The Honor of Duty

by A. R. Rend

  A warm hand was laid down to the back of his head.

  “I’m going to miss you, my Phillip. Phil. My son,” murmured his mother, her fingertips likely moving through his hair.

  His mother wasn’t great with showing emotions. In fact she was pretty stoic if he had to put a term to it.

  The fact that she was touching him while admitting her feelings made him rather nervous.

  “I came… to ask who it was I was marrying? Aunt Elizabeth didn’t say,” Phillip said, deciding to put his all into this marriage. He needed it to work out for his mother, if no one else.

  “I swear… my sister was always a problem. Is always a problem. Reminds me of Louise sometimes. If she doesn’t get her act together, it’s likely Jamie is going to have to move her out of the main family and into a position similar to Elizabeth’s when she takes power. Certainly did wonders for Elizabeth when I did it to her. In fact, we’re better sisters for it.”

  Oh, that’d be… different. Jamie and Louise never really got along.

  I could see her doing something like that.

  “And your wife to be… her name is Alice. She’s third in line to inherit. It’s likely her estate will end up rather large even with being down two rungs. But that’s not how the Rias family normally handles inheritance. I think Alice will surprise everyone,” his mother said, her hand now smoothing his hair down against the back of his head. “I met her several times last year while I was on campaign. She was there with her mother and two sisters.

  “She’s a year older than you but will be a good fit for you, I believe. Very intelligent, very kind. I imagine she’ll end up managing the mercantile side of their family and fully inherit.

  “They may only be the barest of landed nobility on paper, but their power, prestige, and money easily equate them to what was the duchy of Harkal.”

  Mercantile.

  Mercantile? Well. Better than… better than marrying into a warrior family, I suppose. Not a whole lot I can do there with that one.

  Though it would have been easier given it’s what I’ve known my whole life.

  I’ll need to start studying as quickly as possible to figure out what kind of goods they produce.

  Their… their imports and exports and… and what their taxes are and-

  Phillip let out a slow shuddering breath.

  He knew the day would come when he’d leave his home. Where he’d spent his whole life. But it didn’t mean he was ready for it.

  Whether it was Kathryn or this Alice he’d never met, he likely wouldn’t have been ready either way.

  But with Kathryn, I’d at least know my wife. Know the family.

  I don’t even know what Alice looks like, let alone the sound of her voice, or how she likes her breakfast.

  “Oh my boy,” his mother said, her arms wrapping him up around the shoulders and drawing him into a hug.

  Her strong and rough embrace was a reminder that while his mother dealt in trade, and handily swam with the merchant families as if she were born for it, she’d originally earned her prestige through the military.

  And continued to serve the queen in that capacity as needed.

  Unable to fight his mother off even if he tried, Phillip just let himself be hugged, and found he was hugging her back tightly in return.

  He didn’t want to leave home.

  Two

  Standing next to his father, Phillip felt rather odd.

  Normally this position was reserved for his oldest sister. Right now though he was occupying a space he didn’t feel at all comfortable taking.

  “Relax, Phil,” Jamie said, leaning down to whisper into his ear. “You’re the man of the hour. It’s only right that you stand there. It’s not like you tried to argue for it yourself. I did.”

  A small smile curved his lips as he turned his head and looked at his sister.

  She looked a lot like their mother, though taller, and even more broadly built. If ever there was someone to carry on the military name of Curis, it was Jamie.

  “And besides. If something happens, you just write me. I’ll come get you. You’ll always be my little brother, even if you marry into another family,” Jamie said, her large hand resting on his back gently.

  When his mother had been away at war, Jamie had often cared for him. Feeding him, cleaning him, bathing him, and even teaching him far more useful things than what their parents wanted.

  Like how to raid the pantry without any of the household servants noticing.

  “Don’t… don’t do to Louise what mother did to Elizabeth,” Phillip said, meeting Jamie’s eyes dead on now. “Let her grow up a bit first, okay? She’s just a little spoiled.”

