One Thousand Nights (Tales of the Latter Kingdoms Book 6)

by Pope, Christine

  “I do not think that at all.” He glanced away from me, staring down at the broad gold ring on his right hand. I wore its mate; the Keshiaari people, although they loved adornment otherwise, did not believe in marring the surface of their wedding bands with stones or engraving. Gaze still fixed on the ring he wore, he continued, “It is only natural to miss one’s family at these times. Indeed, I would worry if you felt otherwise.”

  “That is very generous of you, my lord.”

  “Is it?” Finally he turned his eyes on me once more, and I forced myself to stand steadily beneath that piercing stare, to not look away, nor allow myself to be lost in those shimmering depths of amber and gold and subtle, glinting copper. “I fear I have not been generous with you at all.”

  “My lord?”

  He blinked, dark lashes sweeping over his eyes, and the contact was broken. “It is nothing.” To my surprise, he reached out and took my hand, then turned it over, one finger tracing the line which signifies life. How warm was his touch, how strong his fingers. I scarcely dared to breathe as he touched me, my heart pounding so loudly that surely he must hear it.

  In that moment I realized he had drunk more than he usually did at such feasts, and was perhaps not entirely himself. Good, I thought, for perhaps that will allow him to break past the cursed reticence which has held him back all these months….

  My hand was lifted, and he pressed it against his mouth. A rush of heat went over me, my blood seeming to sing in my veins. Yes, oh, please, yes….

  But then he let go of my hand, saying heavily, “It is late, my lady. A very good New Year’s to you.”

  Before I could protest, before I could do anything to stop him, he had moved away from me and was walking, with just the barest trace of unsteadiness, down the corridor back toward the stairs. His guards fell in around him, just as they always did, and he was gone.

  For a second or two I could only stand there, staring at the space where he had stood less than a moment before. I raised my hand, then pressed it to my mouth, hoping I would still feel some of the warmth he had left there. But no, it had disappeared, just as he had.

  Fighting back tears, I went into my chambers. My women came to me, and I held myself still and cool, vowing that they should see nothing of my upset. They removed my jewels and put them away, then divested me of my fine garments. At length I was ready for bed, and I laid myself down there, alone again as always.

  It was not, perhaps, the most auspicious way to begin a new year.

  * * *

  Miram returned late the next morning. It seemed her visit with her family had reinvigorated her, for she was full of energy, sending Lila and Marsali and Alina into quite the frenzy, declaring that my chambers needed a good scrubbing.

  “More than that,” she declared, hands on her hips as she surveyed the sitting room. “This rug surely hasn’t been beaten in the last month. Take it out to the courtyard, and don’t come back until you’ve spent at least an hour on it.”

  The three maids exchanged weary glances, but of course they would never gainsay her. Instead, they moved the furniture about, getting the various pieces out of the way, then rolled up the rug and carried it out of the chamber, staggering a little under its weight.

  I listened to this latest edict of Miram’s with some bemusement, as I could have sworn my maids had undertaken this same procedure only a fortnight earlier. Like the maidservants, however, I was loath to make any protests. During my tenure here, I had learned that it was best to allow Miram to have her way when it came to domestic affairs.

  So I only sat down on the divan, currently placed under one of the windows, and began to reach for the book I had discarded when this latest tumult began.

  Miram crossed the bare floor where the rug had previously lain, then paused a few feet away from me, her hands on her hips. “My lady, I do not think it a good idea for you to be reading right now. Those girls will not be distracted forever.”

  This was such an un-Miram-like remark that I did, in fact, stop what I was doing and look over at her. Her dark eyes were twinkling. Had Miram’s eyes ever twinkled? I did not think so — at least, not that I could recall. “Miram?” I said, my tone questioning. “Are you quite well?”

  “Oh, I am quite well, my lady.” Another twinkle in those dark eyes. “However, I cannot say that I am feeling exactly myself.”

