A Sensible Purchase Ch. 03

Etiennette asked with an almost formal voice, as if they were doing something very sacred, "Onorine, Jansetta, would you please reveal us?"

Ah, so Onorine was across from Jansetta? Good to know? Jansetta still knew she'd forget it soon, though.

They opened the walls completely, and Jansetta saw quite a number of centaurs. First, servants were there, handing the women trays loaded with plates of food, cups, napkins, and utensils. As the servants moved aside, the men of the family were easily seen, standing near tall tables.

Two of the centaurs had chestnut coats and hair. They were eagerly looking at Jansetta, obviously interested in her. For a moment, she felt like a creature in a cage that one would pay money to view.

The third centaur was Simon, and she was oddly comforted to see him there. He smiled at her, but then he looked to the other centaurs with censure flaring out from his eyes. His nostrils appeared noticeably more rigid and thin than Jansetta had ever seen before.

"Wife," Simon said with a voice that was much sweeter than his visage, "these two men are my younger brothers," he gestured towards one, "Benno," then he gestured towards the other one, "and Dieter."

While Jansetta was certain that these younger brothers were not twins, they still looked fairly alike, and as it was with the sisters, she knew she would forget which was which. She was disappointed with herself for having such a weak memory.

She gave these men a modest bow and calm greetings.

"It's wonderful to meet you!" one brother said, his tail a bit high, even as he bowed his humanoid torso.

The other brother gave a similar statement with similar body language. "I'm pleased to meet you."

Jansetta smiled at the meal she had received. There was a large, fried fish with a crispy batter, several chunks of roasted potato gently dusted with flavorful herbs, and a sliced bit of buttered toast topped with little beans and thinly sliced meat. She looked at the table the men stood at, and she noticed that they had more food, including servings of barley grains and hay.

She said as she cut into her fish, loving the hot aroma that seemed to burst from it, "The food is exquisite. I'm grateful to have this meal before me."

"Of course," Etiennette said, "you're in a good family."

The Chestnut Brothers, as Jansetta's brain liked to call them, became very chatty. They asked Jansetta all sorts of questions, and she wasn't able to answer most of them, because she didn't know how to. She would give her plate of food a sour, uncertain look, and Etiennette would remind the brothers that she was a foreigner, and hadn't yet learned of their customs.

Eventually, Simon made everyone jolt a bit as he slammed his fist beside his plate, causing several items to bounce and clank. Lines of vexation were on his brow. His lips were in a snarl. "Don't overwhelm my wife! She's still in The Soothing!"

The Chestnut Brothers nodded and lowered their heads as they pouted.

Finally calm, Simon looked over to Jansetta and asked, "What sort of gifts would my new wife like to have? We may search for them in the city."

Her palms looked rosier as she considered the question. A moment passed, and she said, her eyes on her food, "I cannot imagine a gift. I already have so much." Truthfully, she could imagine several gifts, but she didn't want to seem greedy.

She heard one of the Chestnut Sisters make a loud sniff. The other one made a tsk tsk of a noise. Jansetta wondered what in the world their issue was. Maybe they viewed her as an intruder? Maybe they had wanted their brother to purchase a native woman as a bride?

Simon said with a keen voice, "If you can't imagine a gift by tomorrow, then we'll search for a gift when we're there." He gave a firm nod, as if that was the end of the conversation. Beside Jansetta, Etiennette gave her own nod, an approving one.

Wanting a different topic, Jansetta asked her mother-in-law, "If it isn't too morbid, Madam, may I ask what became of your husband?"

"It's fine, Dearheart. The pain of his death has faded into a controllable feeling." She looked down at Jansetta with serious eyes and a not at all happy smile. "My husband was named Norlaf. His father was Niklas the Crafty. Niklas the Crafty was given this estate and the title of marquess after he impressed the king with his victory and heroism in the Beastly War. The previous owner had been proven a traitor years earlier, and so, all this splendor was confiscated."

Jansetta took a quick sip of her beverage. Then she said, "I've never heard of the Beastly War. Who was Breden fighting?"

One of the Chesnut Brothers answered the question. His voice was careful, though, as if he was genuinely afraid of angering Simon. "Both Breden and Duklok were fighting the same enemy, Lunra."

Jansetta's eyebrows lowered as she tried to recall the significance of these names. "I know that Breden is where the centaurs are ... Duklok is ... the land of the dwarves?" Simon nodded to her then, spooning barley to his mouth. Jansetta sighed. "Ah ... well ... I don't know anything of this Lunra nation."

