The Lone Call, vol. 1 [under revision]

(S2) Move 21: Pastimes

As she retired to the inner parts of the palace, and sat slouched within her private study, Lady Ashara Darys of Estreon could not help recollecting her thoughts. In General Urdin, she had come to believe she saw the inflexible yet cordial figure of her late spouse, Prince Aerion--the same man who, having so proudly proclaimed and then ruled the principality (which she had now undertaken to manage), was later taken off by a plague of summer fever.

"Is it not worth being grateful for, my dear Aerion," the amira remarked, whispering to herself, "that just as I was getting lonely from your passing, Allah sends someone in your resemblance--in character if not necessarily in stature? Might as well add that our daughter Vestra is of an age to find a spouse as of now..."

Three short knocks dragged the amira out of her reverie.

"Yes, come in," she said, straightening up

In came a slim figure with fair hair reaching up to her shoulders; lilac eyes, and a smart and determined look about her. She smiled, inclining her head in the amira's way, who meanwhile had stretched her arms out for a tender embrace.

"Dear mother."

"Dear sweet Vestra," came the reply, followed by a single quick kiss on the latter's forehead. "Early as usual."

They disentangled, maintaining proper distance as a frown came across the visitor's brow. "Not as early as might be expected. I seem to have missed the earlier negotiation; word has it the long-expected Hospodians have at last made their appearance."

"You missed nothing," Ashara gushed. "Just a bunch of snarky remarks that might cause you to cringe, and that's me being nice."

"Their head delegate is called Urdin, oft known as the Bane of Balaras?" this girl who has seen twenty-five name days inquired.

"You wouldn't want to say so to his face, Ves."

"Might I get a glimpse of him, then, my amira?"

"Take your time. He'll be stopping here a week before moving on, such a busybody. Then again, that's not too much to expect of a general of his own ranks, grizzled survivor of eighty-plus raids and at least one major engagement."

Vestra chuckled. "I suppose that makes him harder than steel."

"Stick out your tongue to mock him, you might lose it."

The girl cringed anyway. "What of Arys?"

"'Devoted' is the single word I'd pick to describe him during the last hour. Why, this Urdin, he even went so far as to name the Izurian Amirate to our north as the largest thorn in my brain... all the moreso when he dared propose to help us against them."

"Sounds like you've met your match in wits at length, my amira."

The amira smiled. "Not me, dear. You."

A brief silence ensued as the point sank home.

"You are jesting?"

"You darn well know I never jest in matters like this."

"Mother, he is a foreigner at best. I am not going to put forth my flower to someone I hardly hear of--"

"And I did implore you to take your time, Vestra. Utilize it. Talk with him, walk around him, see if you can get enough to trust him. He's going home by sea in a week's time; see if you can manage to sail with him."

"Mother!"

"Last bit was a jest, Ves," the Lioness of Estreon chuckled at the red-faced figure while resuming her seat. "Now then, your tasks for today..."