  And as I gazed at her, perplexed, her face and body seemed to shimmer, to shift, features altering subtly, hair and eyes still dark, but the chin more rounded and softer, the mouth quirked in amusement, the nose smaller, almost pert. All this happened within the space of a few seconds, and then a woman who most definitely was not Miram gazed at me.

  The odd thing was, she looked strangely familiar. Blinking, I realized there was only one woman in the world I knew of who possessed this sort of talent.

  “Surely — surely it cannot be — but you are Therissa Larrin, are you not?” I stammered.

  “Ah, so you do remember me,” she replied with an approving smile.

  How could I have forgotten the only wielder of magic I had ever seen? True, I had never met her formally, had only seen her the night of the grand ball when her ruse in providing Ashara with a magically created wardrobe had been discovered, but that was certainly a memorable night, and I did not easily forget a face.

  “But — but what are you doing here?” I decided I would leave aside her use of magic for now. Such things were not precisely forbidden in Keshiaar as they were in Sirlende, and besides, even if they were, I knew there was no malice in Therissa Larrin. What she had done for Ashara, she had done out of love for her niece, and surely I could never condemn someone who had acted from such motivations.

  Her eyes widened. “Why, I have come here for you, my lady. Ashara spoke of you highly, even on your brief acquaintance, and when I heard you had come here to the court of Keshiaar, rather than staying safely in Sirlende and marrying your duke — ”

  “Truly, was it the subject of so much gossip?” I asked with some bitterness, for I had not thought Thani’s and my relationship merited any discussion back in the days before Therissa was banished from Sirlende.

  “Word does get around, my lady.” Her mouth pursed, and she went on, speaking briskly, “But that is neither here nor there. For you are here now, and I can only shake my head at what a mess you’ve made of things.”

  “I?” I repeated, not sure whether to be mystified or angry. In truth, I did not have much of a temper, as I had seen enough of one in my mother to know it was not a very attractive quality in anyone, let alone a queen. “And how, pray, have I made a mess of things?”

  “Well, it is no great secret that you have been here for months and months, and yet you are still not truly a wife to the Hierarch.”

  My heart gave a single painful thump, and I repressed a gasp. Was the nature of our relationship such common knowledge? “I fear that is not something I wish to discuss with you.”

  Her expression softened, and to my surprise she came forward and knelt on the floor next to me, then reached out and patted my hand. “I am not saying that it is not a difficult enterprise, for dear Besh has retreated into himself like a snail into his shell, and prying him out is not a task for the faint of heart.”

  “It — it isn’t?” I asked, mind reeling a little at the sound of her saying his name so familiarly. Even I had not had the courage to address him thus. Yes, I spoke his name in my thoughts, but I had never said it aloud.

  “No. And I’m also not saying that he doesn’t have his reasons for being this way, for the gods only know having an unfaithful spouse is bad enough, but to have that spouse disgracing you with your own brother?” She threw up her hands and glanced skyward, as if asking for divine clarification as to how anyone could commit such iniquitous acts. “But even with all that, this strategy of yours, of maintaining your distance, of dancing around him as if he might break — no, that will not do at all.”

  “And have you so very much experience
in such things?” I inquired dryly. “For I see no ring on your finger, Mistress Larrin, and so I wonder how it is that you are an expert in managing a husband.”

  To my surprise, her eyes only twinkled, and she pushed herself to her feet with a laugh, brushing at the skirts of her flowing tunic. “A husband, no, but I do know a thing or two about men.”

  It took a second or two for that remark to penetrate my brain, for me to realize what she was saying. Blood rose to my cheeks, even as I replied, “I am not sure that is something I would be proud of, Mistress Larrin.”

  “Oh, pish,” she said with an airy wave of her hand. “I knew early on that a conventional life would never be mine, and so I resolved to enjoy myself. And men can be quite wonderful, you know, if you choose the right one. Or ones, as the case may be. At any rate, it is because of a man that I am here — one I think you know. Ambassador Sel-Trelazar?”

