Torgan Wine Ch. 24

She blinked realizing why she had been taken to a different room. "You need solitude for that, I would distract you." Reaching up, she lightly touched the marks on his face, "Make sure Krouth looks after you, and you should really let him apply some healing salve."

His smile grew stronger and he brushed a kiss across the backs of her fingers before speaking quietly to the Halloc. They conversed again with less sharpness and Draeseth inclined his head before speaking to her again. "Brother Jannun will be attending to you until we arrive in the Torga Kroscur. The Halloc and his priests will be accompanying us as far as the Shrine of Gogmenos."

"You hadn't told me we would be visiting a shrine."

Exhaling and offering her a slight grimace, he admitted, "I had not intended to. But we have been done a service and it would be good for both of us."

"I'll look forward to you telling me who Gogmenos is and why he has a shrine." She smiled at him and the large Torgan's lips twisted in amusement.

"Gogmenos is the name of the city, my jewel."

"You should consider being more clear, my Draeseth." Isonei gave him a look of amused annoyance and his face split into a relaxed grin.

"I will consider it, but I must admit your mistakes amuse me." Draeseth deftly caught her hand as she moved to poke him. "Do not prod your husband, wife."

The Halloc snapped something at them and he released her hand replying in Torgan apologetically.

When she glanced at Halloc Aurim he gestured for her to approach with a frown. On doing so he gave her a command and she stood looking at his frowning face in confusion.

"Give him your hand, wife."

Obediently, Isonei lifted her hand as if she expected the Halloc to take it. Instead, he turned it palm down and keeping hold of her fingers, slapped it. Her eyes widened in surprise as he spoke sternly to her in Torgan. The Torgan fondness for striking was concerning.

"You are not to touch me so familiarly, any more than I am to touch you, until there is permission given. You are to be treated as my wife socially, but that does not grant me all of a husband's rights. He also says that prodding is unladylike and will not be tolerated."

"When ahh are you learning this?" The younger man jabbed his finger into the air.

"I think Brother Jannun wishes to know when you got into the habit of poking."

"I understood that, but I didn't know he was Brother Jannun." Isonei looked at the younger priest with a half smile, "I have six brothers in Ara. I could never roughhouse with them, but I could poke them."

Brother Jannun snorted and translated before asking, "Sisters?"

"I have five, but two I haven't seen since my mother died. My brothers' mothers raised me."

Draeseth began to speak quickly in Torgan as Jannun looked baffled. All seven of the men looked horrified. Halloc Aurim traced a strange mark on her forehead as he conversed with Draeseth and Brother Brenough.

"The consensus is that you were raised in a den of iniquity but have managed to retain a sweet and innocent nature despite the depravities. You will be shown how to be modest and decorous, with the same care that Saint Odhrim showed in reforming Onoliuk."

She looked at the Prince dubiously, his dark eyes were glittering.

"You remember the story of the saint and the demon?"

"I do. But..."

"But?" Brother Jannun inquired curiously.

"Didn't he have a year? I have to be returned to Ara at the next Festival of Maeralya."

Her head snapped back to Draeseth as he barked a laugh and spoke as he shared the jest. Halloc Aurim almost looked amused. Turning he gave an order to Brenough and Jannun. Both inclined their heads and Brother Brenough gestured for her to precede them up the stairs.

Isonei was making her way toward her room when Krouth intercepted them. He spoke first in Torgan to the Brothers following her and then to her in Aran. "Lady Isonei, the messenger has returned. If you would follow me, please."

"Of course. There must be some kind of mistake. My Daga would never say he was giving me up." To be able to see the messenger would be a relief, the Torgans must have misunderstood the message. It would be baffling if her Daga had said she was to return now or not at all, but for him to say what Krouth had relayed was impossible. Now that she had a meal in her she was feeling more like herself, she was certain of her Daga.

Entering the study, Burgath was speaking with the man in the sash of Liadith scarlet and she smiled warmly at them both. "You have a message from my Daga? I am eager to hear it."

"Your Lerian has improved remarkably, Lady Isonei." Burgath looked almost startled.

"It rolls from my tongue now. I don't know how or why, but I'm glad of it. Please, you have a message for the daughter of Liadith from her Daga? I would know what his decision is. Am I to return home or am I to stay for the remainder of promised year?"

