“Don’t you girls have an identity for yourselves?” Kaarthen asked noticing no real title as Marcos’ women.
They were both confused.
“Title? I take care of security for the….”
“No, No, I mean you never call these women your ‘Sisters’.” Kaarthen said gesturing around the table.
“’Sister’? Those are the temples’ women.” Marssel said.
“Yes, but what that really means, and shows, is the unity and togetherness of the women.” They looked at her oddly.
“Look, when I was in my enclave we were more then a bunch of women. We were ‘Sisters’. We talked as you all did. We loved as you do too. You all raise each other’s children and pit them against each other for fun. That’s not good competition. You all must have a purpose that connects you.” Kaarthen wasn’t too sure, where the Goddess was taking this, but it seemed convinced.
“You all as mothers want your children to be safe. Marcos wants you and the children to be safe. This tower and the Citadel were created for all of that. Nevertheless, every few years you allow trouble to attack. Women, just like you and your daughters, doing what you or your daughters could have been doing, are taken.” Kaarthen paused. The wheels were turning behind these women’s eyes. Fellowship is instinctive and these women already had empathy.
“I think that you are all ‘Sisters’ and you can help yourselves more by helping each other.” Kaarthen finished.
The two sat back and considered this quietly. Around them the rest of the harem came in for dinner. They were all dressed elegantly. Sparkles, leather, velvet, silks, and shameless diaphanous dresses of all colors draped and clung to the women as they sat around the table. When asked, Remy said in the tower a woman named Passil made dresses from material.
Once Marcos came in, the atmosphere completely changed. They women watched his every move and listened to his every word. They weren’t all sycophants as Kaarthen learned. One older woman came down and graciously asked for the chair next to Marcos. Wordlessly, a brunette with her hair up scooted out and reseated at the other end of the table.
“Who is that over there?” Kaarthen said indicating the stunning older woman.
“She’s Aliss’ mother she is a grand dame who lives in the upper tower. Her husband died and she returned several years ago. She actually had a granddaughter two years ago.” Remy said.
Kaarthen noticed there was stress behind Remy’s eyes.
“So she rules the roost?” Kaarthen asked.
“Huh? I suppose. We don’t have, as you said earlier any organization, so no leader. Marcos does not want problems so we do not make problems.” Her voice and eyes were pretty stressed now. Kaarthen was pleased by how much her face showed emotion.
“So she’s a problem.” Kaarthen said for her.
To her left Marssel looked over at her quickly.
“She has become his favorite.” She whispered warningly.
Dinner passed quietly after that, the only notable event happened when Marcos introduced the women to the entire harem.
Marcos quickly stood after dinner and had Kaarthen come with him. They traveled down the stairs to the entrance.
“The Queen is responsible for many of the internal workings of the country. She is basically the land’s steward on a much larger scale.” He explained as they departed the tower and started across the walkway.
“I also serve her as a High Advisor. She will be curious as to what I saw when I was out of the capital. The information is important for her decisions at this time of year.” Marcos continued.
“Kaarthen I want to ask you if you are comfortable here.” He said as they walked.
“Of course, I’m sure I’ll be spending my nights with you a lot.” Kaarthen said out the side of her mouth.
“Well, I actually have the women allow me to pick around bedtime.”
“I am your Companion Marcos, I’ll be there to watch at the very least. We had fun with Vellina did we not?”
“Yes, I suppose.” He said uncertainly. “The memory was nice, but some women want private intimacy. I had someone go to see if she is still in the city.” He provided. They had reached the end of the walkway and had come upon a rather normal wood door.
He opened the door into the Citadel.
“Marcos, why go through all the elaborate security just to walk outside like that?” Kaarthen asked noticing a huge inconsistency she missed earlier.
“Well, you feel the breeze blowing your hair right?” Marcos said grinning mischievously at her, Kaarthen nodded.
”You noticed the walk way is almost two yards high at it’s lowest with the hill? And, you think some one could easily climb it?” Kaarthen nodded again.
“Perhaps you didn’t notice the Citadel’s walls on either side. A crossbowman could get up there and take a clear shot.” Kaarthen thought back to how the tall Citadel walls joined into the tower on either side.
