Bonds: A Cursed Six novel (The Cursed Six Book 1)

by Clarrisa R. Smithe

  "We all know that Tristian is destined for the arts. We know he's dramatic. Why did he make you say sorry, Jocelyn?"

  Suddenly her daughter could not meet her eye and instead occupied herself with lightly tugging at the ties across her bodice. Her mouth slowly formed into a pout and Petra instantly knew that she had most likely been in the wrong.

  "I insulted his pride," she murmured as she glanced quickly upwards. "Apparently."

  "How so?"

  "I was speaking practically. It seemed I was the only one there with some common sense."

  Beth gave a short laugh. "Charming."

  "Must you?" Jocelyn snapped, giving Beth cause to hide her smirk behind her glass. "He took great offense when I was considering the practicalities and formalities."

  "In what sense?" she asked her daughter.

  "You know, Mama. Those officials who are completely ignorant of the little tart's—"

  "You should not call her that. She is to marry your brother. If anything, you have every right to refer to her as 'Sister'."

  "Mama, do not be so..."

  "Formal? Practical?" The temptation to state that Jocelyn was more like her despised brother than she would care to acknowledge caused her tongue to itch. "But by all means, do continue."

  "Hmph. Well, those officials who are ignorant of my dear brother's bride's pregnancy will wonder why there is no blood on the sheets. We are royals. They will inspect the sheets for days if there is need to in order to ensure that the marriage was first consummated on the wedding night. Obviously, it was not."

  Petra nodded. The issue certainly was something worthy of consideration. Only a few were aware that Tristian was not marrying a virgin and the entire ritual of marriage followed by childbearing was conducted back to front. Officials would be keen to study the sheets, especially when the bride was not picked from pious, ecclesiastically reared stock.

  "Did you have a suggestion?"

  "I informed him that it would be wise to see her cut."

  "Cut? So she would bleed from a wound?" It had been done before, most definitely. There were many women at court who carried a scar upon their thigh, a reminder of the wedding night where their husband covered their mouth with his hand and sliced about an inch in length into plush flesh. There were stories of women who encouraged their husbands to take to drink so they would fall into a drunken slumber after the act was completed. With the snoring lump beside them they would take a blade to their own thigh and dot the expressed fluid onto the sheets. So common was it that men often toyed with their wives about their thighs requiring closer inspection, or at least it was a habit Gregor enjoyed during the early years of their marriage, though once she felt his head close to her heat his true intention were always confirmed.

  Clearing her throat, she turned to her daughter and sighed. "Did Tristian give any indication as to what his solution is?"

  "He avoided the question like the plague."

  Beth leaned forward, keen to pour herself another glass of pear cider. "You do not think he will actually cut her, do you?"

  "And hurt his precious little hummingbird?" Jocelyn rolled her eyes. "He'll probably smear some lamb's blood on the sheets. Or a pig's."

  With no suggestion of the reason behind it, Jocelyn burst into a flurry of laughter. She grasped at the cushion on which she rested against, most likely as a means to control her merriment, though it did little good.

  "Care to share the joke?"

  Slowly, as tears were on the verge of forming in her eyes, Jocelyn turned to face her. "H-h-he is such a pig! He doesn't even pay her either."

  Somehow, Jocelyn's laughter became even heavier as the tears began to spill down her cheeks.

  "Pay Astrid?"

  "Yes... his whore!"

  The comment made her sigh. They were welcoming a princess, albeit a foreign one and a young woman not of their faith, into their family. They were most definitely not opening their arms to a whore.

  "Now I understand why he demanded an apology."

  The laughter subsided in an instant.

  "He blocked the door. It was most ungallant."

  "Jocelyn, you referred to his soon-to-be wife as a whore. No man takes kindly to that, especially someone like your brother." She paused. "One day she will be your queen."

  Jocelyn stared at her in horror. Astrid would be her mother's successor as queen consort, just as Tristian would succeed Gregor. It was natural that there would be some concern over her suitability. There were few instances of bad queens, far less than there were bad kings. Usually, if a queen did not involve herself with charitable causes or was not granted some weighted political role by her husband and his council, so long as she kept her mouth shut and opened it at the appropriate times, she was regarded as being successful. If a queen focussed more on her family than the kingdom, she was viewed as an example of motherhood, a woman who reared the next generation, hopefully stronger than the last. So long as Astrid did not meddle, she imagined the girl would receive a fairly positive reception in time.

  That was, if the Sirista did not attempt to meddle in the princess' affairs. A conversation would be required and an open disregard of any previous religious habits she may have upheld. That way they might deem her satisfactory in time, or at least she would be regarded as such by those who did not harbour close ties to Father Conwell or Lady Constance.

  "I have plans for the girl," she began. "With consideration of her youth, inexperience, and on account of her being foreign, I will ensure that she receives the proper instruction to be a successful queen. Tristian too, no doubt, wishes for this to happen."

  "You'll have to pry her away from him first, Mama," Beth spoke up. "I think he has his own plans for her."

