Philomena

The House of Reuz (Part 2)

"Then with respect, your majesty, why postpone? I have been your guest for three years already."

"The barons have been slow to be convinced," said the King. "That is why the Kingmoot is so important." He pointed to Rainhart, who sat down the other end of the table, with his spoon. "Milos tells me that Rainhart has grown into a nice young man. I'll never make a diplomat of him, but he is handy with a sword and bow, has a good seat on a horse, and is kind to his dogs. He's the handsomer of my boys, I think, although the Queen would say none could compare to Maldwyn. When Tancred is king, Rainhart will have a comfortable place as Master of the Reuz Armies. His duties shouldn't call him away from you too often. He has some property in the north as well, if Breg isn't to your liking."

"Thank you, your majesty," said Philomena, slightly overwhelmed.

"I hope you know that I think of you as family already."

Godfrey waited for Philomena's nod, then seemed to consider the matter closed, because he turned to Henrik, who sat on his other side, and began a discussion about tithes.

Philomena set down her crockery. She glanced at Rainhart and caught him slipping a cut of ox meat to Briga under the table. She looked back at her plate and wondered who Tancred would end up marrying. He was of an age with Maldwyn but unwed, and Philomena could not remember hearing of any discussion about who he might form an alliance with. Then again, nobody told her anything. Unless Tancred made them. She hid a smile behind her napkin.

* * *

Later in the evening, when Philomena was walking back to her room, she heard voices in one of the hallways and realised it was Rainhart and Holle. When she heard Holle say, "your little betrothed," she couldn't resist slipping into a window box where, hidden by a curtain, she could listen.

Holle had said, "I caught your little betrothed crying this morning."

"Did you?" said Rainhart without interest.

"Mm."

"Did you make her cry?"

"No, I think that was mother."

"Unsurprising."

"You don't seem very troubled by Lady Mop's distress."

"Why should I be? I barely know the girl. All I know is that she's a Jovani bastard, and I am supposed to marry her."

"I know." Holle's tone became insinuating. "When you might properly look higher--a princess of Merot, for example?"

Rainhart's silence was eloquent.

"Not very charitable, brother."

"You're one to talk. You called her Lady Mop."

"Yes, well, I'm just being practical. Mother loathes her, and my presence in Breg depends on mother."

"A common enemy builds allegiance. What books have they been letting you read at that seminary?" said Rainhart dryly.

"Peace and War, the Three Princes, Mikel's history of the clan kingdoms..."

"Gods, even Milos didn't make me read Mikel." Philomena didn't miss the way his tone lightened when the topic moved on from her. She slipped out of the window box and ran back to her room. It felt as if her stomach had been filled with vinegar.

Rainhart didn't want to marry her: that much was clear. Well, she didn't particularly want to marry him either, but while she had been accepting her duty, he had been looking around for Merot princesses to replace her with.

She sat down at her desk and pulled out a piece of paper. Quill poised over it, she hesitated, and then wrote out the salutation: Dear Lord Valentin.

After that, the words flowed freely. She asked after his health and his family, and wished the Empress and Princess Beatrix Adela good health. Then, without pausing, she wrote, I am sure that Lord Arturius has advised you of this, but my wedding to Prince Rainhart is set for three weeks hence, after the Kingmoot. Prince Rainhart has been at court for a week now. He is quite handsome, and very accomplished. But I wanted to ask...

The quill hovered over the paper.

Is it still necessary that I marry him? Rainhart thought he was too good for her. A humourless smile found its way onto her face. It almost made her want to marry him out of spite. Could I come home to Jovan instead? Is the alliance with Deusetats still needed? I will of course do whatever you think best. She finished the letter, folded it twice, and sealed it with a ribbon.

Then she sat at the desk, staring at it. If she gave it to the King's messengers, they would read it and tell King Godfrey. If she gave it to Lord Arturius, he would read it, and most likely tell the Empress. And even if the letter got to Lord Valentin, what did she expect him to do? Cause a major incident between Jovan and Deusetats by demanding the wedding be called off? Leap onto a horse and carry her back to Jovan in the dead of night? If the alliance were no longer needed, then she would have been sent for.

In the end, she threw the letter into the fire and wrote another one to her brother Luca, full of trivialities and anecdotes from the castle. Then she crawled into bed and, through force of will, managed to keep herself from crying until she sank miserably into sleep.