Kros Voyeh Ch. 20

"She'll be healthier for her next child and we will all pray that she has less difficulty."

He inclined his head, "Of course, Lady."

"Has she been able to eat anything?"

"She woke only long enough to lift her head and cough. Halloc Urroth tried to speak with her but she fell back into sleep as quickly as she'd woken."

Lislora frowned at the door, "Prince Draeseth can't bear to see her that way."

"It's hoped that if she hears a familiar voice that she'll wake more fully. Kamrus Rimathe has been visiting to speak with her, but she didn't know him for long. The maid might have been a good choice but she was too easily upset."

"Master Krouth may be a good choice." Lislora rubbed her eyes and looked to the windows in the hall. "He's taken care of her during her illnesses here in Torga and she looks at him as family. I'll see if he can be spared from his duties."

The priest cleared his throat. "He discusses her treatment with the Hallocs and argues with them. The man is difficult."

She struggled not to smile. "He is, but he knows her and he's tended her through terrible illnesses. She'll find his presence a comfort."

They stood in silence until the door opened a short time later. Draeseth came out looking grim and Lislora thought his eyes looked damp. She stepped toward him with concern and he pulled her into an embrace wordlessly for a long moment.

"Krouth will be sent to sit with her." He said quietly before pulling away to offer his arm. His walk was purposeful as he took her back toward the King's entrance.

Once back on the palace grounds, she risked asking, "How was she?"

"I expected her to be better." His jaw clenched and he shook his head not slowing as he moved toward their rooms.

Once inside them he brushed her arm off of his and beckoned Krouth into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Mes looked at her curiously.

"Isonei woke and he went in to see her but... I think something was wrong. He won't tell me anything other than he expected her to be better and that Krouth will be sent to sit with her."

Something struck the closed bedroom door loudly.

"Did-did you see her?" Mes stared at the door.

"No. A priest stood outside with me and asked questions about whether I thought she might have asked for the poison or whether I might have poisoned her to have her put aside." Lislora gave the woman a rueful shake of the head as she turned to gape, "He wasn't subtle. If the Halloc wasn't more gentle with Draeseth... he would be upset from seeing her ill, it would put him in a mood."

The Munian woman nodded and rubbed her arms, "I'd expect them to be more gentle with him. He isn't a man you want to see lose his temper."

A knock came at the door and the maid moved to open it, immediately.

"Your Highness."

Lislora turned to look as she heard the greeting.

Adareth ventured into the room walking with a stick and a rueful smile. "I've been told to get out of bed and walk short distances. I thought I might walk to dinner with you..." He glanced around for Draeseth with a frown.

"He's speaking to Master Krouth. I think something was said to upset him when he visited with Duchess Isonei."

"How is she?" The frail-looking Prince made his way to a chair.

"I was told she woke briefly but his Highness didn't think she looked well. I waited outside the door so that he could have a moment with her."

"Fetch him." He gestured at Mes.

The maid looked almost ill as she made her way toward the bedroom door. At her timid knock, it came open and Krouth peered out coolly.

"Prince Adareth wishes to speak with his brother."

The sour servant fetched a small basin of water and a cloth from the washing room before Draeseth came out. Lislora thought his eyes were vaguely tinged with green as if he'd spent a moment weeping. His face was grim and angry.

"How is Isonei?" Adareth stood slowly leaning on his stick.

"Awake." He cleared his throat, "She looks the way you did the first morning we had breakfast with you after your injuries."

The younger Prince winced. "What did that Phaethian wretch give her?"

Draeseth hesitated, "Isonei said that Kresh claimed it was veorola and that the wretch wanted father's favor. The tea was bitter and the first sip made her dizzy, she refused to drink more. My wife tried to leave the room but-" He cleared his throat loudly and rubbed at his eyes, "The Phaethian bitch called for her servant and poured the pot down my wife's throat nearly drowning her with it.

"The priests are certain there was more than veorola in the tea but the slave claims not to know what herbs she was given to make the tea with."

Adareth paled, "You don't think..."

The larger Prince's jaw clenched but he said nothing.

"Father adores her, he wouldn't go so far even if he were angry with her."

"If his Majesty gave any approval," Krouth interjected cautiously, "it would have been to give her Grace a small amount of veorola, knowing how pliable it makes her. Allowing it would have been unwise of him, Phaethians cannot be trusted. The blame would still fall on her Imperial Highness."

