Oryon (Tornians Book 3.5) (9 page)

“About your manno.”

“Yes, you know me well.”

“I do my Isis.” He let his fingers caress her cheek.

The sound of a bell ringing, announcing that the midday meal was ready, had both of them remembering where they were.

“If you agree, I’ll have Jael and those who helped him with the ladders come to our Wing after midday meal and carry furniture.”

Oryon looked at Jael as the other three stepped next to him. He recognized these trainees and they were satisfactory. “They will be fine. I’ll have Lajos send up a meal for you and Vali.”

“What about you?” Isis asked. “You need to eat too.”

“I will,
after
I deal with Kaspar.”

“Alright.” Isis nodded. “I will see you later.” Turning, she nodded to Vali and they left the hall.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Oryon waited until Isis was out of earshot before speaking. His gaze traveled over each male assessing him as his stare kept them in place. “I want you to speak now if you have any knowledge about what occurred here today. If I find out later that you do and did not speak you will be dealt with harshly by
me
.”

Absolute silence greeted Oryon’s statement. Every male knew he would force the offending male or males out of his House in disgrace if he discovered they were lying to him.

“Jael.” Oryon turned hard eyes on the young male when no one spoke.

A slight tremor swept visibly over him. “Y…Yes my Lord.”

“You, Fajr, Abir, and Eben will eat first then immediately proceed to my Lady’s chambers where you will do as she commands. Is that understood?”

“Yes, my Lord,” they said as one.

“Then what are you doing standing here!” Oryon roared. “Go! Eat! All of you!”

At his words, they stampeded out as one.

At what he was seeing, Vali’s eyes widened in shock. He had heard tales of what a female’s chamber would look like and how they were filled with luxerious treasures from every known universes. It was why males worked so hard, so they could amass the items they would need to fill such rooms, but this, this was something he could never have imagined.

“You seem surprised Vali,” Isis said quietly.

“I… well… yes.”

“Why?” Isis asked, looking around her rooms.

“Because, it is not how I always imagined it would be.”

“It isn’t? How did you imagine it?’

“I don’t know. Fuller… Lusher… Overflowing.” His eyes continued to travel around the room. Yes, the room contained rich fabrics that a male’s rooms would never have, but they weren’t in the abundance he’d been led to expect. Yes, there was furniture, but it wasn’t the dainty pieces he’d been told female’s preferred, but sturdy pieces that would comfortably hold a Tornian warrior. His eyes zeroed in on a specific piece, sitting next to a window.

Isis walked over to the chair her offspring’s eyes seemed focused on, “Do you like it?” she asked, running her hand lovingly along the smooth wood of its high back.

“It is an extraordinary piece,” Vali said, knowing he had never seen anything like it. The chair was an unusual size, not quite large enough to fit the form of a Tornian male the size of his manno, but not the size of his mother either. Its material wasn’t the rich ‘female’ fabric either. Instead, it was covered in well-worn liedr, the skin of one of their most feared animals. It was something he never expected to find in her room. Why was it here?

“Come. Sit.” Isis encouraged him.

“No! I couldn’t,” he told her.

“Why not?” Isis asked, seeing the desire in his eyes. “This was my manno’s favorite chair. He designed it specifically for his height and build. Please?” she asked softly. “I would very much like to see you in it.”

Walking over Vali slowly lowered himself into the chair, then leaned back to find it fit him perfectly. Running his hands along the arms, he found the liedr soft and supple, telling him it was well cared for and often used. Next to the chair was a table that could only have been made specifically for this chair, as it was the perfect height. On the table, a book lay open, face down. Looking out the window the chair faced, he discovered he had the perfect view of the practice fields below. His manno had been right about her watching them. Lifting his eyes, he found his mother watching him with the strangest look in her eye.

“You look so like my manno sitting there,” she said quietly. “I never realized that before because you are also so like
your
manno.”

“Your manno truly made this?” he asked, his eyes returning to the chair.

“Yes. It and the table were the only pieces he ever made specifically for himself. He would sit in that chair and design his next piece or he would hold me when I had a nightmare and tell me he loved me.” Tears filled Isis’ eyes as she spoke.

