[Rai-Kirah 03] - Restoration by Carol Berg

Author:Carol Berg
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-02-08T21:42:27.765000+00:00

I could allow no such distractions. No matter my own sympathies, I had to give her Aleksander’s words just as he had said them. And then I would have to leave her without any word or gesture of my own that might dilute their cruelty. He had made me swear it, knowing that I disagreed with him on the matter. And so instead of telling her how he had clung to thoughts of her in his pain and how desperately he needed to know she was safe before he could embark on this dangerous venture, I stared at the expanding fish rings on the pool and reminded her that Denischkar heged tradition gave Aleksander the prerogative to take a new wife if the first was barren. As the terms of the marriage agreement drawn up between their houses stated that Lydia would submit to Denischkar custom, Aleksander could also command Lydia to do his will in every matter. Therefore her husband was requiring her to petition the Emperor publicly for a dissolution of marriage. “He regrets the necessity to force you to this,” I said. “But he will not have his new wife be second to a woman who cannot be trusted to defend his interests.”

“Does the ass think I will believe that he found a new woman willing to put up with him?”

“He insists that you believe it, madam. He says that he has no more time for childish games with you. If you did not believe him in the spring when he banished you from his house and his bed, then you had best come to your senses.”

Lydia’s pale cheeks flushed, as if the sun were rising there instead of in the east. “And if I refuse to do his bidding and step aside?”

“Lord Aleksander will send the petition to the Emperor and the Council of Twenty himself, along with notice of the breach of the marriage agreement between his father and yours. Your father will be disgraced by your disobedience to his sworn word.”

“Edik will laugh at him and burn his petition. What does he care for Aleksander’s wishes? And why would my father care, for that matter? No one would hold him accountable for me.”

“My lord cares nothing for Prince Edik. But he requires the matter to be made clear to others in the imperial court,” I said, “so that both his supporters and his enemies will see that he is committed to the succession.

He prefers you handle this unpleasant task by your own doing, as he has no wish to ruin your father and brothers whose support he would like to retain. But you are in his way, and he will have you removed.”

The waiting woman’s hidden eyes seemed to be fastened upon her own book, but Lydia’s slight gesture had the servant up and hurrying to her side.

Lydia glanced up at me and said with remarkable coolness, "Tell me one thing, Seyonne, is his leg healed?“

Startled by the change of subject, I saw no reason to answer other than honestly.

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