Cornerstone (10 page)

Proper Lady's Shoes

“
Mama said you should wear this.” As Emariya watched, Jessa held up the delicate gown of heavy violet satin. The long sleeves fell gracefully into points at the end that would nearly reach the floor. The bottom of the intricate yet simple gown fell out in waves, creating a graceful train. The train bestowed a lavish appearance, but its true beauty was in its simplicity. Other than the lace on the arms and at the neckline, which would sit just off Emariya's shoulders, there were no other embellishments. “She said it was your mother's,” Jessa said softly.

After donning the extravagant gown, Emariya regarded her reflection in the mirror. She loved the way the train swirled around her feet, making it look as if she were floating. Her wild hair had been tamed and cascaded around her shoulders in gentle waves—the result of tenacious brushing by Jessa. Atop her head sat a delicate circlet of braided silver. Along each side of the circlet were three pearls set between two ornate silver beads. This, too, had been her mother’s. To the people of Sheas, the pearls represented the sea.

“
Mama and I put most of your mother's gowns into the packs for tomorrow, as well as some material to make you more once we reach Thalmas. Your brother told us you would be taking only your best.”

Emariya looked at her in alarm.

“
Don't fret, Riya, I prepared some of your linens, as well. I knew you would want them for traveling,” Jessa gave her a wink.

Emariya let out her breath in relief.

“
I wish we weren't having a feast. I don't really feel like celebrating,” Emariya complained.

“
Everyone would be really disappointed if they didn't get to wish you well, to send you off,” Jessa said gently. “It's not that they are celebrating, really, it’s more that they admire what you are doing.”

Emariya squeezed Jessa's hand and smiled. “You're right.”

“
Emariya, are you all right with this?” Jessa sounded slightly troubled. “I mean, before you found out about your father, you had decided against doing exactly this. And now…”

“
I…” She sighed. “I don't really know that I am all right with anything. My father is in prison, the fjord is under attack. There are lots of things to be not alright about. And I am marrying a man I've never met. Compared to what my father must have been suffering, it doesn't sound so bad, though, even if it wasn't my first choice.”

“
But what if he's horrible? What if you hate him? He might be cruel, or cold. You don't know anything about him.” Leave it to Jessa to voice Emariya's own worries. They had been friends for so long that it was no surprise that they had been troubling themselves over the same things.

“
Don't think I haven't thought exactly that. But what choice do I have, truly? Can I be so selfish as to let my fear prevent me from taking the one course available to us, to not only gain assistance against Sheas, but to secure my father's release? I have to marry him, and if he's cruel, well, then I guess he's cruel and it's something I will just have to live with. But while I may have to live with it, Jessa, you don't.”

Emariya turned to her friend, and looked at her steadily. “If at any point you wish to be released from my service, all you need do is say so. You could stay here with Reeve and your mother.” Emariya hated the thought of Jessa not going with her, but she wasn't going to force her to go.

“
Don't even think that for another minute. My place is with you,” Jessa insisted, even as nervousness played behind her eyes. It occurred to Emariya that she wasn't the only one following a path that frightened her in the name of loyalty and duty.

“
Well, all right, but remember: at any point, just say the word and I can send you home.”

Stepping away from her dressing table, she opened the heavy door to her bedchamber and made her way toward the great hall, where the feast would be held.

It was a great occasion to be invited into the estate, and all the residents from outside the wall had come. Even the servants were being permitted to attend as guests, provided they weren't responsible for serving the meal. That had been Emariya's stipulation to agreeing to the feast. She had told her brother if its purpose was to allow them to see her off, she wanted all to be welcome. He hadn't been pleased, but he had agreed.

She could hear the hum of many conversations being carried on at once as she drifted closer to the hall. Unable to put it off any longer, she took a deep breath and then entered the extravagant room. The tables at the front were laden so heavily with food that Emariya worried they might collapse at any moment. Sheer golden fabric, artfully embroidered with the symbolic fern leaves of Eltar hung floor to ceiling, was spaced every few feet along the walls. All of the candles in their sconces had been lit, and additional pillar candles placed on tall stands bathed the room in a soft glow.

If she thought the room itself was magnificent, it was nothing compared to the people. Everyone wore their absolute best. All of this to celebrate and thank her. She was at a loss for words. When she stepped through the doorway, the hum quieted at once. All eyes were suddenly upon her. She was uneasy for a moment. Was something the matter? Then she saw smiles begin to spread upon the faces of the people she had known all her life, and she began to relax.

People wasted no time before coming up to her in pairs of two or three to wish her well and good luck on her journey. Everyone had something they wanted to say to her. Almost all were some form of, “Good luck!” or, “Your parents would be proud,” or even better, “Your mother made just such a journey.” Did she really need to be reminded of that one? Perhaps they had forgotten how that had ended for her mother. She knew they meant well, but she was anxious for the night to be over so that in the morning she could be on her way. She couldn't help but think that while they were here drinking wine and enjoying hearty roast duck and turkey, her father was alone in a cell.

A hand grasped her elbow. After making sure her smile was firmly in place, she turned to greet who she assumed would be another guest. Instead, she found her brother. Next to Reeve stood a tall man with blond hair shorter than her brother’s, but long none the less. It fell over his ears in ragged clumps. He wasn't what one would call handsome, but neither was he ugly. His jaw was square, hard, and set in a nervous smile. Emariya didn't recognize him.

“
Emariya, let me introduce you to an acquaintance of mine. This is Khane. Khane, may I present Lady Emariya Warren, my sister.”

She greeted them by nodding her head.

The man bowed his head slightly forward. “Milady.”

