by TylerRose.
At the far end of the next runner, in a pair of tall golden thrones with shorter, more comfortable seats, were the Emperor and Empress. Shestna’s father and mother. The Emperor’s eyes were on her the entire approach, scrutinizing and appraising. His thoughts were unheard, however, and his eyes unreadable. She suspected no one ever knew for certain what he was thinking.
“Royal Father,” Shestna bowed low. “Emperor Encito of all of Voran, it pleases me to present to you Lady Tyler, my Seven-Day bride.”
“Perhaps this one will become a permanent bride, my First Son?”
Shestna said nothing, giving her a bit of a nudge to move forward when his father reached a hand out to her. She gave him her left, and an infinitely soft set of fingers slipped up her fingers and around her wrist and pulled her closer and down. Within two seconds, he’d pulled her down low so that she was off balance. She resisted and his soft hand turned to iron around her wrist. He pulled her farther.
“The Feralina will kneel,” he said, quiet but firm with their eyes nearly level.
Feralina – Feral female. Untamed.
Unaffected by her angry expression, he waited for her to comply and stop pulling against him. He waited for her to yield and put her knee to the floor. Only then did he grasp her other hand to raise it even with the first. His keen eyes scanned up the rows of bangles, silently counting to be sure there was one from each child present who was old enough to have them. He reached his right hand out to the side and another bangle was placed in it. He slid it over her left hand. A solid gold bangle with raised gold script made with molten gold.
“These others welcome you into the family as my First Son’s wife. This one declares you are my daughter as if you had been born of my First Wife. Regardless if you are released on the seventh day or if you marry my son permanently, you are my First Daughter.”
He saw the ruby and pearl ring on her index finger, the string of beads around her neck.
“Of all these jewels you wear, which is the most important?” he asked.
She thought about it a moment, wondered if he was setting a trap. She decided she didn’t care. She would give her own answer, not one he might expect. She showed him the ruby and pearl ring on her left index finger.
“This one.”
“Why?”
“Because it contains all I have been and will carry all I will be through the future. Everything else is who I am in this one moment and may never be again.”
He smiled and pulled off one of the silicone tips protecting a nail. He looked more closely at the nail itself, saw the thin sliver of razor tip. His sharp eyes bore into hers with knowledge and she recognized something in him. Couldn’t name it, but she saw it.
“Normally I would insist your claws be trimmed,” he said, slipping the tiny tip back on. “This cost you significant time and money. I also know and understand your reasons for it. I would not disarm you for the sake of tradition.”
He released her wrist—released her—and Shestna offered a hand to help her stand. They stepped to the right and he bowed again.
“My mother, our Empress, Alila.”
Who was smiling as big a smile as she could. She had the peach coloring that showed in Shestna and the reds in Dorn.
“It pleases me immensely to finally meet the woman my First Son has been so ardently protective of these last months. It will please me further to have you at my left hand while we dine, that we may speak between ourselves.”
Shestna bowed to his mother and they stepped aside to let the rectangular table be brought in. Placed before Emperor and Empress, the next servants brought in large charger plates. Behind them, a line with two glasses each. Then utensil carriers. Last, the chairs. Everything was done with military precision and efficiency.
Dorn and Pisod also joined the table, Pisod seated around the corner from Tyler. Dorn was opposite their father, Shestna at the Emperor’s right hand. Wine and water were poured by another set of servers. Almost immediately on sitting, Alila had Tyler’s hand and would not let it go through the wine pouring. Tyler could feel she was a kind and generous woman. She loved her children, wanted only their happiness in life. She flirted with her husband through private jokes about their eldest son’s inability to marry permanently. The old Emperor flirted back with equal affection.
Across the table from each other, Tyler and Shestna shared an eye contact. She knew he often had to endure this humiliation. They all did. It was the prerogative of the Emperor to chide and tease his children on any subject he chose and it was their place to bear it.
Over this table, words were not so loud the court could hear. Only those at the table would know what was said, but that was quite enough. Other tables were far enough back, and low to the floor that they heard nothing unless the Emperor wanted them to. The family was sectioned off, as Alila pointed out to her.
Males on the left side of the Emperor and Empress, from this end to the back end of the chamber, oldest to youngest. Sons, husbands of daughters, cousins and nephews, grandsons and great grandsons. All served in some capacity. Males had jobs to perform, from Chancellor down to floor mopping. Princes swept floors and took out the trash all over the palace to earn their keep. There was no free ride here. It made good economic sense, rather than letting them laze about doing nothing while citizens performed the duties.
“Some of my Emperor Husband’s great grandchildren are older than his own sons,” she cackled to herself.
Women pregnant or with smaller children were on the other side and toward the entrance, where the noise of the little ones would not disturb their Emperor Father and Grandfather while they ran around in the corner and insisted they weren’t hungry. They were the younger wives, older daughters who were married, nieces and granddaughters, and great granddaughters. While they had young children, it was their job to tend young children.