“I wish I could have known him,” Vali told her.

“So do I.”

Before Vali could speak again, his comm rang. “Yes?”

“Warrior Vali there are four males here saying they are to report to you,” one of the guards at the Wing’s doors informed him.

“Yes, send them up.” Vali rose from the chair. “Are you sure you want to move these pieces to the Entrance Hall?” Vali let his eyes travel around the room again, this time easily picking out the pieces his mother’s manno had made.

“Yes, our males need places to sit after a long, hard day. My manno’s pieces were designed specifically for that.”

“But the fabric…”

“Is more durable than you think, and if it is damaged, it can easily be recovered. Don’t worry so.”

“But if we take these pieces the majority of this room will be empty.”

“Which is fine, since I’m no longer staying in these rooms.”

“You’re not?!!” Vali’s eyes went wide.

“No. I am now staying in the Lord’s Chambers,” Isis told him with great satisfaction. “It’s where I should have been all along.”

 “I…” Before Vali could say more, the sound of hesitant footsteps on the stairs stopped him. Moving to place himself between the stairs and his mother, he put his hand on the hilt of his sword, removing it only after he verified that it was only the four males his manno had sent.

“Hello, Jael,” Isis smiled as she moved around Vali. “And who have you brought with you?”

“This is Abir, Fajr, and Eben, my Lady.” Each male bowed to her as Jael introduced them.

“You are all in your second year of training?” Isis asked.

“Yes, my Lady,” they told her.

“Then soon it will be
you
that will be resting on this furniture before your Lord’s entrance fire.”

Vali had to hide his smile as the chests of all four males puffed up at his mother’s words. They knew only those in their final years of warrior training were allowed to sit in the entrance hall. For their Lady to say such a thing meant she believed in them.

“Now,” Isis continued, “I want everything in this room, with the exception of the chair and table by the window, and the things I place on the mantle, taken to the entrance hall, starting with this couch.” She touched the piece she was referring too. “It will take all four of you to carry it, for it is solid dair and very heavy. Take your time with it, and if you find you need extra help, make sure you get it. I don’t want you hurt. You matter more than any piece of furniture.” Picking up several items, she turned and went to put them on the mantle.

Isis didn’t see the shocked looks on the trainees’ faces, but Vali did. He knew that with those simple words of caring, his mother had secured the loyalty of these four and she hadn’t even meant too.

“Yes, my Lady,” they quickly said and immediately did her bidding.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Oryon took his time studying the order slips before him. They were hand written by Master Kaspar, stating in exacting detail what was to be made for House Rigel, maybe too exacting. There were two signatures on each invoice. Master Kaspar’s and Master Bard’s, along with what Master Bard was compensated.

“As you can see my Lord, it is as I have said. Solid dair furniture was ordered.”

“Yet that’s not what was received,” Oryon stated, leaning back in his chair.

“If that is truth, I was unaware of it until today.”

“If?” Oryon growled at Kaspar.

“My Lord, while I understand you supporting your Lady before the trainees, it is not necessary to do so before me.”

“You believe I would speak an untruth... before my males… because my Lady was present?” Oryon’s voice grew with each word.

“Only to not upset your female. I know she
believes
she is correct.”

“Did you not listen to my words about who my
Lady’s
manno was?” Oryon stressed Isis’ title.

“Of course, my Lord, but it’s not as if Master Geb would have
actually
taught her anything.” Kaspar’s words indicated that the very thought was ridiculous to him.

“So you doubt
my
words.” Oryon’s tone became lethal.

Kaspar’s gaze flew over his Lord’s face. He finally realized that his Lord had not just been humoring his female. He actually
believed
her about the furniture.
Her
, a
female
, before
him
, a trusted high-ranking
male
in his House.

“I… my Lord… I would never...”

“Yet you just did, Master Kaspar!
I
say that the furniture is inferior and
not
solid dair as these invoices say!
Why?!!
”

“I… my Lord… I do not know!”

“I want
all
the invoices for this House brought to me! Every. Single. One. Do you understand Kaspar?”

