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 rumors of Xago being sent back to Evenos with a handful of papers reached Lislora before the command that she attend her cousin. His study smelled peculiarly musky as she entered it and Brother Odgar seemed agitated.
"This isn't an acceptable solution, your Highness." Odgar glanced up as Isonei was escorted in. "She hasn't yet been reclaimed and she is under the protection of-"
"She is under my protection. She was given to me in Ara, not to any Halloc. My father has recognized her as my wife and I have been denied my rights to her by the priesthood. This is the only solution she will allow me, for now. You will continue your efforts to reclaim her and I will continue trying to persuade her to give me a proper marriage. Until then, this Aran Arrangement will suffice for propriety's sake."
Approaching the desk, Lislora tried to understand what she'd heard. "An Aran Arrangement? I thought," she paused and licked her lips, "Have you prayed on the matter, cousin?"
"I have prayed to have her willing to be mine permanently. Ganas has given me a way to do so. I have asked you here as my cousin to witness the contracts being signed as is the requirement."
"As your Highness pleases." She offered him a low curtsy and moved as far away from the desk as she could. It felt as though there was a band held tight across her chest and she couldn't keep from twisting her fingers as the Aran woman quietly spoke to the scribe confirming what Draeseth was telling the man.
The two of them were to be together for half of the year, and exclusive to one another during that time, but all of her time was to be spent in Torga. She was the Duchess with the duties and rights that the title entailed, and Draeseth would be wholly responsible for her keeping for the entire year unless another Arrangement was made. The Aran woman was very keen on making certain the wording allowed another.
To be granted that concession Draeseth asked that the months of their half of the year not be clarified, keeping the Arrangement more fluid. The Aran didn't seem entirely pleased but she inclined her head and gave her consent.
Being called upon to sign both copies felt as if Lislora was being called upon to sign the papers that would condemn her to life in the convent. She tried to keep the pain off of her face, hurrying out as soon as she was permitted, but not before she caught an almost pitying look from Krouth.
Retreating to her room, she began to debate whether she should leave now or wait until she was asked. After a time Krouth knocked on her door.
"Yes?"
"I was deceived into thinking better of the woman, I ask your forgiveness, Lady Lislora." He bowed and looked at her with concern. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Something pleasant for dinner would be kind. I had asked them to serve something mild for Lady-" sighing she corrected herself, "for Duchess Isonei."
"I will see to it. Perhaps I could offer to pray with you? They are in the sacellum at the moment. Brother Odgar will undoubtedly want the proper wedding prayers to be given." The servant inclined his head, "I often read the prayers for his Highness when we travel."
"Please." There was little she could do other than pray at the moment.
When Krouth returned with his book of prayers he seemed more cheerful, "The kitchen will be making a wine and caper sauce for the poultry you bought and the boar is being preserved as you requested. They will have the rolls you requested in the morning."
"They were for Draeseth, his mother used to have them made."
"Perhaps the taste of them will give him some regret for his actions. Her Grace would never have bought the meat for him."
"Perhaps."
With the door open she knelt next to the servant and tried to find some sort of comfort in the prayers he read aloud but her thoughts distracted her from the words. It didn't seem likely to her that Ganas would put anything on its proper path if he had allowed it to go this far astray, or perhaps this was the proper path.
It took a moment for her to realize it when the man finished.
"You seem preoccupied," his tone was mildly disapproving.
"I can't help it. I don't know if I should stay or go. I don't know what to do if she wants me to leave, I... funds have been very tight this year and I can't afford to stay in my house for the winter. I had been praying for a solution to present itself and my cousin came to fetch me." Sitting on her heels she looked at her fingers as she twisted them, "Now, I-I don't know."
"Do not allow the woman to see she's struck a blow." Krouth helped her to her feet. "Torgans do not quail when we're struck, we strike back."
Lislora arched an eyebrow and a faint smile crossed his face, "I mean, my Lady, in an attack. Prince Draeseth looked to you and she has skillfully ensnared him. Making her think better of it would be a blow to her pride and make the deceptive creature falter. If she shows his Highness her true face, perhaps he will put her aside as he should have done."
Taking a jab at the woman did seem as if it would make her feel better. Isonei had proved by her actions and sullenness that she wasn't as sweet as she seemed. Lislora followed Krouth to the place in the halls he suggested and spoke quietly with him of what might prick the Aran's conscience or make her think better of deceiving Draeseth into an Arrangement.
Isonei looked cheerful as she came toward them, Krouth pretended not to see her and began to speak Aran,
"Of course you should stay, Lady Lislora. She is utterly unable to perform the duties expected of the Duchess of Kroscur and as eager as he is for their first child I doubt she will be with us for long. Her mother died in childbirth bearing an Aran babe, I would not expect her to survive the birth of a Torgan child."
"He is much larger than she is,"
Lislora offered in a speculative tone.
"But will he return to his better self once her influence has been removed? She has him spending money wastefully and he is seeking trouble outside of Torga and being disrespectful toward priests like one of his brothers."
"I believe he will, my Lady. Especially if he has your wholesome influence to counteract the ill she has brought with her from Ara."
The way the light had gone out of the woman's eyes made Lislora feel more wretched than before. She'd almost apologized but the woman slipped away too quickly.
"I expected her to show some anger or..."
"I'll make certain his Highness knows how much you've done for him, any attempts on her part to send you away will let him see her true face much more clearly."
