Torgan Wine Ch. 28

Huge thanks to Todger65 for editing around his vacation schedule for me! Your work is greatly appreciated!

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The jester's motley was wildly different from Andnaeuth's, the knee length diamond patterned tunic in every color but white would have been garish if the colors hadn't been as dark as they were and slightly faded. His face was powdered making his peculiar silvery brown eyes stand out and his hair was entirely hidden beneath his cap of bells.

Isonei was beaming at the man as his caper of entrance turned into a low curtsy in front of her. "How can you not like jesters, my flower wine? Aren't you happier just for having him in the room?"

The Torgan grunted, pulling her arm tighter against him.

"Please stand, dear jester." She smiled at him warmly as he rose and clasped his hands holding them to his heart, fluttering his lashes and gazing at her like a man in love. "Do you speak Aran?"

"Very a little, her Grace." From the mischievous look in his eyes she thought he might be teasing or exaggerating his lack of skill.

She spoke slowly and clearly nonetheless. "If you can follow certain rules, I will be permitted to enjoy your presence at tonight's entertainments. If you don't think you can follow them, I won't be offended if you make your excuses and go your merry way. Though I hope you'll choose to try. I'd hate for you to have donned your bells for nothing."

He grinned and curtsied again. "Yes."

"His Highness' rules are that you do not mock him or any of our guests and," Isonei gave an exaggerated sigh and put on an expression of profound disappointment, "I can't dance with you. I will be staying on his arm."

The jester's expression changed in an instant to one of heartbreak, clutching at his heart as he fell back and to the side, catching himself cleverly and rolling himself up in blur of motion without ever hitting the floor with his body. He beamed at her delighted laughter. "Yes, her Grace."

"Your Grace." Krouth coolly corrected him.

With a wide mischievous grin he straightened his bell cap as if the Torgan servant had been addressing him. "My Grace? I do not so pretty but..." He shrugged and spun as if he intended to take Draeseth's other arm. The Torgan lifted it out of reach with a scowl.

Giggling madly, Isonei barely managed to squeeze words out, "I think if we traded clothes you might be prettier but how could you bear to part with such lovely bells?"

"Duchess of frolics!" He laughed, capering to and around Krouth speaking playfully in Torgan.

"What is he saying?" She tugged at Draeseth's arm looking up at him with amusement.

Sourly he translated, "That if we sewed bells on your clothes it might keep you out of trouble. It was what his mother did for him."

"What a clever woman! She knew where you were and had you learning a trade at the same time!"

As he was opening his mouth to retort, Draeseth silenced the jester with a raise of his hand. "I would prefer it if the jester did not speak at all. I do not wish to be a part of the jests."

Isonei's smile faltered and the jester clapped his hands loudly over his heart before pulling them down as if opening his chest. Miming his heart flying out of his chest he cast it toward her with a warm smile, opening his hands. He glanced up at the Torgan next to her widening his eyes and dropping his smile with exaggerated nervousness. Clasping his hands again into the bird like gesture and performing the same movements backwards, he patted the place over his heart with a hopeful look of 'no harm done' as he finished.

"How can you find such antics appealing, my Duchess?" The Torgan Prince gestured to the door brusquely.

"How can you not? They've delighted me since I was a child." The stabbing pain in her twisting guts made her realize it wasn't nervousness causing her discomfort.

It brought up the memory of Ialath's mother being ill after one of her parties and insisting that the party should never be stopped for something so small when Lord Eliorith had chided her. People travel for such things and the preparations shouldn't go to waste. It hadn't stopped her father from chiding but it had made perfect sense to Isonei. She wasn't feverish; waiting to be ill in private wouldn't hurt anything.

The jester preceded them out to the open hall and began to strut and caper drawing incredulous looks. Draeseth spoke briefly to someone who approached him with a frown and the man gave Isonei a sharp look.

"I see you aren't the only one who disapproves of jesters." Her disappointment made enduring the unpleasant feelings in her belly more difficult.

"You are fond of them because of Andnaeuth?" His arm was hard under hers and he didn't look at her as he asked.

"No, I'm fond of Andnaeuth because he's a jester. I would have avoided him if he were only a Prince." Watching the jester laugh and dance away from one of the guests who was swatting at him in annoyance put a small smile on her face.