  Jamie’s blonde eyebrows crawled up to her hairline slowly. Then she smiled and then laughed softly.

  “Fine. We’ll see what happens for now and… I’ll try to tolerate her. I promise,” Jamie grumbled.

  “Thank you,” Phillip said, then grabbed his sister and hugged her. Hard and as rough as he could manage.

  “Oh, Phil. Stop it. Alice’s carriage should be here any moment. The last thing she needs to see is you hanging onto your sister,” Jamie chided him, but didn’t push him away.

  Seconds passed, and he still hadn’t released Jamie. If anything he was holding onto her even more tightly.

  “Phil… it’ll be alright. I promise,” Jamie murmured, realizing he wasn’t going to let go. “We’ll see Alice and her family, talk to them, figure out if they’re a right match, and go from there. It’ll work out. Okay? It’ll be fine.”

  Letting out a shuddering breath, Phillip nodded and released his sister. Moving back into position next to his father, he looked to the slightly taller man.

  Where his mother was broad, rough, and built to fight, his father was much more like most men. Lighter, thinner, less muscular, and certainly not built for combat without a great deal of training.

  His short brown hair and pale grey eyes set him apart from the rest of the family. Though not terribly so. It was one of the reasons his grandmother had chosen him for his mother.

  “It’ll be alright, son,” his father said, turning his head and smiling down at his son. His voice was warm and low. “You know, when I married your mother, I was more or less strapped to a horse and sent off alone. Just my dowry, guards, and I.”

  His mother snorted at that.

  “Guards. They were little better than stable-hands. Your mother didn’t know what she was giving away when I lucked into you,” Clarissa said, putting her hands on her hips.

  His father, John, leaned into his wife and put his arm around her hips.

  “Only you ever thought that way,” his father said quietly, more for his mother than anyone else.

  “And I’m right. Your mo-”

  His mother’s voice trailed off as she leaned into her husband in return and whispered quietly to him.

  Phillip’s attention was broken by the sound of horses’ hooves pounding. Leaning forward, he looked down the entry way into their family estate.

  They were somewhat removed from normal city life and lived primarily in their country holding. Away from everyone and everything.

  A horse riding this hard and at this time could only be the Rias family.

  It was just odd to him though as it didn’t sound like a carriage.

  Just a single horse is what he believed it to be.

  “Rider,” said Louise at the far end of the line. “Queen’s uniform.”

  There was a general sense of unease in the family now. A queen’s rider never bode well for anyone at the Curis home.

  Given the state of the country, it was very likely this was a deployment request coming from the queen. To recall Countess Clarissa Curis, noted and respected general. Heir to the Duchy of Curis and first-born daughter to the Duchess herself.

  A war veteran and hero decorated many times before the nobility.

  Coming to a stop in front of the Curis family, the messenger seemed quite flummoxed. Looking from th
e daughters of the Curis family, to Phillip, his father, and then finally his mother, the messenger was at a loss.

  “Well?” Clarissa asked in a stern tone. “What is it you want?”

  All around her, the guards of the Curis family main-branch family were closing in on the woman on the horse.

  “Ah… dispatch from the queen. To recall General Curis and her command group to action for immediate redeployment,” said the messenger. Reaching into her leather saddle bag, she pulled out a hardened scroll case and held it out to Clarissa. “Uprising in the east. Several nobles have banded together. It’s rebellion raising its fangs to the queen.”

  “What?! How dare they!” Clarissa growled, snatching the case from the messenger. She tore the top off it and fished out the letter inside. Holding it up, she began to read over it quickly.

  “They’re already massing and have soldiers at the ready. The queen is mobilizing the entirety of the army. She’s looking to leave by tonight,” said the messenger.

  Phillip had no idea if that was what was in the message, or if the messenger was just ticking off more salient points.

