Chapter 3
The morning light pushed insistently into the room, brightening the sheets of the small bed and washing over the occupants. Alcina pulled at the blankets to shield her eyes and sleep for a little bit longer. Her body was still drained by the work she had done the night before; her muscles and bones felt weighted down by lethargy. Perhaps she should have allowed Diona to help her with the fertility ritual since she had been previously drained by the naming ceremony. Her sleepy mind realized that something wasn’t quite right, but she wasn’t awake enough to care to unravel it.
When the warm weight descended on her midsection Alcina woke completely, her body stiffening in a primal flight or fight response. Fear coursed through her as her eyes flew open. Panic clawed with razor fingers down her spine as she stared at the unfamiliar surrounding.
“Hush, it’s all right, calm down,” rumbled in her ear as she drew in enough breath to scream. The air rushed out of her with a squeaking sound that amused the person with her as he gave a low chuckle.
Alcina grabbed the quilted blanket on top of the mattress and wrapped it around herself as she all but leaped out of the bed. She stared disbelievingly for a moment as the night rushed back to her. It was clear when comprehension dawned; her dark blue eyes became distorted ovals of shock.
“I didn’t mean to scare you, I suppose this is rather disorienting,” Luthais told her while suppressing a grin at her behavior. She really was adorable when caught off guard, her hands clutched endearingly under her chin.
“I… what… I wasn’t expecting for us to share a room,” she stuttered, her high cheekbones tingeing with a blush. Luthais let out the laugh he was holding and opened his arms to her. His laugh deepened as she eyed him warily and made no attempt to move.
“We were married last night, surely even a temple priestess knows that handpaired couples often share a bed,” he teased her. Her face turned bright red and she lowered her gaze to the floor, obviously offended.
“I am not so naïve as you and my father seem to think,” she forced out from between gritted teeth.
“Lady, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to mock you. But, surely, you see the humor in this situation?” he asked softly. In a few strides he had crossed the room to stand before her and used his left hand under her chin to raise her head.
“It doesn’t matter. When shall we travel to your estate,” she replied stiffly, her line of sight focused on the wall over his right shoulder.
With a sigh Luthais dropped his hand from her chin and turned away from her. Perhaps with time they would be able to start talking and building a relationship. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe that she would fall all over herself with love for him. Hell, he had known from the beginning that he was entering what was bound to be a loveless agreement. That didn’t mean that they couldn’t be civil with each other and try to be friends.
Alcina pulled the blanked more tightly around her slender frame and refused to let her body shake. Luthais grabbed fresh clothing and disappeared behind the changing screen, allowing them both a little modesty. With hasty fingers she simply pulled her wrinkled robes from the night before over her head and fastened them deftly with the wide sash.
“I had Tobias bring in both of your saddle bags, they have a bath on the first floor if you’d like to wash up and change down there. We don’t have to leave until midday,” he offered. Perhaps he could do something that might set her at ease.
“Thank you. I’ll go do that now,” she told him, her voice almost too low to be heard. Without ever turning her back to him she reached the door and took off down the hallway. Again, Luthais wondered how her father had coerced her into this.
Once on the first floor Alcina slowed down. She didn’t want the innkeeper to think that she was fleeing her husband already. Tears pricked at her eyes as she found the bathing area and entered the steam filled room. She had been humiliated enough as it was without her new husband implying that he thought she would have no knowledge or skill in the bedroom.
Slowly she peeled off her robes and slid into the overly warm water. The tub was a large pool set into the floor and secretly heated. The warm water swirled out of the shallow end of the tub to be filtered and pumped back in at the deeper end. It was early enough yet that she was the only guest in the bath, and she enjoyed the peace and quiet.
With exaggerated motions she scrubbed at her hair and skin, glad to rid it of the lingering scent from the incense. Her new ring kept snagging in her long, dark hair; an annoying reminder of the previous evening. She tugged the intricately swirled gold band from her finger and placed it on the edge of the tub. She stared at the metal set with a sapphire as dark as her eyes, it was pretty, the gold swirling and looping in a pattern too intricate for the eye to follow. Near the center of the complicated design sat the stone, winking at her. The design itself was rather delicate, but the ring itself was fairly large, taking up most of the bottom part of her finger.
