Susi was relieved to be away from their peculiar host who looked unbearably nervous to be in their company.
She couldn’t understand why. They were forest monks who meditated seventy percent of their time. They could do more meditating, but then none of the chores would get finished. That was all they ever thought about.
Susi was taught not to dwell on sexual desire, even if it came every now and then. But while Marcus acted like it was desire, Susi couldn’t fully believe he would have taken an interest in her without an actual reason.
She had to dismiss it entirely at the recollection that she and Grobeche had nothing in the eyes of Narcuss. There was no money stowed away, there was no reputation or land for them to offer.
It had to be some strange respect he had for the Talea. Perhaps he would explain it, or she’d have to demand of him what was wrong if possible.
Susi undressed and drew the bath that she had personally been longing ever since Rever began talking of leaving the Talea clan.
She put a hand into the water that was warm. It was a feeling she had never experienced: warm water from a boiler. Even with the sisters the showers were cold.
Somehow, all of this reminded her of the sisters. That was her last scrape with normal civilization. Over ten years it had been since she and Tharsa parted ways.
She placed her bare leg into the water and slipped herself into the warmth as it rose in the basin. The contrast of cold and hot made goosebumps ripple up her arms and down her spine.
What a strangely simple but wonderful concept: hot water. Susi splashed at the water coming out of the faucet that was silver plated. Nature had been conquered and put in its place by the men of this world. They kept it down and at bay, to use how they wished when they pleased. Then they thought it was madness, or that they had angered the gods or Omne when inevitably Nature took back what was hers.
Susi clutched the soap that smelled so clean it was almost shocking. Her whole body was covered in dead skin that needed to be removed, but there wasn’t enough time to do that here.
Sometimes she and Grobeche would go to the ocean together and get so fresh from removing all the dead flesh layers, their bodies would glisten like seal skin. The air always felt so cool and relaxing on the walk home after.
She let her mind melt as she reclined in the bath as Marcus had done earlier that evening within the royal baths.
There were peculiar potions of different aromas lining the bath rim against the brick wall construction of the castle. She smelled hazelnut and winced. One of them smelled like chocolate, and then one that smelled of strawberries and milk. Susi preferred that one because the sensation wasn’t so intense.
She used it to wash her long black hair with soap for the first time in over a decade. It took much longer than she would have liked to untangle all the knots and get her hair somewhat straight once more, but for whatever reason her body longed to be as clean as possible within this place.
Exiting the water, Susi dried off with the towel that was available to her before putting on a soft robe that was neatly folded by the fireplace that stood between the personal bathroom and bedroom.
She took the time to wash her underwear and silk inner uniform before laying them over the rim of the draining bathtub basin. The external Talea koromo was a more intensive process to clean, so she would do it later. For now, she found a wardrobe full of clean clothes to choose from.
The fashion for Narcuss teenage girls was a little strange, but Susi liked it. She put on a pair of tight leather pants that fit her well, and a pair of matching boots that were worth fifteen Jerian shards according to the price tag. That was far more than she’d ever pay for a pair of shoes.
She put on a pair of black socks and slipped the boots over them. She wore a black turtleneck and a brown sweater that was intentionally made to be loose around the neck and cut off short to show the lower midriff.
Susi thought the outfit made her look more like a fifteen-year-old kid than a young woman, but she preferred comfort if she had a choice.
She left her room to knock on Grobeche’s chamber door. He was still in his robe and looked exhausted. “I think I’m just going to stay in my room for now, but be careful while exploring, Susi. Oh, and that outfit…yilch.” Grobeche shook his head.
She bid him goodnight before exiting the corridor leading to their rooms. Marcus Marks was sitting in a chair in the hall corridor chatting with Garth, the kind man with the peg for a lower leg who had accommodated their every need.
They ceased their conversation as Susi entered the main hall and Marcus got to his feet.
“You made it! I was beginning to think you’d gone to sleep, which would be fully understandable after the day you’ve had.”
Stolen novel; please report.
“I really wanted to see the library.” Susi said. She had always loved libraries, and the Narcuss Castle Library wasn’t open to the public. She also rarely found herself with excess time in Narcuss, so she hadn’t yet visited the public one in downtown Narcuss either.
“You’re going to love it,” said Marcus. “Is your friend going to be joining us?”
“He’s,” Susi shook her head, “tired. I’m fine to go alone.”
“In that case, follow my lead.” He spoke in a way that seemed to mock his own royalty. He was charming in a way now that some of the stiffness had left him. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving.” Susi’s stomach ached. “But I don’t eat after lunch so I’ll pass.”
