Back to Chapter 46
Laun wished things would stay the same for at least a day before changing.
There were different curtains up in the main room, darker in color and thicker in fabric. There were pillows and blankets and flowers and little knick-knacks that had been brought in. A desk had been wedged in behind one of the couches, a small pile of messages and small boxes ignored next to a sheaf of clean writing paper. A small stack of books was next to the desk, some of the bindings new, some quite old.
Laun saw all this as she was puling her jerkin off and heading for the bathing chamber. That had been subtly changed, also. There was a new bench that had stacks of loopcloth toweling. There was a many-drawered chest next to the vanity and all the mess had been cleared, a few new pots of cosmetics lined up along the back. The paper flowers were still in their basket. Laun was happy about that as she sat on the ceramic privy and let her unhappy midsection empty it’s self.
“I told you the stew was bad.”
Falmir was in the bathing chamber but turned away from her, looking out the open door into the main room. “I’ve seen you eat the damndest things, Thorn. You are the only one who seems to have been affected.”
“It was different when I was pregnant. I was hungry all the time. I think the milk killed off anything that could have hurt me.” She was quiet for a moment as she had to concentrate on the unpleasantness happening below.
“Do you need the wiseman?”
Laun took a moment to answer, partially because of flashes of Bregnan going through her head. “You have one that won’t try to kill me?”
He looked over his shoulder and grunted. “Haven’t had a chance to really try him out.”
Laun started cleaning herself. “All I need is some oatgruel and I will be fine.” She was going to have to wash her hands after cleaning her bottom and she was not pleased about that.
“I’ll send down for some. Will you be well enough for evening meal?”
Laun called out, “Gem! Could you assist?”
The blonde came in past Falmir and was able to bring the loincloth and leathers up to where they were supposed to be as Laun stood with her hands not touching anything. “Who are you going to introduce me to tonight?”
Falmir’s head dropped slightly and Laun saw a chuckle in his shoulders. “The ambassadors from several of our neighbors and a few others. A little larger than last night.”
She smiled, biting back the response on her tongue. The water she was washing her hands in was not cool, but it was refreshing. A touch of the currying soap and the mess she had on her hands was cleared away easily.
“You said I should get rest, Father. How restful is all this? AND! All this?” She motioned to the changes to the suite.
He turned and looked at her. His arms were across his chest and he looked at her levelly. “You live such a barren life at Salam-Dir. I wanted to give you more.”
Laun smiled and pulled at the three pointed crown on top of the coils of braids. “I am anything but barren and I have what I need.” She put the crown on the vanity and stepped to Falmir. “You will make my head too big for that fancy hat if you keep doing things like this. I understand more of why you were angry, Sire.” Her head tilted to the side and she held her hand to him.
He dropped an arm and took her hand. “You look so much like Tressa right now. She never wore breeches, but your attitude.” He kissed her hand and put it to his forehead for a moment. “It does not make me any less upset that I did this for you and you want to leave.”
She tightened her grip on his hand and let go, a little before he wanted to. “I have to leave to go to Salam-Dir, too. I don’t see the difference, but I know you do.”
There was a frown on him, but he looked into her eyes and it changed to a smile. He waived his hand and said, “Do you like it?”
“Yes. Thank you. Though I don’t know when I will be able to read those books.”
He looked towards the main room. They started going that direction as he said, “You pick up on the law stuff quickly. Most of those are Myrned law, the ones we have that are translated.”
“Translated? They speak another language?”
Falmir laughed. “Yes, always have. It is fairly easy to pick up if you are around them long enough.” He handed her the top book and it opened to a passage about the marking of territory by way of white rocks. Laun scanned it and grimaced.
“How long until evening meal?”
“A few hours. But, that is not the best part of what I had brought in.”
Laun still had the book in her hands as they went into the bedroom. Evan and Silar were looking at the wardrobes and Laun stopped in her tracks when she saw why.
“How many dresses did you have brought in?” Laun could not count that high that fast. Different colors, different fabrics. With a new a chest open showing belts and shawls and other accessories next to several that were closed.
