Free the Darkness (King's Dark Tidings Book 1) (41 page)

At first, Frisha was confused that Rezkin did not defend his
desire to court her, but when he mentioned her intentions to marry one of the
nobles, she was distraught. She had thought he understood after their previous
conversation about going to the tournament that she really wanted
him
.
Now that she thought back on it, she realized she had never actually expressed
her feelings for him. She had only said that she wanted to go to the tournament
and that she did not
want
to marry a noble. She had never said she
wouldn’t
marry a noble or that she would chose Rezkin instead.

Rezkin, for his part, had not asked for any promises or
shows of interest. He had simply accepted her company for what it was and
seemed happy with what he could get. On top of that, she knew from the
general’s reaction to her gifts that Rezkin had paid handsomely. Frisha felt
terrible.

For the rest of the day, the three companions strolled along
the streets and gawked at fancy things in expensive shops. Most of the shop
owners were opposed to the idea of people perusing their wares without making
any purchases, so they relegated themselves to peering through windows. Rezkin
purchased another fine quality but serviceable tunic to replace the one that
had been stained with blood from the battle with the bandits.

He saved the herbalist’s shop for last since it was where he
would need to procure the most items. Tam and Frisha followed him inside,
wrinkling their noses at the strong scents that mingled in the small confines.
Their eyes roved over the countless bottles and packets and pouches labeled
with strange names that meant nothing to them. Rezkin was talking to the shop
owner and seemed miffed.

“This is a ridiculous price for sparywort. I could go just
outside the walls and collect bushels of the stuff,” Rezkin asserted.

“But, you’re paying for the
quality
. This sparywort
was grown with the freshest water collected from the last winter ice in the
light of the afternoon sun. The plant was then snipped with silver sheers on
the eve of the full moon,” the shopkeeper replied.

Rezkin scoffed, “This herb is used by apothecaries, not
alchemists. None of those things matter for its healing properties, and it
would be ridiculous for anyone to bother with performing those useless rituals.
You most likely had your apprentice go out and gather this from the patch I saw
growing near the bridge.”

The shopkeeper, a sour-faced, middle-aged woman with dull,
stringy blond hair, sputtered, “I assure you,
boy
, I am a Master
Herbalist, and I know what I am talking about. I did no such thing.”

“Save your lies for someone who cares to hear them,” Rezkin
said with a frown. “There are quiet a few things I require, but I will not be
purchasing them from you. I
will
be reporting your business practices to
the Healer’s Guild, so we will see how
they
feel. Let
them
deal
with you.”

With that Rezkin motioned Tam and Frisha toward the door. As
they exited the shop, the herbalist frantically called out, “My lord, wait,
please. I may have been mistaken. Sparywort, did you say? My lord…” She was cut
off as the door closed behind them.

“What was that all about?” Tam asked.

“The woman was a thief and charlatan. I cannot imagine she
always conducts her business in such a way or she would not have a license to
operate. Items always cost more in the city, but everything in that shop was
priced at least three or four times what it should cost. I think she was trying
to swindle me because of my age. She probably thought I was some struggling
healer’s apprentice who know no better.”

Frisha gasped, “That’s even worse! That would mean she is
stealing money from those who have the least and are just struggling to make
something of their lives.”

Rezkin nodded once. “Exactly, which is why she needs to be
reported.”

“I agree,” Frisha responded. “Do you think she does that to
everyone or just
you
for some reason?”

“It is possible she thought I was a noble who could afford
it,” Rezkin replied.

Tam looked at him sideways, “A lot of people seem to think
you’re a noble. I can’t say I disagree.”

Rezkin shrugged but said nothing.

The trio headed to the Healer’s Guild to report the
herbalist’s underhanded business practices. An elderly man with white hair that
stuck up all over his head recorded the information Rezkin provided. The man
was kind enough to give the young people the names of a few shops where they
could purchase supplies at a reasonable price. After visiting one of the shops
mentioned by the old healer, they returned to the general’s estate. By the time
they arrived it was already close to the dinner hour.

That evening at dinner, General Marcum asked, “So, Tamarin,
when will you be visiting the recruiter’s office?”

“I’ve decided to wait until after the tournament. Rezkin, Lieutenant
Jimson, and Reaylin are all going to compete, and I’m going with them,” Tam
replied.

“Are you? I did not realize you were a duelist, Rezkin,”
General Marcum remarked with an underlying hint of disapproval.

“I am not,” Rezkin replied, “but I am capable.”

“What? I thought you were a duelist,” Tam replied. “You told
Jimson that you duel.”

“I am proficient with the…
sport
,” Rezkin replied,
“but it is not my preference to compete in such a way. It is not a fighting
technique that is suited to the battlefield. If you attempted to engage the
enemy in such a way, you would be easily cut down. True battles are messy and
lack rules of engagement. From your own experiences, I am sure you can
appreciate that enemies, whether soldiers or bandits, will not adhere to any
rules. Dueling is a brutal sport, but it is a sport, nonetheless. It was
designed for the aristocracy to show off their
Skills
in a safe
environment.”

“I quite agree,” stated General Marcum, “but that begs the question
of why you intend to compete if you feel that way.”

Rezkin considered how to answer the general’s question.
“Lieutenant Jimson made a few good points regarding the usefulness of such a
competition. He said it was the only way he had to measure his progress
relative to other duelists and claimed to have learned several new techniques
from watching other combatants. The lieutenant also pointed out that the
tournament is the only opportunity he had to observe a Swordmaster.”

“Hmm, that is all good and well for the lieutenant, but it
does not explain why
you
wish to compete,” the general observed.

Seeing that the general was not satisfied with his
explanation, Rezkin merely shrugged and said, “I have my reasons.”

“Which are?” Marcum asked.

