I should think so, she answered silently. Muslims never have the virtue they pretend to have.
"I must consider this," he said.
"No," she said.
"You think I'll make up my mind in an instant?"
"I don't care. But I will leave this room in moments. Either I'll do it dressed in that sari, as your bride, or I'll do it naked, leaving my clothing behind. Naked I'll pass through your compound, and naked I'll return to my people. Let them decide what they think was done to me within these walls."
"You'd provoke such a war as that?" said Alai.
"Your presence in India is the provocation, Caliph. I offer you peace and unity between our peoples. I offer you the permanent alliance that will enable us, together, India and Islam, to unite the world in a single government and along the way cast Peter Wiggin aside. He was never worthy of his brother's name; he's wasted enough of the time and attention of the world."
She walked closer to him, until her knees touched his.
"You have to deal with him eventually, Caliph Alai. Will you do it with India in your bed and by your side, or will you do it while most of your forces have to remain here to keep us from destroying you from behind? Because I'll do it. Either we're lovers or enemies, and the time to choose is now."
He made no idle threat to detain her or kill her--he knew that he could no more do that than let her walk out of the compound naked. The real question was whether he would be a grudging husband or an enthusiastic one.
He reached out and took her hand.
"You've chosen wisely, Caliph Alai," she said. She leaned down and kissed him. The same kiss she had given Peter Wiggin, and which he had treated as if it were nothing.
Alai returned it warmly. His hands moved on her body.
"Marriage first," she said.
"Let me guess," he said. "You want the wedding now."
"In this room."
"Will you dress so we can show video of the ceremony?"
She laughed and kissed his cheek. "For publicity, I'll dress."
She started to walk away, but he caught her hand, drew her back, kissed her again, passionately this time. "This is a good idea," he said to her. "It's a bold idea. It's a dangerous idea. But it's a good one."
"I'll stand beside you in everything," she said.
"Not ahead," he said. "Not behind, not above, not below."
She embraced him and kissed his headdress. Then she pulled it off his head and kissed his hair.
"Now I'll have to go to all the trouble of putting that back on," he said.
You'll take whatever trouble I want you to take, she thought. I have just had a victory here today, in this room, Caliph Alai. You and your Allah may not realize it, but the gods of India rule in this place, and they have given me victory without another soldier dying in useless war.
Such fools they were in Battle School, to le
t so few girls in. It left the boys helpless against a woman when they returned to Earth.
18
YEREVAN
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