Etiennette gave her the solution to the mystery. "Lunra is the land of wolf people. They were insulted because quite a few uncaring centaurs and dwarves had a habit of trying to kidnap their women to make a high profit. Unfortunately for them, even the weakest woman of Lunra can transform into a mighty, wolf-like creature. Most of those men didn't survive the kidnapping attempts."

One of the Chestnut Brothers gave more information, still very cautious about it. "The Lunran were upset over a few other things, but the kidnapping attempts were the final blow to their pride. We made peace eventually, and now we trade with each other, but no centaurs here will purchase a woman from there. It's part of a the peace agreement. Most don't want a Lunran woman anyway. As sturdy and comely as they are, they're much too frightening."

Jansetta had finished her meal by this point. She wiped her lips as she wondered about the wolf people. She had heard rumors of such people, but she didn't know they had their own country. Goodness!

As she lowered her napkin, she said to Etiennette, "So, about your honored husband, Madam?"

Her mother-in-law sighed, but she still held the warmth she had been using with her new daughter-in-law. "Norlaf had visited my father's home whenever he was in the city. He would always ask me if I would let him see me, and I often agreed. He'd read poetry to me, sing to me, and sometimes he brought gifts, such as a rare flower or a few small pearls."

Jansetta's hands came together at her bosom. "That's rather charming. He was besotted, wasn't he?"

"Of course," said Etiennette, "and it wasn't difficult for me to convince my father to negotiate a price with Norlaf. Soon, I was purchased, and Norlaf put me inside his carriage to take me to the castle."

"Did he have any siblings?"

Etiennette swallowed the last hunk of her potatoes. Then she took in a long sip of her beverage. "He did, two brothers, and one sister. His brothers were unfortunate. Both of them died as children. One from an accident in a river, and another from a horrible illness. His sister lives. She is married to His Grace, the Duke of Koria. As for Norlaf," she paused, her eyelids only mildly constricting, "there was an earthquake ... and his head was crushed by falling boulders."

Immediately, Jansetta said, "I'm very sorry."

Simon spoke up. "There's no need to dwell on sadness." One of his hands rose and flicked in the air. "We have a good family, and we have a new woman too. So, let's savor our happiness as we would a comforting stew!"

Jansetta nodded towards him, genuinely hoping there would be more happiness for this family.

***

When lunch was finished, the servants took the trays, and Jansetta rose with the other women. She paused, putting one of her long sleeves against her closed mouth. While the other women had a sense of purpose in their faces, Jansetta didn't know what she was meant to do next.

Both Simon and Etiennette looked at her with knowing eyes. Simon was the one to make a suggestion, though. As his mother left the area with his Chestnut Sisters, he approached the women's side with slow hooves. "Wife, would you fancy a tour of the castle?"

Jansetta bowed to him. "That's a kind offer. I'd love a tour."

Simon waved towards a servant, calling out, "A saddle for my wife!" As the servant rushed off, Simon said to Jansetta, "You will ride on my second back. I hope that will be acceptable for you."

A servant secured a sidesaddle onto his master's horse-like back. Then he put a loose belt around the humanoid waist. Finally, he put a little wooden staircase close to the women's side. As Jansetta looked down at the steps, she wondered if she needed to hurry to her bedroom to find stocking and leather shoes. Maybe she should borrow someone's wooden shoes?

Simon reached over to tap her arm, causing her to look up at his happy face. He seemed to read her mind, because he said, "You're home. You don't need shoes." Then he held out his strong looking arms, his fingers were prepared to take her, but he was waiting on her to move.

Jansetta's head jolted back as the idea of riding on a saddle with bare legs and feet was absorbed into her thoughts. "That's ... that's so peculiar. Would I ride this way in Anath?"

"No, Wife." He closed his mouth and stifled a bit of laughter. His cheeks reddened. Then, he calmed himself. "In the public, you are to wear the finest stockings and leather shoes you have. They are nearly status symbols."

"Oh." Jansetta shrugged. "But, I believe I'd prefer to have covered legs, even here. If it wouldn't be a problem, may I please leave you for a moment?"

Simon put his fingers to his chest, lightly touching his necklace, and he nodded to her, even bowed a little. "I'll gladly wait for you."

