The Shattered Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 7)

Chapter 8.3

The toasts went on for hours, some solemn and some humorous, some brief and others rather long. Mara and Tirqwin ducked out after the first hour, and Scotty and Aurora not long after; Sabrina could only be glad that this ceremony wasn't bringing the business of the planet to a screeching halt and that her brother and sister-in-law had the sense to take advantage of Scotty's brief visit.

Ford and Sabrina were both relieved when, after a toast that seemed more like a lecture, Imari took her leave. Mukryilla went reluctantly after her comlink pinged, and Éllina and Seuréa dozed off at about the same time and were gently woken and escorted home. As the sun set, only a handful of guests remained for the final toast, given by a minor functionary in the Bathiran legislature, and Sabrina let out a sigh of relief as she was at last able to sit down and eat something.

"This is a bit much to make a bride endure," she murmured to Ford as he replaced the bit of cheese he'd stolen off her plate with a delicious crudité from a region of the buffet she had yet to visit.

"Hah, this is nothing. You should have been here for my investiture. I was on my feet for fourteen hours, either reciting oaths, making a speech, or making polite conversation with pretty much every person in Bathir."

"Yeah, well your feet are Miahn," Sabrina said. "You're going to have to carry me back to our room."

"I thought the Earth tradition merely referred to the threshold," Ford said. "Ah, Ranja. Thank you for not prolonging things!"

Ranja grinned. "I have already congratulated you, and besides, the household gets its chance later, I'm told. Your highness, here. Drink it all and with luck it will lessen the hangover."

"Bless you!" Sabrina exclaimed, drinking the oddly thick liquid as quickly as she could manage.

"Get rid of the rest of them, will you, Ranja?" Ford said, nodding at the small group of inebriated guests near the door. "The worst part of gatherings like this is that you end up with the dregs who have nothing better to do!"

"No need," Ranja said. "The Steward's taking care of it. I have a lot to learn from him."

"You're not responsible for that sort of thing, Ranja," Sabrina said. "You just have to worry about me, not running off guests. Don't let Ford expand the scope of your job!"

"Not without a renegotiation, anyway!" Ranja said cheerfully. "Will you be needing me any longer, your highness?"

Ford said, "No, and thank you, Ranja. We're having a private dinner and going straight to bed. It's a long day tomorrow."

"I noticed," Ranja said. "Sleep as late as you can; I've got the wardrobe under control."

Sabrina looked at them both suspiciously. "For what?"

"The vid interview, of course!" Ranja said.

Sabrina groaned and slumped in her chair. "Something tells me I'd rather not know!"

"Just one of the Bathiran ones," Ranja said. "They've got the exclusive. The others can negotiate later, but I've told them you're probably going to be very busy. Has the handover been scheduled yet?"

"Not as far as I know," Ford said. "We'll probably have a couple of days, I hope. And we've got to set a date for the public wedding so we can set all that nonsense in motion."

"We can meet with the Steward and the Academy representative tomorrow after the interview," Ranja said. "Anyone else who should be consulted?"

"Mother's secretary, naturally. And Commander Mukryilla—she not only has to attend, but she has to make sure Scotty's available," Ford said.