Tremendous thanks to Todger65 for help with editing and Nthusiastic for beta reading and making suggestions!
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Mes pressed a cool damp cloth to the back of Isonei's neck as she knelt next to the basin. It had been placed on the floor when she had begun to feel dizzy. The hard, twice baked slivers of bread and the hot tea she'd washed them down with had refused to stay down.
She heard the sound of Draeseth speaking quietly to Krouth behind her and realized he must have come back while she was being ill. It took no more than a glance to Mes and the Munian woman was wiping her face and giving her water to rinse her mouth with.
Isonei began trying to get to her feet and Draeseth scooped her up carrying her to bed with a concerned frown. He climbed onto the bed with her and she curled against him. "What did your father say?"
"He will speak to Rogath but the feast will happen tonight without you. I will be required to attend and make your excuses."
"I can't keep anything down, that should be a good enough excuse. I would hate to mar the meal by rushing away every few bites."
"Krouth sent for Halloc Urroth and father thought perhaps a second visit from the midwives tomorrow would be wise."
Nodding she sighed and changed the subject, "How are your brothers? Ougath and Adareth? Has someone looked in on them?"
He laughed softly in his throat. "Ougath was there, as was Burgath, they wished to know why there were rumors flying of you spitting in the Queen's face. I will send Krouth to look in on Adareth if that will ease your mind."
"It would. He's too soft and sweet for fighting; I'm worried he's badly hurt." She pulled her head back to look up at him with a scowl, "And I did not spit in that horrible woman's face."
"I would chide you for losing your temper, but it will let me keep you at home. Court will not be a place you are forced to come often." He smiled smugly and pulled her head back against him.
"The only reason to come here would be for the fish and to visit Kresh." Isonei rubbed her face against his tunic.
"I will have a pond dug and Kresh will be invited to visit."
"And now I have no reason to come back here." She spoke with a cheerfulness she didn't feel and he laughed squeezing her.
"You are easy to please."
Krouth cleared his throat politely, "The Hallocs have arrived. Halloc Aurim was sent for by the Kamrus. He chose to come with Halloc Urroth to see the Duchess."
"Good. The Duchess would like for you to look in on my brother Adareth. She has concerns for his well being after today's sparring match."
"Of course."
Draeseth kissed the top of her head before releasing her and rising from the bed. "I should begin preparing for dinner."
"Try not to let your father talk you into drinking so much tonight."
He made an amused sound in his throat. "I would have without your reminder, wife. My snoring makes you flee from our bed."
"Will your Highness be staying while the Duchess is examined?" Halloc Urroth inquired coolly.
"Her maid will remain with her, I am required at dinner." Draeseth frowned glancing to the door for Krouth.
"Mes can help you dress. Someone needs to look in on Adareth." Isonei gave him a wan smile, "You may have to help her remember everything you need. She's been learning to wait on me and I don't think she knows everything Krouth does for you."
He muttered to himself in Torgan as he moved past the Hallocs and barked a command for Mes.
"That will leave you without an attendant." Halloc Urroth glanced to Halloc Aurim with concern and spoke quietly to him for a moment.
Halloc Aurim approached the bed as he replied, not seeming to share the other priest's concern. He looked into her eyes intently and turned her head side to side before opening her mouth and peering inside. It sounded as if he were giving orders but Halloc Urroth sputtered and began to argue.
Mes bustled in straight to the closet, after a few moments she came back carrying what looked like nearly everything Draeseth required. She hesitated as she passed the arguing Hallocs. "One of them thinks you should be purified and bled, the other thinks you require a more thorough examining and perhaps some herbs or tinctures. I'll come back as soon as I can, your Grace."
"Thank you, Mes." After the maid disappeared through the door Isonei cleared her throat politely and earned sharp looks from both priests. "You're both very competent men, perhaps you could both-"
"The tea he wishes to give you may end the pregnancy and bleeding you in your condition would not be wise." Halloc Urroth frowned at her, "His methods are no longer used here in the Thoncur."
Isonei nodded furrowing her brow, "Despite your differences, you do both want the same thing, don't you? You're both healers. The smoke seemed terribly important to him in the Kroscur, perhaps you could compromise? Grant him a concession?"
Aurim made an inquiry sounding nearly amused and their discussion resumed with a much more conversational tone. They seemed close to an agreement when Krouth bolted into the room barking in their language and the three rushed out. Slipping from the bed she looked after them with bafflement.
