Jenyse's plans went awry shortly after breakfast was finished. The Matron had sent for Mina to be dressed and brought to her in one of the gardens. Mina was relieved, if somewhat confused at the strange outfit. Whisper thin silk had been cut into three pieces, two long sharply angled triangles and another that seemed to have the point cut off leaving it four sided. The last made the back, flowing at first like a cloak, tied to the other pieces at the front, the narrow points barely covered her breasts, a delicate belt clasped it tight to her body, winding from just below her breasts to her hips. The fabric was folded and tucked to become a floating skirt around her legs, but as she walked the golden legs were revealed. The fabric so thin one could almost make out the aureola of her nipples, the shadowy cleft between her legs, her slender arms now adorned with golden bangles, her hair drawn up beneath more of the silk, and a veil adorned with tiny gold chains hid all but her eyes. As she moved the bangles chimed and the anklets of tiny bells sang. Bare feet were painted with something to make a lace like pattern on them.
She both loved the look and was terrified of it, she looked like a gift wrapped doll. One wrong move and she would be bare to the world. Not that it seemed to matter in this place. She was led to the garden, far larger than the other, small gazebos and arbors offered places to sit and relax, the Matron was seated at one that overlooked a small pond, white marble floor and pillars, some blooming vine with palest purple clusters of flowers formed a roof. It was only then she noticed her dress and veil were the same tones as the flowers, the golden jewelry and belt echoed the glittering streaks shot through the marble. Once more she was nervous, everything seemed planned far in advance and with goals she could not see. The elderly woman smiled and nodded to her, "Come sit with me a bit before the guests arrive. I hope you will not object to playing the part of server today?"
Mina shook her head and took a seat on one of the padded benches. "I have no objection, but I do not know what is expected of me."
"Do you play any instrument? "
Mina held still and then slowly nodded, "Lyre harp...but I have not practiced much in months."
"Interesting. Who taught you?" The Matron waved a hand to a lad that raced off.
"I do not remember, I found I knew how and that it was calming by accident." The lad returned carrying three cases, she smiled at the sight of them, knowing instantly what was being offered. The first was a rich, bloodwood, a deep and mellow tone to it. The next a pale almost white wood she didn't recognize, a high sweet note to it. The last smaller than the others warm golden color with a swirling grain, the moment she strummed the strings it called to her, its tone was something sorrowful. Long moments she played it then reluctantly placed it back in the case and picked back up the pale one. A bit more practice, a little adjustment to the strings.
"Why that one?"
"The first is too bold, too rich, it will draw attention, so not fitting to be in the background for your guests. The last, too strange, too distracting, it cries for all the sins unknown and unspoken in a soul. Again not fitting to be something almost unheard in the background. " Her hand stroked the ivory wood, "What is this wood?"
"Hellipoapia, you know the tree with dark green stiff leaves that have thorns on the tips?"
Mina nodded, "It is just a bush, not nearly big enough."
"Here? no.. it does not grow so much taller than you. But there are places it thrives and grows tall and thick. But custom has that not a living one can be cut. Only the dead can be harvested, so such wood is very rare, prized for it's pure and high tone. The golden wood is called sandwood, very common trees. But they occasionally become infected with a disease that makes the swirling grain. It slowly kills the tree but makes what is other wise a bland wood extraordinary and is why the tone of the harp is so unique."
"You said I was to serve?" Mina laid the lyre harp aside and looked toward the Matron.
"Yes child, I am going to ask of you to pour or drinks. then place the pitcher on the table beside the man who will be on my right. The boy will bring a tray and on it will be plates, serve me first, then the one on right, the one on left, then the youngest. Return to the bench at the back of the pavilion, and play something.. peaceful. When I clap my hands, rise, refill the drinks and remove the plates. Do not look anyone in the eyes. After, return and begin playing again, if you know any love songs then would be fitting. I will again clap my hands, rise and refill the glasses again, but this time catch the eye of the youngest one. Only for a single breath then take the pitcher off down the path the boy went down. Now this is important, pause at the edge of the pillar, turn and look at him, catch his eye again for a few seconds, then follow the boy that will be just out of sight."
