"I'm greeting high-ranking military officials," she said loftily. "It's only fitting that I put a little effort into my appearance."
"When he's going to be covered in the dirt and stink of the road?" Kasandra gave her a knowing smile.
Ghia felt the blush threatening to rise but firmly held it in check.
"As you obviously know why I'm dressed up, Aunt, I don't need to say anything else. May I go?"
Kasandra nodded, for once ignoring the girl's cheek. To be in love during wartime is hard enough -- why should I begrudge the girl her happiness?
The thought drifted into Ghia's mind and she immediately shifted focus, keeping her aunt's thoughts outside the safe-limits zone she'd established in her mind. She wasn't so practised as Rosa at keeping others' stray thoughts at bay. She'd not had th
