That sounded remarkably like what Badaxe had pointed out to me earlier.
“Besides,” the Queen added, “you’re a nice guy, and I don’t really have many friends. You know, people I can talk to as equals who aren’t afraid of me? I think in the long run, we have more problems in common than you realize.”
“Except I’m in a better position to still be able to do what I want,” I finished thoughtfully.
“Don’t rub it in,” Hemlock said, wrinkling her nose. “Well, what do you say? Friends?”
“Friends,” I smiled.
On an impulse, I took her hand and kissed it lightly, then stood holding it for a few moments.
“If I may, Your Majesty, let me add my personal thanks to you for taking my refusal so well? Even if you more than half expected it, it still must have stung your pride a bit. It must have been tempting to make me squirm a little in return.”
The Queen threw back her head and laughed again.
“It wouldn’t be real smart of me to give you a rough time, now, would it?” she said. “As I said before, you can be a real help to the kingdom, Skeeve, even if it only means hiring you occasionally as an independent contractor. If I made you feel too bad about not marrying me, then you wouldn’t ever want to see me or the kingdom again.”
“I really don’t know,” I admitted. “The court of Possiltum gave me my first paying job as a magician. I’ll probably always have a bit of a soft spot for it. Then, too, Your Majesty is not without charm as a woman.”
That last bit sort of slipped out, but the Queen didn’t seem to mind.