Tales of Fire and Ruin

Cold Betrothing

Gisela, ever true to her word and a stickler for her duties, rarely left Oleander and I out of her sight when we were together. She skulked outside the door while Oleander crushed herbs for the antidotes to be sold at the market. Other times she chased me outside headlong and made me shoot arrows in the storm until my fingers and arms went numb, yelling at me whenever I made mistakes.

Oleander and I hardly got a moment's peace between us. Only when a rare distraction took Gisela off of our trail, could we steal a quick kiss wherever we were. Usually, it was Oleander finding me. The elf had a talent for soundlessly moving across stone and skirting Gisela's watchful gaze, even if only for a few moments. It was never long before Gisela's voice would ring out, asking us where we were hiding this time. The most Oleander and I could do was exchange smiles, and have 'accidental' brushes of hand against hand while working.

Oleander and I weren't the only ones kept busy.

Everyone, even including my father, gathered herbs, staved off curious eyes, and collected vials for the antidotes to be sold in. Conrad's methods, while highly questionable, were effective.

The antidote sold.

The first few days, only a few vials. The antidote was a specialistic good, after all, only useful in one deadly situation. But the message of a skilled herbalist who made cures never heard of before seemed to spread like an oil stain. Many merchants loved a good story and a rare item. More and more travellers came to the Thundercoast, seeking out Oleander and his potions. Sometimes they were Conrad's friends or dark figures who were clearly up to no good with our wares, but we couldn't afford to be picky who we accepted coin from. Other guests of the Thundercoast were simply fascinated with the possibilities and existence of the antidote.

Conrad, for all his sneaking in the dark and his flaws, went and got Spot the horse back. One night, he vanished and came home with Fynn's favourite. Said he'd performed a switch trick. Fynn was overjoyed, and it seemed my cold older brother had a heart, after all. For a moment. Conrad ruined it immediately after by gruffly telling us he only did it so Fynn, who was in the bedroom next to his, would stop whimpering and sobbing at night.

A few weeks passed. With our bellies full, our coffers slowly filling, and townsfolk less bitter because of the recent interest in the Thundercoast from merchants, even my father no longer could find things other than petty complaints to grumble about. After a nice dinner with pastries from a bakery for dessert, a luxury we had not been able to afford for years, Valda stood and moved to the head of the table to address the whole family.

"I believe it's time we start sending letters to Wildewall," she stated. "We still have a few friends in the court we can address. I will let them know the Montbow house is strengthening its trading position on this side of the ocean with the help of a monopoly in rare goods. And that Laurence is traveling to the Serpentine mountains for another attempt at knighthood."

"If we write to the court, Ariane Seydal will want to visit the Thundercoast and see where we are standing," Conrad said.

"Yes, Perhaps it's soon time to invite her to stay at the mansion," my mother agreed.

Valda pulled a face, but swiftly recovered and faked a smile. "I would be most happy to see Ariane again. But Mother, you know that if we want her to visit, we need to purchase new furniture, and get rid of the vines and mould on the walls."

"No, I don't want her to come," Fynn whined. His gaze darted from Oleander to me. "She shouldn't marry Laurence."

"Fynn, hush," I told him, reaching out and pressing a hand to his mouth. 

Fynn blew up his cheeks and crossed his little arms as recoiled from my hand, deeply offended. My little brother meant well, and he wasn't wrong about my interests being elsewhere, but I couldn't risk him saying this in front of Ariane as well. I couldn't even risk him saying it in front of Oleander. It was a sour subject, and I felt Oleander's eyes resting on the side of my face.