He looked pleased with himself. “One thing with a household this large, we don’t throw anything away. I mentioned to Lucas that you had just a few garments with you and he came back a bit later saying that the stores still had Tressa and Mothers things.”
“I hope I fit some of it.” Laun’s hand automatically went to her stomach, but she was no longer pregnant and she smiled.
“Some, at least.” Falmir took her hand and bowed over it. “I will send an escort for you and yours when the meal is ready.” He left, only a small glance over his shoulder to his Daughter.
Laun sat in the main room and then laid down on the couch. A pillow filled with goose down and covered with a silky cotton was under her head as she looked at the book in her hands. It was mostly inheritance laws from Myrned. There were a few words here and there that had either not been translated well or could not be translated. Laun thought she understood from context, but it made her mind hurt and her eyes cross.
Hunter came in from the corridor closely followed by Edgar, both carrying armloads of fabric and new boots. “Your father was not pleased with how we were dressed last night... Wow, this happened while we were out?”
“Now you know why he was so pissed off. He gave me law books to study, too.” Laun held up the book in her hands and both of the men grimaced.
“We were told there is another evening meal with nobles tonight. Why don’t you get some rest before you have to go?”
Laun put a finger in the book as she closed it to mark her place. “Because I evidently understand law better than my Father. And I have messages to answer. And an outfit to pick out.”
“He gave you clothing, too?” Edgar put his pile on one of the other couches and sat beside it, stretching out a leg.
“Inherited clothing from my Aunt and Grandmother.” Laun let her head relax into the pillow and closed her eyes. “I never should have admitted I know how to read.”
“You wouldn’t be here otherwise, Love.” Edgar stood and gathered his stuff and went into the other room, a swear at the amount of clothing there as he stepped through.
Hunter had already put his stuff on one of the small beds, essentially claiming it for the night. He came back into the main room and sat at Laun’s feet at the end of the couch. “Love, you really don’t have to read all of that, do you?”
She shook her head and then motioned to the pile. “All of that, too.”
“What are you looking for?”
“I have no idea. That is how I work. I get random information and put things together. These are Myrned law books, too.”
Hunter put his hand on her leg, stroking the dark brown leather. “Can I help with any of it?”
Laun looked between the books and the messages on the desk and Hunter. “You can help by opening the messages and seeing who thinks I need to spend time with them.” She had a crooked smile. “If you don’t mind?”
He shook his head and got up, squeezing into the small chair at the desk. He knew some of the names, but other than that, he had no real idea how to help. He read a few of the messages and seeing the thinly veiled suggestive wording, he wondered how many of the nobility Laun had slept with.
Gem came in and took some pity on the man. She matched up the presents and put the messages in an order that Laun would like. Hunter watched and was amazed in the decisive way the girl did it.
There was a shifting on the couch and Laun lifted one of her booted feet. “Could I get help with this? I’m finding that my feet are suddenly unhappy.”
Both Hunter and Gem helped to get her riding boots off, Laun apologizing several times for the stink that went through the room after her feet had been exposed. She went back to reading, scanning the first law book in about half an hour and getting up, stretching and picking the next one in he stack. She glanced at the messages and sighed, putting the book down on the couch.
Laun went through the messages, immediately making small delaying notes to most of them. The blue ink was well used by the time she was at the messages that she truly had to deal with. Liam. He had sent a small, delicate gold bracelet with several freshwater pearls strung on it along with a message that Laun could read as a story, or the invitation to his ship to complete their barter. Laun thought for a moment and wrote a note delaying the week with him until after Lady Engrid had been dealt with, and after she had been able to be back with her babies.
Laun’s hand went to her breasts, and, yes, they were fairly full. Not having them constantly nursed was starting to let them dry, and Laun did not like that. She made a few more messages, leaving the one merchant noble completely alone, even though he had sent her yet more of the darker cosmetics and a small wooden container with a rose and evergreen resin ointment in it. She just did not want to deal with him, even through paper words.
She thought and felt tired. Her back hurt from riding even more than when they had forced themselves to get to the Capitol City. Her head hurt from law and messages and her Father and more. What she would really would have rather been doing was napping or taking a bath.
