Kros Voyeh Ch. 16

Notes: 1) If you see this anywhere but Literotica, it isn't supposed to be there!

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Lislora was taken aback at the way Adareth looked as they entered his room. He seemed cheerful but he hadn't filled out over the years as she'd expected him to. The young Prince still looked far too slim and unhealthier than she'd expected even knowing he'd been injured. He didn't rise from the bed to greet them, either.

Isonei perched on the bed to give him a kiss on his cheek, "Ror, Kas? You should come sit with your Uncle! The tables are all the way over there and he'll be lonely if no one sits with him!"

Rogath laughed in his throat and shooed the girls toward their uncle. "Aunt Isonei wants you to sit with poor Uncle Adareth. He looks lonely by himself."

Kas bounded over and clambered onto the bed as Adareth laughed.

"I have a room full of guests, Isonei! I'm not eating alone." He gave the Aran a doting smile.

"You have a room full of guests eating on the other side of the room!" Isonei fluttered her lashes.

"Why don't we just move the tables if he's lonely?" Ror looked from the bed to the tables with a thoughtful frown.

"A wise suggestion." King Orgath inclined his head and received a nod from Adareth.

Very shortly, Rogath and Draeseth had moved the tables to ring the bed. It would've made Lislora wretchedly self-conscious, but the Prince seemed delighted.

The meal that was served was better than the cold meats and cheeses the Duchess had seemed to prefer the day before as well, even though it barely resembled a breakfast. Tender roasted beef in a thick sauce, and the sliced, fried blood pudding favored in the Yezocur were laid out on a sideboard with the sweet batter cakes and cold chicken the Duchess favored, as well as the sprouted bread from the Strecur, cut fruits, and some spreads.

She was curious as to why there wasn't a selection of breads as there had been before but she bit her tongue and refrained from asking. Even seeming to criticize the breakfast this morning wouldn't be taken well and there was plenty to eat even without it.

Lislora ate as heartily as Draeseth did, relieved that the conversation around her was mainly focused on the children; Hodrim and his acceptance into the Temple school, and the Princesses' education. It was a much more pleasant conversation to listen to than the one the day before had been.

"Brother?" Adareth inquired in an oddly careful tone, "Why is your delicate jewel not eating?"

Draeseth frowned and looked at Isonei's plate. The woman was absorbed in her conversation with Burgath and the Princesses. The little bit of honey-drenched chicken she'd put on her plate was half-eaten and the buttered bread had only one bite missing.

"Did she have sweet batter cakes?" He asked quietly, glancing at Lislora.

"No, that's all she put on her plate," Adareth answered before she could confess she hadn't paid attention. "Did someone upset her this morning?"

"She did have the bun with manirel before the prayers," Lislora remembered with relief as eyes began turning toward her.

"You dragged the little Duchess from her bed in the small hours?" His Majesty gave Draeseth a hard look but kept his tone light. "That may be why she looked so tired when I arrived."

"I didn't drag her father, she enjoys kneeling beside me. She even sparred with Gillaugrim afterward."

"I warned him to be kinder." King Orgath narrowed his eyes slightly.

"He was. Did you tell Isonei he'd been warned?" Draeseth smiled slyly. "She nearly dared him to call her a whore at the Temple. It was like watching a master swordsman set up a killing blow. In his place, I might have stepped into the trap."

Laughing, his Majesty leaned back in his seat. "I didn't. If you take the little Duchess more often I may have to come with you once to watch."

"Father?" Burgath interrupted them, "Isonei would like to entertain the children with a story, how much time did you have arranged for breakfast this morning?"

"Enough." He made a gesture and smiled, "I'm curious to hear an Aran tale."

"It may not be entirely decent, father." Draeseth's smile faded, "She told one to the Lerians at the inn we stayed at and I had to alter it for propriety's sake."

"I can translate for her." Lislora volunteered with a wry smile. "It's the least I can do." The words slipped out and the King's eyebrow arched.

"I had intended to speak with you about your treatment of the little Duchess, have you been correcting yourself?"

Flushing, she bowed her head and seized on the excuse Krouth had told her to use, "I-I'm trying to be less sour but it slips out, especially before meals. Isonei is delicate and ill but I'm-I'm..."

