And her name is…

Added to my schedule of not much, Helion insists on giving me lessons on the history of anything he thinks might be important. We also work on my manners, which admittedly need work to pass as any sort of nobility. I’m crass, I always have been, and that won’t be helpful with the plan we’re trying to pull off.

Tiago had used his affinity to pick him up, but in two days we would travel back to his court to meet some of his friends. The plan was to introduce me as his fiancé, knowing they would insist on having a gathering for the others to meet me. As much as most others respected Kheliq’s claim to power and reign, they all subtly wanted a leg up over him. Meeting me before him would bring them great joy and make it impossible for Kheliq to refuse me entry.

While I understand that this step is necessary, and a part of me gets a little thrill out of fucking with Kheliq, I’m nervous to have to meet others. Growing up with people, you don’t have to impress them. Your choices for friendship are limited and we created relationships through understanding and exchange. I very well couldn’t help any of the aristocrats weed their garden for their favour.

Helion chastises me for pulling my feet up onto the chair while telling me about the different families I’ll have to meet. I return with showing him the curve of my feet and odd angles of my toes. When that makes him feel guilty I show him the slight bow in my leg that Nyx has been working slowly to correct from a nasty break.

I only wanted to shut him up, but he crosses the room and sits beside me on the chaise before pulling me into his chest. He holds me, and I hate it, but I have to admit it’s warm and comforting.

“Theodosine, I won’t let him hurt you again, I promise,” he whispers.

You don’t have to promise me that.Iwon’t let him hurt me again.

But I don’t say that out loud. I keep my words to myself and let him comfort me. It isn’t as much comfort as I think he thinks it is, but the break from his lessons is nice and knowing he cares gives me something over him.

When we return to his instructional, he tells me about his cousin who stops by for what she thinks is an unscheduled tea every month. Really, Helion has an arrangement with her husband to give him notice each time. When we were to arrive at his home, she would be coming for lunch and I would have to meet her.

“My cousin, Triennia, is a busy body. Within an hour of her leaving everyone will know, but if you tell her blatantly to keep a secret she will die with it. Tell her a secret, anything, when I take her husband, Sanji, to get a drink. It will make her instantly fall in love you,” he explains.

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable breaking up their marriage since we’re pretending to be engaged, but if that’s what you want..” I smirk and he rolls his eyes.

“You know what I mean. You don’t have to think it up now, but get some ideas going. Whatever you do, do not lie to her. She will know and she despises liars. She will defend any of her friends to the ends of the world.” He hands me a book, and luckily it’s one I’ve already read. “Read this one tonight. If you’re going to pretend you’re from these part you should know our basic history. It’s unlikely that Triennia will talk about it, but some of the other Ladies or Queens might.”

The Queens.. the ones that should be ruling.

I nod. “I’ll be sure to know it.”

—

These lessons become a part of my day until the morning we were due to leave. Tiago came knocking and I got up from my seat at the window to open the door. He bows lowly and smirks at me but I scoff at him.

“You ready fighter? I am to ferry the two of you back to Helion’s for the tea,” then he lowers his voice as he enters my room to continue with, “and on behalf of Nyx’s request and my agreement to her request, I am staying to act as your personal guard.”

I nod, incredibly grateful to not be in a house ofcompletestrangers. At least I will know him. Helion joins us a minute later and it takes Tiago just one stop in the middle to teleport us into a bedroom a Helion’s.

“This is the main guest room,” Helion informs me and goes to open a wardrobe full of extravagant dresses. “One of the maids will be up shortly to help you do up the dress and fix your hair.”

Tiago is nodding like it’s him being given the information. “I’m going to change myself, and then I’ll be waiting right outside the door for you to bring you to the reception room.”

I nod and as they leave I lock the door behind them. I quickly take off my comfy sweater and pants and pull out a dark blue gown with the least poof in the skirt. The chest panel at the front has gold embroidered detailing and the sleeves hide my arms that don’t have much muscle tone but aren’t as skeletal anymore. My chest has grown a little since I started putting weight back on, but the dress definitely makes it look like more than it is. Still, I need to keep as covered as possible to hide my scars.

Soon after I’ve started synching the back myself a maid knocks on the door and I let her in.

“Oh you’ve almost got it already, I’m sorry I took too long,” she apologizes hastily.

“Nothing to worry about. I’ve laced my own corset back before, the only thing I’m really hopeless with is my hair. I used to keep it short for that reason.” My words assure her and she takes a deep breath.

“My name is Pretta. I’ll help you finish that, and then I’ll get to work with you hair,” she offers, helping me finish the back of the dress before guiding me to a bench by a vanity.

“I’m Cheil,” I return, giving her the name Helion chose.

I haven’t consciously thought about my hair, usually twisting the loose curls into a knot out of my way. Now that I’m forced to recognize the hair I’d kept at a short pixie cut is now down to the centre of my back as Pretta unknots it and starts to gently brush it out with her fingers.

