Chapter 10 #2
Durae squeezed Vespan’s arm. “We’re new friends, so I don’t know enough about your family to make predictions of what they will or won’t accept. But you can’t be the only one who feels this way. You might find someone who just wants to share a home and their favorite books with you.”
“Everyone seems far more concerned with fluttering hearts and swelling nether regions,” Vespan grumbled.
“When you say it like that, I worry that a sickness is spreading amongst us.”
“Who says love and lust aren’t?”
Durae rolled his eyes. “Should we have a serious discussion about it, or can we banter?”
“Banter?”
“I had a tutor who made us practice arguments, most of which were dreadfully boring, so my sister and I would take ridiculous positions on nonsensical things in order to have fun. We called it a banter. A sort of verbal playing.”
“That sounds entertaining, but we can’t do it about love and lust.”
“All right. How about … what color should the sky be?”
“Oh! That’s interesting. Hm. There are so many options.”
They continued their walk around the garden, discussing those options without ever settling on a new color.
And they couldn’t hide out in the organized display of nature for very long.
The reprieve was what mattered, and Durae found himself relaxing in a way that he hadn’t done since Blaze had run away.
By the time they returned to Lady Narice and Durae’s parents, he was looking forward to the evening.
Lady Narice brightened as they neared. “The gardens seemed to have refreshed you two.”
“We had a wonderful stroll,” Durae said. “I’ll see you again, Vespan?”
“Of course,” Vespan said. Then he unwound his arm from Durae and offered it to Lady Narice.
Lady Narice was practically glowing when she took Vespan’s arm. She and Durae’s parents said quick, polite goodbyes before she and Vespan headed off into the dance.
Mama and Papa turned to Durae with happy, though surprised, expressions. Father’s gaze was on the crowd again, searching for someone. Mama said, “Vespan Silvermeadow as a match?”
“A friend,” Durae said quietly. “He has no interest in marriage.”
“Are you certain?” Mama asked. “We would need to do his charts, but a union with someone of Greenjaw descent—”
Durae clasped his mother’s hands and tried to put all the warmth he felt for his family into his voice while leaving out the annoyance that had been building.
“Vespan and I had a very honest conversation. He thinks I’m handsome enough, but he isn’t looking for the same things I am in a partner.
We didn’t come to market just to fill my and Uleyri’s marital beds.
We came to make connections like friends, didn’t we? ”
“Yes,” Mama said with a sigh. She held his hands in return. “You know I worry about you.”
“I know.” There’s no reason to! I’m fine! Screaming that would solve nothing and create a scene that would cause gossip. Durae squeezed his mother’s hands before letting her go. “Where did Uleyri go?”
Papa smiled happily and gestured toward the dancing.
Spotting her between the elves was difficult, but Durae caught glimpses of his sister enjoying herself as she danced with a young couple.
The three of them made a beautiful picture, but Durae’s heart hurt.
He was older, but not by enough to remember a time when he didn’t have a sister.
They had celebrated their Name Days together, choosing names for themselves from among their ancestors.
Every tutor had been shared. Every lesson dissected with their combined minds.
Every spell examined and cast and celebrated. So much had been done together.
But not marriage. It would divide them.
Mama’s soft squawk of alarm was the only warning Durae had before an unstoppable force rammed into his shoulder.
Durae staggered back a step from the impact.
The elf who had run into him was shorter than him, but far more muscular.
He wore a vest over a white shirt and a kilt with a sporran.
His scowl was a sheer cliff clouded with a thunderstorm, intimidating and captivating.
He only muttered, “Pardon.” Then he continued stomping away.
“Who was that?” Mama wondered.
“Beacon Sure-of-Foot,” Father said absently. He was still watching the crowd.
“An athlete of some renown,” Papa added. “Are you all right, Durae?”
“Fine,” Durae murmured. He set himself to rights, casting a quick spell to release the wrinkles in his rosy pink outer robe. His view of Uleyri was now completely obscured by the other dancers.
