35 Natalia (1/2)
Casting a few spells to add water and purify the flower pots, Nikolai wiped sweat from his face with the back of his hand and grimaced. The shiny new clothing stained easily, sweat turning the vibrant colours into a sickening mess of browns. Grumbling at the need, he cast spells to clean the sleeve and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket instead. There was no need to be working in the garden but the interminable wait reminded him of the Trials for obtaining his Mage robes. Back then he shivered in the corner of the Mage Council's tower, eyeing the despondent apprentices trudging from the testing chambers. It was strange that despite his current standing in the Empire the same tension pulled at him.
Here he could fiddle with something without looking worried. To anyone who didn't know him at least.
His mother's garden remained the perfect place to entertain guests. Some persuasion was required, but she agreed to let him borrow the space for his meeting with Natalia Suzdal. The woman was a cantankerous legend within her House according to Elya, having little interaction with anyone beyond her relatives. A word from Aunt Natalia could either raise or destroy a persons career.
As Elya put it, 'the woman had an eye.'
Nikolai burned inside the ridiculous get up Chen had scrounged from some tailor at short notice. How his friend managed that while the town still struggled to recover from the battle remained a mystery. The temptation to conjure some cold wind or soothing spell ate at him, but using random magic in front of a guest was considered bad form and while he generally ignored most of the expected social conventions, Elya's introduction left him shuddering in fear of his guest.
A few seconds before the time indicated on the invitation, a dull clicking sound echoed from the hall behind him, probably her cane tapping the marble flooring at each step. A detached part of his mind wondered how an old woman barely able to move could induce such fear with her walk. The sound stopped and a dull banging resounded across the door.
Cursing under his breath at her desire for privacy, the lack of servants put a damper on the effect of his prearranged stance, meaning he had to drop the refined elegance he tried to project. Nikolai opened the door himself, turning his head down to gaze at Natalia.
”You expected me to open the door myself?” She croaked, slapping his leg with the cane. Painfully.
Wincing, he ushered the woman to a chair, thanking Elya's foresight in providing a shawl which he draped over the woman's legs.
”I'm sorry Duchess, it slipped my mind.”
”Call me Aunt.” She punctuated each word with a bang of her cane.
”Uh… Yes Aunt.”Off balance by her sudden uncharacteristic familiarity, according to Elya anyway, he stumbled. ”Would you like some tea?”
”Tea? Not interested. Got any booze?” She smacked the table. ”The hard stuff.”
Nikolai's lips twitched. It would be better to just go with the flow around this woman. Without a word he pulled a small finger length tube capped with a stone stopper from a pouch hung on his belt. Yanking the stopper out with some effort, Nikolai poured half a tea cup full for Natalia. He closed the tube and returned it to his pouch, making sure the seal was tight.
Tentatively the old woman took a sip. Her eyes glittered at the taste and she grinned up at him, gesturing that he sit.
”Whoo. That's good stuff.” She chugged down the rest and eyed his belt greedily. Nikolai poured himself some tea and averted his gaze, he knew how strong the nameless alcohol was. ”How much more do you have?”
”Infinite.” Nikolai smiled and poured out another small tot into her cup. ”It's created magically in this little tube. I've never run out.”
”Reaaallyy. How about giving me a few barrels then?”
”I'd love to, but the stuff vanishes if it's not drunk within an hour and before you ask, only a Mage can power the tube to work.”
Natalia sank into her chair grumbling about unfilial descendants that lacked magic. She reminded him of Master Etanani, the same irreverence to life and greed for alcohol.
”Ready for the marriage?” Natalia made a cutting motion with her wrinkled hands. ”And don't give me any diplomatic crap. Tell me the truth. I have no patience for things like that.”
Hesitating, Nikolai elected to follow her demands. If in doubt do what people demanded. ”No. I'm not ready.”
”You don't like my descendant?” the old woman waved her cane threateningly, like it was a sword.
”I think I like her.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Talking about emotions he didn't understand was a pointless endeavour. ”I just feel like it's going so fast, what with all the threats and politics involved.”
”Politics always exist boy.” She sighed and laid the cane across her lap. ”Waiting for people to leave you alone will never work.”
”I just… don't want Elya to hate me by rushing things.” He grinned weakly. Being truthful was one thing, but he almost felt the old woman cast a spell to force it out of him. He was rarely this open with anyone.
”I'm not a magician boy. Don't look at me like that, you're easy to understand, smiling like a beaten dog. The girl enjoys your company well enough and stronger bonds have been built on less”
”Maybe. I still feel there should be more time.”
”The wedding will be held in five months, on the eve of Winter's Night.” She declared, barrelling through his complaints.
”That's… fast.” He twitched and pulled at his cravat. The cursed thing felt like a chain around his neck.
”The politics you want to avoid have forced our hands. As you well know.” She snorted and tapped her cup for more alcohol.
”What do you mean?” Gently pouring more, Nikolai focused on the task. The woman seemed to be able to see through him.
”Who did you lock up in your pretty little dungeon?”
Nikolai's hand shook, and he gazed deeply into the unfathomable eyes of his future aunt.
”It's not difficult to tell boy. Three people were dragged into your office and two came out. Oh, your… assistant… is very circumspect but even one like that can't sneak while dragging so many bodies. It doesn't take much to figure things out.”
”No one else did.”
”Which is why they're idiots.”
Nikolai pondered his options, eventually deciding to trust this woman. Since she already knew it wouldn't hurt to clarify things. The marriage bound their Houses together after all. For a few years at least.
”An Enforcer from House Demidov. Not involved in the assassination attempt.”
”No, they wouldn't be.” The old woman's eyes clouded over as she thought things through, sliding a finger along the rim of her cup. ”Old potato face has no desire to meddle with magic.”
”Who?”
”Mikael.”
”Grand Duke Mikael Demidov?”
”You ask a lot of questions boy. Who else could I mean?” she raised her glass for more alcohol and dazed, Nikolai poured a little more without hesitation.
”If you already knew it wasn't him do you have other suspects?”
”Any of the other Grand Dukes or Duchesses wouldn't mind dabbling in magic to meet their desires. House Romanov's insulted by your rejection of their precious Lotus Princess. They breathe honour and are a vengeful bunch.” Translated, it meant the whole family were unhinged, lashing out at the smallest slight, which he already knew.
”I rejected someone?”
”House Demidov wants to reduce your grip on the western trade routes.” She ignored his question, instead walking through each of the Great Houses motives. ”Your development is cutting into their profits. House Orlov is on the sidelines, indifferent to the actual outcome of your marriage, but Sinea Orlov is the definition of manipulation. Chaotic situations like this mean she's bound to interfere. House Tuchev will sit things out since they have the most amicable ties to the Council of Mages and as for the Gagarin's, well I don't think I have to explain.”
”They're still upset over Senro?”