Lasen Derrit arrived at their first scheduled study session in the library looking extremely rattled. "I feel like I've been wrung out to dry," she says, giving Caris an accusing look that was very nearly a glare. She thumps her books down on the table and sits. "Your Highness, know that your husband is very concerned for your well-being and state of mind. Less so for students who just want to get through school and avoid drawing the attention of the Lord Warden." The last words almost come out as a growl.
"I--" Caris floundered a bit, wondering what had happened, but not quite knowing what to say. After a moment he manages, "My lord spoke to you? Concerning what?" What concerns could Lord Nemar have?
"Be fair, Lasen," Kano says. "Lord Nemar has reasons for concern." He glances over at Caris meaningfully.
Caris doesn't quite understand the meaning of the look. There could be any number of reasons why Lord Nemar would want to question people his husband came in contact with. "What do you mean? What concern?" He prompts.
"You're a Dosai of the Sarmateon faith," Kano says. "Sarmateons have certain attitudes toward mages."
"The Lord Warden has certain attitudes toward Sarmateon mages," Lasen mutters as she arranges her textbooks and notes. She looks up briefly to give Kano a glare. "Do not mention notched ears. Do. Not."
This odd statement makes Caris blink. "Notched ears?" he asks.
"Like notching the ears of a cow or sheep, so you know whom it belongs to," Kano says with a brief grin. "That's how it looks to an Assembly mage. They don't understand our ways."
"What's 'our ways'?" Lasen asks with a huff. "You're a heretic!" This statement doesn't seem to offend Kano, who only grins.
"The Lord Warden thinks that the Mark of Ashten is a brand?" Caris asks by way of clarification.
"To mark mages as the property of the god of betrayals and magic," Kano says. "Yes. The A-Lao faith has a similar feeling about the Mark, which is why we don't use it."
"It's a reminder that we have a responsibility to propitiate the lord of upheavals and reveal his deceptions," Lasen says, sounding exasperated. "A mage must be forthright and honest in all things. A mage must use their powers for the good, and we wear the Mark of Ashten so we can be seen under the light of Solun, and be known for our actions and piety."
"You'd have a different opinion if you got the Mark against your will," Kano returns quickly. "You can't deny that the Mark is like wearing a target."
Lasen huffs again but seems to accede to this point, though she does grumble, "That doesn't mean the opinion is a fact." She sighs. "It was a very long conversation, and he spent the entire conversation glaring at my Mark."
"There are reasons for that," Kano says. "Extremely good reasons for that. Historical reasons for that."
"My lord has indicated that he has not had...good experiences with the faith," Caris says. "I'm sorry that you drew his attention because of me."
A corner of Lasen's mouth tilts in a slight smile. "Your Highness, I can assure you that I would have drawn his attention for one reason or another. Those attitudes I mentioned often result in the expulsion of mages of the faith." She pauses. "Granted, it's usually because it turns out they have connections to the priesthood. Tuan is closed to anyone who might have connections to the Servants. Which I've never really understood. If he's trying to hide Assembly methodology and keep it a secret from the Sarmateon priesthood, why does he let mages of the faith in at all?"
"Because that's not why he bans Servants," Kano says cheerfully. (And without further explanation, though Lasen seems to understand the comment because she snorts quietly.) To Caris he says, "I was also interviewed. From my understanding, the Lord Warden had some security concerns and also wanted to make sure that I and I assume Lasen were comfortable with the situation, however much she acts like it's an affront."
"Glaring. At my Mark," Lasen grumbles.
"I hope I do not make you uncomfortable," Caris says, feeling awkward at the idea of being a 'situation' that needed to be in some way ameliorated. "I don't--I'm neither afraid of mages nor dislike them. I was nervous that my study partners were mages, but not--uncomfortable. I didn't--I wouldn't have complained to my lord about it." He couldn't help a snort of laughter. "I can only imagine what he'd say if I had. I am not held in high regard in my lord's household due to my actions." (He wasn't held in high regard at the school either. Between the gossip and pointed comments, he'd overheard from the students for the past couple of days and the general air of hostility from many of the teachers, attending the school was looking to be a miserable experience.)
Lasen and Kano both assure him that they aren't uncomfortable about him. "I was a little worried, but so far you haven't tried to have me crushed under stones or anything, so we're fine," Kano says. There is a very distinct thump from under the table and Kano. "Ow. Lasen!"
"I will absolutely kick you to death," Lasen threatens. "You are not as funny as you think you are."
"I am exactly as funny as I think I am," Kano says. He quickly slides his chair back out of reach before Lasen can kick him again.
"I suppose this is proof that you aren't uncomfortable," Caris says unable to help the smile at the exchange between the two student mages. "I'm sorry that my lord interrogated both of you because of me."
