Tora's beauty was grand enough to draw even Jasmine under its spell. She had felt, after everything that had happened in the Shadowlands, that she deserved some peace. Once thoroughly charmed by the city, it was easy to compare it to Del's relative drabness: The Toran room that she slept in was spacious, with windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, and looked down upon a small wood below; her room in the palace in Del was always dark and too high up to give her much of a view. The fruit that she ate every morning at dawn was sweet and crisp, and stained her lips red; the people of Del ate meat at almost every meal. The long robes that she wore were soft and smelled of flowers; the stink of sweat never seemed to come out of her clothing at home.
After their first week in Tora, she had told Doom of her comparisons, and he had laughed, though not unkindly.
"That is the magic of this place," he told her with only the smallest trace of bitterness. "Take pleasure in it for now, but do not forget that you would not have such thoughts outside of the city."
"I know how to tell what is real, and what is not," she had snapped reflexively.
Doom's lips parted and his face had appeared uncharacteristically stricken. She had frowned, and was about to ask him what was wrong, when she realized the weight of her own words.
"I do," she insisted with a stubborn tilt of her chin.
"I know," he had promised in a low voice. They had not spoken of the incident in the months that had since passed.
Afterwards, however, she began to notice how the light in the room often woke her before she was ready; how the food was too rich; how the flowing robes would slow her if she tried to run. And she missed Lief and Barda. Their presence had become a constant in her life, they were her family, and parting from them felt wrong. They had come for Marilen and Ranesh's wedding the previous month, but had stayed only briefly. She spent much of her time with Doom, but he was often occupied with formally recording the research he had done on Adin's line for the Toran archives. He was often eagerly assisted by Ranesh, who found it all fascinating, somehow. But she was not at all lonely, and for that she could thank the one person who shone brighter than any of the shining marble towers.
Everybody adored Marilen. And how could they not? She was clever and kind and the sound of her laughter was infectious. Jasmine had been uncertain if the other woman would like her, but becoming her friend had been as easy as tree-climbing. They amused themselves with playing games and telling stories and taking long walks through Tora's lush gardens.
One early morning, Marilen had surprised Jasmine at her bedroom door with a basket filled with apples, fresh bread, and the light honey cakes she knew Jasmine loved.
"Come with me," she said merrily. "We will take our breakfast in the garden."
An interesting thing about people, Jasmine had discovered, was that they would often do things not because they had to, but simply because they wanted to. So she agreed, and left Filli and Kree to doze.
Marilen had come prepared. She led Jasmine to a garden tangled with bright flowers of all sizes and shapes, and laid out a fine sheet for them to sit on. Jasmine, accustomed though she was to feeling the ground underneath her body, was touched by the gesture. They chatted aimlessly as the day brightened, until Marilen suddenly placed a hand on Jasmine's knee.
"I'm so happy that you are here," she said with a sweet smile. "I already know how hard it will be when you leave."
Jasmine laughed through a mouthful of cake. "Do not fear. We do not intend to return to Del for some time."
"I must visit when you do. And I know Ranesh misses Josef."
Jasmine leaned back on her hands and watched the wind rustle through the leaves that canopied above them. "But do you wish to go back to Del so soon? I would have thought you would be pleased to be here, and free from duty."
"My duty follows me where ever I go," Marilen said dryly. "I was relieved when Lief returned from the Shadowlands. Of course, because it meant he was safe, but also because ruling Deltora would not fall to me. Being Lief's heir is my duty, and I will not step away from it, until he has children. But I have no wish to rule."
Jasmine shook her head. "I think you would make a very great queen."
Marilen smiled thoughtfully. "As will you, I believe."
Jasmine's heart leapt into her throat and she looked at her hands so that her friend would not see the flush of her cheeks. The words Lief had said upon their return from the Shadowlands echoed in her mind. They often did, as they were carved into her heart. But marrying Lief was one thing, becoming Deltora's queen was quite another.
"Oh, do not be ashamed," Marilen laughed gently, and took Jasmine's hand, mistaking her silence for embarrassment. Marilen's fingers were longer than hers, and her skin was soft against Jasmine's calloused palms. "Lief is a very lucky man, indeed. Being in love is a beautiful thing; I am glad to know it. I had never felt it before I went to your city."
Your city. Not long ago, Jasmine would have rejected claiming Del as her own. But now she had welcomed it, as it had welcomed Marilen. Somewhere, sometime, she had begun to think of it as her home.
Jasmine trailed her fingers across the sheet. "If my parents had done as they had planned, Tora would have been my city, too."
Marilen turned ever so slightly so that she faced the city centre, where the oath stone lay. The breeze stirred her dark hair. "It is strange, is it not? How tied to each other we all are. It seems like fate, to me."
It was a pleasant thought. So many awful things had transpired among their friends and families, but the thought of them all being connected to each other was comforting. Marilen seemed to nearly read her mind.
"I am pleased to be tied to this family, though," Marilen continued. "Sharn was worried for me, I think. I do not know that I have met anyone else who cares so deeply about those she loves. She approves, of course, but at first she seemed think Ranesh and I were moving too fast. She came around quickly, but her hesitance seemed odd to me. She and Endon had an arranged marriage, and I hear that they loved each other very much."
Jasmine thought of the locket Sharn kept, with Endon's handsome face. She did not believe that Sharn feared Marilen did not know what she wanted; or doubted her strength. What she likely feared was that Marilen did not know what she had to lose. "What do you think?"
Marilen tilted her chin up with self-taught defiance. "I spent nearly seventeen years in a haze. Now that I am free, I will make the most of my life. Damn the consequences."
From Marilen's appearance and mannerisms, it was so easy to forget that she was really more than twice Jasmine's age. She did know what she had to lose, and yet she made gambles anyway. Jasmine grinned in delight at her friend's ferocity. She recalled, then, a blurry memory of a sunny day in the Forests. Her mother had said something that had made her father laugh, and he had pulled her close and kissed her mouth. She pictured Lief's eager smile, and the look on his face when ever he watched her speak. Marilen was right: love was beautiful, even when it hurt.
"So, you would say," Jasmine began awkwardly. "If you love someone, you should act upon it, even if it means taking a risk?"
"Yes," Marilen said gently. "And I do mean it, Jasmine. You are clever, brave, and just. Deltora will flourish when you are its queen."
Jasmine met Marilen's gaze with solemn eyes. "Thank you," she said heavily. "When we first restored the Belt, I was mistaken for the heir. I felt as if I would rather die than be queen. But that is no longer what I think. You speak of duty, and I understand. It will be mine, when I am ready."
"I have no doubts," Marilen's smile returned. "And nor should you."
Jasmine looked at her friend's trusting face, and felt so much lighter. She tossed her hair, embarrassed that she had been so open with her feelings. "Forget all this talk of duty. We have the rest of our lives for that. I am happy for now to enjoy the sun on my face, and your company."
Marilen moved closer, so that their shoulders bumped against each other. "That sounds wonderful, to me."
Okay, this is plotless and disjointed, but I really, really just wanted to make them talk. I love all the women in this series so much. Many high fantasy writers tend to shove their female characters into specific, stifling tropes, and they need to take a page from Rodda.