Year 783 Octavus, day 3 of the sixth month of Dailainus
A grimace escaped Akana as the wagon shook when hitting a bump on the road. Traveling with sleigh was far more comfortable, wrapped into thick furs, but there was no snow outside of Eitir so when he had arrived at the border, he had to switch to a wagon.
Looking down on the reports from the headquarters of the Furies, Cathurn in Virtus Scolaris, he decided to put them away. He leaned back, shutting his eyes. Last year he had traveled with Sidastir and had Naga sleeping in his lap. This year he was alone with Naga flying above him with a guarding eye at the wagon. Not a silly idea since they were traveling along the river that separated Domor and Balkrav. A place littered with Balkravian bandits. The dragon would hopefully deter the wiser of the bandits from attacking.
As the wagon suddenly came to a halt, Akana was rustled out of his thoughts. Leaning out to see what was going on, an achievement not easily accomplished as Naga had landed in front of the wagon and Akana had only a clear view of his rear end. He leaned back though when Naga flew away after making clear that whatever stopped the wagon was no threat, giving Akana an idea who it was.
His suspicions are affirmed when the door flew up and a hooded stranger sat down across from him. The stranger pulled down the hood on the peculiar coat, that seemed to shift colors depending on its surroundings, and Akana was met with a sly smirk on a familiar face with glimmering dark eyes. Ceva Le Gu ruffled the white, curly locks out of her round face. The hair was similar to Sidastirs but he looked like untouched snow while hers looked like a brier.
“It was very fortunate that our paths crossed, my friend. Your plentiful baggage lures too much attention on these roads, but with the Ravenking’s daughter as your companion, it should deter encouragement to take liberties upon you,” Ceva grabbed hold of some of the papers with a frown on her face. “Though it would be amusing seeing the Wetzhur Hadjeananann’s faces when they scrabble through your raffle. I’m not sure you own anything of value.”
Grabbing hold of the paper Ceva had started to play with, he frowns at her words,” A what?” He had a hard time apprehending all the sounds in balkravian. It was a unique language for Noterra, and to Akana it almost sounded like the trolls' rough language.
”Wetxhur Hadjean. Windwanderer. Wetzhur Hadjeananann. The Windwanderers,” said Ceva like this explained everything and pointed towards strange shadows over the river. Riders that seemed to shift in and out of the forest.
“Ah, Balkravian highwayman.”
“Impeccable description but we balkravians prefer more poetic sounding names. We don’t rob. We borrow. Of course, we don’t return them but that is another matter,” Ceva chuckled. Peering at his friend, Akana clean up his things and she took the opening to put her feet up beside him on the seat.
“I’m surprised the Ravenking would allow his daughter to travel with the Rial Caraid of Eitir.”
“Kaarnur Zurinn finds it to be a strategic advantage to be the companion of the Rial Caraid even if he would prefer me to be the Rial’s second wife,” Ceva muttered, using the balkravian word for the Ravenking.
“Does he still want you to become Sidsatir’s second consort?” Despite Sidastir finding out that you are a spy?” asked Akana who didn’t like the thought of a second consort. The majority of the countries only allowed you to get married to one person. Balkrav and Huzhidi was the only exception. In Balkrav it was a must since men died young and there was an abundance of women. Since women only get legal status after they married, most choose to become second, third, or even fourth wife.
“My father ensures me that he has no intention of spying on the Rial of Eitir. A lie, of course, but I believe that he is more interested in an alliance that can lead to trade,” Ceva looked out onto the river. “We need to change our old traditions. This is not the age of raids. The borders are more secure and our people are becoming poorer. The south is guarded and the north… Irkalla is too dangerous. The untamed lands have too many strange creatures. Red-eyed beasts that come out of the mist, winged gods, and demons. We need to trade with the south. Eitir is our best option.”
“Would a marriage with Sidastir help you?” Akana’s face was marred with doubt.
“No, but it would prolong our survival. Eitir is one of the few countries willing to trade with us, outside of Auone which we cannot reach. Don’t worry, I have explained that the Rial has no interest in taking a second consort.”
“Didn’t he believe you?”
“No, and he seems to think that the Rial just doesn’t have an interest in the female gender and pondered to send over one of my more handsome brother’s instead,” Ceva’s eyes were glittering with amusement while Akana wanted to groan. Sidastir’s problem wasn’t his disinterest, it was his power to allowed him to freeze anyone he touches. Akana was immune because of his dragonfire, that was originally the reason why Sidastir had been so eager to marry him.
“Have you suggested Magnus?”
“My father did not think he was a good choice,” Ceva said and rubbed her temples like a headache was coming on. “He is a runaway son of a consul. Even if he automatically gets the same title and has a large villa in his father’s domain, Silvalupi, a city in Roboris if I remember correctly. My father still thinks that he is far from a worthy husband to his daughter.”
“Magnus isn’t the heir, he is not a merchant that can give Balkrav fruitful trade or an alliance. He is an educated warlord who most likely will become a Centurion in his father’s legion. With some luck, rule his own legion as a Legatus.” Ceva continued, leaning back with a sigh.
“I can understand if the Ravenking wants an alliance but Magnus is far from a poor choice. Many would sell their souls to get him as a husband.”
