Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Aurelia
“ I t was so impressive watching you fight up close,” the baronissa simpers, peering up at Raul through her eyelashes as she strokes her fingers over his brawny arm.
On the other side of the carriage from the pair, I will my jaw not to clench and my smile to stay mild. When Marclinus invited the prince and a couple of other nobles into our carriage for our third day on the road back to Vivencia, I have to think he predicted the ensuing flirtation. It’s not as if Raul’s reputation in court is any secret.
Is he evaluating my reaction to the other woman’s pawing and Raul’s cocky grin in return? Raul’s interest or lack thereof while in my presence?
Or is the pairing part of some other game I can’t guess at yet? He might be punishing the woman’s husband, who’s sitting next to me, for a transgression I’m not privy to .
Regardless, I have to stay here and respond to my husband’s lively chatter as if I’ve barely noticed what’s developing on the opposite bench. Raul has no choice but to lean closer and make his teasing remarks as if he welcomes the attempted seduction as he would have before.
The nobles will wonder at his lack of interest if he leaves off his rakish ways too suddenly. Has he kept up his pastime of bedding married ladies as some kind of revenge against the court at large?
No matter what promises of devotion he’s offered me, he probably should . Even if the thought of him drawing this woman into his embrace makes me want to toss her right out of the carriage.
Marclinus lifts the bottle of wine he liberated from the kitchen at the last waypoint as if in toast. “We should have another arena exhibition while we’re back in the capital. Give the prince of Lavira some proper opponents to show off his skills against!”
He grins with all his teeth, takes a swig from the bottle, and passes it to the baron beside him.
The other man is just lifting the bottle to his lips when the carriage jerks to a stop. As the baron sputters around the sudden slosh of wine into his mouth, one of our soldier escorts appears at the carriage window.
“The bridge is out just up ahead by Norbina, Your Imperial Majesty. The townspeople are already working at repairing it. They think it’ll be secure in another few hours.”
Marclinus sighs. “What’s the next nearest route over the river?”
The soldier grimaces apologetically. “There’s a bridge down by Thavess, but it’d take until the end of the day just to backtrack to the crossroads and make it over there.”
“Fine then. I suppose we’ll wait.” My husband rubs his hands together. “I’ll see if I can motivate the workmen to get on with it a little faster.”
My stomach sours with dread. I ease out of the carriage after Marclinus, not certain what I could do to moderate his whims but feeling I should be in a position to try.
The contingent of cavalry from the front of our convoy has spread out to reinforce the thinner ranks that ride alongside the carriages. Beyond those who’ve remained at the front of the procession, people in plain shirts and trousers are milling around the bank of the river. A heap of wood and stone lies nearby.
Dozens more civilians have gathered along the bank and spread out across the field next to the road, peering at our parade of opulence.
Marclinus strides to the front of the convoy, his guards hustling close behind. He lifts his hand to catch the workers’ attention. “Thank you for your service, my good people! I’ll see that a fine reward is sent your way once I reach the capital. The faster you can get us across this river, the finer it’ll be!”
My anxiety fades. Apparently the wine has left my husband relatively good-humored.
I suppose he wouldn’t last long as emperor if he terrorized even his own country’s people on a daily basis.
Marclinus ambles back along the procession and strikes up a conversation with a couple of marchions from a carriage a couple down from ours. I give our horses a scratch behind their ears and then meander around the vehicle to stretch my legs.
And also to avoid getting back into that enclosed space with my secret lover and his potential new paramour.
A tense muttering passes between some of the soldiers. When I glance toward their protective line along the convoy, the crowd of watching civilians has drawn closer. I think it’s expanded as well, with more townspeople venturing over from their homes to gape at the traveling imperial court.
“Give us space!” one of the captains hollers at the nearest onlookers, tugging on his reins so his stallion stamps its feet warningly. “Stay well back from Their Imperial Eminences.”
It’s Marclinus the spectators are particularly interested to observe, isn’t it? Several necks crane as the crowd tries to peer beyond the soldiers to see what he’s doing.
A few of them gaze my way, leaning to look around the cavalry. One woman’s face brightens when our eyes meet. “There’s Empress Aurelia!”
Oh, maybe they’re curious about me as well. I lift my hand in a polite wave.
