Making Amends

Theovaire's daughter sat stiffly at his left, the food before her scarcely touched. With her pretty face and long golden locks the young knight was every bit as fetching as Hyacin remembered, but to his great pleasure she was dressed as befit a lady instead of a warrior. Not that she seemed to have much choice in the matter. An elegant diadem pinned back the young aristocrat's intricately woven and braided hair and she wore a delicate dress of gold and white cloth which clung tight to her womanly figure in place of the gleaming coat of mail which had obscured those same curves from the baron's view during their initial encounter. The ornate garment she wore now must have been either new or recently modified as it fit perfectly around the prodigious jut of the blonde's swollen belly.

As he witnessed the change his seed had wrought in his one-time assailant, the veteran ambassador couldn't recall a single moment from all his life in which he had been more completely satisfied. Her defiled body was a glorious sight which proved more than sufficient to stiffen his manhood despite the many layers of formal attire holding it down. There could be no disputing that pregnancy suited the beautiful young noblewoman, and it was no worse a fate than she deserved for assaulting her betters as she had. Even a persistent rumour of having lost her innocence was enough to do serious damage to such a woman's chances of finding a suitable match, after all. Actually bearing a child out of wedlock? Whatever prospects the girl had once had for marriage would have been irrevocably shattered the moment her condition became apparent.

Fighting hard to mask his mirth, the imperial emissary came to a halt a few paces before his host at the end of the great hall. After removing his hat and briefly bowing exactly as low as protocol dictated and not a fraction farther, Hyacin straightened up once more and met the Duke's eyes.

"I bid you welcome to my domain, your excellency," the stoic monarch pronounced, acknowledging his guest's formal bow with a crisp nod of his own. His bearing was as formal as could be and devoid of open hostility, but it also utterly lacked the warmth, sincere or otherwise, which usually greeted Baron Hyacin wherever he went. "I trust your journey was a pleasant one."

"All was as you say, your majesty. My travels have been entirely peaceful of late and your fair realm has no shortage of truly delightful views which I have had the good fortune to behold." As he spoke, Hyacin couldn't stop his eyes from flitting over to the man's daughter for just a moment. His gaze didn't linger long enough to be entirely certain, but unless he was much mistaken the girl's cheeks were distinctly darker than they had been a few moments prior. Whether that came as a reaction to his remark about delightful views or the subtle reminder of her past errors was impossible to say.

"I am gladdened to hear you say so," the old Duke replied. Judging by the hint of frost which had slipped into the man's tone Hyacin's momentary indiscretion had not gone unnoticed. It was subtle, though, so subtle that the ambassador suspected few men present would notice it even were they close enough to listen in. He actually found himself rather impressed by that. No doubt even a minor sovereign like the Duke was accustomed to getting his way, yet he was entirely in control of himself despite the fury he no doubt felt over his daughter's condition. Had the old bastard been born an imperial instead of a provincial he might have been a very great man indeed. It was almost a pity. Almost.

"As this is your first official reception here at Silverwing," the Duke carried on without missing even a single beat, "allow me the honour of introducing my children. These are my sons Lucien," he nodded towards the nearer of the two, a mangy mutt with short brown hair and fresh stains on his clothes, "and Bastien," the farther, a blonde who looked as marginally better groomed as he was younger. Each of the pair greeted their father's guest with a polite nod of their own before swiftly turning away. They were younger than Hyacin, somewhere in their early twenties most likely, and neither struck the ambassador as particularly noteworthy. Perhaps age or the responsibilities of a throne would shape one or the other into a man of consequence given enough time, but for the moment they appeared to be nothing more than two spoiled, indolent princelings of the sort the world seemed to possess in endless supply.

