Martin was home later than usual. Derio pointed him right to the dining hall, as Sara was almost done with the preparations. Martin beamed as he watched so many of his children filing in and filling the table. Nathaniel’s boys were far chattier today. Nathaniel was asking Eduardo about his studies, which meant he was asking the boy multiple clarifying questions because he didn’t understand philosophy, but he was certainly trying, and Eduardo was happy to explain. Ana and Adosina were talking amongst themselves, and Daniela was handing Little Carlos over to a servant to watch as she settled herself into her chair, holding Nicolas’ hand. He still couldn’t imagine how it was possible that Nicolas, who he distinctly remembered poking bugs and running up and down the garden with his cousins now had a child of his own.

Sara beamed as she took her seat.

“I passed the kitchens on the way here. Dinner smells amazing,” Martin said.

“We had plenty of time to cook Nathaniel’s favorites. Hopefully it will inspire him to surprise us again more often.”

“Oh, without a doubt,” Nathaniel said with a laugh. “I’m already in talks with the General to see if I could get a few days off for the Spring Welcoming.”

“Do! Do!” Adrian said.

“We haven’t been able to spend the Spring with you in years,” Rosa said, squeezing his hand.

Nathaniel nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Shall I say prayer?” Martin asked.

“Wait,” Adosina said. “Where’s Inessa?”

“Coming!” Inessa’s voice came from just down the hall. It was louder than normal, and she sounded out of breath. Martin looked down at his plate, preparing himself to say the prayer when the doors were thrown open and Inessa ran in, holding the skirts of a dark blue dress. It was too pretty to actually be a concubine dress. Martin raised an eyebrow. He had been a part of the meeting that chose the restrictions for the concubine dresses. His mind instantly ran through the list of numerous laws, staring at her dress. This dress certainly must have broken them. Lace? None. Ruffles? None. Fabric all the way up to the neck, ankles, and wrists? Done. One solid, plain color? It certainly looked that way, even though the cut and the stitching made it look like a few separate colors. How was that possible? Martin continued to stare, trying to find something. Barest of trimming on the bottom? Yes, though because there was nothing else but the dark blue fabric, the beautiful yet simple design looked as glorious as a work of art. Tima knew exactly what she was doing. She kept to the design of a concubine dress and broke no laws. She simply used a finer material and tailored it to Inessa’s better qualities. Where most tailors simply sewed a dress, Tima took the time to make this a work of art.

Martin felt a nudging at his ankles and turned to see Nathaniel giving him a concerned look. Martin was confused as his son motioned over at the head of the table. He glanced up to see Sara, and his heart dropped to his stomach. His wife did not hide her anger. He became aware of the silence in the room. Had someone spoken? All eyes were either on him or on Inessa. He realized what this looked like, the dawning on some of his older grandchildren’s faces and the look of abashment on his children’s. Martin hardly acknowledged Inessa throughout all of dinner every other time. That was the unspoken rule. And here he spent who knows how long staring at her dress. Just her dress. But reading the emotions on the children’s faces, he couldn’t be certain. He stared at his plate, not looking at her.

“You’re certain the dress broke no laws?” Martin asked.

“Tima is willing to face the fine if she had,” Inessa said, far quieter than he’d ever heard her, and yet her voice carried because the dining hall had become so incredibly silent. “I apologize again for my tardiness.”

Again? Had she spoken before? Martin placed his napkin on his lap, still not looking at her. “Have a seat, Inessa.”

“Maybe… maybe it would be better if I ate dinner in my room, Martin?” Inessa asked.

“Do you think you should be referring to him so informally?” Sara asked, not looking at Inessa. “Shouldn’t High Elder or sir be more what someone of your status should use?”

“Ami!” Adosina said, gasping. Sara glared at her, and she looked the other way.

Inessa said nothing as her lip began to tremble. She simply gathered her skirts up again and scurried out of the dining hall.

