Green-eyed Monster

Aurei finds herself feeling jealousy over news about her cousin Sophia.

53.

Green-eyed Monster

 

Slowly the day improved as everybody separated and went about their business.   Aurei was swamped with work, but was pleased to have something to take her mind off the sad sight of Alleania’s cart in the convoy heading south.  

 

She kept thinking about Eleazar throughout the day and began to debate moving up the private wedding ceremony a few days.   The Ssinssrigg-Chath was still infecting her, though the extensive weariness she had felt recently had caused it to lie mostly dormant.  But already she felt the fire stirring up within her.   It scared her to death, but at the same time she wanted to be married so she could satisfy the physical hunger.   She just hoped she wasn’t forcing the issue with Eleazar.   

 

She knew he loved her, but she also knew he was more nervous than she was about the whole thing.   Maybe it would make more sense to just marry in a day or so and be done with it.   She debated this all day as she conducted ducal business - some of it with Eleazar, and even Alis and Aeric as they prepared to assume their roles as her stewards in Dullerm.  

After they had finished their duties, they had told Aurei that they were going to ride to Dullerm and spend a few days alone.   She knew exactly what they meant and enthusiastically agreed.   She would wait until they returned before she talked to Zeatt about a marriage ceremony, as Aurei really wanted the two half-Elves to be their witnesses during the ceremony.

 

By late afternoon she had mostly caught up on official duties and turned to the many concerns of the Muddy Boot, such as finding supplies after the Imperial invasion.  

She also still had a shortage of tavern maids and cooks, but decided to try to take on all the cooking upon herself tonight and let Krys, Brandi and Rori wait tables.  

 

She was so busy that she stayed in the kitchen and began cooking.   Eleazar and some of the others came in to find her and see how she was doing several times during the evening.   Things were beginning to wind down and she was caught up on the meal orders when Eioldth popped her head into the kitchen and told her that there was an announcement she needed to hear.

 

Aurei had Brandi watch the pots and ovens and wiping her hands on her apron, hurried into the tavern area.   It was full again tonight, but not like the evening before, and she spoke to a number of people before hurrying over to a table in the corner, where Zeatt, Sophia, Khord, Eleazar, Eioldth, Alvis, Siris, Lute and Thorm sat waiting for her.  

 

Zeatt was smiling brightly when she approached and nodded to Sophia, who stood up, along with Khord.   The two were holding hands.

“Aurei, I know you are busy, but I just had to tell you the news.”  Sophia said with an excited tone to her voice.

“What is it?”   She asked her cousin.

Sophia gave a girlish grin and looked at Khord, who also smiled, but seemed a bit awkward at the center of attention, “Aurei, you remember the vision that we all had of Yesh.   Remember his words to Khord and me?   Guess what; Khord and I are getting married!  Here in Westmark, in five days!   I asked Mom to marry us and she was thrilled.   It’s going to be a beautiful wedding!”  

 

“Eioldth has very graciously sent word by scrying ball to some of her staff in King’s Reach.   Since they are all rather displaced after the battle there, her wardrobe designers and tailors are coming here tomorrow on the Autumn Maid with their best material.  Not only are they going to design a wedding dress for me, but also all of my brides’ maids as well.   It’ll be glorious!"   

"Everyone is so excited about it.   I wanted to tell you, because I want to ask you to be my Maid of Honor during the ceremony.   I know we haven’t known each other long, but you are my cousin and I have felt a close bond to you.   What do you say?   Eleazar has already agreed to be Khord’s best man.”

 

Aurei was dumbfounded at the news.   She certainly didn’t have anything against the two getting married, but now their wedding had destroyed her plans to marry Eleazar in a small ceremony.  From the excited banter at the table, everyone was getting really enthusiastic about the wedding.

 

This really surprised her, for most of them just barely knew Sophia and Khord.   But they were behaving like they were both dear old friends.   Aurei realized that she hadn’t given Sophia an answer yet.

 

“Uh… sure, I’d be honored, Sophia.   Congratulations.”   She was again surprised when her cousin hugged her and during the hug Aurei glanced at Eleazar questioningly.   He gave just a hint of a shrug, telling her with his expression that he too had been trapped.    

 

Aurei sat somewhat stunned beside Eleazar for a few minutes as Sophia suddenly seemed to have changed into a typical young woman overjoyed at preparing a fairytale like wedding.   All of Aurei’s friends around her seemed almost as excited as the bride-to-be was and it seemed so weird to her.  

But what could she do, except go along and feign equal excitement, though she felt very frustrated at having to delay her wedding with Eleazar.

 

***

 

The rest of the evening was a nightmare for Aurei.   The whole town seemed to be nearly hysterical with wedding mania.   Throughout the never-ending evening, townspeople that she never thought would even speak to Sophia and Khord came in and offered congratulations, then pledged some sort of service or item for the wedding.

