“Yes.” Of course. What else but love could have compelled him to pay an exorbitant bride-price for an unsuitable match? A foreign Sleeper, not even a virgin, too old to bear pregnancy easily, and no social connections to speak of that would have been of any use in the north.
The only reason he’d let himself feel anything for Mel at all was that he thought he’d never be here, now. Going home. They’d always been more than a little bit doomed, Tiberius could admit that.
“It’s alright.” It obviously wasn’t, but he summoned up a weak smile anyway. “I’m sure my family will find this situation more to their liking.” Lyric’s magical gifts would outweigh any other inadequacies in the eyes of Tevene society. Though exactly how much rope she might have depended entirely on the status of House Umbra.
If only Mel had lived – if only she’d been given a chance. Brilliance and ambition might have been useless for an unmarried Orlesian lady but he knew she would have taken the House’s clandestine activities in hand like a proper spymaster. The knife in the night while he saw to their daily political concerns. It was a nice dream to dwell in as he sank into a light doze.
Some time later, Despair brought him back to wakefulness, a lash of bruise-purple that settled in as an incipient stress headache. The horses had stopped. Lyric was agitated about something, too loud, scrambling out the door like a mad fool. Some distant part of his mind thought well, that’s about right. He’d go on to Minrathous without her. Marry some Tilani or Icarius third cousin and give up his first child for that dubious honor – and never need think about this again.
But the horses had stopped. Slowly, he realized they wouldn’t just do that because Lyric wanted to take a walk. Swearing under his breath, Tiberius ducked his head and hopped down from the carriage.
Disuse had done the road no favors. It was overgrown, a fallen tree blocking the way. Lyric had been in a hurry, leaving a trail wide enough to follow through the brush. Tiberius raised a hand, casting a soap bubble of invisibility over the carriage and team. By now, he could hear the animal she’d been so upset about. Canine whimpering — then growling and snarling. He ran after her.
It was a big, skinny, hybrid mutt – Tiberius wasn’t enough of an animal person to tell more than that. Front left paw stuck in a rusty trap, pulled tight and oozing as it tried to get away from them. Tiberius reached for Lyric’s arm, worried she’d rush right up to the terrified animal.
“That’s not someone’s pet, dear. It’ll bite.”
The only reason he’d let himself feel anything for Mel at all was that he thought he’d never be here, now. Going home. They’d always been more than a little bit doomed, Tiberius could admit that.
“It’s alright.” It obviously wasn’t, but he summoned up a weak smile anyway. “I’m sure my family will find this situation more to their liking.” Lyric’s magical gifts would outweigh any other inadequacies in the eyes of Tevene society. Though exactly how much rope she might have depended entirely on the status of House Umbra.
If only Mel had lived – if only she’d been given a chance. Brilliance and ambition might have been useless for an unmarried Orlesian lady but he knew she would have taken the House’s clandestine activities in hand like a proper spymaster. The knife in the night while he saw to their daily political concerns. It was a nice dream to dwell in as he sank into a light doze.
Some time later, Despair brought him back to wakefulness, a lash of bruise-purple that settled in as an incipient stress headache. The horses had stopped. Lyric was agitated about something, too loud, scrambling out the door like a mad fool. Some distant part of his mind thought well, that’s about right. He’d go on to Minrathous without her. Marry some Tilani or Icarius third cousin and give up his first child for that dubious honor – and never need think about this again.
But the horses had stopped. Slowly, he realized they wouldn’t just do that because Lyric wanted to take a walk. Swearing under his breath, Tiberius ducked his head and hopped down from the carriage.
Disuse had done the road no favors. It was overgrown, a fallen tree blocking the way. Lyric had been in a hurry, leaving a trail wide enough to follow through the brush. Tiberius raised a hand, casting a soap bubble of invisibility over the carriage and team. By now, he could hear the animal she’d been so upset about. Canine whimpering — then growling and snarling. He ran after her.
It was a big, skinny, hybrid mutt – Tiberius wasn’t enough of an animal person to tell more than that. Front left paw stuck in a rusty trap, pulled tight and oozing as it tried to get away from them. Tiberius reached for Lyric’s arm, worried she’d rush right up to the terrified animal.
“That’s not someone’s pet, dear. It’ll bite.”
04-24-2024, 04:23 PM
