Ros Voyeh

Notes: 1) My thanks to Roz for beta reading! 2) If you see this anywhere but Literotica, it isn't supposed to be there!

*****

The snow had a crust of ice from the peculiar warming that had occurred the day before but the night winds had been cold, as they should be, and most of the snow had remained. Despite the occasional patches of ice on the cleared path, it was almost an ideal winter's day. The sun was even peeking out from the clouds occasionally.

Lislora couldn't keep the smile off of her face as she walked along the parapet on Draeseth's arm.

"You always seem so pleased after the prayers." Draeseth gave her an amused look.

"I enjoy them. I think I enjoy them more here than anywhere else."

"I thought, perhaps, it was my company."

She laughed at the good-natured sparkling of his dark eyes. "That too. I've always enjoyed your company and these three weeks-" Looking up at him she hadn't been keeping an eye out for ice and nearly fallen.

Draeseth caught her and pulled her close to steady her, making her flush as she realized where her hands were, one on his hip and one on his chest. Something in the depths of his eyes stopped her from moving them immediately and they stood there for a long moment before he murmured her name and leaned to kiss her.

The touch of his lips was cool but it warmed quickly and when he delved past her lips with his tongue it made something in her belly flutter. He pulled away too quickly at the sound of someone unsteadily tramping in the snow across the garden and the flutter turned into a feeling of leaden guilt as she saw the small Aran woman in a grey cloak making her way toward them.

Lady Isonei offered them one of the small wan smiles that always made Lislora feel as though she'd done something horrible and began to speak to Draeseth,

"I will not hold you to the year if you do not wish to be held. I do ask that you return me to Ara as you promised. If you fear to cross Lothlaerith's Gate, send to King Tamnaeuth to have me fetched."

He looked distraught as he began to plead,

"Wife, no. Do not ask-"

But the Aran woman cut him off with a loud, disrespectful sound, sucking her lips against her teeth and narrowing her eyes, putting on a more bitter smile that showed her displeasure.

"Your father's wife may tolerate him giving his desire to other women while she is bound to him exclusively, I will never do that. You've given her your desire; you can no longer call me 'wife.' Our year is not done, I will be bound to you until the end of it, but you are only bound to see to my care and return me. I ask you to do so."

Draeseth began speaking first

"I did not give her my desire! My desire is for you alone!"

And Lislora hurriedly joined him adding her own voice of denial over his, hoping that the disturbing look on the woman's face would fade into something more like her usual confused but faintly hopeful expression,

"Lady Isonei it was a mistake, I slipped and he caught me, there is no desire!"

The woman's face certainly showed more confusion than displeasure as she turned a frown on Lislora,

"The two of you kissed. You spend far more time with him than I do while I've been locked away like a new flower in the winter garden. If you want him, I'm not angry. Take him. He's skilled in bed and undeniably beautiful. I wish the two of you-"

"You! You arranged this! You kept my wife from me. You told me to keep her in the winter garden and now you bring her out at the moment I falter!" Draeseth's fury at the approaching Brother Odgar cut off the woman's words.

"I cautioned you about finding solace in another! Of the two of you, I expected the Aran to have more difficulty with fidelity! That did not look like the first time you-"

Her cousin's face contorted with rage as he grabbed the priest by his cloak, jerking him off balance and toward the edge of the parapet.

Immediately, Lislora lurched forward and grabbed hold of the priest, "Draeseth! Stop! Think about what you're doing! This is a priest of Ganas! You cannot behave this way!"

At the same time, the Aran woman had slipped between the men, the most dangerous position Lislora could imagine when her cousin seemed to have lost his wits in a fit of temper, but she didn't sound frightened,

"Stop! You have to stop! Calm yourself, please be calm, Draeseth!"

Lislora nearly stumbled to the ground, barely catching herself by leaning on the unsteady priest to keep her feet, as Draeseth made a horrific sound like an animal snarling and released the man. The Aran woman was swept up and slung over his shoulder helplessly as he stalked back to the house.

It took a moment for Lislora to realize she wasn't taking whole breaths and her hands were trembling.

