Honey and Arsenic

They had the servants packing all my belongings during dinner. As soon as we finished dessert, my family bid me their insincere goodbyes and Grandmother and Grandfather personally escorted me out of the house behind the Berkeleys. Grandmother had a face like a thundercloud, and Grandfather kept glancing at me sideways in a manner that could only be described as lecherous.

“Are you not pleased to be married, Aerys?” Grandmother questioned, her tone laced with honey and arsenic. I know what the correct answer is, but I cannot help my need to be honest with her. I will be leaving her power shortly.

“I am pleased to be leaving,” I replied coolly, betraying no emotion. Grandmother’s whole body tightened. This was not what she was expecting. I suspected (and still do) that she tried to enchant my necklace and it failed, or that the enchantment was somehow still not working as she wished it to work. “I have no doubt that this match has always been intended for me. It is not as if my opinion actually matters. Who am I to question what you and Fate have ordained?” She didn’t like that. I think she forgot that I have been her favourite all my life and that she has encouraged my reading, encouraged my intelligence, and ensured my education. Amazing what memories a little insubordination can erase. Fortunately, Dmitri came up to us then with a strange look on his face. He bowed to Grandmother, but his eyes remained on me, until he was forced to look at the sorceress to address her.

“I apologise for the interruption, but my parents should like that we be on our way. It is a long journey home,” he told her respectfully before returning his eyes to mine. I have never seen eyes like his, so vibrantly amber that they almost look to be on fire. Grandmother glanced between us with narrow, calculating eyes.

“Very well. We have no further business with you, anyway,” she muttered sourly. Dmitri wrapped an arm, surprisingly strong and comforting, around my waist and led me to the automobile in which his parents were waiting.

They tried to make small talk with me for a while. They found that I preferred not to speak. Dmitri’s eyes never wavered from me. I finally squirmed into a somewhat comfortable position against the leather seats and fell asleep. Although I was fascinated by the scenery outside my window--imagine, the whole world I was kept from all my life flying by beyond a single pane of glass!--I wanted to be alone, and it soon became clear that I was to have no respite from attempts to start a conversation unless I fell asleep.

Now, as I stand in the horseshoe driveway of an elegant mansion ablaze with electric lights, for night has quite fallen since I fell asleep, I wish I had paid more attention to our journey here. Since I have not, I have no concept of which direction we came from and therefore where I should best go if I wish to escape. Butlers open the doors of the automobile, pick up my baggage, and lead the way into the mansion. Dmitri himself helps me out of the automobile and takes my arm to escort me into what I presume is his home.

“Welcome to our estate, Aerys. I hope you will find it pleasant and soon learn to love it as your home,” Wesley says simply with a kind smile.

“Thank you,” I answer politely, as I must. Indeed, I have no idea what else to say. A million questions have swirled in my mind since the news was broken at dinner, but I haven’t the foggiest idea how to go about asking any of them. How did you come to choose me for your son? What had my grandparents to do with this arrangement? Are we already married, or will there be a ceremony? If there is to be a ceremony, when will it be? Where will it be? What will I wear? What are the rules here? What do the servants do, and what must I do for myself? Will I continue my lessons, or am I expected simply to please my husband and bear children? Must I manage a household? Why have they not told me anything about this? Know you anything of my necklace and whether or not it is enchanted? How came you to know my family at all?

“Dmitri will show you to your rooms. You seem quite tired, so we will let the rest wait until morning.”

“You are most gracious, My Lord.” I dip him a curtsey to show respect, as I have been taught.

“You need not be so formal. We are far more relaxed than ever your grandmother or mother were,” Zinaida assures me.

“Thank you. What then shall I call you, Lady Berkeley?”

“You may call us Father and Mother.”

“How came you to meet my grandmother and my mother? I can only assume that tonight was not your first acquaintance with them.” My parents-in-law exchange meaningful glances.

