by M. Gregg Roe
Wilawin sounded slightly annoyed as she said, “That was unnecessary. Please keep Lady Audrey entertained. I will have Valura bring some drinks and food.” Wilawin turned and looked directly at her. “Are you receiving Shorinken combat training?” she asked.
“Yes, and it’s incredibly painful.”
Wilawin smiled ever so slightly. “So it is. But I believe you will find it worth the pain.”
“I hope so.”
Wilawin nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.
“Are you one of Grasapa’s students?” asked Ermiana suddenly, startling Audrey.
“Uh … yes. For about four months now. How old are you, Ermiana?”
“Four years, four months, and five days,” she answered instantly without any change of expression. “How old are you, Lady Audrey?” Now she was smiling mischievously.
“Seventeen. I’ll be eighteen in … one month and three days. I think.”
Ermiana laughed and clapped her hands. “Where are you from? You don’t sound like you are from the Witch’s City.”
Audrey stared at the girl. No one had ever told her that before. Ermiana was clearly very intelligent, and she wasn’t acting like any four-year-old that Audrey had ever met. “I’m from a small village called Farmerton,” she explained. “It’s about thirty miles north of Rohoville.”
Ermiana looked thoughtful. “Farmerton. Farmer town. Did you come here because you didn’t want to be a farmer?”
“Yes. I didn’t want to be a farmer’s wife, so I came here.”
The girl walked over and climbed into one of the overstuffed chairs nearby. “Mother says that I need to learn more about the common folk,” she said with a serious expression. “Will you tell me about Farmerton?”
“Of course.” Audrey walked over and sat opposite the girl. “What do you want to know?”
Ermiana grinned, making her look like the child that she was. “Everything!”
♦ ♦ ♦
It was over two hours before Ermizad, Almera, and Cinda came to the sitting room. Audrey had spent the entire time speaking with Ermiana about Farmerton. The girl wanted to know all kinds of things. What types of crops did they grow? How was the village governed? Where did they obtain things like clothing and utensils and cookware? Where did they get their water? How old was Farmerton, and how did it start? Audrey did her best to answer the questions, but she simply didn’t know the answers to some of them. It felt to her that she was being quizzed by an adult, not talking to a small child. Ermiana’s vocabulary was as broad as any adult’s.
The look on Cinda’s face when she walked in told Audrey all she needed to know. She jumped up and hugged her friend. Ermiana ran up to Ermizad, who lifted her daughter up and hugged her with an expression of delight. Almera introduced Cinda to Ermiana, thanked Ermizad, and the three of them took their leave. They soon exited the castle, finding it warmer due to the bright sunshine.
Almera explained what had happened as they walked back. “Ermizad is going to issue an edict banning arranged marriages, but it probably won’t be until next year. She may also take action against existing arranged marriages, but I’m not sure that is wise.”
Cinda nodded. “I agree, Lady Almera. That may indeed be too extreme.”
Almera looked slightly sad as she said, “Cinda, you can’t go home. Otherwise, your parents will try to marry you off before the edict takes effect.”
“I understand. I do not think that I will ever be able to return home, and I have no wish to. I shall find my own way.”
“I know you will, Cinda. You have acted very bravely, and you handled yourself well this morning.”
Draymund was back at the mansion when they arrived. He told them that Cinda’s parents had indeed reported her missing and now knew that she was staying with them. Over lunch, Almera described what had happened in the meeting with Ermizad. After lunch, Cinda excused herself, saying that she was tired and wanted to rest.
After Cinda had left, Almera told them, “This isn’t over. Cinda’s parents are going to be furious. As are a bunch of other wealthy and pompous idiots. This is going to cause a great deal of turmoil, especially if Ermizad decides to dissolve existing arranged marriages.”
“Can she really do that?” asked Audrey.
“Yes. She has an advisory council, but her word is law. Fortunately for us, Ermizad is not an evil person.”
