Chapter Nine #3
I yawned, nodded, and did my best to pay attention.
It was all just blither-blather to me, no matter who was passing these asinine rules of conduct along.
Yes, I was a noble now. The tests were positive, which no one found to be a surprise.
I was the son of Lady Stillcloud and some unwashed human whose name was of no import.
That rankled. Yes, my father was many things, but to be told to throw off the Cadere name for the Stillcloud moniker sat crossways.
As did these lessons in comportment. My brother was aflutter over having an older sibling.
And while I was happy to have him at my side, now I was beginning to realize that my life was never going to be the same as it had been.
All due to that ginger root outrider. Someday I would run into him and flick his nose for finding me out.
“…true order of precedence most generally takes place in state or diplomatic events but knowing the formal rules will help you to avoid any mishaps,” Le’ral stated.
The mahouk nodded, the little charms dangling from his ear tinkling.
His cat slept in front of the fireplace.
“Unless it is a wedding, then the monarch and his family are expected to arrive fashionably late, to ensure all gathered will see the king and pay proper respect.”
“Of course, bowing and scraping is very important,” I mumbled as a jittery young man placed a bowl of creamed green mushroom soup before me and then faded away. The two men trying to force as much of this bullshite into my brain sighed in unison. “Sorry, I’m out of sorts. Please go on.”
“In a light luncheon, there will be only four courses instead of the eight to ten served during a formal affair. Soup, entrée, dessert, and rich coffee or red teas. During the meal, conversation must be kept light as is expected during a day meal. Topics of discussion that are appropriate are varied but most may center on the weather, hobbies, books, musicals or plays, favored foods, the décor of the dining hall, or any current trends in court fashion.”
“Someone drown me now.” I sighed out loud. One of the servants in the far corner choked back a snigger.
“My Lord,” Mahouk slipped in with a kindness that I appreciated.
These lessons were taxing for me, and for Le’ral.
We were both uncomfortable with this forced proximity.
Even after a magnificent night of rutting, I found I wanted to taste him again.
That, along with the mountain of upheaval being hoisted from a simple unlawful existence to be tossed arse over cups into being a cockered noble, kept me off balance.
I winced at the royal terminology everyone around me now used.
Save for Hyla and Prescott. To them, I was still Coelum Cadere.
That was a treasure, to be sure. “We know these things seem trivial, and in all honesty, they are mundane to the extreme. But they are crucial to know if you do not wish to make the upcoming transition even more difficult for King Aelir.”
Yes, I knew that. I was being a brat. “Of course. He’s going to great lengths to bring me into the fold of the nobles, but must I discuss court fashion? Do they not wear toad toes on their ears?”
Le’ral let loose a small sound of amusement. The only one I had heard from him since we’d been thrust together. Funny how that little snicker lifted my spirits.
“That was last season’s craze. This season, it has been the application of swan dander into the powders worn on one’s skin to create an effect that one is as white and fair as a swan,” Le’ral explained with as much grace as he could.
I scoffed. “And this is what the king wants me to become.”
“I doubt it. I think he wishes only for you to be his brother. His childhood was a lonely one, and aside from the company of his dear friend Kenton, he had no other playmates to speak of. Perhaps that is why he is so overly excited to now have a brother.”
That was obvious. And touching. The doors to the dining hall swung open.
The servants all bowed as my brother—that would take much getting used to—bounded in with a sheaf of vellum in his hand.
His blue eyes were bright, his smile upon seeing me growing wide.
We all rose to greet him with bowed heads and fists to chests.
“Ah, I finally found you. I thought you were in the library today, reading up on the writings of Lord Goldhorn and his thoughts on how to best build a relationship between landowners and their vassal houses. I found the seventh book most helpful when I was being taught inheritance laws.”
“We did that yesterday, Your Majesty,” Le’ral said as the king bounded over to me.
Pasil entered then. His head bob to me was a new thing, but not an unwelcome one.
I suspected he might always see me as a poxy scallywag, but now he had to be polite to me.
That was one good thing about being brought forth as a noble.
So far, it was the only thing to enjoy. “Today we are enjoying a light luncheon while touching base on proper decorum for day meals.”
“I see. It is not all that complicated, Coelum. Merely do what I do after I do it,” Aelir said, then brandished the vellum out in front of him with a flourish.
“The court scribes have finished the proclamation that we shall read to the people of Celear. Criers will be sent out as well to ensure the largest boroughs and vills are informed of your succession. I thought you might like to read it over before it is copied and sent out?”
“Oh, thank you.” That was kind. I took the vellum from his fingers, smiled at him, and began to read it.
“Out loud, please. I should like Le’ral and the ambassador’s thoughts on it as they are both skilled orators,” Aelir said, reaching around me to pluck a small finger sandwich of thin dark bread, frilly lettuce, cold sea trout, and a hot mustard sauce from a platter.
“Yes, of course.” I cleared my throat theatrically.
“By decree of King Aelir Stillcloud, Ninth Sovereign of the Sublime Court of Elves, Emperor and Commander of the Elven Army and Navy, Blooded kin of the Queen of the Seventh Trient, Magnate of the wood, sea, air, and all the beasts within, Unifier of the Realm, Defender of the Moon Sisters, Keeper of the Holy Scepter of Ihdos, and Seeker of Serenity for the whole of Melowynn and her people, let this proclamation be carried to every village green and marbled hall of our lands.
