Kros Voyeh Ch. 05

From the woman's expression, she had a suspicion that she knew what about. "About Draeseth?" Her hands stilled and she turned on her bench to study Isonei bemusedly. "Krouth said you would come speak to me when the Halloc gave his Highness permission to take you to bed. He said you were closer to me than Draeseth and you would rather continue to be celibate than to defy me if I said no."

To her surprise the woman looked relieved, nodding gratefully, "Few people know me as well as Krouth does, I think."

Lislora looked past her out of the window for a moment trying to compose herself. She had hoped the man was wrong. Finally, she asked, "Do you want to go to bed with him?"

"I don't know. I haven't felt a great deal of desire lately." The Aran smiled wryly, "Unless you include desire for the meal he was describing."

That put the smile back on Lislora's face. "Krouth said you liked roast goat and Draeseth spoke of some odd stuffed onions. A good meal cheers anyone."

"He said we may go to the Torgan Court soon as well." Isonei tilted her head as Lislora winced. "That isn't a good thing?"

"I rarely went. My father was not wealthy enough to afford the latest Court fashions and he was cousins with the King's favorite mistress. I was never very welcome."

The woman seemed to commiserate. "My House is a waxing House, but while my brothers sought entrance to the Aran Court I chose not to. There were too many things I could do wrong. Too many people my mischievousness could offend. My father and brothers preferred it if I stayed away."

"I cannot imagine you offending anyone. You are always so mild and pleasant."

Laughing, Isonei flopped sideways and slumped across the arm of her seat. "I'm not. Or I wasn't. I haven't been myself since I've been in Torga."

"Are you prepared for them to be cold to you?" Rising from her bench Lislora moved closer to her to stand next to the window. Cold wasn't the word for how they could be at Court but it would suffice.

"I am. But I would like to know more about the people there. Rogath and Burgath wanted to have me in the Queen's retinue."

Just the memory of encountering the retinue made Lislora feel ill. Clearly, Draeseth's brothers weren't as fond of Isonei as they seemed. "I would have suggested avoiding her. She is a cruel woman."

"They want me to avoid the King and being close to the Queen will accomplish that. From what I was told, she's exclusive to the King but he isn't required to be. That would be wretched enough to make anyone cruel."

Looking at her speculatively, Lislora had to wonder if Isonei might do better at Court than she did, if only because she seemed to see things differently. "I had not considered that. She chose to marry him knowing his tastes."

"Why? I can't imagine many things more terrible than to be exclusive to someone when you don't wish to be, and to know that they can choose to be with others would be intolerable."

Gently, Lislora tried to explain, "She chose to suit her ambitions. She wanted her son to be King." She nearly added that the Queen wouldn't take pity well but the Aran was already nodding slowly with a serious yet baffled expression.

"I can't imagine choosing such a thing."

"The baffled look on your face, wife." Draeseth's voice came from the doorway. "What are you discussing?"

Lislora had nearly forgotten the reason Isonei had come to speak to her it made something in her stomach twist."The Queen, your Highness." She tried to offer him a smile despite her discomfort. "Why she would choose to marry your father."

"I thought you might have other topics to discuss." His frown to Isonei suggested the woman had told him she wanted Lislora's permission.

"She asked me." Looking out of the window she tried to compose herself.

"And the answer?" His frown could be heard in his voice, she didn't need to turn to see it.

"Lislora hasn't given one yet, don't press her." The sound of Isonei trying to defend her made her wish they didn't both have feelings for the same man.

Taking a breath she offered a slight shrug, "If it is what you both desire. You have an Arrangement. It would be wrong to compel you both to be celibate." Hoping they would think better of it was another matter.

"It would." There was a pause and Isonei rose from her seat before Draeseth spoke again. "Why are you curious about the Queen?"

Isonei's answer was indistinct as the pair moved into the hall and began walking away from the door. She stayed by the window for a long moment and then took a deep breath. There were things to be done and dwelling on a problem that had been given over to Ganas would do no one any good.

Krouth was standing in the doorway as she turned, "You need to make a noise, knock or walk more heavily, Krouth."

The man suppressed a smile. "Forgive me. Her Grace seems warmer to his Highness today. I suspect he told her the truth, or at least part of it. She's always more affectionate when she wishes to reward him for something, but I think, she isn't as affectionate as he hopes."

"She said she didn't have a great deal of desire for anything other than the meal he described to her."

"If you were less than enthusiastic in giving your permission, she may make him wait a day or more."

Inclining her head, Lislora changed the subject to the other thing that was nagging at her. "As much as we've spoken he never mentioned that he's taking her to Court."

"He was commanded to. His Majesty wants her to arrive in the weeks before the bouts. I sent for a dressmaker to prove his Highness' intention to bring her but he has been avoiding the subject. Each time I bring it up, out of necessity, he glowers at me." Krouth's expression looked pinched and more sour than usual.

"My father often said having too beautiful a wife was a curse. Other men covet them."

"That is true." The servant inclined his head. "It may be worse because of the way Duchess Isonei was raised."

"She doesn't understand..." Lislora raised an eyebrow as Krouth sucked his cheeks in silently. "You think she does?"

"I suspect, from some of the things she's said to me, that she was taught to be so gentle in her refusals that men always believe they have hope. It would be a useful skill for a daughter of a waxing House, her mothers undoubtedly had ambitions for her and from what little I know of them, they were of the upper nobility and very ambitious women themselves. That she would have had a courtesan's education, at least in part..."

The thought of anyone trying to make the open and honest Aran woman she knew into a courtesan was enough to make Lislora crack a smile. "She would have been terrible at it. Isonei has no guile whatsoever."

"No." Krouth smiled faintly as well. "But she loathes upsetting people. The art of putting people off pleasantly would have been well received. My concern is that her gentleness will be seen as encouragement. Torgan women are much more firm in their refusals."

"I can speak with her about it now that I know she needs the lesson urgently."

"His Highness will undoubtedly appreciate that."