Kros Voyeh Ch. 04

Brenough asked gently, "We need to know the last time his Highness took her to bed."

Nodding, Lislora relayed his question, "They need to know the last time Draeseth bedded you."

"The morning before the party."

"When was the last time she had her women's blood?"

"When was the last time you had your," she had to pause to remember the correct Aran word "emmenia." Asking such intimate questions in front of men wasn't comfortable and the Aran woman was looking very vulnerable. Lislora felt embarrassed on her behalf.

"I haven't had an emmenia for months, taking silphium daily prevented it. He hasn't let me take it since we arrived but I still haven't had it." Isonei winced as the priests frowned and pressed more firmly into her abdomen.

Brenough asked another question, "How has her frame of mind been? Has she been anxious?"

Lislora asked already knowing the answer, "Have you been anxious or unhappy?"

"Yes. I've been miserable here."

"Too much strain on a woman especially one in poor health will prevent her from being fertile or from bleeding at all, assuming the unhealthy effects of the whoreweed haven't left her infertile." The older priest seemed relieved. "She's too fragile a child to be bearing one right now."

"Are you certain? The midwives who offered some training in Nemauros insisted a woman can still fall pregnant without her regular bleeding."

"I've done this for longer than you've been alive, Brother Jannun. I don't believe it's possible for her to fall pregnant at the moment and I trust my experience and Ganas' guidance over a barely trained midwife." He pulled the cover back over Isonei. "Advise her to refuse his advances if he makes them. The Halloc will be taking her to a convent. This 'Arrangement' she has entered into is not binding in the eyes of Ganas."

Lislora nodded and as they left began dutifully trying to relay the priest's words. "They think that taking silphium daily is not healthy. Between that and the unhappiness you have endured, you have not been fertile. As fragile as your health has been they think you should not be forced to carry a child yet."

"He said he'd let me have my silphium again..." Isonei looked doubtful and uncertain. "I will ask Krouth to bring it to me."

"You can refuse him," Lislora glanced at the door, knowing how furious the suggestion would make her cousin, "instead of taking the herb. They do not consider the Arrangement binding."

"I do, and Draeseth does. He will argue about it vigorously, he lacks patience. Having me in his bed is something he will require unless they can send me home to Ara."

When she spoke of Draeseth requiring her in his bed, Lislora couldn't help but ask, "Is he... is he demanding?" She twisted her hands in her lap nervously. "He said you encourage him to be rough with you."

"I had never been with a man who had rough affections before I met Draeseth. I do enjoy them, and I don't discourage him. Going to bed with him is a joy, although I'm very unhappy with him right now and I don't want to."

She wanted to accept the answer but couldn't quite bring herself to, "The bruises he leaves are a joy?"

"He has a magnificent biting kiss, and I bruise easily." Isonei looked like she wanted to laugh as Lislora gave her a dubious frown. "Here, give me your hand."

Offering her hand to be bitten seemed supremely foolish but the curiosity of what a biting kiss could possibly be was too much to battle against. Isonei's soft lips caressed her skin and the indecent feeling of the woman's tongue touching her was followed by the light sensation of teeth. It sent a shock of pleasure up her arm and her mouth opened in surprise.

The Aran woman smiled up at her, "He does it better. But I bruise easily and when he does it repeatedly..."

"Yes." Lislora nodded pressing her hands to her cheeks trying to cool them as they seemed to get even hotter. "I understand." It took her a moment to collect herself and she studied the tiny smiling woman coming to a conclusion her cousin should have already, "You are too delicate for a Torgan man."

"I'd ask you to help me convince him of that, but he needs you and I would be doing you a disservice. He won't be happy with anyone who tells him that and I want him to have someone with him when I leave," Isonei smiled ruefully, "or die. Whichever happens first."

The words plucked at her heartstrings. "Let them put you in a convent. It would-"

"No. I want to go home." The tiny woman looked defeated and alone. "I need to go home. Torga is far too cold and I miss my family."

Lislora took her hand again and held it trying to think of some way to help. The woman clearly loved Draeseth if she wanted his happiness so desperately. It wasn't long before the Aran had faded back to sleep.

She nearly left Isonei to sleep alone, but at the door, she remembered the jester. Ringing for a maid she waited until the baffled-looking woman arrived. "Lady Lislora! The Duchess never rings. Master Krouth is the one who does it for her and he's downstairs with the priests."

"I don't want the Duchess to be left alone. The jester found his way in earlier and was speaking to her privately. Duchess Isonei delights at his antics but something doesn't seem... right. He's too peculiar."

The maid looked almost grim. "I can stay and keep watch, Lady Lislora."

"Thank you. The Duchess is sleeping right now. If anyone who isn't supposed to be in these rooms attempts to visit her, ring for a guard."

The stern woman gave a firm nod and moved as if to stir the fire with a steel rod kept for that purpose, but instead held it in her hands with determination. If anyone came in who wasn't supposed to be in these rooms, Lislora had a feeling the guard would be dealing with someone the maid had already given a beating to.