Torgan Wine Ch. 39

Tremendous thanks to Todger65 for help with editing and Nthusiastic for beta reading and making suggestions!

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Mes pressed a cool damp cloth to the back of Isonei's neck as she knelt next to the basin. It had been placed on the floor when she had begun to feel dizzy. The hard, twice baked slivers of bread and the hot tea she'd washed them down with had refused to stay down.

She heard the sound of Draeseth speaking quietly to Krouth behind her and realized he must have come back while she was being ill. It took no more than a glance to Mes and the Munian woman was wiping her face and giving her water to rinse her mouth with.

Isonei began trying to get to her feet and Draeseth scooped her up carrying her to bed with a concerned frown. He climbed onto the bed with her and she curled against him. "What did your father say?"

"He will speak to Rogath but the feast will happen tonight without you. I will be required to attend and make your excuses."

"I can't keep anything down, that should be a good enough excuse. I would hate to mar the meal by rushing away every few bites."

"Krouth sent for Halloc Urroth and father thought perhaps a second visit from the midwives tomorrow would be wise."

Nodding she sighed and changed the subject, "How are your brothers? Ougath and Adareth? Has someone looked in on them?"

He laughed softly in his throat. "Ougath was there, as was Burgath, they wished to know why there were rumors flying of you spitting in the Queen's face. I will send Krouth to look in on Adareth if that will ease your mind."

"It would. He's too soft and sweet for fighting; I'm worried he's badly hurt." She pulled her head back to look up at him with a scowl, "And I did not spit in that horrible woman's face."

"I would chide you for losing your temper, but it will let me keep you at home. Court will not be a place you are forced to come often." He smiled smugly and pulled her head back against him.

"The only reason to come here would be for the fish and to visit Kresh." Isonei rubbed her face against his tunic.

"I will have a pond dug and Kresh will be invited to visit."

"And now I have no reason to come back here." She spoke with a cheerfulness she didn't feel and he laughed squeezing her.

"You are easy to please."

Krouth cleared his throat politely, "The Hallocs have arrived. Halloc Aurim was sent for by the Kamrus. He chose to come with Halloc Urroth to see the Duchess."

"Good. The Duchess would like for you to look in on my brother Adareth. She has concerns for his well being after today's sparring match."

"Of course."

Draeseth kissed the top of her head before releasing her and rising from the bed. "I should begin preparing for dinner."

"Try not to let your father talk you into drinking so much tonight."

He made an amused sound in his throat. "I would have without your reminder, wife. My snoring makes you flee from our bed."

"Will your Highness be staying while the Duchess is examined?" Halloc Urroth inquired coolly.

"Her maid will remain with her, I am required at dinner." Draeseth frowned glancing to the door for Krouth.

"Mes can help you dress. Someone needs to look in on Adareth." Isonei gave him a wan smile, "You may have to help her remember everything you need. She's been learning to wait on me and I don't think she knows everything Krouth does for you."

He muttered to himself in Torgan as he moved past the Hallocs and barked a command for Mes.

"That will leave you without an attendant." Halloc Urroth glanced to Halloc Aurim with concern and spoke quietly to him for a moment.

Halloc Aurim approached the bed as he replied, not seeming to share the other priest's concern. He looked into her eyes intently and turned her head side to side before opening her mouth and peering inside. It sounded as if he were giving orders but Halloc Urroth sputtered and began to argue.

Mes bustled in straight to the closet, after a few moments she came back carrying what looked like nearly everything Draeseth required. She hesitated as she passed the arguing Hallocs. "One of them thinks you should be purified and bled, the other thinks you require a more thorough examining and perhaps some herbs or tinctures. I'll come back as soon as I can, your Grace."

"Thank you, Mes." After the maid disappeared through the door Isonei cleared her throat politely and earned sharp looks from both priests. "You're both very competent men, perhaps you could both-"

"The tea he wishes to give you may end the pregnancy and bleeding you in your condition would not be wise." Halloc Urroth frowned at her, "His methods are no longer used here in the Thoncur."

Isonei nodded furrowing her brow, "Despite your differences, you do both want the same thing, don't you? You're both healers. The smoke seemed terribly important to him in the Kroscur, perhaps you could compromise? Grant him a concession?"

