Kros Voyeh Ch. 27

"No one wants you to leave." Adareth looked almost tearful and she thought he would say more but Rogath stepped forward and gripped his shoulder.

"This has been discussed. Aunt Isonei has to leave for a short time."

"Is there anything I can send them from Gogmenos? Something they can look forward to?" Isonei looked up at him with sad, hopeful eyes.

The eldest Prince smiled faintly, "She wants to know what she can send you. She doesn't want you to be sad."

Kas immediately began to tug on the Aran's over-cloak at the shoulder. "A ring! A ring like you put in the box for that boy or a dress of starlight!"

"Kas would like a ring or a dress of starlight." Rogath was trying to give his youngest a stern look but he was amused.

Lislora leaned slightly against her husband.

Isonei was beaming, "If we go to Ara, on our way I will send you fabric for a dress of starlight."

Draeseth and Rogath made almost identical sounds of amusement.

As the Aran turned to look at Ror, the Princess spoke earnestly, "All I want is for you to come back, Aunt Isonei. That would be enough."

Stroking the girl's grey cheek and red-gold hair, Isonei glanced up for someone to translate it. Lislora couldn't push the words out past the sudden lump in her throat and it looked as if most of the others in the room had the same difficulty.

After a moment, Ougath cleared his throat. "Ror would have you return. That is gift enough."

Isonei looked as if she might weep as she pulled the Princess into an embrace with her eyes tightly closed. Finally, she took a deep breath and stood up, turning a heartbreakingly sad smile on Rogath.

"You have such-" the woman's voice cracked just slightly and she stopped to compose herself, "such precious daughters."

"They should eat before the food gets cold." He inclined his head. "Or before they beg to keep you again."

The Aran made a sound that might have been a laugh and wiped at her eyes before taking another deep breath, "Or before I try to pack them in my chests. I want to keep them."

"If you don't come away and get your breakfast she may pack you in her chests. She doesn't want to part with you either."

Ror smiled, shaking her head. Kas, however, leaned to look past Isonei as if searching for the chests. It was impossible not to laugh and the mood felt lighter.

"She would. She adores them." Draeseth teased with a faint smile.

"She can leave my girls here, she has her boy. Ror wants him to stay so she can work on his puzzle box. Father considered making the boy give it up but I dissuaded him."

"We dissuaded him." Burgath glanced at the Princesses as he held a plate for Rogath. "I had to promise to commission one for her Royal Highness, with a ring inside."

Ror smiled slyly and took the plate as he offered it, going to sit on the sofa. Rogath insisted, with a gesture of his head, that Isonei was to sit with the Princesses on the sofa as Krouth brought chairs from other rooms so that everyone, including the priests, would have a place to sit.

The room quieted as everyone began to eat.

Once they'd finished breakfast, Rogath informed them that the royal carriage had been prepared to take them to the gate. Kamrus Olauth was sour but did not protest. Isonei's things were taken ahead as they all made their way to out to where the carriages and the cart that would be accompanying the priests were located.

Lislora pretended she didn't hear the argument between the Kamrus and Draeseth over where Isonei's things should be packed as they prepared to climb into the King's carriage. Burgath had stepped in and settled the matter. The things she was likely to need, her cloak, clothing, and so on were on the carriage with her. The rest, including the Kamrus' personal chests that had to be moved to make room, would be following on a cart with her servants.

She could hear through the carriage door that the two Princes would be riding down to make certain that the guards were in order and that they knew not to allow the Kamrus to rearrange the luggage. The Lady's comfort was to be seen to as much as her protection.

Isonei was more concerned with the Princesses than with the men speaking outside. As they all settled into the crowded carriage, she let the youngest girl into her lap and let Ror cuddle beneath her arm. Rogath looked amused and slightly speculative as he took a seat next to them, letting Lislora sit with the other two Princes that would be accompanying them down.

"She can't leave yet." Kas looked miserable and on the verge of tears, "She never finished her story."