“I… yes, my Lord. It will take me a little time to gather them.”

“You have three hours Master Kaspar and then I want you back here.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“While you are doing that I will get to the bottom of the furniture with Master Bard.”

Kaspar paled at his Lord’s words. “I… yes my Lord… three hours.” Spinning on his heel, Kaspar quickly left the room, his mind racing. If Oryon talked to Bard, he would discover Kaspar’s deception. What was he going to do? As he rushed around the corner, he plowed into Jago.

“Hey!” Jago grunted, shoving Kaspar away. “Watch where you’re going!” Jago had never liked Kaspar, even before he had become Master of House Rigel. Although they were the same age, Kaspar had been several years ahead of Jago in his training, due to Jago’s problems on Luda, and Kaspar had never let him forget it. Not that Kaspar had known the reason… no one had except Lord Oryon, and he had kept that to himself. It was something Jago had been grateful for, but now, because of what happened on Tornian, everyone knew, and he was being treated differently. It was why he was on his way to speak to his Lord.

“You watch where
you’re
going! You drunkard!” Kaspar spat at him, telling Jago word had spread throughout Betelgeuse of his shameful past. Shoving Jago aside, Kaspar continued on his way.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Oryon was gathering the invoices Kaspar had left and was rising to leave when there was a knock on his door.

“Enter!” he commanded and was surprised to find Jago entering.

“My Lord.” Jago’s arm crossed his chest, as he bowed to the male that had given him back his honor.

“Jago, what can I do for you?” Oryon sank back in his chair.

“My Lord, before you stands a male that only exists because of you. You allowed me to recover my honor and rise above my past. I repaid that by bringing shame onto your House.”

“Jago…” Oryon was shocked by the young male’s statement and was about to tell him so, but Jago continued.

“I need to request that you release me from my vow to you.”

“Why?” Oryon demanded.

“Because I don’t want to bring more dishonor to your House.”

“Where would you go?”

“I… I don’t know yet but…”

“No.” When Jago opened his mouth to argue, Oryon ordered, “Sit!”

Slowly Jago did as his Lord ordered.

“Now tell me exactly what’s going on.”

“My Lord, I told you.”

“This is because of what was made known on Tornian.”

“Yes, my Lord,” Jago told him quietly. “I can no longer serve…”

“Why?” Oryon demanded. “What has changed?”

“My Lord?” Jago gave him a stunned look.

“What has changed, Jago? Except the fact that everyone now knows what you have had to overcome to become the fit and honorable male you now are.”

“My Lord?” Surprise flared in Jago’s eyes.

“It took a male of great honor and courage to do what you did in front of the Assembly, Jago. In front of the Emperor. You stood and told truth, even though it reflected badly on the male
you had been
. You showed that a male, a Tornian male
can
change, that who we
can be
is not dictated by who we
were
. I am proud that you are a member of my House.”

“But others…”

“
That’s
what this is about? What others are thinking and saying? Jago, you can’t let that control you. If I had, I would not have four males that I am extremely proud of. I wouldn’t have my Lady, who I would give my life for and not because of the offspring she has given me, but because she completes me in a way I can never truly explain. Without her, you may as well end me.”

Shock widening his eyes, Jago sat back in his chair. “Your Lady is an extremely special female my Lord.”

“She is, and right now she is in her old chambers selecting furniture for the entrance hall. This conversation is done. You will stay as you vowed. You are an asset to my House, Warrior Jago, not a liability, and I mean to keep you.”

“Thank you, my Lord.” Starting to rise, Jago paused. “My Lord?”

“Yes?” Oryon stood, gathering the invoices.

“Why is Lady Isis selecting furniture for the entrance hall?”

“Because it seems Master Bard has been passing off inferior furniture as solid dair.”

“Impossible!” Jago immediately denied the possibility.

“Excuse me?” Oryon asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Master Bard would never do such a thing, my Lord. He is a fit and honorable male who takes great pride in his work.”

“Yet I have invoices in my hand.” Oryon lifted them. “Signed by him that state he made solid dair furniture for my hall, when what was found is peine covered with dair.”