Torgan Wine Ch. 41

As always huge thanks to Todger65 for help with editing and Nthusiastic for beta reading and making suggestions/asking good questions!

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Isonei was awake well before Krouth came to rouse her, and spent the time perusing her closet, locating her book and looking at her jewelry before she chose a dress. The clasps looked sturdy and it seemed a shame to try to break such pretty pieces. Now that she knew where they were and knew she could get to them she could take her time and consider it before she broke one or both of them.

Krouth seemed pleased when he found her laying out her own clothes, "A fine choice of dress, your Grace. The pale grey suits you."

"Thank you, Krouth. I'm looking forward to Kresh coming for breakfast. What will we be having?"

"The Munian cook has sent Aran manirel since heat seems to agree with you. He also suggested more salt and honey, and he found a fruit called thorn citron he thought you might enjoy."

"My father sometimes takes it with tea when his stomach is upset." She smiled and nodded as he poured the water for her to wash with.

"I will have some tea sent for as well. Sea dew flower, perhaps?"

"That would be lovely, thank you."

He left her to wash and dress by herself. When she came out of her bedroom, the table was being set and she settled into a nearby chair to wait. The tea was brought and Krouth poured her a cup, sweetening it with honey before bringing it to her chair with a piece of the thorn citron.

The taste of the sour fruit was more delicious than she had ever recalled it to be. After she finished her tea she sucked on the squeezed remnant of it. Waiting was becoming tedious and her stomach growled loudly.

The slim servant cleared his throat politely. "Perhaps your Grace should have breakfast. Her Imperial Highness may have decided to sleep longer this morning." He looked as if he were debating saying something else as he pulled a chair away from the table in invitation.

"Will you sit with me? I was looking forward to having company for breakfast. I thought she was looking forward to it too." Her disappointed glance at the door seemed to help him decide.

"If your Grace wishes. It may be wise to speak to you of palace gossip. The other Ladies will all be well versed in it."

"My sisters would tell me all kinds of gossip when I saw them. It was always so much fun." Isonei tried to look more cheerful and gestured toward the other seat at the table, "Please!"

"Her Imperial Highness only allows Prince Rogath to bed her at a certain time of year. This time of year." He looked at her pointedly and she nodded, understanding his implication.

"Why?"

"Gossip says she only finds him appealing when he fights."

"They did look very impressive in their armor. Why doesn't he fight more often if she enjoys it so much?"

"Other than Prince Draeseth, few men are willing to spar with him, and in the bouts men sometimes die or become maimed. He does not have the opportunity to fight as much as she wishes him to."

"I don't think Draeseth asks if men are willing to fight with him." She tilted her head, putting on a look of baffled innocence.

Krouth coughed and nearly smiled. "His Highness takes certain behaviors as an invitation to fight. He enjoys it more than Prince Rogath; it allows him to feel respected."

"I do feel better now that I have a reason she might have forgotten breakfast. What other gossip should I know about? Have you eaten?" Isonei began to spread manirel on a thin slice of bread.

"I have, your Grace. There was some gossip concerning you after your dinner with Prince Adareth." Krouth frowned slightly. "You were overly familiar and sat on his bed. There was no talk of impropriety. Prince Adareth is injured and you were not alone with him, but perhaps you should make a point of not being alone with the young Prince?"

"I was treating him as my own brother. Draeseth's brothers are much sweeter and more pleasant than I had expected from the first time I met them." She took a bite and savored the heat and taste of the well-prepared manirel.

"There is a difference in the way they treat their brother's wife and the way they would treat his... lover."

"I understand." A little honey on the bread as well made the flavor perfect. "Is there any gossip about the Queen's retinue? There was a woman who seemed to be the Queen's age who was very rude. It might be nice to know something unpleasant about her."

His lips twisted in annoyed amusement. "The introductions were not worth paying attention to?"

"There were none. I know the Countess Giserona's name because Mes introduced her."

The amusement faded from his face. "There should have been introductions. How rude were they?"

"Rude enough to provoke me. When I first arrived at their gathering, they were speaking Torgan and smirking at me. I pretended not to notice, it seemed the polite thing to do and it would have given them a chance to correct themselves." Isonei heavily salted a spoonful of honey and devoured it before sucking on a slice of the thorn citron. "Instead they tried to get the reaction they wanted another way."