°°°°°°°°°°

Lislora couldn't help but feel that the Aran's leaving was ill-timed as she watched the woman kiss the youngest Princess' head. With their mother's absence, they could use her comfort.

"You should write out these little stories, Isonei." Adareth offered encouragingly after the tale was finished. "They would be popular to read to small children."

"There are so many, writing them down would take up all of my time." Isonei offered the youngest Prince a bright smile. "There are some that have been collected into books though, but The Wretched Traveler is more popular when it's told. You lose something without the storyteller."

Rogath snorted. "It would require a jester to tell it the way you do. But if you put it in a book, Torgan storytellers can learn it."

Lislora gave the pleased looking woman an encouraging smile. The children at the convent would enjoy the tales immensely whether the Aran wrote them down or not.

"You may have the time in Gogmenos. I gave a small purse to your cook to be sure you had paper for letters. If Father received a thank you note as gracious as you gave me..." Ougath sounded hopeful.

"I wrote one for him yesterday, before the worst of the unpleasantness. I didn't alter it, I imagine Master Krouth will have it delivered after I've left."

Rogath glanced toward her after Isonei finished speaking, "Father may come to regret dissolving the Arrangement if her letter to him is as touching as the one she wrote to Mother. She's as gracious as my brother is coarse."

Lislora inclined her head. "It was gracious, and I think she would argue with you, your Highness, as I would, that your brother isn't so coarse. We both find him charming."

"Are all Aran women so gracious, Isonei?" Adareth's wistful tone made him sound younger than his age.

"We try to be. We don't always succeed." Isonei tilted her head with a smile, "Didn't Andnaeuth write a thank you note?"

"He did not. It would have been strange if he had." Rogath leaned to stroke Kas' cheek.

"We did not write any on leaving Ara, either." Ougath shrugged.

"You should have. Your trip may have ended less pleasantly than you wished it to, but-"

Rogath cut off the Aran's chiding with a look of amused annoyance, "He knew he was inviting Torgans, not Arans."

Isonei arched her brows, "You weren't just making a comment to Lislora about being as gracious as I am? If you expect graciousness, you should be more gracious yourselves."

The flat look he gave the woman made him resemble Draeseth more strongly than Lislora could ever remember seeing. "She may be gracious but she's been around my father for too long. He's made her vain and sharp."

The two Princes next to her chuckled and Lislora inclined her head suppressing a smile.

"You teased your brother that he was trying to make you miss him less. It is kind of you to do that for us." Ougath needled the woman and Adareth elbowed him in the ribs.

It didn't seem to offend Isonei, however, the Aran laughed as if she enjoyed it. "If I don't leave now, you'll learn all of my jests by heart! I'd have to find new ones!"

"It would be no hardship for you."

"Enough," Rogath spoke with a pointed look.

"To lose the company of someone who makes a room brighter just by entering it, is bitter." Adareth sounded as miserable as if the Aran really were his sister.

"You're always so sweet, Adareth. I hope it isn't so bitter that you regret meeting me." Isonei gave the youngest Prince a look that managed to be both doting and sad.

"Never, Isonei."

The carriage came to a stop.

"We must be at the gate." Rogath frowned slightly, "It's time to say goodbye to Aunt Isonei for now. She has to go."

Isonei bent to kiss their heads as they embraced her more tightly despite their father's words. "Tell them I'll send them something when I arrive, and if they ask nicely, perhaps Aunt Lislora will let them look at the Aran jewelry I gave her when they get back to the palace."

That put a faint smile on the eldest Prince's face. "She promises to send you gifts when she arrives and she says she gave your Aunt Lislora her Aran jewelry. She may let you look at it."

"I'll even let them try it on. The necklace and bracelet are lovely and delicate. And I have her other ring!"

That seemed to help immensely and Kas moved off of Isonei's lap.

"I would like to speak to Lislora privately for just a moment, if-if I may." The Aran woman was trying to hold a smile on her face and the Princes clambered out of the carriage, taking the two Princesses with them.

