Forced Into Tyranny

15: Bound by Desires

Thevalon Castle.
Lady Lyra's Chambers.

       "Here is your quill, vellum and wax seal," Monima said, handing them to Lyra by her wardrobe. "I have also chosen a dress for your fitting later today." She pointed to a pale gold wrap dress hanging on a rail. "Do you need anything else?"
       Lyra confidently walked over to her table, taking a seat and placing the paper and pen in front of her. "See yourself out," she said, not looking towards the maiden. "And fetch me Hecuba on your way wherever."
        Monima could not stand the way Lyra talked to her now, showing no respect or consideration. It was not expected for ladies to treat their maids with respect, but Hecuba certainly faced no such impertinence, which made Monima bitter. However, if she were wise enough to realize that she herself was disrespecting her lady by getting involved with her betrothed, she wouldn't dwell on it. Unfortunately, the girl was too naive to think outside the box. She desperately desired everything - love, respect, status - and these were far more than even noble-blooded women were entitled to.
       "Why do you detest me so much, Lady Lyra?"
       "I do not detest you, I distrust you," Lyra corrected and put her quill in the fountain of ink, read to get word out to those who cared for her at least.
       "I have given you no reason to distrust me, yet you treat me with suspicion at every turn. Is it my humble birth that makes you doubt my intentions? Or is it something else?"
       Oh, the pretense of this woman would drive Lyra to madness. "It is not your birth that I doubt, but your affairs. Your secretive comings and goings into the kings chambers have raised the suspicions of many at court. The gossips whisper that you are a wanton and a seductress, and I cannot ignore such dangerous whispers."
      "Those are vile lies, and whoever spreads them should be made to pay for their falsehoods." The girl lost her manners when she yelled, and she clearly did not rectify that with an apology, which made Lyra certain that she was no damn use.
       The odd silence endured for nearly a full minute. Lyra appeared to have concluded the conversation, while Monima yearned for more... perchance some comforting closeness.
       "Seek out Hecuba, Monima," Lyra commanded at last, her head buried in her vellum. "Your unwavering gaze upon the nape of my neck saps my wit."
        Monima, without offering a curtsey, nodded disdainfully and vanished. Only then was Lyra able to redirect her focus to the vellum spread before her.
       Dear Sister, she started the letter, directing it to the one sister who woke up early enough to be the first person to see the letter beneath their home door. I hope this letter finds you well. I know that my impending marriage to the king must be a shock to you now, as I have heard it spread across the kingdom today, but I assure you that it is for the best. Though it is a strange fate to be bound to a man I do not know and do not trust, I must do my duty for our family, and for you my dearest. I hope that you will understand and not weep for me, and that you will know that I think of you often, and miss you dearly.

Love, White Ly.

