Kros Voyeh Ch. 24

Lislora watched as Isonei's eyes widened and a genuine look of stunned surprise graced the woman's expressive face. She realized what her cousin had said at the same time he did.

"I do not mean that way, wife. You are healing and in mourning, I would not ask for that."

The Aran took a breath and nodded with relief, "We should consider finding a new jest for that."

Their husband barked a laugh. "If it pleases my silver Duchess. I have things to attend to, I will leave you with Lislora. On my return, we will discuss the Arrangement. Father would like it formalized tonight or tomorrow before your brother returns to Ara."

"Of course." Isonei accepted a chaste kiss on top of her head and moved aside so that Lislora could be kissed as well. Draeseth nearly kissed her lips but wrinkled his nose as he caught sight of the basin and gave her a kiss on the head as well.

Krouth bustled in with a fresh dress and Gharol in tow carrying water. The woman had her eyes pinned to the floor. Lislora was too stunned to react. Isonei didn't seem to realize anything was amiss, offering a reassuring smile and leaving the washing room.

The door closed and she hissed at the man, "Have you lost your mind?! I was very clear!"

"I required assistance and Gharol was the only maid available." Lislora thought his cool look seemed just a bit smug. "If I believed it would upset her Grace, I would never have suggested Gharol as your maid, my Lady. She will assume that the maid is one from the palace unless you tell her differently."

She gave the man a sour look and he bowed, leaving the washing room.

"I'm sorry, my Lady. I tried to argue..."

"The man is difficult. I expect you to stay as far from Duchess Isonei as you can. I don't want to risk her being upset."

"As the Lady pleases." The maid helped her wash, finding a few specks of vomit on the sleeve of Lisora's underdress. The woman cleaned them off as best she could and helped her change.

She composed herself and opened the door to hear Isonei's clearly excited voice.

"-and the Sea of Glass in the distance."

"A lovely picture, your Grace." Krouth sounded as if he were speaking to a child as he carried something into the bedroom.

"What are you looking at?" Lislora couldn't help but smile at the delighted expression on the woman's face as she came out of the washing room, "You sound like an excited child."

"My sister's sketches. Let me..." The Aran looked around as if seeing the room for the first time and frowned. "I haven't missed the sofa until now."

Laughing, she gestured as she volunteered the solution, "We can sit at the table."

The sketches, by someone named Yarmina, were lovely but Isonei rhapsodized over them as if she were giving a tour of the city. The Aran chattered endlessly about visits she'd made with her father and little details in the drawings until trying to be polite and listen became taxing. While the woman was gushing about the statue of an almost naked man holding up a pearl she turned the page. For a brief moment, lost in her gleeful explanation of the design around the base of the fountain, the Aran didn't seem to notice that the picture now in front of them was of a large, elegant palace.

"What is this?" Lislora expected it to be one of King Tamnaeuth's palaces. With the large doors and peculiar ring of arches, it looked decadent and indefensible.

Isonei stopped speaking and stared in wistful surprise for a moment, "That..." Pausing as she touched the page gently and traced the line of the door, "That is my father's house. My home in Ara."

"It is magnificent, Isonei! The Keep of Kroscur must have seemed so..." Turning the book to study it more closely, Lislora couldn't imagine going from a home like that to what so many in Torga referred to as 'the Bitter Keep'. The difference was like night and day. "So many arches and are those carvings?"

"Most of them are. A few are painted to look like carvings, grandfather wanted the house to look more ornate and it was the style at the time. The windows are all rounded at the top, but he had them painted to look pointed, that was the style as well. These arches around the outside ring the inner walk. It's the paved area around the house. The gardens are behind it, and there's a small fountain tucked in here." The Aran pointed at the side of the house with a sad smile.

"The three main doors are all the size of the front door; for parties, we would have them all open and guests would go around the walk to different entertainments, dancing in the ballroom, food and music in the large dining room, and conversation everywhere... With the fields and the gardens in bloom, the air was heavy with the scent of flowers. People would come from the other side of Ara just to attend."

