She again reminded herself they’d had to rely on one another, had no one else to turn to for years. And those years hadn’t been easy. Jin had mentioned earlier that day, when she’d asked why her siblings didn’t have separate rooms, how they had nightmares when separated. They only ever seemed completely at ease when they were within reach of the other. Aviur had only said a few words about the master they’d had immediately after getting out of Gaulois, but it had painted enough of a picture to tell Azara plenty. Being left in a windowless room with only each other when not “working” had left far more than the visible scars. They didn’t say much, but the little she’d managed to get out of her siblings told Azara all she needed to. It explained why they seemed so comfortable in the palace. She wouldn’t leave them as slaves any longer than necessary. “Is there anything I can get for you two, before I leave?”
Two sets of eyes went to her. Aviur offered a half shrug but it was Anali who spoke. “No, we have everything we need here. We’re treated well.”
Azara nodded then frowned. “Why haven’t you worked towards your freedom? The emperor says it’s something he lets people do, but you’re still slaves. Haven’t you been able to do it yet?”
Anali looked over her shoulder at Aviur, the two grimacing almost in unison. They both turned to her and Aviur took his turn to speak. “We’ve never asked to do that. We’re fire mages. If we did buy our freedom, it’s only a matter of time before someone enslaves us again. As his celestial majesty’s slaves, we have more protection than anywhere else. No one would make an enemy of him and the empire. We’ve made ourselves very useful, enough that he would take offense to those who try to harm us.”
“It doesn’t stop everyone.”
Anali sighed. “There are always fools. It doesn’t happen often, but some assassins feel they need to get rid of us before attacking his celestial majesty. There are a handful of others who target us directly. Some of the free mages feel we’re in the way of their advancement. Another reason we don’t wish our freedom at this moment. The in-fighting among the free mages is far worse than that of the slaves.”
Stroking the scar on the back of her hand, Azara couldn’t refute her siblings’ points. She wanted to, to release them to be whoever, whatever, they wished, but she couldn’t. Not yet at least. When she found their parents, when they could be a family again, she was sure she could convince them. But for now, it was safest to leave them here. The emperor had been very solicitous in letting her know they’d be safe. In a way, he’d given her a hostage of her own in the form of Jin.
“Then, if anything happens, try and get word to me and I’ll come as soon as I can. No matter what it is. I don’t want you to be in danger or afraid ever again.”
That got smiles out of both of them. “We are used to taking care of ourselves.” Aviur wrinkled his nose at her.
Anali mock-pouted. “She doesn’t trust us. What have we ever done to deserve that?”
Azara raised her eyebrows. “I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with the pie incident. Or the time both of you tried to follow me into the woods and got lost.”
Aviur stuck his nose in the air. “As I remember it, you’re the one who got us lost.”
“I told you not to follow me.”
“You should’ve known better.” Anali shook her head sadly.
Azara smirked. “Says the girl who got her tongue stuck to water pump in the middle of winter.”
Tapping his chin thoughtfully, the sidelong glance Aviur gave Azara fooled no one. “Unless I’m completely mistaken, and I don’t think I am, didn’t you once try to make yourself a flower crown out of roses? And got your hair so tangled in the thorns Mother had to cut it out?”
“Ha! I’d forgotten that one!” Anali grinned.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Azara leaned back. “Two against one is hardly fair odds.”
Aviur smiled. “Hey, you’re older.”
“But not bigger anymore. You win that one.”
Her brother chuckled, Anali joining in a moment later. Azara grinned at both of them, feeling for the first time that she really had her siblings. But she already had to leave them. Only the thought of finding their parents and reuniting the whole family made it worth it. She could only hope she did find them.
* * *
Azara glanced down at the travelling corset and glowered at the thing. She’d managed to avoid corsets this far, Pocale had a more relaxed fashion sense, but evidently no woman of any worth went without one in Nalbin. So here she was, stuck in one.
The rest wasn’t too different from what she was used to, though she didn’t bother with a crinoline either, except when attending the highest of events. This one was thankfully thin, designed for comfort while travelling rather than dramatics. The camisole was very much the same as her usual ones though a bit finer.
Rather than the more severe-looking but far more comfortable walking suits of Pocale, Azara was finalizing the underthings before she put the full dress on. A dark plaid, the gown was made of linen, with a high neck and long sleeves. Until they got out on the water, Azara was certain she was going to roast in the thing.
There was some fumbling as she got the dress on and tightened properly, but in the end, Azara thought she looked presentable. She eyed herself in the small mirror on the scuffed dresser before she turned her attention to her hair. Several pins and curses later, her hair was up and she was able to fix a straw bonnet on top of it. Thin grey gloves completed the outfit.
Packing the rest of her things into the small carpetbag, she checked that her reticule was closed, before she walked out of the bedroom of the inn into the sitting chamber. Furnished in clean, though slightly worn furnishings, it was the kind of place people like them would be expected. Jin was dressed in his tweed suit, red tie, hat, and carrying a walking stick. She stopped, unable to not stare. It was quite a contrast from the dark blue robes she was used to. The vest fit him very well indeed, the jacket shifted enough she could see how the under layer showed off his trim waist.
