With shocking irregularity, after vows were exchanged, the Yerallan threw up Queen Esta’s veil and kissed her on the lips, causing some of the guests to cover their eyes. Ah, she was a beauty! Even when one could see so little of her! The glory of summer was in her eyes. Onfri forced himself to look away from her face to the wider scene. Yeramo was glaring furiously at Duke Yonnis, and Duke Yonnis returned an icy glare to the Arch-Elder which showed that he was still a fearless man. Just as their extended eye contact broke, a plaintive howl was heard at the door. The duke’s dog was the obvious culprit. Onfri shivered, remembering the wolfish appearance of the hound. Was it a familiar? So it must be true that Marko cared for the Yerallan. Briefly, he thought he saw the red-skinned, ram-horned god peering through the open eaves.
Contracts were signed, there was applause, and witnesses moved forward to make their congratulations to the couple. Onfri waited for his turn. Queen Esta smiled in recognition; she had seen him daily at her father’s court.
She chirped in Pozarian, “Excellency Onfri, what a pleasure to see an old friend such as you! I hope that you visit me—I mean, us—often!”
Instead of shaking her hand, Onfri bowed deeply and kissed it. He spoke very swiftly in Besseman. He looked up. She looked shocked. She gracefully withdrew her hand, without replying. Onfri sensed that all eyes were upon them, not least the penetrating gaze of the Arbiter. Onfri had heard that the eyes of Yerallans turned from blue to purple when they were angry, and now he was seeing it. It was not a pretty sight. Duke Yonnis extended his hand to Onfri as if to shake his, but then he yanked him close with his immensely strong wrist, and hissed in Pozarian, “Do not dare to endanger my wife!”