I sigh deeply and she looks to see if she’s hurt me but I reassure her with a smile. After she’s given it a loose woven braid with smaller braids through it, she ties it off with a bit of ribbon and fluffs it around the sides of my head to hide my ears. She smiles with approval and steps back to admire her work when she notices my feet.

“I’ll get your shoes,” Pretta offers and I’m too embarrassed to ask her not to.

She slips the heals on my feet and I stand like a baby deer. Pretta compliments my appearance several times before going, and she leaves the bedroom door open when she sees Tiago waiting for me. He strides over to me in a guard’s uniform and smiles as he offers his arm.

“You look beautifully uncomfortable fighter.” He chuckles and I elbow him as I take the arm.

“I never wear heals, and my feet aren’t shaped well to accommodate them,” I admit, using him for more support than I would like.

We head down the hall to the stair case and start to descend. I take each step carefully and Tiago chuckles each time I grip his arm tighter with my other hand, but eventually we make it to the bottom safely. He turns me to the left and we enter a beautiful room with carved, covered sofas around a table with tea and treats. There is a fire burning off to the side in the fireplace and I’m lead to sit in the sofa nearest it happily.

“Helion is already greeting them out front. It was seen as him being outside already when they arrived ‘unannounced’, so you can pretend you’re surprised when they all come in.” I smirk and he laughs. “I think Helion is going to regret involving you like this, isn’t he?”

I shrug. “Wasn’t my idea.”

I pour myself some tea and pick up a cookie to munch on when I get a devilish idea. Helion will definitely regret pretending to engage himself to me. I can hear him returning, his heavy feet leading the way for the others that you can barely hear behind him. He’s saying something, but it’s easily ignored and I wait until I hear the door open.

“Oh sweetie, there you are. I bit of my biscuit fell and I bet you’ll take any excuse to lick it… off.” I turn towards the door near the end, catch the eyes of Triennia and Sanjiand trailing off while I cover a fake blush. “I’m so sorry Helion, I didn’t realize you were expecting company.” I stand up and dip towards them as he showed me. “I can come back later.”

I keep my face turned slightly towards the floor and knot my fingers together at the front of my dress. My intention is to make like I mean to leave, but I only manage a few steps before Helion is in front of me. I’m so glad he closes the distance as fast as he does because my feet in the heals are barely keeping me upright.

“No darling, it’s alright,” he assures wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close. “This is my cousin, Triennia, and her husband, Sanji. They stopped by for tea.”

I nod and curtsy again. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“This is Cheil, my future wife,” Helion continues. “We were going to wait to announce it, but it would come out at King Kheliq’s ball regardless.”

“You we’re going to tell King Kheliq before me?” Triennia exclaimed and then rushes over to me, swallowing me in a hug. “I’m so glad I decided to come for tea today.”

I return the hug, albeit more meekly and look to Helion. He chuckles and unwinds his cousin from me, who looks distraught at our separation.

“She… is nervous around new people,” he begins carefully. “She hasn’t met any of my friends.”

Triennia grins. “Then we must host before King Kheliq’s ball, get everyone together so Cheil has more friends than strangers at the party.”

I had to admit that I was suspicious. That quickly faded as the woman went into details about having music so I wouldn’t need too talk to much, and spacing out the arrival times of guests so I could meet them one at a time and not be overwhelmed. She led me back to the couch and my tea, sitting in her own lovely lilac dress so our skirts touched.

“Which is your favourite?” She asks, leaning forward to the stand of treats.

I look over it. “I’ve really only tried the cookies,” I admit remembering the warning about lying I continue, “anything with fruit makes me nervous.”

My fingers knot in my lap and I’m not sure if it’s fake or real nervousness. She takes a small chocolate cookie and then hands me one and smiles. Behind me, I hear Helion inviting Sanji to grab a drink and I start to think.

“Where are you from?” Triennia asks excitedly. “I haven’t ever seen you before and I’d remember hair and eyes like yours.”

Perfect

I lean in towards her. “Can I trust you with a secret?” She nods conspiratorially. “You can’t tell anyone, not even Helion knows yet.” Her excitement grows and she nods again. “My mother is from Orthoire.” Her face pales and she stares at me. “Please don’t tell him, I swear that I will before we ever get married, I…”

She silences me with a wave of her hand. “I won’t tell him, I won’t tell anyone, and I’d appreciate it if you never tell anyone I know this secret. It puts both of our lives in danger.”

Based off what I read in the history books, this is the biggest secret she’s ever been given. I move my hand on top of hers and smile, but it takes her a moment to bring her eyes back from the men to me. She smiles but it doesn’t seem to quite reach her eyes anymore.

“I won’t tell anyone that you know. I only told you because, well, Helion has talked so highly of you. I want very much for us to get along, and he said chances of that would improve if I gave you a secret. That is my very best secret.” Everything I say is one hundred percent true and her face softens as she looks at me.

I know now that my guess is right. Triennia is a truth-seer. She covets secrets because she knows every one she has is true. I was very careful from the minute she entered to only speak honestly or in facts, but going forward I would continue to need to be careful around her.