Aurim made an inquiry sounding nearly amused and their discussion resumed with a much more conversational tone. They seemed close to an agreement when Krouth bolted into the room barking in their language and the three rushed out. Slipping from the bed she looked after them with bafflement.

Draeseth stood by the door to their rooms looking as though he might be ill. She crossed to him and touched his arm. He came back to himself, grabbing her and crushing her in an embrace. "Adareth. Krouth said he may be dying as our other two brothers did. Had you not insisted someone look in on him..."

"Why did no one else? He was obviously injured." Isonei stroked his back soothingly as she held him. "What... what happened to your other two brothers?"

"We used to spar with steel, my Duchess. They died from injuries... shattered bones and infections." His voice sounded hoarse. "I did not mean to strike Adareth so hard. I only wished to knock him down."

"He was injured before you struck him. He was outmatched by his first opponent. Adareth should never have been sparring with the rest of you no matter how much he wanted to impress his mother."

He took a deep breath and released her looking down with a solemn, pained expression. "I must speak to my father."

"Go. I'll be here." She stroked his arms and offered him a small smile.

Pressing his face to hers he murmured what sounded like a prayer before he kissed her head and left the rooms moving quickly.

"Your Grace?" Mes approached her and gently guided her back to bed. "You should still rest. I'll fetch you some tea."

°°°°°°°°°°

Draeseth woke her with gentle kisses in the middle of the night and Isonei wrapped her arms around him with a yawn. "How is Adareth?"

"The Hallocs credit you with saving his life, little Duchess." King Orgath's voice startled her and she turned her head toward the door, blinking in the lamplight. "He is still feverish, but they believe he will mend now that his wounds have been properly seen to."

"I'm glad, your Majesty, but why-" She stopped as the King raised his hand.

"He should have requested a healer. His stubbornness is what nearly cost him his life." He beckoned to the main room and Draeseth scooped her out of bed.

Queen Deventha sat stiffly on one of the chairs while the King took a seat at the table. Isonei tilted her head and tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn as Draeseth took a seat across from them holding her on his lap.

"She can sit on her own." The Queen glared at them disapprovingly and Isonei stroked Draeseth's arm without attempting to move from his lap.

"I could but he's warm and I'm tired. To what do I owe this visit?"

"Be nice, little Duchess." King Orgath cautioned her coolly.

"I've been told your Queen has been claiming I spat in her face, your Majesty. I'm being charming compared to her reports of me."

"You are rarely so sharp, wife." Draeseth adjusted her in his lap, forcibly turning her face to frown down at her. "Why do your eyes look swollen?"

Krouth cleared his throat from the doorway, "If I may? When her Grace could not even keep down her tea she had a terrible crying fit. I am not surprised she is being difficult. She is exhausted and has kept down no food since dinner yesterday."

"I remember being commanded to have more than a dozen people executed when my Deventha was so ill. Adareth is the reason we stopped trying for a daughter." The King's voice had a slight edge to it and it seemed to prod the glowering Torgan woman.

"Salted twice baked bread with honey, and pickled cabbage." The Queen sighed with annoyance. "Once I found I could eat those, things became more bearable."

"The twice baked bread came back up." Isonei leaned against Draeseth but spoke in a conciliatory tone.

"It has to be salted. Heavily. Then dip it in honey."

"I'll try it. My stomach is so empty I've been getting dizzy."

"The Hallocs had no help to offer?" The Queen's tone seemed to warm.

"They didn't have a chance. They went to see to Adareth immediately once Krouth brought word they were needed. As they should have. I can wait."

"I will bring you back into my retinue when you can eat and drink again. It will be as if the... unpleasantness never happened if you can be respectful."

Isonei studied her with a frown, "Why? You clearly don't want me attending you. Polite avoidance seems a better choice."

King Orgath laughed softly and muttered in Torgan rubbing his face.

"Torgan Ladies do not apologize, my Duchess. Her Majesty is trying to make amends." Draeseth murmured into her ear.

"I understand that. She was rude, I was rude. We're even."

"It was your insistence that may have saved our Adareth." The King looked bemused. "That should be rewarded."

"I was worried about him. I always wanted a little brother and he's a sweet boy."