Younger children too old to be in the rear but not yet married or given a position within the court were closer to the middle where their father could keep an eye on them. Older wives were closest to his right, behind Shestna. Those who had born the Emperor sons had earned the honored place closest to their Emperor Husband.
“I understand your Earth was attacked by a man very similar to the one who came here those thousands of years ago. A very special man was there, prepared to destroy him, as we had special men?” Alila asked.
“I wasn’t there to see it,” Tyler said, keeping herself as neutral as possible in this onslaught of conflicting energies.
“You lost family, yes?”
“Empress, please. Leave it lay,” Pisod said quietly across the three foot wide table.
His darting glance to Tyler and then sideways to Shestna was enough to clue Alila in on the delicate nature of that topic.
“Forgive me, daughter. It was not long ago enough to be dinner conversation. How are you enjoying your new home?”
“It’s not home,” Tyler said, feeling an odd heaviness gathering in her head and staring a hole through Shestna to tell him she’d really like to leave now.
[We cannot until after the meal,] he replied.
She picked up the glass of wine and drank far too much of it in one gulp.
“Of course Voran is your home. You are First Daughter. You have a home here with Shestna and you are provided a residence for your use whenever you have need of it. It’s a lovely little villa in Shestna’s Principality that has been kept open and ready whenever he should finally take a permanent wife. I think it will be you in the end, so you may as well have it now.”
A plate was set on top of the charger already laid and someone came behind to refill her wine. She didn’t recognize anything on the plate, didn’t like the smell of any of it, and chose to drink the course instead.
Conversation now was at the other end of the table, with the Emperor asking if the situation had been consummated already, since it only happened a few hours earlier.
“I smelled you on her but that doesn’t mean anything. Have you?”
“Yes, Father. It is seen to.”
“Was it witnessed?”
“No.”
“Dorn will return with you and remain until he has witnessed.”
“It’s not necessary, Father. She cannot conceive.”
“Why not?” the Emperor asked in surprised tones.
“Because she is of Sistarian heritage. She is too young to conceive.”
“How old is she?”
“Nineteen. She has a couple years yet before she can conceive, if ever, so there is no need to witness a coupling.”
“You bend too many traditions for her,” the Emperor accused. “You’ve not done the public appearance in your city to collect rings to present to me. You’ve not done the feasting ceremony. Now this, and you’ve come too late for worship service.”
“You already know why, Father. You said it yourself when you called her Feralina. Untamed woman. Concessions need to be made if you wish her to be a friend. Believe me when I say you don’t want her to be an enemy.”
“I know that. I saw her fingertips. I both pity and envy the man she uses those on. I have no doubt of her passions.”
The first course taken away, a second was brought in. Another dish she didn’t recognize and didn’t like the smell of. Rather than get another refill on the wine, she poured half her water glass into it and sipped more slowly. Paused in his conversation, Shestna looked down the table and saw her untouched plate.
[You must eat, Femina.]
[Give me something edible.]
He said nothing more. He’d not remembered to check the menu.
“Are you unwell?” Pisod asked quietly as the second course was taken away and the main placed. “You don’t look right. What is wrong?”
“My head is pounding out of my skull.”
“I think I know the problem.” He turned to the other end of the table. “Father, with your permission I will escort Lady Tyler to Shestna’s rooms. She is not well and I think it is the crystal so near after the worship service.”
Encito’s eyes scrutinized her once more. “Very well. I will see you both for the worship service in the morning.”
“Yes, Father,” Pisod replied, both of them already standing as servants pulled their chairs back.
He took her on his arm, felt her lean a little too heavily on him. He couldn’t get her out of there fast enough. To the left outside the door, he hurried her through the section of corridor that went by the crystal chamber. Still, her head went thick and her legs weakened until they were past the room. Confirmation of his suspicions. Up the stairs, continuing down the long corridor and through into the next building, Shestna’s apartment was on the right.
“Where’s the toilet?” she said, nausea rising hard and fast.
“Through there,” he pointed, following fast while she all but ran to it.
Gold bracelets fell with a jingle to the floor as she flung them off her arm. A step later, the other arm’s worth fell to roll in all directions. She made it to the sink in time and vomited all the wine in one shot. Dry heaves for a moment until she could make them stop. She rinsed her mouth out.
He took her to the bed, took her shoes off and the hair comb out. A Neverseen appeared with a small dish and washcloth. Pisod wiped Tyler’s face. A glass of ice water was next.
“We’re farther away from the crystal now. You should feel better in a few minutes,” he told her.
“I can feel it backing off but it’s pounding through my eye and temple.”
He lifted the glass of water for her.
“Is that distilled?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Was the water on the table distilled? I didn’t even think about it.”
“Probably not,” he replied. “It probably made you sick in conjunction with the crystal.”
She sighed, tears leaking from closed eyes. “Pi?”
“Yes?”
“I’m having a very bad day.”
