One Day More - a Sartorias-deles fanfic

Chapter 19

It was late in the night when Cetus arrived in Remalna-city.  He had not wanted Iris to know of his arrival, so he timed it thus that she was asleep when he walked through the door.  Or at least, she should have been asleep; he was not going to ascend the stairs to learn whether it was true.  He had received a letter from Cassiopeia nearly a week ago, requesting his presence in the capital.  Things were not going entirely according to plan, and she could use his insight.  Letter correspondence was too risky.  So, Cetus had ensured all was well at home before packing his belongings into a trunk and had hitched rides on four different coaches to make it to Remalna-city.  While he was not few on funds, he would rather spend his purse on something more...useful than a direct trip to the capital.  Plus, multiple coaches rather than only one made his movements harder to track.  Many drivers versus one.

Cetus knocked on the door, and Cassiopeia ushered him through.  She locked the bar in place behind him, thus sealing them all inside.  He grunted as he dropped his trunk and rubbed the sore muscles behind his neck.  Although Cetus would never admit it aloud, his age was catching up to him.  Before long, he may have to hire a servant to carry the heavy trunk for him.  The servant would not be at the same caliber as he had grown accustomed when living as a member of the nobility, which was another factor Cetus did not want to accept.  He missed his old life with the Merindars.

Then, the Theren name meant something.  He and Cassiopeia were welcomed at every party, respected—and maybe feared, too—by all.  He thoroughly enjoyed the wide eyes and general examination as he and his wife passed.  They were popular, but the Renselaeus family had changed all of that.

Where the Therens were once praised and envied, now they were hated.  They still had allies, though, which was how he and Cassiopeia had been able to operate under the very noses of the royal family.  Sometimes, their oblivion—the fact they never noticed rebellious activity, or even thought it possible—was reward enough in itself.  Even some of their own staff, Cetus and Cassiopeia had in their proverbial pockets.  Some were more interested in the money than the cause, certainly, but Cetus would take loyalty in any capacity he could achieve it.

When he sat down at the table, Cassiopeia already had a mug of hot tea waiting for him.  He blew on the top and took a long sip, the heat seeping through his tired muscles.  There was a hint of something else in the tea—a burning, somewhat spicy sensation he associated with a strong liquor.  An unbidden addition, yes, but one in which he was not disappointed.  After a long journey, Cassiopeia understood he needed the mind-numbing relief alcohol offered.  A few swallows of the liquor hardly affected him, but they did bring with them enough peace that he felt less the age of his body.

"Well?" he prompted, Cassiopeia refilling his cup with more tea.  Steam rose up from the liquid, and he blew across it again so he would not burn his tongue.

"Iris grows nearer, but I think she is holding herself back." Cassiopeia sat in the chair across from him.  She pulled the tie from her braid and started tugging her fingers through her long, thick tresses.

Cetus and Cassiopeia were compatible; there was no denying that.  Although his wife was certainly a beautiful woman, Cetus had never felt any sort of physical attraction toward her.  He thought the feeling was mutual.  It had been an arranged marriage, negotiated by their respective parents when they were in their teenage years.  Cetus and Cassiopeia had begun as friends—very close friends—but their relationship had never developed beyond that.

If he were honest, Cetus believed himself to be incapable of the emotion called "love." He had never felt it toward anyone, not even his parents.  The only emotions that mattered to him were those centered in ambition and political ascension.  Any frivolous sentiments like "happiness" only interfered with true success.  Although they had never discussed their lack of feelings for one another, Cetus knew Cassiopeia felt the same way.  They were mutual conspirers, with similar goals, and they had both tumbled out of public reputation when Vidanric Renselaeus took the throne.