“To Balkravians it is important to find your own way instead of living at your father’s mercy. This is something my father is using as an excuse to deny Magnus the right to court me.”
Akana notice Ceva’s strange look and gave her one of his rare smiles, tilting his head,” Your father’s approval isn’t what’s bothering you. If you had wanted to marry a troll your father wouldn’t have been able to stop you. What is bothering you?”
“What’s holding me back is a fleeting dream. We Balkravian women are dependent on marriage to own anything. My name, Ceva Le Gu, was given to me officially when I became a woman at the age of thirteen. It means gone with the wind. A name I received because I was constantly traveling. Free from worldly problems. If I allowed myself to marry a man, I will only give in to what I consider to be a horrid tradition. My life shouldn’t have to be bound to the life of a man in such a way.”
Akana must admit that couldn’t really understand the problem. The Auons see no reason to fight a system. There is no logic to it. It’s better to simply use and bend the system to be used for you instead of against you. Though, he assumed Ceva’s acceptance into Virtus Scolaris wasn’t a coincidence and it was most likely her way to try and achieve some kind of freedom.
“Aren’t you interested in Magnus?”
Ceva grinned, telling Akana that she was far from uninterested,” I have an interest, it isn’t for marriage though, but something far more scandalous.”
Akana cocked an eyebrow,” I’m not sure the Consul of Silvalupi would appreciate the scandal that comes with having a son with a Balkravian mistress. It would explain why Magnus had fled to Eitir during the summer. His father must have been furious.”
Ceva smirked, but her smile faded at Akana’s next sentences. “Maybe he will personally thank you during the Trinetournament in Parcis. The majority of Releviums Consuls will be there with us.”
*****
Year 783 Octavus, Day 6 on the seventh month of Domorus
Magnus threw the tunic to Sidastir who catches it and pushed it down into the baggage before perusing the room which was filled with boxes ready to be ported to Parcis. Sidastir had packed half the room since he was unsure of what Akana wanted him to bring. Probably nothing but he wanted to make sure that nothing was lacking.
“Are you sure you have everything? Your darling might need a bejeweled basin for bathing his feet,” said Magnus, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Sidastir replied by throwing a pillow at him which he hadn’t been able to push into the baggage.
“If he needed one I will just send you out to buy one. You don’t have many other talents except to run errands,” Sidastir answered, but did wonder if Akana needed a basin.
“It does me well to know that I have a brilliant future as an errand-boy. With a bit of luck, I might work myself up to becoming a stableboy,” muttered Magnus and scratched his dark-brown beard adorning his bronze skin. Something he wouldn’t have been allowed to do if he was still in Relevium since they saw beards as a sign of barbarism. Even his curly hair had started to grow since his arrival to Eitir, now well down to his shoulders and the skin had paled a little because of Eitir’s lack of sun.
“I doubt that he will avoid getting a haircut and shave before we arrive in Parcis,“ thought Sidastir and smirk at the thought of Magnus’s father’s face at the sight of his son in such an uncivilized appearance.
“Do you really need all this?” asked Magnus and gestured towards all the baggage.
Sidastir merely shrugged,” Most likely not, but I bring some of it for pleasure. I know that Akana loves to curl up into all the furs we have in Eitir so I decided to pack some of them,” a dimwitted smirk erupted onto his face at the thought of his naked husband crawling up and cuddle with a fur in front of the open fire.
“Do I want to know what you are thinking?”
“Doubtful! At the moment these thoughts are for me and hopefully, in the future for my husband to share.” Sidastir soul was soaring at the thought of meeting his husband again. These past months had been torture despite his brilliant idea to find a Fylksphere to communicate with. The damn thing had been hard to find since they are rare. Also called Colloqium Sphaera, it’s an orb made of Angelite. Spheres made of the same crystal are bound to each other and can transfer astral projection of their owner to each other allowing communication at a long distance. Usually, they are used by the mages council of Domor but Sidastir was able to buy some for him and his consort.
It still hadn’t eased his torture, and for the last couple of weeks, Sidastir had swooned like a lovesick maiden waiting for her prince in the tower. Not that he would ever tell anyone and he was fairly sure that he had threatened the trolls and fairies to silence.
“Great, but you have really cleaned out the ent---” Magnus went silent as he opened the door to the closet. With a grimace, Sidastir walked over and slowly closed the door.
“Sidastir…” Magnus started, and Sidastir wondered if he would successfully be able to throw Magnus from the balcony. No one would ever know.
“Why do you have an ice sculpture of Akana in your closet?” Magnus continued, looking like he just sighted something beyond belief.
“The trolls were ordered to make one of Akana but was only able to make monstrosities barely able to be called art så I decided to show them how it was done. Turns out, I have a great talent for sculpturing,” Sidastir muttering, still peering at the balcony.
“It wore Akana’s coat.”
“I needed some use for the ice sculpture,” Sidastir replied and grabbed onto Magnus's shoulders. “If you utter one word of this, I will allow Dornill to devour you whole and send a message to your father that you have eloped with a troll.”
A cold smile adorned Sidastirs face, ensuring that no one would doubt his sincerity and Magnus nodded hastily. Sidastir released him, satisfied with his answer, and made a mental note to move the sculpture before Akana found it. His loneliness might have gone a bit overboard.
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