Queen Deventha smoothed her skirt, "My sons all seem to adore you as they would a sister. A second chance with a more open mind would not be a hardship."

"I had enjoyed watching the sparring with you before the," she hesitated as the Queen had, "unpleasantness."

"Then everything is settled and the unpleasantness is over." King Orgath rose from his seat with a smile. "The midwives will be sent for in the morning. The herbs they suggested did little for my Queen but for some they are helpful."

"The bleeding hasn't entirely stopped either. I wanted to ask about that as well." Isonei fidgeted. "Halloc Urroth had said it was nothing to be concerned with when it first started, and the midwives said Draeseth and I could still have sex but... it's starting to worry me."

"I allow my husband to have so many lovers because his needs are much more than one woman could satisfy." The Queen rose, giving Draeseth a disapproving look, "You should consider it."

"I will discuss it with him in the morning, my Queen. The little Duchess should be allowed to recover before she is expected to resume her marital duties."

Draeseth tensed under her as his father gave him a hard look. "I will allow her to rest. I did not intend to bed her tonight."

"You will wait until she stops bleeding or I will have her placed in her own rooms." His voice was gelid and his sharp look matched the Queen's.

Isonei stroked Draeseth's arm as he pulled her closer protectively. "Yes, father. I will wait."

The Queen muttered something sourly in Torgan and Draeseth kissed Isonei's head. "My wife does not like me to be scolded when she feels I am not solely to blame. She enjoys me as much as I enjoy her."

"You always prided yourself on restraint and resisting temptation. It was your one admirable quality." Queen Deventha offered frostily and Draeseth bowed his head.

"He has a great many, your Majesty." She felt him press his face to her hair as he rasped a reply in Torgan to the Queen.

They sat in silence for a long moment after the King and Queen departed until Krouth broke it with a quiet suggestion, "Perhaps her Grace should be taken back to bed?"

The large Torgan rose and carried her back into the bedroom wordlessly. Isonei slipped under the covers and watched him undress with his back toward her. The suggestion that he take other lovers wouldn't have bothered her, as long as she would be free to do the same, but knowing she would be expected to remain exclusive the thought was unbearable. She caught herself nibbling on the inside of her lip at the same time Draeseth turned and noticed.

He moved closer and pulled her lip away from her teeth with a faint smile before he covered the lamp and climbed into bed. "The thought of me with other women concerns you?"

"If I were free to take other lovers I wouldn't mind it, but... if I'm exclusive to you, you should be to me. It isn't fair otherwise."

Draeseth made an amused sound in his throat and pulled her close kissing the back of her neck. "You allowed me to bed Lislora without insisting on taking another lover." Isonei stiffened and frowned into the darkness, debating on her answer when he forcibly turned her, "You did not take another lover."

She tilted her head side to side for a moment debating how truthful to be, and he gripped her by the throat prompting her to speak hurriedly before he lost his temper. "I... I thought of someone else."

Releasing her, he rose to uncover the lamp. "Speak, woman." He studied her face with an unreadable expression.

"You had Lislora and I allowed myself to think of someone else. I even... dreamt of him." Isonei sat up nervously; it had felt like the dreams were very real.

To her surprise and annoyance, Draeseth began to laugh mirthlessly, sinking to the bed and cradling his head in his hands. "Woman, I see now how little jealousy I should have. You feel guilty for thinking of another when you are meant to be exclusive."

"I gave him my desire..."

"In a dream!" Draeseth pulled her into his lap and covered her face in kisses. "For a wife so loyal I can wait until you are well enough to have my needs met." He pressed his face to hers. "Did you stop calling me yours because you dreamt of another?"

She nodded hesitantly, it wasn't the whole truth but it would suffice.

"I am yours, woman. Call me yours."

"Only if you start using my name again." Isonei looked up at him with an annoyed frown as he eyed her with confusion. "It's always, 'my Duchess', 'my jewel', 'woman'..." She glowered at him as he began to grin.

"That is why you only call me by my name. You want me to call you by yours. Krouth told me that if I wanted you to call me your flower wine I should call you sweet names."

Adjusting herself in his lap she could feel her annoyance fading. "Perhaps we should actually speak to each other about things that grate."

