In Treachery Forged (The Law of Swords) (11 page)

Euleilla handed the hotel manager the guest book with a blush visible on her face. Maelgyn caught sight of the register, and noticed with some surprise that she’d actually managed to write her name correctly. It looked a little unsteady, but it was legible and that was what was important. “We’ll go.”

“Huh?” Maelgyn stuttered. “We’ll go where?”

“Silly,” she said, grinning at him. “Hot spring. Here. Private. We’ll go. Tonight.”

The manager laughed. “Well, looks like she’s interested, even if you aren’t! Just remember to check the chart and mark your time beforehand. I’ll get a maid to take you to your rooms.”

He left, allowing Maelgyn to quickly turn to Euleilla and whisper harshly, “Just what is that about us going to the hot spring?”

“You want to go, don’t you?” she asked.

“Well, yeah, but it... it wouldn’t be proper,” Maelgyn stuttered.

“Why not?” she asked. “Would you be embarrassed by me? I won’t be able to see you, you know.”

Sometimes, Maelgyn forgot that about her. Still... “What about you? You are going to have to bathe at the same time, so-”

“Here we go,” the manager said, returning with a girl about a year younger than Maelgyn. “Cora, here, will show you to your rooms. Good night, and I hope you have a pleasant stay!”

“This way, please, sir, madam,” the maid said, gesturing before she started to lead the way. “Our kitchen is open from dawn ‘til dusk. We offer a wide selection of food, although I heartily recommend our
kohitsujikashi
– a lamb and yogurt sauce pastry adapted from a Dwarven delicacy. It’s our chef’s specialty. We brew our own ale here, or if you prefer to remain sober for the evening we offer a wide variety of fruit juices and flavored milks. I’m afraid we’re currently out of stock when it comes to teas, although we’re expecting a shipment from Mar’Tok to arrive in time for your breakfast tomorrow. Here is your room, number twenty-four. Will there be anything else?”

Maelgyn surveyed the room, thinking. He turned to Euleilla, and said, “Why don’t you unpack here? I’ve got a few things I have to do before turning in.”

“‘kay,” she said, slipping into their room, taking the bags he had been carrying with her.

Turning to Cora, he said, “First I’d like to talk with your stable master about grooming our pack horse. We got caught in a mudslide on our way here, and I’m afraid the beast is the worse for wear. Also, where would I find the latest news?”

The “latest news” had been fairly unremarkable. There had been several skirmishes at the front line, but it appeared nobody was willing to launch a full-scale attack just yet. Now that the initial panic was over, Wybert amended his draft laws. There would still be a draft, but most of his army would be formed by activating the militias. Many citizens of the duchy, so far from the front lines, had almost returned to a peacetime state of mind already. There was some concern about the damage that the blockade around Largo’s ports was going to do to trade and the economy, but not much else about the war appeared to be in the minds of the locals.

It had been a quiet three weeks since he’d last had word from the outside world, and that disturbed him. Everything he knew from the study of Sho’Curlas’ tactics said they should have done more by now... unless they were waiting for something.

Maelgyn was still considering what that something might be as he absently opened the door to his room and walked in. He looked around to survey the room and froze. It took him a few seconds to realize exactly what it was he was seeing, but when he did he gasped in shock.

“Remember to close the door,” a half-naked Euleilla called, sending a wave of magic to shut the door behind him. “I don’t want strangers looking in here.”

Maelgyn immediately closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, milady – I didn’t know you were changing! I... I should go back on out.”

“S’ok. Stay.”

“But-”

“Stay,
husband,
” she intoned. “Really, I don’t mind.”

“I don’t think this is right – I mean, we’re not really married and...”

For the first time, Maelgyn could feel Euleilla’s magic sensing him... it almost felt like she was glaring at him for some reason, but he couldn’t imagine why. At any rate, it caused him to shut his mouth real quick. He opened his eyes to look at her, and she seemed quite... tensed.