“Truly?” Marcus actually stopped next to the kitchen to look at her. “I could have the rarest, most exquisite meal brought for you—I could have the perfect crème brûlée brought that would bring tears to your eyes for how delicious it is—but you’ll take nothing?”
Susi met his eyes and smiled at him. “Thank you. I’ll take nothing.”
“Ugh,” he clutched his chest. “How will I ever break you of this, my new friend? What about a drink? You’ll at least have a glass of champagne with me for your big win today.”
“I don’t drink alcohol.” Susi said.
“Have you ever drank alcohol?” Marcus asked.
“For communion with—a…” she corrected herself, “a long time ago.”
“Hmm,” Marcus stroked his chin. “Honestly, communion for Omne doesn’t count. I can’t offer you food or wine. How about I give you the secret tour of Narcuss.” He spoke coolly as he cocked his brow, making him look a good ten years younger with his suave smile.
“Secret tour?” Susi couldn’t resist. “I would be honored.”
“Then it would be my honor to be your date for the evening, m’lady.” Marcus held out his arm to her.
Something inside of her melted a little more, and had been melting since she’d met him in the corridor. “This is not a date.” She took his arm that was strong beneath his uniform jacket.
“We’ll see.” Marcus led her down the corridor leading to the entrance to the castle library.
Susi thought about Rever and a pang of guilt met her heart. She and Rever had been close, and she liked him. She didn’t have feelings for Marcus, but it felt like a betrayal or a form of misconduct on her part to indulge a person like Marcus when he was clearly interested in her.
She still couldn’t understand why though. Marcus could bed and probably had bedded a different choice of woman for each night of the week. If he knew anything of her religion, he would know that the two couldn’t be together under any circumstance.
Were he to convert to the Talea religion and renounce his previous life to live a simple life in the country with her…that would be a different story. But that would be asking Marcus to be someone he wasn’t.
And maybe some people shouldn’t change. The world needed politicians and rulers. Marcus knew what to do when his father appointed him king.
A realization struck her as Marcus led her into the library that a day prior she could only dream of visiting. Marcellus Marks, the man who was as nervous as a teenager to hold her arm and just as desperate to call their evening a date: that man would be crowned king in the near future.
And what of the woman at his side? Would that make her his queen? Was it possible that she could be his queen?
A greed Susi had never ever felt in her life suddenly swam up through her. As an introspective person, it was startling. Were she in combat, she would have faltered entirely. She would have lost Ulkindar.
What poisonous thoughts were these, and where did they come from? Was this the being she had been suppressing all this time through her rigorous training: an opportunistic, self-glorifying whore that would crawl upon her knees as her king’s bride despite his many flaws? Did she think of herself as special or different from all the women who thought they were above the whims and desires of kingly royalty?
Part of her wanted to let go of Marcus’s arm, go retrieve Grobeche, and get the flying Hell out of Narcuss before Une-Myung, the Talisch God of Destiny, could wreak further havoc.
All of this was rotten, and yet she continued holding Marcus’s arm: part of her mind still looking through that open door next to her that shone to a perfect wedding day, the unlikely vision of a kingly husband who smiled broadly as she approached, and eventually a day where she found her stomach large with his son.
Susi swallowed hard and brought herself back to the present moment in the library as the two stepped through the many corridors of dusty bookshelves.
“Of all the women you could be with right now, why me?” The words spilled from Susi’s lips as the two stopped in the middle of the library. There were torches lining the walls, and they stood beneath the grand chandelier that filled up the eaves and floors of the entire library hall. There were a few other castle staff members seated with books on the many armchairs and couches beyond the last bookshelves.
It was doubly strange when Marcus turned and looked down to her. He picked up her hand and held it before his eyes for what felt like a long time.
“You probably think I could sleep with any woman I want, and I could. You think I would sleep with you tonight because you won the first day of the Tornetum, and I maybe could. I don’t know.” He met her eyes as she shook her head at him. “Regardless, Susi, I don’t have any desire to sleep with you tonight, as wonderful as that might be. I…saw a vision.”
“A vision?” Susi asked, finally intrigued. Visions in the Talea religion were very important, even for civilians who didn’t practice.
“Yes,” Marcus said. He was suddenly far away, as if entranced. His eyes looked past her hand and beyond her as he thought about it. “I couldn’t stop…falling.”
“Falling?”
“It was like I was supposed to hit the ground at any moment, but it never—” Marcus met her eyes, smiled, and lowered her hand to release it. “It’s nothing. Maybe someday I can explain it to you better. Let’s continue the tour.”