Torgan Wine Ch. 21

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Isemay
Isemay
208 Followers

"I have not enough pins." Isonei twisted one section and held it to her head as if she were going to put her hair in Aran twists.

"You lost the pins you had earlier?"

"No." She opened her other hand and showed him the few pins she was holding. "I have not enough."

"They were enough earlier." He frowned.

Isonei gave him a look she reserved for her brothers when they were being deliberately obtuse. The man blinked and then barked a laugh as it dawned on him, "You can't braid your own hair."

"No." She felt her cheeks flushing as he gave her a smug look.

"I should be grateful you can dress yourself as spoiled as you are."

Her mouth dropped open and she jabbed at his chest with her fingers as he grinned at her wolfishly. "Not so nice nightingale!"

"I want to teach you so many words, little thorned blossom. Words like vicious, playful..." he tilted her chin up and leaned as if he were going to steal a kiss as he murmured, "vigorous."

She stepped back just before his lips touched hers and felt her heart pounding. "Onsh-Lothlaerith..."

He closed his eyes and schooled his face to cold dispassion. "At least I know that when you choose to be with me I won't have to worry about your fidelity."

"Yes. To have just one is..." Isonei shook her head.

"I understand. Let me braid your hair and I will refrain from..." A thought seemed to occur to him and his eyes flickered. "May I kiss your cheek?"

"Yes."

"And behind your ear?" His eyes shimmered but his face remained aloof.

"You are full of tricks playful nightingale." It was difficult not to smile at him but she couldn't encourage him. "That is not uhhmm please do not press."

"Very well. I can wait until he has been returned to Torga."

"You have not understand. If he is here or not, I am uhhmm..."

"I have misunderstood? Whether he is with you or not..." Onsh looked at her speculatively. "If he's with you or not, you are required to wait until the next festival to consider another."

"Yes."

Onsh moved behind her and combed her damp hair with his fingers before beginning to braid it into two long braids. He used her pins to hold them in place after he tucked the ends into either side and made what felt like a strange long bun in the back.

"Thank you."

"It isn't up to your usual standards Lady Isonei, but it's serviceable." The curve of his lip was almost imperceptible.

"What did you say? Uhhmm, I should be grateful?" Not smiling at him was impossible.

"Yes, you should." He kissed her cheek and when she didn't pull away he kissed it again and again until he had kissed down to the corner of her mouth.

"Full of tricks, playful nightingale." Isonei sighed stepping away from him.

"I would appreciate it if you would call me Commander or Onsh-Lothlaerith in front of my men. As much as I enjoy being your nightingale..."

"It is not appropriate." She nodded.

"It isn't that. If one of them tries to tease me, I'll have to make them regret it." He took her hand, leading her toward the door.

An attendant was waiting with their cloaks and the night air felt decidedly cooler after the warmth of the baths. As Onsh took her hand a cheer went up from several of the men standing near the entrance. Isonei looked to him for an explanation but his face was set in its icy default expression.

"How does an Aran compare to a Lerian woman Commander?" One of the men laughed and unsteadily stepped away from a nearby market stall. Some of the more sober men stepped back from the glower that Onsh leveled at the man.

"I've heard about Aran women, Amlothe." Another piped up with a leer. "If he'd taken her to bed they'd still be occupied."

"I think uhhmm I am not what they please." Isonei smiled at him ruefully. "Some do not like Arans."

"You will be my match, not theirs." Onsh-Lothlaerith spoke firmly, "And I will not tolerate insult to you." His green eyes were burning as he leaned to kiss her cheek. "Both of you will go to the cells for the night and receive a flogging at first light. I would deal with you now but I have promised her a dance and then I must attend to my father."

Both of the drunken men looked taken aback but didn't argue with their friends as they were led hurriedly away.

Onsh-Lothlaerith led her purposefully toward a group of dancers reeling in one of the traditional dances. As he stepped to the edge of the covered dance area the musicians stopped playing in surprise and the dance was interrupted.

"I have only one dance with you tonight daughter of Liadith. Next year I hope to have many more." He pulled her to the middle of the quickly clearing dance floor. "Tell me, which dance would you have me dance with you?"