"I-I thank you, Lady." Brother Odgar wiped sweat from his face and leaned forward, his hands on his knees for a moment.

Swallowing and clasping her hands together she stared after the retreating Prince, "I don't... I don't know what happened. We were walking and I slipped. He caught me and-and the kiss it just... it was the first time. I didn't expect it, I swear to you."

The priest lifted one hand, "I believe you. Prince Draeseth has been having some difficulty. He was pressing me to allow him a night with Lady Isonei. He claimed she needed affection but I could see clearly he was asking for his own desires to be sated. I also saw that he was beginning to look at you as a man looks to his wife." Odgar straightened as a young guardsman hurried over. "On my authority as Lady Isonei's guardian in Halloc Aurim's absence, I require you to fetch as many of your fellow guards as you can find to come with me to make certain the Lady is not being harmed."

She found herself alone on the parapet in short order and took the time to calm herself, looking out over the snow-covered pastures and fields. It looked peaceful and glittered like white jewels as the sun broke out of the clouds for the briefest of moments.

Draeseth had been looking to her as a man looks to his wife. The way it had felt to hear him speak her name that way and be kissed made her heart ache. It was worse to know he regretted it immediately. It was the Aran woman he wanted. Lady Isonei would send her back to her own home, there was no way to salvage her self-respect much less the warm relationship she had shared with her cousin.

Slowly, Lislora turned to go inside. She would face the woman's anger and then leave. Her cousin would probably never speak to her again to appease his wife. It felt as if her legs were made of lead as she forced herself to the woman's door. There were guards outside of Draeseth's and it stood open.

Taking a breath to compose herself she knocked and steeled herself, fixing her eyes to the floor as the door opened.

"Lady Lislora,"

Krouth paused and she glanced up as he gestured for her to enter.

"Please come in."

Hesitantly, Lislora stepped inside, "Has she ordered my things to be-"

"I would prefer it if you would speak Aran. I have grown to hate the way people switch to the Torgan tongue to exclude me from conversations."

Isonei settled onto the dainty sofa.

"Please have a seat. I think we need to have a discussion."

"The Lady Isonei is a very gentle and forgiving woman, Lady Lislora; you will find her to be very kind."

The subtle look he gave her almost seemed like reassurance and she returned it with a dubious one as she stiffly took a seat on a chair across from Isonei.

"Forgive me, Lady Isonei."

Before Lislora could organize herself to begin a more detailed apology the woman began to speak.

"We can drop some of the formality I think,"

Isonei gave her a hopeful smile that was somehow more unnerving than her displeasure had been,

"Call me Isonei. Please. I didn't understand why you disliked me until today. It must have been unbearable for you to care for someone and have him care for someone else. Draeseth is a very jealous man and I think you have that in common."

"I-no I..."

Lislora flushed and looked at Krouth nervously. It wasn't that she disliked the woman, keeping the truth from her and enduring that wan smile was unbearable, but it wasn't something she could say even in her own defense.

"I'm not angry with you for it."

Isonei tilted her head.

"I adore the man and I want him to be happy. If the two of you make each other happy I will be happy for you both, if however,"

the Aran shifted into a position on the sofa that might have been intimidating if she wasn't so tiny,

"if you're seducing him for your own ambitions I will take issue with it."

"I am not seducing him, La-Isonei."

Lislora nearly forgot to drop the formality as she'd been asked and bit her inner cheek to keep from laughing nervously at the absurdity of the tiny woman trying to look physically imposing.

"She is not an ambitious woman, my Lady. Lady Lislora spends much of her time in prayer and in benevolent pursuits. One of her houses was given to the priesthood to be used as a convent and orphanage.

" The sour servant's stern look diminished his praise, but the Aran woman didn't seem to notice it.

"That's very noble."

Isonei gave her a warm smile and relaxed back onto the sofa.

"I am no longer going to be confined to the winter garden. I hope you won't be upset at my presence in the house. Being so alone is unbearable for me. I will be spending some time with Draeseth at his request, as far as I'm concerned you are welcome to be there. Feeling as you do, I don't expect you to be my friend, Lislora, but I do expect you to be civil."

"Of-of course."

