Chapter Five – Remy
By the time Remy awoke the next morning, he’d regretted multiple decisions he’d made the night before. Perhaps he had imbibed too much during the fete to calm his nerves. He wasn’t worried about getting homesick; no, that wasn’t the issue. The issue was more that, well, he wasn’t prepared to be so isolated for so long with someone he barely knew.
He’d seen the sharp sting of anger on Isabella’s face as she’d walked away from him yesterday. She had been livid, and, he supposed, rightfully so. Part of him felt bad. The beginning of the night had gone well, and he’d enjoyed his time dancing with her, the way her hands felt warm and soft in his. That sensation he still hadn’t been able to get out of his mind. But he had never been one to hold his tongue, and perhaps with a few cups of wine to loosen it further, he had spoken out of turn. His brothers had both given him a look as Izzy had left, and Remy had considered just following her, not sure whether he wanted to apologize or to call her out for raising her voice at him in public.
The next few days were frigid at best. She was never rude, but she was clearly upset, only spending as much time as it took to get through whatever portion of the Code was on the docket for that day, then leaving to return to her quarters or have supper with Manon afterwards. She had met the rest of his clutch and his parents (who had immediately taken to her, much to his chagrin), but she had still been quite reserved with him personally.
This was all, of course, very deserved. But he was loath to apologize. This was his territory. His castle, his home. And she’d been so condescending, acting as if he was some insipid hatchling incapable of performing the task of being the liaison between Onson and Aurelia. From the beginning, Isabella had talked to him as if he were too simple to understand basic etiquette and procedures.
But he certainly didn’t want to be at odds with her for the rest of this very long trip. If she could not extend the olive branch, then he supposed he would have to do it instead.
His family were there to see them off. Isabella walked around the carriage, content to interact with everything in the hall but him. The young footman she’d brought with her was focused on ensuring that the carriage and horses had been properly examined and maintained in the week she’d been here.
“I’ll be sure to write. We’ll be stopping in some of the major cities on the way there, and I’ll send gifts and notes as I go,” Remy said. “If that is sufficient to all of you.”
“Oh, Remy,” his mother murmured, running her hands over his shoulders and his traveling cloak. “I’m sure that you will. We will also hopefully be able to send things to you, once the runes are finished.”
“More than what you’ve already sent with me? I’m fairly sure a good portion of the weight of my traveling kit is simply rock cakes and other desserts,” he chided. “We will stop and eat.”
“It’s just my way of showing my love,” she said. “Now, show them what Onson is like, and how we are.”
He nodded. “I will show the glory of the Legrand cluster, as I always do.”
Before he could move over to his siblings, Isabella rounded the carriage, staring at him.
“Oh, are you finished? Wonderful,” she said, strolling past him to look at the rest of the assembled clutch. “Thank you all for your hospitality. I will keep you all abreast, of course, of any updates. The runes being set up soon will be a blessing to both of us in terms of facilitating correspondence.” With that, she gave a quick curtsey before moving to the carriage; the footman opened the door for her, and she whisked herself inside.
Remy sighed, and turned back to see Amaury shaking his head at him. “Oh, you’ve certainly stuck your snout in it this time, Remy.”
Remy rolled his eyes. “Don’t remind me. If it is her intention to murder me, I will endeavor to leave you all a number of clues at each location. I suppose she would be tried under Aurelian rule though; who knows what they think about concepts as insipid as law.”
Mirielle giggled, straightening her dress gently with her claws. “I think you’re about to figure out exactly what they think about concepts as ‘insipid’ as law. Baby brother, you’ve been quite a ram. Be nice to our new princess.”
Remy sighed. “Mirielle, I will miss even your chastising,” he grumbled, leaning forward to hug her gently one final time. “I will be sure to send you the finest dresses from Yaventown. I’m sure they’ll be covered in all the same brocade and ornamentation as the princess has been wearing all week.”
Mirielle smiled, hugging him a final time. “Write lots. And I want a shawl as well, and a necklace, and—”
“Apparently you are to drain Aurelia’s coffers for our sister, mm?” Amaury laughed. “Get out of here before everyone else starts requesting their own souvenirs.”
