Dragonfly

lasted more than a few minutes.

Just as Ramil was taking a breather, Merl walked by leading a pretty white mare, Tashi mounted

sidesaddle on its back. Ramil could see that she was listening intently as the Brigardian

explained the use of the reins and bit.

She didn't notice Ramil watching her. Merl

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made a joke and she laughed, patting the horse's neck. She looked relaxed and very pleased

about something.

Gordoc arrived beside Ramil, spouting puffs of white breath into the bracing, cold air.

"Look at him!" Ramil said. "Now he's got her in the saddle, impressing her with his teaching skills!"

Gordoc stared at his friend and scratched his unshaven chin. "What is wrong with that? She

looks happy. We want her to be happy, don't we?"

"Yes, but not with him."

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Suddenly lots of things made sense to the giant. He put an arm around Ramil's shoulders.

"You are jealous, my friend."

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You think that Merl is going to snatch her from under your nose."

"I'm just worried he'll take advantage of her. He's got a reputation around the camp for getting

girls into trouble and you heard how naive Tashi is."

"You are not very good at lying, Ram. Your interest is not brotherly concern.

You, my friend, are in love with her yourself."

"I'm what?"

"In love." Gordoc picked up a weight and began to exercise his bulging biceps. "But you make a terrible lover."

Ramil flushed. "Do I?"

"Yes, you confuse her," he continued. "You treat her coldly and make her feel in the wrong. You give no gifts. You haven't even tried to kiss her. Merl does it all much

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better. He makes his feelings plain. If you don't hurry up, he'll have tumbled her before you get

a chance."

"I don't think she would allow anyone to tumble her, as you call it," muttered Ramil

uncomfortably. "She is a lady."

"Well, I don't know much about ladies, but it seems to me they are girls all the same. I don't

know any woman who could hold out long under that kind of attack." Gordoc nodded to Merl,

who had now got his hand on Tashi's leg under the pretext of adjusting a strap.

"I'll kill him," growled Ramil.

"That would not be wise, my friend, as he is your ally in this war. If you are so worried about

him, you should start your own campaign to win her affections.

You ca

men's hearts. You have to show her."

"And how do I do that?"

"Do you noble folk always make things so complicated? Is it not obvious what a man should do

with the woman he loves? Mind you, if you try anything, as Tashi's protector I'll have to thump

you." He gri

"No exceptions."

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Ramil pondered Gordoc's advice and decided he should take it--apart from the last gem. He

needed to open his counter-attack with something subtle--

something she would appreciate. Then he remembered what she had said about courtship in

the Islands consisting of poetry and paper flowers. With no paper at hand, he tried composing a

poem in his head, but gave

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up when the only rhyme he could think of for "Tashi" was "ashy." Inspiration struck, however, when he passed some women weaving baskets out of

reeds. He begged some materials and sat down among them. The weavers became interested in

his experiments to fold the reeds into something resembling a flower. One of them took up the

challenge and came up with a successful pattern, then taught it to him. They cackled and joked

as he left them, wishing him wel with his sweetheart.

Ramil reached Nerul's tent but found that the riders had not yet returned. He left the reed rose

on her pillow and slipped away without being seen.

"I think you've made an excellent begi

"We don't have horses on the Islands," she explained. "It is our custom to travel by water and oxcart. I have ridden once before though. Prince Ramil was supposed to be teaching me."

"Oh yes, and what did he do?"

"Galloped me off into the forest--it was all too much too soon."

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"How thoughtless." Merl held out his arms for her to dismount. "I hope you don't think that of me?"

Tashi tried to ignore the subtext to his remark. "No, you've been very patient." She slid down, but he did not step back, keeping his arms around her.

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Merl tipped her chin up with his finger. "I've been more patient than you know, Tashi. Ever since I saw you, I've been wanting to do this." He bent down and kissed her long and hard on the

mouth. She tried to push him away but he was crushing her to his body, curving her backwards.

Tashi felt surprise, then panic, then fear. Finally, he let go.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" he said lightly, ru

all the while a lover's kiss waiting at the corner of your lips to be collected."

"But I haven't ... I didn't mean ..." Tashi couldn't find the words, horrified that he could have taken her responses as encouragement. Part of her mind knew that she had every right to be

outraged at the liberty he had taken, but somehow he had made it into her fault and her main

feeling was now one of guilt. She had unintentionally led him on. Whatever he thought, she had

to get away from him.

"I'm sorry if I have behaved inappropriately," she began, a

He was watching her with an amused smile, still far too close.

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"You must remember that I am a stranger to your ways," she whispered.

He took her hand and kissed the palm. "You are no stranger. I feel I know you very well, my

darling."

"Please don't call me that."

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"I'll call you whatever you wish." He was now kissing the tender skin on her forearm.

"Please don't, Merl. I can't accept these . . . these attentions. It's not right."

He let go of her, frowning. "Are you saying, Tashi, that you don't like me?"

He tapped her on the nose. "I think you have been teasing me, little cousin.

And you'll have to make it up to me sooner or later. Today I'll let you off. But I'll be back to

collect the penalty." He leant forward and gave her another, more restrained kiss. "Don't forget: you owe me."

Tashi ran back to her room, tore off her cloak, and threw her shoes into the corner. Ramil had

told her last night that she made him feel dirty; well, that was exactly the effect Merl had on her.

She could not stomach the idea of spending another moment alone with him. No wonder Ramil

couldn't bear to be with her! Collapsing on the bed, she heard something crunch beneath her.

Feeling the pillow, she pulled out a battered rose made from reeds. A little plaited "R" hung from the bottom. Curling up and hugging the flower to her chest, she burst into tears, feeling

very foreign and very confused.

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Tashi's solution to the problem of Eastern men was to withdraw as far as possible into being the