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The following day, very little happens, except for Vorreedi mentioning that Yenaro has been arrested (by the civil police, for theft, on charges from a ghem-lord Miles has never heard of, as opposed to by Cetagandan security for treason).
Also, Ivan gets bored - with all the bodyguards Vorreedi now requires for them after the incident at the bioestheties exhibition, the possible spontaneity of going out with his ghem girlfriends is much reduced.
But the next day they get to attend the Singing Open of the Great Gates.
And oh, is there ever singing.
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middlingalong
middlingalong
"Is this actually happening?" asks Ivan faintly.
It is, indeed, actually happening. Vorob'yev and Ivan and Maz and Miles-the-gravitationally-unaffected go and have their supplied refreshments, and -
What color did Linyabel say her bubble usually was?
Robin's egg blue fading to turquoise on a four-second cycle?
There's one of those in this pretty little ceremonial hall.
It is, indeed, actually happening. Vorob'yev and Ivan and Maz and Miles-the-gravitationally-unaffected go and have their supplied refreshments, and -
What color did Linyabel say her bubble usually was?
Robin's egg blue fading to turquoise on a four-second cycle?
There's one of those in this pretty little ceremonial hall.
exerce-imperia
Also present are Emperor Fletchir Giaja in light post-mourning robes of grey embroidered with blue, Empress Lisbet Serise in her indigo bubble shading slowly up towards a medium-bright violet, and several more bubbles - eight of them, in fact - in the same assorted colours that entered the Emperor's float-car. Guests may assume that these contain the consorts. They arrange themselves in a semicircle around the perimeter of the round little hall while Emperor and Empress respectively step and float forward into the center. A ba steps up between them, arranges a small tray on a slender stand, and departs the hall; the tray holds a pair of exquisite little covered dishes, palm-sized and round, with golden bases and silver domes both ornately engraved.
The Empress disengages her force-screen and beckons to Miles. She has somehow found the time to change into a whole new set of robes, dark blue and deep indigo and pale violet in echo of her bubble's gradual gradient.
The Empress disengages her force-screen and beckons to Miles. She has somehow found the time to change into a whole new set of robes, dark blue and deep indigo and pale violet in echo of her bubble's gradual gradient.
isthisart
The bubble that must be Linyabel floats up to their imperial majesties.
thisvorlunatic
Miles floats up to stand beside her, on the basis of symmetry and Lisbet's subtle directing gestures. He is not literally hovering, but he certainly feels like it.
exerce-imperia
Now the Empress is facing Miles, and the Emperor facing Linyabel, in a little square in the centre of the circle.
Lisbet picks up one of the small covered dishes.
"I offer you the haut Linyabel Miriat," she says to Miles, "flower of the Star Creche, who goes willingly to your side. Do you accept this honour?"
She uncovers the dish and holds it out, revealing - a small spherical candy, consisting of a translucent iridescent shell over something tiny and flower-shaped within.
Lisbet picks up one of the small covered dishes.
"I offer you the haut Linyabel Miriat," she says to Miles, "flower of the Star Creche, who goes willingly to your side. Do you accept this honour?"
She uncovers the dish and holds it out, revealing - a small spherical candy, consisting of a translucent iridescent shell over something tiny and flower-shaped within.
thisvorlunatic
"Yes, milady," Miles says dizzily. He picks up the candy, since that seems like the thing to do.
exerce-imperia
Lisbet smiles and puts down her dish. The Emperor picks up his.
"And although he is not mine to give," Fletchir says to Linyabel with a hint of a wry smile, "I offer you Lieutenant Lord Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, whose honourable service has distinguished him in the eyes of the haut. Do you accept this honour?"
He holds out the identical dish, uncovered to reveal its identical candy.
"And although he is not mine to give," Fletchir says to Linyabel with a hint of a wry smile, "I offer you Lieutenant Lord Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, whose honourable service has distinguished him in the eyes of the haut. Do you accept this honour?"
He holds out the identical dish, uncovered to reveal its identical candy.
isthisart
"Yes, sire," says Linyabel, dispensing with the bubble and taking her candy too. She attempts to catch Miles's eye, and lifts her candy slowly to her lips.
thisvorlunatic
Miles catches on quick. He eats his candy in a respectable attempt at unison with Linyabel.
isthisart
When the candy is eaten up, Linyabel takes hold of Miles's nearest hand.
thisvorlunatic
Miles manages not to make any undignified squeaking sounds, but he does grin quite irrepressibly.
isthisart
Linyabel gets up out of her float chair.
"There," she says with audible satisfaction.
Maz is quietly melting in a corner over having gotten to witness a real haut-wife award ceremony.
The other people in the room with Vor in their names are various flavors of incipient screaming.
"There," she says with audible satisfaction.
Maz is quietly melting in a corner over having gotten to witness a real haut-wife award ceremony.
The other people in the room with Vor in their names are various flavors of incipient screaming.
thisvorlunatic
Miles will just be grinning adoringly at his wife. While holding her hand. Grinning and handholding. Those are both things that he is doing.
exerce-imperia
Empress Lisbet actually laughs out loud before re-engaging her bubble and floating away. Emperor Fletchir follows, with a hint of a smile cast back at the newlyweds. The consort-bubbles fall in line behind them.
Ghem-General Benin steps forward from a doorway to guide the galactics to the South Gate of the Celestial Garden, where a car is waiting to return the Barrayarans - plus new addition - to their embassy. Maz is welcome to travel with them or stay to catch the tail end of the funeral banquet.
Ghem-General Benin steps forward from a doorway to guide the galactics to the South Gate of the Celestial Garden, where a car is waiting to return the Barrayarans - plus new addition - to their embassy. Maz is welcome to travel with them or stay to catch the tail end of the funeral banquet.
isthisart
Maz accompanies them.
And Lady Vorkosigan strolls sedately, humming a little under her breath.
And Lady Vorkosigan strolls sedately, humming a little under her breath.
thisvorlunatic
She's humming. She's happy. Happily married. To Miles.
Why yes, he's going to be like this the whole way back. Possibly all the way to Barrayar.
Why yes, he's going to be like this the whole way back. Possibly all the way to Barrayar.
isthisart
"My things are already packed," Linyabel mentions. "If there's a strict cargo allowance I can tell the servitors which containers to abandon."
(Maz and Vorob'yev are having a soft but animated conversation in which she is excited and fascinated and he is glad that Vorkosigan...s... are imminently no longer his problem.)
(Maz and Vorob'yev are having a soft but animated conversation in which she is excited and fascinated and he is glad that Vorkosigan...s... are imminently no longer his problem.)
thisvorlunatic
"Not a strict one per se. As long as we can fit it all in the courier ship - ballpark mass and volume for me and I'll tell you if you need to drop anything."
isthisart
"I went ahead and assumed I couldn't have the grand piano," she says wryly. "Everything else fits into thirty boxes yea big -" She gestures; the shape isn't tiny but not too big for one person to haul, "and one a bit longer for the keyboard, only one box exceeding thirty pounds. It's mostly clothes, and I don't really care about those, I assume they have clothes on Barrayar."
thisvorlunatic
"We do have clothes on Barrayar," Miles affirms. "And pianos, actually. Well, multiple pianos on the planet, one specifically at Vorkosigan House. Your stuff should fit on the ship just fine."