Lislora suspected she knew what the woman wanted to speak of but the look on the smaller woman's face was somehow disquieting. "I will make sure Hodrim is taken care of."

"And Draeseth. This is breaking his heart." Isonei swallowed and took a deep breath. "Let him grieve and be gentle with him. His pain doesn't mean he loves you less."

The woman made it sound as if she were going to die or never see them again. Lislora opened her mouth to reassure the Aran but the door of the carriage was opened and Hodrim peered in worriedly. "Alma?"

"My little love!"

That the woman could look graceful scrambling to the carriage door was simply unfair. Draeseth helped her down, and Isonei was embracing Hodrim as he helped Lislora.

"I feel so loved that everyone came to see me off."

"You are loved. I had to come to see you. To give you this." The boy stepped back and gestured for his Alma to kneel as he'd done at the convent.

Isonei knelt and smiled up at him warmly as he gave her a benediction. "My love will go with you everywhere, dearest Hodrim," she turned her head to kiss his palm as she spoke.

Draeseth helped Isonei back to her feet and Lislora put an arm around the boy to gently guide him toward where the Princesses were standing and watching.

"That was well done, Hodrim."

"You'll be a fine priest one day," Rogath spoke warmly but she couldn't manage to pay attention to what else he said as Draeseth and Isonei walked toward the Kamrus' carriage speaking to one another.

"Duchess Lislora?" Hodrim's voice brought her attention back.

"I-"

Draeseth bent and pressed his face to the Aran woman's tearfully.

"You do that with us, Father." Ror sounded baffled and for some reason, Lislora wanted to laugh and cry at once.

"I do."

"Aunt Lislora," Kas touched her hand, "Is Aunt Isonei's other ring a red one too?"

She took a moment to find her voice, "No, your Highness, it has a clear white gem and panels of white opal. The silver is made to look like rippling water. I've never seen anything that looked more Aran."

"Can I put it on?" The younger girl looked delighted as she nodded.

"You may." Lislora glanced back toward Draeseth and saw Burgath placing his hand on Isonei's shoulder. "I think she'd like that."

Draeseth joined them a moment later and pulled her into an embrace. "I would have been more pleased if Kamrus Rimathe traveled with them."

"Halloc Aurim is his brother," Hodrim spoke solemnly. "He promised to look after Lady Isonei and she's always spoken well of him. We have to trust that Ganas has put things on their right path."

"I tried to reassure her." The larger Prince looked as if he wanted to say more but he cleared his throat and looked down at the Princesses.

"We should go back." Rogath began lifting the girls into the carriage. "Who is collecting you, Hodrim?"

As the boy gave his answer, something about another attendant that would be walking with him, Lislora turned to Draeseth and asked under her breath in Aran, "She's afraid? I wanted to reassure her in the carriage but I was interrupted."

He made an unhappy sound, "She was speaking as if..." the Prince clenched his jaw instead of continuing as Burgath put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ride with your wife, brother. I want to hear the end of the story from our nieces."

"I thank you." Draeseth inclined his head.

After helping her onto Burgath's horse, he mounted his own and they followed the carriage back toward the palace.

"She was speaking to me as if she... as if she would never see us again." Lislora glanced at her husband with a worried frown.

"Yes." The large man's eyes looked damp but his face was grim. "I have a feeling in my chest. I felt it when my mother took ill... I want to send Krouth to Gogmenos. Someone should be there to tend to her, I fear she will fall ill and..."

"We can send him to catch up with the carriage." Lislora reached out to touch his arm and he gave her a grateful look.

The horses didn't like being so close together, however, and Burgath's horse tried to bite her husband's. She yanked the reins and separated them. As she glanced back to her husband, expecting some annoyance for allowing the animal to bite in the first place, she was surprised to see him looking at her with a proud, almost doting smile.

"Husband?"

"I forget how well you ride, my flower."

A flush began creeping up her cheeks as she smiled back at him.