A Bargain Made: A House Fallen Ch. 06

"The Goddess has a plan for all of us, no doubt." He released Deres's hand and focused again on Neral. "At any rate, you seem to find a marriage such as what you have satisfying and I'm happy to see that. I am also happy to know that the queen has given it her blessing; a testament to your friendship, otherwise it might have damaged your position." His concern was nearly believable.

"Her Majesty has been most understanding of my choices and sees the honor in the man I chose."

Jeron stood quietly. Petite in her own right, she looked almost dwarfed next to her husband. Her hourglass figure accented further by her corseted red gown helped make her stand out in the crowd. Her light brown hair, soft cheekbones made her look younger than her years while Sere was a definite mix if the two, standing at a height squarely between the two with the sharpest of her father's features somewhat blunted by her mother's influence and her porcelain skin. Her thick brown hair and gray eyes created a unique look indeed.

As the minutes pressed on, all engaged in conversation together though it was largely perfunctory and devoid of any depth. The Vesik's house mistress, Cassea Voss appeared almost as if from the ether, long, dark hair exquisitely curled, blue eyes accented by her dark eyeshadow and sharp brows. He dress was also red, though a bit less vibrant than the women of the house with an intricate embroidery of slightly darker red all throughout the bodice. Deres took note of the silver and gold choker she wore, "Is there anything you might require before dinner, Lord?"

"Not now, thank you." His tone was pleasant and dismissive at once.

"You look quite lovely this evening, Cassea," Deres noted with a grin.

She tilted her head and closed her eyes for a moment in acknowledgment, "Thank you."

"I trust you are feeling better? The malady you suffered a while ago was nasty business."

Her jaw clenched as though she wanted to chew her face, "It was. But it has resolved itself thanks to your efforts."

He eyed her neck. "A lovely necklace as well."

She touched the silver and gold layered affair that served as a reminder of her true servitude. "Thank you."

Mingling went on for a time and Neral's family met with the rest of Court, allied or not, and enjoyed the festivities until the banquet proper began. Deres tried not to roll his eyes at the notion of a second processional in the hallway where each family was formally announced and accomplishments ticked off. He did at least appreciate that he managed not to make Deres sound like a hanger-on.

Finally, all stood in front of their chairs at the banquet table as the queen was announced. The doors to the left of the table parted and Queen Evaline made her way to the table in a smooth walk that made her seem as if she were floating just above the floor. She was a vision in a flowing white gown with a plunging neckline that displayed a generous view of her cleavage. She wore her hair blonde straight down her back while two long curls framed her face in the front. Her makeup was heavy without being garish and a small bejeweled tiara sat gently atop her head.

She greeted the families each in turn, spoke of the greatness of the time of year and her wishes for the year ahead and bid everyone to enjoy their meal as the palace staff began to serve. As was custom, during appetizers, no one spoke to the queen that she did not speak to first, but the floor opened up as the entrees were served and Deres took advantage of it, "Majesty, I wonder if you might tell me how it came to be that you and my wife came to enjoy the friendship that you now do."

Evaline finished her bite and sat the fork down with only the slightest sound, ignoring the cross looks that marked a few faces for him even speaking to her at all or that she would speak back to him as though he belonged there. She looked thoughtful as she played with the happy memory, "I associated with the Jayes and the other proper Houses as a child, of course. As you might expect, a young woman destined to be Queen was afforded a great deal of tolerance by her friends, and, sometimes too much. We were playing perhaps or hundredth game of Strata when, she not only confronted me with my cheating, she said she would have no more of it."

Neral shook her head with a grin, "I would not have called you a cheater had you not cheated."

The elder of the House of Bonesse spoke quickly to attempt to provide cover for his queen. "No doubt it was a misunderstanding."