  “The ambassador!” I exclaimed. Truly, I had been missing him these last few months, for after spending much of the summer here, he had taken ship back to Sirlende, bringing with him letters and gifts from me — fine wines for Torric, jewels of citrine and amber for Ashara, a cunning little gold teething ring for the nephew who had not yet been born at that point. Not that his mission was entirely frivolous; he had also taken with him official documents from the Hierarch, amendments to trade agreements, that sort of thing. “But — he was bound for Sirlende, and you have been forever barred from our homeland. So how is it you saw him?”

  “As to that, rough winds necessitated that they land in Tarenmar, in South Eredor, to make repairs. I had been staying there, determining where I should go next, and wondering if perhaps I should remain in that city, as it is a more pleasant place to overwinter than most. It was a happy circumstance that the ambassador and I saw one another in the street. Since he was bound over there for a few days, we…renewed our acquaintance.”

  I did not bother to press her for the particulars of that relationship, as it seemed clear enough to me. And why should it matter? Her magic had made it so that she could never have a normal life, with a family and children, and as his necessitated a great deal of travel, he most likely had never married, either. Why should they not seek comfort in one another? I liked the ambassador very much, and from what I had seen of her, I liked Therissa as well. Truly, they made a more amiable couple than many I had met.

  Since I only nodded, and made no other reply, she pressed on, saying, “He told me of how you had come to Keshiaar. I had heard the rumors, of course, for in South Eredor they are worried what this new alliance between the two great empires will do to the smaller lands crushed in between, but I had not paid it much mind.” Her mouth thinned somewhat, and she continued, “I fear I did not think very well of your brother when I heard the news, for of course I thought he must have forced you into the match.”

  “He did no such thing,” I said with some indignation. “It was my decision, and mine alone."

  “And that is what Malik told me, when we met in Tarenmar and shared several meals together. He spoke of your beauty and wisdom and grace…and your sadness, my lady.”

  “My what?” Had it been that obvious? And here I thought I was doing at least a passable job of concealing my troubled heart.

  “Malik is a perceptive man. That is, I think, part of what makes him a good ambassador. Yes, he must carry out his lord’s agenda, but he is willing to look into the hearts of others, to perceive their hopes and dreams and fears. If the world were a different place, I could see myself being very happy with him. But it is not, and so we have our fleeting moments, and then part again.” Her tone grew wistful as she said this last, but then she seemed to shake her head, as if forcing her mind back to the task at hand. “He told me he thought you were not happy, that you seemed to enjoy your lord’s company, but that you had not grown close as he had hoped you would. I did not know you, of course, but you were kind to my Ashara, and so it troubled me that you had not found the same happiness she did in her marriage.”

  This was all true, and so I did not bother to dispute it. I stood, then went to the window and looked out on the sodden gardens. It had rained again this day, just as it had the past two, as if the clouds were attempting to compress a year’s worth of rain into a few short months. Finally I said, “Mistress Larrin, while I appreciate your concern, I do not see what you can do to help.” A wry smile forced itself onto my lips, and I added, “Unless, of course, you propose to take on my form and seduce my husband.”

  Her hand went to her mouth. Odd, as she did not seem to be the type of woman who was easily shocked. “Gods, no, my lady! I would never do such a thing, and I do not think you would allow me, even if I were. No, I have come here to be a companion, and perhaps a confidant — something I think you are woefully lacking.”

  I thought then of the maidservants who had been sent away. Would any of them have become a comfort to me as the long months of exile from Sirlende passed? I did not know. But I could not dispute Therissa’s point, not when I had thought much the same thing myself on several occasions. “It is true, I could use a sympathetic ear.” Frowning, I turned from the window. “But what of the real Miram? What have you done with her?”

