A Forest of Stars - Kevin J. Anderson [157]
The WhisperPalace was filled with marvels, but she couldn’t go anywhere without attendants and guards and protectors and curious functionaries. Now Estarra wished she’d had the foresight to appreciate her younger days of freedom while they lasted.
Perhaps she would go find Nahton and send a message back home to her little sister, Celli. “Pay attention to what you have. Run through the forest, continue your treedancing lessons. Appreciate Theroc for all it offers.” But her rambunctious sister probably wouldn’t listen.
Estarra watched a jade green beetle crawl into the trumpet-shaped end of a morning glory. She listened to the fan spray of irrigation systems. When she heard footsteps on the path, she refused to look up, wondering what the guards would do if she tried to elude them by sprinting through the foliage.
But that would be a pointless gesture. They would catch her and possibly further curtail her freedom of movement, such as it was. No, if she was going to be a Queen, she would have to behave differently.
“I might have known you’d be moping here,” said Sarein. When she was off duty, Estarra’s sister made no attempt to wear traditional Theron scarves or cocoon-fiber cloth.
“I’m enjoying the Palace gardens. How can you call that moping?”
Sarein squatted beside her, looking sternly at the entwined morning glories. “What is wrong, little sister? I’ve been watching you ever since we arrived on Earth. Your gloom isn’t helping things, you know.”
Estarra was surprised. “I haven’t been—”
“You’re not exactly ecstatic, anybody can see that. The marriage of a King and Queen must be a joyous occasion, or there’s no political purpose to it.”
Estarra frowned. “Is that all you worry about? My ‘political purpose’?”
“Of course not. But you are starting a new life here, and you’re making no effort to adjust to it. What’s wrong with Peter? He’s a nice enough young man, and certainly handsome. Wealthy, powerful…”
Indeed, the King seemed genuinely interested in Estarra’s welfare and happiness. But after observing him, she suspected that Peter had as little freedom as she did. “I didn’t say anything was wrong with him, Sarein. How can I know? I’ve never been allowed even five minutes to talk with him alone.”
“Everything will happen according to schedule. Then you’ll have all the time you want alone together.” Her sister gave a frustrated sigh. “Estarra, if you were the daughter of a juice-harvester, you could do as you please. But you’re going to be the Queen of the Terran Hanseatic League. You’re about to marry a King. You’ll have more wealth for your personal use than Theroc generates in a year.” She shook her head. “What is there to be sad about in all of that?”
Estarra needed to make peace with her sister, who was her only tenuous connection with home. “Don’t worry, Sarein—I wasn’t complaining. But I do wish I had more of a chance to get to know Peter. We’re getting married in three months, after all.”
Sarein stood, satisfied that she had gotten through to her younger sister. “I’ll see what I can do. Let me talk to Basil. Maybe you and Peter can have dinner together more often.”
“Even a midnight snack would be nice.”
Sarein shook her head again, but her expression now held a hint of amusement. “Estarra, the Great King of the Terran Hanseatic League is not allowed to have something as simple as a ‘midnight snack.’ Every luncheon is a banquet; every meal is a production.”
She took two steps down the path, then looked back with a benevolent sigh. “But maybe I can bribe the kitchen staff to sneak out a few sandwiches that the two of you can eat together.”
82
KING PETER
At times when he felt overwhelmed, Peter believed that only the Teacher compy gave him truly objective and honest responses. He stood by the window in his spacious private chamber, staring out at the RoyalCanal. “Your thoughts, OX? You’ve been coaching Estarra in courtly ways. Is she a good student?”
“An excellent student. She takes instruction well.”
“Then that isn’t what’s bothering you. I can hear the circuits sizzling