DF042 - I Wanna Stand Over There (Suliel) (Patreon)

“Why would you want that?” Anton asked in confusion.

Aris slapped him on the back of his head. He barely felt it, even with her increased strength, but he flinched from the glare she gave him when he looked at her.

“Don’t you say that! You’re the most eligible boy in Kirido! You got your second tier faster than anyone, and you’re handsome and brave and…”

Aris stopped herself, belatedly realising what she was saying. There was an awkward pause as Anton tried to deal with what she said. Or there would have been, if Kelsey hadn’t filled it.

“Woo hoo! Welcome to team poly, Aris!”

Aris looked down, embarrassed. “I’m not— I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean. I just… don’t want anyone saying bad things about my fiancé.”

This last was delivered with a challenging glare at Suliel, as Aris remembered where she stood in this discussion. Suliel felt like she was going to burn up. After her admission, her cheeks were so hot that the thought she might self-combust or melt through the stone floor. Either one would be preferable to continuing this conversation, but she persevered.

“But I’m a commoner!” Anton protested. “She can’t marry me!”

“That’s just a custom, not a law,” Suliel said. “My mother would not… approve, but nobles sometimes go against custom and marry commoners. That elevates— you would be elevated— to nobility.”

She looked away again. She didn’t want to say this, admit to her girlish crush, but she needed to make her case. Her suspicion— no, certainty— that Kelsey had locked the doors, took away her only other option.

“As to—” she started, “We may not have interacted much, but I’ve always been aware of you. There’s not much for me to do at festivals, so I’ve often… daydreamed… about what it would be like to marry someone of my choice.”

Aris scowled. “You and a lot of the town girls,” she said. “I saw them off, but…”

She hesitated, and started to look doubtful. “Nobility, though…” She looked back at Anton.

He looked straight back. “I don’t care about a title,” he said.

“Naturally, you would remain the primary wife,” Suliel said desperately. Was she really saying this? Wouldn’t it be humiliating to her to be not only married to a commoner, but the secondary wife at that? Her mother would have a fit if she degraded the family that thoroughly.

I’m getting a title of rulership, she told herself. A rare one, maybe even unique! That makes up for any humiliation I might subject the family to, and… I’d rather be a second wife to Anton than be sold off to whoever made the best pitch to Mother.

“Primary wife,” Aris said sounding out the word. “What does that mean?”

“Nobles can have more than one wife,” Suliel explained. “Its not commonly done, but if Anton marries me and becomes nobility, he can marry you as well.”

“But he’d have to marry you first,” Aris said slowly.

“That’s how it works,” Suliel agreed. “Even so, which wife ranks highest isn’t based on the order of marriage, so… I do recognise that you’ll always be first in his affections. Nonetheless, I am told that I am quite attractive—”

“You’re gorgeous,” Aris snorted, rolling her eyes. “The most beautiful girl in Kirido, and a hundred miles around it, to hear men talk.”

“Not as beautiful as you,” Anton said loyally. “Its true!” he replied to her skeptical look. “I mean, she is— you are—” he corrected himself, looking at Suliel. “You are very beautiful, but Aris is more lovely.”

“I guess I do have bigger breasts,” Aris muttered.

“That’s only the smallest part about why I love you,” Anton said. “As beautiful as Suliel is, there’s no choice to be made.”

He called me beautiful! Suliel thought, rooted to her chair. She wanted to say something, but she couldn’t get past the thought that Anton had called her beautiful. Instead it was Kelsey that spoke up.

“But! You don’t have to make a choice. You can have both of them. Aris and Suliel, and a noble title to boot.”

Anton gave her a glare. “I notice you don’t include yourself in that enticing offer.”

Kelsey chuckled. “You’re stuck with me no matter what you choose,” she pointed out. “I get that you’re still upset about my little joke, but when you’re snuggled up in bed with two naked beauties, you’ll be thinking that just maybe, ol’ Kelsey had your best interests at heart after all.”

