Martin squeezed Sara’s hand as they walked over to Adosina. The group, it seemed, didn’t dare go through the house, instead going around it. Elias and his family looked nervous to enter the back yard.
“Api, hello,” Adosina said.
Martin smiled. “Hello, Adosina.” Her dress was such that it blended well with Elias’ family, even though it did look far more taken care of and new. This family, who were all wearing their Sabbath day best, would still stick out in a party of the nobility, but Martin himself would choose to ignore that. “Elias, would you like to formally introduce me to your family?” Martin asked.
“Of course, High Elder Martin,” Elias said, stepping away from Adosina to give a bow. He bowed back.
“Please, just call me Martin.”
Adosina smiled before bowing her head to hide it. Elias nodded. “I don’t know if I’d be allowed to so informally call you that in front of my parents, sir. It goes against their upbringing.”
“Ah, I have placed you in a tricky position indeed. Follow the request of your parents, or of a High Elder,” Martin said with a smile. “With such a choice, I would request you always listen to your parents. But the informal request is given to all, including your parents.” He looked at Elias’ family, his smile still there. “You may all just call me Martin. It will help you fit in better here at this party. No one calls me High Elder Martin. Especially in my own home.”
“Alright, Martin,” Elias said, trying the name out, almost wincing at how it sounded.
His smile grew. “Thank you, Elias.”
“This is my father.”
The man gave a bow. “Raul, son of Jairo and Amaya.”
Martin bowed in return. “Martin the Healer.”
Raul was large. Martin could tell by the leathery skin and the calloused hands that this man spent all day working in the hot sun. He looked uncomfortable in his nice, sabbath day suit that looked like it hadn’t been replaced in fifteen years. He didn’t smile, whether from nerves or a lack of desire to meet Martin, he couldn’t tell.
“An honor to meet you, Martin,” Raul said. “We remember with fondness the time you and your family came to visit us in the farmlands a few years back. You left a powerful impression on us.”
“Thank you, Raul. How are the farmlands? Were they effected by the battle?”
“They were, yes,” Raul said. “It was a powerful amount of water that flooded the lands. We were able to save some of the crops, but much of the corn and the wheat were destroyed.”
Martin winced. “I am sorry.”
Raul shook his head. “Better my crops than my children. Though, a lighter tax on our remaining goods would be a welcome relief.”
“Api,” Elias whispered, both a playfulness and warning to his tone.
Martin smiled, watching Raul, a man full of goodness and honesty. “It will be the first thing I talk about with the King and Queen. We can see what other relief we can give, as I’m sure all the farmers have been affected by this turn of events. After all, without our farmers, we would have had no food to feed our army. We must never forget how indebted we are to them.”
Raul studied him carefully. “I shall hold you to your word.”
“I shall expect nothing less,” Martin said.
It was then that a smile broke across Raul’s face. Elias looked visibly relieved. Raul stepped aside to meet Sara as a woman stepped forward and curtseyed. She was an older, female version of Elias in every way.
“This is my mother,” Elias said.
Being Sara’s husband for so long, Martin couldn’t help but be concerned about the slimness of this woman, but he let it go. “Emma. Wife of Raul.”
“A powerful title indeed,” he said as he bowed in return. “Martin the Healer. It is an honor to meet you, Emma.”
“No, sir. It is an honor to meet you. You seem to be of good, humble ancestry, and it has been affirmed to me in the past decade that you truly are a man of God.”
Martin smiled, understanding the compliment, but feeling that knee jerk reaction to deny it. To divert the compliment to God. But he couldn’t do it. The Gods were dead.
“Now I am on the receiving end of a tricky position. I do not know how to affirm to you that I am indeed humble without portraying the opposite idea in your mind,” Martin said.
Emma laughed. “It has been affirmed even more now, Martin. Thank you.”
He smiled, bowing again as Emma walked over to Sara, who was still talking to Raul. Sara opened her arms to Emma, inviting her into the conversation as though they were longtime friends. Martin met Elias’ three younger sisters Maria, Valentina, and Lina. Humble young women, wearing their best sabbath dresses. The youngest sister Lina, not more than twelve, looked almost terrified as she tried to give the perfect curtsey. Martin smiled as he bowed to her. “Thank you for coming to my home.”
“Is it true the war is over?” Lina asked.
“Indenuel and the Grand Empress of Kiam will work out a treaty in the next few weeks. We are confident it will signal a time of peace for the world,” Martin said.
“Thank you for protecting us,” she said.
“Oh, no,” Martin said, falling back on a habit he was far more comfortable making. “It is to our brave soldiers we must give our gratitude. And families like yours that kept them fed.” Lina smiled as she moved away. Martin’s mind traveled to the first time he had seen the mark on Indenuel. He remembered the feeling of dread when he saw how bad the mark had gotten on his chest. How the boy was still in the dungeons, trying to get cleansed as quickly as possible before he looked over at his wife. Sara had not released any of Elias’ family. They were all gathered around her as she talked with them, laughing at their jokes and making them feel at ease. She took Lina’s chin in her palms, giving her a grandmotherly look and asking her a question, most likely about food.
