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Authors: Jeannie Lin
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appease me with a marriage of inferior status—”
She stopped as Kwan-Li’s eyes darkened. The earth shifted beneath her feet
before settling again. “You’re the Yelu chieftain’s son.”
The pieces all came together. Kwan-Li would have to be a very
valuable hostage to be sent to the imperial court to ensure peace. Despite his
courteousness, he’d never acted like an underling. Throughout the entire
journey, he had commanded everyone around them. The Khitans had deferred to him,
but Dao assumed it was his affiliation with the Tang imperial court that gave
him status. She, like all others in the Tang Empire, assumed the sun rose and
set on their kingdom. She was a fool.
“You are blushing, Princess.”
She was more than blushing. Her face was on fire. Her
mortification knew no bounds. When it came to diplomacy and politics, she was an
ignorant peasant and he was practically a prince.
“But the alliance—”
Kwan-Li lowered his voice. “When you revealed you weren’t truly
a princess, I realized how little the Emperor must value this alliance. As you
can see here, it is also obvious the khagan would rather uphold relations with
the Uyghurs than the Tang Empire.”
“So no one wants this marriage?” she asked skeptically.
“Apparently not, but no one can admit this. It would cause ill
will.”
She made a face that was certainly not princesslike. “Diplomacy
is complicated.”
“I did spend twelve years in the imperial court learning about
it.” Kwan-Li smiled and she felt herself warm all the way down to her toes. He
leaned close and his voice dropped low. “So I must ask again, what do you want,
Princess? Will you accept an inferior marriage?”
His frown deepened as he waited for her reply. He looked so
serious.
“If I must,” Dao replied. It was very, very difficult not to
smile.
The khagan let out a sigh of relief when he heard the response.
“Let this be done quickly,” he declared in roughly accented Han.
Kwan-Li held his hand to the small of her back as they were
ushered outside.
“For a moment, you looked worried in there.” It was the first
time she’d seen any break in his confidence, now that she thought of it.
“I spoke of politics and diplomacy, but the one thing I could
not negotiate for was your heart.” He regarded her with an earnestness that
touched her deeply. “You have always been so adamant about what you wanted, but
I could never be certain whether you wanted me.”
Her throat tightened. Kwan-Li had given her the choice. Her. A
lowly servant who was a lowly servant no more.
“I do,” she told him. “More than all the gold in the empire.
But what would you have done if I had refused?”
“How cruel to even ask such a thing.” Kwan-Li straightened and
glanced down at her. He was quite handsome when affronted. “I have been your
slave ever since you insisted on falling off that horse.”
Her chest swelled with so much feeling that it was wonderful
and painful all at once. She had loved him from the moment they stood together
by the bonfire that very same night. She had been surrounded by strange music in
a foreign land full of mystery, but she knew she would be safe as long as
Kwan-Li was with her.
She reached out to him, lacing her fingers through his. “Once
we’re married, will you still call me ‘Princess’?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Always.”
* * * * *
What happened to Dao’s sister? Read her story in My Fair Concubine by Jeannie Lin, available now from
Harlequin Historical wherever ebooks are sold:
Yan Ling tries hard to be servile—it’s what’s expected of a
girl of her class. Being intelligent and strong-minded, she finds it a constant
battle.
Proud Fei Long is unimpressed by her spirit—until he realizes
she’s the answer to his problems. He has to deliver the emperor a “princess.” In
two months can he train a tea girl to pass as a noblewoman?
Yet it’s hard to teach good etiquette when all Fei Long wants
to do
She stopped as Kwan-Li’s eyes darkened. The earth shifted beneath her feet
before settling again. “You’re the Yelu chieftain’s son.”
The pieces all came together. Kwan-Li would have to be a very
valuable hostage to be sent to the imperial court to ensure peace. Despite his
courteousness, he’d never acted like an underling. Throughout the entire
journey, he had commanded everyone around them. The Khitans had deferred to him,
but Dao assumed it was his affiliation with the Tang imperial court that gave
him status. She, like all others in the Tang Empire, assumed the sun rose and
set on their kingdom. She was a fool.
“You are blushing, Princess.”
She was more than blushing. Her face was on fire. Her
mortification knew no bounds. When it came to diplomacy and politics, she was an
ignorant peasant and he was practically a prince.
“But the alliance—”
Kwan-Li lowered his voice. “When you revealed you weren’t truly
a princess, I realized how little the Emperor must value this alliance. As you
can see here, it is also obvious the khagan would rather uphold relations with
the Uyghurs than the Tang Empire.”
“So no one wants this marriage?” she asked skeptically.
“Apparently not, but no one can admit this. It would cause ill
will.”
She made a face that was certainly not princesslike. “Diplomacy
is complicated.”
“I did spend twelve years in the imperial court learning about
it.” Kwan-Li smiled and she felt herself warm all the way down to her toes. He
leaned close and his voice dropped low. “So I must ask again, what do you want,
Princess? Will you accept an inferior marriage?”
His frown deepened as he waited for her reply. He looked so
serious.
“If I must,” Dao replied. It was very, very difficult not to
smile.
The khagan let out a sigh of relief when he heard the response.
“Let this be done quickly,” he declared in roughly accented Han.
Kwan-Li held his hand to the small of her back as they were
ushered outside.
“For a moment, you looked worried in there.” It was the first
time she’d seen any break in his confidence, now that she thought of it.
“I spoke of politics and diplomacy, but the one thing I could
not negotiate for was your heart.” He regarded her with an earnestness that
touched her deeply. “You have always been so adamant about what you wanted, but
I could never be certain whether you wanted me.”
Her throat tightened. Kwan-Li had given her the choice. Her. A
lowly servant who was a lowly servant no more.
“I do,” she told him. “More than all the gold in the empire.
But what would you have done if I had refused?”
“How cruel to even ask such a thing.” Kwan-Li straightened and
glanced down at her. He was quite handsome when affronted. “I have been your
slave ever since you insisted on falling off that horse.”
Her chest swelled with so much feeling that it was wonderful
and painful all at once. She had loved him from the moment they stood together
by the bonfire that very same night. She had been surrounded by strange music in
a foreign land full of mystery, but she knew she would be safe as long as
Kwan-Li was with her.
She reached out to him, lacing her fingers through his. “Once
we’re married, will you still call me ‘Princess’?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Always.”
* * * * *
What happened to Dao’s sister? Read her story in My Fair Concubine by Jeannie Lin, available now from
Harlequin Historical wherever ebooks are sold:
Yan Ling tries hard to be servile—it’s what’s expected of a
girl of her class. Being intelligent and strong-minded, she finds it a constant
battle.
Proud Fei Long is unimpressed by her spirit—until he realizes
she’s the answer to his problems. He has to deliver the emperor a “princess.” In
two months can he train a tea girl to pass as a noblewoman?
Yet it’s hard to teach good etiquette when all Fei Long wants
to do
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