"You did not avoid me."

"If you had introduced yourself as Prince Draeseth the night we met I might not have stayed. 'The bastard, the bitter, the black,' was interesting not intimidating."

"The way you treated me, not knowing who I was, pleased me. I did not want you to become... I did not want you to want me for my station."

"I might have walked away from you for it, not clung to you."

"Modesty gave me my happiness." He laid his hand on top of hers watching as the jester began to juggle empty glasses deftly. "Even when we quarrel you are my happiness."

"We've quarreled?"

Draeseth made a pleased sound in his throat. "I quarreled; you were gentle and patient as always." He paused, "The jester is amusing, but how a man can have no pride baffles me."

"He is proud. It takes a great deal of skill to move the way he does. You like your flower wine because it is less appreciated, think of the jester that way."

After a moment he answered, "He could be a fighter as nimble as he is, or if he turned his wit to ambition he could go far."

"He's like me, my flower wine. He isn't interested in fighting, and he isn't ambitious. If I were a man I might have been a jester." She glanced up to see him smiling wryly and still watching the juggling.

"Your father would have scolded you, but you would be a sought after addition to any Court."

"Thank you." Isonei squeezed his arm, partly as a reward for his words and partly hoping he would look down.

The pain and unpleasantness in her belly was getting worse and she was almost certain he would see the discomfort on her face if he looked down despite the fact she was trying to hide it from their guests. He didn't. She turned her attention back to the jester; at least she didn't have to worry about Draeseth's displeasure for the moment.

Watching the jester became more and more difficult as her insides seemed to turn into knives, every time they twisted sweat dampened her brow and she had to try not to whimper. Isonei closed her eyes for a moment and heard the sound of glass breaking and a worried voice asking something in Torgan. She was struggling to open them as Draeseth shook her and grabbed her by the face.

"Isonei, my Duchess?"

"I-I don't..." Her guts twisted and it became impossible to speak.

Draeseth swept her off of her feet barking orders in Torgan. Being bent and cradled hurt so badly she began to retch.

°°°°°°°°°°

Krouth spent two days taking care of her as her insides tried desperately to make an escape. Lislora occasionally relieved him but she mostly sat by the bed and read aloud from a book in Torgan and tried to comfort her without having to touch her. Isonei felt grateful to them both.

Draeseth didn't come until the afternoon of the third day when Krouth had made certain she could keep down the Mezi and vegetable broth. She expected to be chided for not telling him she was feeling ill, Krouth had scolded her when she told him. Looking at him apologetically he surprised her by climbing into bed with her and holding her tightly.

"Krouth said he chided you."

"Yes. I should have let one of you know I was feeling ill. I just-"

"Did not wish to ruin the evening for our guests. He told me." The Torgan kissed her head as she curled into him. "I thought you had been poisoned."

"Who would do such a thing?" Isonei lifted her head looking at him and feeling baffled.

"No one who wishes to continue drawing breath, my Duchess." He kissed her forehead. "Lislora had to keep me from beating the cooks within an inch of their lives when I learned what happened."

"What did happen?" She let him pull her head against his chest and pin it in place under his chin.

"Your food was cooked in the same pans as the swine. It improved the flavor and they did not believe you would have any ill effects. It was the jester who asked if you had been fed any of it. He had seen someone give an Aran unclean meat as a jest, it made them ill as it did you."

Isonei shuddered. "Do they hate me so much?"

"No, my fragile wife. They could not understand your revulsion. There did not seem to be a reason to use fresh pans with all they had to prepare."

"Respect for my needs is not a reason in their eyes?"

"It is now. You will not be served anything that has touched swine or hare. It will not be brought into our kitchens." Squeezing her, he exhaled as if he'd been holding his breath. "My brothers have returned to my father with word of your delicate health. I do not expect to be pressed to bring you until Ailzem."

"What is Ailzem? I meant to ask you."

"The wet month. The end of winter. It begins very close to the end of your month of Sicna this year and will end near the end of Maeralya."

"In Ailzem you have to take me back to Ara for the Festival?"

He stiffened and remained silent.

"We have an Arrangement in place, King Tamnaeuth will respect it. If you can't travel with me through Leria send word to him and he will-"

"He would not bring you back to me, even with the Arrangement. You cannot ask me to part with you, to have my wife leave and never return."

