Post 13

“Endure them was the right phrase at least. It’s been a long day.” Arius was in a carriage borrowed from Lord Wensellas, sitting across from Rayna, and he was exhausted. They had made six visits today, all six of them interminable teas, where he’d been forced to sip from tiny porcelain cups and share small talk with several visitors each time. It was the small talk that did him in. “I don’t understand why anyone wants to discuss some of that drivel.”

Rayna laughed, slipping off her slippers and tucking her feet up beneath her. “It’s just how it is, Ari. I know it’s insufferable, but it’s just part of the process. It gives people a chance to watch you, to take you in, without any expectations. And I saw you making your own assessments.”

He flushed a little, remembering when she’d caught him eyeing the exposed cleavage of Baronetess Haymor. “I can’t help it if she had those things shoved into my face every time I turned around.”

She laughed again. “Oh Ari! She was trying so hard to get your attention, wasn’t she? Well I can hardly blame her; you are after all quite a catch.” She purred softly and eyed him from lowered lashes. “If she knew what I know she’d have trapped you behind a locked door.”

Arius chuckled, although his flush darkened a little. “What’s next, then? Back to the manor for supper, I hope.”

Rayna nodded, tapping her fingertip against her lips. “Indeed. I think supper alone, in our suite. It’s been years since I had a partner with the stamina to keep up with me. My typical students barely make it through part of the day before begging for a stop.” She gave him another sly look, and he shook his head, catching her double entendre.

“You just like to make be blush, don’t you?” He was strangely all right with that.

“As long as it’s just you and I, yes. In all seriousness, I would never do it in public, not ever, I promise you that.” Although Rayna was smiling, her eyes were serious, and he nodded his acknowledgment. “So what else did you pick up today?”

He sat back and considered. “Well, Lord Demul seems to have a bad habit of wandering off mid-sentence. I suspect that in spite of Lady Demul’s efforts, he is growing senile. I can see why she would be embarrassed, considering that she is easily forty summers his junior.”

She nodded. “It’s a well-known secret, I suppose, although I don’t know what she expected when she married a man so much older than her. Well, I know what she expected.” Rayna laughed. “She expected him to die off right away and leave her his money. I suspect she was trying to set herself up as I did, although mine was through no planning on my part. I sincerely loved my husband, and he was only a few summers older.”

Arius nodded. “She shared a few looks with Baronet Flao, and I suspect there’s something between them. She was subtle, and he refused to meet her eyes, but the looks were cast none-the-less.”

“Hmm… that one I did not catch.” Rayna tapped her lips thoughtfully, and he continued.

“Baronet Flao was rather timid, and I doubt he’d make a scene in front of his wife, anyhow. Baronetess Flao was rather forceful; I suppose that makes her a complete opposite of her husband. I’m sure she runs the household, and probably their accounts as well. She seemed quite knowledgeable about the running rate of wool and wheat. Who else was at that gathering? Baronetess Dane is a widow, I believe, and she mentioned at least a dozen times that she was being courted by Baron Evanat, but at our last function I swear Baron Evanat was paying attendance on Lady Kirks.”

“Indeed. I believe he had set his sights on Baronetess Dane, after all she is still quite young and pretty, but Lady Kirks just came out of mourning her late Lord, and after all why set your sights lower when you can set them higher? Marrying Lady Kirks will make Baron Evanat a Lord. You really were paying attention, weren’t you? What else?” Her eyes gleamed with curiosity.