The focus of the crowd appears to shift, more people moving my way as if hoping to catch a glimpse. As they edge closer to the soldiers again, a flurry of murmurs carries with the faint breeze.
The bits and pieces of comments that reach my ears are a mix of eager and urgent.
“…carried out the rite just like he did!”
“Can you imagine…”
“…can’t be good, Emperor Tarquin passing on the same night as…”
“…all the way from Accasy…”
“…giving the bounty to the people most in need, so generous of…”
“…when the gods send an omen like that…”
The last remark comes with a hurried warding gesture. I resist the urge to rub my arms self-consciously.
Word about my participation in the confirmation rites has obviously spread, but it hasn’t been enough to reassure every Darium citizen, especially those who weren’t there to see my efforts .
Losing their emperor the night of my wedding is an association that’s difficult to get over.
They’re watching me now, evaluating the way I’m standing here. Trying to judge whether to cheer me on or shun me?
At least a few people have decided on the former. “Hurrah for our new empress!” someone hollers from farther back in the growing crowd, punctuated by a couple of nearby whoops of approval.
I wander a little farther along the convoy, not wanting to look as if I’m hiding but not sure what I can do that would sway anyone in my favor right now. It isn’t as if I can help them mend the bridge. The soldiers don’t look inclined to let me even speak to the civilians face-to-face.
After past incidents, I can’t blame them for their vigilance. And Marclinus has already berated me for stepping beyond my supposed place. I can’t meddle much without risking his wrath again.
As I stroll along, more voices call out in my praise. I aim a few more waves at the spectators. I nod at the nobles I pass who’ve stepped out of their carriages, but their answering smiles look a little stiff.
I pause by one of the staff carriages to accept a goblet of juice to take the edge off the heat. Bianca sidles over next to me to claim a drink of her own.
“You’re causing quite a stir,” she says under her breath.
I glance toward the watching townspeople. “I didn’t intend to. It’s not surprising they’re curious.”
“Not just curious. And it isn’t only them getting riled up.” Bianca tips her head toward the rest of the convoy. “Some of the court has been grumbling this past week about the attention they feel you’ve been encouraging, as if you’re trying to set yourself up as better than those of us from Dariu. ”
Gods smite me, is there anything I can do—or have done in my general vicinity—that the imperial court won’t use as an excuse to criticize the “wild princess” from the north?
I stop myself from rolling my eyes. “I simply want the people of what’s now my home country to warm up to me, since I’m not originally Darium. It won’t help any of us if they think I’m an ominous presence.”
The vicerine’s lips curve at a wry angle. “I’m sure you’ve already noticed that most noble folk are mainly concerned with what benefits us directly and immediately—and looking as good as possible while we’re enjoying those benefits.”
For fuck’s sake. Am I now expected to polish the common people’s opinion of the entire court as well as myself?
I do need the lords and ladies on my side too. Giving them gifts clearly wasn’t enough to win them over. What could possibly mollify them when it comes to a complaint like?—
A flash of inspiration passes through my head. I pause, holding back a laugh at the idea that seems absurd.
Perhaps it isn’t. Perhaps it’s actually genius.
It could calm their complaints, give them all the more reason to appreciate me, and serve the townspeople at the same time.
Bianca arches an eyebrow at me. “You look as if you’ve had an interesting thought.”
“I have. I have indeed.”
I stride on toward the farthest of the imperial carriages. Bianca trails behind me out of apparent curiosity.
Two marchions and marchionissas who’ve been traveling together watch my approach with a vaguely apprehensive air. “What can we do for you, Your Imperial Highness?” one of the marchionissas asks.
I clasp my hands in front of me and put on a tone of pure earnestness. “I was just thinking of these poor workers striving away and having to wait so many days for compensation. Wouldn’t it be lovely if we showed the people of Norbina just how generous all of the imperial court can be?”
Her husband perks up, though his tone is cautious. “What do you mean?”
I motion toward their gilded carriage. “I’m sure you’re carrying some coins or trinkets of value you could part with for the rest of the journey. We’ll take a collection and have it presented to the workers on behalf of the court nobles. When we return to the capital palace, I’ll see that you’re repaid twice over.”
