Torgan Wine Ch. 30

She watched him stare at his hands for a long moment before directing her gaze out of the window again. The silence stretched for what felt like an hour until they approached a large estate house surrounded by what appeared to be gardens.

The priest cleared his throat quietly. "They will be having the midday meal. I will ask if we may join them."

"Thank you." Isonei took a breath and looked at his still pensive face. "I'm sorry I was so sharp with you. I should have a better hold on my temper."

"Your Grace, you gave me a great deal to think about. If you had not been sharp I would not have listened." Odgar gave her a rueful smile. "Ganas brought you to Torga for a reason. Halloc Aurim has said it more than once. Perhaps you should be permitted to leave his Highness."

"I trust his judgment almost as much as I trust Krouth's; you might discuss it with him."

"I will, your Grace." He seemed to perk up. "Sellac Gesosin will be pleased to meet you. She had asked for you to be brought when you first arrived."

"Between my health and Draeseth's jealousy I'm amazed I've been allowed to venture out at all."

"Forgive me, but I have wanted to ask, were you always so..."

"Sickly? No. Not any more or less than anyone else. Before I came to Torga I hadn't been sick in years."

The carriage came to a stop and the speculative looking priest opened the door to step out, turning to offer her assistance.

As she stepped out the front door of the house opened and two sour looking young women, dressed in grey with white cloths pinned much as the black one she wore in her own hair, stepped out. They spoke to Brother Odgar sharply and his calm reply, gesturing toward her involved the word Kroscur. Both of them looked at her with wide eyes and sank into low curtsies.

"Please ask them not to do that. I would prefer kindness to deference."

"Yes, your Grace." He translated dutifully gesturing for them to rise.

"What was it they said?" Isonei asked curiously.

"That only beggars arrive at meal times."

"They've never heard the tale of the wretched traveler? I can tell some of it in exchange for our meals." She gave them a warm smile.

His eyes widened. "You are a rare creature, your Grace."

"It isn't difficult to be kind; the only way to prove that is to show them. And the tale is one of my favorites."

Following the two women inside, Isonei glanced around the house. Draeseth's had looked slightly neglected as if he hadn't cared to waste the money on frivolity. This house looked run-down and threadbare as if it were trying to hold onto some last remnants of nobility without any funds at all. The tapestries that were hung looked faded and the carpets had been swept so often, the floor could be seen through them in places.

The grand dining room that would have once been used for entertaining was filled with narrow tables and benches, lined with children and more of the women in grey and white. The thin older woman at the head of the table wore mostly white, and her hair was entirely covered with a grey cloth. Eyes were glued to her as she approached the head of the table with a warm smile.

"Would you be so kind as to make introductions and to translate for me, Brother Odgar?"

"Of course, your Grace." He inclined his head looking slightly bemused. He spoke in a very neutral tone sounding tone as he gestured between them she understood Isonei, Ernelis, and Kroscur as well as Sellac Gesosin. The murmuring drowned out anything else she might have caught.

The woman's voice was strong and regal, if a bit cool, as she replied gesturing to the tables.

"She welcomes you to her table. Please find a seat and join them in their meal. They were given a bounty of hare and have a very filling stew today."

"Please thank her for her hospitality, but I cannot eat hare. I-"

"Your Grace, it would be rude-"

Isonei lifted her hand. "It would be worse to be ill at her table. I cannot eat hare or swine. Please thank her for me and give her my sincerest apologies."

Sellac Gesosin turned to the table of younger women to her left and made an inquiry, one of the young women answered hesitantly looking at Isonei. Brother Odgar joined their conversation with a look of surprise before speaking again to Isonei.

"One of the postulants speaks some Aran, your Grace. She translated for me." He seemed to be trying to listen to their conversation while he spoke to her and his divided attention was too much to resist. "She... she seems to know of your dietary restrictions."

With a glance to some of the children she smiled mischievously and moved a step closer so that when he looked back to her to speak again he jumped in startlement. It set the children giggling.

"I-Your Grace!" He flushed and she stepped back.

"You should choose a conversation to be in. Half in one and half in another is a bit rude." She tried not to laugh as he straightened his robes.

The name Andnaeuth came clearly to her ears in the momentary quiet and Isonei snapped her head around to look at the young woman. "Andnaeuth? Do you know him?"

"I was going to tell you, your Grace. She seems to have met an Aran at the Court. He was charming but not to be trusted."

"That sounds like Andnaeuth. He's the jester king of Ara in addition to being our Crown Prince. He can charm you or make you wish you'd never been born with the same amount of ease. I adore him, but caution is wise in his company."

"And in yours, it seems your Grace." Odgar was still frowning and glancing at the young women.

"Forgive me. I sometimes forget how fragile the pride of Torgan men can be. In Ara a priest would have suggested I find some other way to amuse the children while the grownups conversed." Her wide eyed amusement seemed to soften his embarrassment.

He turned and spoke to the Sellac at length for a moment. The older woman looked amused and the children giggled again as he spoke. She assumed he was translating her teasing.

Sellac Gesosin spoke again, gesturing toward the tables.

"You will be given bread and tea if you choose to sit with them. Sellac Gesosin encourages you to behave, all of the children must."

Isonei laughed and nodded, "I thank you. Uhhmm, vor pexoents otst vor. I will try to behave; perhaps some of your wonderfully well behaved children can help me?" Isonei gave the Sellac an impish smile as Odgar translated and moved to one of the few open seats at the end of one of the children's tables.

Several children tittered but the little ones she sat next to didn't seem amused, frowning at her and scooting away. When she picked up the napkin that was brought looking at them expectantly they looked puzzled. Feigning bafflement she looked at the napkin on both sides and then tried to tuck it into the collar of her dress. The children dissolved into laughter and the ones next to her very emphatically said, "Oist!" before chattering in Torgan and showing her how to fold it in her lap.

Beaming at them she nodded, "Thank you! Very kind of you to show me!"

Next she looked at the utensils with pretended puzzlement, picking up the spoon she placed it on the tip of her nose and amidst the loud laughter she received a scolding from the child closest to her who seemed to be insisting she should leave it on the table.

She put it down and gave him a very contrite look, widening her eyes and nearly putting her chin on her chest, making the other children at the table giggle. After that he took over giving her adorably stern sounding instructions in Torgan on what seemed to be how to butter her bread and the right place to put her cup.

As the meal was coming to a close she half turned toward him, placing a hand on her chest, "I'm Isonei of House Ernelis, daughter of Liadith, and Duchess of Kroscur. Who might you be, my very helpful friend?"

He looked baffled until the young woman spoke quietly. He placed his hand on his chest and frowned at her, "Hodrim."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Hodrim."

The woman spoke again. Hodrim looked slightly dubious until Brother Odgar spoke as well. Then the boy returned her smile shyly.

"The postulant thinks you might be mocking the boy," Odgar volunteered.

"No. If the only Aran she knows is Andnaeuth I understand why she might think so. Hodrim is very charming and helpful. His manner reminds me of Halloc Aurim." She gave Odgar an amused smile. "He's kind but very stern."

He translated that and Hodrim straightened proudly.

"Sellac Gesosin has remarked on your way with children, your Grace. If you wish, after the midday prayers, you'll be permitted to tell the tale you were speaking of earlier."

"I would be honored to tell it!" Isonei beamed. "Or at least some of it, it's a very long tale."