"The royal palace is the only thing that comes close to this, Isonei. I... You were raised in this house?"

"Yes!" The woman laughed softly, "My room is here." She pointed to the top floor on the left side. "If you think my father's house is impressive you should see the Aran royal palace. It's far larger and more opulent. My brothers get so envious every time they go to Court. I was always very content with our home. I was in no hurry to Arrange myself to anyone, but if I did I knew he, or they, would have to have comfortable houses like my father's. I never wanted anything much larger, but smaller wouldn't be pleasant either."

Lislora laughed and shook her head at hearing the woman describe the palace drawn on the page in front of them as merely comfortable. It wasn't surprising that the tiny woman was so accustomed to getting everything she wanted if her family was that wealthy

The talk of Arrangements, however, reminded her of what they were meant to be discussing. "We do need to speak of the Arrangement. His Majesty wants it done today."

Isonei closed the book gently. "We need to discuss your wants and needs."

"I..." as kind as the woman was, this was still nearly unbearable. "I want him to myself, Isonei."

"I would give him to you if I could." The Aran's face set in an almost uncharacteristic seriousness. "Perhaps I can, if the first requirement for you to enter into this is for him to give you a proper Torgan marriage should I die or the Arrangement with me is dissolved. It might make the Arrangement more palatable for the Kamruses as well."

It would be a step in the right direction and it would help to make the Arrangement less shameful. She inclined her head thoughtfully, choosing to take advantage of the woman's expertise where such matters were concerned. "What else should I ask for?"

"We have to decide on halves of the year unless you think we can live in the same house."

"No." Her grimace was involuntary but the Aran didn't look offended. "You are always kind but I would have him to myself for the time that is mine."

"Agreed. I would like the winter, otherwise, I'll freeze." Isonei made a face as if she'd tasted something incredibly sour and it took a great deal not to laugh despite the implication that the woman would be sharing a bed with their husband.

"I will take Penst and Dipf and leave you with Shprayt and Ailzem. You will enjoy coming to the bouts more than I will." Unfortunately, dividing the year that way would have her giving birth to her son while Draeseth was meant to be with Isonei. "Will he visit me when I have our son?"

"When you carry his child he spends the year with you. He'll be with you when you have your son." The Aran smiled warmly as Lislora nearly sighed in relief. "We will need to discuss when to have all of the children together and if we want to work together on some things, like schools or helping the poorer villages."

"Yes, of course. If you use my house, we could allow the children to see each other when they wish. It is far enough to keep Draeseth from trying to visit without our knowledge and close enough not to be a taxing journey on you or the children. It may be some time before I have as generous a reputation as you do, but I would like to spend some time giving aid to the people as well."

"We may want to give Draeseth some sort of reassurance that he'll still have money for things like roads and trade. With both of us being generous he may begin to worry."

"That would be wise." Lislora glanced to the chest of gifts as she began phrasing the terms in her mind. "Is there anything else we need to decide?"

"How many children I'm permitted to adopt?" Isonei widened her eyes, putting on an almost comical expression of hopefulness.

"I will let you decide that with Draeseth, I have no objections to you adopting children. They seem to love you and you always look more cheerful when you have them around you."

"I adore children. I would take all of the orphans in Torga if I could."

Lislora laughed and leaned back in her chair, feeling more at ease. "I doubt he would allow that, but improving things for the children and sisters at the orphanage would be welcomed. Life there is grueling. Hodrim was the only bright spot in it."

"He's going to be one of Kamrus Rimathe's attendants. He made the choice today."

That was a surprise but not an enormous one, the Kamrus had seemed impressed with the boy while he'd been with them. "It will be good for him." It did mean that the boy wouldn't be coming back to the Kroscur with them and she'd been looking forward to showing the boy more of the Keep. "Kamrus Rimathe serves the Dalcur and, I have heard from Krouth, he is known for his persistence and gentleness in reclaiming the Lerians who choose to marry and live in Torga."