Anton didn’t say anything to that, and neither did the two girls. His skin was too dark for Suliel to see him blush and she thanked the gods that her own skin was even darker. Kelsey looked around in the sudden silence.

“Wow. Talk about horny teenagers,” she said. “All of you reacted to that? Even Aris? You were just in bed with him fifteen minutes ago.”

Nobody said anything to her words, although Suliel did wish even harder for the rock beneath her to melt and let her escape.

“Well,” Kelsey finally said, once the silence had been extended for an excruciating length of time. “I promised Suliel a chance to think about my offer, so unless the three of you want to jump into bed, I think it’s time for her to go.”

“That… wouldn’t be appropriate,” Suliel managed to say. “Even if— Until it’s announced— We shouldn’t.”

Kelsey sighed. “Once again, good manners get in the way of a good time. Oh well.”

She rose from her chair and stretched. The door to the room opened on its own.

“Come on, Suliel, I’ll get you back home, safe and sound. You two can keep yourselves out of trouble for a few minutes at least?”

* * *

Safely back in her father’s study, Suliel sank back into his old chair, unable to stand. She was trembling from the exhausting climb up the concealed ladder. Going up had been much harder than going down. Trying to process all the revelations that she been subjected to made her mind tremble just as much as her limbs. She glared at the architect of all of it.

“Why did you come up with me?” Suliel asked.

“Not just to make sure you made it all the way up the ladder,” Kelsey said. “Wouldn’t want all that investment to go to waste from one slipped foot.”

She pointed at the door. “I came in here with you, remember? If I go mysteriously missing, people are going to suspect something.”

“Oh. Right.” Checking that the secret door was concealed again— Kelsey had done that— she indicated the door with her head. Chuckling, and managing a fair approximation of a curtsey, Kelsey went over and opened the door.

“Can you escort Mistress Kelsey to the gate,” Suliel told the guards outside. “Put her on the approved list.”

They both saluted, and one of them indicated to Kelsey that she should follow him. To the other one, Suliel asked:

“Has anything happened while I’ve been… busy?”

“No, my Lady,” he, replied.

“Good. Close the door but knock if there are messages, or if someone wants to see me,”

“Yes, my Lady,” he said, bowing as he pulled the door closed.

Suliel sighed, and turned her attention to the desk in front of her. Kelsey had mentioned that there were things here that Suliel should learn. She’d been putting of filling her father’s full role, concentrating on local events, but it was about time she learned what was going on in the greater world. She sighed again, and went to work.

* * *

It was about three hours before a knock came from the door.

“Yes?”

“My lady, there’s a ship been sighted, bearing the colours of House Kinn. It should dock shortly before sunset.”

Uncle Ria, Suliel thought. For the first time, thinking of her uncle’s imminent arrival didn’t bring unqualified joy. She would be glad to see him, but now she was— she had responsibilities. Instead of presents, Uncle Ria would be bringing opportunities, secrets and dangers.

“If Mother hasn’t arranged anything yet, make sure the kitchens are aware that we’ll have a noble guest— make that two noble guests— for a feast.” She was almost certain that Uncle Ria would have brought someone. Maybe a marriage prospect, maybe someone else from the Circle.

I need to change, she thought. She couldn’t greet guests wearing this, even if it hadn’t been dusty from her subterranean adventures.

“Uh, my lady?” The guard said. “You sent Dakar away, so I can’t leave my post.”

She stared at him for a second. “Ah, yes, of course, Milem. Come with me then, we’ll find some more guards.”

She had him lead her to to where Captain Oldaw was being held. At her gesture, the guards there unlocked the door.

“Captain Oldaw,” she said formally. “Information has come to light which has cleared you of all suspicion. You are free to go, if that pleases you, or return to being a welcome guest.”

The captain peered suspiciously out of the gloom of his cell. “Just like that? What information?”

“I’m afraid that must remain a secret for the time being,” Suliel said. “But yes, just like that. You have my apologies, of course.” She bowed deeply to the man.

