by A. R. Rend
I mean… well… actually that… that’ll probably work. Getting hammers cheap and practically having them on hand at any fortification… for any engineer… or a grunt with time on their hands.
Yeah, I could actually see that working out.
“Smart girl there,” Phillip said, putting his chin in his left hand. “I think that’ll work out rather well.”
“Right? I think so,” Lenore said, blushing prettily. She idly flicked a hand across in front of herself as if brushing the whole thing aside. “Anyways. That was the most interesting one today. There were others but none like that. How was your own day?”
“About what you’d expect I’m afraid. Not much of anything and far too much nothing. I begin to fear I’ll wear down my quill nibs before the month is out. I do far more letter writing now with naught else to do,” Phillip admitted.
“What? Nothing at all?” Lenore asked, sounding somewhat frustrated and surprised. “Where’s Alice?”
“In her room I imagine. She told me she’d see me at dinner and that was that,” Phillip murmured, his voice dropping much lower. He didn’t really want to share that information aloud if he didn’t have to.
Lenore was different, but he didn’t really know the others in the room.
Scowling, Lenore shook her head and then actually pouted.
“That’s so rude. When was the last time you saw her?” Lenore asked.
“Uhm, yesterday at dinner,” Phillip replied easily. He’d already had a similar thought.
Turning to the left Lenore stared hard at a young group of girls that weren’t far away. They looked to be invested in some type of paperwork they were all working on.
Phillip got the impression they were eavesdropping, however.
“Lauren, Heather, Michelle. You can go help Sarah. She needs assistance,” Lenore commanded.
The three named girls looked to Lenore, hesitated then collectively got up and moved to the other side of the room.
Lenore holds power over the younger generation.
More so than I’ve seen from anyone else.
Watching the girls move, Lenore turned back to Phillip and let out a sigh.
“I’m sorry, Phil. I told Alice that I thought what she was doing was stupid. That you’re such an intelligent person with great ideas. That you obviously just want to support her but she’s not giving you that opportunity. That I think she’s squandering an easy and available resource that costs her nothing,” Lenore muttered.
“Well. Be that as it may. That’s my lot for the time being. I’ll continue on as I have and do what I can,” Phillip said as congenially as he could. “I’m sure this is just her being nervous. That and with the war breaking out and wanting to make the best deals she can with the information available.”
Smiling, Lenore didn’t look quite convinced of that, but she didn’t seem as if she wanted to argue with him about it.
“Come on, let’s go to the back garden. It’s rather nice out there at this time and it’d be a lot nicer waiting there for dinner than in here,” Lenore said, suddenly standing up.
Whatever thought had popped through her head had demanded an immediate change of scenery.
Realizing he had nothing holding him here, he nodded his head.
“That’d be great,” he conceded.
Right now, he was just happy to have someone to talk to that seemed to understand him.
***
Walking back into his private room, Phillip felt considerably better.
He’d spent the entirety of the evening talking with Lenore. Learning more about her, her family, and the city. Of course he’d shared quite a few stories of his youth and growing up with her as well.
To the point that they’d talked right through the dinner bell, through the meal, and well past the point that everyone was long since finished.
She’d snuck him into the kitchens, helped him steal a basket of pastries and meat pies, and escaped with him back out into the garden.
Where they’d spent the rest of their time together eating and talking some more.
It’d been the single best experience he’d had since arriving here.
“There you are.”
Somewhat startled, Phillip looked up from the point on the ground he’d been staring at as he considered the day.
Alice was sitting on a couch, one leg crossed over the other. Some sort of ledger was in her lap.
She was dressed in what was likely her dinner clothes.
“Ah, yes. Here I am,” Phillip agreed. He wasn’t sure what exactly to do in this situation. He’d never honestly expected to find Alice waiting for him like this.
Except he didn’t feel like this was a cause for celebration. It felt more like something was the matter.
“And where were you before you were here?” Alice asked, her eyes locked onto his own. Practically drilling into his mind with their intensity.
“Eating and talking in the garden,” Phillip admitted. He had no reason to hide his actions. He hadn’t done anything illicit or shameful. He’d spent the evening eating with his sister-in-law in clear view of anyone passing by.
“In the garden,” Alice murmured, one hand lying over the top of the ledger.
“Yes, in the garden. In the backyard. Why? Is it off-limits?” he asked. After talking with Lenore for so long, he was actually rather annoyed at Alice at the moment.
He knew less of his wife right now, than he did of Lenore.
Through no fault of his own either.
“No. It isn’t. I just… was expecting you at dinner,” said Alice, an odd tone creeping into her words.
“My apologies. My understanding was dinner, while formal, is not an affair that is required attendance,” Phillip countered.
He’d already bent over backwards for Alice today. More so than either he or Lenore felt like he should have.
Or… or is that Lenore talking?
Maybe I should take a step back. Her anger at Alice wasn’t my own.
I was frustrated and felt neglected, certainly.
But not anger.
