Cortin raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to if you don't want to; Dave must have told you that. And who knows, you may get to like it." "From Dave and Tiny's descriptions, I may; I'll try, at least." "I think that's my cue," Odeon said. He bowed to Betty, extending his hands. "Elizabeth, would you do us the great honor of becoming our wife?" "I would be delighted." Betty took his hands and kissed him, repeated the gesture with the rest of her spouses-to-be. "When?" "That," Odeon said firmly, "is the bride's prerogative. Privately, at least; publicly, not for at least ten days." "As soon as possible, then, once the children finish." Betty looked around, defensively. "Pete taught me never to put off anything important, and this is." "He was absolutely right," Odeon agreed. A trooper's life was too risky to procrastinate; if you did, you were like as not to get killed before you did what you'd been putting off. That didn't mean rushing into things--but once you thought something through and made your decision, you did it--even if the decision was to wait. "We've all had the same training," he told her. "When the children are done, then." Betty smiled at him. "Thanks--civilians think I'm being impatient, or even impetuous, when it's not that at all." * * * * * The children were upset at first about not being allowed on the "grown-up" floor except for meals, but got over that quickly when they were shown their floor. And Betty was pleased with her room, though she said it would take her a while to get used to the luxury. And to the servants, and living next door to the Palace, and-- "Well, right now I'm just overwhelmed. Even though Dave and Tiny described it all, that's nothing like actually seeing it." She gestured, taking in the common-room where they'd finally settled. "You'll get used to it," Cortin assured her, smiling. "The only part of Harmony Lodge that isn't luxurious is the dungeon level, but you won't be going there. And you'll get used to high-ranking visitors, too--though aside from Dave's and my colleagues from the Center, and the rest of the Sealed ones, we haven't had many guests." "That may change now--" Odeon frowned. "Dave. Betty called Joan 'Excellency'--didn't you tell her about the promotion?" "No--I was afraid I'd scare her off." Bain turned to their new wife. "Joanie's still Her Excellency the High King's Inquisitor, and you know about her being the Protector's Herald--well, she's also Archduchess of High Teton, what used to be the Northwest Territories." He went on to explain what had happened the morning he and Pritchett had left to pick her up. "'Dukida Elizabeth'," Betty said slowly. "You wouldn't have scared me off, Dave, it's too good for the children--but if I'm one of those who can be Sealed this early, I think we'd better take care of that, too. I can see where I could be tempted into misusing a noble's power."