“At our next gathering were Lord and Lady Menas, Baron and Baroness Vies, and Baron and Baroness Tesk. The tea was horrid, and I’m afraid I tuned out a little after awhile. Not that I am a sparkling gem of wit, but that was the most boring thing I’ve ever suffered through in my life. Who cares about what each Lady wore to each ball since the dawn of time? I think the Lord and Barons were as bored as I was, since both Barons kept nodding off and all Lord Menas accomplished was to stare at you the entire time.” Arius rubbed the back of his neck, considering. “Next we returned to Lord Wensellas’ lordship and visited Baron and Baroness Counte, and Baron and Baroness Douns, and Baron and Baroness Corse. All six seemed like the best of friends and the biggest of snobs as well. But I recall you mentioning that Baron Douns often games with Lord Fale’s son. I also remember that Lord Fale is the right-hand man of High Lord Gregor, and so I kept my council close and did my best to play along. I hope I didn’t fail too miserably.”

Rayna giggled. “Not at all, Ari. You just seemed to keep some secrets to yourself, and I think you had all of them begging to share what you knew by the end of the candlemark. You accomplished that mystery yet again, which of course is our goal. We don’t want anyone to get to know you too well. And our last gathering?”

Arius rubbed his neck again. “Right. Well, Baron Evanat of course, and Lady Kirks. Baronetess Haymor, and Baron… I can’t recall his name, actually. The short young one, with the round belly.”

She laughed. “Baron Glamora, actually. He is Lord and Lady Glamora’s son. Poor unfortunate lad.”

“Poor unfortunate lad who kept sneaking peeks at Baron Evanat, actually. I fear that’s one lad that will not be providing heirs. I got a few admiring looks from him as well.” Arius shook his head, amazed. Some nobles were very strange.

Rayna laughed again. “He was choosing to moon at Baron Evanat over you? Oh my! That must be a love match then.” She waved a hand at his mock glare. “What did you think of Lord Tyrus?”

Arius nodded soberly. “Now that one intrigued me. He was quiet, but he was certainly paying attention. I caught him staring at me several times, and not in a moonish fashion. It was almost like he was trying to dissect me. He dismissed you right away, and seemed not a bit surprised at the doomed love triangle going on in our midst.” The carriage rattled over cobblestones, and he peered out the little window. “We’re back in the manor. Shall we continue this conversation in our suite?”

Rayna nodded and stretched her legs out in front of her. She slid the slippers back onto her feet and sighed deeply. “You’re right it has been a long day. I’ll meet you in our suite after I go see about having supper sent to us.”

Arius nodded and stepped from the carriage, then reached up to hand her down. He waited for her to head off to the kitchen before turning to make his way through the maze of hallways to their suite. Before he could leave the courtyard, Eithna had spotted him from where she stood near the entrance to her little front garden, and she waved him over. With an inward sigh of exhaustion, he headed over to meet her.

“Master Arius, how have you been? I apologize we haven’t made it to visit the last few evenings. There’s been a flux going around, and I’ve actually been gone to some of father’s furthest holdings to tend to it. I just returned late this afternoon.” Her green eyes were concerned, and she was examining him closely.

“I’ve been fine, Lady Eithna. The teas you prepared for me have had me sleeping like a babe.” He didn’t add that Rayna had made sure to keep him too busy to even sleep some nights.

She smiled wearily. “Oh good, I had been worrying. Jared tells me to stop fretting so much, and that you will be fine, but…” She glanced around to ensure there were no ears close by. “But I cannot help it, in light of… Well, you know.”

Arius nodded. “I know. I’ve been fine. Thank you for inquiring.”

Eithna paused, seeming to want to ask something, but not sure if she should. He tipped his head curiously, waiting her out. “Arius, do you love Lady Fairhaven?” She asked it so quietly that he almost wasn’t sure he’d heard her right, but her eyes said otherwise.

“Do I love her?” He considered his answer carefully. “I think I care very much about her, but I don’t think I love her. Not as a man loves a woman, I mean. As a student for a teacher, perhaps. She is a good woman, even if she tries not to let that show.” Arius met Eithna’s gaze, gray eye sober and serious. “I wouldn’t hurt her for the world, but no, I don’t love her. I might never be capable of love, Eithna.”

She rolled her eyes. “So melodramatic. You’re just a silly boy after all, Arius. You’re young yet, you’ll find a mate who will change your world forever.”