Remy said his final goodbyes, and then moved towards the carriage. The footman was still staring up at him, but had the good sense to look away as he came closer.
“Good morning, Vicomte Remy,” he said in Aurelian, his accent different from Isabella’s.
“Good morning. I don’t have your name.”
“It’s Aldric D’antoni.”
“Aldric. This is your carriage. While we are in it, you are its master. I’ll give you no trouble,” Remy said. Aldric gave a nod, a bit awestruck, and moved to let Remy into the carriage.
Remy set his bag down on the bench and heaved himself inside, taking a seat and curling his tail around himself. While he could appreciate the well-made design of the carriage, he felt like he was right on top of Isabella. She was seated primly on the other bench, looking down at her notebook, not seeming to pay him any mind.
With a sharp sound, Alric started the carriage, and it began its descent out of Sourire Pointu and down the spiraling path into the valley between the Arguille d’Friolen and Pic du Rymriel mountains.
Isabella seemed content not to notice him. She had pulled a small blanket out of her satchel and had draped it over her legs, looking to settle in.
“So, are we going to stare at the walls for the rest of this month?”
Isabella held a finger in the air, and Remy considered shooting lightning at it. “Just a moment, in the middle of a chapter,” she said.
“A bookmark is a wonderful invention. Perhaps you have heard of it.”
If Isabella heard him, she didn’t seem to pay him any attention. Finally, she closed the book and set it down on her lap, giving him a pointed look. “You seem disinterested in even existing in the same spaces as I do. In fact, if I recall correctly, I am a waste of your time. When we’re ready to discuss the code, no matter how antiquated, then we will converse more.”
Remy grumbled, feeling the soft hum of electricity buzzing in his mouth.
Her eyes narrowed. “No, don’t do that. You don’t get to do that. You will not crackle at me just because you’re annoyed,” she said.
He took a deep breath. “I do not crackle—”
“You’re crackling as we speak. It’s rude.”
Remy sat back against the chair, and sighed. “I’d prefer not to work in silence. I don’t do well with it. It is one of my faults—I admire the collaboration of ideas.”
“Then apologize.” Isabella said simply, shrugging her shoulders.
“It wasn’t meant to bring any offense, Princess. I was just talking with my brothers. Regardless of how important it is to the empire and our place in it, it is still an inconvenience. I’m sure you probably think the same, if you consider the duties you left behind.”
“I will consider it.” Isabella said. “When you apologize.”
Remy rolled his eyes, turning back to his own books. “This is childish.”
“You’re childish,” Isabella said. “I don’t know about schools or tutors in Onson, but when I was a child, I was taught to be kind. And to not say anything out loud that I wouldn’t want to say directly to someone’s face. Is that what court is like in Onson? Backstabbing and conniving?”
Remy knew that the answer to that was, ‘Yes, Onson is cutthroat. People stab each other in the back, and it isn’t anywhere near as nice and civilized as Aurelia seemed to be. It’s much more fun!’ but he was gifted with the good sense to not tell Isabella that at the moment. Instead, he gestured with his claws outside. “Onson is hard, and so are its people. At times people will get a bit temperamental. Tempers will fly. It’s best not to take it personally whenever someone says an ill word against you. You learn how to sharpen your claws and not let anything stand in your way of what you want. That’s what children are taught in Onson. But I have to remember that you were not raised in the same courts and halls that I was. I apologize for being unkind.”
“Are you actually apologizing for being unkind? Or for being called out in a public setting?”
Remy sighed. “I assure you that I am sorry. I didn’t paint the best picture of Onson— regardless of how we treat each other, we should treat guests better. I’m also not usually the kind to talk about people behind their back. I’m sure you would prefer the same courtesy that I would extend to any other guest under our mountain. I hope that, even if you can’t forgive me right now, you will be able to in time.”
Isabella bit her bottom lip, and for a moment his eyes flickered to the cute bow shape of her top lip. “Well, I’m not certain I accept your apology, but I will at least note it,” she murmured, taking her pen and jotting something down.