Lislora nearly stumbled as she moved to the closest chair and sat. It didn't bear thinking about. A Duchess poisoned with the King's permission under his own roof. Shivering, she lifted her eyes to look at her cousin.

"I want to go home. And I want to take her with me."

"I can send you, my flower." Draeseth shook his head, "Isonei is required to stay for the bouts. Prince Andnaeuth has been invited and Prince Arrun will wish to meet them both." He scowled at the door. "She may ask you to stay, she'll need a woman's care. They hadn't told her of-of the child."

"She didn't know?" Adareth looked baffled, "How... How could she not?"

"She'd only just woken." Lislora took a deep breath and looked at her cousin's bitter face. "They made you tell her."

His teeth made an unpleasant sound as he gritted them, but it didn't stop his eyes from dampening.

"There's a reason mother is very selective about which priests she speaks to, brother." Adareth approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Some of them are cruel. If there's anything I can do for you..."

Draeseth seemed to make an effort to soften his face, putting his own hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "I thank you, brother. Watching his wife's heart shatter in her eyes is nothing a husband should be forced to do."

Adareth took a step back and Lislora was surprised to see him wipe away tears. "I can't believe father is making us eat at the table with that horrible woman."

Rolling his shoulders back, her cousin gave a growling grunt that startled his brother, "I promised not to kill her at the table. I have to wait until after the meal."

The slim Prince broke into a grin, "I'll make certain she wants to leave early, brother."

°°°°°°°°°°

The walk to the dining room was at the frail Prince's pace, something the younger man seemed embarrassed about.

Lislora gave him a reassuring smile, "If I knew how to coddle the way Isonei does I'd try to do it for you, your Highness. She'd know what to say to make you forget your step was a little slower than usual."

Adareth gave her a mildly annoyed look, "She would."

"I can't imagine she treats you any differently than her own brothers. If I didn't know better I'd swear she's known you for years."

That made him smile and incline his head, "I've never met anyone like her. I'm glad she was brought from Ara." He gave Draeseth a sour look, "Even if she only thinks of me as a brother."

"She adores you. I was told that Arans were attached to their families, I hadn't realized she would steal my brothers if I kept her from hers."

The younger Prince laughed. "Her heart is so open and she's so gentle-natured, brother. I wouldn't have expected her to appeal to you."

"Father enjoys pointing out that my silver Duchess has a disposition like my mother's." Draeseth shrugged giving his brother a rueful smile. "She was always cheerful and affectionate."

"That's what I want in a wife." Adareth sounded so earnest, Lislora had to suppress a laugh.

Draeseth, however, made an amused sound, "I didn't know you were looking for a wife. Your mother may have someone in mind for you."

"I'm not ready for one yet." The blow he landed on Draeseth's arm seemed light but it made the larger man grin. "I'm deciding what I want. How long did you have to look to find your wives?"

"I wasn't looking."

Lislora gave him an annoyed frown.

"It's true." Her cousin rubbed her hand on top of his arm. "I wasn't looking for a wife when I found my first Duchess, but I knew before I took her to bed that I wanted her to be mine. Choosing to marry you was a more measured decision, my flower, but I wasn't looking for a second Duchess when I found one either."

His smile faded as they approached the dining room door. "This will not be a pleasant meal."

"No, cousin, but I'll be next to you." She squeezed his arm.

"I'll do what I can for you, brother. For Isonei." Adareth straightened himself and smoothed his tunic before preceding them in.

As they entered, the Phaethian Princess was already seated, looking sour, next to Rogath.

"I was beginning to think you needed to be fetched." King Orgath smiled at both of them slyly, "But I didn't want to interrupt you."

Lislora could feel her face flushing, as her cousin made a loud sound in his throat and answered, "Isonei woke. I spoke with her and sent Krouth to sit with her. It was pleasant to walk with Adareth to dinner afterward. If a man has brothers he has a well of strength to draw from."

The young Prince sat proudly and inclined his head.

Princess Kresh snorted derisively but before she could speak Rogath's hand seemed to crush hers to the table.

"How is the little Duchess?" The King inquired as Draeseth led her to her seat.

"She looks as Adareth looked the first morning we had breakfast with him, after he was injured."

