54 Tea with Father (2/2)
”What an unfortunate string of bad luck. Your wife is ill, your brother injured. My, my, it's almost as if you were cursed! But this isn't the Third Realm, to believe such nonsense,” the Grand Avatar laughed at his own joke. ”Tell me, girl, how have you liked your time here, the Dark Realm?”
”Prince Arren has been an admirable husband. Everyone here is very kind to me,” Haribit read.
”Admirable? He took a consort not very long ago. After only a few months. Did he not find your bed pleasing, sister? I would have thought that you would have learned at least some tricks from your whore of a mother, Chalky,” Argia said slowly, still in the language of their land, inspecting a pastry.
Isilla's face heated, anger boiling in her gut, her smile faltering. Ilun pulled his head up from her lap, a low growl that only she could hear, his head still under her hand, erupted from his throat. She moved to pick up her pen again, a thin tendril of Arren's shadow wrapping around her wrist, stilling her.
”Do not attempt to taunt my wife with your words, sir. She is above reproach. You sit at her table. Know your place,” his deep voice held an edge, dangerous.
”My place? Are we not the same here? Does she rule over anything but her maids?” he chuckled.
”The Princess has quite a few fine holdings, rich in crops, lumber, and even some hunting grounds of note. Though the people directly under her rule are not as many as my own, it is no small amount. All of these fine things, the gardens, even the tea you are drinking are paid for with the income from her lands. And you, what do you rule over? As it appears to mean so much to you.”
Argia raised his eyebrow before smiling. ”I seem to have misjudged your station here, forgive me, sweet sister. And you, brother in law, you seem to understand our language quite well for someone who only realized they would need it a few months ago,” he said in the tongue of the Dark Realm.
”I am well educated, brother in law,” Arren replied.
She nodded her head in acceptance of the apology. She glanced at Arren who did not look back at her but she could feel his shadows, stroking her thigh under the table.
”Tell us more about your beautiful lands,” the second ambassador spoke, shifting the tension. Whatever game the men of the two Crowns played, their moves had been made for now.
Arren spoke for a time, describing forests and mountains, the land along the coasts. Isilla smiled and nodded, Ilun's head resting heavy on her lap as the hour stretched later. She watched the men's faces, Argia looked at Arren while the Grand Avatar stared at King Ero. King Ero locked his gaze on her but his shadows did not reach her, the only touch of darkness against her was Arren's own.
”Isilla has been out of bed long enough. She is only just recovering from her long illness and needs her rest. Please, allow me to take my leave so that I may escort her back to her rooms. And the hour is quite late, surely you would all enjoy a few moments alone to prepare for dinner?” Arren's voice polite but emotionless.
”Of course,” Ero spoke first. ”Take your wife to bed. And although this has been such an enjoyable afternoon, we should all take some time to freshen up for tonight's meal.”
Arren stood first, holding out his hand to Isilla. She took it and rose from her chair. He slipped her arm through his and walked with her through the maze of her garden. Behind her for the first few turns she could feel his father's shadows, reaching for her but when she turned, all she saw were Haribit and Ilun, trailing behind.
At her rooms, Arren stopped Haribit in the sitting room. ”I will help her into bed. I'd like a few moments alone with her but have the kitchen prepare her dinner for two tonight and if you would eat with Julen, I would appreciate that.”
Haribit shrugged, ”He's practically lived in my rooms since Isilla fell ill.”
Can you bring him here, Isilla wrote. She had not seen the boy since he delivered his stuffed animal to her.
”Why don't we all have dinner here together then. Isilla can rest for two or so hours and we can all eat in the sitting room,” Arren suggested.
Isilla smiled and nodded.
”You have to let her rest,” Haribit said to Arren, a wicked smile on her face as she left.
Embarrassed, Isilla turned to Arren. His cheeks were bright red and she laughed, the tension from the meeting released.
”I am, I am sorry that you had to come today. I had declined but, I could not,” he started, stumbling over his words as he tried to gain his composure.
Your father called for me, she wrote.
”Yes, how did you know?” he asked pulling her into her bedroom.
Because he was there, she wrote.
”How astute of you, my dearest,” he said removing his jacket.
Don't you have to go to dinner with them, she asked as he crossed the room to her, reaching to remove the scarf from her head, revealing her hair. Next he unbuckled the belt, letting it fall to the floor with a dull thunk.
He shook his head and moved down to the buttons on her dress. ”No, it is a Council dinner. Lehan will be there, or at least he is supposed to be there. In any case, I am not required so I will be spending my evening with better company.”
Her buttons undone, she let the dress slip from her shoulders, shivering in her undergarments for a moment before he handed her the discarded nightgown. He pulled back the blankets and she climbed into the bed.
Why did he want me to come, she asked.
”I don't know, he didn't say. He only announced he was attending the tea this morning, when the Grand Avatar's identity was revealed to us. He demanded your presence and that we hold it in your halls just a half an hour before which is why you had no notice.”
She frowned and he pushed her chin up, bringing her eyes back to him, ”But I don't think it had anything to do with you. There is something else going on between my father and the Light Realm.”
You are not worried, she asked.
He sighed, pulling off his shirt. ”I am concerned, yes, but there is nothing I can do but wait right now.”
She nodded, dropping the subject. Do I really have lands? Or did you just say that to get a rise from my brother, she wrote.
”No, you really have lands. I chose them for you myself. I was planning to take you to visit them in the spring.”
There's so much I don't know, she wrote, frowning.
”Don't worry, there's plenty of time to learn,” his voice almost a whisper against her skin before his lips covered hers and they fell into the bed together.