked at her food. "It's quicker than I'd like it to be."
He chuckled. "It's fine with me. More time with you."
"And it all works out," said Amethyst. She went back to her food in silence.
"You're coming too," said Terra, rolling her eyes. "We wouldn't leave you behind."
She smiled. "You'd better call your Silvery friends and tell them you're getting married."
Terra looked to Ian. "Can I leave that up to you?"
"We'll announce it tonight," he said, standing and reaching in his pocket for his communicator. "And-Terra?"
He reached for her hand and brushed his thumb across her knuckles. "I do have a ring, it's just...on Earth."
She stood and kissed him on the cheek, feeling eyes turn to them.