"And this," the Duke rumbled on, "is my daughter, Sienna." Ah, so that's what the brat's name had been. Sienna nodded stiffly at the ambassador when prompted, clearly struggling to meet his gaze. Hyacin returned the gesture with a wolfish grin that only deepened the disgraced maiden's blush. There was no doubt at all that his presence had brought recollections of their last encounter to the forefront of the girl's mind. Deep beneath his breeches the diplomat's manhood stirred as he let his eyes linger on his former prey. He couldn't help but wonder whether she was wet under that fine dress she wore. The little bitch may have played the blushing maiden at first when she threw herself at him, but once they had retired to bed she had responded as enthusiastically as any whore. Besides, it was no secret that having a child in her belly made many a woman all the more eager to be mounted.

"The honour is mine, my lord, and might I say it is a true delight to make your acquaintance properly, and the lovely Lady Sienna's as well." For just a moment Baron Hyacin thought the Duke would rise to his challenge, but instead the old man just let it pass with a grim look on his face.

"Please, join us for the feast," the old man gestured to the empty seat on his daughter's left, his voice downright icy.

"It would be my pleasure, your majesty." Only after giving a second precisely executed bow did the imperial emissary move to take the seat which had been prepared for him. For once he paid not the slightest mind to the serving girl who pulled out that seat and filled his chalice, no peasant was worth his attention next to the radiant young woman seated to his right.

For the better part of the next hour Baron Hyacin gradually worked his way through the meal which was set before him soon thereafter, all the while enjoying as best he could what passed for entertainment in the provinces. Throughout the evening musicians serenaded the assembled nobles while a series of performers from fire-eaters to acrobats were brought in one after another to amuse their betters. For the first half of the feast the ambassador was also engaged in an intermittent conversation with his host, their topics ranging from the latest imperial news to a casual discussion of issues which affected each of their nations. Little of consequence was said, perhaps, but it was the sort of casual sounding out which would make the serious talks set to take place over the next few days pass more smoothly. Baron Hyacin Lyselliol III of the Lacanth Marches was, after all, an exemplary ambassador. Whatever his personal interests may be on any given day they always came second behind those of his master.

For her part Lady Sienna sat quietly as the men to each side of her talked at length, scarcely touching her meal and paying even less attention to the motley procession of entertainers who paraded themselves through the great hall. Every now and then her father or his guest would address her directly, but each time she deflected their inquiry as brusquely as propriety would allow and returned to staring at the stone blocks which made up the throne room's opposite wall.

Not until his host had departed to address in private some concern raised by one or another of his nobles did Baron Hyacin at last turn his attention to the man's daughter. By that point the lordly sun had already slipped beneath the far horizon, it's warm rays giving way to candlelight and a roaring hearth. All evening the din of provincial revelry had grown louder and louder with each barrel of wine or spirits the assembled nobility left drained, a phenomenon that did tend to happen at most feasts, so by the time Duke Theovaire left it had become quite difficult indeed for even the most determined of eavesdroppers to pick out any individual conversation over the general clamour.

Thus, with little fear of being overheard and her father no longer present to enforce proper decorum, the ambassador could no longer resist the temptation of engaging with Sienna more directly. "I fear I must beg your pardon, milady," he began, his cheery tone a stark contrast to the somber words. "It strikes me that I have been most terribly remiss. Please, do allow me to offer you my heartfelt congratulations."

An unmistakable look of utter bewilderment dawned on the disgraced maiden's fair features as she slowly turned to face her father's guest."Congratulations?" she asked, her brow tightening as the word hung heavy in the air between them. "Whatever for?"

Baron Hyacin just smiled politely in answer to Sienna's quizzical look, unwilling to let her less-than-gracious reaction dampen his mood. It was only to be expected, after all. He was hardly foolish enough to believe a child conceived under such circumstances as theirs had been stood much chance of being greeted in the typical fashion. No, instead of the usual pageantry which celebrated the imminent birth of a new royal the arrival of such a bastard would have prompted only awkward silences and determined avoidance, it's very existence a source of shame every bit as undeniable as it was unspoken. Given Sienna's station in her homeland he imagined few men indeed would have been bold enough to remark upon it at all, but he had nothing to fear from the likes of her.

"Why, on your condition, of course," The ambassador blithely explained. As the blonde's eyes went wide from shock he just kept on smiling, casually lifting his glass as if in toast before gulping down what remained of its contents.