At least she had covered up – maybe not fully, but she was wearing enough to cover everything important. He found himself relieved... and maybe a bit disappointed. He was a man, after all, and she was quite an attractive woman.

“I thought you understood,” she said slowly, interrupting his thoughts. “This is Largo.”

“Yeah...” Maelgyn agreed uncertainly, not quite getting the implication.

“Maelgyn... how familiar are you with the civil laws of Largo?” she asked, though it sounded like she thought he should know the answer.

“I know them reasonably well,” he replied slowly. “Perhaps not perfectly, but then again I don’t live here.”

“What about marriage laws?”

“Yes, I’m as familiar with them here as I am anywhere else,” he answered.

Euleilla nodded. “Then you should know. Maelgyn, what are the three methods two people can marry, according to the civil laws of Largo?”

“Well, the first is religious marriage,” Maelgyn said. “If one wishes to marry, they have a priest perform a ceremony, and the priest will take their oath and declare them married. Most marriages are like this.”

“Yes, but not all,” Euleilla, with forced patience, noted. “What are the other two methods?”

“A town magistrate, a judge, a captain of a ship, or a Noble of the Province may perform a wedding ceremony. This is much rarer. Usually, they are only performed when a priest is unavailable or the bride and groom are from different religions.”

“Go on,” she encouraged, obviously hoping that the point would get to him soon.

“Well, the third method was created by Wybert fairly recently to stem the tide of illegal prostitution,” Maelgyn explained. “So that no-one could pretend to be married when checking into a room at an inn, he wrote a law which stated that any two unmarried people who check into a room together are... are legally married.” He blinked. “Like us. Did... did I just marry you?”

“Yes,” she said quietly. “And I thought you knew you were doing it, too. Or at least I hoped you did.”

“But... that’s... I didn’t mean to... I just wanted a good cover story!” he sputtered. “I didn’t mean to get married!”

“So, you don’t want me as your wife?” she asked softly. Just as he could sense her ‘glare’ earlier, he could now sense her withdraw from him. It was painful to hear that voice, to hear how fragile she’d suddenly become. He hadn’t wanted to hurt her, but what could he say? He really hadn’t meant to get married to her, after all.

Then again, she didn’t ask him if he’d wanted to get married, did she? Just if he wanted her as his wife... which wasn’t
quite
the same thing.

“I don’t know,” he finally answered, unsure even as he spoke just what he meant by that, or what question he was really answering.

“What?” she said, a tiny edge of hope returning to her voice.

“Well... I mean, did you want me as your husband? I suppose you did, since you thought I knew I was marrying you, but... you don’t even know me, so why?”

“I... I don’t know, either,” Euleilla admitted. “When you first said, ‘we could be newlyweds,’ I didn’t know what to think. And then you followed that by saying you didn’t want me thought of as a prostitute, so I... I figured that you wanted the ‘benefits’ of marrying me, at least. And... I didn’t want to say no. I wasn’t sure about saying yes, either, but I knew I couldn’t say no. I convinced myself that you knew what you were asking.” She paused. “I didn’t think anyone would ever want to marry me, you see. I never thought anyone would be able to get past my eyes. But you knew about them, and I thought you wanted to really marry me. Well, I hoped you really did, so I... I didn’t risk making sure that you knew what you were doing. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I
should
have known what I was asking,” Maelgyn replied softly. “And while I didn’t mean to get married to you, I... don’t find the idea altogether unpleasant. Just... I barely know you. I met you, what, two, three weeks ago? Earlier today, when we were signing into the hotel register, I didn’t even know if you could write. Shouldn’t that be the kind of thing you should know about a person before getting married?”

“I can sign my name, if I’m careful,” Euleilla said with a sad grin on her face. “I can even read. It just takes a special ink on the parchment for me to be able to see the writing.”

“Like I said, I don’t know much about you,” Maelgyn said. He paused, unsure of how to go on. She looked so sad, and it was all his fault. His fault, because he’d let her believe she was getting a husband, which she never thought she could have. His fault that he couldn’t answer ‘yes’ when asked if he wanted her as a wife. His fault, because he just didn’t know her.