Alcina realized that she had hidden in the bath long enough and slid the ring back onto her now waterlogged finger. She dried carefully before pulling a comb through her unruly locks. Her hair fell in waves to her waist and she pulled the still damp strands back and began to braid it. When she was done she donned fresh robes and felt calm enough to meet her new husband.
When Alcina entered the common room Luthais was no where to be seen, but Mahina bustled up to her with a plate held out. She looked at the little anise cakes, traditional food for the wedding feast, and her face paled to match the sweet icing that had been drizzled on the pastries.
“Don’t you like them?” Mahina asked, her voice dropping with worry.
“Oh, no, I do like these. I just am still a little shocked at being married, I had planned on becoming the head of a temple some day,” Alcina admitted sadly. Mahina reached out with her free hand and patted Alcina’s cheek, her worry coming across clearly.
“Sweetheart, I’m sorry. But your family needs you and you’re doing the right thing,” the innkeeper told her, her pudgy face loosing it’s happy light.
“I know. I’m glad to serve my House,” Alcina responded with a weak smile. It was enough for Mahina who passed the plate to her and squeezed Alcina’s shoulder with rough affection.
“Here, sit here. You’re husband will down in a moment, however your father left at first light. He was impatient to be gone from here and good riddance to him I say! But don’t worry, if you can stay for dinner we’ll give you a wedding feast that would put him to shame,” Mahina offered with a sly grin. The smile was infectious and Alcina answered with one of her own.
“I’m glad to see that you’re looking happier,” Luthais interrupted as he sat across from her. Quickly Alcina blushed and lowered her head, angry that her hair couldn’t hide her face.
“Mahina has offered to cook a feast for us. In celebration,” she told him, her voice stiff and wooden.
“Good lady, I’m afraid that we must leave by noon in order to make the next inn by nightfall. I don’t want my new bride to forced to sleep in the open,” he apologized, one large hand reaching out to cover Alcina’s. An act of will forced her to keep her hand still and not jerk it away. After a moment he released her and asked for a light breakfast to be brought for them and if they could have a lunch packed to eat on the road. Mahina was incredibly accommodating and when they finally left Alcina offered a large tip in gratitude.
Alcina was relieved that her father had left her placid mare, but eyed Luthais spirited gray horse with envy. It had been a long time since she had ridden anything other than temple horses, which were all fat and prone to laziness. He caught her approving glances but did nothing to show it.
They rode at a steady trot through the day and since it was much the same pace as her father had set Alcina was fairly used to it. Her husband, however, proved that he was an excellent horseman and seemed bored with the comparatively slower gait. They ate lunch in the saddle and Luthais seemed inclined to the steady silence that had fallen over them. For that Alcina was grateful. Perhaps that evening they could try to get to know each other, for now she simple wanted to be left alone.
Once they reached the next inn Luthais explained that he had a schedule for them to follow that would allow them to sleep sheltered every night but one on the trip home. Such a strange word for him to use, Alcina thought, as the only home that she had ever known had died when she was five. It would take them six days to reach his estate, once they arrived he would help her get settled in before taking her a tour of their lands.
The days passed quickly and pleasantly. As it was early springtime the days were cool and the air was filled with the scent of freshly turned earth and blossoms. The one night they slept on outdoors was even agreeable; the grass was thick enough to make sleeping easy. Luthais filled the time with idle banter, slipping in small stories of his life to amuse Alcina. She was grateful that he was trying so hard to put her at ease yet she dreaded the time that they would reach his ancestral home.
Part of the fear stemmed from the knowledge that she would have to consummate their marriage. While she liked Luthais well enough she didn’t feel that she knew him. In the temple sex was an act of absolute adoration to the holy Mother. As a matter of fact Alcina couldn’t count the number of times that she had heard the phrases ‘all acts of love and pleasure are my ritual’ and ‘my tears and my sex are Her gifts, I bestow these as I will’. Why should she change her ideas and beliefs, shaped over a lifetime, simply to complete a contract that she wanted no business with in the first place?