"I... that's..." Sienna's cheeks flushed as dark as the wine Hyacin had just drank, his explanation leaving her speechless. The emissary had always found that highborn ladies expected such delicate topics to be broached only with the utmost discretion. He had also always found that the sight of them floundering when caught off guard by an abrupt, direct inquiry was one of life's true delights. Fortunately, despite her frequently unladylike inclinations Sienna proved to be no exception to that particular rule.

As the wide-eyed noblewoman fell into a fit of furious stammering it struck Hyacin that he might actually be growing a little fond of the brat. She was quite pretty when not playing soldier, he mused, and responded nearly as spectacularly to being teased as his long-lamented little sister once had. It was rather endearing.

By the time Sienna finally succeeded in collecting herself her cheeks were practically blazing and she no longer seemed able to meet the baron's eyes, instead fixing her gaze somewhere on the table between them. "Thank you, your excellency," she eventually managed to grind out, though the manner in which she did so made her true feelings perfectly clear.

"You are most welcome, milady," Hyacin replied with a gracious nod. When he reached down to pluck up a small fruit from the plate before him the fallen maiden began to turn away, no doubt thinking, or at least hoping, that their conversation had run its course. That escape was never realized, however, as no sooner had the emissary popped the carefully selected delicacy into his mouth than he carried on. "But, and do forgive me if I am misinformed, are you not unmarried? I would have thought news of your matrimony would reach the empire."

Though it had hardly seemed possible a few moments before, Sienna's one visible cheek darkened yet further as she haltingly turned back towards her neighbour. "You are correct, milord. As yet I have not been so fortunate as to find a husband." The girl's voice had gone oddly stiff all of a sudden, but Hyacin was surprised to find her once more meeting his gaze. And unless he was reading her entirely wrong, quite the rare mistake for a man of his position and experience, it almost seemed as if she were... challenging him. The brat may not have possessed much in the way of brains, but one had to respect that she seemed to have no shortage of backbone. It was a curious combination which left her not entirely unlike a wild mare, Hyacin mused.

"I see." The baron paused dramatically at that 'news', taking a long sip of his recently refilled wine while savouring the aura of obvious discomfort which radiated out from the young woman beside him. "Then, and please, forgive my impertinence, do you know who the father is?" Maintaining an air of aloof curiosity as Sienna's eyes flared with outrage took every last shred of self-restraint in Hyacin's arsenal, but he managed the feat. For just a moment after speaking, he was convinced that the mother of his latest child was about to hurl herself at him armed with naught but a dinner knife. But, In the end, she too maintained her composure, if only by the most tenuous of margins. Instead, the weapon of choice for her inevitable reprisal was limited to a voice which trembled with equal parts fury and shame.

"I have only ever lain with a single man, your excellency." The disgraced maiden put so much sting into those last two words it almost seemed as if she thought the baron needed a reminder who had sired the bastard growing in her womb. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Hyacin very much doubted either of them would ever forget the events of that fateful day.

"Is that so?" the emissary idly mused, fighting back a smirk at the way his one time victim's eyes flared once more. Most men found anger unbecoming in a woman, and it was certainly a trait which could make one more difficult to manage, but to his eyes Sienna looked all the more fetching when she was riled up. "Well, your lover must have been a most fortunate man indeed to have shared the bed of such a fine and fair lady as yourself." Whatever response the disgraced maiden had expected from the target of her wrath, clearly it had been something else. In the face of such an unexpected compliment her cheeks, which had only just begun to return to normal, darkened once more and she recoiled in surprise as if slapped.

"I..." Sienna's gaze lowered to the table once more, all the fight draining out of her in an instant. It was as if the fierce spitfire he had been trading barbs with was gone and the vulnerable maiden she had always looked to be was there in her place. "I am glad to hear you feel that way." By the time she fell quiet her voice had dropped to scarcely a whisper.