Jansetta bowed right back at him and hurried away.

***

She had found oddly beautiful stockings. They were a bright red color with small decorative buttons sewed on the outer parts of the ankles. The shoes were even lovelier. The laces of her shoes were each looped into a hole of a decorative circle of green velvet fabric. Golden butterflies were embroidered in the floppy little disks, and Jansetta knew they'd end up filthy if she tried to walk on the ground.

Fortunately, she had a centaur to ride.

Her womanly waist was attached to the humanoid waist of Simon, to keep her from falling off of him. Her green robe was left out of the safety belt so it could freely trail behind her and over Simon's loins, quarters, and croup.

As Simon spoke to her with gentle words, carrying her about his lands, Jansetta saw many armored centaurs, either guarding a specific area or sparring with each other to keep their bodies and minds sharp. A good number of the armored centaurs had armored dwarves on them, usually carrying archer's equipment. Jansetta wondered if the dwarves were expected to live in similar conditions as the centaurs. She couldn't imagine a centaur sleeping on anything except a pile of straw. Maybe the dwarves were given hammocks or beds?

The sky had a decent supply of clouds, hiding the harsher rays of the sun, but there was no promise of rain to be seen. Jansetta loved the clement atmosphere. She took in happy breaths as she was carried off through the gate of the outer wall. It was very loud in this area, with lots of yelling, clanging, and banging. Great trailers, most of them filled with blocks of stone and bundles of lumber, were parked and ready to be unloaded. Many unarmed centaurs, carrying unarmed dwarves, were talking with themselves as their apparent leaders were talking to one of the castle guards.

"What's all this din for?" Jansetta asked.

Simon turned his head to look at her. "They must be here for the improvements. I want a new outer wall built around this older one." He turned his head back and waved at the leaders. "Good afternoon! Welcome!"

The leaders were one light brown centaur and his dwarf companion. That dwarf seemed to be a woman.

The dwarf's fiery red dreadlocks swirled about her head as she gave Simon her attention. Then she gave a short bow as she sat on the centaur, and the centaur bowed too. "You're the master of the castle, no?" Her voice had a raspy quality, but she still sounded quite feminine. Jansetta imagined her singing voice would be enchanting.

"You're correct," Simon said. He pointed back at Jansetta with his thumb. "This is my wife, Marchioness Jansetta Thibou, the Lady of this province."

Jansetta gave the best bow she could manage, and she timidly said, "Good afternoon."

More bows from the female dwarf and her centaur companion were given. The centaur spoke next. "The marquess has found a beautiful wife."

Pointing at the centaur's head, the dwarf said, "This is Kornel." Then she pointed at her face. "I'm Sabina. We're the architects leading the project."

"I'm glad to have you," Simon said, flexing his humanoid shoulders. "Do your workers have all of their camping equipment? If not, I could give them some provisions."

Kornel snorted out some air. "The workers should have everything they need."

Roughly gesturing towards Kornel, or at least Jansetta thought he was, Simon said, "I'd be happy to have the architects rest in my keep as guests, if it's tolerable."

"A grand gesture," Sabina said, reaching back to rub at her nape, "but I'm don't know if I should accept. I've never been fond of the segregated living arrangements in Breden."

Kornel turned a bit to say to her, "Well, I'm not going to refuse the offer."

With a groan, Sabina said, "Fine! I'll follow you." She shook her head, waving her hair about, and then she smiled up at Simon. "We need to give instructions to the men and oversee their work. Why don't we pop in around dinner?"

Simon's black braid swayed almost like a tail as he nodded very enthusiastically. "I'll send a man to alert you when the dinner hour is nigh."

As Simon carried Jansetta off, she noticed that he walked with a bouncier gait, and he was humming to himself.

She was shown glorious gardens and healthy fruit trees. Then she was reminded of the lovely mountains in the distance. With a sigh, Jansetta said, "This land seems green and fertile."

"I'm happy to have your approval," Simon said.

Later, she was taken inside the keep and carried around the men's quarters. Jansetta learned that her assumption about centaurs' sleeping arrangements were correct. Centaurs, even the wealthiest, preferred to sleep in a place with a dirt floor and piles of straw. A centaur would stand for most of its rest, even his humanoid back would be erect, and he would lie down for only a brief period in comparison, snuggling in the straw. In the guards' quarters, Jansetta saw that there were a combination of bunk beds and hammocks for the dwarves, but they still had to walk on dirt floors. She imagined they weren't angry about it, though.