Remy leaned forward. “Did you actually write ‘Remy apologized’ in your diary?”
“It’s my journal where I keep my thoughts, thank you,” she said, and flipped to an earlier page. “Well, with that nasty business settled, let’s discuss our itinerary.”
“Isn’t our itinerary ‘aimlessly wander in this carriage for too many hundreds of miles until we reach something resembling civilization?’”
She gave him a stern look that was enough to give him pause. “We cannot just ride our horses ragged or let Aldric fall off the carriage out of boredom. While there are some nights we will have to camp under the stars, for the most part I have acquired rooms at a series of fine taverns along the way of our route.”
Remy quirked a brow, crossing his arms over his chest. Her eyes followed for just a moment before snapping back to his face.
“And which tavern did you select?” he said.
“Oh, the Little Ewe’s Nook.”
Remy chuckled. “Oh, we’re not going there,” he said. “One moment,” he said and knocked on the roof.
The carriage slowly rolled to a stop and Remy leaned out of the window to call to Aldric. “I know what your princess asked of you, but I’m telling you none of us will be happy if we go to the Ewe. Take us to the Sage and Spruce. You’ll like it. The servant’s areas are quite wonderful.”
Remy settled back inside, pleased with himself as Izzy stared at him.
“Just like that, you’re telling my servants what to do?” she asked.
“He serves Aurelia, does he not? And as you all have been telling me often, we are as much part of Aurelia as you are. The Ewe is an eyesore, and their food is terrible. This is much better. Trust me, we will both be in much higher spirits.”
“I suppose,” Isabella said, and then flipped the page again. “That’s our first true stop, in a few days’ time. From there, we will have to travel down through the main continent. We of course have other large branch cities in Lumin, so we can always stay at Schloss Heufallen. Then down into the elven territory of Carillon. It is quite a wondrous city, and there is a great library there that’s exquisite. Oh, and then…”
Remy watched her as she detailed the plan, her brief annoyance immediately subsiding into exuberance as she started to gesture about certain marvels and curiosities that she enjoyed in each city. Remy hadn’t explored much of the continent before. He had traveled somewhat to take care of business for Onson, especially as they had moved into longer talks with the Aurelians, but it had always been quick stays for a few days. He’d never been as far east as they would go on this journey; he had to admit to himself he was at least a little bit excited.
The days passed in relative peace, and their first few stops were still within the kingdom of Onson. The morning of the third day had them finally moving past the foothills that the Great Griffes Range sloped into. There was a river here, a little field there where people raised cows, chickens, and goats. As they drew closer to the city limits of Talmetia, Remy bundled himself up, moving towards the door.
“Where are you going?” Isabella asked.
“Well, unless your man has been to Onson before, I figured it would be best to guide him in, no?”
Isabella looked out the door and then started to bundle herself up. “Well, I want to see too.”
Remy knocked on the roof to slow Aldric and hopped out. “How would you like to take a few minutes to yourself, young Aldric? Enjoy a ride in the carriage for a spell while we move into town.”
Aldric looked nervously between Remy and Isabella, and shrugged. “If that’s what Her Highness wishes.”
“It is, Aldric. Please, you’ve worked hard these past few days. Enjoy the warmth.” Isabella hopped out of the carriage and joined Remy up in the coachbox.
Remy was sure that Isabella would simply walk into town if Remy denied her from riding up front, but as it was, he wasn’t sure whether it had been the best idea. The coachbox was very, very cramped. Remy was not a small being by any stretch of the imagination, and Isabella had to hold on tight to his arm to avoid getting bucked out of the seat entirely. Luckily, it wasn’t too much further to the Sage and Spruce.
Hed been through this town a handful of times. His favorite part was a small library that had one of the best collections of works by Frigyan poets this far north. He assumed that the curator of the library had made special care to procure as many as possible.
Remy took special care to point out the Ewe to Isabella, showing her its rundown ‘charm’.
“I suppose it could be considered ‘cozy’, in a certain light,” Isabella managed.
“Perhaps at midnight when both moons are new,” Remy murmured, and gestured the carriage on.