Suddenly caught off guard himself, the ambassador leaned back in his chair and took a long moment to survey the beauty in question. "But of course," he finally answered, "I have little doubt that any man so fortunate as to spend an evening in your company would consider the experience among the most precious of his treasures."

"I hope so, Milord," Sienna replied. As she spoke, her bright eyes slowly began to track back up towards Hyacin's face. "I confess, I have..." by the time her gaze had finally met his own the blonde's voice was positively quivering and she gave a subtle gulp before carrying on. "...anticipated his return."

"Oh? You have?" Genuinely astonished, the baron couldn't help but raise one eyebrow and cock his head slightly as he stared back at the young noblewoman.

"It is true." As Hyacin looked on, Sienna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There could be no mistaking how excruciating their current conversation must be for the girl, but after a brief moment her eyes opened once more and she carried on in a steadier voice even as her cheeks grew darker. "I had hoped that once he knew of my... condition... he might... seek my hand."

At that confession Hyacin's carefully maintained facade of detached curiosity finally cracked, his own eyes going wide even as one of his hands instinctively rose to stroke at his close-trimmed beard. "Truly?" he asked, scarcely able to believe what he had just heard "It is your intention to seek a marriage with this man?"

"It... it is." Everything about the disgraced maiden, from her blushing cheeks and reluctance to meet his eyes to how much she struggled in getting the words out, told Hyacin that she was anything but eager to be his wife. Yet, at the same time there was a subtle strength lurking just beneath the surface which told him she had made her decision. "No decent man would have me as I am now," she continued on, "but the father of my child would not be shamed for... formalizing our union. Were he to agree to such an arrangement, that might restore to me some semblance of dignity."

"I see," Hyacin mused, continuing to stroke his beard as he mulled over Sienna's words. She wasn't wrong about the merits of such an arrangement. Marriages of that sort were hardly unheard of, though typically they took place between illicit lovers who actively sought to be together rather than a predator and his prey. While hardly sufficient to eradicate her shame entirely, a wedding would reduce the stigma of her condition to a simple scandal which soon enough would be rendered stale news. Perhaps even more importantly, becoming his wife would also allow for her child to be legitimized and thus spared the indignity of living as a bastard in the eyes of mortals and eternals alike.

As much as he found himself respecting the young Lady Terracroix all the more for having the courage to make such a difficult choice, be it for her own sake or that of her child, Baron Hyacin couldn't really say he was in the market for a new wife. After all, he had already fulfilled his familial responsibilities once as a younger man. Many years before he had inherited his family's estate the then-untitled aristocrat's parents had arranged for him to wed a suitable maiden by the name of Phierri Gessa. It had been a loveless marriage, more a business arrangement than an affair of passion, but there was hardly anything unusual in that.

Prior to the ceremony the couple had only met a handful of times, mostly at some crowded social occasion or another, and they scarcely so much as saw one another after their first few months of matrimony. After that brief honeymoon period had concluded most of Hyacin's days were spent away on official business while his wife remained behind tending to his ancestral home. Over a touch longer than a decade of marriage the couple had spent little more than a year in total, two at the very most, sleeping beneath the same roof. During their time together Phierri had provided her husband two healthy children, a daughter born less than a year after their wedding followed by a son several years later. Eventually, their time together had come to an end when she succumbed to an illness which swept through the marches while her husband was away in some foreign court. Since then Hyacin had been perfectly content to live as a widower, his whims tended to by whatever convenient partners he happened across during his travels. Not that matrimony had ever done much to curb his indulgences.

Still, while Hyacin may not have set out from home in search of a wife he could easily see the appeal of bringing Sienna back with him. After all, the wannabe knight would certainly make for a more amusing bedmate than the litany of interchangeable serving girls with whom he usually distracted himself between assignments. And he had his children to think about. They could only benefit from once more enjoying the sort of maternal presence they had lacked in recent years, even were it to come from one only a decade or so their senior. Then, of course, there was the undeniable truth that life held a great many dangers and producing an additional heir or two would likely prove advantageous in ensuring that his line survived...