Notes: 1) If you see this anywhere but Literotica, it isn’t supposed to be there! 2) The break between this chapter and the next will probably be longer than a week but I’ll get it up as soon as possible!
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Lislora hurried through her wash and into the fresh gown that was waiting. His Majesty had been clear about not wanting to see her in the dirtied dressed for the meal. Draeseth waited in the main room with the two Princesses and Adareth.
As Ximesra brushed out her hair and put it back into elegant braids, the woman offered a faint smile. “Master Krouth told me you kept the King from trying to make me a mistress again. I thank you, my Lady.”
“He may still ask. His Majesty wasn’t pleased to hear you’d been offered a position with us.”
“I’ll refuse him gently if he does, my Lady. Being one of the King’s women was better than serving Princess Kresh but my position with her Grace feels much more secure.” The maid pinned the cloth in place carefully.
“Be careful, he seemed to be in a mood.”
“I will be, my Lady.” Ximesra dropped a curtsy.
Leaving the bedroom, Lislora smoothed the belly of her bodice. The gown seemed to be a little more snug than it should have been, even in the sleeves. She opened her mouth to greet Prince Adareth but stopped as she saw him holding Ror’s hand as Krouth applied a salve to the marks on her face and neck.
“That should help immensely, your Highness. I used a salve very similar to this in Leria for her Grace.” The servant was using a soothing tone and it seemed odd coming from the man.
“Is it Aran?” Kas asked curiously.
“Aran salves are made with silver, the Lerians prefer herbs as we do.”
She thought the man smiled at the girl before he took the small container away.
“Ask grandfather for a silver salve! You could sparkle!”
The older girl gave her sister a withering look, “I don’t want to sparkle.”
“If you did, I think your grandfather would be willing to get you something to help.” Adareth grinned at the sour-looking Princess. “He might even let you try on some of the jewelry in his locked collection.”
“I don’t want to, Uncle. I want to talk to mother.” Ror folded her arms, pulling her hand away from him.
“After your father speaks to her, if she’s sorry enough,” Draeseth spoke grimly, “perhaps then. Your safety is more important.”
The red-haired girl looked dejected and Lislora decided to help. “You can write her a letter after lunch. We may all feel better after a meal.”
The Princess gave her a hesitant nod, “That would be acceptable.”
“You can write it here if you wish,” Draeseth gave Lislora an approving look, “Your Aunt Isonei keeps an Aran pen and paper in the study.”
“Does she paint?” Kas came to her feet standing on the sofa.
Her cousin pointed sternly and the girl hopped down with an annoyed frown.
“Not that I’ve seen, but she does draw with pencils at times.”
That seemed to delight the younger Princess who darted into the study as if she’d find the drawings laid out on the desk. Ror followed.
“She draws?” Adareth rose to his feet with a smile.
“She drew pictures in Leria to illustrate a,” he cleared his throat, “few pages of instructions for her inexperienced Daga and his wife.”
The younger Prince began to grin slyly, “How detailed were they?”
“My wife seemed thorough.” The larger Prince’s face flushed. “I learned a few things from glancing over her instructions myself.”
“I want to-”
“I can’t find the drawings!” Kas came back in with a sour expression that made her look like her father.
“I think she left them in Leria.” Draeseth inclined his head. “She can draw something for you when she’s well.
“We should go see if our cousin, the Kamrus, has arrived for lunch. Have you met him before?” He smiled at them faintly.
“I don’t think they have,” Adareth glanced toward the study and Ror came out holding the Aran pen.
“This looks like grandfather’s.”
“It probably is. He would have lent it to your Aunt because the Torgan quills are peculiar to her. Arans write their own letters.”
The older Princess looked at the pen with distaste. “I hate ink on my fingers.”
“I think the Aran pens are cleaner.” Lislora came to take the pen away from the girl. “When Duchess Isonei writes she never seems to get any ink on her fingers.”
“But why would she write letters herself when someone else can do it?” Kas asked curiously.
“She insists on it.” Draeseth glanced to Adareth. “Her family knows the way she forms her letters and can tell you if a missive is from her before they see her name, or so I was given to understand.
“Let Krouth put the pen away. We should go.”
°°°°°°°°°°
On the walk, Lislora tried to remind Kas about decorum. The child was occasionally spinning and hopping as they made their way down the halls.