"You gave your word to my King, Draeseth. And I gave mine." Isonei tried to pull herself away to be able to look at him but he held her in place, with her head still bowed and pinned under his chin.

"It is no sin to break your word when it is given to those who mean you harm. He means to separate you from me, that is harm." Draeseth stroked her back as she began to tremble, her stomach twisting itself into knots again. "I will let you take your silphium if you wish, if you are not yet carrying my child."

"That isn't... Keeping your word-"

"Do not argue with your husband."

She felt frozen. To stay would be to break her word but she was at a loss for what else she could do. It had been a jest when she said she would walk back from Torga. Staring into the middle distance she wondered, if she prayed to Tyhnoth, would he still come and take her? Then, at least...

Like a breath behind her ear the name of Teth was spoken. Her slow nod seemed to appease Draeseth, and he released her enough to kiss the top of her head.

Isonei closed her eyes and feigned sleep until he left and then covered her face and murmured into her hands, "Sweet Tyhnoth, dour Tyhnoth I thank you for the comfort you have given and I ask for more if you can spare it for your mother's foolish daughter. I ask you to speak to your son Teth on my behalf. I should have been more fair in my thoughts, I did not value his strength and fierceness enough, and now I need it."

"Teth-" Her head jerked up from her hands as the quiet voice spoke. "Teth isn't only strong and fierce. He's clever as well." A dark haired man she didn't recognize had come to stand in front of her, he squatted to the level she was lying on without touching the bed and his silvery brown eyes looked solemn.

"You're the dear jester?"

His eyebrows rose and he smiled, "As much as I like that title, you can call me Oberath. And you, you are the stolen Queen. The jester king refused to accept the word of your death."

"My..." She blinked.

In a hushed voice he began to explain, "Prince Draeseth sent missives to Lord Eliorith and to King Tamnaeuth informing them of your death from a fever. Prince Andnaeuth cast off his bells in grief when an urn of ash was sent. But rumors-"

Oberath's eyes lifted to the door behind her and he put on a jester's grin, "If I can cheer you I may be allowed to stay. To be a Duchess' personal jester would be an honor."

"Are you certain you wouldn't get bored?" Playing along she gave him a wan smile. "It must be so much more exciting to wander and share your jests."

He tilted his head back and forth as if he were considering her words, creasing his brow and puckering his lips as if thinking very hard. "Sleeping in barns without the farmer's permission and capering while rocks are being thrown can be exciting."

"Who could be cruel to a jester? You bring so much joy." She tried to blink back the sudden flood of tears threatening to fall.

"Ohhhh, the Duchess of frolics shouldn't weep. I'd heard rumors you had a heart made of ice! It must be true; it melts and runs at the slightest provocation."

Isonei tried desperately to give him a stern look but when he widened his eyes at her she began to laugh through her tears.

"Duchess of frolics?" Lislora's disapproving voice came from behind her. "I was told you spoke poor Aran."

"He was jesting. If you watch someone's eyes you can tell." Isonei rolled onto her back and sat up slowly.

"That's a skill, her Grace! So few can tell when a jester jests!" He grinned at her.

She widened her eyes with mock earnestness, "I'm very good at it! Sometimes I even know when they're being serious." As she fluttered her lashes at him he collapsed howling with laughter, mostly feigned but it still made her giggle.

Lislora on the other hand barely cracked a smile. "I am glad to see you feeling better. Prince Draeseth was concerned for your state of mind, that was why he sent me. He will be pleased to hear of you laughing again so soon."

"I am grateful for your care, Lislora." Isonei fixed her with a frosty gaze that made the woman straighten. "And I am grateful that the dear jester may be allowed to stay, but do not mistake a moment's lightening of my mood as a sign that all is right or that my unhappiness has been feigned. Did you know Draeseth had no intention of keeping his word when he gave it to my King?"

The Torgan woman blinked, opening and closing her mouth for a moment and averting her eyes before giving an answer. "I believe he intended to keep it until the unfortunate circumstances in Leria, your Grace."

It took effort to bite back the question of whether she knew he'd lied to her father about her death. Anger bubbled up inside her that she had to, or risk harm coming to the jester. Lislora glanced up at her and then back down to the floor taking a step back nervously.