"Daughter of Liadith..." the man looked pained. "You... I do not wish to deliver this message but I must. I beg your forgiveness." His eyes closed for a moment. "I was told that you were found to have disobeyed Daga Lothlaerith, and you are to be released. You will not be welcomed as the daughter of Liadith again. It is as if you have died."

"No! I did not disobey Daga Lothlaerith! I was poisoned and put into a barrel!" Isonei stepped toward him with her hands raised in supplication.

"You asked to go into the Torgan inn and you dallied with the Torgan as he told you that he would be taking you under the gate. Captain Valothe saw and heard, it cannot be denied. After you allowed him to smuggle you out, you did not try to escape. You continued to dally with him. Did you not?"

Her mouth gaped open and her heart beat in her throat. "If my Daga believes I have-"

"You no longer have a Daga. The daughter of Liadith is dead."

Isonei's knees gave out and it felt as though she couldn't breathe. She tried to argue but no sound would come out of her mouth and the world went silent even as she watched the man's mouth moving. The floor came up to meet her.

°°°°°°°°°°

The next days passed in a blur. When Isonei was compelled out of bed, she was vaguely aware of Krouth trying to engage her in conversation and trying to compel her to eat, but she couldn't summon the will to respond.

Halloc Aurim made little cuts on her arm and seemed displeased with the result. The Torgan priests prayed over her for hours afterward in their indecipherable language. Finally they stopped and left her alone; she stared blankly at the ceiling and breathed out her own prayer after a time, "Maeralya, mother of all. Maeralya, I beg you, give your child hope and put these wrongs to right. Your child is lost and alone." Her throat ached and she curled in the bed closing her eyes. "Sweet Tyhnoth, dour Tyhnoth, I beg you for your gentle comfort and your firm cold hand. Protect me from pain and give your mother's child a gentle death."

Opening her eyes she looked up into a face that looked somehow familiar but she knew she hadn't seen before. It was stern but kind and his eyes were the color of the mist that sometimes lingered over the fields resisting the sun's touch, pale grey that held the light. "If you wish to come with me now, I will take you. But you would do yourself and your loved ones a disservice." His cold hand brushed over her face. "If you try to endure, you will find your pain is tremendous but it will pass."

"I will do what you think is best. My heart cannot be more shattered." Tears began to run down her face.

"It can only heal, child of my mother. Things will be put right." At his words she took a breath as if she had been holding it for days and gave him the most grateful smile she could summon. "When the time comes, will you still be pleased to see me?" His tone was almost teasing.

"Only if you ask me to dance, sweet Tyhnoth." She watched his smile touch his pale eyes.

"Pray when you require comfort, child of my mother. I will send it to you." The kiss he pressed to her lips reminded her of the air when it snowed, cold, but clean and pure.

"Thank you," Isonei lifted her hand to reach for him and felt herself slip into a cool, peaceful slumber.

When she woke her lips were being wetted with honey wine. She allowed Krouth to spoon some into her mouth, her father's wine. The taste was comforting. After a bit she let him help her sit up.

"Prince Burgath arranged to get some of your father's wine. He hoped you might improve if you tasted it."

"He should be thanked." Isonei murmured.

"I will see to it, my Lady." Krouth offered her a small cup of it. "Perhaps you could try some broth?"

Holding the cup, she peered into it remembering what Daga Gildith had served when Varenia was ill. "Honey soup."

The slim Torgan blinked at her as if she had started spouting nonsense. "Bone broth-"

With a sigh she turned away from him and curled around the cup of wine. She sipped it slowly and fell back asleep. The next time she woke it was dark and she was alone. Her cup had been taken away and she was desperately thirsty.

Isonei barely managed to pull back the covers, getting out of bed might do her some good and there might be wine on the table. There was no lamp next to her bed so she partly opened the heavy drapes that covered the window. Outside, there was a sliver of a moon peering through the clouds and shining off of a blanket of white.

"Lady Isonei?" A sleepy voice startled her. On a pallet at the foot of her bed were the two priests, Brothers Brenough and Jannun.

Her mouth was so dry she had difficulty getting the words out at first, so she frowned at them and pointed to the bed making a shooing gesture. "The floor is too cold to sleep on."