 

She sat there smiling until her face felt like it would crack, but she couldn’t believe the whole thing.   Several times Aurei pinched her leg to make sure she wasn’t dreaming the whole crazy evening.   The town baker had offered the Sorceress a huge cake for free.   A farmer offered his prize heifer up to be slaughtered for the wedding banquet.  

Illania Lalton and her two daughters came in and actually knelt before Sophia and asked if they would be allowed to assist the royal seamstresses when they arrived.  

Sophia graciously permitted and they rose and left as if her approval was the greatest award they could have achieved.

 

Even Queen Eioldth seemed blissful and excited to help the girl plan for the event.   Aurei wanted to leave the table, but Sophia would have none of it, seeming to savor her cousin’s opinion immensely.    So she sat there trapped, giving her thoughts on a multitude of details until she thought she was going to scream.

 

The men all excused themselves from the table after an hour or so and still the wedding talk continued, until closing time, when thankfully they called it quits for the night.  

 

Aurei cleaned up the Muddy Boot alone in the dark, grumbling and feeling more than a bit of animosity at her Sorceress cousin, though she wasn’t sure just why.

 

It was late by the time she quietly opened the door to their bedroom.   Eleazar was asleep, Kinzer’s huge book on his chest.    It was a familiar scene and she loved to see it every time.   Her husband, asleep as he waited for her.  

The thought amazed her, but thrilled her at the same time.   Maybe Sophia and Khord would have a wonderfully perfect wedding - she had Eleazar, and though they weren’t officially married, she felt the bond with him. 

 

She began undressing, feeling a terrible surge from the Ssinssrigg-Chath that made her give serious thought to just climbing in bed naked and seducing him.   He was fighting her less and less each time, and she had no doubt she could win if she endured -especially if she put on her giant strength belt.  

The image of that put her into a better humor and so with a lot of effort at resistance, she slipped on her usual long nightshirt and climbed into the bed next to him. 

She gently closed the book and set it on the table next to the bed, then blew out the candle by which he had read.  

 

She wiggled underneath his arms and with a contented sigh laid on his shoulder.   He only stirred slightly, adjusting so she could snuggle close.   In minutes she had joined him in a dream and had put the frustrating evening out of her mind.

 

 

***

 

The next day, it was worse.   Aurei had hoped that a good night of sleep might make Sophia and Khord’s wedding seem less irritating, but it didn’t work.

 

An hour before mid-day, the Autumn Maid arrived and a group of royal servants arrived.   Seamstresses, tailors, musicians, bakers and cooks all carrying supplies and equipment disembarked from the airship and engulfed Sophia and Zeatt.   They disappeared into the church of Yesh and for a time Aurei felt relieved to be left out of the planning.

 

But it didn’t last, for as she was just beginning to conduct ducal business, a messenger came to get her and Aurei went to the church to meet Zeatt, Sophia, Eioldth and the seamstresses for a measuring session.

 

“How unusual.” Illania Lalton said while measuring Aurei for the second time in a few weeks, “Duchess, your measurements are almost exactly the same as your cousin.”

“Weird.”  Aurei mumbled, not at all interested, but wondering how that could be possible.

“In fact,” Illania continued, “they are the same.   Incredible; I’ve never seen anything so odd.  You two could be twin sisters!”

Aurei clamped her jaw to keep from saying something and instead just gave a weak smile.

Sophia, who was standing nearby with her mother comparing cloth material for her wedding dress, looked up and said, “Hey, you know, that might just solve my problem!”

“What problem?”  Aurei asked, sensing that her annoyance level was just about to shoot upward.

 

“Well,” Sophia said, grinning, “Khord and I really need to report in back at Flux.   You know how it is Aurei; official responsibilities and such.   It will probably take most of the day, but we could be back by this evening if we left very soon.   I know the seamstresses need to begin work on my dress, so I could have you stand in for me while they get the general fitting.   What do you think?”

 

“Uh… well…” She stammered, but the Sorceress seemed to hear something else.

“Good!   Hey, look at these two silks - which one do you think would make the most beautiful dress?”

Aurei had no option other than give an opinion, which Sophia seemed to agree with, and the next thing that she knew, Sophia had thanked her for her help and quickly left to find Khord.  

 

Having heard Sophia’s cloth decision, the seamstresses descended upon Aurei to begin crafting the dress, using her for a dress form.  

 

“Isn’t it going to be rather difficult to create a wedding dress in four days time?”   Aurei asked one of the royal seamstresses.

“Normally, yes it would, Your Grace, but we utilize practical magic to greatly speed up the construction.”

“I see.   So her dress will be ready for the wedding?”

“Oh yes, it will be finished, along with all of her attendants’ dresses in two days.”

“Impressive!”  Zeatt commented from nearby, “I’m glad Sophia selected deep purple for the dresses of her attendants - aren’t you, Aurei?”