The centaurs, particularly where Simon and his brothers lived, didn't have a lack of furniture. They tended to be made of sturdier wood, and very tall, but they were certainly lovely. Many of the pieces were painted with geometric or floral patterns. One table had a square of pathways carved and painted into it, making it a part of a board game. When Jansetta expressed innocent curiosity over it, Simon pulled a very tall chair to the table and helped her to climb into it.

Sitting so high up was somewhat disconcerting. There were armrests for her, and she was close enough to the table to lean on it, but her feet dangled so carelessly, putting an impression of danger in her belly. The serene attitude of her husband calmed her, though, as he placed wooden game pieces on the table. The pieces were shaped like rectangles, but with mild points on one end, like a house. They had a variety of symbols painted on them.

Simon spent a long time trying to teach her the rules of the game. Jansetta tried to absorb the rules, but all she could remember was the click-clacking of the pieces against the tabletop. When the room became darker, Simon lit a few lamps hanging from the ceiling, and he took Jansetta from the tall chair. He carried her over to the women's side and asked her to pull a wall. When she did so, he put her on the smooth mats that covered the women's floors.

Grinning down at her, his fingers laced near his humanoid belly, Simon said, "I imagine dinner will be served soon. Are you hungry?"

One of Jansetta's shoulders rose. "I'm not hungry, but I know I should eat what I can."

As if their words had summoned him, a servant arrived and announced that dinner was ready.

***

Jansetta had enough common sense to understand that one couldn't judge the morality or personalities of an entire race of people based on only one example. So, she made certain to only judge Sabina as Sabina, and not as a representation of her race, because nobody could represent an entire race. It was possible, though, to make a mild generalization concerning physical features that were common in a race.

For example, male centaurs, if centaurs could be considered a race, were all ... well ... centaurs. They looked like humanoid torsos attached to a horse's chest, which would be odd to someone not accustomed to the idea. As for dwarves, they were humanoids that tended to be on the shorter side when compared to average humans, but the shorter sort of humans, especially the women, were often at eye level. The more obvious difference between dwarves and humans was how wide they were. Jansetta had yet to see a corpulent dwarf, though. They merely seemed to have broader faces, bodies, limbs, hands, and feet, than a normal human.

The Chestnut Sisters were determined to hide behind walls, with their own separate table in their own separate section of the room. Jansetta didn't know why, but she didn't question them. Etiennette had to hand them their trays of food. Then she, Jansetta, and Sabina seated themselves at a table that was not hidden from Kornel, the other guest.

Sabina didn't seem particularly rude, but she did pout a little, occasionally sighing as she looked over to the men's side with a child-like longing. Kornel would often snort at her, or point his tongue at her with sly eyes, as if he wanted to say, "It has to be this way, and you have to deal with it."

Jansetta's big first toes rubbed against her second ones as she wondered if Sabina was even uncomfortable with having bare legs and feet, as all the other women in the building had. She didn't seem to have a problem with the food, though. While botheration was clear on her clean face, she ate with healthy zeal.

Night came over them as the whole family ate with the guests. Hanging lamps had been lit in advance. Etiennette suggested a board game to pass the time. Simon left for a moment to find his painted game table, and when he returned, he began a game with Kornel. Simon was thoughtful enough to put the table right at the women's side, so that the three women that were not hiding could watch the game more easily. His Chestnut Brothers also gathered around to watch the fun.

The game was the same one Simon had tried to teach the rules of to Jansetta earlier. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but judging by the reactions of her mother-in-law and the two players, Simon was probably losing. His lips were tighter than usual, and he snorted almost every time Kornel moved a piece.

At the end of the game, Simon's face relaxed, though, and he laughed as he shook Kornel's hand. "A good game! A good opponent!"

"My Lord is too kind," Kornel said with a blush on his nose and cheeks.

Sabina spoke up then, "Ah, could you drag a tall chair over for me? I'd love to play a round." And then, she did something, probably without thinking much, something that horrified everyone except for Jansetta. Ignoring the distance between the women's floor and the dirt floor, ignoring the code of conduct apparently established in upper class homes in Breden, Sabina swung her legs over the edge, and with a humph of a noise, she jumped down to the dirt. Her bare feet were easily seen, because her tunic-like gown was just short enough to show off her ankles, and those feet were officially contaminated, apparently.