Well, she could do one of those in preparation of the evening meal. She stood and started pulling her tunic off when there was a scratch at the door.
“How do they know?” Laun looked at the still drying messages and sighed. Loudly.
All the others seemed busy in the bedroom, as usual, so Laun opened the door herself. There was the clutch of Palace servants, standing against the far wall from the door, Laun spotting the assigned member of the Fourth without really trying. The person who had scratched was a plainly dressed man, but not common in his clothing, standing just outside the door. He was slightly older in look and baring to Edgar, a wash of light cosmetics over his skin to put a glow of youth to him. Laun nodded to him and took in the small gold bell on his belt hanging next to his thongs.
“May I please see the Princess?” Laun saw the look on the soldier’s face behind the man and made a subtle motion with her hand to just watch.
“Who may I say is calling on her, good gentle?” Laun tried to have a slightly lowered eye and a soft voice as she stood in the doorway.
“I am a messenger from someone who wishes to make her acquaintance.” He was bland, though Laun saw the dismissive way he was treating her.
Laun’s hand was about to go to her own bell hanging on the front of her jerkin when she remembered that she had taken it off. She opened the door more and motioned towards the room, saying, “Please come in. I will see if the Princess is available.”
The man slid past her and looked around. She knew he saw the books and the messages on the desk. Laun turned to the soldier in the Palace servants and motioned ‘find’ and said, “Verat.” The soldier nodded and ran.
Laun softly closed the door and took a moment to see where the man was going to settle. He picked a place where he could watch all three doors and sat, perching on the edge of the couch and not truly relaxing. She went into the bedroom and mostly closed the door behind her.
“I’m not sure what to do.”
That brought all attention to Laun. Edgar stepped away from the clothing he had been putting together for himself and went to Laun. There was a hand on her shoulder and he asked, “What is going on out there?”
“A gold clapperless bell just asked to see the Princess.”
There were low snickers through the group. “Love, why didn’t you just tell him?”
She shrugged. “He was assuming.” Laun smiled. “Would one of you go get the crown from the vanity? No, not you Gem.”
Silar moved quickly. Laun pulled on the closest wardrobe door and grabbed a bright pink dress. She smiled and handed it to Gem.
“I’m not sure I have ever seen you in pink, Mistress.”
“Not for me, Gem, for you.”
Silar was back to see Gem being taken from her dark green tunic to be then shoved into the pink dress. There was a line of laces, but Laun just took thong from her belt and tied them through several of the matched holes on the back. A sheer shawl was used as a veil and to cover her back.
“I don’t feel right about this, Mistress.” Gem pulled out the skirt and looked at her feet.
“Think of it as part of your training. You are me for the next five minutes.”
The man stood and bowed as the Princess came into the main room of the suite. She was in a pink dress slightly too big, but the three pointed crown declared who she was. “Your Highness.”
A hand was offered and she demurely smiled to him as he kissed her hand. She waived her hand to the couches and sat on a separate couch, surrounded by her people.
“I have been sent by my Master to introduce him and ask for an Audience.” He was sitting a little more comfortably, though he was trying not to look at the large men who were around the blonde with the crown.
“Who is your Master?” Her voice was soft and a little unsteady, not what he had imagined.
He looked at the men directly. “I do not feel comfortable saying right now.”
She looked at the only other woman in the room. The masculinely dressed dark woman had gone into the other room and was putting another layer on, a leather jerkin that matched the riding pants. She made a subtle hand signal and the Princess turned back to the messenger.
“I do not take messengers alone. What you say in front of the Princess, me, you say in front of all.”
He raised his eyebrow slightly. He had been told that she was not used to being nobility, but this was slightly odd phrasing to be used for herself. “As you wish, Highness.” His hand went to his belt and he touched his solid gold bell. “I am a Journeyman with Flint Master and he wishes to meet and talk about your claims of Guild membership.”
She blinked. “I don’t understand.”
“We have not heard of you before this spring and it is said you claim to be a member of the guild.” He turned when a scratch sounded on the outer door.
