2
Thao
Wendell had always described the home he'd grown up in as like something out of a children's story. In Mennary, children's stories were full of jungles and animals making wicked bargains and children outwitting their kidnappers. Apparently, Kimmerian stories were of tricksters sitting on wood stumps waiting to lead travelers astray and young women going on long adventures and mysterious cottages that never appeared in the same place twice.
The woods of the Pope estate did have a kind of magic to it, especially this time of year. I'd never been anywhere where the trees changed color to mark the seasons, and the effect of the falling leaves sparkling between sunlight and shadow when a wind struck stopped me in my tracks. It was almost worth the sacrifice of good weather.
I shivered and tugged the collar of my coat up, frowning at the way the wind was able to sneak through every weave of fabric I wore. I was not so privately relieved we were returning south as winter was hitting. Bryony and the others appeared delighted by the snow already coating the mountains, but Kimmerian winters struck me as having a very bland color palette and terrible temperatures.
"Suppose you don't get much in the way of cold weather where you're from."
Douglas Pope was a typical Kimmerian gentleman. He was tall and broad like Wen, with thinning hair in shades of rust and gray, and a much rounder stomach. His cheeks and nose had been red when he'd appeared at breakfast to take great pains in complimenting Bryony as she tried to eat her jam and toast, and they remained red now out in the cold of his woods.
"Not like yours, no," I said, nodding.
Douglas Pope nodded too until we both fell into silence again. We were outside under the pretense of hunting with Daniel and Wendell, but I was suddenly wishing I'd stayed back with the other group, regardless of Wendell's imploring look. I could've been napping by a fireplace, listening to Bryony try and coax Miriam into ease, or wandering the other side of the woods with Cosmo and Owen, waiting for the inevitable parade of wildlife to join us.
I hope the two parties don't meet, I thought aimlessly, not sure how Miriam Pope would take a number of rodents joining our dinner party under Owen's invitation.
"Mennary has to deal with monsoon season," I found myself saying, for no clear reason.
Douglas grunted, and Wendell shot me an encouraging smile.
"I suppose rain is as good an inducement to stay indoors as snow," Daniel said in a small attempt at support. He was, apparently, not entirely useless.
"Ah, there!" Douglas hissed, lifting his rifle and pointing into the trees.
I saw it too, a large stag, and I held my own gun in my hand, but I didn't bother raising it. I wasn't a good shot, and I didn't have the heart to hunt for sport.
Daniel raised his own to aim, but either he was very patient or he was only miming. Douglas Pope fired, and I grimaced at the thunderous bang. The stag leapt and took off running, unmarked.
"Good effort," Wendell said, and his father grunted.
"Well, this way your mother won't try and change the menu at the last minute," Douglas said with an easy chuckle. "Come on, we'd better get in before His Highness freezes."
I opened my mouth to object, but Wendell rushed ahead. "You mean it's time for your afternoon pipe."
Douglas grinned, clapping Wendell on the shoulder and flashing me a wink. "Wen's always been too clever. Not certain where he gets it."
"He always spoke very highly of his professors," I said without thinking.
And by some miracle, Douglas Pope only laughed, raucous and delighted. "Glad to know my money went to some use for all that schooling."
I sighed and fell into step behind Wendell and his father, Daniel scuffing a gloved hand over his twitching lips. Wendell's parents were as sweetly humored as their son, but I hadn't yet found the same sharp intensity he kept hidden under his polish in either of them and it left me floundering in how to behave.
"I think I'll go and see if I can track down Owen and Cosmo," Daniel murmured to me, passing me his gun.
"Just remember it gets darker faster in the woods," Wendell warned him.
"And Miriam has a grand affair planned, what with—" Douglas gestured vaguely at me. "You know, royals filling up the house."
Daniel nodded and jogged for the trees.
With the guns passed to the groundskeeper, we entered the manor from the veranda, a servant hurrying to help us out of our coats until they looked buried beneath the layers. Miriam Pope appeared, her cheeks flushing sweetly as her husband and son both moved in to kiss her cheeks.
"Her Highness—"
"Mother, please, call her Bryony."
"—went out with that…oh, I've forgotten his name," Miriam said, frowning. "The old one."
Douglas scoffed. "He was younger than me, I should think."
"Aric," I said.
"Yes! Thank you! Her Highness and Aric went out to find the others," Miriam said. "Oh and the handsome guard."
Which meant it was only me. "Perhaps I should go and join them so the three of you—"
"Wait, Thao," Wendell said, brightening and stepping away from his mother to move to my side. "No, actually, I'd love for the four of us to sit down together."
Miriam bit her lip and smiled tenuously, and I was sure she would've preferred if I left them to their time together without me.
"As long as you don't mind my little routine," Douglas said, heading for the pair of doors leading to the large study.
"Do you think Her High—"
"Bryony."
"—Will dress very finely for our dinner tonight? I did tell Joan I might need her to freshen my hair for the evening," Miriam murmured.
"The princess is very informal and a little bit of a wild beast," I said, making Miriam's eyes widen and Wendell laugh. "If we are very lucky, she will return from the woods without mud on her skirts or twigs in her hair. But you may need to prepare yourself to dine with a very pretty and well-mannered animal."
"Oh, dear. I've been making too much of a fuss, haven't I?" Miriam said, but she was smiling and she seemed to relax.
"Don't mind what he's said. Bryony is every bit as anxious to please you as you are to please her," Wendell said. And then his hand found mine at my side, our fingers tangling together. "Now I promise this won't take long, but I really do want to grab this moment with you and Father."
Miriam hummed and nodded, following after her husband to the study as Wendell's fingers squeezed around mine.
"Quit looking as though you're about to face an army," he whispered, leaning in and resting his forehead against mine.
"Are you sure this needs to be done?" I asked, gaze flicking back and forth between the open study doors and Wendell's face.
"I'm sure that it will mean a great deal to me to tell them," Wendell said. "And I think it might to you as well."
"There is always a letter," I muttered, but I followed as he tugged me toward the door.
Miriam had already found a seat in an armchair by the fireplace, and Douglas was packing a small pipe with dark tobacco, his eyes lifting and pausing on our linked hands. He blinked, stilling in his movements before setting the pipe aside, a slight frown on his lips as he crossed his hands over his stomach. Wendell guided me down to join him on a small couch.