They finally reached a bright blue house that sat near the river, the lanterns giving off a soft green glow as the sun set. He pulled the carriage over to the stables, which sat in a small adjacent building. They quickly unloaded, and two scrappy young boys came to pick up their trunks and drag them into the tavern, with Aldric following behind.
Remy carefully stepped down, not really enjoying the way that the wood creaked beneath his claws as he moved, and then reached his hand up to Isabella.
She placed her hand in his; it was dainty in comparison. He closed his claw around her fingers, and looked up at her carefully, making sure she got down to the floor all in one piece.
She looked down into his eyes and, for a moment, Remy got lost in hers. They were the most breathtaking shade of green. In the golden light of the sunset hours, they seemed to sparkle more than he’d thought possible.
“Um, shall we go inside? It is still quite cold out,” she murmured, breaking him out of his silence.
“Oh, yes, of course,” Remy murmured, and then pulled his hand away, clasping his claws together for a moment before he strode into the tavern.
The inside was fairly spartan, with dark wood tables that were neatly carved and hewn, speaking to simple but well-made craftsmanship. As soon as they walked in, Remy’s nostrils flared, delighted at the smell of warm roast chicken.
He strode up to the platform where a young dwarf carefully checked over some records. “Two rooms, please.”
The dwarf looked way up at Remy, far enough up to nearly fall off his chair. “Oh, Vicomte! Welcome back.”
“Yes, thank you. Two rooms, please.”
“Ah, about that,” the dwarf said, looking a bit bashful. “You see, there was a workhouse that got flooded with the last rains a few weeks back. So were a bit full up at the moment.”
“And you have no rooms?”
“We have one left here, and one in the servant house. We may be able to move a bed in, though,” the dwarf said, and then whistled, motioning for the two teens that had moved their trunks to go make arrangements.
Remy sighed, turning to Isabella. “You can take this one. I suppose I will sleep out with Aldric.”
Isabella took a deep breath. “Well, I know that typically in Aurelia we wouldn’t share a bedroom, but is it really that different than having separate tents, as we have for the past few days? If there are two beds, it can’t really be that bad, can it? We both have a collection of siblings, as you’ve said. I have brothers, you have sisters. Sometimes you just make do, mm?”
Remy shifted uneasily. When was the last time he’d shared quarters that close with another? He shook his head, brushing out the thoughts. The less that Isabella knew about that, the better. “A fair assessment.”
With that, Isabella turned to the host. “Can you make sure that our room has a changing suite? Something where we can both have a modicum of privacy to turn down for the evening?”
“Of course, my lady,” he nodded.
The dwarf got them bundled up into their room. He’d managed to arrange a small suite that was outfitted with two beds, both large enough to accommodate a dragonkin of his stature, which was wonderful, considering that he’d spent the last few nights cramped in much smaller rooms.
He quickly reviewed the small slate dinner menu, and selected a few bowls of poule a pout with crusty pan de campagne. It was a simple, workman-like dinner, but it would be delicious, based on how savory the kitchen and small dining room smelled. He elected to stay downstairs until the food was prepared, carefully writing some correspondence back home.
Lysander,
You really do owe me one. I am beginning to think that this whole thing is some punishment. Did I wrong you in such a way that I deserved being shipped off to places unknown? I hope you’ll understand that while there is some great honor in bringing the rich history of Onson into the known world, there is a part of me that wonders if, instead, we could have persisted a year longer, at least until the runes were set up!
I write to you from Talmetia today. Our journey has been largely uneventful. We have covered a great many subjects, but at a speed which I fear will cause the thoughts to fall into the abyss of my mind like a sieve.
Isabella is an adequate tutor. She has a teaching style that is expansive and overly thorough, if not necessarily the most well-organized. I suppose that—
Remy stopped himself, lifting his pen from his station as he thought about what he was going to try and write next?
Isabella was interesting?
Isabella was clever?
Isabella was talented?
Isabella was… trying.
… suppose that she will take to our language, and our ways, in just the same manner in which we will have to acclimate to hers.