“I know you are,” he sighed. “I’m very sorry for it. Be seen Neverseen.”
“Your wish, Master?”
“Dim the light. Bring water you know is distilled, and ice made with distilled water.”
“At once, Master.”
At once it was, the bottle of water and bucket of ice appearing within a minute. The gold bracelets appeared in the next second, picked up off the floor and placed into five stacks with the Emperor’s ring on top in the middle.
Pisod put several cubes into a glass and filled it halfway with the water. She lifted to an elbow to sip. It turned her stomach in seconds. He was fast enough with the first dish brought, dumping the water to the floor and getting it under her mouth in time. Nothing came out but that sip of water and stomach fluids turned pink by the wine.
She fell to the bed when it was done.
“This is the first time in my life that I have ever vomited.”
Knocking on the door interrupted Pisod’s response. He opened it to see the palace physician, sent by Encito to tend the new First Daughter.
“It is two-fold,” Pisod informed him. “She is an off-worlder and was given regular water rather than distilled. She did not have much of it, fortunately.”
“Is she always this pale?” the doctor asked, arriving at her side.
“She is more so than usual, but yes, she is very pale already. The second problem is the Emperor’s crystal. She is highly telepathic. The oppression of the crystal contributed to muscle weakness and nausea.”
“Who was the stupid foolwho gave her undistilled water?” Emperor Encito demanded aloud in the silenced chamber after the physician had made his report.
A row of men stood to the side, heads bowed in mortification to learn of the mistake.
“The server who tended her and Pisod,” Alila replied. “But the supervising server should have known better also.”
Her eyes accused him harshly.
“Your Majesty is correct as always,” the head server bowed. “I have no excuse. I did not pay enough attention. It is entirely my fault.”
“No, not just yours. The server should have remembered. Everyone at the table should have remembered, including her husband,” Encito said. “Everyone is to blame for allowing her to be served undistilled water. What has been done for her comfort?”
“I gave her a pill that will work to counter the effects of the water as it works its way through her system,” the physician said. “Also a few hard lozenges ginger to use as needed to quell the nausea. She must rest today and remain in bed. She should not exert herself until it passes. I expect she will be well in the morning. I will visit her then to be sure.”
“Very good. We thank your excellent service.”
The physician went to other patients in the palace and Shestna stepped forward.
“May I go to her now, Father?”
“You will apologize to her profusely for this gross negligence.”
“I will, Father,” he bowed again, and retreated from the chamber.
If the crystal’s energy hadn’t been so potent, he would have teleported from the spot. He had to leave the audience room and go around. Reaching the rear of the front building, he was far enough away that he could teleport without impediment.
Lights in the front sitting room were low. The bedroom was dark.
“Pisod?” he called.
Two seconds and Pisod was in the doorway of the bedroom.
“She’s asleep. The pill made her drowsy.”
“How bad is it? The doctor is cryptic at best.”
“She vomited when we got here. Then a sip of distilled water set her off again. She’s lying upright on pillows and there has been no further purging.”
“When did she drink water? She never picked up the glass,” Shestna said.
“She did. She poured half of it into her wine. She did it so casually I didn’t give it a second thought. I am sorry for that, Royal Brother.”
“Don’t be. Father has already scolded the entire court for
allowing it. Thank you for taking care of her. Go about your evening. I’m here now and I won’t be leaving.”
Pisod went reluctantly back to the big court chamber, bowing to his father from the door and taking his place along the side with brothers and nephews.
“She’s rather a weak thing if a sip of water can do that,” one of the others was scoffing to his group.
“That weak thing will lay you on your ass with a single move,” Pisod cut him off. “And can kill you with a thought. Be grateful our Emperor Father already held the worship.”
“All that and she still needed you to go protect her on K’Tran?”
“A warrior is no warrior without enemies, cousin. Where are your enemies? That’s right. You don’t have any because you’ve never left the palace grounds.”
Pisod approached the Emperor to bow and request permission to retire for the night.
“You may. While she is here, I expect you will accompany my First Daughter wherever she goes and assure that such mistakes do not happen again.”
“I will, Father,” Pisod bowed, and swiftly left for his own room.
His chamber was in the same building as Shestna’s but one floor up and farther to the rear. Close enough to respond quickly when needed.
Changed into night clothes, Shestna took his vidpad to bed to catch up on messages while watching over his unwell bride. Julian had left several messages, the last insisting Shestna call him immediately because Tyler wasn’t answering her phone.
“She’s not answering because her phone is at my home and we are at my father’s palace,” Shestna said when Julian answered his phone.
“She was supposed to be back,” Julian replied. “I have another girl waiting for her.”
“She will have to wait longer. Tyler will not be back for six more days.”
“Six days? What happened?”
Shestna left the bed for the other room so he could speak more freely, and told Julian the story of what had happened.
“Your father made her First Daughter above his own flesh and blood daughters?” Julian had to question. “Permanently? An off-worlder? Even if you don’t stay married?”