"Why are you?" He pointed at her.

"I'm thirsty."

He rose, rousing Brenough, and lit the lamp. Cups were laid and he poured a dark liquid from an earthenware flagon. It wasn't something she'd had before, it tasted thick but slightly sweet and it wasn't like wine or beer.

When she looked askance at him, Jannun lifted his cup, "Ahh, this is Mezi. For," he lowered his hand to the height of the table, "ahh little."

"A drink for children?" Isonei smiled ruefully as he nodded looking amused.

"Better than rich wine." He took a sip and spoke to the bleary looking Brenough.

She drained her cup and held it out for more. Brenough muttered something and Jannun seemed to consider it as he filled her cup again.

"Bone broth? You need to eat."

"No. The thought turns my stomach for some reason. When I was a child... have you ever heard of honey soup? That was what Daga Gildith called it. It tasted sweet but it had some kind of squash, I think, and a root that-"

Jannun perked up and chattered almost excitedly to Brenough for a moment, "It ahh it made you feel warmed? This root?"

"Yes! He served it when his daughter was sick."

"No meat? Ahh, you do not hungry with meat?"

Smiling, she realized how she must have sounded to the Lerians. "No, I am not hungry for meat." She gently emphasized the correct words.

He paused and then repeated, "You are not hungry for meat?"

"That's right. I don't know why. The thought..." Isonei sighed and frowned. The thought of bone broth or the sour Torgan meats made her feel sick to her stomach.

Repeating it to Brenough the two discussed it and seemed to come to a conclusion, "You need ahh to be clean."

Blinking she lowered her head slightly and sniffed at herself. With a shudder she nodded, "I do need a bath. Urgently."

Brother Jannun belted out his laughter and relayed something to Brenough. The older man rubbed his face tiredly and muttered something in Torgan. Jannun gestured at her to stay and drink, before leaving the room. After a few long moments he returned with a very sour looking Krouth.

"Lady Isonei, I was told you were awake and that you wish to bathe?" He gave her a look that said she'd done something deliberately to spite him.

"No, well, yes but no. Brother Jannun said I needed to be clean and I agreed with him. I do need a bath. I smell."

The younger priest began chuckling to himself and speaking to Krouth with amusement.

"He meant that you seem to be embarking on a woman's fast. No meats, or breads, eating only purer foods, fruits and vegetables, herbs and honey. Wine would not be permitted on such a fast, my Lady."

"Why? You said I could have honey, that's what my father's wine is made from."

Brother Jannun sighed and spoke sternly gesturing toward her and Krouth translated, "Wine that has been flavored with honey is not-"

"No!" Isonei firmly put her cup down and raised her hand pointing her closed fingers at Jannun. "My father's wine is not some cheap fruit wine flavored with honey. It is honey wine. I have walked the fields where the flowers were grown, as I have walked among the hives. My father even allowed me to see how the wine was made and I played among the casks as a child. Don't you ever, ever, mistake the honey wine of House Ernelis for some cheap imitation."

She took a breath realizing she was trembling with anger, a response out of proportion to the insult to her father's wine. Both priests and Krouth were looking at her as if she had done something truly startling.

"I am certain he will never do so again, my Lady. Are you... well?"

"I don't know why that upset me so much." Isonei took another deep breath trying to steady herself.

Brother Brenough began to speak and reached out to pat her hand where it rested on the table.

"He says you are unbalanced and in need of your fast. Now that they understand what honey soup is they will make certain it is made for you." He spoke with them for a few moments as she managed to finish her cup of the Mezi. "Since it is your father's wine and made from honey. And since it clearly means a great deal to you, you will be permitted to finish the bottle during your fast, Lady Isonei."

"Thank you." Giving Krouth an apologetic look she sighed, "Why do you not have running water in Torga? I could draw myself a hot bath. Baths are soothing."

He bowed, "The water in the metal pipes froze when it was attempted at the royal court, my Lady. Despite the difficulties it was attempted again in the warmer months. An assassin managed to put poison in the water tank in an attempt on the King's life. Instead, several of his mistresses were killed. It has not been attempted since."

"How horrible." Isonei frowned. There should be ways to prevent that sort of thing but the King had most likely consulted someone far more knowledgeable on the matter. It would be rude to suggest otherwise.