“Okay.” Audrey sighed. “Cinda wants to be independent, but she has no practical skills at all. She’s doomed.”
“I’m not so sure,” said Almera. “She seems quite resourceful for a spoiled rich girl.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Audrey spent the entire afternoon working on her dress. Cinda was tired and spent the afternoon sleeping—or so Audrey thought. The four of them ate dinner together in the kitchen. Afterward, they went into the parlor with some hot cider.
“Cinda, do you want me to try to obtain the rest of your clothing?” asked Draymund. “And what about your jewelry?”
She thought for a moment before answering. “The jewelry rightfully belongs to the family and should remain. My garments are of no use to them. Perhaps you might inquire politely about them.”
“All right. I’ll go over tomorrow and speak with Jozef and Louisa.”
“Thank you, Lord Draymund. Do you truly believe that my parents will part with them?”
“No,” he replied. “Of course not. But there are other ways of obtaining them.”
Cinda was confused, but Audrey could see exactly where things might be heading. All of Cinda’s clothes would be stolen (and probably a number of other items as well), and it would then turn out that due to an unfortunate error, Cinda’s parents’ Novox insurance had lapsed. Novox would apologize, and maybe even issue a refund or return some things, but Cinda’s clothes would somehow be misplaced. They would then mysteriously reappear in Draymund and Almera’s mansion.
Almera spoke up. “Cinda, I am throwing a party on the last day of the year. Would you care to assist me in planning it and writing the invitations?”
Cinda broke into a smile. “I would be most happy to, Lady Almera. That is something in which I actually possess some skill.”
“Good. We can start tomorrow morning.”
“That is fine, but I wish to spend the afternoon at Xlee’s Martial Arts Academy. I would resume my Shorinken training.” Audrey was thrilled and she smiled at her friend.
Almera said, “That will be fine. I know how much you and Audrey love your training.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Cinda was annoyed by the route that Audrey took to get to Xlee’s Martial Arts Academy the next day, but she was also excited to be going back. The two of them went straight to see Grasapa and explained what had occurred. Grasapa told Cinda not to worry about her tuition until things were settled, but Cinda told her that it wouldn’t be a problem. Audrey was concerned; Cinda clearly didn’t understand how little money she had. She was still thinking like a rich girl.
After their respective lessons, they returned to find that Cinda’s clothes had been sent over to the mansion that afternoon. Draymund had been surprised when Louisa immediately agreed to his request. Almera suspected that Ermizad had sent word to them to cooperate. Even they weren’t foolish enough to flout Ermizad. Audrey was surprised when Cinda simply picked out a small selection of cold weather clothing to add to the wardrobe in her room. She left the rest in the trunks they had arrived in.
After dinner that evening, Cinda told them she was tired and retired to her room. The three of them went to the parlor with some hot cider to have a serious discussion about their guest. As much as she wanted to help her, Audrey could already see trouble coming. Cinda had never lived without servants, and she was already tired of explaining things to her. Living with Cinda was going to be trying, and she feared that it would only be a matter of time before they were fighting again.
“Well,” said Draymund. “First a peasant girl moves in, and now a spoiled rich girl.
Maybe we should open a school for wayward girls.”
“Very funny,” replied Almera.
“I am not wayward,” corrected Audrey. “I’m an unwanted fiancé.”
“Seriously, what are we going to do about this?” asked Almera. “Somehow, I don’t think Saxloc is going to be happy to find that yet another teenage girl has moved into his home. I’m not sure if we can wait for the edict to be issued.”
“Can we dump this on Ermizad?” Draymund asked. “Move Cinda into the Witch’s Castle?”
“No. That is not really an option. She wouldn’t fit in there at all. She only really fits in with the conservative old money types.”
“Are there more?” asked Audrey. “I mean more girls like Cinda who want out of arranged marriages. I guess there might also be boys.”
“There probably will be soon,” replied Almera, sounding resigned. “This is going to cause a great deal of trouble.”
