The Brat Page 0,37

he drew back. "Are you feeling calmer?"

Murie blushed but nodded.

"Good. Now - calmly - what is this about the king?"

"Oh!" Murie's eyes widened with renewed alarm. "I never meant for him to take it as he did, certainly not until I had spoken to you, but I - "

Her words died another abrupt death as his mouth covered hers again, this time moving more firmly, and then his tongue slid out to urge her lips apart and he was suddenly invading her as he had in her dreams. Moaning, Murie found her arms wrapped around his neck and their bodies pressed together. It was heaven. When he broke the kiss, she was panting softly and much slower to open her eyes. As she did, he smiled and said, "Are you feeling calmer?"

Murie nodded vaguely.

"Good, do you think you can explain things without becoming hysterical?"

"Was I hysterical?" she murmured.

"You seemed to me to be, and I thought a kiss much more pleasant than a slap."

"Oh, aye," she agreed on a sigh. "In fact, mayhap if you were to keep kissing me, I could explain better. It does seem to distract me from the worry of it all."

He chuckled and bent to press a kiss to her cheek, following an invisible trail to her ear, where he nibbled lightly before trailing down her throat. "Is this helping?"

"Oh, aye," Murie breathed, leaning into him.

"Speak," he ordered, his hands moving restlessly up and down her back and pressing her close against him.

"I told the king I dreamt about you and - ohm, that's . .. mmmm," she groaned as his head dipped and he nibbled at her collar bone. "Would you mind if we were wedded?" He stilled - his mouth, his hands, his very heart she suspected, stopping - then slowly lifted his head. Murie bit her lip and avoided his eyes, then grimaced and admitted, "I do not know if you heard about the St. Agnes Eve - "

"Aye," he growled.

"Well, Lauda, Lady Aldous," she explained, "she talked me into eating rotten meat."

"I know."

"You do?" Murie said in surprise.

"My lady, I doubt if there is anyone at court who has not heard."

"Oh." She wrinkled her nose and said, "Well, I told everyone that I had not dreamed that eve, but I did. Of you." When he didn't squawk in horror at the news, she continued.

"But the next day Lauda said that she was told that rotten meat made you dream of the man you should not marry; only fasting allows you to dream of the man you should marry."

"You do not suppose she was lying, do you?" he asked in a dry tone.

Murie blinked in surprise. "Why would she lie about such a thing? Especially when I claimed I had not dreamed of anyone." She shook her head and said, "Nay, I do not think she lied, but did wonder if this lady she spoke of might be mistaken. So, this morning I went to the king to ask which version of it was true, and Becker said - Becker is very smart, you understand; he knows everything. I always go to him when I am uncertain about knowledge. Unfortunately, I have to go through the king to get to him, because if the king thought I was going to Becker rather than him, I think his feelings would be hurt and - " This time, rather than kiss her to silence her nervous rambling, Balan simply covered her mouth.

"You went to the king to ask about the true version of the superstition. Nod or shake your head."

Murie nodded.

"And you told him you dreamt of me?"

She nodded.

"And now he has decided we should marry?"

Murie nodded again, and when his hand dropped away, she blurted, "I did remind him that he promised I might choose my own husband, but he seemed to think the dream was my choosing and told Becker to fetch you. But I did not wish you to walk in there unprepared, and if you do not wish to marry me, I surely understand and will not be offended and will do my best to talk him out of it. Though the king can be rather obstinate on some points, and I - "

Balan kissed her to silence her again, this time covering her mouth in an aggressive, demanding manner. It left her breathless. When he pulled away, Murie was swaying on her feet, her eyes unfocused.

"We shall marry," he announced, and turned to walk away. Murie blinked after him,