Ror sighed and shook her head as if she were a much older girl, “She knows how to behave, she just doesn’t want to, mother says. I’m the favorite because I act like a true daughter of the Empire.”
Draeseth made an amused sound, “Kas acts like I imagine Isonei did as a child. She learned to charm people to get herself out of trouble.”
Adareth laughed. “I don’t know if we should encourage her to spend time with Kas or not.”
“Why didn’t she learn not to get into trouble?” Ror asked with a furrowed brow.
“I wonder the same thing.” Lislora gave the girl a smile.
“That would be dull!” Kas piped up hopping ahead and twirling before running back to walk beside Adareth. “When are we having breakfast with you again, Uncle?”
The young Prince grinned down at her, “We may have breakfast with Aunt Isonei when she feels better.”
As the door to the dining room was opened the Kamrus’ voice came to them clearly, “-some responsibility for allowing these Phaethian perversions to taint Torga. And you’re intending to allow the Arans to debase us further with these-” He stopped abruptly as the King made a furious motion with his hand.
“How are the Princesses?” King Orgath glanced at the girls.
“My servant applied a healing salve and Ror wishes to write a letter to her mother after lunch.” Draeseth gave the Kamrus a hard look as he escorted her to the table. “They were curious about the Aran pen Isonei uses, father.”
“It was a gift to me from King Tamnaeuth,” his Majesty smiled as the girls took seats next to him. “I lent it to your Aunt Isonei because the woman writes notes and letters herself. Prince Andnaeuth did the same when he visited. It’s an Aran peculiarity. They prefer not to use scribes.”
Kamrus Gillaugrim smoothed his robe. “It makes the thank you note I received more charming to know she penned it herself.”
“Despite the letter coming from a debased Aran woman like the Duchess?” The King’s tone was almost innocent.
“The woman herself is virtuous. These Arrangements are what will debase us. I pity the woman for not knowing any better but she’s made it clear she sees value in our ways and I believe she’ll be willing to adopt them.” The Kamrus met the King’s gaze unflinchingly as he continued, “I’ve spoken to those who know a little of such things, the Arrangement can be easily dissolved and the Duchess had expressed a desire to become a Sister. It would be in her best-”
“I have no intention of allowing you to dictate to me,” the King leaned forward with an expression so cold that it made Lislora shiver, “the dissolution of my son’s marriage. That woman is valuable outside of her charm and virtue. With all she’s cost me, I’d be a madman to discard her into a convent like a common whore.”
The Kamrus’ face flushed and he lurched out of his seat, “How dare you speak of the Sisters as discarded whores! These are women who have dedicated their lives to Ganas!”
The two Princesses flinched.
Quietly, as the King reminded his cousin whose table he was at in a sharp tone, Lislora spoke to Draeseth, “Can you intervene to make them stop fighting or ask if the Princesses can come sit with me instead?”
It wasn’t quiet enough because both the Kamrus and the King gave her biting looks.
Into the silence, Kas almost wailed, “I don’t want Aunt Isonei sent away!”
“She won’t be, my little jewels!” His Majesty gave the girls a reassuring smile, “As if your grandfather would allow such a thing.”
Ror looked upset as well but she kept quiet.
“I hadn’t meant to upset them.” The Kamrus bowed and took his seat again. “Your Aunt Isonei would make a fine Sellac with some patient teaching.” He glanced at Draeseth, “She acknowledges that the false Aran gods aren’t as kind as Ganas but she insists she loves them and won’t give them up.”
“Arans are loyal. She’s spoken of wanting to add Ganas to her Gods but the thought of putting them aside seems wrong to her. She has a strong grasp of fidelity, not just to me but to her Gods, her Daga, and her King.” Smiling faintly, the Black Prince looked to the King, “She’s fond of you and respects you, father, but before this morning, I would have told you she only bends her knee to Tamnaeuth.”
“When you amend the Arrangement to include Lady Lislora, I want a clause included that your silver jewel must acknowledge me as her King. Holding the title of Duchess should mean I have her fealty.”
“You’ll need her King to grant permission.” Draeseth inclined his head, “I was told in no uncertain terms that a marriage would require him to give his permission and release her from her allegiance so that you could grant her a title and have her swear her loyalty. He said he would only grant it if she asked him upon returning for their festival.”
“Perhaps the letter Burgath is bringing will hold a change of heart.”