“Let’s focus on Cinda,” said Draymund. “She is our concern at the moment. The reality is that we are not a typical rich family. We have no live-in servants. Almera cooks and then cleans up the kitchen afterward. We bathe ourselves. We dress ourselves. We brush our own hair. Cinda is not used to any of that. It’s not her fault; it’s just the way she was raised. She is probably going to have far more difficulty adjusting than Audrey did.”
“I think you’re right,” agreed Audrey. “Cinda’s smart, but this is completely foreign to her. And you forgot to mention that she has no idea of what things cost.”
Almera sighed. “It may be that the best we can hope for is for some friend of hers to take her in. Does she have any close friends, Audrey?”
Audrey frowned, remembering that Cinda had sought her out to talk to rather than one of her friends. “I really don’t think so. There are rich girls that she mentions going out to eat with sometimes, but I get the impression that she really doesn’t like them.”
“You are correct.”
It was Cinda’s voice, and Audrey was startled to see her standing by the entrance to the parlor. As Cinda walked up to the three of them, Almera quietly asked, “How long have you been standing there?”
“That is of no import,” she replied. “You have spoken truth. Audrey is the only true friend that I possess at present. Those others are not true friends, and will scorn me now that I have defied my parents.”
She looked both sad and resigned as she paused to think. “I shall never return to dwell with my parents. I am eighteen-years-old, and I am now free to marry who I wish. Or to not ever marry. I must needs stay here for a time, but I have already made arrangements. I shall depart the first day of the new year.”
Audrey was surprised, and she could see that Draymund and Almera were also. “What do you mean?” Audrey asked. “What arrangements?”
Cinda had a look of determination as she answered, “I wish to eventually live on my own, but I lack both skills and money. I require a place to stay, and employment that will allow me to accumulate some wealth. Yesterday, I interviewed at Desires. They made an offer of employment and I have accepted. I have signed a contract.”
The revelation shocked Audrey. She realized that Cinda had actually gotten the idea from her. Then she remembered that there was an item in the information that she had been given that didn’t apply to her, but it did apply to Cinda.
Draymund was showing a slight smile, but Almera just sat quietly with a stunned look. Suddenly, she stood and yelled, “Have you lost your mind, girl? You will be a prostitute!”
“No!” replied Cinda angrily as she crossed her arms in front of her. “I will be a courtesan! I already possess a portion of the skills required. I lack the sexual skills, but I would rather learn them from Desires than some troll! I pray that Lady Ermizad truly abolishes arranged marriage, but this way is certain. My family will forever shun me, but I will be free!”
Almera sat down and put her head in her hands. “Cinda, you just don’t understand. You will regret this.”
“Perhaps,” she replied. “But it is my choice, not that of my parents.”
Cinda turned and walked out. Audrey followed her, and when they reached the guest wing hallway, she said, “You promised them your virginity.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes,” she replied proudly. “It is mine to give, and it will earn me a great deal. Your virginity earned you a trip here, did it not?”
Audrey smiled sheepishly. “Yes, I guess it did. We are two of a kind, Cinda.”
Cinda gave her a hug and said, “Yes, Audrey. We truly are.”
♦ ♦ ♦
The next time the two of them went to school, Audrey was thrilled to see Erwin standing outside waiting for her. Cinda promptly made a small bow and said, “Master Erwin.”
He was smiling as he nodded and replied, “Mistress Cinda.”
Cinda went inside, and Audrey asked, “How was your trip?”
“It went well, but there are some things I need to tell you. I’m only back for a short while. I’m going to be helping to oversee the construction of our new facility in Rohoville. There’s even talk of putting me in charge of it when it starts operation.”
Audrey knew she should be happy for him, but she was very disappointed. She wondered how much it cost to travel to Rohoville. Maybe she could still see him. She forced a smile and said, “That’s wonderful, Erwin.”
He frowned slightly as he said, “There’s more. I met a young woman during my trip and we are seeing each other.”