"A bath can be drawn for you in the morning, Lady Isonei. It is good to see you awake and looking more like yourself. There was a brief time we thought you might..." Krouth straightened and brought himself up short.

"Thank you. How long have I been..."

"Too long. Halloc Aurim and most of his priests left with Prince Draeseth to pray for your recovery at the Shrine. If you-when you have recovered we are to join them. We will wait to be certain you have your strength before we depart. You should return to bed, my Lady."

The thought of getting into bed without having bathed was profoundly unpleasant. "How long is it until morning? I'm certain the bed must be warmer and more comfortable than the floor-"

"To bed." Jannun pointed firmly and spoke to both Brenough and Krouth for a moment as she tried not to sulk openly.

When they had finished and she was perched on the edge of the bed unhappily, Krouth reassured her, "Morning is still some hours away, but I assure you, your bath will be drawn for you at first light and your honey soup will be served to you for lunch. Yogurt and honey for breakfast, and perhaps some apple mash if you can eat so much."

"What is apple mash? Do you mean applesauce, apples that have been cooked and pureed with spices?"

He looked at her with a mix of amusement and annoyance. "No, you may try it in the morning."

Despite being certain she wouldn't be able to sleep without having first bathed, Isonei fell quickly into it. The sound of the priests rising and beginning quiet prayers woke her and she sat up silently in the bed listening to them at the foot of her bed until they had finished. She watched Jannun help Brenough up from the pallet and the wrinkle-faced man smiled at her warmly, gesturing at her to get out of bed and come with him.

Isonei was helped into a warm robe and given a pair of woolen booties with pointed toes to wear before she was led down to a room that seemed to be used for laundry. The maids were giving her displeased glances as they stoked a large fire and heated buckets of water to fill a wooden tub. She was delighted to see, however, that instead of the harsh Torgan soap she'd used at the inn, Burgath had Aran bath soaps and oils.

It was always an adjustment going from Leria back to Ara, the first few baths she always felt like she was doing something wrong by getting into the water dirty. But here... she was so grateful to be able to bathe at all; it was torture to even wait for them to fill the tub. She put oils in the water as they filled it and the air was filled with steam that smelled of vaina pods and spices.

Finally once the tub had been filled enough she stripped and slipped into the hot water submerging herself for as long as she could hold her breath. The hot water was divine. Isonei enjoyed it for a long moment before she began to scrub herself making sure every bit of her was thoroughly cleaned with the vaina scented soap and washing her hair twice. She felt reborn when she finally stepped out of the water.

One of the maids brought in a chair and placed it by the roaring fire, gesturing for her to sit with the comb as another toweled her off thoroughly. By the time she emerged from the warm room dry, except for her slightly damp hair, and warmly dressed, Krouth was waiting outside to take her to breakfast. The heavy, modest, Torgan gown she had been put in, one of those Draeseth had originally brought for her, seemed larger than it had before, as if she were wearing a gown made for someone else.

The dining room she'd had dinner in the first night she'd arrived was where Prince Burgath and his brother Rogath, along with Duke Shoban were waiting. The priests didn't seem to be invited to breakfast with them.

Burgath looked relieved to see her. "Lady Isonei, you have had us worried."

Shoban made what sounded like a snide remark in Torgan and the black look that Rogath gave him reminded her very strongly of Draeseth. The Duke swallowed and inclined his head slightly.

"I would guess from the tone of his voice that not everyone was concerned, Prince Burgath, but I thank you." She placed her hand over her heart and kept her voice quiet but warm. "Duke Shoban's unpleasantness contrasts starkly with your good manners and allows them to shine more clearly."

"Are you flirting with him?" Rogath frowned looking at her speculatively.

"No brother, that is an example of Aran charm. She is merely being gracious. If you had ever seen her flirt you would know the difference."

"I have the distinct impression that flirting is not allowed in Torga." Isonei frowned slightly as she took the seat Rogath pulled out for her next to him. "My hand was slapped for touching my Draeseth very innocently in front of Halloc Aurim after lunch a day or two ago."

"That was more than a week, Lady Isonei." Rogath studied her with concern. "Much closer to two weeks. And in front of priests, I advise you to touch no one. Our brother defers to them; I think he may even allow them to dictate how you are to be treated."