Mike gave her a look that broke her up. She didn’t mention again that Illaria would be looking to marry soon. It would be better to let Michael ease into the idea.
The discussion at Andreas’ house went well. Illaria told her parents about what Catrina wanted and asked for their advice. They encouraged her to take the position. It would give her the experience that she needed and also that she would be able to meet more eligible men. Illaria hadn’t thought about that aspect of it, but she agreed. That got her thinking about marriage and children again.
When she went to the Palace the following day, Chole, Elene, and Andreas discussed it. Chole pointed out that this would help the business and maybe tamp down some of the anti-Porfian sentiment.
Elene was more direct. “Princess Catrina is looking for a co-wife, and I think she is seriously considering our daughter.”
Andreas was a bit shocked. “Are you sure? What about Count Michael? I know from what Duke Marvon says, his culture doesn’t have multiple wives.”
Elene replied. “I’m not sure, but I think it’s a strong possibility. He lives in this culture now, and Princess Catrina needs a co-wife to help with all the work and other things. So, she’ll bring him along. Also, our daughter is very interested in Count Michael and not in a platonic way. I’m sure that Princess Catrina has picked up on it and is not at all bothered by it. She might actually encourage it.”
A few weeks later, Illaria was moved into the apartment next door. Illaria was together with Catrina and the family a lot. Catrina then went to the next step, letting Michael know about marriage with two wives. She gave him a book on it.
Michael thought she’s telling me this is going to happen sooner or later. I guess I better read the damn book. He started. It had advice on the relationships and how to balance them; it also had an extensive section on sex. Sort of like The Joy of Sex for the man with two wives. Mike was alternately embarrassed and turned on by the descriptions. He really hadn’t thought about it much, if at all, even though he knew that they all shared the same very large bed. When he thought about it, he could see him and Catrina in there, and occasionally he saw Illaria as well. This sort of embarrassed him. And he hated to admit it turned him on as well.
Women tend to discuss a lot. One day over lunch, Catrina started telling Illaria about giving Mike the book. “I know it’s something foreign to the way he was raised, but this is Cornu, not Earth. He’ll just have to get used to it. I gave him a book on marriage that discussed everything, including sex. I could feel the heat as he blushed, reading it across the room.”
Both of the young women laughed. Illaria said. “My mothers explained everything to me in detail. I’m sure yours did as well. I can’t imagine what it’s like on earth.”
Catrina snorted. “They view those kinds of discussions as almost sinful. They don’t tell their children anything except maybe how babies happen. Certainly not how to have a good time making them.”
Illaria got a bit wistful. “I’m getting to the age where I want to have fun making babies. I just have to find the right person to do it. You are lucky to have Michael in your life.” What went unsaid was that she wouldn’t mind at all making babies with Michael. Catrina didn’t miss it, though.
She smiled to herself. Once Michael got used to the idea of Illaria, and the pheromones started to work. Then she could just suggest that Michael consider her, and maybe they should kiss or, as he says, make out.
After Illaria moved in next door, she was often in their apartment after dinner. Talking with both Mike and Catrina. Whichever one of the two young women was available took care of Jack when that was needed. Mike got good ideas from both of them, and they discussed everything going on. It was comfortable.
Mike was like a lamb being led to the slaughter. Illaria quickly picked up on what Catrina was doing. Getting her husband used to having another woman in the marriage, and apparently, she’d picked her. She was all for it. She liked both of them and found them attractive. She started to give Mike very warm hugs making sure that he could feel her curves. During those hugs, she felt that he reacted as most men would. When appropriate, she gave him a good view of her breasts or her legs. She could tell Mike was looking but trying not to. Eventually, she and Catrina would have to talk. Because she was very interested and so apparently was Michael.
Traveling to Sandford
After leaving Vinfarm, they headed to the Nordia Pass. There they found fifty Royal Sudlund Guards waiting to escort them. They were at the Nordian guard post that had been strengthened and reinforced after one of Bart’s raids.
The heads of the two guard details set up the traveling formation. Nobody expected any trouble, but it was best to be safe rather than sorry. Especially since they were escorting the heirs to both the Nordia and Sudlund thrones. Rolf and Brandt listened to the discussions. Rolf wanted to pick up tips from the guardsman, and Brandt listened because he was interested.
They headed out, and for the next four days, they slept outside. The women slept in the carriages. After the second day, the portable bath was set up, and it was used by the women. On the third day, Mathias, Petor, Roddrick, and Wilhelm decided to use it as well. None of them thought that they smelled that bad. Their wives had a much different opinion.
On the fifth day, they came to an inn. Everyone was happy to get clean, sleep in a bed, and have a good hot meal for dinner. Annette and Sharon mentioned to Mathias and Petor that if there was to be increased trade along the route that they’d just taken, then there were changes that were needed. There should be some sort of waystations that would offer shelter. That way, in bad weather, people could get out of the rain or snow. They could cook hot meals and be more comfortable. Also, the roads should be improved. In their present state, they’d be usable only part of the year. In late spring, well after the spring rains, summer, and part of the fall.