Dinner was quiet. Watching the Aran woman pick at her food with even less appetite than she usually showed made Lislora's stomach knot with guilt. If the woman sent her away perhaps she deserved it.
The night was spent tossing and turning. When she actually slept, she had terrible dreams of trying to expose Isonei for deceptions and lies and each time it was her own face when she yanked the woman around. Rising earlier than usual she went to the sacellum for the early prayers, prayers she usually slept through.
Krouth and Odgar were there and seemed surprised to see her but made no comment as she took a place on the kneelers and waited. The prayers that had been chosen were of forgiveness and justice. They made Lislora feel more guilty and unsettled instead of less and she regretted attending the prayers, leaving as soon as they finished without a word to either of the men.
Before she could return to the solitude of her room, Krouth caught up to her.
"Lady Lislora, I-"
Lislora cut him off, "I feel wretched about our-our blow to Isonei. I thought it would make me feel better but I feel even worse. The woman may be a deceptive-"
"She isn't," Krouth spoke firmly, interrupting her with a grim face. "I spoke with Xago to discover how she ensnared his Highness. She was pressed into the Arrangement. It was not a lie when she said she didn't want it."
"What did the slave say?"
"He's no longer a slave, Lady Lislora. The price of his freedom was hers."
"That doesn't make any sense..." Lislora stared at the man.
"Master Krouth!" A voice called out across the courtyard and a young man hurried toward them holding something tiny in his hand. "A message was sent with one of the royal nighthawks." He pushed the tiny roll toward Krouth urgently. "They never send the nighthawks."
"I will see it delivered." Krouth beckoned for her to follow and once they were inside he carefully unrolled the tiny missive. "Ougath and Adareth will be arriving today for the festivities. We are to expect them."
"When will breakfast be taken in to Draeseth? He should know so that he can make any special arrangements for their Highnesses." Lislora frowned and hung her cloak.
"It will not be taken until he requests it. He was very clear."
Hesitating for a moment, Lislora looked at the servant sternly, "You're certain she was pressed?"
"Xago was adamant. And the woman was subdued after the contracts were signed. For an Aran an Arrangement is a joyous occasion, there was no joy."
The memory of her own unwelcome wedding night came to mind and Lislora rubbed her arms feeling chilled. "Have the kitchen begin preparing his breakfast and some fruit for her. After a small breakfast, she should be permitted to return to her rooms. Perhaps, I can offer the reprieve as an apology."
"His Highness will be angry with you. Her skill in bed is the reason he brought her from Ara and its enjoyment is something he has been denied for longer than he expected."
"I will face that anger. He shouldn't have pressed her." The thought that her cousin could do such a thing made her feel as if she didn't know the man. It reminded her of something he'd spoken of once before, his father pressing his mother into being a royal mistress.
°°°°°°°°°°
It had taken longer than Lislora had wanted for the servants to gather the breakfast and even when it was finished, they were too nervous to bring it into the rooms for her after his Highness' command not to be disturbed. The two helpfully wheeled carts the kitchen had lent her barely had enough room for the tableware and Draeseth's meal. Isonei's fruit had to be artfully arranged on top of some of the sliced meat.
Pulling the carts inside and closing the door behind her, Lislora moved directly to the table. The bedroom door was open and the sound of Draeseth growling something indistinct came out to her. She froze for a moment until it was followed by sounds she'd never heard before, whimpers and moans from the Aran woman and a pleased sounding groan from Draeseth.
"You cannot tell me you did not enjoy being on your back."
Her cousin's indecent comment was followed by laughter and something softly spoken that sounded teasing from the Aran.
Lislora took a breath and composed herself, it didn't sound as if Isonei needed to be rescued from her wedding night. The murmuring continued and to be discovered just standing and listening would be worse than anything else. She began to loudly lay the table for breakfast as she tried to formulate her words as it seemed her original plan was unnecessary.
A movement out of the corner of her eye made her look over and the sight of Draeseth naked and scowling startled a shriek out of her nearly making her drop the tray she was placing on the table.
"Why are you in my rooms?"
"I-I thought you'd be finished and," she seized on the news Krouth was meant to deliver, "a nighthawk was sent. Princes Ougath and Adareth will be joining us today. The-the celebration needs to be planned more-more-" Closing her averted eyes she asked plaintively, "Could you please put on a robe, at least?"
"I will dress."
The only men she'd ever seen naked were either her husband or dead. Helping prepare her father's body after his death and the bodies of her late husband, Vargan, and his son, Vargath, hadn't prepared her for a man to look like that. Draeseth was rippling with muscles and his dark, grey-green skin was nearly covered in black hair. Coupled with the odd musky smell he'd brought out with him it made her feel uncomfortably warm.
Arranging the table and chairs she took a seat and couldn't help but listen to the quiet sounds of conversation and other less identifiable noises coming from the bedroom.
"Are you getting dressed, cousin? Breakfast is waiting and things need to be planned." Lislora couldn't keep the annoyance out of her voice.
"Avert your eyes, my wife needs to return to her rooms to dress."
A few moments later he led the small Aran woman out of his bedroom. Glancing surreptitiously at her, Lislora could see she was wearing only a chemise and her neck was covered in darkening blue marks. Isonei, however, didn't seem distressed. If anything the woman was looking at Draeseth with her usual doting expression.
The Torgan Prince returned alone a moment later. "You could have waited to deliver your message. I need to spend time making my wife happy and earning her forgiveness."