“Well, it’s only apparent when it is raining or if strong magic is in the area, but there are barriers there. Two vertical impenetrable walls are on either side, then a two-panel roof that reflects and ricochets. I added a small strip to make sure rain doesn’t get in during storms.” Marcos said thoughtfully. As they went up the stairs, he continued.
“The end result is it’s for show. Rather than let my enemies make or find another weak point, I offer it to them. The roof reflects missile shots, the walls can’t be broken by any magic around today.” He said as they continued.
“In fact, there are traps. For instance, if someone physically attacks the wall they’ll find themselves locked in an arena dimension. They stay in that eternal prison with anyone else who shared their mistake. It gets very rough in there. All they have is an eternity with each other and the weapons they brought in. I could enter at my leisure and kill or question them. The prisoners usually tend to be short-sighted, muscular types, who favor the direct approach.”
They walked up three flights of stairs at the end of the hallway. Two palace guards with purple and white linen tabards over their armor stood before the door. They both parted and the one to the left opened the door. Inside was a chamber like anteroom. It had benches and door to either side.
Inside, a man in purple, gold, and white livery stood before them. Marcos introduced her and requested time with the Queen. With a quick bow, the man motioned them to follow.
They were brought through the left doorway and passed an open entrance room, a small dining room, and into a study that had books lining the far wall. The furniture was presented in matching styles of dark wood. A large wide fireplace roared behind a screen to Kaarthen’s right. Before it, a wide ornate rug sat with two chairs on either side. A lounge sat facing the fire between the chairs. Behind it was study tables and map desks. Far to the right, the room ended in wall-to-wall floor to ceiling windows. To the left, they were two paces from the stonewall.
Three people were in the room. A woman in black with two cutlasses on her left hip stood behind the lounge. Before her, a woman laid on her side in the plush purple lounge. She was dressed in a simple linen gown for sleeping. Her hair was a wavy light brown, and worn down. Busy worries had made lines around her face. A young man sat in a chair near her. He was pale and sickly and had very dark hair. He also wore a white nightgown that stopped above the knee. Oddly, he had dark leather riding pants and boots underneath.
“Queen Mensillin, I would like to present the Goddess’ designate Kaarthen, my Companion.”
Both women’s eyebrows jumped. Kaarthen had not discussed titling with Marcos but felt pretty impressed.
Marcos gave a nudge to bow or curtsy. She ended up doing a mix of both and blushing badly.
“Kaarthen, I would like to present Prince Monto Carthin of Sellis.” Marcos waved to the boy, he hardly moved despite being presented. Protocol stated that the lesser is presented to the higher in these situations. Kaarthen didn’t know that, but figured there was a reason she was offered to bow before the Queen and take this boy’s nod.
“Please sit, I am not as young as I used to be.” The Queen said
After the introductions, Kaarthen and the boy were left out of the conversation. The Queen had made an offer of tea that Marcos waved off. Few questions were asked about what little they’d seen and the situations were found satisfactory. Their travels to Grippe and in the Chaos lands were left out and they didn’t have much to talk about from the journey.
Marcos and the Queen discussed the fine ins and outs of betrothing the prince to one of the princesses. Kaarthen figured out there were three princesses. The younger two were twins. The second was the likely choice but they had some worries about her. Princess Ruegin was a shrewd character who had been making troubling inquiries around the time of the prince’s arrival. The third would be an outright liability. Princess Nossin would allow the foreign noble too much latitude and political cover. The first was Crown Princess Saliss and she was being groomed to be queen. As heir-apparent, she had her own choice in who to marry.
They made a quick agreement to delay a decision in the end.
They left after what seemed to be hours. The prince left also and a guard from outside the Queen’s apartments escorted him. As they went down stairs, the prince swerved off in his own direction.
“That boy’s a problem,” Marcos said after the prince left. “Sellis sent him to us to get a good deal and rid themselves of him so he can’t have the throne like the bunch of horse traders they are.”
“Wouldn’t the princess marry and go to his kingdom?” Kaarthen asked.
“That is exactly what’s supposed to happen, but he was sent with two assassins on his tail. Even his servant apparently tried to kill him on orders. He won’t be returning now. The Royals of Sellis sent a letter once they found out he’d arrived claiming he was being turned over on honor of a treaty, also they bid him to be part of the Menthino’s Royal family.”
“What does that mean?” Kaarthen asked.
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