Christiana agreed and noted that they should do something on the Nordian side of the border.
Roddrick was in agreement as well. “The problem is that if we do too little or nothing, then the route will be underused. Too much, and we’ll be wasting resources. I think we’ll have to decide what level of investment is best. We should probably err on the side of more rather than less.
The other question is exactly how do we provide the appropriate shelter. We don’t have the people for more villages. Establishing inns at this time may be uneconomical as the traffic wouldn’t support them. It’s a vexing question. Mathias, what are your thoughts on this?”
“Well, I expect that our wives are right. I agree that we need to do something. Some merchants will make the trip no matter what. The thing we have to worry about is bandits. Bart may be gone, and they may have been run out of the eastern part of the north. Yet the only reason we don’t have them here is that there just wasn’t the traffic to justify them being here; whatever facilities that we put in place will have to be able to take care of guard detachments as well.
Thinking about this, we should set up a commission to come up with plans for those facilities. More than one realm could probably use them. I suggest we put Petor in charge of it and he can correspond with people like Count Michael. He did come up with a way to build villages faster, so I think this is something he can do.”
Everyone thought that was an excellent idea, and Petor was tasked with coming up with plans for appropriate accommodations along the trade routes that would be growing.
They were all happy to get to Sandford. There they found Duchess Morvinia both welcoming and excited about her daughter’s upcoming wedding. They’d stay there for three days, and then they’d head out for Koronus along with the Duchess and her family. Morvinia warned them that the trip would be over very poor roads with no facilities and would take at least eight days.
Christiana and the other women understood and would persevere. Christiana said she would make sure that her uncle understood the hardships and suggest that he do something about the roads and facilities. Morina, Morvinia’s ol
dest, added that she was sure her sister Noria would suggest the same thing to Duke Harlold. Better roads would help with trade. Sharon told the women about Petor’s task to come up with plans for facilities along the route. They all thought that was a great idea.
A dinner was arranged for the guests, and many of the minor nobles and key merchants were invited. This gave everyone a chance to make meaningful connections. Alla’s two younger sisters, Pinar and Larissa, along with Harlold’s sister Tina had been left behind to come to Koronus with Duchess Morvinia. The three girls, Tina, Pinar, and Sheelia, Morvinia’s youngest daughter, had formed a friendship. While Pinar was a bit older, she realized that things were going to be very different than they had been for all her older sisters. Alla was the first to step out of the mold. Up until then, all the daughters of King Menounos had been married off in arranged marriages. Alla actually was the first who was going into the marriage where both sides had wanted it.
This was a new world, and the three of them together were learning how to deal with young men. They’d gotten plenty of pointers from the older women in the Palace. Brandt and his friends were the first ones that they could practice on.
When they arrived, and were greeted by the three young women. James quietly whispered to Brandt. “Well, my Prince, here’s your chance to go two for two with the daughters of Dukes and Duchesses.” His friends all heard this and held in laughs.
Brandt whispered back. “I’ll get you for that.”
Tina immediately latched on to Rolf. He reminded her of her brother, and that was attractive. that night at dinner, Brandt found himself seated between Sheelia and Pinar. Sheelia let Brandt know. “I’m so looking forward to this wedding. It will be fun. I love dancing. Do you like to dance, Prince Brandt?”
Brandt saw his opportunity. “I do alright dancing. But if you really want to dance, my friend James is the one. He’s an excellent dancer, except as you may have noticed, Marta has already taken him. Some of my other friends aren’t bad, though.”
The two girls looked over Brandt’s friends. Starl was sitting the closest to him. Sheelia started with him. He was more than amenable. With Sheelia obviously now interested in Starl, Pinar moved in. “Brandt, so you are a reasonable dancer. How do you do at kissing and other things?”
Brandt managed to keep a slight smile on his face by a pure act of will. He thought, ‘Damn, Michael told me girls do this stuff. I saw my sister, Catrina, do it to him often enough. Need to think of something to say. What though? Michael did say go big or go home.’
He just said very softly. “I believe Princess Pinar that how well I do those ‘other things’ really needs to be judged by the other person. Don’t you think?”
Pinar smiled and put her hand on Brandt’s thigh, and gave it a little squeeze. That had the usual effect on a teenage boy.
Towards the end of the table, Morina looked down. She said to Christiana, “It looks like the young ladies are practicing their boy skills. Pinar has apparently zeroed in on your brother.”
“Don’t tell them I said this, but they are all fine young men. Now, as to my brother, she seems to have gotten his attention. I enjoyed it more when he got nervous and wanted to run away.”
Morina laughed, “Well, he seems to have gotten past that stage, as have his friends.” By this time, other young women at the dinner had zeroed in on his remaining friends, and all of them had young female companions.
Then the older people turned to talk about other things. Everyone was interested in what they could do to increase trade and other matters that they could co-operate on. They were doing exactly what they should. The future Queen of Nordia and her consort were establishing ties with the future King of Sudlund and the future Duchess of Sandford.
