Torgan Wine Ch. 06

Many thanks to Todger65 for helping me with editing!

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As breakfast finished the Daga rose from the table, "You are welcome to enjoy my home. Lady Isonei will entertain you until my duties allow me to rejoin you." He took Isonei's hand and escorted her from the table to the arch that led to the family rooms. "You'll join me for a private lunch to discuss family matters." With a glance to the Torgans he continued, "If you should wish to return to the room my father kept for you, you are welcome to, or you may continue to stay with our guests. The choice is yours."

"Thank you my Daga. I will stay with our guests." She inclined her head respectfully; as she did the Daga tilted her chin lower to look at the grave flower.

"You will be required to return more often. You should make sure the Torgan understands."

"I will my Daga."

"Go, attend to your duties." He smiled wryly. "You'll be fetched when your Daga requires you."

"I assumed as much, my Daga. I can't imagine you're still sent on errands." She smiled as he patted her cheek with the back of his hand as his father used to before she turned to walk back toward Draeseth and Burgath.

Draeseth looked as though he might throw her over his shoulder and carry her straight to the carriage, but Burgath looked at her with calculation and interest.

"Did I understand correctly? You are a member of this House?" Burgath stepped forward to take her arm. Isonei instead raised her hands, moving to stand next to Draeseth and clasp his hand as he stood stiffly.

"In Leria there are no Houses. You have a Daga that you serve. Daga Liadith has graciously given me a place in his family."

"You failed to mention relations were quite so warm." Burgath was smiling tightly.

"It's been years, I wasn't sure they still would be. The elder Daga-"

As he began muttering angrily in Torgan, Isonei looked up at Draeseth with concern.

"My brother is horrified that you have been participating in some dark ritual and conversing with the dead. This 'grave flower' on your head is... disturbing."

"Perhaps we should go out into the garden, and I can explain that there was no dark ritual." She gnawed in the inside of her lip as he refused to look at her and didn't clasp her hand back.

"If it fades in the sunlight, yes." Burgath inclined his head and she let go of Draeseth's hand to lead the way to the garden since it seemed he wasn't going to take her hand or arm. He still walked closely enough for his legs to brush her skirts which did ease her mind just a little.

The servants were already arranging cushions on the wide sun drenched benches. Lounging in the sun in the heavy Torgan dress wouldn't be very pleasant. She tried not to sigh as she chose a bench and sank onto the cushions comfortably, lying on her stomach.

The Torgan princes looked at her oddly. "The benches are for lounging, your Highnesses. Please make yourselves comfortable."

"You're comfortable with Lerian customs; more so than we are, Lady Isonei." Burgath frowned disapprovingly, coupled with the perplexing way Draeseth was behaving she found it made her furious.

"Then get comfortable with them, Prince Burgath. As a favored daughter of Liadith, in this garden I outrank you and you are being rude." Out of the corner of her eye she saw one of the servants struggle to compose themselves. With a look she dismissed him and the rest followed, retreating to a discreet distance.

Watching Burgath and Draeseth sullenly attempt to lounge was amusing enough to lighten her mood and she started speaking again when they stopped wiggling uncomfortably. "I apologize for my sharpness. If you'd like I can tell you about my visit with the elder Daga."

"Please, Lady Isonei." Burgath spoke coolly. "In Torga, one leaves flowers on a grave, perhaps offers a prayer to Ganas for their loved one's soul. There is no conversing with the dead or..." he gestured toward her.

"I'm sure your loved ones rest well. A Daga, however, lingers to be consulted with. Each new Daga is welcomed by the line of the old. Wives and other children rest in their crypts close by." The Torgans glanced uneasily around them as if they expected one of the dead Dagas to rise and approach. "You don't need to be concerned about the elder Dagas wandering. They stay in the crypts in their sargs. They're dead; it's the spirit that lingers. The veiled priests offer comfort to the family and are spoken to more directly by the Dagas. You aren't permitted in the crypts and don't have to worry about being spoken to."

"And that?" Draeseth glanced at her with a frown.

"I've never seen a grave flower. They're rare and precious." She studied his face as he avoided her eyes. "The elder Daga thought of me like a daughter, this is a sign of that affection."

"Then why did he not include you in his Hou-in his family?" Burgath asked with more curiosity than coldness.