The other woman went to the door and went through it. She was quick and quiet with her footsteps. Even with the rug, it was a sign of good training. The Princess did not seem to want to say anything with the door partly open and the messenger appreciated that.
The dark woman came in, another man coming in and stepping to the back of the group, a small brass flash of a clapperless bell on the front of his tunic.
“Highness, it is known that the Guild is a closed brotherhood. No one comes in without going through years of training and proper apprenticeship. My Master would like to discuss why you claim membership.”
She looked at the woman again. Several of the people had the same dark green on and he knew that one of the colors of Salam-Dir was dark green. They must have been servants in livery, but it did not explain why she kept looking at the dark woman.
“Sir, your Master is correct that I have not been through the Guild training and tests to wear a clapperless bell.” She looked down to her hands and back up to him. “There are many things that... I have gone through in the last year. Before that I was unknown, except for to my household.”
“That is why he would like to talk with you. You are now a person of power and influence and it is not right for you to claim something that you have not earned.”
“Who says it was not earned?” She did a head tilt and looked at him unwaveringly.
He saw the last man to come in moving slightly, seemingly trying to get a better look at the messenger. The dark woman also was moving, and in the other direction. “Highness, it would be unfortunate for you to have problems associated with the greyworld.”
She blinked. “I do not understand.”
He was starting to wonder if the tales of this woman were completely made up. She was not catching onto the subtle threats, or if she was, not taking the bait as he expected. “My Master will be able to explain things better than I. When can I arrange for a carriage to pick you up?”
She shook her head. “No.” She looked at the dark woman again, her blue eyes following the servant and then nodding slightly. “Perhaps a more neutral location, if there is such a thing. I have been given permission to meet people at another Master’s home if it is not well advised to meet at the Palace.”
His eyebrow went up. “Another Master? Perhaps you have had some training through him?”
Her eyes went to her hands again as she said, “I hardly knew him before this.”
A knock sounded and the door was answered by the last man to come in. He nodded to the man on the other side and the messenger stood when he saw who it was.
“Purcy, what are you doing here?” Lucas’ eye went to the maid in pink, and then to Laun standing still and unobtrusively as a servant.
“Lucas. Flint needs to make sure that her Highness understands a few things.” There was an aggressive tone and posture the messenger could not cover.
The councilor moved to next to Gem and between she and the clapperless bell. “I have accepted her at her word, Purcy. As does Sand. Flint should too.” He started to turn towards Laun, but stopped.
There was a small murmur between the men but no one said anything really outloud. “The brotherhood is closed and has to be that way. Where would we be if anyone could claim membership?”
Lucas’ jaw tightened. “None of us came to the Guild thinking it would be our path. My Princess has just come to the path in a different way.”
Purcy’s shoulders showed a stubbornness in their set. “Flint will decide if she deserves the path at all.”
The councilor shook his head. “She will not be judged just by Flint. If one of the Masters judges, all should judge.”
“He is the lead-” His eye flicked to the others in the room and he stopped himself. “It is by his word that the Guild survives, Lucas.”
Laun snorted. The messenger turned, offended. “This is of no concern to you, servant.”
The tilt to the head that Gem imitated but did not quite match was emphasized by the deadly glint in her eye. “Good gentle, it does concern me. If you are threatening the Princess of the Realm, you concern me.”
“I have not threatened anything. I have delivered a message, that is all.”
The dark woman started fingering her silver bell, the first time Purcy had seen it. “It is good you are just a messenger then. There must be different training for real information gatherers.”
Lucas’ hand went to his mouth and he turned away slightly. The messenger made a slight jerking movement with his head and a neck crack could be heard. “I am not just a messenger. I am Journeyman to the finest Master in the Guild.”
“Then take your Journeyman ass back to him and tell him that her Highness will only deal with those who use the information network properly. That she will only deal with him directly and not through an unobservant subordinate. That anyone who sends an ill-prepared novice to talk to her will need to prove who he is before she will even consider the charges he is seemingly bringing to her.”
“You will not speak to me that way!” His cool was shattered and he took an ill-advised step forward. There was a couch between he and the woman, but it seemed even the Princess stood and was protective of the servant.