"My mother always said, 'The wasp will sting you more but the gentle honey bee's sting is worse.'" Oberath rolled across the corner of the bed and bowed to Lislora before turning to wink and bow to Isonei. "Her grace."

"I hope you can stay, and if not, I hope you come back, dear jester." Isonei placed her hand over her heart. "You scatter joy like wind flowers scatter seeds."

Oberath's smile was genuine and warm for a moment and then he dropped into a curtsy and lifted his head wearing his jester's smile. "High praise from the Duchess of frolics!" He capered as he left and Isonei watched him with a faint smile.

"Do you wish me to stay, your Grace?" Lislora was still looking at the floor.

"Please. I'm not angry with you, Lislora. You and Krouth have been very kind and I appreciate you reading to me even if I don't know what you're reading about. Please sit. And call me Isonei?"

She nodded hesitantly and crossed to the other side to take her seat, "I have been reading from the-the Book of Truths is what Arans would call it. It always soothes me."

"It has a soothing sound to it." Isonei watched her relax slightly. "I haven't spoken to you of the party. It looked as if it were going well up until the point I was ill. Did everyone enjoy the meal and the entertainment?"

"For the most part, your-" Lislora caught herself, "Isonei. There was some consternation when you made the Princes laugh so loudly and Prince Draeseth was so openly affectionate with you. Most people think of you as well below the Princes' rank. Your boldness was..." The woman turned her book over in her hands. "He looked happy. I have never seen him so happy."

"He and I make each other incredibly happy or incredibly miserable. There is very little middle ground with us. That middle ground is what you need to sustain yourself in an Arrangement, my mothers both insisted."

"And they truly share your father's affections?"

"Yes." She gave the Torgan woman a tired smile. "Love isn't like a loaf of bread, it isn't consumed and gone. The more of it you give the more of it you have. They love my father and their other lovers, and they love each other like sisters."

"Part of me wishes I could do that, be a second wife. But I cannot... I cannot bear the thought. I would want him to myself." Lislora looked at her with an expression of defeat painted across her strong, aristocratic features. "If you make him happy I will endure the sight of his affection for you."

"The two of you are better suited, Lislora. He will see it eventually."

They sat in silence for a time until a knock came at the door. "Oh! I had forgotten. Halloc Aurim has come to see you. Draeseth wished to speak to him first."

"Come in?" Isonei cautiously called, pulling the covers up to cover more of her nightdress.

Brothers Jannun and Brenough opened the door and entered followed by Brother Odgar. Odgar was twisting his hands, looking to them almost timidly while the two priests looked around the Duchess' bedroom as if her rooms had not met their standards.

"Brother Jannun! Brother Brenough! It's so good to see you!" Isonei offered them the warmest smile she could muster. "Have you met Lady Lislora? She's a very dear woman."

Jannun gave her a smile and nodded. "Does she teach you?"

With wry smile she tried to use one of the few small words she'd managed to pick up on her own, "Oirst. Draeseth said he would do it himself and he hasn't found the time."

Laughing in his throat, Jannun waved his hands, "Oist. O-eest. Oirst is bone."

"This is how I spent years learning Lerian. I would listen and then speak, and they would laugh." She glanced to Lislora who was trying not to smile. "Would he let you teach me?"

"Oist. I asked." Lislora's faint smile faded.

Jannun spoke to her for a moment in Torgan and didn't seem pleased with the answers she gave. Brenough pulled Odgar aside and spoke with him earnestly. The pair of priests then spoke to one another again as Isonei watched, feeling baffled.

Turning to Lislora she whispered, "Is something wrong?"

"They have heard things about your stay here, you were under their protection and they are concerned."

"They were kind, but if Krouth hadn't been with me I might have frozen to death on the way here."

The huff that came from Jannun told her he'd caught that. "Your room is too warm."

"I'm Aran, it's much warmer there. You should go and see for yourself!"

He said something to Brenough with amusement and the older man nodded and seemed to remind him of something less pleasant. "We ahh..." He spoke Torgan to Lislora again and she translated.

"They need to..." She looked as though she couldn't think of the right word. "They need to see if Draeseth has..." Lislora placed her hand on her belly and Isonei nodded.

"They need to examine me because he wished to have me carrying his child before the next Festival."