They can hardly argue with the chance to double the worth of their valuables while appearing ever so benevolent in the process. An excited titter passes between the marchionissas as they clamber into the carriage to decide what to contribute.
“Quite the stratagem,” Bianca remarks as I turn to proceed along every noble carriage in the convoy.
I raise my eyebrow right back at her. “I hope you’ll join in the generosity too, Vicerine?”
She laughs, more warmly than I think I’ve ever heard before. “I’d imagine I will, for such a reward.”
By the time I’ve made my way through the entire procession, the nobles from the tail end are already bustling toward the front of the convoy with pouches of silver and plainer bits of jewelry. That’s good enough—the townspeople might not be able to easily exchange full court finery for anything they’d actually find useful.
I give an explanation to one of the captains, whose forehead furrows but who swings down from his horse to take up the collection.
As I return to my own carriage, Marclinus saunters over, his smirk more crooked than before. “I hear you’re attempting to empty my imperial treasury for a single bridge, wife.”
My pulse stutters, but I make my own smile as sweet and innocent as possible. “The people are working so hard to ensure that our journey is delayed as little as possible—and they should know what a fantastic court you lead, shouldn’t they?”
“All due to my own influence, I’m sure,” he says.
He doesn’t move to intervene, though, simply watching as the final nobles hurry to offer their contributions. When the captain presents the workers with their reward, a volley of awed voices rise up in response. “Thank you, Your Imperial Eminences. Thank you, everyone of the court! It’s our honor to serve you.”
I think that should be well enough settled, but the swarm of onlookers in the field presses closer to the line of soldiers again. “Empress Aurelia’s kindness is spreading,” someone says.
“She’s setting such an example for the court.”
“What a blessing on our country!”
More of the horses shift uneasily on their hooves. “Give the convoy space!” the other captain shouts.
A couple of his underlings glance back at me with the briefest of frowns.
Damn it all. I’ve lifted up my fellow nobles but caused more trouble for those guarding us.
My heart thumps faster, but perhaps I should consider this moment another opportunity. The townspeople want to see me, to hear from me.
I can give them that and support the men and women in arms at the same time.
I return to the captain who handed over the collected reward. “Do you have an amplification charm? I’d like to borrow it for a minute.”
His expression turns even more puzzled, but he hands over a small rod that contains the enchantment.
I hold it beneath my chin and speak in a clear, firm voice that the charm pitches across the field ahead. “People of Norbina, as your empress, I have a request to make. I understand you’re interested to know more about me and this court, but please gather farther back on the field. These fine soldiers have one of the most important duties in the empire, which is keeping your emperor—my wonderful husband—safe. They’re committed to that purpose and have never failed us yet. Let us show our respect for their fantastic service.”
Several of the nearby soldiers sit up a little straighter at the praise. The crowd’s murmurs sound somewhat discontented, but the civilians do pull back a few paces.
I ease toward my carriage. Raul and his baronissa companion have long since climbed out, and the prince is now standing near the wheel by the driver’s seat. Perfect.
“Thank you!” I say to the common folk. “Perhaps even a little farther back—because then you can get a better view.”
Lowering the charm, I turn to Raul and take on an imperious tone. “Help me up.”
He blinks at me, but when I grasp the side of the carriage, a smile of understanding flickers across his face. He grasps my slippered foot and boosts me high enough that I can pull myself onto the ledge above the carriage doors.
Being Raul, he also manages to stroke my ankle with a surreptitious caress before he lets me go.
I scramble the rest of the way onto the roof of the carriage and carefully straighten up. Now standing well above the heads of the cavalry, I can see all across the mass of townspeople and the buildings of their home a little farther down the river.
The faces that gaze up at me still show a mix of delight and apprehension, but even those who don’t trust me yet should recognize this gesture of good will. I spread my hands on either side of my airy dress, presenting myself to their observations.
With a huff that might hold an unnerving amount of irritation, Marclinus hefts himself onto the carriage after me. Naturally he doesn’t like to get the impression that he might be outdone.
He stands beside me and tucks his arm around my waist, raising his hand in welcome to his people as if this was all his idea from the start. But I don’t mind. Having him show that he’ll stand by me will only improve my significance in these people’s eyes.
I just have to hope that I haven’t fallen even further in his.