Evaline was casual and matter of fact, "Oh, I cheated. I cheated frequently. Up until that moment I had never tried to be so blatant in it with her, while, with others, I could move my pieces up a level or two in front of their eyes and they would say nothing of it. Neral Jaye, on the other hand, was done with it, and even me, if I did not treat her honestly and with the respect she was due." Her eyes met Neral's, "She was the only one of my friends that stopped seeing my position. I realized her affection for me was for me alone and she would not tolerate my dishonorable behavior."

"And you have not cheated me since."

"While there are still those that I play with that I know I could move the pieces wrongly and they would still say nothing." She did not name names of course, but Neral knew who they were. "Neral Jaye is the sister I would have wished for."

Neral gave Maia and Nessien a smile as she spoke, "As my queen is the sister I would have wished for."

Gentle laughter rippled down the table at the slight. Maia inclined her head while Nessein raised her glass in salute. There had been some strife in Court with those questioning Neral's decision, fitness, and subtly urging the queen to distance herself. This was the queen's moment to make her position clear.

Jeron Vesik sipped her wine, "I hope this isn't too intimidating for you. I'm sure it's not like what passes for festivities in the south quarter." Her tone was a bit too innocent in tone for the comment to simply be what it was.

He took a breath and began to count patiently to compose himself before painting on a smile and attempting to be as neutral in tone as possible, "Well, the energy is different. It's all less formal certainly." He glanced down the length of the table at Tessa. "Tessa has spent far more hours than she should in preparing me for High Court, so I shall endeavor not to embarrass her."

Tonn Vesik looked slightly bewildered, "More concerned with embarrassing the house mistress than your wife?"

"My wife did not spend countless hours preparing me. She was more concerned with matters like Erette's security, so, yes, my failings would reflect more poorly on Tessa than anyone else."

"Your concern for my daughter touches me," Lord Vesik, A'marin said smoothly, "but you may rest assured that if my middle child were to take offense at his or anyone's behavior, she would be quick to address it."

Neral looked at her mother with pride. When she resolved to do something she never did it piecemeal. She looked to Evaline who simply watched the proceedings as another form of entertainment. She did not set up sparring to amuse herself, but she enjoyed watching it blossom on its own. Indeed, the queen decided to lob a bomb into the fray. She would not have done so had Neral wished to keep it a secret, but since that trip was no doubt only a first, nothing was lost by lighting the fuse for fun. "General Jaye spoke well of her visit to the celebrations in the southern quarter this morning."

"I did," she said smoothly.

The table all but froze and Deres was certain he heard more than one choke on their food. From the looks he could see, Neral would have caused less of a shock had she stripped naked and began dancing atop the table while kicking food around the room.

Lord Bonnesse's tone was slow and deliberate, "You went there to be social? With them?"

"I did. I am the defender of all the people Lord Bonnesse. As such, I believe it benefits me and aids my position to have stronger ties to the area. If all they ever see is the tip of the army's swords, it invites hostility."

"Understandable," he said, "but surely that could be accomplished without..." He paused, temporarily at a loss.

Nessein finished for him, "Without getting down into the muck with the rabble?"

One of the Ladies asked, genuinely curious, "How was it?"

"The atmosphere certainly is different. It is absolutely more raucous, but it was not unpleasant at all. I enjoyed my time there."

"Good then that someone could show you the...virtues of the lesser peoples." Sere Vesik looked a bit smug as she tipped the glass to her lips. She started as the glass tipped farther than she intended, leaving a small trail of dark liquid down the front of her dress. Cassea quickly rose from her seat and went to her to help her dab it away.

Neral saw the look on her husband's face and realized with some satisfaction that her unseen protector was likely responsible. "They were never without virtue or honor. My only error with them was not regularly paying them the attention they are due."

"All the people of Erette have something to contribute to its success," Evaline told her guests, "The ongoing concern is to cultivate those contributions while maintaining balance within society."

"Some might call that 'progressive, Majesty," Tonn Vesik said. "I'm not certain your father would have approved of such a position."