Faithfully,
Remy, of the Legrand Cluster, Vicomte within Sourire Pointu, and now, begrudgingly, of Branch Onson, House of Aurelia, Canopy of Distant Blooms.
Post script: This seems all rather like a mouthful. Can we not cut it down?
~*~
“Explain it to me again,” Remy murmured, still trying to delicately lick the last drops of broth from his claws. “More slowly.”
“The epitaph gives a secondary distinction to our houses, allowing us to show our individuality, our color. It will continue to grow and change as we add more accolades to our houses, as well.”
“I must say, ‘of the Grove Resplendent’ seems fairly…”
“Illustrious?” Isabella murmured.
“Pretentious. How do your people ever take you seriously?”
Isabella huffed at that, setting her spoon down. “They adore us. On the emperor’s name day, they often send showers of flowers to our house, as a way to say thank you for our sound governance and—”
Remy snorted, tearing apart the last loaf of bread, admiring the way the steam still rose from it. “Ah, magic, nothing like it,” he sighed, popping a piece into his mouth, before returning his attention to Isabella. “Princess, that seems far fetched. It’s much more likely that it’s a tradition that’s been going on for so long that they don’t even remember why they do it. It’s just a good day to take time off from their labors and spend the day picking flowers instead. I’m sure you have feasting and sport at the same time. I think they adore that much more than your ‘sound governance.’”
“Regardless,” she said, after muttering in some other language that Remy hadn’t quite picked up. “That is what it’s for. And Onson’s will be just as storied. Anyway. We have Branch Echtarch. You will be Branch Caillan, and then there are a few other royal houses.”
Remy nodded, pulling up his hand, now free of broth. “Here to the very southwest, Frigya, and nearby Scounce, Branches Montaze and Mollia. Here, to the southeast,” he murmured, dragging his claw across the meat of his palm. “Branch Davan, in Dexmaro.”
She nodded, carefully running him through the rest.
It was truly an empire. He’d briefly done his homework on Aurelia. It didn’t make sense; empires of this size, of this level of landed power, typically did not exist peacefully. It was through conquest, through warfare and bloodshed. Aurelia had not been the first ‘empire’ in Ilcanos, and he doubted it would be the last. But the fact that they could have people as disparate as the studied orcs in Frigya up to the magic-rich wizards of Lutven,—it was impressive.
“And so, in Yaventown, when we’re forced to be there for months…”
“For six weeks. Don’t be so dramatic,” Isabella replied, tearing apart the crusty bread and dipping it into the remnants of her soup.
“And three weeks in the winter. Three months altogether. It seems ludicrous.”
“Do our people not deserve at least a quarter of our time?” Isabella said, her tone suddenly serious. “The governance of our realm is important. It should be the bulk of what we do. If anything, we should meet more often, not less.”
Remy poured himself a glass of wine. “Well, when you put it like that, I suppose it seems less… antiquated.”
“Yes, thank you,” Isabella said, taking his glass and sipping it.
Remy rolled his eyes and grabbed the empty one, filling that too.
“Anyway, as you were,” she said.
“When we’re in Yaventown, we’re expected to remain in the embassy? Or will we be provided a suite within the palace?”
“You can live within the embassy, or you can choose to get other housing within the Crown district.” Isabella took another sip of her wine, then set the glass down, her nose wrinkling.
“Has it turned?”
“No, it’s fine,” Isabella sighed dramatically. “I’ve been away from home for a long time. We just won’t be able to find good wine until we get home.”
Remy scoffed, taking a sip himself. It felt rich, warm and heady. He wondered what it would look like when she finally got a sip of wine from back home. Remy found himself idly thinking of the sounds she would make, and then stopped that line of thought before it could get any more out of hand.
“Well, the desserts are better here,” Remy replied.
“Perhaps for you. I nearly cracked my tooth open on one of those rock cakes.”
Remy turned to her. “Snooping in my bag for sweets? Why, Princess, I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Isabella scoffed like he had, a little huff in her shoulders, before bursting into an adorable fit of giggles.
Remy couldn’t help but laugh along.