Lislora couldn't keep herself from twisting her fingers, offering the woman what honesty she could,

"I do like you. It makes it worse. I have cared for him for him since we were children but I did not mean to take him from you. I did not-do not want another husband."

"Affection can't be taken or stolen, it can only be given, Lislora. For Arans more love is better than less, I would have been glad to give you half of the year with him."

Lislora felt her face flushing and looked to Krouth, "She doesn't mean she would have shared her husband with me? She speaks of love so-so peculiarly."

The bark of laughter that came from behind her seemed to startle Krouth and Isonei almost as badly. Turning to look, she saw Draeseth approaching from the direction of what she knew was the concealed Duke's door. His eyes were on the Aran woman.

"She thinks she must have misunderstood you. You cannot mean you would have shared your husband willingly and openly while claiming to love me."

"How is that so strange? The two of you are very fond of each other and it would make you happier to have each other, you rely on her. Why would that upset me?"

"Because you love me."

The way he gazed at the woman made Lislora's stomach twist.

"Because I love you I want what's best for you. My love is not jealous."

He made an amused sound in his throat.

"You will give me an Arrangement if she will take the other half of my year?"

Lislora's face flushed again and she opened her mouth to protest but Isonei was already speaking. The way the Aran and her cousin locked eyes on each other she was nearly certain that she could leave the room and they wouldn't notice.

"No. Draeseth, I am miserable here. As much as I love and adore you, we aren't well suited and I don't-"

Draeseth raised his hand stopping her,

"I will not press. If you can be made happy here I would have you consider it. Lady Lislora will consider it as well."

He didn't see her disapproving look but Isonei protested on her behalf.

"You should be asking her to consider marriage to you; you need someone to give you all of their heart."

The Aran tilted her chin up meeting Draeseth's scowl without a trace of fear.

"You do."

"I will turn you over my knees in punishment if you continue trying to wed me to another woman. You are the one I want."

There was no embarrassment on the woman's face as she answered good-naturedly,

"What you want and what you need are two separate things, but I'll allow you to come to that conclusion on your own if you need to."

The look she gave as he straightened and rolled his shoulders back with a grunt was amused and doting,

"You're not fighting fair."

"I do not."

Draeseth looked pleased with her response.

"What can I do to make my home more pleasant for you?"

"Allowing me to bathe more than once a week might be a nice start. Even if it isn't a hot soak, soap and warm water once a day so that I can at least feel clean would be a relief."

"Done. Krouth will help you arrange whatever you require with the servants."

At the mention of his name, the sour servant offered a suggestion of his own,

"Perhaps allowing her to venture into the market? She seemed delighted by it when we arrived."

Isonei beamed at the man,

"Could I?"

Nodding slowly, Lislora rejoined the conversation,

"I could go with her. I wanted to go look for a few things and most of the merchants know me on sight. They will be respectful."

It would also help to diffuse rumors, no one would believe the woman could be so forgiving. It would be easier to believe the rumors of Lislora and Draeseth were false and help salvage some of her dignity.

"I will come as well. An outing would do me some good."

Draeseth glanced around the room looking more content.

"I intended to find something lovely for your room, I have a glassmith..."

"The one who made the lovely gift for my Daga?"

"Yes. Have you tired of flowers? He can make them from glass."

The offer gave Lislora a twinge. Her cousin had given her some lovely glass gifts when he'd brought the man from Phaethia. One had been a single glass Kros Voyeh, a black maiden, that was her favorite flower as well as his own.

"No, but I've tired of being kept like one in the winter garden."

Smiling, Isonei gracefully came to her feet,

"Can we go now?"

"Lunch first, my impulsive jewel."

"The gardeners are going to wonder where I am, they usually come in while I'm eating."

"I think everyone in the Keep is aware that you were carried into the house by his Highness in a rage. They may wonder over your safety, but not your absence,"

Krouth coolly corrected her.

"Something else that the venture into the markets will remedy."

"Why would they expect him to harm me? His Highness has a temper but he would never do that."

The Aran seemed baffled.

"You are not-his temper does not..."