       The fond smile that played upon her lips betrayed the memory of her childhood moniker, 'White Ly,' bestowed upon her by her younger sister, Doris. The sobriquet had been earned by her really white skin as a child and her predilection for telling white lies in her later years, but it had long since faded from use as she had grown into a woman.
       Taking up the seal, Lyra carefully dripped hot wax onto the vellum, shaping it into a small pool. She then pressed the seal firmly into the wax, leaving behind an imprint of her family's crest.
       Just in time, Hecuba made a grand entrance into the chambers, a peaceful smile on her face. As Lyra was taking her letter to the guard outside her door to have it delivered, she pointed at the pale gold dress on her bed. "Please find me something meaningful to wear for a fitting. The last time I wore that dress, a sparrow defecated on me at my grandmother's burial."
       With a suppressed chuckle, Hecuba proceeded to find something meaningful. She had become familiar with her lady's preferences during the past fortnight. Pale gold, however, was not on that list. The deepest hues of green, blue, purple, and brown always seemed to satisfy her.
       "Milady, you must try to endure Monima," Hecuba advised, presenting a blue and silver gown from the assortment. "Forsooth, an idle mind is a breeding ground for evil."
       "An evil mind is indeed sinful, it needs no further temptation to be just that. And even the gods declare that the presence of a rotten egg will taint the rest." Lyra, though aware of the risk of being discovered, proceeded to fashion her own hair. "The rumors persist in my ears, and my patience extends only to witnessing her wander my chambers with feigned smiles. Yet, it shall not extend any further."
       Hecuba, her gaze filled with astonishment, felt a surge of pride witnessing the rapid growth and astute learning of the young lady. On the day they first crossed paths beyond the thresholds of Syagros' Home, Hecuba had harbored doubts of Lyra's self-centeredness and stubborn nature. But behold, behold! Behold her now, spelling words with the grace befitting a queen herself.
       Lyra flashed a confident smile at Hecuba, assuring her that there was no need to be concerned.
       But then, the maiden caught sight of the redness around Lyra's neck and narrowed her stare there. "What did that to you?"
       "Oh?" Lyra's hand went there and she grazed the skin with her thumb. "I caught myself in a knot of my own scarf." With her hair elegantly styled in a wavy bun, she swiftly changed the topic. "Pray tell, have you caught sight of the king today?"
       Hecuba nodded and replied, "Indeed, I saw him at the throng hall."
      "What was that gathering about?" Curious, Lyra raised her finger and playfully warned Hecuba, "And do not dare claim you did not linger to listen. I shall consider you..."
       "I did, Milady." She served two nods with a wide mischievous smile. "That the peasants in the south are restless, and they spoke of the rebellion from the north. The king fears that the discontent will boil over into violence if they do not address their concerns. And the queen asked your father what they could do to ease the people's suffering, when the crops have failed and hunger stalks the land."
       "That is all?"
       "That be all, I'm afraid," Hecuba replied with a hint of frustration. "Just as I was about to hear more, Monima told a guard to yank me out of the corridors."
       "That devious weasel!" Patience thin, Lyra started to slip into the gown provided by Hecuba. "And what of Prince Kōgon? Did you deliver my message to him?"
       "The prince adamantly claims to be occupied with matters in Oria and has no intention of meeting you in the Valcum."
       Lyra's patience crumbled to pieces, and she let out a piercing scream, hurling the quill and seal from her table. It became clear to her that Kōgon was deliberately avoiding her ever since news of her impending marriage to Hagnon had circulated throughout the castle three days prior. How convenient that he suddenly became too occupied to see her.
        Except Hecuba now, Lyra had no other ally, for her trust in the queen lay on a shifting foundation of sand, liable to collapse at any moment. The Queen's words were honeyed and sweet, but her actions were often secretive and sly. Trusting such a person would ultimately lead to a tragic end. And foolish, Lyra was not.
       "After the fitting, we shall journey to Rusthelm."
       Her statement didn't come out as a shock to Hecuba, for she knew the lady often found peace in the company of good people. Prince Kōgon was no longer in the picture, obviously. Hecuba herself could not be sufficient enough for her lady; it was why they normally gave them two maiden - and Monima really was no damn use. The queen... may the gods forbid the company of a woman that had placed the lady in an ill-fated chambers.
        Ever since Lyra had opened up to Hecuba about her third encounter with the warrior slave, she had been certain that the man's mark on her lady was not one to go unattended to. Perhaps their friendship would bloom to a harmless degree, and Hecuba knew she needed to be there to ensure it remained within the bounds of innocence. If Lyra were to become Queen through her marriage to King Hagnon, any association with a slave would only cost her her head.
       "On one condition," Hecuba said.
       Lyra responded eagerly, "Tell me, anything."
       "I must meet this man today. It is crucial that I become acquainted with him, so that in case any trouble arises, I can identify him." The task was not a difficult one. Lyra made no thought of it and simply nodded in agreement. "And you must promise me that you won't engage in anything beyond conversation."
       "Is there anything more than conversing to do?"
       Lyra's growing interest was destroyed by Hecuba's head shake. Hecuba was shocked at the level of innocence the lady held. It was the man she worried about, hoping he would not take her lady's naiveness for granted and sully her. It was the exact reason she had decided to meet him today.
       "There is nothing, Milady." She shook her head and bowed. "If you will excuse me, I must inform the coachman of the journey."