"Because of his son's feelings for me. How would you feel if you wanted to marry a woman and your father stepped in and said, 'No, this is your sister now?'"

"You are the Daga's sister now." Draeseth tilted his head, still frowning.

"No. I am a daughter of Liadith, if his father had granted me that, I would be the new Daga's sister. However, since it is the new Daga that has-"

"You're his daughter?" Burgath sat up incredulously.

"As far as Lerian customs are concerned, yes. You might have noticed he was treating me like a child at the table?" Isonei smiled wryly.

"Are you now in the line of succession?" Burgath was leaning forward with fascination.

"I certainly hope not! The Daga needs to have a son, and he's still young yet. The elder Daga was older than my Daga is now when he was born. A daughter can inherit the position if there is no chosen son but I don't think it's been done more than once."

"Daga Gildith has only daughters."

"Daga Gildith had half a dozen grandsons to choose from the last time Ivorith mentioned it. His line is secure. He'll choose one of them and elevate him at the appropriate time."

"Your Daga." Draeseth was still displeased, and it showed on his face and in his tone as he emphasized the 'your'.

"You had no difficulty with me calling King Tamnaeuth my King. Daga Liadith is my Daga." She shifted on her cushions and sighed. "That's probably the best way to explain it to you. Think of Daga Liadith as a King, it's not far from the mark. I need to explain to you that the privileges I've been granted come with responsibilities."

Draeseth sat up and looked at her sharply as she continued, "He will be issuing commands I am expected to follow, like entertaining you in his absence. I will also be expected to return 'home' at least once a year."

"That could be of tremendous benefit." Burgath nodded slowly. "You could smooth things for our father and for trade in Torga."

"I could. If Draeseth is agreeable to it."

"He will be. Having a close relationship with a Daga, even a lesser Daga-"

Isonei lifted herself off of the cushions sputtering incredulously as she came to a curled seated position. The princes looked at her as if they were unsure of what she was sputtering about. She took a moment to compose herself. "I now understand why you have such difficulty in Leria. There are no lesser Dagas. They may wax and wane among themselves but to you or to anyone who is not a Daga you are expected to treat them with the respect you reserve for King Tamnaeuth or your father. Have I made that clear?"

Burgath rose and bowed. "Very, Lady Isonei."

"Insult my Daga in this house again and you will be waiting outside the gate until I have been told I may continue to Torga." She met his offended gaze without looking away.

"When Daga Liadith said you wore a grave flower I wished to come see for myself before it faded. To see it and to hear you correct your guest's bad behavior is warming." Daga Gildith and his daughter, Arissa, stood at the edge of the garden path.

"Daga Gildith! Please join us! Arissa how long it has been?" Isonei rose from the cushions as gracefully as she could in the heavy dress.

"Long enough, your Lerian has gotten worse." Arissa laughed and came forward to embrace her.

Stepping back from the embrace, she realized that both Burgath and Draeseth were standing now. "Daga Gildith, allow me to introduce Princes Burgath and Draeseth."

Daga Gildith frostily gave the slightest possible inclination of his head and the Princes bowed as they had to King Tamnaeuth, as if they were being compelled against their will.

"You introduce me to someone who insulted your Daga and did not offer an apology?" His sharp green gaze was piercing.

"I see the misunderstanding tree grows on both sides. His bow to me was a Torgan apology. I was harsh to chide after."

"You chide me with the reminder of a story I told you as a child, believing I could not be angry at such a sweet memory?" He held her gaze with what looked like cool indifference as she struggled not to smile; his eyes however, had softened slightly.

"She's always been difficult to stay angry with." Daga Liadith spoke wryly. "When she's present."

"Her father manages it. She sometimes requires chiding but not as much as he insisted on giving her. You will do better I trust, Daga Liadith?" He eyed the Torgans. "Perhaps, you may also reconsider allowing her to be taken to Torga?"

"I will do better, but truthfully, I think the Torgan might be good for her. She can be sweet and soft if she has someone hard to look after her." Her Daga smiled and inclined his head as Draeseth bowed low.

"If they understand, why do they not speak?" Arissa asked curiously.