Sensing that her current track wasn’t going to yield her any results, Phillip could practically see it when her mind make the mental leap to change tactics.
Just because he wasn’t aggressive as some people, as direct, didn’t mean he wasn’t observant.
“That’s very true. You’re absolutely right, husband,” Alice said, giving him the flat smile he’d come to expect from her. “I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the gardens. They’re very well maintained and have a beauty all their own. How’d you find them? Just exploring?”
Lenore will likely bring it up to Alice at some point.
Hiding it now would only make it worse later.
“Lenore showed me it. Along with a number of the displays. It’s quite lovely,” said Phillip.
There was a pause in Alice there at her sister’s name. Almost as if her mind hit a bump in the road and the carriage of her thoughts veered off wildly.
“Yes, Lenore would certainly show you those. She loves them quite dearly,” murmured Alice, folding her hands over the ledger. “She was also your dinner companion?”
“She was, yes,” said Phillip with a nod of his head. “She’s been most helpful in acclimating myself to this new life. Very helpful. Comforting.”
“I’m so glad to hear that. I can’t imagine this transition has been very easy for you. Especially with your mother going off to war with a good number of your family in tow,” Alice said with a small shake of her head.
“That’s… yes. I’m doing what I can to not think about that and just… keep moving. It’s all I can do, you know?” Phillip asked as his heart tried to settle down. It’d skipped hard at the mention of his family going to war.
“I can certainly empathize, yes,” Alice said, her eyes slowly moving back to the ledger in front of herself. As if realizing what she was doing, she flipped her gaze back to Phillip. “Well! I had a long day myself. So I think I’m going to turn in for
the evening.”
Nodding his head, Phillip wondered if Alice would even bother to ask him to join her in bed. Or to join him in his bed.
On some level he was hoping she would. Hoping she would want him.
Need him.
“Goodnight,” Alice said, getting up and moving off to the door that led to her own part of the apartment.
“Goodnight,” said Phillip into the silence that followed after.
Six
Phillip turned the page of the book with one finger, his eyes scanning across the hand-written words.
Perhaps the only good thing about the Rias home was that they didn’t seem to worry about the costs of books. The library was filled with a number of them and as far as he could tell, more were added frequently.
Or so he guessed from the simple fact that a number of the books he found were ones he’d never heard of, but were quite new. The ink, paper, and binding all felt rather fresh to the touch.
Shifting around in his chair he leaned to one side resting his head against the head rest.
When he reached the end of the page he realized he hadn’t read it at all. He’d been lost in his own thoughts.
It’d been a week since he’d arrived at the Rias manse now.
One week, many letters sent, only a single night spent with his wife, and very little for him to occupy his day with.
He hadn’t been introduced to the mercantile social sphere in the city. Nor had he been brought around to visit allied families or friends.
In fact, he felt more like a bird in a cage at the moment. Locked away, forgotten, and left to its own devices.
Frowning, Phillip let the book close and then set it down in his lap.
I can’t let myself continue like this. I need to find something to do. Something to occupy my mind. Keep my hands moving, keep myself growing.
Nodding his head, Phillip found that he needed to rely on himself, to keep himself happy. No one else was responsible for his happiness, only he was.
“Ah! There you are!”
Startled out of his thoughts, Phillip looked up from the corner of the library he was inhabiting.
Lenore was heading his way. She was dressed in a rather lovely tunic and pants that actually complemented her hair and coloring.
It also did nothing at all to hide any part of her figure. For the first time in his memory he got a very clear view of Lenore’s hips, waist, and torso.
And found she was actually quite lovely.
She had a slim waist, a chest wider than he expected, and hips that had a fullness to them. All in all, she had a superior figure to most women he’d ever been around.
Damn me, how long has she been hiding that and why?
She’s not even fully grown, either.
Before he could get that thought any further Lenore was on him.
Getting up to his feet, he knew what was about to happen before she did it.
Lenore was a hugger when it came to him, and she never failed to greet him with one if they’d been apart for longer than an hour or two. It was a little odd to him that she constantly invaded his space, but it wasn’t the first time he’d met a woman like that.
Women in general tended to be a bit more free with physical space than he was personally used to.
Grabbing hold of him, Lenore hugged him tightly, pressing him into her chest and shoulders. Her hands were flat to his back, holding him to herself.
Unfortunately she was also stronger than him. Despite having the amazing body that she did, she also still had the natural muscle that all women did.
After several seconds of being hugged Phillip was released.
“I was hoping to find you here, I have news on our deal,” Lenore said, waving him back down toward his chair.
Caught up in her breakneck speed, Phillip could only smile and incline his head. Reseating himself, he adjusted his tunic and looked to Lenore.
Who was dragging one of the recliners closer to the one he was sitting in. Getting it in place, she dropped it down and sat down heavily.
“Deliveries have started. The warehouses are rapidly filling up,” Lenore said, leaning toward him in her seat. She was giving him a rather lovely peek down the top of her dress in doing so. “As far as I can tell, and from what I’ve heard, no one has seemed to notice that the entirety of the barrels for the Coopers guild has been bought out.”