  “Nothing ill, my lady, I assure you.” The twinkle was back in Therissa’s eyes. “Miram is a servant of the palace, but even she is not above greed. So when a friend of mine approached her as she was coming back here to take up her duties, saying he was a long-lost relative, and that he had been seeking her for many months so she might have her inheritance — well, let us just say she was eager enough to believe his story, take the money, and leave Tir el-Alisaad as quickly as possible.”

  “And did she not ask any of her other relatives — whose home she had just visited, by the way — if they knew of this man?”

  “And risk having them lay claim to the money she had just received? You have had everything you wanted in this world, so I think you cannot know precisely the lengths to which greed will drive some people.”

  I almost said that I did not have everything I wanted in this world. After all, I did not have Besh. But certainly I had never wanted for anything material, had never given much thought to the vast wealth at my disposal. Because of that, I could not know what it might feel like to have riches suddenly thrust upon me, especially after a life of servitude.

  “Where did you get the money to pay her off?” I inquired. “I must find some way to reimburse you.”

  “Not at all,” Therissa said at once. “Your brother gave me a very handsome settlement when he banished me, you know, and I spent very little of it, seeing as I stayed with friends while I was in Tarenmar. So, indirectly, that money has already come from you…or at least your family.”

  Something in this logic bothered me, but as I could not quite put my finger on what it was, I decided to let it go for the moment. Truthfully, though I might be the Hiereine of Keshiaar, I did not have much access to the wealth my husband controlled. Anything I wanted could be bought and brought to me, but I had less ready cash on hand than an ordinary housewife going shopping in the bazaar.

  “Very well,” I said. “We may revisit that point sometime in the future, but in the meantime, I will only thank you for your generosity. So, you are here, and Miram safely distracted and out of the way. What do you propose I do next? For unless you count love spells in your arsenal, I do not see what you can do to make my husband love me.”

  Her eyes widened, and she made an odd little movement toward me, as if she wished she could come and give me an encouraging embrace the way she might have with Ashara, only to realize that I was not her niece, and such forward behavior would not be encouraged. “Oh, my dear,” she said quietly, “it is what you can do to make your husband love you. It is really not all that difficult, you know. You are very beautiful, but besides that, you and Besh are both so similar in so many ways. He is a man of learning, and I know you love your books. You will just have to show him that he has nothing to fear in giving you his heart,
for you are nothing like the woman who broke it before.”

  “But if he will not allow me to spend any time with him, I do not see how I can make that happen,” I argued. It was not that I wished her scheme to fail, only that I had spent so many weary months battering myself against the walls Besh had built around himself, and I no longer had any idea how to wear them down.

  Her gaze shifted from me to the mess of papers on my desk. “What is all that?”

  “Oh, it is but a little pastime of mine, something to while away the weary hours. Back in Sirlende I had undertaken to write down as many tales and legends as I could collect, and I have begun to do the same thing here. I confess I do not know what I intend to do with all of them, but — ” I broke off as the twinkle returned to Therissa’s eyes, and she hastened over to the desk to look at the writings there. “What are you thinking, Mistress Larrin?”

  “Why, my lady, I think you have your solution right here.” Her hand hovered over one of the papers, and she glanced over her shoulder at me. “May I?”

  “Of course,” I said, beginning to understand what she had in mind. “But as His Majesty has never evinced any great interest in local tales and legends — ”

  “Oh, never mind that,” she said, picking up the paper and appearing to scan its contents. “For I do believe that deep down he wishes to be with you, but has no real excuse for doing so.”

  “Save that I am his wife,” I replied dryly.

  “But he cannot use that as a reason, for he is doing his very best to avoid being your husband. However, a few nights ago I plied one of the servers with a goodly amount of spiced wine, and took her place while she was sleeping it off — ”

  “Mistress Larrin!” I broke in, shocked.

  She only laughed. “’Twas the best night of that poor woman’s life, I have no doubt. At any rate, what I am trying to tell you is that I saw how the Hierarch looked at you, my lady, when he thought your attention was elsewhere. That was not the gaze of an indifferent man, let me assure you.”