"It's to be expected," Lasen says with a shrug. "The Lord Warden would want to question or at least speak to anyone you were going to come into regular contact with." Kano nods in agreement.
After that, they settled down to work on actually studying. Caris needed help with understanding certain terms, which Lasen helped him with. He asked questions about the material and took reams of notes. At the end of the study session, as they pick up their books and notes to go home Lasen says, "There's a Sarmateon temple in the district where my family lives."
Caris finds himself a little surprised by that. "A temple? I thought the faith was interdicted in the Assembly?" Caris had heard many stories of missionaries being harassed or outright driven out of towns. The idea that there was an actual temple seemed to counter what he had heard. (It had been the main reason that he and Teren hadn't trusted that she would be permitted to practice the faith.)
"The faith isn't interdicted," Lasen says. "It just has a lesser presence in the Assembly because there are other religions being followed. It isn't very grand, but you'd be welcome, your Highness."
"I'd like to go," Caris says. Lasen provides him with directions to the temple and the name of the attending priest.
The Lord Warden is waiting for him at the entrance to Tuan, dressed in formal-looking calf-length black and silver robes with close-fitting sleeves and belted with a silver sash. His pants are black and tucked into tall leather boots. His hair's swept up in a silver hairpiece with the rest hanging in loose waves with the occasional accent braid. At his side is a polished wooden club, squared off at the top and studded with sharp obsidian points. The bladed club was a traditional Joa weapon and was part of the formal dress of the Wardens. The flat of this particular club was carved with the elaborate image of a leaping panther.
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"My lord?" Caris asks.
"This afternoon we have an audience with the Archons," Lord Nemar says. "I wanted to give you at least a few hours to prepare, but they thought otherwise." He sounds almost apologetic about it. "They wanted me to bring you over immediately after classes."
"An audience?" Caris asks uneasily. His stomach turns at the thought. He can guess the purpose of an audience at this point. An interrogation, if not a trial. He was going to have to explain his actions and take responsibility for them. "Yes, my lord," he says.
Lord Nemar easily reads his discomfort. "It won't be so bad," he assures Caris. He gestures for Caris to follow as he heads down the steps.
Caris gives him a disbelieving look as he falls into step beside Lord Nemar. "Are your nobles so forgiving of assassins?" he asks.
"'My nobles,' lack the authority to 'forgive' an assassination attempt that was destined to fail, and which I've already forgiven," Lord Nemar says. "This audience is for an official record, and to introduce you as an advisor."
"Would you accept my advice?" Caris asks skeptically. "Would the Archons?" Could he even give advice, knowing how poor his judgment could be and had been? "There is also the matter of my having limited experience with actual military campaigns. How could I 'advise' someone who has the greater military experience?"
"You could advise us on how the Wardens can avoid assassination attempts," Lord Nemar says in a light tone that makes Caris bristle.
"Is that your 'forgiveness' my lord?" Caris asks, giving his lord a sidelong look. "Constantly holding my mistake over my head?"
"That was a sincere suggestion," Lord Nemar says. "Though I admit to being flippant. The fact is, the last time the Wardens went through Sewen in force, we were at war. It will be easier to lend aid if we knew how not to terrify our allies."
"And you think I could help with that?" Caris asks. That simple statement, "The last time the Wardens went through Sewen in force, we were at war," concealed a nightmare. The Wardens had razed Sewen in vengeance for the capture and imprisonment of Lord Nemar. (But that had been nothing compared to what happened when Lord Nemar managed to escape the monastery where he'd been imprisoned.) There were reasons he and Teren had been afraid of the marriage alliance. Most of those reasons involved legends about the "necromancer-king," and the last war between the Assembly and Sewen.
"That was the role I had intended for my spouse and was one of the reasons I eventually agreed to the marriage part of the alliance," Lord Nemar says. "You will be learning--hopefully--the best way to do that by attending Tuan and learning about the Assembly."
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Prince Kelfin is quiet for most of the walk to the Archon's Palace. There are times when it looks as if he might say something, ask a question perhaps, but he always hesitates and doesn't speak. The prince is clearly nervous, and Jhan is very much aware that he wasn't able to reassure him about the audience. The most notable thing is that the nerves appear to be based on guilt and regret. This was...interesting. Regret, guilt wasn't something he had anticipated the prince experiencing. He would have thought it more likely for the prince to double down on his fear and pride.
When he had given the prince the choice between acting as his spouse or imprisonment he hadn't thought the prince would choose the former. Jhan had hoped but hadn't expected it. As he wondered about it, he recalled the odd exchange between the prince and his kinsman Lord Simuir:
"How exactly have we done that? You coerced my sister into agreeing to a marriage she didn't want. You wanted her to marry a pagan. Did you think either of us was going to stand for that?"