His Majesty winced much as Adareth had. "From the way the priests spoke, I expected better."

"She looks much better than she did, your Majesty." Lislora risked joining the conversation. "She no longer looks like a bloodless corpse. For her to be awake and able to speak at all is miraculous."

"I would know what was given to my wife," Draeseth spoke in a low growl and Phaethian woman swallowed nervously.

"Veorola shouldn't have harmed her-" the woman began but stopped as Draeseth struck the table and rose from his seat, the Phaethian pinned her eyes to the table.

"There was more than veorola in that tea, the priests are certain of it! If you had not intended to murder my wife and child you would not have poured the pot down her throat!"

Lislora latched onto his arm to keep him from rounding the table. The silence after his raised voice was deafening.

"Be seated." King Orgath spoke after a moment. "One outburst can be forgiven. A sizable portion of her Imperial Highness' allowance has gone to the Temple to be used for healing in the Duchess' name."

"I'll have my mourning clothes sent so that the woman has something to wear." The Queen offered warmly. "She's a proud and aristocratic woman, a fine addition to my retinue."

Clearing his throat, Draeseth inclined his head, "My Isonei holds you in high regard, your Majesty. She will be grateful."

"Her regard is fickle," the tattooed woman huffed pulling her hand out from beneath her husband's.

"She spoke of your admirable qualities the night before you poisoned her." Lislora rubbed Draeseth's arm as she spoke, directing a stern look at the woman, "But she said the more she learned about the Phaethian Empire and the way slaves were treated she couldn't bear to be near you. Duchess Isonei is soft-hearted and she refuses to tolerate cruelty."

"I would expect her high opinion of Princess Kresh to have changed." Adareth inclined his head to Lislora. "Isonei is the first and only person I've met who can see good qualities in anyone. She might have been able to change the Court opinion of you if you'd tried to stay in her good graces, your Imperial Highness."

Princess Kresh's face contorted in fury and she lapsed into a vicious sounding steam of Phaethian words.

Adareth leaned forward as he answered in a frigid tone. His Majesty tried to intervene lifting his hand and speaking firmly to his youngest son, but the Queen stopped him in a tone similar to Isonei's sickeningly sweet one. Ougath opened his mouth but before he could speak the Phathian spat something else and rose from her seat.

Draeseth rose as well with a grim smile and spoke in a voice that was more a growl than anything else. The grey woman paled and took her seat again.

Silence descended and servants came to bring the platters. Lislora watched as Princess Kresh tried to refuse the food offered and her husband put it on her plate regardless with a scowl and a hissed command to eat.

When the platters were brought to their end, her cousin very thoughtfully filled her plate as he filled his own as she'd seen him do with Isonei. Reaching below the table she squeezed his thigh and earned a faint smile.

°°°°°°°°°°

Lislora gestured for Mes to fetch wine as Ougath followed them into their rooms.

"I thought I might laugh aloud when you told her you had promised not to kill her at the table and asked how many men would be escorting her back to her rooms."

"Father was not as amused." Draeseth made a sour face. "I was told I would be excused in time for the prayers."

"If Isonei is awake and doing better you can stop attending all of them, I think, brother." Ougath settled into a chair and glanced around, "That servant of yours is usually hovering... Perhaps he attended the prayers in your stead."

"I sent him to sit with Isonei." The larger Prince sat heavily in a chair as well. "She woke calling for him and afraid he'd been harmed."

Lislora took a seat near her cousin, frowning in bafflement. "She wasn't upset about being attacked?"

"In the bouts last year, young Lord Celaugh woke from his injuries unaware he'd fought." Ougath leaned on his arm.

"It took a moment for her to remember what had happened." Draeseth frowned toward the empty doorway. "That Phaethian bitch still insists she was asked to bring the tea. She told Isonei it was veorola and she would have father's favor for getting the name."

"I suspected as much from the way he reacted when Lislora told us." Ougath shook his head. "He wasn't surprised until he learned it had been poison. I think he's still uncertain if it was or not. Isonei is known to have strange reactions to benign things."

"The Hallocs believe there was whoreweed in the tea amongst other things." Leaning forward, Draeseth folded his hands and scowled down at them. "That bitch intended to murder my child and most likely my wife. If father gave her the ability to do so..."