"My Queen was that way with Burgath. You would think we starved the woman. She was only pleasant after meals." The King looked amused as she lifted her head. "You will continue to make the effort."

"Yes, your Majesty. Isonei has been nothing but kind and understanding, even though I..." Lislora swallowed but before she could say more she was interrupted.

"The children are growing restless." Burgath gestured to the fireplace where Isonei had taken the three children. Kas was hopping on one leg and clinging to the tiny woman's arm. For her part, Isonei looked as if she were having a wonderful time.

"She's as bad as Rogath is, allowing them to misbehave," Kresh muttered eyeing the Aran.

"They can enjoy playing for a moment." Rogath shrugged as the Phaethian woman fixed him with a frigid glare. Grudgingly, he spoke up, "If you want your Aunt to tell you a story you need to sit and listen."

Lislora made her way over and seated herself in the chair that Ougath brought. Isonei declined a seat, remaining standing in front of the children now arrayed in front of her on the floor.

"Once, a very long time ago when the world was still young and people had fewer stories to tell, there was a woman who ached to see more kindness in the world. So she made the choice to wander Ara, and maybe places beyond it, looking for kind people.

"Now, my loves, every fool knows the best way to find out if a man is kind or cruel is to show up at his door in need. This woman disguised herself as a wretched traveler, an old beggar woman, with tattered clothes and dirt on her face..."

°°°°°°°°°°

"The innkeeper with no guests, and barely any food to offer someone with money, looked at the old woman and said he couldn't let her go hungry and he had a bed she could use." Lislora translated hurriedly, the Aran woman seemed to hate pauses.

"He treated her as well as any paying guest and before she left, well-rested and well-fed, she reached into her little sack and pulled out a wooden statuette.

"She gave it to him, saying, 'Charity is its own reward but I have a small gift for you, for your kindness.' The carved figure of a dancing woman was unpainted, but well-made and he put it on his mantlepiece."

Isonei struck a peculiar pose as she waited for Lislora to finish translating. "My loves, the good innkeeper began to notice that in the evening, when the fire was burning, his statuette looked as though it were moving." The Aran began to make small movements as if she were dancing in place.

The children were entranced. The words they understood were coming from Lislora but their eyes were fixed on the tiny blue Duchess.

"He began to talk about it in the nearby village and his neighbors started to come out to the inn in the evenings to see it for themselves. They marveled at figurine as he did, lingering and having a drink and a bite to eat as they discussed it. One of the more clever men found a way to cover the fire so that they could try to see if the statuette was truly moving or not.

"What do you think happened when the fire was covered?" Isonei gave them an impish smile, "Have them tell me if the fire is covered or burning, they can do it in Torgan if you tell me what words to listen for."

Lislora relayed the suggestion to the children and Isonei picked up the Torgan words quickly once she'd been told them, dancing in place when the children gleefully shouted the fire was burning and freezing in place like wood when they said it was covered.

"Tell her to sit! She looks as undignified as a jester. If she can't tell her stories and rest, she can't tell her stories at all." Draeseth snapped suddenly interrupting the game.

"She's done nothing wrong!" Adareth piped up immediately and his brothers began to take Draeseth to task for interrupting the story and for speaking sharply to the delicate Duchess.

Quietly, Lislora translated just a bit for the baffled looking Aran. "Sit down, Isonei. He told the children they will not be able to play with you again if you do not sit and rest."

Instead of taking a seat in the chair Prince Ougath had left next to Lislora, Isonei sank onto the floor next to the children.

Kas came to sit in her lap with a serious expression. "I didn't think you looked like a jester."

"She's a storyteller," Ror spoke up in agreement, "a very good one."

"Yes." Hodrim nodded.

The Aran tilted her head and looked up at Lislora waiting with a furrowed brow for the translation.

She hadn't wanted to translate the insult. Frowning and glancing to the Princes who were now scolding Draeseth for making the children unhappy as well, she murmured, "She says you did not seem as undignified as a jester to her."

Pulling the girl close, Isonei suddenly looked very tired, "I thank you, Kas," speaking the words softly in Torgan and then again in Aran.

Rogath rose and came to where they sat, gently pulling Kas out of the wilting Aran's arms. "You may finish the story later, Isonei. The Princesses should be on their way to their lessons and Uncle Draeseth is in a foul mood."