As the neared the last leg of their journey Alcina became increasingly restless. She began performing more small blessings and tiny rituals in the towns they stopped in so that she would be utterly exhausted by the time they would retire. Luthais quietly held his peace but watched her with accusing eyes, as if he knew why she was pushing herself so hard. Perhaps he did.
It was nearing evening as they approached Westering House; it was tall and rough-hewn with three towering spires scraping against a darkening gray sky. The land around the palace was flat and sparse trees dotted the landscape. The only plants that grew in abundance were tangled weeds. The atmosphere was heavy with the wild energy of the elementals and Alcina found it hard to breathe for a moment.
“The feeling will pass once we’re inside. The wards there have held, we renew them at every major feast day. Since my mother died we haven’t had a priest to help settle the land or the elementals,” Luthais explained as he cupped a hand around her elbow to help steady her.
When Alcina had collected herself he kicked his horse into a gallop and she followed close behind. They raced into the courtyard of Westering House; Alcina carefully blanking her mind of what lay ahead for her.
Waiting for them were several groomsmen who politely took their horses and led them away to be rubbed down and stabled. For a moment Alcina stood, looking small and lost, on the steps to the estate. Luthais wrapped a warm arm around her shoulders and led her through the large front doors that were carved with sparrows and wrens in flight.
“You can wait here while I make sure that your rooms are ready, all right?” Luthais asked her even as he was walking away. He disappeared behind a wooden door that was carved with oak and ivy leaves. It seemed like much of the house had scrollwork or carving as decoration, unlike her own home with was covered with rich tapestries.
Idly she dug through their sparse baggage looking for her temple slippers. If she were indeed ‘home’ she wanted to be comfortable. She finally loosed the sigh of relief that had been building in her chest at her husband’s words, she was grateful that he was going to allow her some time before she accepted him. It was rather sweet of him, and most likely, he was doing it because he was just as nervous at their marriage. The door near where the luggage had been stowed was cracked slightly from when Luthais had passed through it. As her fingers tapped the slippers she heard her husbands voice muffled by the hard wood.
Curiosity, always a strong trait in Alcina, overrode her and kept her crouched by the door. With a shaking finger she pulled at the base of the door, causing it to swing open ever so slightly so she could hear better.
“…Been hell without you here. The northern border has gotten worse,” came the unknown male voice.
“You always exaggerate things. I’m back now but you know I had to go and seal this contract, we were lucky enough that Derex was willing to agree to all the concessions that we needed,” her husband responded and there was such affection in his voice Alcina wondered who this man could be.
“I still don’t know why you had to do it, we were managing just fine on our own,” the other man said harshly.
“We need a priestess. I need an heir. Do you think that you can give one to me?” Luthais asked just as harshly as if this were an old fight.
“Damn it, I’m doing what I can with the elementals and it’s working! You could always adopt a child,” the other man pleaded. After that there was a protracted silence and during it Alcina realized that they were arguing about her. It sounded like a lover’s spat.
As that thought burst in her head she started backwards and ended her eavesdropping. Perhaps he wasn’t just being kind; perhaps he had no interest in her at all. That idea caused an ache deep inside of Alcina that she couldn’t comprehend.
“I don’t know why you had to marry without consulting me,” was heard clearly, even with Alcina standing by the main entrance. She quickly turned and began tracing the wing of the nearest carved bird.
“That’s enough,” came the answering bellow before Luthais burst out into the foyer.
“I’m sorry,” Alcina yelped.
“What? Oh, don’t worry about that. You’re rooms are ready, I thought you might like to take a nap or simply rest before dinner. After we eat we will be joining my father in his study and reviewing the contract then sending a signed copy to your father,” Luthais told her, his shoulders slumped and he sounded weary.