“
Well met, Khane.” Emariya's upbringing caused formal pleasantries to come naturally to her.

“
The pleasure is all mine,” Khane smiled at her, though the smile didn’t make it quite all the way to his blue eyes.

“
Emariya, Khane has come not long ago from Thalmas. He is familiar with the land between here and Castle Ahlen, and is knowledgeable with a sword. He will be accompanying you as an escort when you leave in the morning.” Reeve said.

Her brother and Khane were both watching her carefully.

She smiled and said graciously, “I will be grateful for your knowledge, as well as your sword, though we may all pray it not be necessary. Thank you for agreeing to accompany me.” She had expected that her brother would send someone with her; she surely hadn't expected to travel between here and Thalmas alone. If anything, she was more surprised that he was sending only one escort, although perhaps it was for the best. The smaller their party, the less attention they would attract.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

A Goodbye Says Nothing

Following Emariya's lead, they came to a stop side by side at the peak of the hill. The sun drooped low in the sky, taking its meager warmth with it. The first morning light had coaxed them from Warren's Rest, the sun rising at their backs to overtake the small party at midday as they rode without pause. As their enthusiasm waned, the sun hurried ahead, guiding the three riders toward their first stop.

They were tired from their first day’s ride, but there was also a feeling of elation from being underway. Emariya surveyed the land below. Closer to Warren's Rest, the hills were punctuated with fields, but not here. Rolling hills led to more rolling hills. A few lines of trees and underbrush separated some of the hills from the others, but overall there wasn't much to distinguish one rolling slope from another. Also unlike near Warren's Rest, here there were no cottages within sight. It had been a few hours since they had passed the last home. They briefly considered stopping there for the night, but Emariya decided against it. She wanted to gain as much distance as possible while the weather held.

“
We will make camp for the night down there.” She pointed, indicating a line of trees clustered at the base of the hill before them. The trees would offer them at least some reprieve from the cold night wind. Jessa and Khane nodded, and Emariya nudged her filly down the slope at a brisk trot. She had to resist the urge to move as fast as the horses could go; she didn't want to push them too hard and risk exhausting them before they reached Castle Ahlen. It would take them several weeks to reach the castle under the best of conditions, and they were expecting the going to be rough as winter announced its imminent arrival.

At the base of the hill, Emariya pulled up on her reins, bringing her mount to a halt. Jessa and Khane did the same, following her lead. Khane dismounted first. With a steadying hand, he held their horses while the girls dismounted.

“
If you'll see to the horses, we'll start a fire and see to some supper,” Emariya instructed him. Not waiting for his response, she turned to Jessa and handed her the pack from behind her saddle. Emariya wished they had been able to bring at least one other person with them to help with the horses. They had each of their mounts, as well as two packhorses, and neither of the girls was experienced with tending horses or making camp. Unfortunately, between the preparations to move the residents inside the walls if necessary and the extra men Reeve was sending to the fjord, there had really been no one else available to send with her. She had expected Garith to accompanied them.

For their first night, they had fresh food left over from the feast the night before to serve as their dinner. Emariya reminded herself to enjoy it while she could, after saying a brief prayer of thanks that her father had taught her how to start a fire. When she'd been young, she'd loved nights spent camping with her father on their way to visit neighboring estates. But then, she'd had the innocent eyes of a child, excited for the adventure that always seemed to be lurking just outside of the campsite. Tonight, her eyes were older. She hoped if there were any adventures lurking outside their camp, they would pass without finding them.

The horses rustled nearby, munching on the remnants of grass that was still prevalent, even if not quite green. As they sat by the fire, sharing their turkey, neither seemed inclined to break the quiet with conversation.

Jessa had been strangely quiet all day. Emariya could only imagine how hard it had been for her to say goodbye to her mother. Even though Emariya had been without both of her parents for quite some time now, she had never actually had to say goodbye to one. She decided not to press her on it. Jessa would talk about it when she was ready.

Emariya turned her attention to Khane. She really didn't know much about him. He seemed nice enough, but where had he come from? Her brother said he had come from Thalmas, but the prince couldn't have sent him to escort her—there hadn't been enough time. So when and why had he come?

“
Do you have a family somewhere, Khane?” Emariya asked.

“
I don't really know, Milady,” the blond man answered.

“
You don't know?”

“
I'm what you'd call a bastard. Never knew my father, and my mother wouldn't speak of him. Mother died when I was eight. I suppose for all intents I don't. I've got blood out there somewhere, but I'm not part of 'em.” Emariya thought she heard a slight twinge of wistfulness in his voice.

“
I'm sorry,” she said gently. “I didn't mean to pry. I just feel as if I don't really know anything about you.”

“
It's no worry, Milady. What'cha like to know?” His steady expression reminded her of Reeve, who also had a way of looking at her that felt as if he were actually looking through her.

“
Well, how did you come to be in Eltar? My brother said you were from Thalmas. And please, Emariya or Riya will be fine when it’s just us.” She smiled encouragingly at him.

“
If it’s all the same to you, I'll keep with 'Milady'. And I was a trader, before the routes were shut. I learned the roads and the ways through where there ain't no roads. I've been over much of all The Three Corners. Thalmas is just the first place I remember being.”

“
How'd you come to be in Eltar with my brother?” Emariya asked curiously.

Jessa rested on her blanket nearby, with her legs curled under her. Her eyes roved to Khane as he spoke.

“
I'm shamed to admit it, Milady, but I was a thief. There's not much in the way of food in Thalmas. I used to steal food from the Uplands and sell it at a premium in Thalmas. Likewise, I'd sell metals from Thalmas at a premium in the Uplands.”