January 24, 463 H.E. – 23rd year of the reign of King Jonathan IV and Queen Thayet
Corus, Tortall
-
As she had expected, Liam did not take the news that Lianne had reluctantly agreed to show Hiresh around very well at all. Neither, not surprisingly, did Jasson, though he expressed his displeasure with much more colorful words than their older brother had. Alan hadn't said anything. In fact, the last three days he had been uncharacteristically quiet. This was worrisome; a quiet Alan was dangerous.
Now walking silently through the portrait gallery with Hiresh at her side and Maera, who had agreed to chaperone the tour after some persuasion (and a promise on Lianne's part that she wouldn't have to actually speak with the prince), a few steps behind, Lianne could do nothing but curse herself for not being able to see a way out of this extremely unpleasant tour, and occasionally turn her eyes to the ceiling, praying for a god, any god, to do her this one teeny favor and speed time up just for the rest of the day.
The tour was going well, despite Lianne's better efforts. Knowing women were expected to behave in a certain manner on the Copper Isles, she had gone out of her way to turn up in the entrance hall that morning as inappropriately dressed as she could possibly manage. With anyone else, Lianne would have worn one of her better dresses and probably would have fiddled with her hair, as well. For Hiresh, she chose the plainest shirt, cloak, and breeches she could possibly find and tied her hair back carelessly. For riding, the outfit would have been fine; privately she hoped that the prince would be offended that she would wear it while in his company. Maera was dressed much more appropriately. Lianne hoped Hiresh noticed.
If he had been displeased, he hadn't said anything, only greeting her with that smile that always made her so uncomfortable and offered his arm. She pretended not to notice, and led him towards the pages' wing, hands in her pockets. Three hours later, Lianne was still doing her best to seem contrary, and Hiresh was still completely ignoring her efforts. It was very frustrating.
"I wish I had known it was such a busy time, here," Hiresh said, breaking the quiet suddenly. "In many cities, this time of year is much more peaceful."
Lianne forced what she hoped was an apologetic smile. "Corus is not many cities."
"I can see that," Hiresh answered, eyes on something ahead of them.
Lianne looked up. Someone was approaching from the far end of the hall at a casual pace. As the figure drew closer, she could identify him as Davis, one of Liam's old year-mates and friends. Lianne bit her lower lip to keep from smirking.
Since the tour had begun, Lianne and Hiresh were interrupted at regular intervals by Liam, Alan, and every so often, even Roald's friends. Lianne wasn't entirely sure who had pulled them into it, but she suspected Shinko. Now Davis, not among the more subtle of their visitors thus far, made a show of noticing Lianne, and drew near her quickly.
"Lianne!" he said, greeting her as an old friend, which they weren't. This was another common thread among Lianne's many 'surprise visitors'. All had greeted her as if they were close friends, despite the fact that she had only met many of them a few times in passing. After the first few instances, Lianne took the hint and played along. "I wasn't expecting to see you here. How are you?"
"Oh, Davis, I haven't seen you in ages. Very well, thank you." For Davis she managed a large smile as he kissed her hand.
All these encounters generally went the same way, and Lianne expected a polite inquiry about Hiresh to follow shortly, and then feigned interest on how he found Corus. As near as she could figure, these visits were either to provide Lianne a rescue if things had gone sour, or to try to set Hiresh on guard against the stream on knights who all seemed to be on quiet friendly terms with the princess. If Liam's intention was the latter, it didn't seem to be working. Hiresh maintained his well-mannered demeanor and was always annoyingly courteous to the visitors.
Living up to expectations, Davis turned his attention to Hiresh, a bit stiffer, now. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met."
"This is Prince Hiresh Rukhev of the Copper Isles," Lianne supplied, turning to Hiresh, "May I present Sir Davis of Milis Forge, a very good friend of my family's."
"A pleasure," Davis said, bowing.
Hiresh nodded. "Likewise, I am sure. We would love to stay and chat with you, but the Princess was just showing me to your temples, and I admit, I am very much looking forward to seeing them." He placed a hand on Lianne's back, causing her to tense, and began to lead her gently away. This unsettled her, previously he would talk with whoever approached them in the hallway until Lianne or their visitor ended the conversation. "Good afternoon."
Startled, Lianne looked over her shoulder, unsure of how to react. Davis and Maera both stared back at her, eyes wide and worried expressions on their faces. Davis visibly changed from shock to anger, and took a few steps in Lianne's direction, only stopping when she shook her head slightly. Maera passed him, following Lianne and Hiresh at a slight distance. When Davis set his jaw and set off in the other direction, Lianne turned her head forward again, glancing sideways at Hiresh. He seemed not to have noticed her silent exchange, and had not yet removed his hand. Quickening her pace, Lianne removed it for him, unsure of what to say, and therefore not saying anything for quite some time.
-
Hiresh did not mention the incident with Davis, and neither did Lianne, though she did not stop thinking about it at all. Though she hadn't been planning on it, she did lead him to the temples, hoping that at least there the murals and dedications would distract him long enough for her to plan a reasonably escape.
For whatever reason, no more of Liam's visitors came. As near as Lianne could figure, Davis has gone straight to her brother or Alan and reported Hiresh's abrupt end to their conversation. She found herself wishing more would come; anything to interrupt his attention on her would be welcome.