Lislora couldn't hide her puzzlement. Even knowing her cousin all of her life and being one of the few who saw his kinder side, his temper could be terrifying.

"Her father is a difficult man. Our temperaments are similar."

Draeseth gave her a look of warning.

"My father is more patient than you are in some things, but he is older and he does keep bees. You should consider it, they would love your flowers and keeping a hive would be good for you. It requires calmness."

With Isonei's gentle tone, Lislora wasn't sure if she were correcting Draeseth or agreeing with him.

"My mother was afraid of them; she did not want them in her gardens."

The large Torgan smiled faintly and Lislora knew he was avoiding telling her he shared his mother's dislike of bees.

"To lunch."

The Aran began to chatter cheerfully as Draeseth led her out of the room.

"I love bees; I helped my father keep his personal hive. He always said that bees are one of the best reasons to have flowers. When I was a child there were little bees stitched onto almost everything I wore."

"I believe he may ask me to find a hive for her to keep in the spring, despite his fear of the creatures." Krouth looked at the empty doorway with an expression that was almost bemused. "The Lady intervened on my behalf and has requested I attend her. His Highness was ready to harm someone when he realized he was being... guided."

"You were manipulating him. I knew it wasn't a good idea. It nearly got a priest killed and cost me my good name and warm relationship with my cousin. What did you say to her to make her so warm toward me?"

"I apologized for making her miserable, it had not been my intent, and told her I should have made certain you spent more time with her. She hadn't understood why you dislike her, but she said she does now and I don't believe she holds it against you."

"I don't dislike her, Krouth. She has this pitiful smile that makes me feel wretched and I hate knowing that she's being lied to." Lislora swallowed and had to clasp her hands to keep from twisting her fingers. "I hadn't realized that I had... had those kinds of-of feelings for my cousin until today. I've cared for him but..."

"You are a proper and virtuous Torgan Lady. I had not fully considered the toll my plan would take on you or on Lady Isonei." He bowed low and Lislora inclined her head. "I have tasks to attend to. The lunch you requested will be served shortly, perhaps, you should join them?"

°°°°°°°°°°

Lunch had been another disappointment. Lislora had served one of Draeseth's favorite meals, one with rich flavors she was certain the Aran woman couldn't object to, and watched as the food placed on Isonei's plate had been picked at and barely touched. The seared beef her great Uncle had served nearly every time she had visited her cousin was always a pleasure and the roasted potatoes were perfection, especially with a little of the delectable wine sauce.

Something else would need to be found to feed the woman, perhaps she wasn't fond of beef. Before fetching the key to the door at the bottom of the servant's stair, the quickest way in and out of the Keep into the town of Evenos below, Lislora sent a cart down to the butcher to wait for her arrival.

Isonei seemed delighted by the discovery of the old stairs and her cheerfulness was at least easier to bear. The Aran was so excited to be allowed into the market that she didn't seem to notice the annoyed look Lislora shared with Draeseth on finding the lower door unlocked. It was meant to be locked after each use. Leaving it open was unacceptable.

She made certain it was closed and locked before she stepped away from it. Turning back to her cousin she found him engaged in conversation with Isonei, their attention riveted on each other. Instead of interrupting, she slipped away from them toward the butcher's.

"Lady Lislora!" Gilim, the grinning old man Krouth had advised her to purchase their fruits and vegetables from, beckoned her toward his market stall. "How has your luck been with feeding the Lady Isonei?"

"Terrible. She eats like a bird and even the best meals the kitchen prepares barely entice her to eat. His Highness has brought her to the market today-"

As soon as the words left her mouth the pair came into view and Draeseth gave the curious onlookers a scowl that reminded them not to stare. Isonei was peering into the stalls at the goods like a delighted child. Lislora doubted she noticed her cousin's protectiveness.

"She is a tiny thing," Gilim murmured in surprise. "And she's fully grown?"

"She is. Krouth says Arans are smaller than Torgans but she's on the small side for an Aran."

"She's a similar color to Xago. He came from the south and makes odd tasting food for himself." The older man glanced at Isonei speculatively, "I can ask him if he knows anything about Arans or the food they eat. He prefers poultry and goat when he eats meat at all."