Mina nodded, "As you wish."
"You do not understand yet you agree."
"I understand very little I find more and more, but this is simple enough to follow even if I do not fully know why."
"Jenyse has her work ahead of her I see. Now.. take the lyre harp to the back bench and come stand behind me, hands folded, eyes down cast."
Mina moved as directed, as the boy announced the guests, she couldn't look up but blushed at the memory of them the previous night, the youngest with his twilight blue eyes. Oh by the Seven.. he had been there as she had, the blush deepened. She didn't realize her movements were affected that she shifted shyly, that it drew the eyes of the men. The two older both read the body language as shyness and smiled, the third too young yet to know what it was. All he knew was that the girl was young and her body well shaped even if she was tiny. But he was also nervous, the Matron held his future in her hands right now and it made him miserable. There was a shared sympathy with her in the feeling.
Once they were seated, Mina stepped toward the boy and took the pitcher, as ordered she filled the glasses, taking direction from how she would serve the meal when it arrived. As soon as she sat the pitcher down the boy was back with the tray, four plates not the dainty meal she expected, a slab of meat that smelled divine, vegetables, bread that steamed, Mina wished she had eaten more at breakfast. She went to the bench, lost herself in the music, the simple delight of making wood and metal sing out to the world.
"Matron.. I do not wish to rush the matter. But.. the sooner I have a son.."
The woman chuckled, "You are still young, still green, there will be a son in time. But you seem to think that all you need do is come and request one like a drink at a tavern." Daintily she speared a vegetable and chewed on it watching him. "Do you even understand why you are doing this? What the history of this is?"
"I.. well all kings are required to come here and you provide them with a son to be heir. It is because.. well my father never married. But it is because our Queens never have children?"
"And why is that?"
"They were always Magi? And no Magi can be a noble.. if one is born to a noble family he or she is removed from the title. So if the Queen is always a Magi she might only have mage cursed children."
"A.. decent if not completely accurate understanding. What do you know of the covenant of the Arch Magi? Why the Queen is always a Magi?"
He fidgeted and the two older men laughed, "Not much on the book learning our young prince."
"So I see. Then let us have a history lesson. When this kingdom was young, there were many threats The nobles had armies, the blossoming magi had.. a skill no one yet fully understood. And all were very nervous of what could be.. a noble magi. An army led by someone who had skill over the very elements. Fear ruled and a truce needed to be reached so that they could fight the threats from others. So it was declared, no magi would be a noble, but.. the King would on his coronation marry an Archmage. And she would be his Queen, his equal, and she would speak for the magi while he spoke for the nobles, and the common people would bring to the table two of their own choosing, to be advisors, one to the king, one to the queen."
She sat back and watched him carefully, "And this house started.. with the need for a woman to bear a child that had the right blood lines, and no mage talent. It spread to providing heirs to other houses, to providing brides, to training woman to be.. suitable companions and advisors to men who needed it. As well as a few men..."
"Then why are the Magi hunting nobles now? We are in the middle of a war."
"That is because the Covenant was broken. By your great grandfather.. he wished to marry another.. a noble girl that had caught him by the cock. Her brother and a few friends decided one night after drinking more than was wise, that if there was no suitable candidate.. then he could marry who ever he chose."
Mina listened as intently as the young prince now, barely noticing that she played anymore.
"There were three candidates. They found them, they drugged them, then raped and murdered them.. and more they hung the bodies in front of what was then the school of the Magi. Posed them to add insult to the horror of what they had done in their drunken idiocy. This war was not started by the Magi, it was started by a group of young nobles who thought they had a way to gain more power for themselves. The Covenant was broken and this.. what we have today is the result. The Magi killed every single mage student that had any blood kinship to those murdering nobles. Your grandfather and father had no one to choose as a queen. But now the Magi have returned.. and you have a chance perhaps to restore the Covenant. Will you do so if called on?"
"I.. what difference will it make now? The hatred runs too deep, the damage is done."
