Of Love and Valor

47: Pit of Vipers

"You're home early," Krethzirae greets Thariyae as she comes into our dwelling. She is indeed early; she was supposed to be dining with her parents tonight, and Krethzirae and I are still preparing our own evening meal. Through the window, the sky is still alight with the lingering remains of the sunset.

"Apparently my would-be suitor cancelled on them," Thariyae replies, somewhere between relieved and annoyed. "My parents are thoroughly irritated and sent me away to find my own supper after interrogating me as to why or how this could have happened. But they knew more about it than I did."

"What do you mean?" I ask as I check the rice and stir the stewing vegetables.

"I mean that they strongly suspect that it has everything to do with a particular woman who was at court a couple days ago. A woman who was permitted to speak before the entire assembly. A woman who was there as part of the Fiorzhanim and was consulted on matters of military strategy." Thariyae's accusatory gaze rests on me. "I don't suppose you would know anything about that?"

"I will admit to being the woman in question but have no sense of why that has anything to do with your would-be suitor cancelling his supper plans with your family."

"You were consulted on military strategy in the Yrivvior's court?!" Krethzirae gasps. "And you didn't tell us?!"

"I didn't want the attention when it happened, and I don't want it now."

"It makes sense, in a way. After all, the whole reason our squadron was sent to Orenxiao was for her strategic insights," Thariyae remarks, "which, you will be pleased to know, I did not tell my parents. They would be outraged that the woman in question is a member of my own squadron and hasn't seen fit to gift me with the benefits of her newfound status."

"What benefits might you be speaking of?"

"Well, that depends who you ask. Half the court thinks you wholly unnatural and that someone ought to put you in your place, from what I understand. The other half believes that you are bound to have a great deal of influence at court, more than is usual for a woman, and think you a highly desirable match for their sons because of that."

"You know that I am...spoken for. I will have none who come for me."

"Yes, and if push comes to shove, you'll make them duel you for your hand. I know this. I'm not actually angry with you."

"That's good," Krethzirae mutters. "Knowing Azerai, she didn't ask for this."

"Of course she didn't. But that's not how people here think. There are all sorts of rumors about how you even came to be in court that day, including that you seduced the Orenfior."

"Surely you jest," I groan.

"You're quite good looking, you know. It's not out of the realm of possibility, in the minds of the Orenxiao salori. Although your figure is rather more boyish than is fashionable at present."

"Thank you? Regardless, to have my honor called into question like this—"

"It's not your fault. It was just your usual Fiorzhanim shift, yes?" Krethzirae cuts in.

"Yes, although the Orenfior specifically requested Zelphinon and I for yesterday, because he was going to be at court and it was the zaikarit's hearing with the Yrivvior."

"There it is. That's the information I was missing," Thariyae says with a grim smile. "Some say Kazmiohn Ruokharismet was present and singled you out. True?"

"Yes. I never would have taken it upon myself to speak."

Thariyae nods. "I knew that the rumors that said you spoke out of turn were absolute garbage. I would do something like that, but not you. You're too traditional and polite for such behavior."