  "That may be so, but it is customary for women to receive guidance from other women, is it not? I intend to act as an example for Astrid, as many consorts have done for their successors in the past. Had your grandmother not passed before my marriage to your father, I would have received her guidance. I am fortunate that my own mother was keen to educated me in a manner that closely imitated the instruction I would have received at court."

  Laborious as it was, she had to give her mother some credit for her upbringing. Raised from an early age to be a queen, Lady Blanche had made her study all the texts royal women read concerning conduct. From the age of eight she had watched her parents hold sessions at their own court and had witnessed how her mother sat straight backed and dignified in the chair she occupied. Her mother seemed to hear and see everything, so well that Petra often wondered whether her mother was a queen or princess herself.

  "I will speak to Tristian on the matter. He would be wise not to refuse me. He will guide her as her husband but there are some matters that are beyond his understanding."

  "There are many matters—"

  She shot her eldest daughter a look which encouraged her to continue, which of course informed her that she was to remain silent. Without must fuss, for once, Jocelyn heeded her advice.

  "She will be a diligent student, I am sure. Already she has been a positive influence on your brother. She has moulded to her role as his bride well. I do not doubt that she will make a good wife. Now I must make her into an excellent queen. She is fifteen and will be verging upon sixteen when she has the child. If God is good, she will give Tristian and the realm a son. That will make her an excellent wife. Following the child's birth, I will see to her education. She will join me when I hold my court and I will see that your father allows her to witness council."

  Jocelyn shook her head and gave her mother a bemused look. "He won't."

  "He will if I explain the benefit of it. Astrid will hardly be dealing with cases, but she will learn. There are plenty of places where she may sit. Out of sight."

  "Tristian won't allow it," her daughter continued.

  "He will. He'll have no choice in the matter if his king commands it."

  "You mean if his mama commands it," Jocelyn retorted, leading to a ripple of la
ughter to pass through the trio.

  Petra nodded. "That's more like it. Besides, I believe it will be beneficial for Astrid to become involved in working with a guild early. I know the laws state that a royal woman cannot be officially instated as head of a guild until her eighteenth year, with her seventeenth making the period where guilds step forward to petition her for her patronage. That, of course, is the official way of doing things. There is nothing stopping her, if a suitable candidate steps forward, from assuming some unofficial role, working alongside her guild before her induction as their leader."

  "And if no one will take her now?" Beth asked.

  It was always a possibility, but she was certain that at least one would be keen to step forward to accept her as their patron. Despite her age, she was a future queen. Her status was more attractive than her age was unattractive.

  "I am sure that someone will. If they do not, we shall have to wait. I believe there is one guild that already appears interested. Master Rowe of the Guild of Gardeners and Florists has been granted an audience by your brother quite regularly recently. It would not surprise me if an arrangement is made for Astrid to work alongside the guild for a time, even if it is just to test her suitability. The guild's too, of course. They must work well together."

  There were more flowers prepared for this wedding than she had seen before in her all her days. Petals to decorate the tables, cut flowers to be arranged in vases between dishes, a carpet of flower heads to decorate the path Tristian and Astrid were to walk before assuming their places at their wedding table. It would not be at all surprising if Tristian was already considering the employment of the guild to plan and landscape the gardens for the new chateau. The plot was certainly generous in size and a number of gardens could be constructed. A handsomely sized herb and kitchen garden was certainly a must for any respectable home, not to mention rose gardens, shrubbery, an orchard, and a vast array of urns full to the brim with flowers of all shades and sizes. The royal residences were renowned for their impressive outdoor displays. This chateau would be no exception.

  As lady of the house, Princess Astrid would be expected to get involved with those responsible for decorating the property, be they working inside or out. It would be nice project of sorts for her to work on for the duration of her pregnancy, especially during the coming months when her condition would dictate that she must be kept out of sight. She could easily rest and study plans for the gardens, with Tristian acting as a go-between when she corresponded with Master Rowe and others.

  "They are the first guild to have expressed any form of interest. Considering who she is and the nature of her arrival here, as well as the rather difficult circumstances, I think it would be wise for her to form a bond with a guild sooner rather than later. After all, Jocelyn, you have your Milliners Guild and they expressed an interest in you before you were of an age where you might examine the virtues of various fraternities."

  She could recall the offerings of beautiful and outstanding headpieces granted to her eldest daughter from girlhood. Her habit of wearing tall and fussy hats in order to appear of size to her brothers had caught the attention and often the amusement of the court. It made perfect sense considering her liking for the accessory to be associated with the guild to the extent that she became their patron.

  Bethan, likewise, was known for her taste in beautiful footwear. From a young age she had enjoyed raiding her mother's wardrobe for pairs of shoes which she would hobble about in, despite them being far too large. Petra had taken the initiative to have shoes made for her youngest that resembled the finer pairs in her collection. This too had caught the interest of the guild, and as such, when she came of age the previous year, Bethan was welcomed with open arms as their patron.