“Thank you, Martin.” Elias gave another bow. “For welcoming my family into your home.”
Martin bowed again. “I fear many of my past actions made you nervous to bring them. I apologize for this mark on my character and ask your forgiveness for the wrongs I have done to you.”
Elias blinked, surprised. “Um, of course.”
Martin smiled. “I thank you, Elias. After meeting with your family, I understand better why farmers are often considered good, humble people. I have much to learn from you.”
Elias had no answer. He was clearly shocked by what Martin was saying. Adosina was beaming.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Come, we must start dinner,” Sara said, placing a hand on Elias’ sister’s shoulders. “Addy, will you make sure our honored guests are seated?”
“Of course,” Adosina said, taking over for her mother, ushering Elias’ family into the party with the nobility.
Just as he hoped it had, word spread that these farmers were welcomed graciously by Martin’s family, and therefore deemed honored guests. Inessa knew them a little already but was happy to have them.
They ate outside in the setting sun, talking and laughing. Navir, being the Acting Senior High Elder said the prayer on the meal before they ate. Martin sat at the table, taking small bites and watching the gathering. He needed to make sure Raul and Elias were comfortable among a table of nobility, making sure those around him were nothing but gracious to them. Nathaniel helped, sitting next to Elias and striking up a conversation with him. The moment alone was all Nathaniel needed to put his nobility mask back on and pretend there was nothing but happiness between him and Rosa, but Martin knew this wasn’t the end. They would have to resolve this issue somehow.
They all had a delicious apple pastry in honor of Inessa’s betrothal as the lonely son and stalwart sister appeared in the sky. Inessa was far happier than Martin had ever seen her, which helped confirm he had made the right decision, no matter the consequences.
The orchestra started warming up as the couples began to dance. Nathaniel drained his wine glass before whispering something to Rosa. She nodded, looking down as Nathaniel left, entering the house again. Rosa said nothing, staring ahead, folding her arms as she looked up at the sky, the loneliness breaking through her nobility mask for a moment before she smothered it again and went to find her sister.
Martin, despite wanting to go help them, knew it wasn’t his place. If they needed him, they would come to him. It was his responsibility now to make sure they were both as comfortable as possible as they worked through this issue in their marriage.
Martin clapped after the fourth song as Adosina and Elias walked over to him. Elias bowed as Adosina curtseyed.
“Adosina has assured us that our early departure would not be an offense,” Elias said. “We go to bed when the sun does.”
“Of course, Elias. Thank you for honoring us with your presence and thank you for introducing me to your family. I would like to walk with you and your family to your carriage, if I may,” Martin said.
“Of course. It is your carriage, after all. Thank you for letting us borrow it for the evening,” Elias said.
“You are most welcome.”
They joined the rest of the family. Martin found himself falling in step beside Raul and Emma.
“You have a lovely garden,” Emma said.
“Thank you. It is the pride of my gardeners. They have worked hard on it,” Martin said.
“They like working for you and your family,” Emma said.
“A fine compliment, thank you. One would hope a person can enjoy their employment,” Martin said.
Emma nodded emphatically. “Certainly a good employer is the key to making sure the employment is enjoyable.”
Raul gave another one of his rare smiles at that.
“Ah,” Martin said. “Then I shall pass along your compliment to my wife. She holds my home together with much love and compassion. It is from her example that I am the man that I am.”
Adosina laughed, and Martin glanced over his shoulder to see his daughter engrossed in whatever Elias said. They were acting nearly as in love as Inessa and Indenuel, except they were still keeping the respectful distance. Even though Adosina practically announced to all the nobility that she was interested in Elias enough to court him by bringing him and his family to this party, they still kept the respectful distance from each other.
Martin faced forward again, glancing at his feet. “You do not approve of the arrangement?” Emma asked.
Martin looked at Elias’ parents. “Do you?”
“I do. I believe they’re wonderfully happy together,” Emma said.
Raul said nothing, and the longer the silence lasted, the more curious Martin got. “Raul? What is your opinion on the matter?”
Raul shrugged. “As with everything else in life, they will either fail at it, or they will succeed.”
“But if we don’t let them try, it is a failure anyway?” Martin asked.
“Sure, sure. That’s poetic enough,” Raul said. Emma gave him a nudge, and he sighed in defeat. “I have a lot of respect for Addy,” Raul said, his voice quieter as Adosina whispered something toward Elias. “She’s the kind of person who can beat me in any logical argument, and yet I’m still left feeling like it was an honor to talk to her in the first place.”