“They really told you nothing about this, did they?” I simply shake my head. “Well, that will be a story for another day. You have endured enough for one day, and you must still be exhausted in spite of your nap. Dmitri, please show her to her suite.”

“Yes, Mother,” Dmitri answers before I can object. He still has my arm and pulls me up the grand staircase before I can protest. We walk in silence for a ways through elegantly decorated hallways. It’s like a palace in here in ways that my grandmother’s chateau never was. I’m sure it’s even more beautiful in the daylight, with all the windows and skylights the architects saw fit to include. As things are, the elegant draperies and crystal chandeliers, the light marble walls and plush Persian rugs--all speak of wealth and power of the most subtle and charming variety.

“I cannot believe they kept you in the dark about this. I have known about it since I was a small child,” Dmitri mutters, his eyes flashing fire. I shrug.

“You’ve met my family. Surely you noticed how congenial and eager to communicate they are,” I point out with no small hint of irony.

“None of them seemed to like you much.”

“They have little tolerance for those who are different from themselves. And my mother and Zira hate everything and everyone except their respective husbands and the latest gossip and fashions.”

“I feel that I shall like you well, then.”

“I feel that you cannot judge so much from my family’s opinion of me. Having known of this arrangement from your childhood, I can only presume that they sent you information about me?” He tints pink with embarrassment. It is a becoming shade on him; I cannot help thinking that he would look good in anything.

“Quite regularly. I suppose your grandmother wanted to assure my parents that they had made a good investment.”

“Investment? Are you implying that I was bought, like a chair or a dress or perhaps even a slave at auction?!”

“Calm yourself, Aerys. I was trying to imitate your sardonic humor. It seems that I need some practice. My parents will tell you the story in due time, I’m sure.”

“I’d rather know now. I have so many questions.”

“I’m sure you do, having been kept in the dark about your family’s plans for your future for so long. I apologise that I keep bringing it up. It must be upsetting enough for you. But I find their behavior so asinine--”

“I am not surprised by it. I wish only to remedy the situation now that I am finally free from them. Will you answer my questions, or must I hunt down someone else to do it?” We stop walking between two doors, one on each side of a long hallway. In fact, these are the only doors in this long hallway, which is lit by torches and by a window at each end, by the staircases.

“You will have a time of it, having not been shown around this mansion yet. Are you not tired?”

“Hardly. I slept quite a while on the way here, did I not? It must be nearly dawn.” He pulls out a pocket-watch to check the time and arches an eyebrow.

“Another hour or so yet. And I know not how long you slept, for I’m sure I slept almost the same amount of time, myself.”

“Then you should have no objections to satisfying my curiosity.” I am beginning to become annoyed with this (handsome) stranger I am meant to wed, and it seems that he senses it.

“Only that I am not much of a conversationalist. But I suppose, under the circumstances.... Perhaps you would care to go to the roof and watch the sunrise?” Did he really just suggest such a thing? How can he know that I would love that? No one knows how many times I did that alone or with Kyla, unless Grandmother was somehow spying on us. I arch an eyebrow, trying to read him. Does he have an ulterior motive? But he seems honest enough....

“If you will answer my questions while we are there.”

“You must promise to answer mine in return.”

“Done. How can we get to the roof?” I am impatient and I can tell that it amuses him. He will irritate me to no end.

“Follow me.” He fumbles in his pocket and pulls out a long strip of cloth. “But you cannot see the way, for it goes through my chambers, which you may not see until our wedding night.” He looks as if he expects me to protest, which is indeed my first reaction. After a moment’s thought, however, I decide to give him no trouble. I want to get to the roof as quickly as possible, and I will give him no reason to believe that I wish to be bedded tonight.

“As you wish, although I must confess I find this childish.”

“I believe you’ll find it worthwhile in the end,” he chuckles warmly near my ear as he ties the fabric over my eyes, effectively shutting out the meagre light of the hallway. Then he takes my hand, and I hear the sound of a door opening. “Come with me.”***~O~***