"Yes and now you're going to be held to this shameful arrangement. Do you understand? The Lord Warden intends to treat you as his wife!"
"The Lord Warden has said so. Though I was also given the option of imprisonment."
"My prince, I beg you to accept the latter option! Your father the king would be shamed to hear his son was treated as a woman! If word were to get back it would be disastrous, especially given your--peculiarities as a child."
Jhan wondered what "peculiarities" the prince had possessed as a child. Something that seemed to be shameful--as shameful as being a "wife" apparently. Jhan had questions but decided to wait on asking them.
They reach the Archon's palace, and Jhan leads Prince Kelfin to the Archon's Chamber. The room was oblong with a high ceiling, and the walls were painted with murals depicting scenes of the Maiden King giving the laws to the Tosa People. Other murals showed the Joa hero Ashua and his wife Timat, from whom the ancient kings of Atsori descended. (There is also a mural of himself defeating the Plague Demon, a commission by an Archon sixty years ago and intended as a gift.) At the head of the room is a long table on a dais at which the five Archons are seated, with the Archon of Mir in the middle in a slightly larger chair. The tables along the walls where the City Assembly would usually sit were empty, except for the recorder's seat at the end.
"So, we finally meet your assassin, Lord Warden?" Hwan Zhu the deputy of the Archon of Xohra asks with a light tone.
Jhan gives Hwan Zhu a flat look that does nothing to repress him. "Archons, this is my husband--" He adds a slightly pointed emphasis on the last word. (Hwan Zhu just grins.) "Caris Kelfin, House Dar, Prince of Sewen. I have forgiven the attempt on my life and will not be seeking a trial against him."
"What about a divorce?" asks Vang Mai with his habitual frown. The Archon of Xohra was an older man with dark, tightly curled hair usually worn in a topknot.
"At least an annulment," says Dinai Jhen of Venang.
"Lord Nemar has stated that he will uphold the marriage and the alliance until the terms of either can be reworked," Pyr Sozha says. "We meet today to ask the Lord Warden and his spouse to recount the incident. After this, the Chamber will be open to questions for His Highness Prince Kelfin of Sewen. Lord Warden?"
Jhan nods and launches into a report of everything that had happened that night. He's amused to notice that the prince is increasingly embarrassed by the account. His cheeks are flushed and he's looking straight ahead with his spine straight as if receiving a dressing down from a superior. At the end of his report, he says, "Archons of the Assembly Prince Kelfin did not act out of malice but out of fear and concern for his sister. Until the marriage contract and the alliance is renegotiated, I will maintain my spousal obligations toward my husband."
It was then Prince Kelfin's turn. The Archons were not gentle with their questioning, and it was clearly a struggle for the prince to maintain anything resembling calm as he was questioned. The direction of the interrogation was to uncover Prince Kelfin's reasoning and any possible accessories or accomplices. A secondary line of questioning was how the prince and his sister came to the decision to attempt an assassination. Siu Namah of Jhonan asks several variations of, "Were you in any way influenced in your decision? Did you confide in anyone about your concerns and did that person push, imply or suggest assassination?"
The repeated questions from Siu Namah clearly frustrate the prince. (Jhan could see that Siu Namah was also frustrated.) "My Lady Archon, asking the same question in different ways will not get you a different answer. No one suggested or implied that we do what we did." His tone was loud and sharp with aggravation and confusion.
"Archon Siu," Jhan interjects. "Is there something that needs to be clarified or restated?"
The Archon is silent for a moment as she turns the question around in her head. "It makes sense that if the prince and princess had confided in someone. That person could have, through sympathy manipulated the prince. Or that person may not have intended the action that the prince and princess decided upon. I know that Sarmateon nobles often have personal priests. The Sarmateon priesthood would have disapproved of the marriage or at least been divided. I was hoping to learn what advice the prince and princess received from their priests."
The prince looks very much like someone who wanted to say something very rude and incredulous but knew it would be a bad idea. He's silent for about a minute before saying, "There was some conflict. I believe my sister's priest was counseling acceptance of the marriage. He was the most vocal in telling her she had the opportunity to strengthen the faith through conversion. My priest was sympathetic to my fears, but I do not feel he influenced me. I think he would have tried to stop me if he had realized what was going on."
Siu Namah nods. "Thank you for the clarification, Your Highness," she says.
The questions continue for another hour, and then Pyr Sozha brings the audience to a close. The prince looks extremely worn and frazzled by the end of it. "See, it wasn't so bad at all," Jhan says, his tone mild.
The prince shoots him a look that's too tired to be a glare. "I feel I must disagree," he says.