"They are very proud, you can laugh at me when I am a mistake but for them uhhmm-"

Daga Liadith had started to laugh and Daga Gildith had a faint smile on his face. "Child, when you make a mistake, you are not a mistake."

"It's good to hear Daga Liadith laughing, he's been so sour." Arissa murmured into her ear squeezing her again.

Daga Gildith straightened his vivid zaffre blue mantle. "If you will forgive us, we have further business with Daga Liadith. I hope you will visit before you leave Leria, Lady Isonei." He lifted his hand to his heart, the warmest of the greeting and parting gestures, before turning slightly to give a more gracious but no less cool inclination of his head to the Princes.

Isonei returned the warm gesture and kissed Arissa as her father was giving his reserved regards to the Princes. The look her Daga gave her was approving.

Once they were alone again, she started to settle back on her cushions, tugging at the high collar of the dress. "This is a lovely dress but I don't understand how Torgan women can bear so many layers and I think this collar is going to strangle me."

"The dress isn't meant to be lounged in as you have been doing, Lady Isonei." Burgath assumed a reclining position while staring at her intently. "You understood that I was apologizing, but continued to chide me? Why?"

"The insult was too great to do otherwise. Imagine if I," she shrugged trying to think of something that would give similar insult, "if I walked up to your father and slapped him in the face before pouring his drink over his head." She watched his eyes widen, "That's the kind of insult you gave."

"Then you were restrained in your handling of me." Burgath rubbed his jaw. "You would have been..."

"Thrown bodily out of the gate after a flogging? I believe that was what Daga Gildith did once in similar circumstances."

Burgath looked at her carefully. "I thank you for your restraint, Lady Isonei."

"Please don't require it again. I may not be able to offer it a second time." She inclined her head.

"I understand." He paused. "I am pleased to see that someone has been offering you some insight into Torgan manners."

"You shouldn't be, I think Ialath might have been trying to frighten me with them. He said I'd be insulted horribly and if I were lucky all I would get as an apology would be a bow."

"Anyone who dares insult you will find themselves on the ground in agony. Prince Draeseth has been clear about that." Burgath smiled with chagrin. Her eyes shifted back to Draeseth nervously.

"Do not look at me that way, my jewel. I have behaved poorly and I am denied the only way I know of to beg your forgiveness." The Torgan wore an expression of regret.

"What way is that, my flower wine?" Isonei wanted him to be contrite for his behavior but it was such a relief to have his displeasure lifted as quickly as it had come, she found she was smiling at him.

"I imagine words would work as well as kisses, brother." Burgath suggested dryly.

"Perhaps your words and kisses are equal, Prince Burgath, and my flower wine speaks well, but he kisses so marvelously I forget I was ever unhappy with him." She beamed as he blushed and rose from his bench coming toward her.

"I would have you forget." Kneeling on her bench, he pulled her into an urgent kiss.

Isonei wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him lift her and get comfortable in the cushions with her without breaking the kiss.

"Brother, I doubt the Daga would look well on you taking such liberties with Lady Isonei."

She felt the way he tensed as he pressed his face against hers. "Perhaps not, but I'm the one who would be chided. I would see to that."

"I would not allow it." Draeseth gave her another, gentler, kiss and carefully disentangled himself, moving back to his bench. The hulking Torgan sat on the bench leaning forward, scowling at his loosely clasped hands with his elbows on his knees.

Studying his face, Isonei tried to think of a way to ease his unhappiness. "Are you chewing on your lip, Lady Isonei?"

Burgath's question startled her; she hadn't realized she was doing it again. Rubbing her tongue over her inner lip, she nodded. "I don't like seeing my Draeseth unhappy."

"I want to have you home, where I can have you to myself without worrying about anyone chiding either of us, or keeping you from me." He looked at her lips before meeting her eyes.

"I will speak to my Daga." Sighing, she started to extricate herself from the cushions. Draeseth was there almost immediately to help her. "Is there any chance you have something lighter, my flower wine, this dress is far too heavy."

"If you wish to change, Lady Isonei..." Burgath rose as well. "I could use the time to write to our father. Perhaps he can be persuaded to give you more time in Kroscur before you're required to come to court."

"That would be kind. Thank you, Prince Burgath." Isonei inclined her head as Draeseth took her arm and wrapped it around his.