"What dance are you more good with?"

Lifting his eyes to the nervous looking musicians, he gave a nod saying, "Zuac." Two of his men darted forward to take his cloak and both of hers.

Isonei nodded approvingly, "My Daga's favorite, I learned as a child."

"It's been a long time since you danced it? Try to remember the steps." His eyes shimmered as he stepped back to bow.

She returned it with a graceful curtsy and an impish grin, beginning the dance. Onsh advanced in the almost birdlike hopping step of the dance with his hand extended and she accepted it immediately, moving backwards in the same step before he raised his hand drawing her closer and turning one full circle.

Their hands parted and they moved in separate directions to circle back, Isonei moved as if she were gliding above the ground and not touching it. Some of the women she'd learned from said it was too difficult to manage and encouraged her to hop as the men do, but her Daga had been delighted when she'd perfected the graceful floating movements. Facing each other some distance apart they hopped at the same time and approached each other in a figure eight, touching hands and turning to go around and come back.

At opposite ends again he hopped and showed how well he could move his feet to the cheerful music, dancing in a small circle for her to watch. He stopped, letting his cool expression slip as he watched her move gracefully in a circle lifting her skirt to perform the required pointed toe hops at certain points of her circle. He advanced again, taking her hand and raising it over her head to twirl her as they circled each other moving in the birdlike hop.

When the dance finally came to an end after they had circled and come together several times more, he sank to a knee and she followed suit with a smile. "This I have not seen."

Onsh reached out and touched her cheek with a wistful smile forming. "I wish to ask you, Isonei of House Ernelis, daughter of Liadith, will you give me the one thing I require of you tonight? If you leave... I need to know you will not allow your Daga to offer you to another before he offers you to me. I would have you return to me."

Isonei answered without thinking, entranced by the fire in his green eyes. "I will give it to you, Onsh-Lothlaerith. I will not allow my Daga to offer me to another before he offers me to you."

"You will return to me?"

"Yes." She returned the contented smile that softened his handsome face. "I will return to you."

"With that assurance, I can wait." He rose and helped her to her feet, leaning to kiss her cheek. "I'll show you how patient I can be little blossom."

"Watching the two of you dance..." Daga Lothlaerith approached with a warm smile. "That brings me joy. I know you have something unpleasant to attend to, daughter of Liadith. I hope you're not angry with me."

"No, Daga Lothlaerith. It is not uhhmm... not anger." Sighing, she approached him and rose on her toes to kiss his cheek.

"And my hospitality is still flawless?" He cupped her face looking deeply pleased.

"Yes Daga Lothlaerith, flawless." Isonei smiled as he kissed her forehead.

"Accompany us." The Daga took her hand and led her to where Onsh was now waiting with her cloaks.

It was impossible not to notice how she was being stared at as she turned to allow Onsh to help her into her warm cloak and then the oiled cloak over top. Not all of the stares were approving, but the Daga's smile and the feel of Onsh's hand holding hers were soothing.

Instead of walking all the way back in the rain, the Daga had arranged a carriage to fetch him from the baths. She sat next to Onsh as the older man beamed approvingly at them.

"I wish you would wait until morning to speak to him. Through the stonework would suffice." Onsh caressed her hand as he spoke.

"I can't. That would be cruel and he has done nothing to deserve it." Isonei gave Onsh a pained look. "He's been kind and protective of me since we met. And I do care for him whether you think I should or not."

"I don't want him to take his anger out on you, little blossom. You will have an escort to take you to him and to bring you safely back to me."

"I'm not afraid of his anger, he would never harm me. But the escort would be appreciated... I don't think I could find my own way around Oyeth Lothlaeri in the daylight much less at night."

"You'll learn your way around my city." The Daga reassured her. "Onsh-Lothlaerith knows it well and he will show you with pleasure."

°°°°°°°°°°

The Daga's carriage was stopped in the same place that the Torgan carriage had been, under an overhang that allowed them to exit away from the rain. Isonei gave the Daga a kiss on his cheek before the man walked into his house through a different entrance than she had first been led to.