Azara pulled her eyes up to his face. She noted he’d left his hair long in contrast to Nalbinian fashion, pinning his braided queue up much the way she had, his hat likely to cover it most of the time. Not that it mattered at the moment. “Are you ready?”
Jin ran his eyes briefly over her. “Yes. You look Nalbinian.”
She raised eyebrows. “That’s the point of these ridiculous clothes, isn’t it? You look less of the Empire as you are now.”
He grimaced before he smoothed it out. “Our trunks and merchandise should already be at the ship.”
Azara grabbed her parasol from where it leaned against the wall. “Shall we be on our way?”
Jin waited until she joined him before offering her his arm with a little bow as he took her carpetbag with the other. She gave him a look, but put her hand into the crook of his elbow and let him open the door for the both of them. He led the way into the narrow hall and down the wooden stairs then out the front of the inn where a mule cart waited for them.
Azara let Jin hand her up into it, knowing it was expected even as it annoyed her. She was capable of climbing into it on her own. She was fairly certain she could drive the cart, but a young woman from a merchant family in Pocale wouldn’t do such a thing.
Jin joined her, stowing her carpetbag on the floor in front of them, giving the driver their destination. The cart jerked into movement, the rhythmic clopping of the mule’s hooves relaxing in a way. “Do you think the weather will be calm for our voyage?” It was a safe enough question, Azara thought.
“I can’t be sure. I’ll ask the captain when we arrive.”
She nodded. Silence grew up between them, neither glancing at the other, eyes locked ahead at the scenes of the city. The sky was pink, the sun not fully above the horizon yet. But the warmth promised a hot afternoon. The sea
breezes would be welcome, especially if they remained gentle.
As much as she didn’t like the idea of being trapped on a ship in the middle of water, Azara couldn’t help but think this really was the better option. There were more bandits as well as it being a slower go over land. But out on the water, there was only so much she could do, she didn’t have the same retreat options she did if they’d gotten a cart and horses.
In the end, neither of them said anything else until the cart slowed itself down by the docks, finally coming to a stop in front of the area designated for the larger ships. Again, Azara accepted Jin’s offered hand and let him help her out of the cart after he’d paid the driver. He took her bag and hand, leaving her other free to carry the parasol.
He walked slowly but with confidence towards the third ship, a massive boat with four masts and a smokestack. Azara wasn’t sure she liked that. She’d always been wary of the new steam technology, especially on something like a ship, with so much wood that could catch fire. Still, it would likely shorten their journey.
Up the gangway they went, Azara’s eyes taking in the mass of activity on the main deck, men running back and forth, up into the masts, and down below, sometimes carrying things, sometimes not. She was impressed none of them ran into the others. A short, bow-legged man stepped towards them from the right, a board with paper clipped to it in one hand. “May I help you?”
Jin spoke before she could. “I am Verryl of Renaud House, and this is my wife, Azara. I believe we are expected.”
The man offered them a little bow. “Of course, sir. I’ll have you escorted to your room.” He turned to look over his shoulder. “Decha! Show these two to the second guest cabin!”
A younger man with a mess of black hair and a nose that showed it had been broken at least once came running up to them, shirt sleeves pushed up over his elbows. He gave a quick bow. “If you’ll follow me, sir, ma’am.”
He moved quickly, dodging his crewmates who hurried this way and that, nearly losing them when they weren’t quite so quick to move around people. Decha stopped in front of the steep stairs that led below deck. “Captain’ll speak to you tonight, he’s invited you to dine with him. That’ll be at six and someone’ll be by to let you know.”
Jin nodded. “The Captain is most kind.”
Decha wrinkled his nose, but didn’t say anything else before scurrying down the steps. They followed more slowly, Azara’s eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dim light. The wood around them was clean, though weathered enough you could tell this wasn’t the ship’s first voyage. In a hall so narrow that it required them to walk single file, they moved down to the left, where there were five doors.
The door closest to the end of the hall to the left stood open, Decha bouncing a little as he waited for them. “This here is your room. The key’s inside. You can join us crew in the mess or get food from Cook and bring it here, but you’ll have to bring your own dishes back. If you’ve got questions, ask someone.”
Before either of them could say anything, Decha took off, scampering up the stairs and disappearing. Jin and Azara exchanged a look that didn’t need words before walking into their new room. It was smaller than the room Azara had been given in the palace, with one bed that would just fit both of them, one of their trunks tied onto a small platform on the ground, and a tiny porthole.
Jin set her carpetbag down and shut the door behind them. Azara sat down on the edge of the bed, wishing already that there were two. There was no helping it. It was time for their masquerade to begin.
Chapter Nine: Cultures
Jin watched the woman sit on the bed, not pleased with the size of it, or the full realization that they’d be sharing it for the next few days. Longer, if they ran into any weather or pirate troubles. This would be the longest continuous stretch and most time in total he’d spent around one woman. One not related to him at least.
