Starcrossed - Bianca D'Arc Page 0,91
own salvation. Perhaps they had. Tigh wanted to think he’d finally brought hope back to this people. Ginny was the embodiment of that hope—for his empire and for himself.
“I didn’t expect quite this reception,” Ginny said to Tigh as he leaned down to speak with her over the din.
“I didn’t either, but I’m grateful for it,” he replied, kissing her cheek to renewed cheers. “They will love you as much as I do, my heart,” he said, feeling the truth of every word. “You will heal an empire, just by your presence.”
A group of page boys came over to lift the train on Ginny’s dress, signaling it was time to walk to the thrones—two equally majestic chairs placed side-by-side on the dais, behind where the High Priest had performed their marriage ceremony. Ginny allowed the little boys to escort her—and her massively heavy dress—over to the chair, but she didn’t let them go without giving each one a touch of affection.
She’d learned from the older women how starved for the simple gestures such as a pat on the back or a touch on the cheek these little ones were. Following her mother’s example, Ginny never passed up an opportunity to bestow a gentle touch when she saw one of the orphans in the halls. Each boy beamed at her, the littlest lifting his arms for a hug that Ginny could not resist. She reached down and kissed the boy, who could not be older than about six or seven, on the cheek before letting him go.
Ginny had thought her movements would be well camouflaged by Tigh’s arrival at the chair next to her. The protocol called for settling the woman first, then the male taking his own seat. What she hadn’t realized was that everyone had been watching her minutest motion—especially the news bots. Ginny wanted to roll her eyes when she finally noticed the bots hovering just a few feet away. No doubt her every movement would be critiqued and commented on before the day was through.
Shrugging it off, she resolved to be more circumspect. The stiffness of her bodice kept her upright with nearly ramrod perfection of posture. Tigh settled beside her, and then, the next part of the ceremony unfolded as each nobleman came forward to re-pledge his loyalty to the emperor…and the new empress.
Ginny had feared there might be a few hold-outs. She knew she was not universally welcomed. She’d thought many still had doubts about her presence, but she was proved wrong. As the day wore on and man after man came forth to welcome her, she couldn’t detect any sort of resistance.
Maybe she wasn’t as good a judge of jit’suku body language as she’d thought, but it certainly seemed as if they were welcoming her with real gladness. A few times, she looked over at Tigh to catch a bemused smile on his face. She wanted to ask him if what she was seeing was real, but she didn’t dare speak out of turn with all the news bots covering every angle.
When the parade of nobles was finally over, Ginny and Tigh were able to escape public scrutiny for a few moments by retiring to the antechamber behind the dais. Once again, the page boys helped Ginny with the heavily embroidered and beaded robe. They also helped her remove it to reveal the much more comfortable ensemble beneath, as Tigh did the same.
“Good to be able to move again,” Tigh commented as he rubbed his arms and stretched a bit.
“Will we have to wear those again?” she asked, dreading his answer.
“No. They’re works of art now. They’ll be put on display in the main hall here then moved to a museum where everybody can go look at them, if they wish. There is a collection of such things stretching back to the first emperor. Sadly, the styles haven’t changed much in all those centuries.” He grimaced then smiled as she did the same.
The page boys left, burdened with the heavy robes, but not before Ginny thanked each one of them. This little crew was really starting to blossom and work together as a group. Tigh had told her they’d all competed for the honor of serving at the wedding ceremony by achieving high marks from the priests who trained them, as well as their teachers in academic subjects. The small group that had finally been chosen had earned their spots in this honor guard.
When they were alone, Ginny rubbed the back of her neck