"They're wonderful, Rogath. I adore them and I will be happy to tell them stories whenever they have the time."

Lislora could see the effort it took for the woman to rally and speak warmly to Rogath.

"I will make certain their Aran tutor knows. He may find it as enthralling as we did to hear you tell your tales." He gave her a warm, reassuring smile. "It's time to go to your lessons. Aunt Isonei will have to finish her story later."

"But father! She's in the middle of the story! Ror can go, I want to stay!" Kas wriggled in his arms as she protested. "I don't want to go to lessons!"

Hodrim rose from the floor and helped Isonei back to her feet. He whispered something to her but the Aran didn't understand and looked to Lislora helplessly.

Leaning, Lislora let the boy whisper it to her. "She looks so tired. I want to stay and look after her until time for the mid-morning prayers."

His thoughtfulness was warming. "He wants to go back to your rooms so you can rest and sit with him until time for the mid-morning prayers."

"I'd like that, but I need to find out why Draeseth has gotten upset. The man is exhausting and not always in a good way."

The Aran's wan smile stirred more than a little anger inside her instead of the usual guilt. Rising from her seat, she walked to where Draeseth sat, insisting he could speak with his wife any way he pleased and gave him as stern a look as she could summon.

"Your Duchesses would like to have a word with you about the respect you owe to a wife. Perhaps you can find the time to speak with us privately to avoid more insults cast across a room." Her frosty words seemed to bring the argument to an end.

She turned away to go back to the exhausted-looking Aran who seemed to be leaning on Hodrim but Draeseth caught her arm.

"I now see the appeal for Isonei in having Lislora as your second wife. I'll speak with her later to be certain you've shown your repentance to both of them." Burgath's words were somehow icily menacing and Lislora shivered.

"Do. His repentance should be expensive," the King's tone was no warmer.

At a nod from Lislora, Hodrim began pulling the tiny Duchess toward the door. The Phaethian Princess opened the door for them, speaking too quietly to make out and half-closed the door behind herself as she followed them into the hall.

After he released her arm and they had bowed and curtsied to the displeased looking King, Draeseth preceded her to the door, opening it wordlessly. The scowling Phaethian stalked away as he walked past. Lislora walked beside him a half-step behind, glancing at the boy and the drooping Duchess as they followed.

At the door, Draeseth placed his hand flat on it, not looking at them. "Take the boy to your rooms. I need to speak to her alone."

For a moment she almost obeyed but Isonei looked too pitiful. She moved to put an arm around the woman. "No. Someone has to stay and make certain you hear the things you need to hear, cousin. She's in no condition to scold you for insulting her."

He pushed the door open with a scowl and they followed him in.

Lislora had entirely forgotten about the Lerian servant until Isonei quietly spoke to him in an indecipherable language. The man took Hodrim into the study immediately.

"I will not raise my voice to you, Isonei." Draeseth moved to the sofa to sit with his elbows on his knees, glowering at the floor.

"You were in a good mood and, suddenly, you were angry and unkind. I don't know what to expect from you." The Aran's tone was almost flat.

The growling grunt he gave made Lislora flinch slightly. "It was not sudden. I was enjoying the story with my brothers and my father, but Adareth began to speak of you as a perfect woman. He was envious and said he would never have needed a second wife. When you were dancing for the children, he spoke of aching to dance with you..."

"And you took your jealous anger out on me? Again?"

Lurching to his feet, he paced around the room before coming back to growl furiously, "I could not strike the boy."

Lislora felt more than a little intimidated standing behind the woman but before she could suggest he calm himself, the Aran was speaking as if his anger didn't concern her.

"You know me, Draeseth. You should know I have no interest in your brothers. If he dared to express such a thing to me he would be gently refused and discouraged, and I would avoid him."

"I cannot allow men to think of you that way. If I cannot stop them, I must keep you from giving them such thoughts."

"Why? Why can't you let them think what they wish to?" Isonei looked genuinely baffled.

"It would make him seem weak," Lislora volunteered, hoping it would help the woman understand.

"Insulting me and behaving that way made him look strong? I would think he would show more strength by showing trust. If he must chide someone, he should chide his brother for the foolishness of thinking he could ever have my desire. I did nothing wrong."