She was off living her life. He ought to live his.
“Ah, Durae, there is Lord Gustus,” Father announced.
Mama and Papa shared a short, confused glance. Papa said, “The fellow from Manabelt?”
“He’s an inventor and established patron of Gearwickian artificers,” Father replied. “And he has shown interest in Durae, as I said he would.”
“Durae has many prospects,” Papa said.
“We are not going to have an argument in the public,” Mama said quietly. “Best faces, everyone. I see someone from Prince Aldian’s envoy.”
“You can’t say we’re not going to argue and then point out your pick for Durae,” Father hissed.
“Prince Aldian would be a very good match!”
“Which is what every parent here is hoping for! Yet no one has actually seen the prince!” Father returned. “Durae should only entertain possible matches. Not idle fantasies determined by the random falling of leaves in a cup!”
Mama puffed up.
Renewing his wish for a fan, Durae scanned the crowd for any familiar face that would give him an excuse to pardon himself from his parents. With so many suitors chasing him, he should be able to find at least one. I’ll even take seeing someone I wish to pursue instead.
Talking amongst a small knot of elves, Kidd was moving with an animation that held his audience in rapt attention.
From a distance, Durae didn’t have the faintest clue what he could be saying that was so interesting, but at least Kidd was an escape.
And there was a bonus: Kidd ought to know where Blaze was.
Lord Gustus was approaching from the other side, but his gait had slowed.
Anyone observing Mama and Father could see a quiet argument bordering on explosive words was happening.
When Lord Gustus’s gaze fell on Durae, that hungry look filled his eyes and turned his smile far too sharp. A weirdness roiled in Durae’s stomach.
He was supposed to participate in the events of the market. He should stay and be a dutiful son and heir to the Navisora name.
Even though she was far away, Durae could pick his sister’s laugh out of the crowd.
She was finding her own path. He couldn’t fault it for being where her parents hoped it would go.
Ducking out of a party to see someone I like doesn’t mean I’m forsaking my noble heritage!
I am not a tiara to be possessed! Nobles were supposed to make up their own minds and lead, weren’t they?
If he were to be the head of the Navisora family some distant day, he would need to have experience in making decisions, come whatever may afterward.
“Excuse me,” Durae told his parents, “I see someone I need to talk to.”
“‘Need to?’” Mama echoed.
“Go,” Papa said gently and nudged Durae to walk away.
Praying that his small nod was understood as thanks, Durae strode toward Kidd. His long robe fluttered behind him, oddly helping to calm his nerves. He had no royal blood that he knew of, but his attire made him feel regal, and that brought a calmness he desperately clung to.
His confidence wavered when Kidd paused his explanation of the importance of trade routes reaching from coast to coast and his whole group turned toward him.
Adventure required bravery, and nobles ought to have a commanding presence.
Durae was of the mountains, not flowers.
He would not wilt. “Kidd, a pleasure to see you. Could I have a moment of your time, please?”
“Sure, my lord.” Kidd regarded his adoring fans. “I’ll be right back.”
Durae ensured they went just far enough away that they could have some sliver of privacy without straying into the gardens. “Did Blaze come?”
“No, Lord Navisora, he didn’t,” Kidd replied hotly under his breath. “And honestly, he’s been more than a little unbearable because you lied to him.”
“Shit.” Durae put a hand to his forehead. Though he’d known the chances Blaze would come were low, his wish shriveling in his heart was terrible.
He should stay. He had promised Uleyri that she wouldn’t have to face all the social events on her own.
Glancing over his shoulder, he caught sight of his sister dancing.
She was still with the same couple, still a star of happiness among a rather mundane gathering of nobles.
We both need to do things for ourselves.
His life was going to become one of apologies, but he didn’t know how to make anyone happy. Yet. He knew where he wanted to try, though.
“Will you give me directions to his ship?” Durae asked. “I got hopelessly lost last night, and I don’t want to wander around for hours, hoping to stumble on the right tiny dock.”