Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce owns all of these characters; I do not.
Thayet of Conté's beautiful long black hair was swept up in a bun. Her sparkling hazel eyes were accented by the beautiful color of her dress; a pale green gown with long sleeves and a flowing skirt.
Her shoes were equally amazing; and indeed, as she stepped down, all the men stared. She looked down; she could never get over these sorts of moments.
Her husband, King Jonathan of Conté, took her arm, smiling, and swept her into a kiss. She pulled away. She didn't like Jon being so possessive, silently telling all the other men that she was his wife.
New nobles were coming. Jon nodded apologetically to his wife, and left to greet them. Thayet looked anxiously around the large, crowded room for someone that she considered a real friend.
She saw Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak sitting glumly on a chair. She walked over to him, concerned.
"What's the matter?" she asked him, worried. He didn't answer. "Please tell me," she chided.
He sighed. "Thayet, it's nothing. Don't let me ruin the night for you. It's your annual ball to celebrate your marriage with Jon. I don't deserve to spoil this."
Thayet shook her head. "If you don't tell me, then that will spoil the night. Jon and I don't want one of our best friends to be unhappy on this happy day." She glanced around, a thought coming to mind. "Where's Buri?"
Raoul looked at his hands, not responding.
Thayet raised his chin with her hand. "Raoul, please tell me."
He looked at her, his eyes full of fear. "She's pregnant."
"Buri?" Thayet gasped. Raoul looked down again. Thayet stared in disbelief, then laughed merrily. "That's great, though. She does want to be a mother! This is perfect!"
Raoul bit his lip. "I'm not ready to be a father, though," he said softly. "I love Buri, don't get me wrong," he told Thayet, seeing the queen's eyebrows raise. "It just seems too late for me to learn how to be a father."
Thayet smiled at him. "It's a blessing to have a child, Raoul. You're nervous, but it's not something to fear or be angry about. And you'll learn how to be a parent. You'll be a great father."
Raoul stood up. "Thayet," he told her, grasping her shoulders with his large hands, "I don't know if Buri's going to live through this pregnancy. I don't know what my life will be like without her." He looked his friend in the eyes. "Thayet, you're her best friend. Don't you fear losing her?" His voice was desperate.
Thayet shook her head. "Buri isn't going to die," she told him firmly. "She's in great physical shape. She'll live though it, and so will the child."
Raoul raised his eyebrows. "I don't care about the child, Thayet," he said icily. "I care about my wife." He wasn't going to say any more, Thayet realized.
"I have to go greet some more guests," she told him hurriedly. He nodded, and sat back down, staring at his wife, talking amiably with Duke Baird of Queenscove.
Thayet stole a glance back at Raoul. She loved him; he was a good friend to her. She wished she could be more help, but she couldn't see why he was so concerned.