Part 30
LANGORET
She'd saved my ass at Tonol, no matter how much, or how often, she pretended that I'd been the one who won that battle. As far as I was concerned, I'd just picked up where Colonel Storana had left off. Langoret and Tudino had bailed me out.
From that moment on, Langoret had been my partner (in every sense but the personal or intimate). She'd helped to champion my tactical ideas, and committed her regiment to train and learn beside mine - Aneli's, that is.
Langoret had fought beside me at Limset, Kesmansha, and Feirlan. There was no one better suited to be my second in command.
But now she was done.
- "I intend to ask for leave." she told me.
- "If anyone deserves it, you do." I said. "How long?"
- "Four years."
I didn't spit my wine across the room, but it was a near-run thing.
- "Four -?"
- "Perhaps five. Tomos and I would like children. Two or three, at least."
- "An heir." Langoret was a Countess in her own right. She had responsibilities.
- "Yes." she said.
- "I'm going to miss you."
- "No more than I will miss you." she said.
"But Tomos and I will come to Cercen every winter. You have certainly made me more aware of my political responsibilities. I cannot afford to be ... away, for too long."
- "You'll have to come over to the Belere - as often as possible."
Langoret laughed. "Oh, Cook." she said. "What else would we do, in the capital? Tomos would have it no other way. And you know that I am inordinately fond of Esyle and Isa."
"Of course we will see you as often as possible."
Integrity. Brains. Courage. A big heart. She had it all.
Tomos was a lucky man. And I was fortunate to have her as one of my best friends.
***
KANITZ
There was, surprisingly, no awkwardness between Kanitz and me. I continued to admire her, to respect her skills and her talents.
I continued to desire her, too, but that was natural enough, working in such close proximity to the second-most beautiful female in the entire realm.
- "I want Tallia." she said.
- "I beg your pardon?"
- "The war is over. I know you needed her, to administer the army. But it's all done. I want her to work with me."
- "Shouldn't you be asking Tallia herself?"
- "I will. I'm letting you know, first."
By her own lights, Kanitz was doing me a favour.
"Think like a Westron, Cook." she said. "What do you want in return?"
Kanitz wanted Tallia - and she usually got what she wanted. I knew, too, that Tallia had enjoyed planning the royal weddings (despite how close they'd come to disaster). It was going to be a done deal, very soon. What could I ask for?
- "A commission for Isa. A rank in the Westron army."
- "That's all?" Kanitz grinned. "I swear, Cook, you'll never learn to think like one of us. Maybe that's why I still like you so much."
- "I wasn't finished. I want Esyle and Tallia, and their children, to be my heirs. They inherit the lands the Queen gave me -
and
the Belere Palace."
- "Easily done. That's all?"
- "A commission for Senau. Some type of appointment that will keep him wherever Tallia is."
Kanitz took a good, long look at me. "Agreed." she said.
"But in return, I want you to write down - anonymously - the true story of where you're from. What is Pylos? Where is it? Who and what are you, Cook?"
"I promise never to reveal what you disclose - even to the Queen, unless she is directly threatened by whatever information you share with us."
"But I reserve the right to tell Howe, when he comes of age."
- "That's ... that's fair." Kanitz hadn't betrayed me yet.
- "I also want you to take charge of training. Every regiment we have needs to learn your tactics."
- "I can try." I said. "The central and southern regiments that were at Feirlan would be good to start with. I know that Lupona will help."
"After that, though ..."
- "I know. You're thinking of the old conservatives. But if they won't listen to you, we can have Langoret or Tudino teach them."
- "That may have to wait. Langoret wants a few years' leave - to start a family."
- "Then she'll have it. No one deserves it more."
Kanitz and I never had sex again.
It wasn't that I was angry with her; I don't think that she was ticked off at me, either. But we both seemed to be past the need for purely recreational sex.
We'd been attracted to each other. Mutual respect and curiosity played their parts. The sex was very, very good. But we didn't have long-term potential.
Kanitz was devoted to the Queen. There would never be room for me to be first in her affections. She knew very well that I had other lovers - and other loves. She could hardly expect to be first in my heart if I was going to be second in hers. And the reverse was equally true.
Kanitz and I could be friends, with an excellent working relationship. We just wouldn't be part-time lovers anymore.
Of course, I would occasionally have a mild pang of regret when she wore that black sheath dress, or when I thought of the balcony and the bedroom upstairs.
Kanitz knew me very well. I suspect that she could tell when my thoughts ran in that direction, if her little grin was any indication.