“If I don’t speak to you that way, then no one will. You were so busy primping yourself for your visit to the Princess that you didn’t think to read any of the information I am assuming you had on her.” She spoke and he realized that her other hand had been moving, making signs to the others in the room.
“You are lower rank than I in the Guild, Sister. Take my advice and still your tongue or else you will not rise any further.”
She smiled. “So, you see trappings of nobility or of the Guild and assume. You have risen to your rank somehow, but it is not by use of your mind.” There were a few chuckles and Lucas put his arms across his chest.
“Purcy, our Sister has made a big point that I think you need to think about.”
The messenger pressed his lips together and clenched his jaw before saying, “And that is?”
“You have not looked past the flow and to the pebble right in front of you. Not just a pebble, Purcy, the jewel of the royal crown.” He looked at Laun and back at the messenger.
“What-?” The look on the man’s face went from frustrated anger to a drained desperation. “You?”
“Get out of my rooms.” Laun motioned and Lucas stepped between Laun’s people and his fellow clapperless bell.
“Highness- Please!” He backed up and started for the door.
“Tell your Master that her Highness, Lady Laun Dresden, will not be accepting any more messengers from him. Either he comes himself or he forgets his grievance.”
Lucas ushered the man out, a flash of concern under his smile to Laun. The door closed and there were several reactions in the room. The kindest was laughter.
Gem pulled the crown off as soon as the door was closed. “I wish to never have to do that again, Mistress.”
Laun nodded and made her way to her assassin. “I hope never to so badly use you again like that. You did well. Though... I do tilt my head that way, don’t I.”
There were smiles. Edgar came to Laun and said, “I hope you did not just make an enemy.”
Laun nodded to him and sighed. “Me, too. But, that unobservant prick just pissed me off.” She looked at Gem in the dress and smiled. “Pick out something for yourself for tonight. Something for me, too. I think you need more than the livery for the Ambassadors.”
Gem looked down at the dress. “Not pink.” There were chuckles as Gem turned so Laun could take the thongs from the lacing holes.
“It is getting later, isn’t it.” Laun saw nods. “Anyone who wants to wash should do so. That includes me.” She made a small show of smelling under her arms, to the amusement of the room.
Soon there were many bodies in the bathing chamber. Hands were scrubbing and lathering on other people’s bodies, most of the time without regard to who was touching whom. Laun and Gem sat in the tub together for a few minutes as the men dumped buckets of warm water over each other, much to the amusement of the women. Then Laun was having her hair brushed and braided by her blonde as Gem’s was being brushed and braided by Evan, the line of people at the vanity funny to Laun.
The men dried themselves and dressed, Gem going into the bedroom to pick out the two outfits for the women that night. Laun sat at the vanity, a book propped up on the large mirror as she poked at the cosmetics. She could not concentrate on both, so the book was in her hands, her face partially colored, as the servant sent by Falmir scratched at the door.
It took a few more minutes to bring Laun together. The book was put to the side, the cosmetics evened out on her skin. Laun let herself be pushed and pulled into a dress she had not seen before it was over her head. Silar pulled open a drawer in the chest next to the vanity and had jewelry in his hands waiting until Gem had the crown pinned into place on Laun’s coiled braids.
The last thing Laun did before they left was to seal the messages she had to go out, handing them to the officer within the servants as she passed by.
They all had cleaned up well. Laun understood that all of them needed to present themselves in a certain way, not just herself. It all mattered. Laun glanced over to Edgar and smiled. They had picked a dress that almost matched the tunic and breeches he was in, the silvery blue of his tunic the same as the trim color on the dark red of her sideless cotehardie. The dress underneath was close to the color of Fount’s long tunic, the blue-grey making his eyes seem quite striking. Fount smiled and Laun was happy.
Erin and Dougal met them in the corridor near the grand stairs. Both of them had cleaned up well, too. Dougal was wearing the crown without a tilt. Erin had a long black vest on that had a Rosemond ribbon rose on the shoulder. This night, Dougal took Laun’s hand and escorted her up the stairs to the small reception awaiting them.
Chapter 48 A State Dinner to cover some political maneuvering.
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