Blond brows rose in surprise. “Is that what happened with you and Jared?”

She smiled softly. “Yes, but not right away, mind you. At first he was just another silly suitor, handpicked by my father. At least, that’s what I thought. Imagine my surprise when I found out that my father barely even knew him, and that he was actually here to court another Lady. She spurned him, and I nursed his hangover the next day. He had tried to drown his sorrows, and it was while at the bottom of a bottle that he’d realized he didn’t really want her anyhow.” Eithna laughed a little. “I was lost from that point on. Maybe I just felt sorry for him, at first. But after all, he was utterly adorable, and I simply couldn’t resist his quiet charm. The funny thing is he didn’t have any idea that I was hoping for more of his attention until I cornered him one day. He’d taken to hanging out around my garden, and I suspected that he was trying to woo me, but he wasn’t being very obvious. So I confronted him, and… well… that was that.”

Arius returned her smile with a small one of his own, happy for her. “It’s strange now, to think that when I came here, I thought I was hurting over you.”

She laughed gently, reaching out to touch his arm. “I agree. I’m glad that we’re still friends, Arius. We are, aren’t we?”

Arius nodded soberly. “Of course.” It was strange to have friends here. Even in Ragged Valley, it was hard to consider anyone there a friend, outside of Mik and Kayli. And even they were frightened of him.

“I have to return to work, but it was nice to talk with you.” She turned away, headed for her little cottage. For a moment it seemed to him that she was outlined with a soft glow, lit brightest at her belly. He shook his head, and the glow disappeared. With a frown, he hurried off.

Rayna wasn’t in their suite when he entered, so Arius stoked the fire that had already been set in the fireplace, and settled into one of the two plush chairs before it. He kicked his boots off with a groan of relief and closed his eyes, trying to ease the slight strain he was suddenly feeling in his head. He slid into a slight doze, letting his mind drift, too tired to even consider fear of slipping into his dreams.

He didn’t stir when Rayna slipped into the sitting room, so she left him to sleep while she motioned for the maidservant at her heels to set the table with their supper. She motioned the girl away with a stern look, and locked the door behind her. Quietly, she paced to Arius’ side and gently reached out to smooth a wayward lock of hair from his face. Even in its usual braid, his blond locks seemed to have a mind of their own.

He woke startled, but his look softened when his eyes focused on her. At least it was a measure of his trust that he didn’t reach for his sword, as he had a few times during their first nights together. She slid onto his lap with a sigh of contentment and nuzzled into his warm neck, inhaling the masculine smell of him. “Supper is here. We should eat before it gets cold.”

Arius tightened his arms around her and then stood, clasping her snug in his grasp, one arm tucked beneath her knees and one looped about her shoulders. Suddenly sleep was the furthest thought on his mind. “Supper can wait.” He carried her straight through to the bedchamber, and she giggled prettily. The lamp there had been lit, as usual, and he kicked the door closed before sliding her down to her feet and tugging at the laces on her gown.

Rayna giggled again. “I suppose it’s a good thing I ordered a cold supper, after all. It will keep until we’re ready for it. Slow down, you silly boy, you’ll make knots.” She reached up to pat his impatient hands away and untied the laces herself, revealing the shadowy cleft between her breasts to his hungry gaze.

Arius leaned down to kiss her and she stretched up to meet him, but he hesitated, and she drew back. He felt the slight frown that furrowed his brow, and she was looking at him strangely. “What’s wrong, Ari? The dream again?” She searched his face frantically.

Arius shook his head. “No, no, it’s nothing.” He squeezed his eyes shut tightly for a moment, then seemed to shake off the strange sight that had been bothering him and kissed her fully. She sighed into his mouth, relaxing into his caresses with relief.

Arius could have sworn for a moment that she, too, had been surrounded by a nimbus of light, but this time it had been etched in darkness, as if her light was being smothered out by shadows.

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