CHAPTER TWELVE
An eastern wind blew him into Màrrach one summer
His peculiar eyes twinkled when he saw the empress
She colored, but would not look away
He professed his love
But she ran him through anyway
Through the winter he stayed
Her heels he always followed
At last, her heart started listening to his song
Will he be the first Tjaty King?
—The Tjaty King; author unknown—Tales of the Ancients; Burnk Lau
T
he next day Rhiannon kept to her rooms. Kyia came up to check on her twice, but she assured her she just needed some rest. Kyia had looked at her swollen eyes suspiciously but did not question her further.
Rhiannon sat on her balcony and watched the sun slowly travel across the cloudless sky. Etâhpe'o-poeso lay napping in the warm summer sun. Luna and Jo Jo had both grown
