Chapter Four - Sneaking Suspicions
Her parents couldn't stay angry with her forever, Aly had decided. Once they got over it, she'd convince them to break off the contract--there was no better word for it--with Ormane. She spent the entire day in her room, feigning heartbreak and uncontrollable grief. Only her preternaturally perceptive older brother saw through her facade.
"You should be an actress," Thom declared, sitting across from her in her parlor. He had stopped by on his way to a lecture at the university, dressed impeccably in dark blue silk, with an unusually sympathetic look on his face. "I swear, sister, you've fooled almost everyone." He stood up slowly and stretched. "Gods, I'm positively exhausted. You are coming to the countess's party tonight, aren't you?"
Aly shook her head. "I'm prostate with grief, remember? I've got an act to keep up."
He gave a sigh of exasperation mixed with disgust. "Just don't let them catch you sneaking out this time, all right? They'll be incensed."
"Oh, I don't intend to," she whispered after he'd left. And indeed she didn't. She pretended to be asleep when Mora tiptoed in to check on her, and waited for at least a half hour after her parents had left for whatever social event they were attending. Only then did she rise and pull out the clothes she'd hidden under the bed. Plain black shirt, black tunic, black breeches, knee-high black riding boots. She carried two sharp daggers at her waist, and two more on her forearms, hidden by the long sleeves. She braided her hair simply, grabbed her black half-mask and black cloak, and silently slipped out her bedroom door, through the parlor, and into the hallway. She moved stealthily through the halls, avoiding nobles and servants, ducking into corners when she heard someone coming.
Aly breathed a sigh of relief once she was outside the palace walls. She tied the mask around her head and set off at a swift run towards the district where various nobles had their townhouses. She found the Ormane house easily, and walked casually around back. The back garden was surrounded by a tall, imposing brick wall, but she could have scaled it as a child. She was up and over in a matter of seconds, pausing only for a moment at the bottom to adjust her tunic before she tiptoed towards the house.
Getting inside was going to be harder than she had previously thought. Although the earl's rooms were dark, lights blazed in Kentar's windows. She cursed silently, having counted on him to be attending the same party her brother had mentioned earlier.
There! She spotted an ajar window on the bottom floor and made a beeline for it. She crouched underneath the sill for several moments before fully satisfied that the coast was clear. She climbed in, her practiced movements graceful like a cat. She straightened slowly, surveying the room while in the shadows.
It looked to be an informal dining room, probably where the family ate on most occasions. Aly silently crossed the room, her eyes darting back and forth the entire time. It was imperative that she find out if the Ormanes were involved in the treacherous deeds of the Jimajens and Rittevons, but she also couldn't be caught at any cost. Her pulse quickened as the adrenaline rushed through her veins. She loved a good challenge.
She listened for several moments at the door, making sure no maidservants were about before climbing a narrow staircase. She found herself on the main floor, and gave a sigh of relief. She had attended countless balls and parties at the Ormane residence; now she knew where she was going. As she crept towards the staircase leading to the upper levels, she found it strange that she had yet to encounter any servants. Normally a household of this size would be crawling with them. She offered up a silent prayer to Kyprioth, asking him to see her through this venture safely. She heard in her mind a sort of amused chuckle, and knew that he had heard her plea. Now it was just a matter of whether he acqueisced or not.
On the third floor, Aly headed down a dark hallway towards the earl's rooms. She opened doors slowly and silently until she found what looked to be his study, and entered, heading straight for the desk.
Although the room was dark, moonlight spilled through the window and allowed her to read the papers strewn about. She almost yelled with joy when she read the one on top. My dearest brother-in-law Rubinyan, it began. She was reaching to pick it up when she felt something cold and uncomfortably sharp on her neck. "Move, and I'll cut your throat," a male voice hissed in her ear.
Aly froze. Kentar was good; she hadn't even heard him enter behind her. "Now turn around, slowly," he ordered. "Make any sudden moves, reach for any weapons, and I will kill you. Do you understand me?"
She turned slowly, putting her hands up in the air as she did. He reached out, ripped off the mask, and stepped back in shock, a mix of fury and disbelief showing on his face. "You?"
She tossed her head imperiously and remained silent. It's going to take a miracle to get me out of this, she thought, disgusted with her useless patron. Thanks a million, Kyprioth.
You are ever so welcome, the god's voice sounded in her head.
Kentar stepped forward and roughly shoved her into a chair, turning around only to light the fire with his Gift. He whirled back around and scowled at her, crossing his arms across his chest. "Well?"
"Well what?" Aly replied tartly, trying to mask her fear. He wanted an explanation, and she would give him one. "Just because I'm a woman doesn't make me stupid, Kentar. I know what's going on in the Copper Isles, the games your family is playing. I wanted to make sure you weren't mixed up in that mess."
"I warned you to stay out of those affairs," he growled. "It's none of your concern."
She raised her eyebrows. "Actually, if I'm going to be your wife, it is my concern."
He flushed with anger. "I won't have a wife who's more curious then she ought to be. Honestly, Alianne, this is disgraceful, sneaking around my house like a spy, dressed like a man. Do you have no sense of propriety?"
"Your attempts at hitting me below the belt are failing miserably."
"If I weren't a gentleman I would strike you!" he snapped in frustration.
She was on her feet with a dagger in her hand quick as lightning, pointing the sharp blade at his throat. "Hear this, Ormane," she hissed venemously, "should you ever even think to lay a hand on me, I will kill you, do you understand me? I won't take you in front of the priestesses, nor will I bring it up with the king. I will kill you myself, and enjoy every moment of watching you die. I am no man's property, nor will I be treated as such."