“Sara, that was inappropriate,” Martin said.

“Oh, what I did was inappropriate?” Sara asked, her voice daring him to continue this conversation.

“I have no idea what you were referring to, I was simply making sure the dress followed the guidelines of the concubine law,” Martin said, because he was the first to admit he was an idiot.

“You were staring at her for quite a while,” Sara said.

“There are a lot of laws,” Martin shot back, realizing his anger was starting to get ahold. He closed his eyes, shaking his head. “We’re going to talk about this later. Right now, let’s just eat.”

Sara still glared at him. Martin said the prayer and began to eat. For the rest of dinner, Martin stayed silent as Ana, Nathaniel, and Rosa did their best to breathe life into the conversations.

***

Inessa excused her servants before stumbling out of the dress and throwing on one of her old ones. A sob escaped her every so often as she got into one of the plainer dresses. One not nearly as pretty. One that wouldn’t tear a happy marriage apart.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

***

Indenuel meditated in his study until it got late, then he moved to meditate in his room as Tolomon got ready for bed. He stayed in his clothes, pushing his powers as hard as he could, working on collecting the corruption and smothering it out of him. Any amount of chaos he could get out of his soul meant the less the demons could use on him.

He'd been sitting on his bed for a while. The curtains were drawn so he couldn’t tell when the sun had set but hearing the crickets outside was enough to know it was dark. His eyes were getting heavy with the want of sleep, but he kept himself in the meditative state as long as possible.

He didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep when he felt it. A thousand demons descended on his home. Indenuel kept his eyes closed as the dread grew. He couldn’t see. He didn’t dare.

Hello, Indenuel.

Do you want to know what Hell will be like?

Today is the day you find out.

Indenuel let out an unsteady breath. The Day of the Devil had officially begun.

***

Martin waited a long time before he dared enter his room. After dinner he retreated to his study. The only person who came to visit was Nathaniel. He asked what happened, and Martin assured him it was as he said. The beauty of Inessa’s dress took him by surprise, but he in no way was staring at her in that way. Nathaniel believed him, but he doubted Sara would be as understanding.

Inessa never came to visit him. He was afraid of that. He needed to talk to Sara first, but there was a reason the sun had long since set and he still didn’t dare go to his and Sara’s room. Most of the house was in bed, and he was getting tired.

Martin took a deep breath, then let it out before standing up and going down the familiar path to his room, hating both the shame and terror he felt as he opened the door.

Sara was in bed, but not asleep. “So did you sleep with her tonight.”

Martin winced. He waited too long to come to bed. He didn’t dare get in his nightclothes. He doubted he’d be allowed to share her bed tonight. “No, Sara. I did not sleep with her tonight.”

“But you will. In a few more days, right? To try and get her pregnant?” Sara asked.

“We need to talk about what happened at dinner,” Martin said, closing the door but not daring to come any closer.

“Yes, we do. Do you know how long you were staring at her? Ignoring what she said? Admiring her beauty in front of the children?” Sara asked.

“I was admiring the dress, and only the dress. You must yourself admit the artwork was astounding,” Martin said.

“That is not the impression your eyes gave,” Sara snapped, sitting up in bed.

“I’m telling you exactly how it happened! I wasn’t leering at her, as you so claim. Your reaction to her was disrespectful!” Martin said, taking a few steps closer. “I have begged her not to call me sir or High Elder. It is the only way I can think of to try and help her transition better into our family. Nobody calls me those titles.”

“She is not welcome here!” Sara said, her voice growing sharp.

“She could stay here for a very long time, Sara! She needs to feel welcome,” Martin said.

The anger was clear in her laughter. “No, Martin. She will never be welcomed here. She’s just your little thing to do with as you please.”

“You know I never wanted Inessa! Not in that way!” Martin shouted.