“Yeah, that was the one I thought looked the best too.” 

 

 

She turned to the Seamstress that was wrapping the beautiful white silk around her, “Do you have any idea how long this will take?   I have a lot of business to catch up on.”

The lady shook her head, “It’s hard to say, Your Grace, but we should be done with you by this evening.”

“This evening?!” Aurei sighed deeply, but did not want to look petty around Zeatt and Eioldth so just passively allowed the seamstresses to use her.

 

***

 

Thankfully, they finished by late afternoon and Aurei hurried away, greatly relieved to be free of not only having to stand completely still all day, but having to appear excited about the wedding as Zeatt and Eioldth sat talking about every detail.  

 

Aurei was a bundle of nerves as she rushed over to the Knight’s Keep.   Alvis stood with Eleazar watching the knight recruits cleaning and repairing their armor in the practice field.  

“Uh oh; what’s wrong?”   Eleazar asked as she rushed up to him.   She just embraced him, shaking her head.

“It’s nothing; just an odd day.   What is going on here?”

“Nothing really, just mending armor and sharpening weapons.   Oh!  There is something; tomorrow Alvis and I want to ride out to Kendill’s Rest to check on the progress of the Watchtower.   After the bandit raid, I really think we need to ramp up the construction process.”

Aurei nodded, “That sounds good by me, too.   I wonder if you both would care to make that trip a bit longer tomorrow?”

“What do you mean?”  Alvis asked.

“The Muddy Boot is getting really low on meat since there were no merchants last week due to the legions attacking Southgate.   With Sophia and Khord’s wedding coming up in four days, we’ll run short, I’m afraid.”

“I know of a large farm in Dullerm - the city of Dullerm, I mean- that we have purchased meat from when we are in situations like this.   They butcher their own stock and even have a magic device that makes blocks of ice, so we can transport it back safely.”

“So you want us to go see this farmer about purchasing some meat?”   Alvis asked her.

“Not exactly; I want you both to accompany me in doing this.   I’ve got to get out of town and clear my head.   It will take two days if we take a leisurely pace.   I figure we can make an official visit to the capital and meet the important people.  Then gather up Aeric and Alis and still make it back home the day before the big wedding.”

 

“Won’t they need you around here?   You are Sophia’s maid of honor.”  Alvis grinned.

Aurei snorted, “I think they have more than enough help.”

“Will Sophia feel that way?”  Eleazar asked.

“She’s not in charge here.”  Aurei replied, with a bit more coldness in her voice then she intended.   She tried to repair it with a slight smile at the two men, “Sorry, I’m still not myself yet.   I shouldn’t act like this.   I apologize.”

 

They both excused her comment and agreed to accompany her.   They would leave an hour after sunrise, they agreed, and then Aurei rushed over to the Inn to get things ready for the dinner crowd.  

 

The two cooks that had gone to King’s Reach to check on their families had returned on the Autumn Maid accompanied by their families, who had lost their homes in the Dragon fire.

 

Aurei gave them temporary housing in the Inn and in return they agreed to help out in the tavern in the evenings.

She was prepared to lose herself in working, but in the very middle of the evening rush, Sophia and Khord reappeared and of course her cousin wanted an update on how the dress creation was going.

 

Reluctantly she sat with what she began to think of as ‘The Wedding Group’.  Although she desperately wanted to get away, she spent the full evening hearing about plans and details of the upcoming wedding.  

 

When Eleazar and the men were able to slip away in mid-evening, she gave him a longing look, for she desperately wanted to join him and escape the overly enthusiastic bride.   Sophia seemed beset with everyone in the town coming by the table that evening to discuss something about the wedding.  

“This is going to be the biggest event this town has ever seen.”  Siris whispered to her as they sat and listened to everything.   Aurei just murmured a reply, telling herself that tomorrow she would be free of all of this.

 

Sadly, she had to tell Sophia and the Wedding Group about her trip out of town and her cousin as well as her aunt tried to convince her to postpone the trip.

 

“Sorry,” Aurei replied with her best fake regret, “But it is important, and if we don’t get a supply of meat, we may not have enough for the big day.   We don’t want to spoil everything.” 

Of course they had to accept it and finally Aurei had experienced enough, so using the long ride the following day as her reason, she excused herself and nearly ran out of the tavern room.   She didn’t see how the table erupted into laughter as soon as they saw her disappear from view.

 

Reviews

[Erin Winter]

They're all tricking her, and it's so great. It's very well concealed, but you figure it out once you realize that ALL of the townspeople are giving things. So funny.

[Eddie Davis]

Thank you, Erin, it is a joy for me to have you read and enjoy my books.

[Erin Winter]

I tell you no lies when I say that this is probably one of my favorite books that I've read recently. Thank you for sharing it.

[Eddie Davis]

You are most kind, thank you very much for your encouragement.