He stepped away from her, lowering his sword, an amused smile coming to his face. "You're incredibly attractive when you're angry, did you know that?"
Aly crossed her arms indignantly after she had sheathed the knife. "Don't start with me, really. I'm not in the mood."
"Like the Western goddess of the hunt," he continued, ignoring her. "Beautiful, bathed in moonlight, so tempting to a vulnerable man." He leaned towards her slowly, and she shut her eyes and tilted back her head out of instinct. Right before his lips would have touched hers, he whisepered, "And a lump of ice beating in her chest, incapable of any true passion."
She swatted at him half-heartedly, quickly tiring of their verbal sparring. "Fine, I see my attempt at breaking and entering failed miserably, and I'll leave now. Off to the palace, and to my nice, warm bed."
"You're not going to bed, not yet anyway. No, I think we'll go to the countess's party, you and I. Together, like the happily betrothed pair we're pretending to be." He laughed at the look to refusal on her face. "Oh, but my lady, you don't have much choice, or I'll tell everyone about your little escapade, and you'll be ruined. Wouldn't that be awful?"
She wrinkled her nose indignantly. "This is blackmail, you son of a bitch."
"Oh, I know, and I'm enjoying every moment of it."
"I'm not dressed for a party."
Kentar laughed. "Oh, but my darling, you forget that I have sisters. They're at home right now, overseeing the summer planting season so that my father and I can remain here at court, making sure bold women aren't breaking into our house and snooping through our private mail. I'm sure they won't mind their future sister-in-law borrowing one of their gowns for one night!"
And so she found herself, a half hour later, being handed into the carriage by one of the footmen, dressed in a pink gown. It was the only one she'd found that wasn't several seasons out of date, and she nervously adjusted the matching hood as she waited for Kentar. He slid in beside her, and they were off towards the palace. She turned away from him and looked out the window at the various temples.
"You don't have to be so angry with me," he remarked casually as they snaked up towards the palace. "Besides, soon we won't have to deal with this folly the entire year. I intend on returning back to the estates after the wedding and residing there for a good portion of the year. I've always thought it's better for young boys to grow up away from the chaos of court, don't you agree?"
Aly rolled her eyes. "You speak of these sons as if we already have them, my lord. I have no intention whatsoever of marrying you, and I plan on talking my parents out of this ridiculous mess once their anger with me has subsided some."
"I see. Well then, we'll just have to arrange for the ceremony to be sooner rather than later, won't we?" The carriage came to a halt, and he exited the door the footman had opened. He extended a hand towards her, which she took without comment.
The dowager countess of King's Reach was a popular hostess, and her famous parties were always well-attended by the cream of Tortallan society. After her husband's death, she had ceased giving them, and this was her first such fête since coming out of mourning. Aly had no doubt that, as her brother would have put it, everyone who mattered would be there.
She had rented one of the smaller, more intimate ballrooms for the evening, and it was decorated in pale lavender and white. Upon their entrance, they were met with a sudden outburst of noise, the source of which being a large group of squealing young ladies. Aly ignored their exclamations, looking out over the room to see who was there. The king and queen had thrown a smaller, more exclusive dinner for their closest friends and advisors, so her parents weren't there, nor were other older courtiers. Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami were in the middle of what looked to be a serious conversation with Faleron, now earl of King's Reach. Prince Liam and Thom seemed to be animatedly and comically recreating some sort of duel for a delighted group of their friends. She was assessing the rest of the crowd when the hostess swooped in.
The countess was an elegant woman of about her mother's age. She smiled kindly at the pair of them. "What a lovely couple you two make!" she cried joyfully. "Everyone is waiting most anxiously to hear whether or not a date has been set!"
Kentar only glanced at her for a moment before turning back to Faleron's mother. "That decision is between our parents, my lady. Now, I'm sure you've already heard this a thousand times, but this party is simply..."
Aly tuned him out, plastering an empty courtier's smile on her face. She greeted those she knew well by name, and nodded politely to those she didn't. It was an eclectic group that night. Apparently the countess was trying to shake her reputation of being an overly-exclusive snob.
The musicians struck up a lively galliard, and the countess clasped her hands together in delight. "Oh, you two must lead the set! How romantic! Go on, go on..." She nudged Aly and Kentar out onto the floor.
It was a fast-paced and complex dance, one that required concentration, for which Aly was grateful. She moved gracefully with the music, avoiding the curious gaze of her partner. When the set was over, he steered her by the elbow towards an alcove out of the way of everyone. "You looked like you were thinking hard about something," he started.
"Since when are my thoughts any of your business?" she asked indignantly. He gripped her firmly but gently under the chin and forced her to meet his clear blue eyes. "You didn't seem to be enjoying yourself. I was just curious."
"Yes, well, keep your queries to yourself in the future!" Aly stepped back from him and scowled. "I've had enough of this...this folly. Just leave me alone, Kentar of Ormane!"
A/N: Hey, even if y'all don't, I like Kentar. He's a very conflicted guy, as you'll see later on in the story. He comes off as a jerk in this chapter, but he'll have his moments. Trust me on this one!
So what's up with Nawat, you ask. No, this is not an Aly/Nawat story, although there will be more romantic fluffiness to come, especially when our Copper Isles characters reenter the scene. It's not that I don't like Nawat, it's just that I don't think he and Aly are a good match. She'd get sick of him in a week, if that. Besides, he plays an extremely interesting role in this story, much more so than he would be able to if he were romantically involved with our heroine. Bittersweet? Absolutely.