Torgan Wine Ch. 47

The words made her heart ache. Telling him that she was going to ask for the Arrangement to be dissolved in Ara would ruin everything. Perhaps Draeseth would continue trying to be a better man and release her. Or perhaps she wouldn't have to ask at all. Perhaps they would have heard her circumstances and they would dissolve it without her needing to ask. The thought comforted her and she held him tightly as sleep pulled her down. It seemed like only a few moments later he was gently waking her.

"If you wish to wash before prayers, you must rise now, my jewel." Draeseth began covering her face in soft kisses, "You clung to me like a vine all night. Did you miss sleeping with your husband?"

"Of course." She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled sleepily up at him. "Hodrim is warm but I miss you when you aren't in bed with me."

He made a pleased sound. "I will allow you to fill your bed with children in my absence."

Kissing him playfully and nipping his lip she teased him, "Lislora is making you a better man, I should thank her."

His low laughter as he pressed his face to hers made her feel warm and content. "It requires two women to make me a better man. I need a stern woman and a soft one. She could not manage the feat on her own, my jewel."

The sound of someone laying out a dress made her try to look around him curiously. Krouth would have cleared his throat. Draeseth turned his head and barked a command in Torgan and confused looking Rimathe left the room.

"I like him, but I think Krouth chose him to make you appreciate Mes more."

Draeseth laughed in his throat and kissed her again before rising from the bed. "She is a better servant. Rimathe will not be returning with us to the Kroscur."

Sitting up to watch him look over the green dress that had been laid out for her, she tilted her head. "If he wanted a permanent position... he is clever. If he put in the effort I think Krouth could train him. He might try harder to learn if he thought-"

The Torgan's grin brought her up short. "He does not wish a permanent position with us, wife."

She studied his face, he was grinning as if he knew something she didn't, but he took the dress and disappeared into the closet before she could ask what it was. He returned with a pale rose-colored gown with large black flowers stitched on it, draping it on the bed.

"The tunic I wish to wear has been moved to Lislora's rooms."

"You could have Krouth fetch it, or put on your underthings and your robe and go there yourself." Isonei gave him an impish smile. "She might enjoy that."

He made an amused sound and pulled her out of the bed to kiss her hungrily. "You do say I am at my best early in the day."

"You are." She pressed a kiss into his chest. "You can send Hodrim to wait with me if he's dressed."

Not bothering to wash, he dressed himself hurriedly except for his outer tunic. The undertunic and the leather tunic seemed like more than enough for decency's sake as far as Isonei was concerned, but he pulled the robe on over top and stole another kiss before leaving the bedroom. She followed him as far as the washing room with amusement.

By the time she was washed and dressed, Mes had arrived with Hodrim and her hair was put up in crossed braids and partly covered with the cloth. The Torgan boy still looked a little sleepy as he sat at the table in his nice brown tunic.

Krouth was offering him an apple and some tea and laid a plate at her seat as well. "Time for a small breakfast was taken into consideration this morning, your Grace. I fetched bread, Aran manirel, honey, and pickled apples."

"Thank you, Krouth." Taking her seat she gave Hodrim a smile. "How did you sleep?"

"Ahh, good." He smiled shyly. "Mes sings."

She beamed at the Munian woman, "Thank you for looking after him so well, Mes."

"It's a pleasure, your Grace." Mes dimpled at her.

Krouth cleared his throat pointedly and gestured to her plate. Inclining her head, Isonei stopped talking and began to eat. They wouldn't have much time before they needed to leave, Draeseth would probably be quick. He would have known how little time they had. She was nearly finished with all she could eat when she noticed Krouth and Rimathe giving displeased glances to the door.

"Is something wrong?"

"If we do not leave immediately we will be late, your Grace." Krouth kept his eyes on the door. "His Highness should have returned by now."

"We can go now and they can go straight to the Temple instead of coming to our rooms." Isonei rose with a reassuring smile. "If you'd like to fetch them and then meet us at the door to the Temple?"

"An excellent idea, your Grace." Krouth smiled faintly. He spoke to Rimathe and Mes in Torgan for a moment and departed.

Mes fetched her cloak and led the way as Isonei walked holding Hodrim's arm.

