Torgan Wine Ch. 34

"I don't know what to do, Zenaethe. When I dream about my Daga I wake up feeling as if things are laid out clearly but then they get so-so..." Isonei buried her face in his mantle again.

"What is unclear? You need to break the clasp and try to escape." He sounded annoyed and she shook her head, lifting it to peer into his burning green eyes.

"It isn't that simple. I have to think about what might happen if I can't."

"No." Daga Lothlaerith tilted her chin up. "You have to make a decision, choose to stay and build a life or choose to come home. You're trying to do both, little blossom."

"I..." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to be in the Queen's retinue. If I can get her to summon Andnaeuth, I think-I think he can help me get home."

His head tilted curiously.

"She's ambitious enough to condemn herself to a life of misery just have one of her sons become King. I'm certain I can convince her to bring Andnaeuth to Torga to have an Arrangement made if she thinks her children's children might rule Ara or be at the side of the one who does. He's as sharp as you are, if anyone can talk me out of this place it would be him."

Lothlaerith snorted. "What can he say that you couldn't."

"That he would allow his children to travel to Torga if I have an Arrangement with both of them."

"That would be foolish." His eyebrows rose and his face settled into its usual frosty look of displeasure.

"They don't have a high opinion of Arans. Foolish and naive is what they think us. Maybe we are, we won't bargain in bad faith and we keep our word. But they don't understand that it doesn't tie our hands completely. Andnaeuth is very good at getting around things. If you meet him pay close attention and choose your words carefully." Isonei curled his fingers in his mantle absentmindedly and the Daga's stern expression softened.

"I will." He paused. "Why do you hesitate to break the clasp? You said you would obey me."

"I would have to ask to have the carcanet brought and I think it would be a strange enough request to warrant Krouth watching me very carefully. I need to wait until I'm asked to wear it again."

"You can't ask to see your own jewelry?" The Daga looked surprised.

"I can't even ask to see my own cloak, Zenaethe!" She dropped her head to his shoulder and took a steadying breath. "I have to keep him calm and content so that he doesn't lock me away entirely. I... I do care for him, even though I know he isn't trustworthy. It hurts to deceive him even though he's deceived me over and over again with false promises."

His arms tightened around her and she could feel his face pressing against her hair. "Do what you must. You are loved, daughter of Liadith, that does not change."

Isonei twitched awake in startlement as she felt someone kissing her neck.

"You looked so solemn in your sleep, my jewel, and you did not wake as I spoke with Halloc Urroth. He marveled at how deeply you sleep."

"Mm." She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "I shouldn't be so tired."

A man cleared his throat and Draeseth straightened, stepping away from the bed. One of the Hallocs she remembered seeing with Kamrus Gillaugrim stepped into his place. "Was your mother this way?"

Sitting up, she frowned as she answered, "I don't know. I was very young when she died and I was the youngest of the siblings I was raised with. I never saw my other mothers-" Isonei stopped speaking as he took hold of her chin and tilted her head peering at her face.

"She is too pale. How often does she go out into the sunlight?"

"She spent time walking the parapets daily."

"She requires more. And more food, anything she will eat." The Halloc released her chin and stepped back, looking to Draeseth with a frown. "If she does not regain some health any children will be sickly, if they survive to be born at all."

Being spoken of as if she wasn't in the room rankled but before she could protest the Halloc continued, "Are you bedding her in this condition?"

Draeseth's eyes narrowed, "She is my wife."

"Have pity on the woman, your Highness. She is clearly very delicate."

"If she does not feel well enough she may tell me so." His scowl made the Halloc step back glancing to her with concern.

Isonei opened her mouth to reassure him and Draeseth held up his hand to silence her. "Is she well enough to ride with me tomorrow instead of riding in the carriage?"

"If she eats well and sleeps well tonight, perhaps." He seemed hesitant. "She should be looked at again in the morning before we leave, to be certain."

"Very well." Draeseth inclined his head without softening his scowl and the Halloc left with speed.

"You could have been less sour with the man. He was trying to be helpful." Isonei frowned at the large Torgan as he climbed onto the bed pushing her back down.

"I do not trust his reasons for telling me I cannot bed my wife. The Kamrus does not wish to recognize the Arrangement." Draeseth pressed his face to hers. "Krouth is carefully observing how your food is prepared; I would have you eat well tonight, my delicate wife. I want you to ride with me."

"What are we having that Krouth needs to carefully observe..." Her insides twisted, "Are they serving swine?"

"They are. A meal fit for a King will be presented tonight, but your food will be prepared and served separately. I made it very clear that you cannot eat swine or any food cooked in its fat. I told them of the celebration and how you were ill for three days afterward. They had heard you had become ill while celebrating, they had not known why or for how long."

"As embarrassing as it is, thank you. I trust Krouth to keep anyone from poisoning me with unclean meat." She offered him a wry smile. "Why did the Halloc wish to see me? I thought they wanted nothing to do with me?"

"Hallocs are healers, they devote themselves to it. He was concerned." He pressed soft kisses to her lips. "They will be travelling with us tomorrow. He may have wished to be certain you can endure hours of the Kamrus' disapproval."

"I think I'd rather walk than be trapped in a carriage with that man. I loathe cruel people."

Draeseth made an amused sound in his throat. "He is not a cruel man. All of my life he has tried to keep me from becoming like my father. You are the opposite of all he hoped for me. A woman not yet reclaimed, experienced, openly affectionate," he punctuated each with an insistent kiss breathing each following word against her lips, "passionate, playful..."

She let him deepen the kiss for a moment and then very gently broke it. "You're trying to seduce me into forgiving you."

"All it requires is keeping you close and kissing you often enough, wife. You cannot be sour with me when I kiss you." He smirked at her and began covering her face in kisses again.

"You're not fighting fair!" Isonei tried to wriggle out from under him as he began to laugh.

"I do not fight fair, woman. I told you that."

Isonei squealed and laughed as he playfully tried to stick his tongue in her ear.

"If the Kamrus has been trying to keep you from being as charming as your father you must have exhausted the man. Small wonder he's so sour! You exhaust me and I'm only trying to endure your charm." Isonei made a face at him as his face split in a wicked grin.

"You try to endure it? Woman, you encourage me at every turn." Draeseth captured her lips again hungrily, groaning in his throat as she invited him deeper.

He broke the kiss and began pressing soft kisses to her lips and along her jaw to her ear.

"All I encourage is you being a little less sour! Everyone finds you a joy to be around when you aren't glowering at them." She teased gently, smiling as he laughed and his breath tickled her below her ear.

"They find you a joy to be around, wife. I am tolerated as the price of basking in your presence."

"I spent most of the carriage ride drowsing and it sounded like the four of you enjoyed yourselves!" She blinked as he rose and pulled back the covers.

"You chose the conversation, woman. A conversation that centered on my prowess in bed and impressed my father. It left me aching to be inside you and hear you moan out your desire for me." He pulled her legs to the edge of the bed and tugged away her small clothes. "I want to feel you wrapped around me."

Watching as he stripped himself of his tunics and opened his pants just enough to bring out his impressive member she felt the confliction rising again. The man was undeniably beautiful, and for this year he was hers. Isonei flushed, giving into the desire and sitting up to reach for him.

His fingers began to rub and tease as he leaned forward to kiss her. "You cannot bring yourself to refuse me when you see my chest, can you woman?"

Nipping his lip she had to laugh, "You are the most beautiful and most wicked man..."

Drawing his hand back he took hold of her hips and began to guide himself in, he stopped with a stunned look on his face and pulled away looking at his fingers. The blue green of blood colored them.