"Isonei should have given him what he asked for. It's not as if it were a great deal to ask or difficult to give."

"If I have to be concerned with my wives being poisoned or my children murdered under my father's roof-"

"If he gave permission to give her veorola, which would have harmed nothing, as poorly as it's turned out I don't believe it will happen again. But..." The younger Prince rubbed his head, "I'll support you if you want to take your wives and leave before the bouts in the interest of Isonei's health. If he's at all responsible he won't argue too strenuously.

"And I think most of the men who've assembled would be grateful if you chose not to participate this year. I've heard they're drawing straws for who has to face you and considering putting it off on the men returning from service in Phaethia."

Her cousin made an amused sound. "I had looked forward to fighting this year but I would be more content with my wives safely at home in the Kroscur."

"I suggest waiting until Burgath returns to broach the subject. He'll support whatever Isonei wants. I think she chose you for the challenge."

Draeseth smiled faintly, "She was taught that a man with a temper is passionate and stubbornness is a virtue."

"Now I understand why she likes you best." Ougath grinned and opened his mouth to say more but the door opened.

Mes hurried in with the wine and an upset looking Hodrim in tow.

Rising from her seat, Lislora beckoned to the boy to come to her, "Is something wrong?"

"I went to visit the Duchess after prayers. Master Krouth only let me in briefly. She isn't-isn't doing well." The boy came to her and she embraced him, rubbing his back for a moment.

"What did Krouth say?" Her cousin put his elbows on his knees and covered his face, leaning into his hands.

"He said that she began weeping after you left and when she stopped she looked as bad as she had before and they couldn't get her to wake. When they tried to give her milk she vomited in her sleep." Hodrim took a juddering breath, "Why-" his voice broke and Lislora hushed him pulling his head against her bodice.

"We should have tried to insist on attending the prayers." She gave her cousin a tired look but his face was still buried in his hands. "Cousin?"

He rose abruptly and stalked to the bedroom slamming the door behind him.

"I don't envy you," Ougath muttered as he came to his feet. "I'd bet a good horse, he'll be in a mood for days. Father will send him to fight it out tomorrow to give you some respite."

Eyeing the door she shook her head slowly, "Let him spend the morning with me. I'll do what I can to lighten his mood." Lislora looked back at the now speculative Prince near the door, "Isonei does it better but I know a few ways myself from our childhood and she taught me a little of what she does."

"I'll make certain you aren't interrupted." He inclined his head and left the room.

"Mes, look after Hodrim. He can stay here with you tonight if he needs comforting."

The Munian woman held out her hands to the boy with a reassuring smile. "Master Krouth won't mind if you sleep in his bed."

Hodrim released her and rushed to the maid, wrapping his arms around the pale woman's waist. Holding him much as Isonei had, Mes kissed his head and rubbed his back.

"Master Krouth will make certain she recovers, Master Hodrim. You'll see. He once scolded a man with one leg into getting up and walking."

The boy lifted his head and gave her a peeved look, "He did not."

"He did!" The woman guided him back toward the servant's chamber, "I saw it myself!"

Lislora took a deep breath, Hodrim at least would be distracted and cheered by morning. She knocked on the bedroom door before opening it. "Draeseth? Husband? I..."

Her cousin was seated on the bed holding the knife the Aran had given him with tears streaming down his face. "I'm being punished. Taking a second wife-" He choked on the words.

"Cousin..." Coming to kneel in front of him and putting her hands over his on the knife, Lislora looked up at him earnestly, "Ganas wouldn't punish you that way. You know how she is when she's unhappy. It just proves she wasn't deliberately starving herself, food doesn't stay down when she's upset."

She let him pull her up into an embrace, despite her wariness of the naked blade. He held her tightly, pressing his face into her bodice as she stroked his head. Giving him the knife tonight wouldn't be well received, it would have to wait.

"Krouth is with her, he'll look after her. We'll attend the prayers tomorrow and speak to him afterward. She'll be well and we can all go home soon."

Rubbing the back of his neck she offered, "I asked your brother not to have you fetched in the morning. He said your father will want to send you to spar but I would prefer to comfort you rather than send you to beat some poor man until you feel better."

His grip loosened and he lifted his head enough to look up at her, "You would prefer to have me here in a mood than to send me to fight?"