At the door to the Temple, Isonei pulled on her gloves and fidgeted, trying to keep warm. After a few moments, Krouth came hurrying down the path by himself with a scowl on his face and said something in Torgan. The door was opened and he rushed them down the passage. "He is not coming and we are late, your Grace!"

There was silence as they entered and the procession was making its way up the middle aisle. At a glance, it seemed the front had been filled in their absence but where they had entered were five kneelers together. Isonei gestured to the spot and received a curt nod of approval from Krouth. He entered the row first and she followed, kneeling next to him with Hodrim on her other side.

A noticeable draft came from the open door and Isonei glanced down to the end where Rimathe knelt and gestured to the door. The green-eyed servant inclined his head ruefully and rose to close it. Immediately, someone leapt to his assistance and the door was closed just as the prayers began. A soft sigh of relief came from those around them.

Once the prayers had ended, the people around them stood and began to try and converse. The servants sounded polite but cool as they spoke to the gathering crowd in Torgan. Isonei wished she could speak the language. A tugging on her skirt prompted her to turn.

The dirty face of a little girl looked up at her earnestly and she asked a question, pointing at Hodrim.

"Mes? What did she say?"

"She asked if you really adopted an orphan and if you would adopt another."

"Who takes care of you, little one?" Isonei sank to the girl's level and took off her gloves offering the child her hand. "Are you alone in this great city?"

Mes relayed the question and the girl answered affirmatively breaking into tears as she grasped Isonei's hands.

The child's hands were cold and Isonei pulled her hands away and put her own gloves on the girl, opening her cloak and offering her space under it, "You're cold! You can come under my cloak if you'd like. If no one takes care of you-"

"Your Grace!" Krouth snapped in exasperation. "You cannot adopt every orphan you come across."

Letting the girl embrace her under her cloak, Isonei stood and fixed him with a frown. "If no one else will take care of them-"

"The Temple takes care of the widows and orphans, Duchess." The Kamrus made himself heard and the crowd parted, bowing, as he made his way closer.

"Then it does a poor job, Kamrus Gillaugrim. This child is cold and thin. She needs a hot meal and warm clothes at the very least, and a solid roof with someone to look after her lovingly would be best."

He narrowed his eyes as someone translated her words in a hushed whisper. "You say this while wearing a very fine dress, Duchess."

"Your clothes are easily as fine, Kamrus." She tilted her chin up defiantly. "In Ara, children are looked after. If I were permitted I would take them all."

"You could donate your allowance to the Temple for their care." He smiled frostily.

"I don't receive an allowance." She narrowed her eyes at the dubious sound he made. Krouth quickly intervened speaking in Torgan. The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves.

"You gave your entire monthly allowance to a village in the Kroscur to buy them food and medicine?" Mes asked looking shocked.

"I didn't realize it was an entire month's allowance. My father only ever gave me what I was permitted to spend." She rubbed the shoulder of the girl under her cloak. "Even so, I would still have given them all of it. They needed it more."

"Prince Draeseth is the one who has been spending frivolously?" The Kamrus studied her.

"I think here he may be required to, there are certain demands at Court. In the Kroscur, I tried to discourage him from giving me so many gifts. The money would be better spent on the people. Roads, schools, taking care of those who need more than what their neighbors can provide..."

He blinked, "Their neighbors?"

"That's how it's done in Ara. You rely on those around you. What they can't assist you with, you take to the local Lord. If a village on my father's lands was hungry and in need that way someone would have been sent to him and he would have seen it taken care of. My father would have also sent someone to leave a gift for the God of the fields or done it himself if it was dire enough."

There was another murmur as her words were translated and the Kamrus looked sour. Krouth loudly inquired, "Does your God of the fields always give his people a fine harvest or does he withhold from your people? "

"It depends on his mood. He's very famously caused famines because he was unhappy."

The Kamrus relaxed as another murmur went up at the translation of her words. "Ganas would not do that. There are times the fields do not bear as much as we would like or need, but Ganas finds ways for us to be fed."

"We love our Gods but they're not always nice, and they don't like to be bothered with prayers. They want us to rely on ourselves, and on the brothers and sisters of flesh and blood that we're surrounded by."