Martin chuckled. “She’s being nice to you, I see.”
Raul gave a hearty laugh. “Should I be worried?”
“No. Elias, on the other hand…” Martin glanced at the man who had transformed under Adosina’s gaze. He was far more relaxed, far happier, far more content than any other time he had seen him. “Actually, after three years, he hasn’t run away yet. He might be just fine.”
Emma smiled, then nudged Raul again. Raul gave her a look before she motioned toward Martin.
“You have other thoughts on the matter?” Martin asked as the carriage came into view.
Raul gave another sigh. “I’ll be honest, Martin. I’ve never much cared for the High Elders. Sure, I attend worship services, but I found all of you to be…” Raul didn’t look like he wanted to say exactly what he wanted to say, and Martin figured it was because he was afraid of the retribution, so Martin filled it in for him.
“Hypocritical?”
Raul nodded. “That’s a good word for it. It came to a new low when my middle daughter was a potential candidate for the concubine program,” Raul said. Martin turned to see Valentina, who couldn’t be older than fourteen. “She was ten at the time.” Martin’s smile that he had on throughout the night disappeared as he looked at Raul. “When they asked if any of her family objected to such an arrangement I… I punched the guard who came to deliver the message.”
Emma rubbed Raul’s arm. “He spent a couple of days in the dungeon for that one.”
Martin glanced at his feet, at a loss for words. He could not stick up for the concubine law. Not now. Not after Raul’s experience for it, not after what he had done to Inessa.
“I hated every single one of you for a long time until Adosina came into my Elias’ life. A woman like that had to be raised well. Not just from nurse maids, or whatever other servants you use, but from good, honest parents, too.”
Martin continued to say nothing. This wasn’t a confession on Raul’s part, this was a complete dressing down of the High Elders and their hypocrisy. Martin knew he had power, wealth, and privilege, but he never acknowledged it more than now. As much as he denied it, as much as he tried to stay humble, he would always have power because he could choose to ignore the injustices done to other people that did not affect him. The concubine law did not hurt him anymore, so he could choose to ignore it. But Raul couldn’t. Countless other men and women couldn’t ignore that their young daughters were intimate with men who were older than their own grandfathers. Some of the High Elders even being secret fathers to others. Some secret fathers even…
Martin blinked, trying not to ignore the thought, but did all the same.
“Thank you for your words, Raul. They have given me a lot to think about,” Martin said.
Raul relaxed. “Thank you for not having me whipped for them.”
“Never. That is not who I am,” Martin said as they stopped by the carriages. “Thank you again for coming tonight.”
“I hope one day we might return the favor if you’d like to come to our humble home,” Emma said.
“I will look forward to receiving such an invitation,” Martin said.
“I’m not one to use words to say goodbye,” Raul said.
Before Martin was aware of what happened, Raul picked Martin up and squeezed the air out of him, his bones popping. Raul set him back down and Martin smiled as he steadied himself before getting clapped on the back. “Looks like you High Elders need to be hugged like that more. Make you not seem so stiff.”
Raul entered the carriage. Elias was behind his father, his eyes as wide as the dinner plates Sara used to feed them. Adosina giggled as the rest of the family piled into the carriage.
Elias looked at Martin, trying to think of something to say.
“May God bless you in your travels, Elias,” Martin said.
“Yes. Thank you, sir. Martin.” He gave a short bow before entering the carriage with his family. Martin and Adosina watched as the carriage disappeared down the road.
“Api?” Adosina asked. Martin smiled at her before heading toward the back of the house. “Oh, don’t play that game. Come now. What did you think of them?”
Martin tried to gather his thoughts. “I was earnest when I said I would anxiously await their invitation. I would like to get to know them more.”
“And Elias? Elias and I?”
Martin continued to think, looking at the jovial daughters. Adosina allowed him this silence, though he could tell she was anxious. “There is still more than half a year left until the next Day of Beseeching. With the war coming to a close, leaning toward our favor, I would have more time to get to know Elias. I see the next Day of Beseeching being far more merciful.”
Adosina hugged him, stopping their walk. Martin patted her arm. “Maybe with Santollia being a world power, we can use the newfound wealth to bring the classes closer together,” Martin said.
Adosina kissed his cheek before picking up her skirts and running back into the party, most likely to tell Inessa and her other friends. Martin smiled before he again looked in the direction of the palace, thinking of Indenuel once again. So much relied on a marked individual, but he had faith the boy was doing his best. But would it be enough?
He went around to the back to see Adosina next to Inessa, talking and laughing with her. His eyes fell on Rosa, talking with her sister, doing an uncannily good job at making it seem like everything was alright. When her sister went to dance with her husband, Rosa was left alone. It was in that moment when she believed no one was looking that the perfect smile dropped from her face, and she dipped her head just enough to let the hurt crack through her mask.