Evaline turned to him, "It's not progressive so much as an acknowledgment of truth. It was once considered a progressive idea to not be able to own them as slaves. Time marches. And, if the south quarter had nothing to offer the rest of us would not engage it at all. The fact that we do simply illustrates that truth." She took a breath and held her gaze on him. "You do have my leave to ask my father's shade his opinion should you happen across it at some point."

Vesik said nothing, but in that moment Neral saw a flash of disdain and anger that may well have driven him to plot in the first place.

Dinner progressed smoothly after that and, once complete, dancing began. Neral enjoyed watching Deres dance, as it was something he felt comfortable with, his own mother having taught him as a child. Even so, he kept to those he was familiar with and, in truth, so had she. She had watched though because sometimes new dance partners could mean new alliances.

Eventually she made her way to the arms of her mate as they made slow circles around the dance floor, "I note you asked Cassea to dance."

"Only because it would have been bad form for her to refuse me."

Neral raised a brow, "Are you going to keep tormenting her so once she comes to you? Be nice to your toys."

He looked hurt. "But she likes it, Neral. Hating me even as she is owned by me excites her."

"Even so..."

"I will be as nice to her as you are to Tessa."

The corner of her lip turned up. "Very well then."

His demeanor turned more serious as he glanced about the room, "Now?"

Neral thought of it. "The queen has danced and taken her leave. There is nothing left that matters aside from the dancing, mingling, or negotiating." Neral looked over at Tonn Vesik. It wouldn't take much to guess how his House would fall. It would be humiliating on many levels, but, in some ways, it would be far more pleasant for him than he deserved. What mattered though was that he would be no threat to her, her House, or the queen. She nodded. "Do it now."

He closed his eyes and Neral could have sworn she felt a rush of warmth pass through his body. The energies that he and Bryana could tap were as endlessly fascinating as they were potentially dangerous. She could at least trust her two with it if no one else. His eyes opened a few seconds later, "Done."

Neral's keen eye noticed Tonn Vesik's eyes flutter as he listened to another of the Lords talk to him about something or other, but nothing else, "I don't know what I was expecting."

"Pyrotechnics? No. Though I suppose you were expecting something you could watch. You do seem to quite enjoy watching."

She leaned into him, her forehead dipped, gripping his hand more tightly as they swayed. "The things I watch will happen anyway, so I may as well enjoy them, such as you tonguing the runes and marks on your apprentice's body as you mount."

"Something my wife has done often enough."

"Something I hope to do again before dawn."

At that moment, she felt a subtle tingling at the back of her neck, like an electric caress of fingers to the hairline at her neck in a touch that she was always fond of. She didn't have to be learned in magic to know who caused it and to know that her other love and protector was close at hand, even if she couldn't be seen.

Whatever else might happen in life, these truths brought her peace.

Tonn Vesik relished these spectacles of High Court. He and the others that had a place there should relish their position before the Goddess. It was also a good time for him to make deals and keep connections alive to keep himself one of the richest merchants in the kingdom, and that's what he was doing tonight. Nothing was perfect though. Evaline lived and continued to spew her progressive nonsense.

The Goddess put the rabble where it was and it probably was better all around if they were still slaves. There would be no unrest, ever, if they simply accepted their place. Then Neral Jaye has the gall to marry one. That he failed to end the queen's nonsense one way or another was a failing to be sure, but nothing had come in reprisal against him. Some of the lesser tools were dead and Kudan cut off all contact, but all these things were to be expected. That nothing came to him was sign enough that he'd covered his tracks. He would lay low for a few years and look for or create another opportunity to get what he wanted and what was best for Erette.

But life was good. He was close to closing a deal for another four merchant ships, which would expand his reach considerably. Jeron floated the room, mingling and joking with the other wives, no doubt doing what she could to maintain relationships as much as gossip. She would also, no doubt, have stories to tell later. Sere mingled as well. She had her mother's gifts in terms of charm and knew well how to further her family's goals.