“I … uh … see.” She felt a twinge of anger and jealousy. He’s dumping me!
Erwin held up his hands with a look of concern. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I still like you, Audrey. We never agreed to be exclusive.”
That was true, but she still wasn’t happy because they had never discussed it at all. He had simply made that assumption. But he had been willing to tolerate her strange living situation.
“Okay,” she said. “I understand. There have been some changes here while you were gone.”
She quickly summarized what had happened with Cinda, and he was astonished. “My family has never had arranged marriages, so I’m not sorry to hear that they are going to be banned. I just can’t believe that Cinda is going to be a courtesan!”
“I’m still having trouble believing it myself,” she admitted. “I … uh … need to go for my lesson.”
“I really am sorry about this, Audrey. Please come to see me if you are in Rohoville.”
“Okay. Goodbye, Erwin.” She felt hurt and confused.
“Goodbye, Audrey.”
Audrey rushed inside and went to change. It wasn’t until Nissa asked her why she was crying that she realized just how upset she was.
♦ ♦ ♦
It was two more days until Saxloc returned from his trip, and they were busy days for all of them. Audrey neglected her reading, focusing instead on completing her dress and not thinking about Erwin. Cinda worked hard helping Almera plan the party and write invitations. Draymund accepted a dragon-slaying commission and departed, promising to return before the end of the year.
But the two of them didn’t neglect their training at Xlee’s Martial Arts Academy. Grasapa was surprisingly understanding when Cinda told her about her plans. Cinda was going to have to stop attending school for at least a month while she underwent her initial courtesan training, but she fully intended to resume her classes after that. Kora was delighted when she heard the news.
The morning after Cinda told them of her plans, Almera announced that she was going to go visit Desires. Audrey promptly confessed about her own interview and job offer, fearing that Almera would learn of it from Aurelia. Almera sighed and shook her head, but she said that she understood Audrey’s reasoning. Almera was impressed by her visit to Desires. She spoke with Aurelia, and Lilina gave her a full tour and allowed her to speak with the courtesans. After that, Almera accepted Cinda’s decision.
Audrey and Cinda were sitting in the parlor sipping warm rice wine when Saxloc return
ed that evening. He was wearing his chainmail and sword, and they had heard him dropping his backpack and hanging up his cloak in the entryway. He walked up smiling to where they were sitting in front of a roaring fire.
Cinda promptly stood and bowed before saying, “Welcome home, Master Saxloc. How fared thee on thy trip?” Audrey simply nodded and smiled.
He laughed and bowed back. “You are always so formal, Cinda. The trip was great. How are you two?”
Cinda sat back down. “We are well, Master Saxloc, but much has occurred while you were absent.”
“I did hear some odd rumors. I’m going to go change. Then I will come back and you can tell me about it. I’d like some of that wine as well,” he added.
When he returned a few minutes later, they had a chair pulled up and a cup of warm rice wine waiting for him. Audrey quickly filled him in on recent events, but she didn’t mention Cinda’s future occupation. When she finished, his expression was serious.
“I hope that things work out for you, Cinda,” he said. “I’m glad that my parents decided to help you. I have never approved of arranged marriages.”
“I am most grateful,” she said. “To your parents, and to Audrey, who is a true friend.”
Audrey smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Cinda.”
Cinda smiled mischievously as she asked, “Master Saxloc, do you wish to take my maidenhead? There will be an opportunity quite soon if you possess sufficient funds.”
Saxloc was speechless as he began to turn red. Audrey laughed and said, “That was cruel, Cinda. But she’s not completely kidding. Cinda will be employed by an establishment called Desires starting next year. One of their clients will be taking her maidenhead.”
He seemed to be in shock. “I’ve heard of that. I know of Desires, of course, but I wouldn’t dare go there while I’m still living at home.”
Cinda nodded. “Lady Almera was most wroth with me, but I would not be dissuaded. Becoming a courtesan at Desires should prove the quickest means of fulfilling mine own desire for independence.”