"The reaction you gave was unexpected. You have a reputation for being meek and mild with your husband and the priests."

"I loathe cruel people and I wasn't in the mood to conceal it." She made a face and Krouth smiled faintly, leaning to pour her another cup of tea.

"You did well when you accepted the Queen's apology. Perhaps she will be more considerate when you rejoin her retinue."

"I hope so. I wanted to like her, I-" A sharp furious rapping at the door interrupted her and Krouth rose from his seat immediately putting his chair back into position before rushing to open it.

The sound of Kresh's furious voice barking something at him in Phaethian as the door opened brought Isonei from her seat with a frown. The Phaethian woman glowered at the breakfast that had already been begun as she entered.

"You could not wait?"

Isonei tilted her head at the snapped question. "I thought you'd forgotten about breakfast or you'd decided to spend the morning with your husband. Draeseth is always at his best in the mornings-"

"I do not want to-to speak of that man." She lapsed into Phaethian as she stalked toward the table and then seemed to notice Isonei's baffled expression. "He brought his whore to Court. She had the..." Kresh snapped a word in Torgan and looked at Krouth expectantly.

The slim servant cleared his throat and carefully enunciated, "Stupidity, but the word she used was indecent, Arans do not have a word for it."

"The whore came to my rooms to see him, trying to pretend she was visiting as his cousin with her brother, Duke Shoban."

"His cousin? On his father's side?" Isonei didn't try to keep her disgust off of her face.

"Does it matter?" Kresh narrowed her eyes standing next to the chair as if waiting for Krouth to pull it out.

"They're of the same House! That's incest!"

Kresh's lip twitched slightly, "Would it be better if it were the daughter of his mother's sister instead of the daughter of his father's brother?"

"Yes! You never, ever bed someone of your own House! That's-that's disgusting and dirty! Is your husband feeble?!" She made a gesture around her head and the woman's face split in a vicious grin.

"You are the first to take my side, Nei." Kresh stepped forward and took hold of her face surprising her with a passionate kiss. Isonei blinked as the woman's tongue slipped past her lips briefly before she broke the kiss and sat in the seat Krouth was offering. "Sit. Tell me, what were you eating? This does not look familiar."

Choosing not to comment on the kiss for the moment Isonei sat and pointed to the dishes as she spoke, "The cook sent up Aran manirel, it has a very nice heat to it, as well as some honey and salt for me, and some thorn citron with the sea dew flower tea."

"Sea dew flower." Kresh looked amused. "The name for it in Phaethian translates to southern medicine, you make it sound appetizing."

"Have it with honey and some thorn citron, it's very good. That it soothes headaches and settles the stomach, as well as brightens the mood makes it a favorite in Ara. It's mixed into nearly every tea blend."

"You rarely seem to need your mood brightened, Nei. I came in furious and I already feel more content. Your presence soothes and your smile brightens the room."

Isonei beamed and placed her hand over her heart. "That is the highest praise, dear Kresh."

The Phaethian woman sighed softly, taking a sip of the tea Krouth had prepared for her as they spoke. "I told my cook to send something as well; my usual breakfast should arrive shortly." She looked at the manirel and bread as if she expected someone to prepare it for her.

Isonei smiled to herself as she prepared a slice. "I put a little honey on mine as well, but only because everything tastes like it needs honey at the moment."

Kresh laughed and nodded. "I was that way with Ror. Everything had to be sweet. With Kas, I could not eat enough of that wretched pickled cabbage. I ate so much of it the smell makes me feel a little ill now."

"Oh! Krouth? Where are my pickled peppers and onions?"

He bowed and left the room to fetch them as Kresh took a bite of the bread.

"This is delicious. It needs a soft boiled egg to dip it in."

Making a face and shuddering, Isonei waved her hand frantically, "I can't even think about eggs!"

"Not even pickled eggs?" Kresh grinned evilly.

"And now you're just being mean to me." Isonei put on a sullen pout and sent the woman into a bout of cackling that continued even after Krouth returned with the jar.

With the tip of a knife, he fished out two peppers and an onion before stepping back into the doorway.

"You eat them just like that?" Kresh took another bite of her bread eyeing the peppers dubiously.