Some of the muttering she heard didn't sound complimentary and the Kamrus smiled ruefully, "Ganas would treat you and your people with far more care. Perhaps we could discuss the matter more privately?"

"I was going to have breakfast with Draeseth, but I think he's occupied. Hodrim still needs to eat and this little one does as well. What is your name, my little love?"

Hodrim relayed the question with a smile. And the answer from under her cloak was, "Daedi."

"Your Grace," Krouth frowned but she waved her hand with a mischievous smile.

"Are you going to argue with me about looking after another child?"

"I am." He inclined his head with a stern look. "His Highness-"

"Told me I could fill my rooms with children in his absence, he forgot to say whose." She gave a delicate shrug. "Perhaps he should have come with us."

The slim servant rubbed his temples as there were a few titters from the people around them. "Yes, your Grace. I will see to it he is made aware."

"You may do that while the Duchess and the children currently in her care take breakfast in the refectory." The Kamrus almost sounded amused.

"It would be my pleasure, Kamrus Gillaugrim." Despite his current pleasantness her stomach was beginning to twist nervously.

"Rimathe will remain with you, your Grace." Krouth offered reassuringly as if he could see it despite the pleasant mask she was trying to hold.

"Thank you, Master Krouth."

°°°°°°°°°°

Isonei made certain Daedi had enough to eat. The child wolfed down her own plate of bread, fruit, and peculiar little sausages, and looked longingly at the plates of others. The priests had wished to limit her to only the one plate of breakfast, but relented when Isonei traded plates with the child. Hodrim very gently spoke to the girl as she devoured her second plate and her eating slowed.

Nibbling at her plate of bread and fruit, Isonei earned a smile from Halloc Aurim. He asked a question in Torgan and Rimathe translated into Lerian. "He asks if your difficulty with food has passed."

"Mostly, it seems. I feel good this morning, if a little tired."

Halloc Aurim said something else before Rimathe translated her words.

"He says you should eat more meat, it would help you feel less tired."

"Do you speak Lerian, Halloc Aurim?" Isonei grinned impishly at him, "Conversing could have been much easier!"

He snorted and waved his hand answering in Torgan, letting Rimathe translate, "Not since he was a child, but he still understands it, your Grace, he was born and raised in the Dalcur."

"That's a shame, it's a lovely language."

Rimathe inclined his head with a faint smile.

"Perhaps you would speak Aran, Duchess? More people here speak it than Lerian." Kamrus Gillaugrim eyed her with amused annoyance.

"That seems so peculiar to me, Kamrus. Leria is closer. I know Aran is easier to learn, but I would have thought Lerian to be more useful."

One of the priests coughed and was clapped on the back.

"Aran is not easier. Your writing is baffling to look at." The Kamrus tried to conceal a smile.

"Aran is easier to speak. Everyone seems to have so much trouble with our writing and I can't understand why. Torgan writing baffles me entirely, how can you tell the little lines apart? There are no curves at all!"

Several of the priests chuckled before glancing at the Kamrus.

"Everyone?" The Kamrus raised an eyebrow.

"The Lerians complain about it too, but Lerian writing has always given me a headache." She made a face and drew a few more soft laughs.

"After breakfast, the children can go with one of the brothers for a time and we can discuss a tutor for you." Kamrus Gillaugrim tapped the table in front of his plate and she inclined her head.

"I'd like that. I want to learn Torgan, it would make life here much easier."

"You find life here difficult?" He looked at her with a frown. "You seem to do well."

"I enjoy being able to talk with people. In the Kroscur, almost no one spoke Aran and I felt very isolated. It is much nicer at Court where so many people speak the languages I do, but I want to be able to understand those around me and answer questions for myself." Isonei took a bite of the fruit on her plate as the Kamrus seemed to consider her words.

Draeseth's deep voice carried as he spoke sharply to someone outside of the refectory.

"By custom, no one enters until the meal is finished." The Kamrus looked at her half full plate with amusement. "We are not accustomed to lingering as long as you are, Duchess."

"Forgive my slowness. I've never been one to eat much or quickly."

"You enjoy speaking to people." He inclined his head. "The plates will be cleared in a moment. Eat if you can."

