Torgan Wine Ch. 39

Draeseth pushed her back and rose from the bed snarling in Torgan. She didn't need to understand the words to know his meaning.

"How dare I? What did you say in the bath at your brother's? May Ganas take me from you if you break your word? And didn't you swear to name this child Mallath if it were a boy and dedicate him-"

He punched down on the bed raising his voice again and Mes shrieked startling him into silence.

"Go pray, Draeseth. You're unbearable when you haven't been praying." Isonei rasped as she turned away from him and pulled a pillow into a position to hide her face in.

"That would be wise." Krouth's cool voice came from the doorway. "The Kamrus would welcome you at the Temple, your Highness."

There was a long silence before she heard him move away from the side of the bed. Mes closed the door behind him and dragged one of the chairs in front of it before climbing onto the bed. "Your Grace? Did he hurt you?"

All she could do was shake her head as the tears started to pour, and racking sobs burst out. Mes embraced her and she buried her face in the Munian woman's blue bodice.

°°°°°°°°°°

Isonei woke blearily to an insistent knocking at the door. Mes hurriedly clambered from the bed and began tugging at the chair as Isonei yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"The midwives are here and her Grace should have something to drink," Krouth spoke quietly as the door opened. A cup was handed through to her and the door closed again.

Sitting up, Isonei sipped the juice slowly and watched as Mes struggled to pull the chair back to its original position. "Ask Krouth to help you."

The door reopened and for a moment Isonei thought he'd heard the suggestion. It was the midwives who walked in, however. The two younger women immediately rushed to help Mes move the chair asking a quiet curious sounding question in Torgan.

Mes glanced at her replying in a careful tone. One of them asked another question with a more serious inflection and Isonei set the cup on the bed to rub her temples debating telling her not to discuss the matter.

One of the older women whose name escaped her moved closer and took the cup beckoning her forward. She moved to the edge of the bed and let the woman peer into her eyes and open her mouth. The women began peppering Mes with questions.

"They need you to undress completely, your Grace."

Obediently, Isonei took off her nightdress and small clothes, letting them look her over. They gestured for her to lie on her back to examine her as Halloc Urroth had. Mes held her hand, stroking her arm reassuringly.

"Is he-is he very large?" She relayed a question hesitantly.

"He is. I didn't know men could be as large as he is, but he listens when I ask him to be more gentle or to change position." Isonei bit back the 'usually' she wanted to tack on.

They spoke to Mes again at length.

"Olri says you should wait at least a month after the bleeding stops. Oulna suggests refusing until after the child is born. They understand that during pregnancy some women have stronger desires and they've heard from other servants how affectionate you are with him. But it would be safest."

"We will wait." Draeseth's subdued voice came from the doorway. "The needs of my wife and child must come before my desires."

The Munian woman sprang up and fetched Isonei's robe as he spoke to the midwives. She caught the names of the Hallocs as he gestured to the doorway and the women seemed to agree to something as they left. Mes stayed close to Isonei as Draeseth approached the bed.

"Leave us. I will help her dress and bring her out to speak to the Hallocs."

She looked to Isonei nervously. "Your Grace?"

"If Krouth hasn't already asked if anyone would like a drink while they wait, it would be thoughtful." Isonei gave her a wan smile. "They might enjoy Lord Vigrim's wine."

"Yes, your Grace." Mes slipped out, giving the Prince a wide berth.

"You should not allow her to put a chair in front of the door." He offered her his hand to rise from the bed.

"It makes her feel safer and her heart was in the right place. She wanted to protect me."

"You do not need protection from me."

"Then you should consider behaving in a way that will show her that. If you continue this way you'll make me start to question-"

"Wife, my Isonei..." Draeseth clenched his jaw and pulled her against him. "Forgive me."

The smell of smoke she'd grown accustomed to in the Kroscur lingered on him. Taking a deep breath she changed the subject, "How were your prayers? Did you visit with the Kamrus?"

"He spoke sharply to me. In his eyes, we are ill-suited but he would not have you treated poorly. That you scolded me for breaking my word to Ganas, for considering giving our child another name, pleased him." He led her toward their closet.

"We are ill-suited, my flower wine. If we weren't, you wouldn't behave the way you do. Your jealousy, your anger..." She stopped as he closed the closet door behind them.

"The Kamrus said the same." Draeseth embraced her and stooped to kiss her gently. "I will say to you what I said to him, you are not to blame for my faults. I care for Lislora but she does not make me burn as you do."

"You wouldn't trade a more peaceful life, a more contented life, for a few hours a day of fantastic sex? I would."

He laughed softly, "I can learn to be more contented and peaceful. I will try harder and I will pray more."

"What did you decide about the name?"

"He will be named Mallath and he will be dedicated to Ganas as I promised."

"When will we amend the Arrangement?" Isonei asked quietly.

"It will be amended into a marriage. The Kamrus insisted that if I intend to persist in this folly I will do it properly. I am to see you reclaimed and to marry you. Amending the Arrangement as it stands will not be permitted."

"Draeseth-"

"My father was the first to suggest it, Isonei."

"I know he was, but even if you waited until the year ended and I was no longer bound by my word, I would still refuse. I can't trust you. Things didn't get better once the Arrangement was in place..."

"I have time to show you that you can trust me. It will be better after you marry me. We will have our son, and my father will give Mes to you as a wedding gift. That was his intent when he made her your servant."

She could feel the lump forming in her throat. Draeseth was still speaking but she had stopped listening. Finding a way back home and taking Mes with her felt urgent and her mind raced trying to think of a way to do it. Everyone, even the Kamrus intended to help him press her into marriage and she had no one... The opening of the closet door brought her out of her daze.

"Do you require assistance in finding her Grace's clothes?" Krouth inquired coolly. Isonei caught the concerned glance he gave her and tried to focus on her tiredness and not on the panic that had momentarily washed over her.

"No. I can find them." Draeseth released her and began looking over her dresses. "I would have you wear your small clothes. I should not have asked you to be indecent; I will be a better husband and a better man for you, Isonei."

"The small clothes are in the chest." Krouth offered from the doorway.

"Which chest? I don't know where anything is... In Ara, I could find everything if I wanted to." She glanced at the slim Torgan and put on a wry smile.

"Next to his Highness is the chest of undergarments." He gestured to the other two. "Nightdresses and traveling gowns are in those, and your jewelry is in the bottom of the largest."

"My mother's carcanet is in father's locked collection. He insisted." Draeseth handed her one of the plainer dresses and Krouth stepped forward to take it giving her a subtle head nod to stand in the doorway.

It took a moment for her to register what he'd said. His mother's carcanet. Not hers. She smiled faintly to herself. Somehow it made her feel better to know the carcanet wasn't hers; it meant she didn't have to break the clasp. The other pieces were lovely, but she wouldn't feel as torn about damaging them.