“And yet here she is! Despite all your promises you’d never get a concubine, she is sleeping just down the hall!” Sara said, gesturing toward the wall to where Inessa’s room was. “If you really don’t want her, just get rid of her!”

Martin closed his tired eyes, rubbing them, taking deep, steady breaths. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t be screaming at Sara. They were not in the right state of mind to have this kind of conversation that was just an argument. He dropped his hands, his voice softer. “It’s not that simple.”

She folded her arms, her tone getting softer. “All the other High Elders have given her up. You can do the same. Get rid of her before she becomes pregnant with your child,” she said, her voice caught and a look of disgust crossed her face.

Martin dared to take another step forward, a terrifying thought crossing his mind. “If she does eventually carry my child-”

“Don’t-” Sara said, her tone turning dangerous again.

“If she does,” Martin pressed forward. “Are you going to treat the child with the same contempt as you do her?”

Sara glared at him. “The child is of course free of guilt from the sins of the parents. I could love the child and not them.”

Martin winced at her words. “The High Elder’s decreed-”

“I don’t care,” she said, her voice quiet. He almost rather she screamed at him. “I don’t care what the High Elders say is right. I will never be at peace with this. You knew this when this law was formed, and you knew it when you brought her home. We have pretended long enough she’s not there. I have ignored the nights you’re not here. But there is only so much more I can take.”

Martin shook his head. “You think I’ve been enjoying this? I hate the nights I have to spend with her. It makes me physically ill to do what I must do!”

“Then send her back. It’s clear no one in this family wants her. Certainly, the High Elders can arrange something.”

“If no one can get her pregnant, the titles and privileges she has gained for her and her family with be revoked. Not only will she return to crippling poverty, but the disgrace she will have placed on her will bring shame to her, and her family would have to publicly disown her unless they wanted to share in that disgrace. It would isolate her from her social circles, and she would have no one. In case you are unaware of what that might do to someone, let me make myself perfectly clear. This will kill her.” Sara turned away, glaring at the wall. “I cannot let that happen to anyone under my care.”

Sara was breathing deeply, looking angrier than he had ever seen her. “This is a large house, and there are many guest rooms,” she said quietly. “You may have your pick of any of them.”

Martin held in a groan. He knew this would happen, but he hated it all the same. He turned on his heel and walked out of the room. He tried to shut the door without anger, but some of it must have trickled through. He walked out of the room and down the hall. Derio, with a bed robe over his nightclothes, was waiting at the end of the hall.

“Martin?” Derio asked.

Martin paused, not looking at him. He knew he shouldn’t be ashamed while looking at one of his servants, but he did all the same. They were at the end of the hall. He heard something in the background but was still trying to calm his pounding heart. “Have one of the guest rooms prepared.”

“At once, Martin,” Derio said before disappearing down another hallway.

Martin placed a hand against the wall to steady himself as he tried not to think how much tomorrow was going to hurt.

He heard the noise again and turned. There was no one else in the hall, but he realized where he was standing. He was near Inessa’s room. He crept closer to the door and heard the girl trying to do everything in her power to muffle her sobs. Martin winced. He stared at the door, not daring to go in. Inessa was in obvious distress, and with a sinking heart he realized he and Sara had been quite loud. The rest of the house might not have heard, but Inessa was the closest to his and Sara’s room. Martin went over their argument again in his mind and knew he had to check in on Inessa, but he didn’t dare. He stood there, in front of the door, when Derio came back with a candle.

“It is ready for you, Martin,” Derio said. “The one off the south wing.”

“A lovely choice, thank you.” He did his best sounding like the gentleman, ignoring the reason why he needed the guest room as he took Derio’s candle. “Good night.”

Derio bowed before leaving down the hall again. Martin closed his eyes, figuring he would wait for her sobbing to die down, but it never did. He took a steady breath before he knocked. “Inessa?”

She didn’t respond. He could still hear her sobbing inside. Martin knocked again, and when she still didn’t come to the door, he eased it open.