"I do. They would be better fresh but having something with some heat is wonderful." Devouring a pepper she offered the other to Kresh.

The Phaethian tentatively took a bite of it and then devoured it the way Isonei had. "They find the best food for you, Nei. That tastes mild and a little tangy."

"Yes! You should have seen his Majesty and the Princes trying them. I thought they were going to cry. Burgath and the King were the most dignified but..." She grinned slyly as Kresh began to cackle again.

"Torgans have no tolerance for heat."

"His Majesty is allowing the Munian cook to grow the peppers in the winter garden here. If I've gone back to the Kroscur when they ripen, try them fresh. You'll adore them." Isonei slathered the onion with honey and popped it into her mouth before she noticed that Kresh's face had changed from pleased to sour in an instant.

"I would prefer it if you remained at Court. To finally have a friend here... It would be unbearable if you left, Nei."

"Draeseth said you were welcome to visit the Kroscur, and it is lovely there."

"He will probably keep the other women in the Kroscur. I doubt he would bring them here where everyone adores you."

"We discussed it, other women aren't-"

Kresh barked a bitter laugh. "No one told you he left to see his mistress? Some whore of the lesser nobility."

Isonei tilted her head and tried to make sense of the woman's words. After a moment's silence, she glanced to Krouth who looked as though he were trying to keep his fury held under his customary cool demeanor. "Lislora?"

"You know of her?" Kresh resumed eating reaching for the bread herself this time.

"She's a friend and not a whore."

"She fucked your husband and may be carrying his bastard." Kresh looked at her pointedly.

Taking a deep breath Isonei put her head in her hands. "Gods. She must be so upset. She let Draeseth bed her once and now people will say horrible things about her." Turning to Krouth she caught the bemused look on his face before he schooled it to neutrality. "I want to dictate a letter to you. It should be written in Torgan since Draeseth reads Aran poorly. I don't want to be misunderstood."

"Of course your Grace."

Looking back to the baffled expression on Kresh's face she smiled wanly, "Thank you, Kresh. They treat me too gently sometimes; I think they forget I'm Aran."

"A bastard-"

"A child is a joy. This child will belong to Draeseth's House as much as mine will and I will embrace it as my own and Lislora as a sister. That is what Arans do. We have Arrangements not marriages and it's the father's line that is the most important. Draeseth should have discussed this with me, but he will when he returns. I won't let him avoid it." She rubbed her head. "Is there more tea?"

Krouth was at the table in an instant to look. "I will have more fetched, your Grace."

Kresh's breakfast arrived as he opened the door and he spoke to the servant in Phaethian for a moment before she left.

"Try some of the fruit, Nei. I have it brought from Phaethia."

°°°°°°°°°°

Isonei's head was still throbbing as she lay curled in bed. After Kresh had left she had dictated a letter to be sent to Draeseth insisting he bring Lislora and that they would all sit down together and discuss things. She made it clear she wasn't angry with either of them and that if there was to be another child it should be welcomed just as the one she carried.

A soft knock at the door made her want to crawl under the mattress, instead, she sighed, "Yes?"

"Is your head still aching, your Grace?" Krouth peered in with a frown.

"It is."

"Halloc Urroth has brought a tincture, I told him light and sound were paining you."

"Thank you, Krouth."

The Halloc came into the room purposefully, looking at her eyes and opening her mouth before insisting on examining her completely. Krouth held her hand and kept his back to the Halloc, looking at her face with concern.

"You should be resting more. A tincture of merciful breath given every few hours until your pain is gone and daily after that should help. It will make you sleepy, Duchess."

"At the moment if you wanted to crack my skull open I would agree to it." Isonei put her face in her hands curling up again as Krouth covered her.

"Open your mouth, Duchess, this is bitter."

"I will fetch honey for her for afterward." Krouth briskly left the room as she turned and opened her mouth obediently.

The taste made her shudder and feel vaguely ill, but the large spoonful of honey Krouth thrust at her helped immensely. After a short time, she drifted into the sleep that had eluded her.

She stood alone on a stone dais, light filtered down through green stained glass and she looked up at the way the shades shifted, as if there were water or leaves moving on the other side of it, in fascination. A soft sound attracted her attention and she looked over to see Zenaethe Lothlaerith seated on a carved throne.