Rezkin met the general’s eyes and replied, “My own.”

Frisha took that moment to jump into the conversation.
“Actually, I have decided to go to this tournament as well.”

“No,” General Marcum said flatly.

“What?” Frisha asked in surprise.

“I said, no. You will not be traveling alone with these men
any longer. It is not appropriate. The fact that you had to in order to get
here can be excused, but I cannot abide you doing so simply for the adventure.”

Frisha raised her chin in defiance and said, “All of my
companions are honorable and most excellent protectors…except maybe Reaylin,”
she remarked with repugnance, “but she is a woman, so that should not matter.
One of your own lieutenants will be accompanying us. There is no reason to
prevent me from joining them.”

Lady Adelina decided to add her opinion to the mix. “Frisha,
dear. We are supposed to be preparing you to meet with prospective husbands. We
cannot have you running off with other men for extended periods of time.”

“But, Aunt Adelina, I will have my entire life to be
married. How many more opportunities might I have to go to the tournament? How
many times have
you
gone? And
your
husband is the General of the
Army! Most of the noblemen will be at the competition, anyway. It will give me
the opportunity to see them compete. Besides, Rezkin has offered his
protection. I will be safe,” she said with confidence as she crossed her arms.

General Marcum slammed his fist down on the table causing
the dinnerware to clink. “I will not allow you to travel half way across the
kingdom with someone I do not know or trust.”

Frisha argued, “There is no reason for you to object. Rezkin
has been a perfect gentleman, he has comported himself with dignity and
respect, and he has protected me and even saved my life at least twice. You
know he is capable.”

“I know nothing of the sort,” the general stubbornly
responded. Then, more softly he said, “It is unseemly, Frisha, for a young
woman to go gallivanting across the countryside without a proper escort.”

“What exactly would you consider a proper escort?” Frisha
questioned.

“My dear,” Lady Adelina said, “you are among nobles, now.
There are proper protocols for every occasion including one such as this. There
are only three ways an unmarried lady may travel and retain her honor.
Otherwise, people will question your virtue, and with your commoner blood
already working against you, you really cannot afford that. I am sorry, dear. I
mean no offense. It is just a statement of fact.”

Frisha nodded in acknowledgement and asked, “And what are
those three ways?”

“Well, the first is that you must be accompanied by an adult
male blood relative. Since neither your uncle nor father can accompany you,
that is not an option. The second is that you would be accompanied by your
betrothed – also not an option at this point. The third is usually
reserved for necessary travel only. It could still be considered acceptable, as
far as your reputation is concerned, but it would damage your chances of
finding a husband.”

“Well, what is it?” Frisha asked, not really caring so much
about finding a noble husband anymore. She already knew who she wanted, and she
doubted he cared about such things.

“You would have to enter into a formal prime courtship and
then your prime suitor could accompany you,” Lady Adelina replied, “but it
would still be frowned upon by our peers.”

Seeing the confusion written across the young woman’s face,
she continued, “You see, when nobles enter into a marriage it is quite complex.
During a normal courtship, the young woman may court several suitors at a time
to give other potential suitors the opportunity to express their interest and
also so that she can decide which young man she wishes to marry. Once she and
her family have decided upon a suitor, a betrothal contract must be signed. The
betrothal contract outlines all of the political and financial agreements
between the families of the bride and groom. After the betrothal contract is
signed, the bride and groom must wait at least one year before the wedding can
take place.

“As you probably already know, nobles can be a stubborn and
finicky lot and coming to such agreements can take quite some time. It may take
six months or more for some of the larger houses to finalize an agreement.
Then, they would have to wait an entire year for the actual marriage.”

“Why a year?” asked Tam.

Lady Adelina paused to sip her wine, so Rezkin answered
Tam’s question. “Some of the betrothal contracts between larger houses can have
widespread political and economic ramifications. Waiting a year for the
contract to take affect provides enough time for the news to spread and for
others to make plans for the impending changes. Anyone who will be affected by
the contract has the opportunity to file a protest, and the contract must then
be reviewed by the king. The king has the authority to approve the contract,
send it back for revisions, or dissolve it completely.”

“What is a prime courtship?” Frisha pressed.

“A prime courtship was devised for two purposes. The first
is when it is agreed that a couple will wed, but it will be some time, years,
before they can do so. Perhaps one or both of the young people are too young or
one must go away for a time, maybe to study…”

“Or go on campaign,” the general grumbled.

Lady Adelina continued, “…so forming a betrothal contract can
be difficult if the houses do not know what their state of affairs will be when
the time comes. This usually applies to the smaller houses, since their
finances and political standing tend to fluctuate. The second application is to
get around the problem of the long waiting period. A prime courtship is a
simple contract that states that the lady has chosen her suitor and the suitor
has agreed to the marriage, but the terms of the betrothal agreement have not
yet been agreed upon.

“The time spent in a prime courtship can be applied to the
yearlong waiting period. As a condition of entering into a prime courtship,
both parties must either stipulate that the terms of their betrothal agreement
will have limited affect on outside parties
or
they can publish the
potential
terms so that outside parties can respond appropriately. In that case, the
financial or political impact of the published potential terms cannot be
increased, only decreased, during future negotiations,” Lady Adelina explained.

Frisha’s shoulders sagged. “So either way, I cannot go
unless I either have a relative or future husband with me.”

After dinner, Tam followed Rezkin out to the stables. As the
young warrior was checking on his battle charger, Tam decided to broach the
delicate subject.

“Rez, why don’t
you
enter into a betrothal with
Frisha?” he asked.

“What? Why?” Rezkin asked, genuinely bewildered.

“Oh, come on. You’ve been courting her for like a month,
now. Don’t act so surprised,” Tam chuckled.

I am courting Frisha?
Rezkin thought.
When did
that happen?