She turned her attention to the fruit with a little more speed as a conversation in Torgan sprang up around her. Offering some to Daedi, the plate was cleared by the time someone came to take it. The slices of bread had disappeared into the girl's bodice. Isonei almost objected but the girl had given her such a grateful look she didn't have the heart.

The priests rose from the table but the Kamrus remained seated and gestured for her to do the same. Rimathe, however, ushered the children out. Draeseth stalked past them wordlessly.

Kamrus Gillaugrim spoke coolly to him as he came to stand behind her seat. The Prince's tone as he replied, gripping her shoulders, didn't sound very apologetic.

Switching to Aran he growled down at her, "You are not to leave the palace without me, Isonei. You were meant to remain in your rooms and pray with Krouth."

"We were already waiting at the door-"

"You are not to leave the palace without me."

"The Temple is far less dangerous than the city of Nemauros, your Highness." The Kamrus' gelid tone made Draeseth's hands tighten. "And you cannot be expected to join her for the lessons in Torgan she has-"

The Torgan Prince barked something at him and Isonei had a feeling that there would be no lessons.

The Kamrus' thunderous face and biting tone as he replied raised the hair on the back of her neck. Kamrus Gillaugrim glanced at her and spoke more temperately, gesturing at her.

Draeseth's grip loosened. "He says we are frightening you."

Isonei nodded.

"Burgath said you wished to see the painting of Queen Olitheilla. The nave should be nearly empty now. Go, see the Temple while we finish our discussion."

She gave an apologetic look to the Kamrus. "Thank you for your hospitality." Leaving the refectory felt like a relief.

Many of the priests seemed to have left, but some lingered speaking to the very few remaining visitors. One of whom had a voice that sounded vaguely familiar. They stood in front of a mural and she made her way toward them.

The scarred man with brilliant green eyes was undoubtedly Hesh-Caeridith. He seemed upset with something until he saw her and then he bowed his head to the priest and appeared to agree to something.

Isonei made a show of looking at one end of the mural and Hesh joined her after a moment.

"I didn't expect to see you here."

"I doubt it will happen again. Draeseth is making it very clear I'm not permitted to leave the palace without him, not even the Temple is permitted. He and the Kamrus were arguing when I was excused to look for the painting with Queen Olitheilla on it. I have no idea which one that is."

"Your Lerian has improved." Hesh laughed under his breath. "You don't seem surprised to see me."

"It was mentioned to me in a dream that you were here."

"You are well loved to be granted dreams."

"They're rare. I have something I need to tell the Dagas and I don't know that I should wait for another dream. Seeing you is a stroke of luck and I'm grateful for it."

"Speak, we may not have much time."

"They're insisting I give them a Daga's name. Any Daga. The idea was given to them by Maraphina, the daughter of Gildith, I was told. Prince Burgath intends to ask her to give him a name he can say came from me to have trade resumed. I have refused to give up a name and I will continue to do so despite the threat of the King's displeasure."

"I will carry the message." His frown deepened as he glanced past her.

"Have you been well, despite being so far from home?"

"As well as can be expected. I haven't seen my father since I was ordered to submit myself to Liadith."

"Have you told her of your cowardice," Draeseth spoke coldly from behind her. "That you fled her Daga's judgment?"

"No, he hasn't," Isonei spoke quietly as she turned to face the displeased Torgan. "It's still a pleasure to see him."

Hesh bowed and stepped away without a further word.

"You were meant to be looking at the painting on the other side." His scowl didn't soften as she dropped her chin and looked up at him apologetically.

"I don't know how to tell them apart, I know it has women and children on it..."

"The name is written boldly."

She glanced at the mural behind her noticing the indecipherable lines on it. "What does this say?"

He made a loudly displeased sound. "I will show it to you." Instead of offering his arm he gestured brusquely.

His coldness was surprising and seemed excessive. "What's wrong, my-"

After snapping at her in Torgan, he composed himself. "You disobeyed me. I was already sour at being interrupted and scolded, and I find you speaking to a man unchaperoned."

"I didn't intend to have you interrupted. I thought you might be kissing and if you did more you would be quick. Going to the Temple was your idea, not mine. Were you scolded for missing prayers?"

"No." His voice was resigned. "For refusing to allow you to come here without me, and refusing to allow you to be tutored."