Isonei smiled at him but he didn't return it. His frostily displeased expression didn't waver and she noticed that he was staring at her ear and not meeting her eyes. She rubbed her arms feeling cold, realizing she was wearing her formal scarlet gown as she did so.

"An offer of peace has been made, daughter of Liadith. We wish to know your opinion of the Torgan King."

"He's charming, and he has been kind, for the most part. But I don't advise taking him at his word." Isonei looked into Lothlaerith's eyes as he finally met her gaze; they shimmered and cracked with darker green.

"Why?"

"He advised Draeseth, at the table in front of me, to make a promise in bad faith. His advice was that Draeseth should tell me I will be allowed home if he marries me. He should use that promise to convince me, and then once he has me he doesn't have to worry about keeping it. Once he has what he wants nothing else is important."

Daga Lothlaerith looked past her as if looking at someone else and after a moment raised his hand. "That may have been a jest. Is there any other reason?"

Isonei took a breath, "Something I have not yet seen for myself. I've been told by more than one person that the King does not give gifts the way an Aran or a Lerian does, he uses them..." She shook her head at the dismissive gesture Lothlaerith gave her. "Listen to me, Daga Lothlaerith. If you ask a question you should hear the answer."

He stiffened and inclined his head.

"King Orgath firmly believes that someone who has something to lose will be more reasonable than someone with nothing. If he can't buy you with a gift he'll use it as a weapon. Torgans keep slaves, as the Phaethians do. He put one, a woman of Mun, in my service to befriend me. If his kindness does not sway me to do as he wishes, he will not hesitate to use her to press me as Draeseth used the Son of Mun. They know I want her to be set free."

Lothlaerith's frown deepened, "What does he want?"

She bowed her head and then lifted it feeling the certainty and fire taking root and burning away her confusion again for the moment. "For me to marry Draeseth and smooth trade with Leria and Ara. But even if I hadn't given my word not to marry in this year, I still wouldn't willingly choose to marry Draeseth and remain in Torga."

"I have blocked all trade with Torga. King Orgath requires assurances that it will resume. There is no doubt in his missives or in his messengers that you are willing to marry his son. He has offered to allow you a Lerian ceremony after you marry Draeseth. Some of the Dagas believe it may be the wisest course."

"That will never happen. I will take my own life before I endure my Daga giving me over to a man who never keeps his word. I will not marry him, I promise you that."

Daga Lothlaerith glanced around himself as if meeting the eyes of others she could not see. "Then it's decided. Resuming trade with the Torgans will not be considered until you are back on Lerian soil. Keep your word to me, daughter of Liadith."

"I will, Daga Lothlaerith."

Isonei wrinkled her nose as the smell of smoke filled it and she tried to turn over to bury her face in the pillow. Her arm was held firmly in place and a soothing Torgan voice spoke to her. A cool cloth was placed over her face and she waited patiently, holding still as someone cleaned and put salve on her arm before wrapping it.

The cloth was lifted and she saw a smiling priest looking down at her. He summoned Krouth who looked relieved as he saw her awake.

"Your Grace would not wake. The tincture may have been too strong for you. Brother Beraigh was sent to see what could be done. Prayer and a bleeding seem to have helped."

She nodded and yawned, "I'm still sleepy but my head doesn't hurt anymore."

He spoke to the priest for a moment. "You should rise and eat before going back to sleep. The sea dew flower tea is a good choice for you, as is the thorn citron, and he says honey cannot harm you. You may have as much of them as you please. Halloc Urroth does not think the peppers you enjoy are healthy-"

"It was worry, not the peppers."

"You may have no more than two a day, less if you have something like your Aran manirel. You may have the onions in moderation." Krouth spoke to Brother Beraigh again and the man looked amused, his dark eyes sparkling as he gave a reply.

"What did he say?"

"Attempting to keep a pregnant woman from the food she wants is a fool's errand. He does not envy me my task."

"I will try not to be sour with you. I know you're only trying to take care of me."

Krouth smiled faintly and relayed that to the priest who beamed and helped her from the bed. They spoke as she was assisted into her robe and taken into the other room. Tea was waiting on the table and a plate of honey blossom buns sat next to it.