The evening before they left, Tina, Sheelia, and Pinar compared extensive notes on the boys. They discussed everything, and both thought that Starl and Brandt were excellent kissers and knew how to treat a girl, so she felt good. Tina said that Rolf was no slouch either. They all agreed that they should talk with Marta as they would be traveling together. The boys, of course, had no such conversations. And they would have been mortified if they heard the conversation the girls were having.
In the morning, after a hearty breakfast, they headed out. The women from Sudlund were thrilled when they found out about the portable tub.
Plots
Darvin knew that the wedding was coming up. It was the time to strike. If the King actually showed up, he may be able to kill two birds at once. If he could kill King Menounos as well as the usurper, then the kingdom would be thrown into chaos. Porfia could regain control, and he could become the Duke in Koronus. Those were lofty plans and ambitions. But then, Darvin had an exceedingly high opinion of himself.
He carefully scouted the area around the temple. It was located near the palace. The street from the palace that the wedding procession would take ran right by the plaza in front of the temple. Another main street formed a T intersection with the street from the palace and ended at the plaza. This was the landscape he had to work with.
Considering it, the best place to attack the wedding party was when they were out of the carriages and had formed up for the procession into the temple. If protocol was followed, people would arrive in the reverse order of importance and relationship to the bride and groom. Darvin didn’t know who would come from the other kingdoms, but whoever they were, they would arrive before the targets.
After them, Duke Harlold’s family would be there, then the Sudland delegation, because Duke Harlold’s intended, was from Sudlund. Then King Menounos if he came. Finally, it would be the Duke, followed by Prince Arken.
That meant the target is the last three groups in the procession – the Duke and the King. Darvin knew he could get at least a dozen toughs that could be paid enough to help. He had the thirty or so men from the Guard. He just needed to get them out of barracks. Weapons he could get, that wasn’t a problem. When the revolution started, plenty of weapons were purchased by people. Then there were the Porfian merchants who wanted to stop this whole thing. They were all competent swordsmen.
The question was how to put them together. He went back to his business, and in the basement, he set up a model of the temple, the plaza, and the streets. The model allowed him to visualize the layout and play out various scenarios.
After working through a few scenarios, the problem came up that the guards always protected the key people. He might get a couple, but not all. That wasn’t acceptable. Once the people got into the temple, the door was easy to hold until reinforcements arrived. The plan needed to do two things. Most importantly, draw off the guards. Then make sure that they don’t get into the temple.
The latter meant starting the attack before they could get very far across the plaza. That was easy. Drawing the guards off was the problem. He also needed some way for his people to recognize each other.
What he finally came up with was fairly straightforward. He would store muskets and swords in the buildings near the plaza on the two main streets. The thirty or so guards would go into those buildings and get armed. Once the last carriage pulled away, they’d assemble and rush the procession. They wouldn’t fire as they didn’t want to hit the foreign delegates.
That would draw off the guards. Then he’d have the toughs rush the procession. They might make some kills, but they’d be cannon fodder. They’d absorb the defenses around the procession. Finally, the merchants and Darvin would move to finish off the Duke and the King.
It was a good plan. Once he reviewed it in his head, he realized that there was no way he could guarantee that none of the foreign dignitaries wouldn’t be wounded or killed. He thought that they came into a conflict zone and put themselves in danger. It wasn’t his fault. The people who were most likely to be hit would be the Duchess from Sandford and her family. The men from the Guard he sent at the wedding party would have to fire their muskets. Or else they would just die. He knew he couldn’t get them to do that. So, there would b
e more death in the party than he originally envisioned. You have to break eggs to make an omelet.
The Gods could take the foreigners for all he cared. They were the ones who supported and trained the rebels who’d overthrown Duke Skelos. Those same rebels had executed the Duke. Now they were going to take his business. If anyone besides the usurper and King Menounos should die, it should be them.
Satisfied, he started looking for places to stash the arms and carefully recruit people. He had to be careful. No one can know, or the whole thing would fall apart.
Koronus
The trip to Koronus took nine grueling days over deplorable roads. The women were very grateful for the portable tub and used it frequently. The men made do with washing in cold streams.
Rolf told his friends that washing in cold streams toughened you up. Roddrick overhead this and mumbled something to the extent that he would rather be soft than to constantly bathe in cold water.
The roads were a shock. They’d been told that they weren’t that good, but the experience was something else. When they finally reached the north-south road and turned south towards Koronus, they could see the villages. They were even more of a shock.
Catrina was in a carriage with the other young women. She kept looking out at the villages. “This is terrible, simply terrible. These poor people live in squalor and filth. Harlold and Arken have their work cut out for them here. Maybe they can make use of Petor’s book to at least build better houses for them. Have proper sanitation and bathing facilities.
I wonder if Porfia is as bad as this. If it is, I wonder why the people just don’t revolt or something.”
Morina, who was with her, replied. “From my understanding, it is just as bad as this, my lady. They can’t revolt; the Porfians execute any malcontents, and it’s not an easy death. They torture them in front of the people and let them die slowly. Any hint of a rebellion would be crushed ruthlessly.
The Porfian Princess: The Chronicles of Cornu Book 4 Page 24