In a rush of words, he continued, “I’d love to learn, though. I find you... attractive, even if you look a little unusual with that hairstyle and the oddly colored silk vests you favor. I can’t believe you intentionally pick clothes in that color! I’m impressed with your magic, and the intelligence you have shown in dealing with all of your problems. I do like you – you understand that, right? I really enjoy your company, and have since I met you. I think you’re a little weird, and not because of your blindness, but I actually like that about you. But I can’t say I love you, yet, which is what I’d like to be able to say to my bride, you know?”

“Yeah,” she answered, her spirits not improved at all.

“There’s another issue to deal with, too.” Maelgyn shifted uncomfortably. “I’m royalty. I may even become king one day, although it isn’t exactly very likely. You... aren’t even a noble. While that’s at least
legal
in Svieda, and while it has happened a very few times in the past, it’s generally frowned upon. Those few exceptions are usually with the very popular civilians, or the very wealthy, or with some civil leader of great renown. You are not any of those, and that could be a big stress on our marriage.”

“Of course,” she said stoically. It was hard to tell how she was really feeling, but the slight hitch in her voice was a clue that Maelgyn could easily read. “So, I made a big mistake in thinking that I could be your wife. How are we going to dissolve it?”

Maelgyn grinned. Now that he knew just what he wanted, he was pretty sure she’d be encouraged by this. “Now hold on a minute. Any ‘mistake’ made was mine, but it isn’t necessarily that bad an idea. Like I said, I can’t say I love you
yet.
I didn’t say I would never do so. Besides, it’ll take a lot of effort to get a marriage dissolved. I’d either have to report to the mayor or local lord, which would ruin the whole point of this fiasco, or I’d have to report to Wybert himself as the Sword of Largo. Now, I expect to make contact with Wybert, again, but not for a few months.”

Euleilla was still distressed, but there was a hint of confused hope in her question. “So... we’re going to dissolve it, but not yet?”

“Now, I didn’t say that, either, did I?” Maelgyn replied gently. “Regardless of what else you’ll be to me, Euleilla, you
will
become an important part of my court. And, while I don’t think I know you well enough to want you as my wife just yet... maybe we should consider each other suitors. I don’t have any others, right now – to be honest, with the war I didn’t think there would be time for me to worry about courtship and marriage and all of that. But, until I see Wybert again, let’s just get to know each other better as a courting couple normally would.”

Euleilla smiled hesitantly. “Okay.”

“And if, at the end of that time, we decide to have the marriage dissolved after all, don’t think that means you’ll never be married,” Maelgyn said. “You are a great catch, Euleilla. I can’t promise anything, but I want you to understand that I
know
you’re a great catch.”

“Thank you,” she said, apparently shrugging off all of her concerns and once more becoming the confident woman Maelgyn usually thought of her as. “Now, how about that bath?”

“Bath?” Maelgyn echoed, startled by the sudden change of subject.

“Hot springs? I’d like to see what they’re like, and I
know
you want to bathe as well. We have to sign up for a time slot, and I
told
you to sign up for one. So, when do we have that bath?” she asked.

“Just how are we going to manage that? I mean, I don’t think it would be appropriate, considering-”

“You’ll wear a blindfold.”

“...what?”

A cloth belt of hers floated up and flew over to him. He’d learned, over the course of their journey, that her clothing, her tent canvas, and any other cloth gear had at least some metal sewed into them so that she could find and magically manipulate them. The belt wrapped itself around his eyes, making it impossible for him to see.

“Blindfold. Equal footing and all.”

“Um, right.” Maelgyn shrugged. It looked like they were taking a bath, after all. Well... it wasn’t the best of solutions, but he would accept it. Removing the blindfold for the moment, he said, “Well, I guess I’d better go sign us up for that time slot after all, then, shouldn’t I?”