“No…” Oldaw said slowly. “It looked bad, I must admit. You did what you had to. I hope you don’t think I’ll be leaving it there, though. I was framed, wasn’t I?”

“I can’t stop you from investigating further,” Suliel admitted. Oldaw didn’t have the right to investigate crimes or apply justice in her desmene, but she couldn’t stop him from asking questions. “Lord Kinn is arriving shortly, so I hope you’ll join us for dinner. There will… I expect circumstances will have changed after that.”

“Lord Kinn…” Oldaw’s eyes narrowed. Suliel wondered what that might mean. Oldaw reported to the King, and was unlikely to be a member of the Rose Circle. Did he know that her uncle was?

“He’s an old friend of the family,” she said. “No doubt, he’s here to offer condolences on the death of my father.”

“But under the circumstances, other topics might be discussed.”

“I’m sure it will be eventful,” she agreed blandly.

* * *

Baron Riadan Kinn was as big as she remembered. He had hardly walked in the front gate before she was enveloped in a big bear hug.

“Little Su,” he said. “You’re more beautiful than ever.”

“It’s Baroness Suliel, now,” she told him, looking up at his bushy beard. “I have to keep my dignity,”

“Ho, ho, yes, your dignity, very important,” he chortled, pretending to take her seriously. “But you’ll always be Little Su to me.”

He released her, and got a more serious look on his face. “Tikin sent us word on the way— I was so sorry to hear about your father.”

Her own face fell. “It’s been hard,” she admitted. “Father’s death, right after the raid…”

“You seem to be doing well in that regard at least,” he told her. “Coming through the town, it seemed to be recovering nicely. I was all ready to give you some advice, but it seems you have it well in hand.”

“Most of that was Father, at least for the start of it,” she said sadly. “I’ve mostly been making sure that his original orders were implemented properly.”

“You’d be surprised how rare it is to find someone who doesn’t break what’s working,” he told her. “You’ve done well.”

He hesitated for a moment. “How is… your mother?” he asked.

Suliel looked away. “She’s… better?” she said. “Tikin has been helping her, but she’s still grieving. I think she be down for dinner, she said she would be.”

“Good, good, I look forward to the chance to catch up. Hopefully though, there will be room for one more at the table?”

“Of course, Uncle,” Suliel said. A young man, richly dressed and better groomed than one would expect from having just come off a sea voyage, stepped forward.

“Let me introduce you,” Uncle Ria said. “This is Feldan Rahm, second son of Count Rahm. Feldan, this is Baroness Suliel Anat. Not my real niece, but you’ll find I’m just as protective of her.”

Feldan bowed. Like all Zamarran nobility, he had black skin, a shade or two lighter than Suliel own. He was clean-shaven and his short hair was oiled and bound up in tight curls. Young as he was, he looked older than Suliel.

Suliel checked Nobilities Privilege.

Feldan Rahm, Level 8

Living Relatives: Brekin Rahm (father), Melva Rahm (mother), Forstan Rahm (brother) (5 more)

Citizenship: Zamaran

Primary Loyalty: Brekin Rahm

Nothing unexpected, Suliel thought. She wondered if the Rose Circle ever showed up on the conspirators profiles, and looked at her uncle to check.

Ridden Kinn, Level ??

Living Relatives: (blocked)

Citizenship: Zamaran

Primary Loyalty: (blocked)

He must have a trait to block it, she thought. Turning back to Feldan, she gave a small bow. As the hosting Baroness, it wouldn’t do to curtsey to an untitled noble, no matter who his father was.

“Welcome to my home, Lord Feldan,” she said.

“Thank you for allowing me,” he replied. “I see that the rumours of your beauty were grossly inadequate at properly describing it.”

Suliel smiled. Not because he’d told her she was beautiful, though she never did get tired of that. But because now she knew for sure why he was here.

“I hope you two will get along,” Uncle Ria said, with just a hint of smugness.

The first serious marriage candidate, Suliel thought. I’d better hurry and level or I’ll be married off by the end of the week.