Instead of resting, Alcina paced. Her meager belongings were unpacked rather quickly, which left her with far too much time to think. Unfortunately her thoughts were only chasing each other around and round and not making any sense. Dinner was another tense affair, with everyone afraid to speak, which left them all in a strained silence.
Alcina’s father in law seemed to be a jovial enough man; he was gauntly thin and just as tall as his son was. His face was quick to smile, which saved it from looking grim. His ash brown hair was starting to thin in the front and pulled back in small ponytail at the nape of his neck. He ushered them into his study as soon as their meal was finished, which relieved Alcina.
“Child, you are such a little thing! I am surprised to hear that you have the rarest of abilities,” he said to her as soon as they had all sat down. Instead of being offended Alcina smiled at the jocund good humor that radiated from the man.
“My father has the bad habit of speaking whatever he thinks, please forgive him,” Luthais said in the blandest tone possible. The combination of the two men struck a chord in Alcina and she gave a girlish giggle at their antics.
“I don’t mind. But you’re right, I can handle all four elementals. I’ve been led to understand that you value my abilities?” she asked.
“Oh, greatly, greatly. Since my darling Chryssa passed from us I’m afraid I had a slight disagreement with our local Mother Imperious. We haven’t been able to gain the services of a priest for almost fifteen years now and the land that we had reclaimed from the wastes has been taken from us. We can barely support the tenets of our land, I must beg if need be for you to help them,” Luthais father told her, his face and eyes perfectly serious. Alcina could feel his love for his land and people and desperate need that clawed at him.
“I would be honored to help tame the elementals and to make your land as prosperous as it once was again,” she told him, doing her best to convey her own sense of gravity.
“I knew I was going to like her,” the older man cackled, reaching out to pat her hand.
“Da, I don’t think she likes to be touched much,” Luthais warned, his voice still holding a thread of humor.
“Perhaps it’s just you?” his father joked, patting Alcina again. When she didn’t rebuff him he smiled at her.
“How about we go over the contract and sign it, I’m getting tired even if your not,” Luthais sighed with defeat. This only made his father laugh harder, which prompted a grin from Alcina.
“Child, I’m Dalziel, Lord of Westering House and I welcome you into our family. I hope that you find this home to your pleasing,” Dalziel sobered enough to say. Alcina bowed her head in acceptance, unsure of what she should do.
“My son has made some standard changes to the contract that your father drew up. I’m sure that he covered the basics with you, so I’ll only bore you with what my heir has done,” Dalziel continued and Alcina was too embarrassed to admit that her own father had never even discussed her wedding contract with her.
“That is most gracious of you,” she said, hoping that she wouldn’t need any knowledge in the contract for the discussion. With a slim hand she gestured that he should continue.
“As you know, you are allowed to take a consort. However, the contract prohibits you from conceiving a child with him until you provide an heir for your father. Also, my son has had a long-term relationship that he has no desire to see end. The first main provision is that he may continue that relationship indefinitely. I understand that you may object to this, but you are not allowed to formally do so until you and my son are properly handfasted. Other than that, there are several minor changes; one of which is that you agree that my son will inherit my estate,” Dalziel told her.
“I suppose I have no problem with the stipulations. To be honest, I was under the assumption that I was needed more for my talent as a priestess than as a matriarch,” Alcina answered, proud that she kept her voice even.
“I was hoping for a daughter as well,” Dalziel told her gently, wrapping his large hands around her smaller ones. Shock and confusion rippled over Alcina’s face, kindness was the last thing she ever expected to find in this house.
The brief moment drew itself out, becoming fragile and brittle. Eventually Alcina realized that her father in law was waiting for a response, but she was unsure of what to say or do. She gave a small, helpless gesture and decided to give him the truth.
“Sir, you honor me. My own father never really had much use for me until recently… I’m afraid that in family matters I am rather inept. I hope you can forgive me, I know that your kindness will help to set me at ease as I become accustomed to life here,” she told him. The words felt inadequate but it was all that she had to offer.