Onsh-Lothlaerith summoned a man from within the house and waited with her, holding her hands while he was fetched. "Captain Valothe is a friend. He will watch over you as well as I would, little blossom. Listen when he speaks, and obey."

At his stern command she felt her lips twisting and offered him an impudent, "As you will it, Commander."

He frowned at her but his eyes were shimmering. "Liadith rarely gives you commands it would seem."

"Not so sternly, no." She smiled at him and his face softened. He was pressing a kiss to her cheek when a man hurriedly approached.

"Commander?"

"Captain Valothe, I require you to escort Lady Isonei to The Spear and Flail to speak with Prince Draeseth. After they have spoken, she is to return directly to me." Onsh-Lothlaerith gave him a stern frown and the man snapped his heels together.

"I will require a few men. A Torgan inn is not a safe place."

"As you require. She is to be kept safe."

"As you will it, Commander."

"Remember that you are to listen and obey, little thorned blossom."

"I will." Isonei took his hand, squeezing comfortingly.

Onsh drew a breath and kissed her cheek again before he followed his father into the house.

Captain Valothe gathered four men and walked with her to an inn not terribly far from the Daga's home. It stood closer to the gate than the other inns and as Draeseth had said it bore weapons on the sign. As they approached she could see that some windows were still lit.

On the Captain's order, one of the men stepped forward and rapped sharply on the door.

"Are inns usually kept locked?" Isonei glanced to the Captain who narrowed his eyes at her, making her sigh. "Is the door uhhmm..."

"Locked?" He frowned at her. "Yes. It would be foolish of them not to lock it tonight."

The man knocked again more forcefully and the door sprang open revealing a squat, armed Torgan with a scowl. "We have done nothing wrong."

"I have been charged with bringing Lady Isonei to speak with Prince Draeseth. Have him fetched." Captain Valothe's tone made the night feel colder.

"A Torgan Prince is not fetched for a Captain of the guard." The squat Torgan glared adjusting his grip on his weapon and making the odd hanging piece at the end flip to the other side.

"Then perhaps you will invite Prince Draeseth's Duchess in?" Isonei stepped forward with her hands raised placatingly.

"What did the Aran whore say?" The Torgan glanced at the Captain dubiously.

"I don't speak her language but I would advise caution in your words and tone."

The Torgan snorted and opened his mouth to say something else prompting Isonei to clap her hands sharply to get his attention. "Fetch Master Krouth."

The squat man disappeared back into his inn with a glare and Captain Valothe turned to her with some amusement, "So you do speak our language?"

"Of course. I do not speak well but I speak."

"You weren't one for studies?" He looked at her speculatively.

"I was not taught. I listen. I speak." She frowned at him. "Lerian is full of tricks."

One of the men tried and failed to stifle a laugh. They waited a while longer in silence. Before the Captain spoke. "I don't believe he's fetching this Master Krouth. Perhaps it would be best if you allowed Prince Draeseth to come to you in the morning."

"No." She took a breath and moved to the door trying to open it. To her surprise it opened easily.

"Lady Isonei..." Valothe stepped forward and stopped her. "It's not safe."

"I must speak with Prince Draeseth. He will not let any hurt me."

"You are to listen and obey."

Isonei frowned and chewed on her inner lip. "Who is loud?"

"You want one of us to shout and wake an entire inn of Torgans to summon him down?" Captain Valothe looked perversely amused.

"Yes. The little man will not help... I must speak with Prince Draeseth."

"As much fun as that would be, I only have four men with me. I'd need more to keep you safe in the fight that would ensue, Lady Isonei." He tried to pull her back from the door.

An annoyed Torgan muttering came from within and a dark brown Torgan head peered around a doorframe before barking at someone. The squat man came quickly back from another room snarling something loudly in Torgan and pointing his strange weapon at her.

"I do not speak Torgan. I must speak with Prince Draeseth." She tried to speak loudly enough to be heard over him.

The sound of Torgans rousing themselves and coming toward the door was unmistakable and the Captain grabbed her and pulled her back, barking orders she didn't catch in her shock at the sudden burst of activity. The squat Torgan was coming through the doorway with his weapon as she heard Draeseth behind him shout furiously in Torgan.