Lislora was taken aback at the almost scolding tone and folded her arms.

"I am a jealous man, Isonei. You know this."

"I do, and I'm exhausted by it. You would be a happier man if you let go of that jealousy."

"It cannot be done." He frowned at her but moved closer. "We cannot all be as free of jealousy as you."

"Why is that?" Isonei sighed and draped herself over the arm of the chair looking tired.

"It would be too difficult..." Lislora tried to gently explain again, but Isonei cut her off with a dismissive wave.

"Did all of your strength and skill come without discipline, Draeseth? Desire is a choice and so is trust. Both require discipline to be put in their proper places."

"It is not so easy." Draeseth returned to the sofa.

"It isn't easy at all!" The Aran shifted herself so that she was leaning over the arm that faced him. "Choosing to trust isn't easy! That's why it takes strength and discipline."

For a moment, Lislora thought her cousin was going to respond sourly, but then amusement softened his face. "An Aran is schooling me on discipline?"

"Your brothers have wondered how Arans get anything done with so many lovely women, smelling like desserts, close at hand. We understand discipline in a way you don't. And for an Aran trust is desperately important."

Lislora heard the woman's voice crack slightly. Isonei covered her face, rubbing her eyes and looking as if she were ready to collapse from exhaustion.

Draeseth saw it too. He rose and lifted her off of the chair like a child and carried her into the bedroom. Lislora waited, smoothing her skirts. The woman hadn't needed someone to stand up for her, as tired as she was she'd done it herself and done it firmly. Trying to ignore the quiet sounds of conversation from the bedroom she moved to look more closely at the glass wreath. The bees even had delicate, clear glass wings. It was the most exquisite piece she'd ever seen.

"I don't know if I can have a second made," Draeseth spoke quietly behind her interrupting her contemplation of how such a thing could have been made. "I should apologize to you for my manner this morning as well."

"The only gift I would ask for would be money enough to have a knife made that's as rich as the one she gave you." Lislora gave him a small smile. "I stayed because I thought she needed help, I may just have been in the way."

"It's good that you stayed. She knows she can rely on you to support her." He sighed and glanced at the closed bedroom door. "I will make more of an effort to be less jealous. The woman is right more often than I would like to admit."

"Her words seemed surprisingly wise. I'd gotten so accustomed to thinking of her as simple in the Kroscur."

He laughed and shook his head. "She enjoys it when people make that mistake." Reaching out he took her hands and then pulled her into an embrace. "I will have a note drawn up so that you can commission a knife. I don't need another rich blade. Something serviceable and traditional would do."

"You'll get what I give you." Lislora suppressed a smile as she gave him a mildly annoyed look. Her cousin grinned broadly.

"I'll go speak to the bursar to have the note drawn." Draeseth gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead. "Stay with Isonei until I return?"

"Of course."

Her cousin left with a determined look on his face and she glanced to the closed bedroom door. The woman might be a terrible judge of character, as fond as she seemed of Halloc Aurim and Prince Burgath, but she seemed to offer good advice. If she hadn't fallen asleep yet, perhaps she could be imposed on for just a moment. She wouldn't have the opportunity as often when she was in her new rooms.

Lislora knocked softly on the door and opened it to peer inside. "Isonei?"

"Mm?" The woman somehow managed to look more awake than she sounded.

"I wanted to speak with you before I go to my new rooms." Coming into the room, she suddenly felt unsure of what to say or ask. The carefully laid clothes at the foot of the Aran's bed gave her something to focus on, however unpleasant. "He undressed you?"

"He took off my boots and overdress before he tucked me in. When he stepped out I got out of bed and took off the rest." Isonei seemed to be studying her solemnly, "Lie down and we can talk as long as you like."

"No. I..." Looking at the tired but trusting little woman, she felt the need to confess more than the need to be advised. "Krouth said that you value honesty."

"I do, even when it isn't entirely pleasant." The Aran adjusted her position slightly.

"You keep saying that-that we are dear friends or like sisters. We are not, Isonei. I like you, somehow it is impossible not to, but I would..." Opening her mouth, the words just poured out, "I would throw you and your child into the street to have him to myself."