“Well enough, child. I didn’t expect you to be ready to accept us all immediately,” Dalziel smiled at her. “I’m sure you want to hear the rest of the amendments so that you can retire. Your father has stipulated that our lands will not be joined under one house. Both Luthais and I have agreed to this, but while each house will retain its ancestral name they will merge their finances. I realize that you may see this as an attempt by us to get your House to pay our debts. I want to assure you that this is not the case.”
“We still make enough to support ourselves and those who rely on us, however your father had no dowry to offer since you were a priestess,” Luthais explained. He was busy pouring hot tea steeped with jasmine flowers that wafted a sweet scent through the room.
“I understand completely. So far I have no qualms with the addendums; I am hesitant, as your father pointed out, to find that I am already more of a paramour than a wife. However, I can see why you wouldn’t want to end a previous relationship,” Alcina admitted, trying to keep her tone light.
“If you insist that I put my previous engagement aside for you, I would be willing to negotiate,” Luthais offered, but Alcina could see in every line of his body that he was lying.
“No, I don’t want to disrupt what you so clearly cherish. Are there any other changes that I should be aware of?” she said.
“I don’t think so. However, we will have to work on getting you some everyday clothes. You’re temple attire will never hold up to the everyday wear around here,” Dalziel smiled at her, his mouth holding a faintly bittersweet line.
Alcina sipped at her tea as she nodded her assent. It would be strange to go out and order clothing that had nothing to do with her religious life, it had been all that she had known for so long that she had almost forgotten. She gave a brief smile to Luthais for preparing her tea exactly as she liked it, strong with a faint tracing of honey.
“Oh, I almost forgot… you’re father left this letter for you,” Luthais told her, his voice heavily laced with chagrin. He held out a crumpled envelope of thick vellum that had her name scrawled across the outside. The large wax seal on the back was undisturbed and Alcina hesitated to break it.
Finally she did so and scanned the contents. Even though he wasn’t present, she could still feel her father’s overbearing personality in the room. The missive made clear that Derex saw her as nothing more than property to be traded. He let her know that Angelus’s name was bound their House’s records, not to be released until Alcina had done as he wished. No wonder the smug bastard had agreed not to merge the Houses. At the end he patronized her by saying that she should be a good girl and do her duty.
The whole letter was revolting and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Derex had no respect for her. Bile, thick and bitter, burned the back of her throat and Alcina took a large swig of tea to dislodge the taste. Both men were watching her intently, obviously hoping that she was receiving good news.
“What does your father have to say?” Luthais asked softly when Alcina sat and stared blankly for too long.
“He has made sure that I am well bridled for you, lead me where you will O Master,” she answered sarcastically before the fight went out of her.
She watched their faces bleed from joviality to a wary hurt expression. Unable to say anything that might repair the breach she simply stood and left the room. It was cowardly to flee, but at that moment she simply didn’t care. It didn’t matter if these people wanted to make it seem like they accepted her in the end they were all pawns of her father. She would be doomed to do as her sire wished, with no thoughts at all for herself.
“Are you sure that she is agreeable, my son,” Dalziel asked with a heavy heart. The girl’s expression had gone from unreadable to blank shock; neither he nor his son had ever been attracted to those who hid their true emotions. They both much preferred those who were more honest about their feelings.
“I think that she has been badly abused by her family, she rarely talks of them and when she does it is only to say the most innocuous of statements. Her father told me that she had been in the temple since she was seven, I doubt that being raised by strangers has made her feel terribly secure,” Luthais defended his bride. After a moment he dropped his head to rest on his hands.
“I never thought you would agree to a mate that was so docile,” his father chuckled, trying to lighten the situation.
“Neither did I. Neither did Sen, who, incidentally had decided to hate her on principle. How the hell are we going to get them to work together?” Luthais mused as he quirked an eyebrow upward.
“The Goddess will provide an answer. Perhaps we should ask our resident priestess to pray for us?” Dalziel said. As always he went for the humor in the situation and Luthais gave weak laugh in appreciation.
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