"My Isonei, I will make the effort." Gently he captured her lips and laid her back into the bed.

When he broke the kiss she sighed and caressed his cheek, "Thank you, my flower wine."

°°°°°°°°°°

Isonei stayed awake a long while listening to Draeseth's even breathing. Her certainty was ebbing away again. When he was sweet and loving, it was easy to remember why she'd chosen to stay and easy to imagine staying now. She needed someone to talk to about it all. Someone she could trust. Mes might report back to the King or to Krouth and there was no one else. For a moment she missed Arissa painfully.

Arissa would the perfect person to talk to now. She had been so sure Draeseth was a good match. Isonei wondered how she and Daga Liadith were getting along, she hoped it was well.

"Isonei?"

The sound of Arissa's voice made her open her eyes and Isonei knew it was a dream the moment she saw the familiar ceiling of the room they had shared. She sat up and embraced the Lerian woman immediately.

"How are you? I was thinking of you."

"I think I'm better than you are. You look exhausted." Arissa brushed her hair back with a worried frown.

"I couldn't even keep tea down tonight. I haven't been able to eat anything without getting sick since yesterday and I keep getting woken up." She cuddled close to Arissa as the woman settled onto the bed with her.

"Is that why you wanted to talk to me?" The Lerian stroked her hair. "I haven't been sick, but I want such strange things. I can't get enough honey. Those horrible cheese filled onions you love? I've been eating them with honey, even my meat tastes like it needs honey and I can't get enough of these salted honey candies your father has been sending."

Isonei began to laugh and shake her head. "No, that wasn't why but it makes me happy." She wished for a moment that the dreams could be real. "I needed... I need someone to talk to about Draeseth, someone who can see at least some of his good qualities. I get so confused, he can be so..."

"The man you set free, the Son of Mun, sent word that he feared for your life. That Draeseth grabs you by the neck when he's angry. He said the Torgan menaced you with his knife. How can you be confused?" Arissa turned to lie facing her looking her in the eye.

"The knife was in his hand, but I don't think he was menacing me." Isonei felt her face flushing as Arissa's eyebrows rose and her face set into a deeply displeased look. "I get confused because as often as he does something like that he does something sweet like cover my face in kisses. He's trying so hard and it breaks my heart to know no matter what he does it won't be enough." She tried to blink back tears as Arissa's face softened.

"Shhh. My Daga said the Torgan holds a piece of your heart and that this is harder for you than it would be for almost anyone else. Do you feel that you've become better suited?"

She took a deep breath, "No. But he's trying so hard... there are moments I think staying might not be awful."

"That it might be better than breaking his heart and yours?"

"Yes." Isonei pressed her face to Arissa's, "Staying is a terrible idea. I know that. But sometimes it's nice here."

"Tell me, I want to hear about the nice things."

"It really is a beautiful place. Even in the winter when almost everything seems dead the mountains are majestic and you can see that the trees will be lovely in the summer. Draeseth says there's a flower that will bloom when it gets warmer, King's Carpet, the color of Caeridith's mantle."

"Is it as lovely as Leria?" Arissa teased gently.

"Parts of it. But my father's fields put it to shame." Isonei sighed and nibbled her inner lip. "The people here can be cold but some are wonderful. There's an orphan, Hodrim, I want to steal him away from here. He's such a sweet boy. And the sisters at the convent seemed very nice."

"Convent?"

"I tried to run away to one very briefly. Draeseth fetched me back in a temper. I thought he was going to harm Hodrim when he tried to-to protect me. It was made very clear to me that I can do more for the children there if I remain with Draeseth. Someone needs to do something for the poor little loves." Remembering how many of them there were made her heart ache.

"You adored them so much you wanted one of your own? Is that why you stopped taking your tea?"

"No. I was prevented from taking my silphium, even though I asked for it repeatedly. Just like I was kept in Torga despite begging to go home more than once." She rolled onto her back and looked at the ceiling. "He promised to amend the Arrangement so that I can hold him to his word in the future. I've been starting to trust him again even though he hasn't done anything to deserve it. It's so hard to keep any kind of distance when he's always next to me."

"Your father wanted Daga Lothlaerith to send you the painting so that you would have something to hold onto, something to look at to remind you of home."