Fool

She wadded the favor belt as small as she could and slipped out of the gardens as quickly and as unnoticed as she could manage. She stepped into her small carriage with relief and let it take her back to her lodging, losing herself in her disjointed thoughts as she was driven.

 

He had hardly done anything but insult her but she had liked him somehow. Her uncle would be pleased that she had gotten the favor belt back, at least. She knew his admonishment was not simply meant to prevent her from giving it at the table again, it was to prevent her from giving it to any Meazyr. The royal family had never, in all the history of war and peace between their peoples, intermarried.

 

Why had she liked him? She thought bitterly, maybe he had reminded her of home after so long. Redreath, where she had been born and raised until she was sent to court, had been a mix of Meazyr and Draimenan peoples. She had learned to speak Meaz along with Draimen from a young age. She was surprised how much she remembered after ten years of not having heard it spoken.

 

Her father had admired them. He had told her of their fierceness on the battlefield and let her listen to their stories. They believed they were descended from trees, they called themselves Meaza Aerinnat, meaza trees that remembered. She had thought it beautiful.

 

But that was before her father had been killed at Vells and she had been sent to court to hear of it. The Peace had followed soon after.

 

She realized the carriage was stopped and peered out of the window at the house, stepping out as the door was opened in front of her. Vaeri went in exhausted. Keya began to chide her immediately for taking the favor belt off and wadding it up that way. She groused about the fabric as Vaeri slipped out of the dress and into her night clothes, pulling her hair down and tossing the gold combs untidily onto the vanity without a word.

 

Vaeri slipped into bed and blew out the lamp as Keya was still talking, startling the woman with her rudeness. Keya came to the side of the bed and for a moment Vaeri thought she might try to inquire what was wrong. Instead, she stroked Vaeri’s hair wordlessly and left her to sleep.

 

In the morning, Vaeri rose early and slipped into a riding dress pulling her hair up and into a hood. Most of the paint on her ears had come off on the pillows, Keya would likely chide her for that as well, the rest she gently wiped off.

 

Keya knew her well and had her breakfast ready and her horse was being saddled as she ate. Restlessness and unhappiness were dealt with in the same way, escape on the back of her horse. Before she left the house, she made certain to apologize to Keya for her rudeness the night before. She pleaded exhaustion. The look on Keya’s face said she knew better but wasn’t going to argue.

 

Vaeri climbed onto her large black and grey mare and felt at home. She stroked the long glossy mane and touched her heels to Akashi’s sides, bringing her almost immediately to a trot as she tried to navigate the already filling streets. She headed to the nearest gate and tried not to seethe as she noticed the area she had planned to use for her riding had been filled with tents. She chided herself. It was the sort of thing her cousins would do, fly into a rage over people simply existing and ruining her fun.

 

She rode out past the tents, choosing to stay on the road, bringing Akashi to a canter and then a gallop as the road cleared and she could enjoy the space. When she felt she had gone far enough she slowed and turned. Pearlion was a distance away but not as far as she wanted it to be. Vaeri sighed and headed back letting Akashi walk, the slow smooth stride rocking her gently.

 

It was just past time for lunch when she returned to the house and began to tend to Akashi. She sent in the stable boy to let Keya know she had returned. When she heard Keya arguing with someone telling them they could not go out to the stables she was puzzled. And then he stepped into the dimness and she found herself seething again. She chose to ignore him, she focused on rubbing Akashi down with the cloth.

 

“Zoldendochter, do not ignore me.” His voice was soft but demanding.

 

“You may call me Flower like the rest of your brothers, I have no interest in learning what you wish to be called, Fool.” She kept her voice as cold as ice and her face as unmoved as a mask.

 

He moved toward her coming within reach of Akashi and the mare tried to take a bite out of his shoulder. He cursed in Meaz and glared at the horse as she laid her ears back and bared her teeth.

 

Vaeri smiled and rubbed the horse affectionately.  “Brava meidt.” She heard the Fool laughing in his throat.

 

“Spraekst Meaz.”

 

“Not for a long time. My carer will show you out.” She cursed herself internally, she should have known better. Speaking his language would be seen as encouragement.

 

“Zoldendochter, I will not leave until je allow me to remove the insult I gave je.” His tone was insistent and determined.

 

“Consider it removed.” She allowed him to hear her annoyance.

 

“Spraekst nikt ohn an de wortn glaubn.” His furious tone made her turn her head to look at him.

 

“I want you to leave my house. If telling you what you want to hear is the only way you will leave I will tell you the clouds are green and the grass is white. You have no way to remove the insult you gave me. Remaining in my house after I have made it clear I do not want you here cannot possibly aid your cause.” She was just as angry, and to be cornered in her own lodging was unbearable. Her eyes widened as he stormed toward her, Akashi reared and lashed out with her hooves, “Wek, Narr!”

 

She had to step back from the agitated horse, immediately changing her tone and speaking soothingly to her. She was so focused on the horse she didn’t notice that he had left.

Author's Note

“Brava meidt.” - Good girl.
“Spraekst Meaz.” - You speak Meaz.
“Spraekst nikt ohn an de wortn glaubn.” - Don’t speak if you don’t believe the words.
“Wek, Narr!” - Away, Fool!