Page 86 of The Stallion & The Tigress
“I wish you and your new family joy andprosperity,” Asad said, clapping him on the back and moving on toAnya, whose hand he took and placed a kiss on the back of herfingers.“As for you, Anya, though we will all miss you, I couldnot be happier that you have found each other again, and wish youevery good thing.”
“Thank you, my king.”
Asad chuckled.“You have a new king now,Queen Anya.”
Anya blushed prettily and laughed.“That partwill take some getting used to,” she said, beaming at her husband.Then she turned to Sahar’s mother and dipped a knee.“Queen Oona, Ican only strive to be as good and fair a queen as you.”
The queen pulled Anya in and hugged her andkissed her on the cheek.“You will be a wonderful queen, Anya,” shesaid.“You have a generous and loyal heart, and you understand thelife of the worker.I am certain having you as queen will make thepeople of your kingdom’s lives better.”
Arman stepped up to say his goodbyes, andthen Pyotr and Serge, followed by Ursula, who Sahar had beenwatching carefully, wondering why she hung back with Serge andPyotr rather than stand by Aleksi’s side.His father had married apalace cook and made her his queen.Sahar didn’t think Ursula hungback because she’d been a serving maid.She was betrothed to aprince now.If Sahar had been betrothed to Aleksi, she would’vebeen right by his side.She’d lost her chance, and now she had tosay goodbye forever.
She shook hands with Serge and Pyotr, andthen stood face to face with Ursula, whose cheeks were round androsy with the perpetual smile that had been on her face for daysnow.
“Congratulations on your betrothal, Ursula,”Sahar said, managing not to snarl.“You have chosen the best ofmen.I’m sure you’ll be happy.”
“Thank you, princess.”Ursula dipped herknee.She glanced over at Serge and Pyotr and her rosy cheeks greweven rosier.“I’m sure we will be.”
Sahar tilted her head and raised her brows,but before she could say anything more, Aleksi stepped up toher.
“Princess,” he said, lifting her hand in hisand kissing the backs of her fingers with his warm lips.“It’s beenan adventure.”
“It has been that, Prince Aleksandr.”
They stood there, Aleksi holding her hand,Sahar loath to break his touch when she heard Ursula’s heartygiggle.
“Congratulations, Aleksi,” Sahar said,pulling her hand from his.“You have accomplished everything youset out to do and more.Not only have you amassed a string ofbroodmares and a wife of easy temper and strong body, but you havereconciled with your father and mother.”
“Wife?”he asked, cocking his head, thatcursed shock of hair falling over his forehead.“What wife?”
“Your betrothed then.”
He shook his head.“Unless you have changedyour mind, I’m not betrothed.”
“But—but, what about Ursula?”
“Ursula is betrothed to Pyotr.Why did youthink she was betrothed to me?”Sahar didn’t know what to say orthink, and so she said nothing.“Is that why you have been sodistant and angry?”Still she said nothing.Aleksi leaned in andwhispered in her ear.“Why didn’t you ask me?”
“I couldn’t.”
“Ask me now,”
“Ask you what?”
“You know.”
“Why should I ask you, you struttingstallion?”
“Because, my tigress, you want me as much asI want you.It’s now or never, Kitten.”
If Aleksi had said anything about love, Saharwould have gladly gotten down on one knee in front of her familyand his to propose marriage.But he hadn’t.Not ever.As much asshe loved him, she wouldn’t marry him if he didn’t love her.She’dlearned that she was worthy of love, and she wouldn’t settle forless.Especially not from Aleksi.
She stepped back from him, hot tears wellingin her eyes.“Have a safe journey, Prince Aleksandr.”
Aleksi turned and looked back over hisshoulder at the palace on the hill where he had left Sahar standingon the steps.She had thought him betrothed to Ursula.Only daysafter having sex with her by the river, only one day after kissinghim in the stables with such heat and passion and sadness that hestill felt it in his bones.Apparently, she thought so little ofhis feelings that she believed him capable of becoming betrothed toanother in a matter of days, and thought him so dishonorable thathe would have sex with her, kiss her like he had, while he wasbetrothed to another woman.After everything they’d been throughshe didn’t know him better than that.
He ran a hand through his hair and turnedback to the road ahead.The road that would take him home.Threehundred leagues away from Sahar.A road he had always planned totake, had told her he would be taking back, with or without her.Heshould’ve been pleased to be returning home.He’d accomplishedalmost everything he had planned, and more.A lot of it, not on hisown.He couldn’t have done any of it without Serge and Pyotr.They’d watched over the stock and done all of the horse tradingwhile he trained and raced, and chased after his tigress.Surely,he couldn’t claim reuniting with his father or finding his motheras anything he’d done.
Although he was not returning with a wife,now that he was a prince and heir to a throne, his field of choiceshad broadened greatly.He had thought he wanted a wife of strongbody and easy temper, a wife to meekly follow his lead and raisehis sons.