***
TALLIA
I was more of a celebrity at home, at the Belere. Talley junior and Tisucha junior were very impressed with my ability to make fart noises with my fist and my armpit.
- "You're
so
talented." said Tallia.
- "You try it, then."
- "No, thank you."
- "Your Dad is pretty good at this, too." I said.
- "It must be a male thing. Like urinating in alleys and writing your name in the snow."
Conquering hero, victorious General ... now I was reduced to the level of family counselor, psychologist, and entertainer-in-chief to the under 3 crowd.
That last part was something that Tallia wasn't even remotely interested in. She'd wanted the monogamous relationship her parents had, but she didn't want to be tied down with children.
I couldn't exactly fault her for that; I'd been away for years, myself, while my children were being raised.
Tallia and I were well-matched, in so many ways. We made an excellent team, as Commander and Chief of Staff. We both loved the work, and poured our hearts and souls into it. We understood each other, quickly and without confusion.
She also had a libido that was darn near a match for my own.
But now there was a barrier between us. The Penchens.
She might never get over 'losing me' to Isa. I had to admit that I wasn't very keen on Senau, either. If I'd liked him, would I have been more jealous, or less?
The Change works both ways.
Unfortunately, Tallia still had trouble dealing with it.
- "What do you think I should do about Kanitz' offer?" she asked me.
- "You should take it. Are you serious?" I said. "Isn't that something you'd love to do?"
She nodded. "I would. But ..."
- "But nothing! You can come back here whenever you want."
Tallia wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tight.
- "Thank you." she said. "For understanding."
I did understand.
Tallia went to the Palace, and she took Senau with her.
And the Belere was almost immediately at peace again.
Tisucha no longer had her eldest daughter to fight with. Talley stopped frowning and growling. There were no more awkward scenes, where Tisucha tried to get Tallia to take a more active role with the children.
- "Have you noticed?" Esyle asked me.
- "It's quieter." I said.
At first, Tallia came back every second night. Then it was twice a week.
And then once a week.
No one criticized her. We were all happy, I think, to be spared Senau's gloomy presence. And if Tallia wasn't going to pitch in with maternal chores, then we didn't need to have her staying as a houseguest quite so often.
She managed weekly visits for a while. Then she missed a few. By the end of the year, Tallia was only coming home to the Belere once a month.
***
ISA
The Penchen regiments went home.
I rented a hall, and treated General Leydz, the Colonels, and all of their company commanders to a dinner - and drinks. It cost me a pretty penny, but they deserved it.
They were especially happy to hear my reaction to their advance at Feirlan.
- "It was ... a thing of beauty." I told them. "You're the best infantry I've ever seen."
I thought that they would cheer that statement. They didn't.
Instead, General Leydz slowly raised his glass, until it was over his head. And then ... every single officer in the room followed suit.
- "
To fallen comrades
." whispered Isa - in Penchen.
I raised my own glass.
- "To fallen comrades." I said - in their language.
It was a very successful evening. Senau didn't say anything, but I know that Isa was deeply moved. The Penchens were going home; she was staying with me.
Isa and I should have had more time together. I should have taken her on a tour of the Kingdom. We could have gone to see Tonol, or to her home in the Penchen lands ... I don't know. I should've ... so many things.
No one begrudged us the hours we spent together. Esyle, especially, knew very well that time was one commodity that was running out for Isa and me.
She'd been female for over two and a half years. That was ... so unprecedented, so beyond anything that had ever been ...
I did take her to the seaside, for a week. Just travelling together was a pleasure.
Ishana had returned to working for Kanitz, exclusively. Nasta had resigned, to begin raising a family of her own. Madze and Koroba remained as my bodyguards, taking it in turns to watch over me.
They were very kind to Isa - and to me. Madze was no great shakes as a conversationalist, but Koroba was pleasant company. They also gave us all the privacy we could have asked for.
We took two light tents, and plenty of food, so that we didn't have to stop at inns. The accommodations were fine, but Westron inns weren't built for having sex: the rooms were communal, and privacy was completely non-existent.
Sex was something that happened at isolated hemmer cottages - not in public houses and inns. Isa didn't mind at all; we both enjoyed the night-time sky before retiring to our little tent.
- "Smile, Cook." Isa reminded me. "Every day is a gift."
- "I know." I said. "I'm trying."
She touched my cheek. "We're so blessed. We came through battles unscathed. And we've had more days ... so many more than we had any right to expect."