Draeseth stood by the door to their rooms looking as though he might be ill. She crossed to him and touched his arm. He came back to himself, grabbing her and crushing her in an embrace. "Adareth. Krouth said he may be dying as our other two brothers did. Had you not insisted someone look in on him..."
"Why did no one else? He was obviously injured." Isonei stroked his back soothingly as she held him. "What... what happened to your other two brothers?"
"We used to spar with steel, my Duchess. They died from injuries... shattered bones and infections." His voice sounded hoarse. "I did not mean to strike Adareth so hard. I only wished to knock him down."
"He was injured before you struck him. He was outmatched by his first opponent. Adareth should never have been sparring with the rest of you no matter how much he wanted to impress his mother."
He took a deep breath and released her looking down with a solemn, pained expression. "I must speak to my father."
"Go. I'll be here." She stroked his arms and offered him a small smile.
Pressing his face to hers he murmured what sounded like a prayer before he kissed her head and left the rooms moving quickly.
"Your Grace?" Mes approached her and gently guided her back to bed. "You should still rest. I'll fetch you some tea."
°°°°°°°°°°
Draeseth woke her with gentle kisses in the middle of the night and Isonei wrapped her arms around him with a yawn. "How is Adareth?"
"The Hallocs credit you with saving his life, little Duchess." King Orgath's voice startled her and she turned her head toward the door, blinking in the lamplight. "He is still feverish, but they believe he will mend now that his wounds have been properly seen to."
"I'm glad, your Majesty, but why-" She stopped as the King raised his hand.
"He should have requested a healer. His stubbornness is what nearly cost him his life." He beckoned to the main room and Draeseth scooped her out of bed.
Queen Deventha sat stiffly on one of the chairs while the King took a seat at the table. Isonei tilted her head and tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn as Draeseth took a seat across from them holding her on his lap.
"She can sit on her own." The Queen glared at them disapprovingly and Isonei stroked Draeseth's arm without attempting to move from his lap.
"I could but he's warm and I'm tired. To what do I owe this visit?"
"Be nice, little Duchess." King Orgath cautioned her coolly.
"I've been told your Queen has been claiming I spat in her face, your Majesty. I'm being charming compared to her reports of me."
"You are rarely so sharp, wife." Draeseth adjusted her in his lap, forcibly turning her face to frown down at her. "Why do your eyes look swollen?"
Krouth cleared his throat from the doorway, "If I may? When her Grace could not even keep down her tea she had a terrible crying fit. I am not surprised she is being difficult. She is exhausted and has kept down no food since dinner yesterday."
"I remember being commanded to have more than a dozen people executed when my Deventha was so ill. Adareth is the reason we stopped trying for a daughter." The King's voice had a slight edge to it and it seemed to prod the glowering Torgan woman.
"Salted twice baked bread with honey, and pickled cabbage." The Queen sighed with annoyance. "Once I found I could eat those, things became more bearable."
"The twice baked bread came back up." Isonei leaned against Draeseth but spoke in a conciliatory tone.
"It has to be salted. Heavily. Then dip it in honey."
"I'll try it. My stomach is so empty I've been getting dizzy."
"The Hallocs had no help to offer?" The Queen's tone seemed to warm.
"They didn't have a chance. They went to see to Adareth immediately once Krouth brought word they were needed. As they should have. I can wait."
"I will bring you back into my retinue when you can eat and drink again. It will be as if the... unpleasantness never happened if you can be respectful."
Isonei studied her with a frown, "Why? You clearly don't want me attending you. Polite avoidance seems a better choice."
King Orgath laughed softly and muttered in Torgan rubbing his face.
"Torgan Ladies do not apologize, my Duchess. Her Majesty is trying to make amends." Draeseth murmured into her ear.
"I understand that. She was rude, I was rude. We're even."
"It was your insistence that may have saved our Adareth." The King looked bemused. "That should be rewarded."
"I was worried about him. I always wanted a little brother and he's a sweet boy."
Queen Deventha smoothed her skirt, "My sons all seem to adore you as they would a sister. A second chance with a more open mind would not be a hardship."
"I had enjoyed watching the sparring with you before the," she hesitated as the Queen had, "unpleasantness."
"Then everything is settled and the unpleasantness is over." King Orgath rose from his seat with a smile. "The midwives will be sent for in the morning. The herbs they suggested did little for my Queen but for some they are helpful."
"The bleeding hasn't entirely stopped either. I wanted to ask about that as well." Isonei fidgeted. "Halloc Urroth had said it was nothing to be concerned with when it first started, and the midwives said Draeseth and I could still have sex but... it's starting to worry me."