“Is that why you gave a fake name?” She asks me suddenly and I shake my head, expecting her question.

“It was Helion’s idea, Kheliq has heard of me and…” I wince as I think of true words to replace what I want to say. “I’m not ready for him to know I’m alive.”

Her eyes open slightly, and I hope she’ll ask so I can tell her another truth. Maybe she sees that in my eyes because she doesn’t ask and picks up two strawberry tarts instead.

Handing me one she says. “I know for a fact Helion wouldn’t dare to allow any of the magical fruits in here,but.. I hear some of the ladies enjoy them at their private gatherings away from their husbands or responsibilities though.” She gives me a knowing smirk and I start to giggle like a school girl reading a smutty novel in private.

“You?” I say softly and lean towards her. “I…” I start giggling again and she hushes me as the men look over. “That secret is much better than mine,” I admit with a wide tight smile. “I wondered what they were doing in this time of peace.”

Triennia’s eyes flash to me and the.. determination and power I see there excites me in a way that only increases as she says, “the time of the women leading is returning. The men just don’t know it yet.”

The men join us then and sit together on the couch opposite us. Each of them holds a glass with a shallow pouring of blue liquid I know to be a sipping liquor.

“What are you ladies discussing?” Helion asks and eyes my grin with concern.

“My newest best friend was just telling me she would bring me as her plus one to the next tea with the ladies. I’ve never been invited to such a thing before.” He seems to relax, which I’m not sure he would if he knew what I meant.

I glance at Triennia as I mixed truths and a lie on my response. She definitely did not invite me, but I think she would genuinely now.

“So let me see it,” Triennia says after a moment of smiling at me and holds her hands out in a ‘gimme’ movement.

I look puzzled back. “See what?”

“Your engagement gift,” she squeals. “Mine was this necklace, a lot of women get braceletsand the men get rings, but to each their own.”

I didn’t think of that.

“My mom had a necklace too. She said it was the only thing she wouldn’t lose,” I giggle and hold up my hands for her to see, hoping to it play off like I’d already lost it but Helion speaks before I can.

“Then there’s her daughter,” he chuckles, andreaches into his pocket. “I wonder how long it will be before she loses this one.”

He stands to come around beside me and opens a small box for me with a pink stone in a woven metal frame attached to a delicate chain. I reach for it and hold it up to see the length of the chain and smile sweetly to him.

“It’s very pretty Helion. Thank you,” I return, moving to take his hand in mine and squeeze it.

Then I turn toward Triennia and I can see her taking us in like we’re picture perfect.

Now I see the downside to her affinity.

Both me and he spoke the truth but he doesn’t know my mother, I never had a previous necklace, and it is not my taste. Our words were true, but their easily supposed meaning gave a different impression in the same way saying you bought a new house with legally acquired tender somehow implied the money was obtained illegally. Triennia’s gift has a a serious pitfall.

I move my braid so he can put it on me and then tapped on it gently while smiling at him. “Thank you.”

He leans over to hug me, lifting me from my chair as he does to hold me with my feet dangling above the ground. I had been fiddling with my shoes under my dress and now my feet were happily bare, curling in the air. To show my appreciation, and fuck with him, I stand up on the couch to kiss him. My mouth is closed into a tight lipped purse and I can feel his surprise as his arms freeze and tighten around me.

I open one eye and see Tiago in the corner, stunned at first, but I see him barely containing his laughter when he sees my eye roll. I release Helion but before I’ve gone far he pulls me back to him and now it’s my turned to be shocked. When he pulls away my cheeks are burning and I turn away from the others.

I’m not as big of a fan of people fucking with me.

Triennia is cooing in the corner and Helion sticks me back in my spot before walking around the table to the fire, picking up his drink along the way. He takes a big sip, watching me the whole time, and I hear Sanji for the first time as he laughs.

He speaks in a language I think he believes I don’t know based on whatever Helion’s said about me, but my mother was a thorough teacher and we had time.

“* You have one who likes to be spoiled I see. *” He chuckles again. “* And that devilish smile she had with my love means you are in trouble my friend. *”

I debate for a moment but decide the shock value will be well worth whatever follows.

In the same language I return, “* he has no idea. *”

The least surprised was the one who knew the least about me, Sanji and he laughs again before saying, “I apologize, I never would have said anything if I knew. I meant no offends, only to tease my dear brother-in-law.”

“I understand,” I say with a smile, “I also enjoy teasing him.”

Now Sanji laughs loud and hard. “I like this one, much better for your ego than that Rei. Oh how that girl would hang off your every word.”

I caught him being scolded by both of them for bringing up an ex.

“It’s ok,” I assure. “He’s never asked about my past interests and I return the favour. It’s unlikely he’ll meet any of mine, and I’m not so self conscious as to let his bother me.” I glance at Tiago in the corner and smirk, then Helion catches my eyes. “I know I’m the best, if he wants second place I’ll help him find her.”

Triennia is giggling and refills my cup. “I like her.”

“Me too,” I return.