5.4

Jewel found herself so relieved that she wished for more time with her husband to be. Beyond their shared dislike of the Countess there was much they had in common!

It was a welcome comfort to dwell on as she stood like an oversized ornament amidst the mingling crowd of strangers that filled the courtyard of Kaeketteh.

To start the Bathory family’s men were as martial as Rochford’s own, and despite his mother’s all but disowning of him Paul was still expected and trained to match that tradition.

It was in many ways much as Alexander had been raised.

Although instead of a position as a future Gryphon lord he was trained as a land bound knight and general of men.

It gave an interesting distinction, Jewel now treasured the memory of that discussion as she dipped her head to yet another lady’s empty congratulations.

As was polite she returned their half hearted complement of Jewel’s scales with some inane praise of her own for the shape of their eyes.

Which led to the tired dragging out of thanking one another for thanks before courtesy allowed them to part and another took the lady’s place.

Paul was actually able to explain a great deal more of the details from the march and the important art of logistics there that Jewel herself had not known or read of. It made her proud that her assistance in the care of the greener levies was a praise worthy act of generalship.

A moment to brace herself against so Jewel did not sigh as one of the High King's other vassals managed to produce the all too familiar baffled empty stare when Jewel spoke more than a few simple words.

Really, they came to her wedding and knew less of her then most peasants in Visnove?

Fools.

Mother would be ashamed of Jewel if she came to a foreign court so ill informed.

At least he didn't compound the error by approaching her just yet.

Again she mulled on what she had spoken to Paul about.

Apparently Gryphon Lords and as such Jewel’s own training concerned themselves much more deeply with the art of surveying the battle from air and coordinating in the tumult of war.

Focusing more on the interference with marches then the planning of them.

She was surprised to learn that Gryphon Lords were, according to Paul and his tutors, viewed as relatively poor generals among the nobility across the realm. The sky giving them far too much distance from the common trials of the men.

Though Fearsome and potent forces when battle was properly joined, they were ill practiced in the vital art of the march. Less capable in the rank and file task of directing an army over land.

He had given a fascinating talk of the division and animosity that could come up between lords, soldiers and levy that were ground bound and those that rode in the sky.

Points Jewel herself had not even considered and promised to remember.

They had only just gotten into what Paul heard among his teachers regarding the concerns of the court towards Rochford and why there was such an animosity even in Zekhedge and Grortovo where their counts and lieges were gryphon lords when their chaperones had called for the two to part for the evening meal.

It was with much regret that they had not been given the opportunity to meet again. Or that propriety required they be seated awkwardly apart at their morning and evening meals.

Which Jewel thought finally gave her some sense of understanding what ballads and swooning peasant girls were talking about.

It was just so refreshing to have a peer near her own age to discuss things with. And for the first time since it had been announced she was genuinely looking forward to the wedding.

Stolen story; please report.

Paul was just such a relief all around to speak too.

She was glad of it.

He was to stand beside her as husband.

Not a servant below her or a brother simultaneously above her in age and below her in sense.

Not a confidant bound to her no matter how good she thought of smithson.

Paul at least so far seemed genuinely like someone she could spend her life with.

If only the rest of the attendees arriving for the wedding could be such a pleasant surprise.

She wished they had led with the sentiment against Gryphon Lords instead of being cut short on the discussion.

It would have at least better prepared her for this ordeal and the endless murmuring cloud of words.

“The poor boy, his mother must have gone mad marrying him to a war beast.”

Jewel could hear them teeming in the crowd. She had heard them at the meals in the Countess proper feasting hall.

“I heard it could speak”

She heard them whisper down the now crowded hallways of Kaeketeh Keep and in those guest rooms set aside for the highest ranking of them.

“So what if it can speak? Plenty of things can speak. A beast is a beast, I heard she granted it a title and adopted it into her family.”

Endless words of strangers judging her and Paul. Now all concentrated here like a bowl of piss set aside for the dyers.

“No it was that provincial lord who adopted it.”

Judging Rochford and Father on hear say and lies.

“Oh the Gryphon rider? Of course it was one of those! They’re all wrong in the head. No surprise.”

Judging all of the Ridgetail mountains and the lands in their valleys in their blindness.

“I can’t believe that they let them be Counts here. Filthy bird fuckers all of them in these mountains”

Jewel held her head high and with grace. She had learned from when she was a youth unable to contain her outrage.

“Isn't that the high king of Magarska!?”

She spoke polite nothings with civility to the faces of strangers that mocked and insulted her when they thought she could not hear.

“I believe the proper title is Sooltan actually and What of it?”

Jewel remembered the new lessons she had taken up with her mother on the nature of Court.

“Wasn't he at war with the realm Eighteen years ago?”

She listened and acted as if she did not hear all that was said by those too foolish to listen about the truth of Jewel for themselves and left their words free for her to gather up and hoard.

“Eh so what? We were fighting the free-lands sixteen years ago. I attended a wedding there in hay turn.”

Stealing up all the filthy prattle and gossip of lords and ladies from all across the realm and more.

“How many weddings do you attend?!”

Jewel listened and learned and considered their every word. Outwardly she was serene and happy. She focused on how good her discussion with Paul had gone in their one meeting. It helped keep her smile true.

“Twelve so far, Some of us make an effort to attend proper events.”

But inside Jewel’s flame roiled in anger.

“How do you have time to do anything else?”

If it was just Paul she thought she might have really enjoyed her Wedding.

“Why would I do anything else?”

Yet with company like this she doubted she would.

“Well some of us have interests other than parties and feasts”

But despite what the Countess said Jewel had much of her own work to do here.

No matter how filthy it made her feel.