“There’s always a few who think they can go it alone without a guild,” mused Phillip as he watched Lenore. “I imagine they’re the ones filling any of the open orders since the guild is more or less completely engaged.”
“I know! I figured it was something like that so I started looking into it. Asked around, ran a few things down, and it’s exactly that. The Coopers guild is just sending everyone to a few who aren’t in the guild for orders,” Lenore admitted with a laugh. “Phil, you’re just amazing. You’re just a font of information. If Alice isn’t going to use you right, I’m going to.”
Hm. She doesn’t use me at all.
For anything.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a font of information. I’ve just had some time listening to my mother discussing business,” Phillip admitted. “Most trade goods seem pretty much the same across the board. Swords, farm equipment, barrels. Everything is bought and sold in the same way.”
“Except for food and those futures you mentioned,” said Lenore with a heavy sigh. “Your silly wife apparently got involved in some of that the other day. My aunt seems to think Alice is going to take quite the bath for it.
“Mother doesn’t want to talk about it at all. It came up in casual conversation the other day down at the office. Sounds like best-case scenario she’ll only lose a sixth or a fifth or her investment. Worst case she’ll lose double.”
“I’d bet more towards triple,” muttered Phillip. “The whole situation is going to go up in flames faster than anyone thinks. If the weather doesn’t improve, there really will be food riots. More so the concern with armies in the field. If they drift down that way, they’ll tear the land apart like a firestorm. Or locusts.”
Phillip paused and thought about it.
“Or both,” he finished.
Lenore looked rather unnerved at his words.
“I’d considered those possibilities but I hadn’t really… you don’t think it’s possible, you think it’s likely. Don’t you?” she asked him, her eyes watching him carefully.
“I do, actually. Pretty sure I overheard it was the eastern estates,” Phillip said, holding up his right hand and made a swirling ‘here’ motion. “They won’t want to fight in their own lands. They’ll want to fight on the edges of it. War destroys things. And they won’t want to destroy their own property if they can. They’ll push the Queen, her personal lands, or go for some type of stranglehold that’ll force a reaction. Like the southlands. If Karen can prevent things from going down that way to assist, or coming up from that way, it’s far more likely to go into anarchy. And if it does, that’ll pull soldiers and resources away from Karen.”
Lenore pursed her lips, her eyes searching Phillip’s face.
“My mother will of course know that. And more. She’s likely positioning herself to maximize her ability to cover vital areas as well as the capital,” said Phillip, letting his hands fall back into his lap. “Doesn’t mean she can prevent it but she’ll work toward it. She’s a general. She’s lost battles and campaigns before. Even if she’s in the right place and the right time, it doesn’t mean she’ll win. That’s just war. Or so she used to tell me.”
Phillip smiled bitterly at his thoughts.
He was finding life was more like war than he’d given it credit for.
“Lenore?” called a voice from outside the library.
Sounds like Alice.
“Yes?” Lenore called, tilting her head to one side toward the entry door. She didn’t move away from Phillip, nor did she sit up.
“Lenore, Michael said you had the family parlor booked today and-”
“And?” Lenore prompted, still unmoving.
“And I was wondering if you still needed it,” said Alice, picking up where she’d left off.
“Good afternoon, wife,” Phillip said, getting to his feet smoothly.
“Phillip,” Alice said, glancing at him for a second, and then looking back to Lenore.
“No. I have no use of the family parlor today. I finished my business earlier than expected. You’re welcome to it if you need it,” Lenore said in a rather firm tone.
“Wonderful, thank you. I do. I have a potential trade agreement in an hour I’m hearing today and the office parlors are all booked,” Alice said. Turning on her heel, she sped out of the library without another word or a backward glance.
Checking a sigh, Phillip stood there.
Feeling a lot like a book-case.
“You know, for all the brains I know she has, she really has no clue,” Lenore growled. “Going on about being a woman now, and that business is her trade. I knew her before she was a married woman and after. About the only difference is she got you into her bed. I swear-”
A much younger girl rushed in through the library and spotted Lenore.
“Ah! Lenny! You won’t believe it,” said the girl, moving forward quickly.
If she’s having a meeting, here, I should host it.
Shouldn’t I?
Father always did it whenever Mother had guests at home. I should see to that.
Its something I can do.
I can help. I can show her I can help.
“-got caught cheating on his wife!” continued the younger Rias girl. “With a hired hand! Can you believe it?”
“What?” Lenore asked, sounding almost annoyed now.
“Mr. Defers. He got caught cheating,” repeated the girl.
“You know I hate this kind of gossip. And besides, his wife was hip deep in lovers. Last I’d heard she was on the third one for the month,” Lenore said, finally standing up out of her chair.
“I mean… yeah but everyone knew that,” said the girl defensively.
“Then why is it any different when her husband did it? It’s stupid.”