  “Jamie, you’re my second as of this moment. Pick one of your sisters as your assistant. They’ll end up being your second down the road, so pick dutifully,” Clarissa growled. Rolling up the tube, she held it out to John and then looked down the road toward the entry of their estate. “We’ll just have to… make this quick. I suppose.”

  What?

  Phillip followed his mother’s gaze. Rolling down the entry way toward the house were two carriages. Both were in colors and house designs he didn’t know.

  The Rias family. But… if… Mother’s leaving-

  Phillip felt his heart quiver in his chest and his stomach flipped over.

  If his mother was leaving to war, there was no way the Rias family would want to remain behind. They’d likely take Phillip, his guards, his dowry, and be off with him.

  The chances of them being willing to sit and converse with them while the head of the household went away was quite slim.

  “It’ll be okay, I promise,” Jamie said, her hand on his back pulling him closer to herself. “It really will. Okay? It’ll be okay.”

  The messenger moved out of the way to allow the lead carriage to arrive exactly where it would be expected to.

  An older woman with dark-black hair and dark-green eyes opened the door and stepped out. Where his mother looked like a soldier slightly past her prime but still quite fit, this woman was certainly not that.

  She was clearly older than her mother, or so Phillip would judge on the gray hairs starting to show in her hair, but she also didn’t seem to have the same aging his mother did in the face.

  Over-pampered merchant?

  “Ah, Clarissa. You really do have quite the charming manse out here,” said the woman with a smile, walking over. “And goodness, your entire family really is quite lovely. You really all do have that… Curis stamp, don’t you. Just like your mother said.”

  Clarissa laughed, nodded her head, and then sighed.

  “Yes. The… Curis stamp is quite heavy. It never really seems to fade even in the cadet families,” Clarissa muttered. “I’m afraid I have to cut this painfully short, my dear friend. To the point of being rude, in fact.

  “Matilda, I just received a deployment order from this messenger here. You might be turning around with Phillip in tow even just as you’ve arrived.”

  Gesturing at the messenger nearby, Clarissa then took the message from John and held it out to the other woman.

  “You’re welcome to read it. There’s nothing secret in there. Though I would hope in reading it, it would assuage any hurt you feel over my departure before we even have a chance to talk,” said Clarissa.

  “What…?” asked Matilda, taking the paper and unrolling it to read it. “Oh… oh, goodness. This… we’re at war.”

  “Yes, its full rebellion. Eastern estates. Looks like it’s Karen and her bunch, if I don’t miss my guess,” complained Clarissa. “And now… now I have to hand Phillip off to you without even a dinner party. I’m… I’m so sorry, Matilda.”

  There wasn’t even the possibility of them simply waiting, or having his father host the dinner. His mother had just suggested that he’d be given over, and they’d all go their ways.

  Sighing, Matilda shook her head and looked genuinely upset about the news.

  “I had really looked forward to having this little get-together,” Matilda grumbled, handing the missive back to Clarissa. “I thank you for sharing this with me. As your son’s mother-in-law, I thank you for the respect shown to me.”

  “Of course, Matilda,” Clarissa said with an easy smile. “Now… I can offer some wine for the road, and some pastries and warm food. But I’m afraid I must saddle and depart. The queen calls for my sword. Immediately.”

  “That’d be wonderful, actually. If you don’t mind?” Matilda asked with a smile.

  “Not at all, not at all. Please. You’re family now after all. I’ll have everything brought out,” said the Countess, turning to catch the eyes of one of her personal aides.

  The message was clear.

  Do what I asked and now. And the aide knew it.

  They were off in a flash, practically sprinting for the house.

  “Phillip, this is Matilda Rias,” Clarissa said, laying a hand to the other woman’s shoulder and directing her toward Phillip. “She’s now your mother-in-law and the head of the family. This’ll be once the marriage is observed, of course.”

  “And that’ll be the day after we arrive back home,” Matilda said, unloading a wide smile on Phillip. “I’ll have you and Alice in the second carriage along with a chaperon for you. Perhaps someone from your guard?”