He saw her bright-eyed and laughing speaking animatedly to one of the other families. He was so proud of her, She's so beautiful. He always knew that it was true, but it was moments like that where it truly hit him. She was perfect in so many ways. She had his mind and her mother's beauty. The thought hit him with such force that he sighed almost without realizing it.

He was nearly startled from his reverie by another of the party goers, "Lord, Vesik. I'd like to chat with you about a business opportunity if you have moment?"

He shook his head and put on his brightest smile. "But, of course."

That moment turned into several, but Vesik would find later that he was grateful for the reprieve, as his eyes once again drifted to Sere as she sat at one of the far tables with another of the wives. His dark eyes were lost in her, from the way her hands gestured to the way her glossy lipstick caught the light. She sensed his eyes upon her from the distance and turned to flash him a smile before going back to the conversation. In that moment, his heart skipped a beat as a rush of pure lust rippled through him. She's soooooooooo beautiful.

As his heart pounded in his chest he could feel the blood rush uncomfortably to other parts of his body, leaving his cock to press against his pants in it's own rage of want. He reached for a drink from one of the passing servers and nearly had it to his lips before he thought better of adding alcohol to to the fire that had flared in his soul. Instead, he rose quickly and went to the gardens, hopeful that the air, still crisp and cool would let him banish the thoughts in his head. He moved quickly from the ballroom, weaving through the maze of people, acknowledging no one, his sense of propriety the only thing keeping him from running.

The air, still with more than a bit of winter's bite, did indeed help him focus his thoughts and quell that rush. At first he tried to deny what it was, but soon dismissed that tactic as giving the thoughts undue power by denying them and pretending they didn't exist. She is beautiful, he told himself, she just is. It's been a long day and a stressful time, so, so what if an impure thought strays in and is gone as quickly as it comes? If such thoughts were cause for punishment, most of the world would be locked up for one thing or other already.

Taking deep breaths and reasoning through it some more, Tonn finally reached the point where he'd convinced himself of any one of a hundred reasons behind that errant feeling and resolved that it wouldn't be returning. He straightened his suit jacket and headed back into the ballroom, being certain to connect amiably with those that he remembered asking him if he was all right as he left, assuring them that he just had a sudden need to be in the open air to collect himself with all the commotion of the party.

By the time he reached the periphery of the dance floor, he'd convinced himself that it was actually true. That is, until he saw Sere on the dance floor with her betrothed, Markus. He was from a middling family, but they had connections that the House of Vesik could use. He watched her spin in his arms and orbit the room.

The lust came back as though it had never left, and, even more powerfully now as it was tinged with more than a hint of jealousy. That sense of right and wrong was still there, but it was like a whisper straining to be heard amidst the screams of a raging mob. His mind filled with a jumble of images. He knew from his own betrothal to her mother that a protracted engagement meant...

Fucking.

The word sat in the middle of his mind, waiting to be explored. It was vile and crass, and yet, there was no other way to describe what the two of them had done in those months. With any stolen moment, and even half-assured notion of privacy, her skirt was up around her waist and he was jackhammering inside her like he needed to in order to keep breathing.

She has to be fucking him., he thought. In that light, every smile she gave Markus and every moment the two had been out of his sight took on new meaning. He saw them doing everything he had done and more. He hungered to know how experienced she was already. His cock was at full attention again and this time he let it be as he pondered what idea turned him on more, the idea that he could teach her what he knew or that she could already teach him.

That rational voice made itself heard loudly enough for him to shout it down in a wave of jealousy that reddened his cheeks. Why shouldn't I have her? She's already...fucking...anyway. He let the word have its way with him. She's already tossed aside her morality, I'm sure of it. So what's one more corruption? I am Tonn Vesik, Lord of the greatest House in Erette. I can have anything and do anything. She is young and beautiful, and I want to make her mine.

She will be.