“It has recently come to the crown’s divine attention and knowledge that a son unknown to the realm has been restored to the light.
Through ancient rite and sacred witness beneath the vaulted stars of the Exalted Cloisterer and the Wisdom of the Elder Mages, the blood of House Stillcloud has spoken true!
The rites—sealed in the most holy blessings of Ihdos and sanctified by his chosen voice—have revealed that the elf known for many years as Coelum Cadere is in truth Lord Coelum Stillcloud, firstborn son of the late Lady Gialar Stillcloud, just and rightful heir to the vills of Renedith.
“Let no tongue cast doubt where the old magicks have rendered its verdict. Thus it is decreed that Lord Coelum Stillcloud is of noble blood, sprung from the verified lineage of nobility. That he shall be granted his rightful name, titles, and lands, and shall sit at the king’s right hand as a newly anointed prince of the realm, decreed by royal prerogative.
“Be it known that any who challenge his birthright shall challenge the crown itself and shall answer accordingly.
“Let bells be rung from the frost-bound north to the gold coasts of the south. Let banners be unfurled from every parapet. Let feasts be laid in great halls and humble cottages. May wine be poured in rivers through the streets, for the lost son has returned. And with him comes hope reborn, new alliances formed, and a destiny that shall bind the realm’s future not only in steel and sovereignty, but in love yet whispered of in the corridors of fate.
“So sworn under crown, star, and the blessed eye of Ihdos,
This fifteenth sun of the eighth cycle of moons,
In the sixth season of His Majesty’s reign.
Long live Prince Coelum Stillcloud.
Long live the King.
Long live the realm of Melowynn.”
My mouth was dry. My mind blank. What did one say to something so flamboyantly penned?
“That is most…it’s very fanciful,” I finally managed to blurt out, passing the vellum to Le’ral, who seemed unfazed by the declaration. Wind rattled the closed doors, sending the cat to hide under the table. “The winds are blowing in a foul tide,” I whispered.
“We get storms like this frequently,” Aelir replied around a bite of his tiny treat. “What do you think, Coelum? Would you reword any of it?”
“I think it would be fine to not herald that I was a prince at all.”
“You are far too modest. The titles are yours by right of birth and by my hand,” Aelir reminded me yet again.
“If I may, Your Majesty,” Le’ral slipped in while passing the announcement to the mahouk to read over.
“While I understand your joy at discovering you do have a sibling,” Aelir gave me a warm smile, which I returned, “perhaps it would be best to let the privy council affirm that Lord Stillcloud is not going to present any kind of claim to the crown before moving on with spreading the news.”
“He cannot make a claim to the throne as he is half human. He may, though, sit at my side as an advisor or a confidante. I have no worries that he will decide to try to wrest the crown from my head,” Aelir stated with confidence.
“Of that you need not worry. I don’t want the titles or the lands. I would just like to have my ship repaired so I can sail about the seas as any sailor would.”
“And sail you will. I would like to have you and Raewyn sit down after the royal welcome gala to discuss diplomatic overtures to the privateers that you know, so that we can expand the navy without fear of attack or cutting out the smaller fisherman who rely on the sea for their living. Perhaps a naval advisor of some sort.”
“I…that would be…surely the queen has no wish to parlay with a pirate.”
“She will. She is a bright woman who will understand your input and insight to put an end to piracy.” He stole another sandwich, gave my arm a squeeze, and plucked the missive from the ambassador. “I take it you all find this to be acceptably worded?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the other two said while I stared at my brother at a loss.
“Wonderful. I’ll have this returned to the scribes so they may begin making copies.
Tomorrow morn, I would like to announce you to the Celear nobles after the morning prayers.
This way, they will know of it and can smooth the path for the outlying vills when they are informed of you.
Can you be dressed and ready for vespers at sunrise, Coelum? ”
“I…yes, I can be, but don’t you worry that the church will tumble down around me when I step foot inside it?” The joke fell rather flat.
“Not at all. You are my brother. Ihdos will welcome you with open arms.”
He dashed off, with Pasil following on his heels. The wild wind blew the doors open as a boom of thunder rattled the very floor we stood upon. The lucent in my pocket thrummed with a violence I had never felt before.
I breathed in the salty air and frowned.
The winds were sour, and the rain was pelting down as if a personal attack on the castle were taking place.
Walking over to the doors, I grabbed them and lifted my eyes to the tumultuous skies.
Something foul and angry was afoot out there, with devilish shapes dancing on the bolts of lightning as they leapt from cloud to cloud.
A superstitious pirate, I may be, but this storm was not the usual typhoon that visited the south. This one held malice.
When I looked back, I found Le’ral staring at me, his expression tight.
I wished I could ease his worry with another robust fuck, but we were student and tutor now.
He had shown no sign of wishing to revisit our night of passion.
Which was what we had agreed. If only I could stop thinking of him beneath me, spent and sated…
Slamming the doors on the tempest rocking the coast, I shook off my unease to return to my lessons on proper fork use. It would be funny if it were happening to someone else.
Alas, it wasn’t.