  Phillip blinked at that. Everything was going too fast for him.

  Turning to his mother, he didn’t know what to say or do.

  She nodded her head minutely but said nothing.

  Realizing he was now on his own, Phillip smiled in return at Matilda and dipped his head toward her.

  “That would be most welcome, thank you… Mother. I appreciate the courtesy,” Phillip said.

  “His guard is already assembled and ready for travel,” his mother finally added. “I picked them personally from volunteers. They’re all very well trained and know their business. They’ll defer to your house guard in all matters excepting of course Phillip’s safety. I already had his dowry shipped off via armed courier to your home. They’ll likely arrive the day after you get back home. I had them take back roads.”

  You… what?

  This was all already… done. There was never going to be any possibility of breaking this.

  Even if Alice is an evil dog-monster, there was never any backing out of this.

  Was there.

  Still smiling, Phillip pretended that he hadn’t realized what his mother’s words meant. Instead he merely looked back to the second carriage waiting behind the first.

  Sticking out of the window was a young woman’s upper torso. She had dark-black hair that fell down behind her back and shoulders. Green eyes that almost seemed crystalline in the sun.

  And a curious look on her face like she wasn’t quite sure what she was looking at.

  Phillip thought she was certainly on the “cute” side from what he could see of her already. Admittedly he couldn’t get a full picture of what to expect from just this.

  “Jamie, get Phillip in the carriage. I’ll speak with Matilda as I ready myself, and then we’ll be on our way,” Clarissa commanded as she turned away, walking away with Matilda. John followed along placidly, saying nothing. If he had anything to add about Phillip departing, he seemed determined to not say it in front of others.

  Jamie came up to him and gave him a warm smile. Except he knew it was forced. Forced and fake. Put on display only to convey a feeling to him that everything was well.

  “Alright, come on, little brother. Give me a hug. Sounds like you’ll be on your way and so will
I,” Jamie said, grabbing Phillip up in a bear hug.

  “Don’t be angry about Father. You know how he gets. He’ll be up late brooding and upset that he didn’t say goodbye to you,” Jamie muttered. “You’ll probably get a letter about it in a week.”

  That… sounds almost too correct honestly.

  Looking around he realized Louise had slipped away at some point as well. As had the rest of his sisters.

  Madeline, Abbey, and even Francis. Not one of you stayed.

  He was alone with Jamie. The rest of his family having fled, vanished, or disappeared.

  “You know they’re too young to understand,” Jamie said, starting to guide Phillip over to the second carriage. “They’re as different in age to you, as you are to me.”

  Their mother’s campaigns and constant war had kept her away from their father, making their children’s ages have some rather interesting gaps in them. Louise was barely a teenager, while Phillip was already seventeen, and Jamie twenty-two.

  “Will you write me once you have a fiancé? I want… I want to be there,” Phillip asked even as his sister kept him moving.

  “What? Me? Marry? Ha,” Jamie said as the young woman who’d been watching Phillip ducked back inside the carriage. “No one will want to marry your big sister. Too strong. And I pick my nose. I fart, too.”

  “So does Mom, Dad loves her,” Phillip argued.

  “Yes, yes. And Dad is a saint. Now, up we go,” Jamie said, pulling open the door to the carriage.

  Looking inside Phillip found that there was only one occupant. If there’d been anyone else in here, they’d departed before he’d even realized.

  “Hello,” Phillip said, looking at the young woman he’d seen earlier.

  “Good afternoon,” said the woman, eying Phillip. “You would be Phillip Curis?”

  “Indeed. I assume you’re Alice Rias?” Phillip asked, getting his foot up on the first step and grabbing the door frame.

  “That I am. You’ll be my husband,” Alice said, then gestured to the bench across from herself. “Come. Let’s get to know one another since we’ll be maritally bound together.”

  Great… she’s about as warm as a snowball.

  Why couldn’t it have been Kathryn. She was warm, kind, caring.