The large Torgan Prince ducked slightly coming through the doorway and glowered at the men holding onto Isonei. "Wife, are you harmed?"

"No, just a little frightened. I need to speak with you. The innkeeper refused to even fetch Krouth. I think perhaps trying to walk in uninvited was unwise."

He made an amused grunt in his throat. "Very." Draeseth held out his hand. "Allow my wife to come to me."

Valothe stopped her from stepping forward. "I was told to allow her to speak with you. Nothing was said of allowing her to enter that place. Or of allowing you to touch her."

"Captain Valothe, I choose. Nothing was said of stopping me. My Draeseth will not hurt me; he will not allow hurt to me." Gently, she moved his hand and approached Draeseth letting him take her hands and kiss them.

"You do not have good news for me." He looked at her as if he already knew what she had to say.

"May I speak with you privately?"

"Come." He gestured toward the open door and his glare to the men within caused a path to be formed to the stairs.

"Lady Isonei, this is unwise. You were told to listen and obey, I insist-"

Draeseth barked something at Valothe in Torgan that silenced him. "You will be made welcome inside if you wish. This is a night of revelry for your people. Mulled Torgan wine will be offered to you. My wife will come inside and speak with me privately as she wishes."

She allowed him to usher her inside with a hand on her lower back. He spoke something quietly to Krouth who approached as they entered; his response was a very unpleasant smile. Upstairs in Draeseth's room Isonei took off her cloaks and laid them across a chair. The room was comfortable looking but rather cool, still she wanted to be out from under the cloaks as she spoke to him.

The Torgan immediately began unfastening her dress. "I do not want you in Lerian gowns. This is more modest, but knowing he chose it for you, I do not want you in it."

"He took my chest I think, but the way he frowns at the Torgan style gowns..." She helped him remove the overdress.

"He did. And the painting. It was made very clear that you would not be permitted to travel with us beyond the gate."

"It wasn't made clear to me until we were bathing. The Daga-"

"You bathed with the Daga?"

"And Onsh-Lothlaerith. When I was invited, I thought the Daga's private bath would be separated as well." She let him remove her thin creamy underdress as well, turning to stand facing him in the Lerian chemise. The too long garment was tied under the bust leaving her breasts bare and fell past her knees. Placing her hand on his chest as he ran his hands over the material she tried to continue, "He was adamant that I am not to pass under his gate without his permission. I cannot defy him, my Draeseth."

He grunted looking unsurprised. "What promises did you make? I know that you are easy to sway and generous with your word as much as you pride yourself on keeping it."

"That when I leave I will return, and that I will not allow my Daga to offer me to anyone else before he offers me to Onsh-Lothlaerith."

"You're leaving?" Draeseth looked both pleased and surprised.

"I am exclusive to you until the next festival whether I'm allowed to go with you to Torga or not. If you leave without me I will go back to my Daga and wait. But we could still return to my Daga's house and have our time if you wished it, or ask him to contest the decision. I want my time with you."

"I have no intention of returning to your Daga's house so soon, my jewel. And I have no intention of leaving without you." He smiled grimly and leaned to kiss her as he had in the carriage, as if he were ravenous.

When he let her up for air she pressed her face to his. "I will send a missive to my Daga and ask him to contest the decision, as well as speak with Daga Lothlaerith again. I told Onsh-Lothlaerith that I care for you, that I adore you. He wanted me to think about whether you were worthy, if I could give you my trust. I needed time to think but I can give him an answer now."

"Can you?" Draeseth tugged at the ties on the chemise. "Do you find me worthy?"

"Yes." Isonei breathed the reply as he began to trail rough biting kisses down the side of her neck. "You are worthy of my trust, Draeseth and I choose to give it to you as I do my desire." She felt him pause as his hands slipped under the silky Lerian undergarment she was wearing, taking a breath she called him what she had avoided calling him since the misunderstanding, "Husband."

The groaning growl that came from him and the way his hands tore the garment and gripped her hips she realized that he had noticed. "Wife... You have not called me that in days. I have needed to hear it." He lifted his head from her neck and swept her up depositing her on the bed unceremoniously and removing her boots.

Isemay
Isemay
208 Followers