The longer they walked together, the more personal questions Hiresh posed to Lianne, and the more uncomfortable she grew with his interest in her. It wasn't that she generally minded sharing information about herself, and she didn't see how telling Hiresh her hobbies, or what types of books she liked to read, would do any harm. It was how he conducted these conversations that unnerved her.
Lianne would assume that anyone asking that type of information would be looking for some common interest what might liven up the conversation. It didn't seem to be the case with Hiresh; he would ask questions, but never comment on her answers. When she told him a few of the hobbies she enjoyed, he did not share any of his own in return. It struck her as odd. She couldn't put her finger on why.
Thankfully, some things were in her favor that day. It seemed Hiresh had not lied when he said he was looking forward to see the temples. Lianne had led him to the Temple District, just outside the walls of the palace, and for the first time his unshakable polite interest in all around him gave way to genuine enthusiasm. It was the architecture, it seemed, that he had wished to view. The temple dedicated to Mithros, with its smooth black stone inlaid with precious metals and high, elegantly decorated arches, which particularly caught his attention. Crossing the threshold of the temple, Lianne thought a prayer of thanks, she was not sure to whom, for the reprieve from his attentions.
"Our temples are very nice, too, of course," he was saying, though she wasn't entirely paying attention. "But we have not has as much time to build them as you have had, here. It took a good deal of time to bring down the natives' temples, as well. We wanted to use the same sites."
Lianne nodded as if she understood, lingering behind him with Maera. Maybe one day the native gods will punish you for that, she thought, sincerely hoping the idea did not show on her face. I hope it's soon.
His eyes fell on a large mural occupying an entire wall, and he studied it for several minutes. "Princess," he said, beckoning her. "I'm curious. What is this depicting?"
With effort, she did not sigh heavily as she moved to stand beside her, looking at the wall. Lianne knew the mural, of course; it was very well known, among the many temple murals in the city.
"It depicts the Old King's conquest of the surrounding lands. My grandfather had it commissioned after the Old King died." She pointed, drawing his attention to a vast section of the wall painted in shades of yellows and browns. "This is the Great Desert – over here is Barzun."
"You there," Hiresh was no longer looking at the mural, or Lianne, but at Maera, who froze under his gaze. "Girl. Fetch a priest, I wish to speak to one. Now, thank you."
Maera, who had hesitated a moment, turned and went. Lianne stared at Hiresh, almost too startled to be angry.
"I hope you don't mind," He had seen her look and apparently grievously misinterpreted it. "I have some questions I'd like to ask about the temple."
Lianne unclenched her jaw and took a breath. "Her name is Maera," she offered, tone as even as she could keep it.
"What? Oh. Yes, yes. Of course." Hiresh had already returned his attention to the mural, and waved one hand dismissively without looking away.
Lianne did not say any more, eyes also on the wall before them, though she no longer looked at it. Mother was right, she realized now, recalling advice Thayet had given a long time before. You can learn a lot about a person by how they treat the people who don't matter.
Lianne did not like what she had learned.
-
Thinking about it, Lianne would not, as a whole, classify the day as a success. She supposed there was a possibility that sometime in her past she had been more thankful just to be safely in alone and in bed, but she certainly couldn't recall any.
The tour had seemed endless. Every time she thought that there was nothing else Hiresh would ask to see, he'd think of something new. The temples had taken the longest; perhaps the temples in the Copper Isles really weren't very nice at all, for he had wanted to see all of the ones in the Temple District. Lianne's feet and back ached terribly, and she wasn't entirely sure Maera would ever allow herself in the same room with Hiresh again. I can't blame her, she thought, staring up at the ceiling.
Alone in the dark, Lianne had time to think. That morning, as she had been getting dressed, she had tried to make the best of the day ahead. She didn't really know Hiresh, she had reasoned. There was always the chance that he wouldn't be completely terrible, and that she might come out of the experience liking him a little more.
Now, having spent the entire day with him, Lianne found she liked Hiresh even less than when she had begun. The affair with Maera was on strike against him. The rational part of Lianne understood that in the Cooper Isles, they kept slaves, and generally considered the lower classes inferior; it was the rest of her brain that had objected so strongly. Maera wasn't there as a servant, she was there as a chaperone. She wasn't supposed to leave Lianne alone, and there really wasn't any call for Hiresh to snap at her the way he did. Lianne didn't like it.
She didn't like his attitude, either. He was very polite. So polite that, had Lianne caught him checking a textbook on decorum between sentences, she wouldn't have been entirely surprised. It was as if he had memorized the rules of polite conversation. He asked questions, but only superficial ones, nothing that could be considered even vaguely improper to ask. He always bowed just the right amount, never less than was required, but certainly never more. He smiled readily, never too wide or too thinly. Anyone who met him would likely think him a model of propriety. Lianne didn't like that either. She couldn't put her finger on why, exactly, but something about his impeccable manners struck her as false.
It was also extremely frustrating that, despite her best efforts to argue with him whenever the opportunity presented itself, and generally not seem very agreeable at all, Hiresh did not seem to think at all less of her at the end of the day than he did at the beginning. If she had only managed to exasperate him once, she perhaps would have felt better. But then, Lianne didn't know much about what it would be liked to be married to someone from the Copper Isles. Maybe he intended to marry her for the alliance, and then shut her up somewhere and never have to deal with her. The idea made sense to Lianne, but didn't comfort her in the least.
Worst come to worst, she had at least done her part for the day. Next time he wanted to wander around for hours, well, someone else could to it. As far as she was concerned, Lianne was officially done with Hiresh Rukhev.