"Letting him go was so wretched, but it's what's best for him and he's so happy about it."

At Isonei's pensive expression she suggested, "We should give him a gift."

"I gave him two. A puzzle box and the ring my father gave me when I came of age."

Lislora caught herself giving the Aran a sharp look and tried to soften her face, but she was suddenly deeply annoyed. "I would have liked to give him something as well, with such rich gifts nothing I give him will matter."

"It will if you give it with love. Are there traditional Torgan gifts for a mother to give her child before he goes away like this?"

There were, and if Ximesra approached him perhaps Ironbender could give her a reasonable price for something. She nodded slowly trying to decide on one of the traditional gifts given to sons joining the priesthood. "He should be older, but the other attendants will have them."

"What-?"

"You will see them when I give them to him." Lislora cut the woman off, unable to hide her annoyance.

"Of course."

The Aran looked slightly amused and Lislora fidgeted wishing they were in her rooms and she could have something to eat brought to the table. Still, the entire discussion had been almost painless and she wanted to thank the woman. "This was less painful than I had imagined it would be, I should thank you for that."

"Let's move to more comfortable chairs, and you don't need to thank me. This is how it should be between us, friendly and comfortable."

"I will try to remember that, Isonei. It may be more difficult when I know you'll be having sex with my... our husband." As much as she'd been trying to adjust her thoughts saying it aloud was still strange.

"I understand." Isonei didn't look pleased by her words. "As long as none of the children bear the brunt of your unhappiness, I won't be offended if you're sometimes sour." As she settled into a larger, softer chair the woman gave her a serious look, "I will be disappointed. Our husband will have to endure that."

This was more like what she'd been expecting. Lislora remained in her uncomfortable chair and studied the Aran. "If you complain to him he'll be sour with me."

"Then perhaps you should practice being gracious while you imagine flinging me from the parapets?" Isonei's overly sweet smile resembled one she'd seen on the Queen's face and it was a sudden reminder that the woman in front of her would be very capable of making her life miserable if Lislora was unpleasant to her.

Part of her wanted to throttle the woman and another part of her wanted to break into nervous laughter. "I will, thank you for your advice, Duchess."

"You are most welcome, Duchess." Isonei's bright smile made her more than a little nervous.

Looking to the door, she rose and took a step toward it. "Ximesra should be back by now. Krouth had errands to attend to."

"She's attending to my brother. He can talk for hours."

"So can she. The woman is too chatty for a maid."

"I enjoy it. The other maids here are silent and it's unnerving."

"They're meant to do their tasks and leave without drawing attention. Only certain servants get to enjoy speaking to their lords."

"Consider her a certain servant. I'll keep her with me if she bothers you," Isonei almost sounded sour.

"I have no objections to that." Lislora tried to offer a smile as she moved closer to the door, wishing Gharol had been thoughtful enough to send someone with drinks or food. "I will find someone to bring us something to drink while we wait for Draeseth."

"You don't have to hurry, I was considering lying down. I feel much more tired than I should."

"I can leave and let you rest. Send Ximesra to fetch me when Draeseth returns."

"Of course."

Lislora hurried out and stopped outside the door. She'd forgotten that the woman wasn't supposed to be left alone. It was clear, however, that they were both beginning to feel out of sorts. The Aran was tired and Lislora needed something to eat. A guard peeked around the corner at her and then pulled his head back. It encouraged her to move in that direction.

"Are you watching Duchess Isonei's door?" She gave him a stern look.

"Yes, Lady. Orders were given." The man looked unsure if she were going to protest.

"Good. She and I are both a little sour at the moment. The Duchess is going to rest and I didn't want to leave her entirely alone. As long as someone is watching her door it should be fine." With relief, she made her way to her own rooms.