He began walking purposefully back to their rooms. "Torgan clothes are heavy, my jewel, I will have something lighter made for you." Inside the door to their rooms, he unfastened the overdress with a clenched jaw.

"You're displeased that I find it too heavy?" She touched his face as he tugged her free of it.

"No. No, my jewel." Pushing her against the wall, he kissed her desperately as if he needed to pin her to keep her from fleeing his discontentment. "I need you. I need you not to be so concerned for my sour moods."

"I want you to be happy." Pressing her face against his, she felt his fingers digging into her hips.

"And if I am not happy every moment of every day? Will you leave me?"

"No. I didn't mean to-"

"You have done nothing wrong. Burgath chided me for clinging to you like a child, paying respects to a grave is something I should be able to permit you. Even in this unhallowed place."

"But you want me by your side always. I could have discussed it with you first. I can be somewhat impulsive, my flower wine."

A smile cracked his lips. "For which I am grateful. Adjusting to one another would be easier if I could get you home as quickly as I wished. During this time you are mine alone, I will trust that. I need you to trust that you are not the reason for my moods."

Isonei took a deep breath, "Will you tell me why you're in a mood when I ask?"

"If you wish. Do you understand, you will not always be able to kiss me out of them?"

"Yes, my flower wine. Will you mind terribly if I still try?"

"I will not mind, as long as you do not take offense when your flower wine remains... unpleasant."

"My flower wine is never unpleasant." She looked up at his annoyed expression as she teased him, "Sour, perhaps, and taxing but never-" shrieking with laughter as he stepped back and threw her over his shoulder, she heard him mutter something about Ganas in Torgan.

"If you must ask for strength to endure, your Highness..." Krouth's cool voice made her glance around for him; she'd forgotten he might be in the rooms. The slim Torgan was in a seated kneeling position looking at them with consternation.

As Draeseth lowered her to her feet she asked curiously, "Why are you on the floor?"

"Praying, Lady Isonei. There are certain times of day that the 'devout' as Prince Burgath calls them, choose to pray."

"And we're disturbing you, my apologies." It was meant genuinely but the way Krouth's eyes narrowed and his face pinched told her it hadn't been taken that way. "I'm not mocking you. Religious needs are to be respected, even if they're not shared. My father was always very clear about that."

"A Lady does not apologize to servants, my jewel. They seldom apologize at all." Draeseth was smiling faintly.

"This Lady does. Krouth is a servant but he is also someone you trust and rely on, respect for him and his religion costs me nothing." She turned back to Krouth with some chagrin to make something clear, "That you have such an amusing reaction to my politeness... I'll find it difficult to be less than polite to you."

Krouth's face had relaxed into its customary diffidence. "I will take that into consideration, Lady Isonei."

Noticing the meaningful look he gave to Draeseth, she tilted her head peering up at him. The sudden realization that Burgath had also mentioned Draeseth being pious made her eyes widen, "Do you need to pray? Have I been keeping you from your devotions?"

"I spent four months praying fervently that you would be returned to me." He ran his fingers along her jaw from ear to chin.

"You should probably say thank you, I don't know about your Gods, but with ours it's very important to them." Isonei pressed his hand to her face and bent her head to kiss his wrist. "I will wait."

"It would not... give you pause?" Draeseth studied her face.

"Anyone who would have you give up your religion for them is not someone worth having." That he would be baffled made her wonder what kind of horrible women he'd been with in Torga. "Whether you're with me or not I would have you know that."

She blinked as his hands covered her face, before moving back as if he were smoothing her skin back toward her ears. It was a strange sensation, but a nice one. "Wait for me in the bedroom, my jewel."

Smiling sweetly, she kissed his hands, "Take the time you need, my flower wine."

He closed the bedroom door behind her and Isonei moved to the mirror. Even if the grave flower were still there she'd always heard they couldn't be seen in mirrors but she wanted to look regardless. It would be nice to see what one looked like. Her hair still looked much the same as it had when she'd left the room in the morning. The underdress was rumpled from lounging.

Carefully taking it off and laying it over the bed, she stripped out of the layers to the long chemise, leaving her shoes by the bed as well. Looking in the mirror again, the bruises were still too unpleasant looking to wear one of her Aran dresses even if one could be smoothed enough to wear before the Daga.