Still, they were alone and had the time people would assume they were using to settle in. They might as well put it to use. “We should discuss how we’ll proceed once we dock in Nalbin. We have only covered the basics.”
She looked up at him, her eyes disturbingly like Anali’s, though far more direct. “Should be simple enough. First we find an inn, it’s what everyone will expect of us. From there we can both search for the kind of market we need, and make inquiries about renting space. If we split up, we can cover more ground. Once we choose the best venue, we start trading the general teas, but let it slip periodically that we have speciality teas with different effects. Then let people approach us.”
Jin frowned. Her plan had sense to it, except for a rather large problem. “We can’t separate.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Why can’t we?”
He stared at her, wondering how she could be so dense. It wasn’t as if she was unfamiliar with Nalbin. She was aware of what language they spoke, and if she knew that, she should have a general idea of what the place was like. “You’re aware that women are not permitted to do business, correct? Not business outside the home with the exception of that which is...not respectable.”
The woman’s eyes widened. “What?”
He inhaled sharply and glanced around, motioning for her to lower her voice. “Women do not conduct business. They don’t hold property, positions or power. They’re seen as belonging to their fathers, husbands, brothers or other male relatives as the situation demands it. I had thought you were aware of that, planning to come to Nalbin and all.”
She shook her head, her hands opening and closing, her mouth working. When she did manage to speak, her voice had a rough edge and a muscle in her cheek jumped. “No, I wasn’t aware. How are we supposed to work now?”
As much as he wanted her to call the whole plan off, Jin wasn’t about to disappoint the emperor. “Our plan remains as it was. I’ll appear to be your husband, and there will be many places you will be expected. For two starting out in a strange city, and being from such a different place as the Empire, I imagine your help will not be seen as too amiss. Though you will not be able to hold any market stall yourself.”
She took a deep breath, eyes closing. When she exhaled, she opened them and met his gaze. “I’ll need to see how markets are run first, to see if that’s something we can do. The less we stand out as being from the Empire, or from a culture different from Nalbin’s, the better. If I’m truly not allowed to do business—” she gritted her teeth “—then I will support from the back of any shop or stall. That will allow me to hear while staying mostly out of things. Preparing packages of different weights of tea and different mixes shouldn’t appear out of place to others, I don’t think.”
Jin nodded, glad she saw the sense of things. He’d half thought she was going to insist on doing what she wanted, regardless of how she appeared to the locals. His obvious connection to the Empire would be enough of a hurdle without adding in a wife that didn’t fit the mold of Nalbin. “With time and research, I’m certain we can find a variety of things for you to do that will fit what is expected and allow you to gather information.”
The woman snorted faintly. “I hope so. Now, before we continue, it appears I need a run-down of Nalbinian culture. If I’ve missed something so glaring, I can only imagine what else I’m ignorant of. The fewer missteps we have, the easier our work will be. Tell me what you know.”
While he didn’t care for the imperiousness of her tone, Jin did give her some credit for realizing that she was lacking in this area and working to rectifying. That was something some of his magi could stand to learn. “Nalbin is ruled by a king and a council of lords, though in reality, the council holds more power as a whole than the king. The upper class is primarily made up of lords, with some extremely wealthy merchants having made their way in as well. The middle class contains merchants, landowners, craftsmen and the like. The poorer class is, as expected, the day labourers, rat catchers and sweep
ers. Below them are slaves. They are more of a status symbol, kept only by the wealthy.
“The upper class, and because of them, the lower classes to a certain extent, value their history, sexual restraint, law, order, dignity and morality. Their own Nalbinian interpretation of all these values, of course. Men are to lead, remain stoic in all situations, be rational and treat women with delicacy. Women are to remain in their home, only leaving with a male relative, are to obey the male head of their family, and are seen as emotional, sensitive and caring. They’re expected to remain pure and modest.”
The woman rubbed both temples, her eyes closed. “Thank you, I can imagine the rest for now. I’ll likely have questions later. This certainly...complicates matters. I had thought I’d take the lead in negotiating and finding the types of places we need, but as that would make us stand out, I’ll have to settle for an alternative plan.”
Jin frowned, but before he could ask what she meant, she opened her eyes and met his gaze. “I’m going to need to teach you as much of what I know as I can before we dock. We’ll also need to develop a system so I can communicate in public with you without anyone knowing, especially since you shouldn’t publicly use your magic unless there’s no choice. No matter how useful your truth spell is.” She sighed. “I have a feeling we’re going to run into far more trouble than either of us previously thought.”
As much as he wished it were otherwise, Jin couldn’t disagree with her. What had seemed to be a small hill had turned out to be a mountain as they got closer. He could only imagine what they would find when they reached Nalbin itself.
* * *
Securing the last button on one of her more formal dresses, a cream-coloured creation with trimming of maroon that was better than her daywear but nowhere near some of the evening dresses she’d been given, Azara cleared her throat. “You can turn around now.”
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