  It was no surprise that these guilds were so eager to have her daughters' patronage. Many guilds came forward to extend the hand of friendship to the two young royal ladies, most likely, as with all guilds, to secure that much desired funding derived from the crown coffers. Having a royal name attached naturally attracted greater attention and while it was considered rather distasteful if the royal lady looked elsewhere for the products of which her guild produced, rarely did this occur. After all, the lady need only make the request that an item be made according to her exact specifications and the guild would see that her wishes were fulfilled.

  Her own guild, that of the jewelers, was known for making many fine custom pieces for the queen, and in accordance to her wishes, lower prices were offered to members of the royal family, hence why her daughters and most recently, Tristian, appeared fond of making requests.

  Involvement with the guilds came with the passing of the Act of Royal Patronage, established when Redthorn was finding its feet as a kingdom, following the conclusion of the Dark Rebellion. The country aimed for prosperity and stability, and in the process of seeing this through, women were largely excluded from holding any form of political power. Their public duty, as she had known through personal exercise for many years, primarily involved holding intercessory courts to veto minor pleas that may benefit from having the king's ear, as well as their charitable work. Royal women were often viewed as trendsetters, as Jocelyn was so fond of reminding anyone who would lend them her ear, and so the guilds were keen to compete for their favour. As gardens grew slower than fashion changed, the Guild of Gardeners and Florists would likely not hold such an influential role, though the wealthy were always keen on developing their land. It could stand to make the crown a great deal of money.

  "You are suggesting that Princess Astrid should agree to be patroness of the Guild of Gardeners and Florists so soon, without any others stepping forward?" Beth asked.

  She nodded. "She has to carve her own way. We can help with that, of course, and see that she carries a more positive reputation, but there is only so much we can do. She will be fulfilling her role as wife and mother soon enough, though the sooner we can start her on the path to becoming a public figure, the better. Working alongside a guild will have her possess a level of responsibility. We will not cut her loose entirely, yet. I may attend meetings with her to sit in, to advise and such. Tristian may like to do that also. The sooner we can get to this, the better."

  "Lady Constance has already made impressive strides with her guild, Mama," Jocelyn stated.

  It was evident that her daughter did not seem too enthused though whether it was because the Guild of Printers and Bookmakers had been especially productive during her recent appointment as patroness in comparison to the successful, yet never seeing such an improvement as Constance's guild, or if it was due to the apparent distrust of Constance that her daughter harboured. She could understand where the hostility may have derived from. Constance was pious and dressed plainly, while Jocelyn was quite the opposite. Beth too, despite her favouring more casual and less fussy attire perhaps dressed inappropriately by Constance's standards.

  Of course, there was the issue of personal power and influence that made even Petra, as queen of the land and a fairly popular figure, as she had been told many times over the years, rather wary. She did not fear Constance's youth being an attractive factor, for that was fleeting and she had not won her power on the basis of her looks. She had her books and her words, with that guild arranged by the Sirista rather than the crown itself. How could they refuse the authority that governed their souls?

  How dangerous would it be for thinkers who wished to dispute authority when Lady Constance now had control of their words?

  How dangerous would it be for her eldest son who had broken the avenue for that lady to reach the throne and be mother to a regime where the power of the Sirista was regarded as more sacred than the royal house of Hanson? And her youngest son, what of him? She had half a mind to encourage him to see that his wife became more moderate and half a mind to urge him not to meddle for the sake of his life and soul.

  Regardless, she forced a smile. "Books and flowers. Not necessities by any means but everyone needs them all the same. I cannot s
ee why Astrid will not be as much of a success as Constance."

  "Perhaps we can all arrange a sit down with Tristian if he is not on the same page," Beth stated. "But I think that he will be. He should think it's a good idea and if he doesn't, we'll make him see sense in it."

  "And we will help her, I suppose," Jocelyn added in a small voice. "Beings as she will be family after all."

  There it was. Under everything. The front of self-importance, arrogance, and that habit of looking down on certain people for whatever reason she conjured, was erased. When family was concerned, Jocelyn would put all aside.

  "Help, support and encouragement," Petra told her girls. "It's our way."

  Jocelyn gave a short laugh. "And luck, Mama. God, if she's marrying into our lot she's going to need it."

  Epilogue

  ~ASTRID~

  One day out from the royal wedding....

  The evening schedule had concluded a little earlier than usual, though it came with an understandable reason. She would have requested a lighter meal, but Prince Tristian had insisted that she eat her usual portion, which of course was set out according to his preferences. A plate to keep her full, to see that her strengths were at their peak. To the prince's credit he was most understanding of her slower pace due to her creeping nerves. In a day's time they would be man and wife, he had informed her, and her nerves would be nothing more than a silly memory, but she was sure that he must have been nervous too. Everybody was nervous leading up to their wedding day.

  Following their meal there was no dabbling in their usual 'games'. She had sat and waited for the meal to settle while he recounted the intended schedule for the morning. Rising early to bathe, then the females of his family would be there to see her dressed and prepared for the day. A light breakfast would be allowed, though nothing that would leave her stomach growling and empty. They would meet at the southern gate of the castle and the wedding party would travel to the chapel in a convoy of carriages.