Vitus swallowed hard. “I want a future with you, too. And together, we’ll figure out how to get there.” He considered. “Would a betrothal protect you enough? Even if we didn’t marry for a bit, until I’m more established?”
“Maybe.” Thessaly looked up. “If I could avoid shouting on the street about how much I want to marry you.” Her mouth curled up slightly.
“You’re doing remarkably well at that so far,” Vitus said. “I will dream of a day we can walk down the street in Trellech arm in arm, then.” He let out a huff of a breath. “And now?”
“And now, I want. I want a night with you. Without expectations looming, or fears, or any of that.”
“I will apply myself to that bit of magic, then. Not quite a talisman, but I think I have some relevant skills.” Vitus reached out, letting his fingers trail across the back of her hand, a pattern that hinted at much more to come.
She laughed, nudging him. “Less in the way of clothing, then. And less light?”
“Both can be arranged.” Vitus set himself to those particular problems, as well as making sure the wine glass was well out of the way. It did not solve any of their large problems, but those could wait for a night. Today had held plenty.
36
MAY 20TH AT ARUNDEL
“We do appreciate you coming.” It was Dagobert who stood to greet Vitus as he entered the parlour. Vitus had never seen it before. He’d never been invited so far into the house. Laudine was settled on the chaise under the window, with other chairs pulled around in a conversational grouping. The entire room was what Vitus had expected from the house. Dark wood panelling with shades of purple, along with touches of gold, including gilt bees climbing the edges of the mantlepiece.
Vitus nodded, shaking Dagobert’s hand and then sitting in the indicated chair. “I. Erm. Yes?” It was certainly not his most suave. “You mentioned you’d prefer sooner than later.”
“Oh, that’s mostly in case Isembard is in a hurry.” Laudine spoke more lightly about it than Vitus had expected, and it was the first time Vitus had heard the name. That must have shown on his face, because Laudine added, “It is a Fortier custom to tend toward Merovingian names. In this case, Isembard— well, one of them— was a vassal of Charlemagne, well-regarded in battle. It means either iron-bright or iron-axe.”
Who was not Merovingian? That was part of the point of the Carolingians. Vitus wondered, entirely inside his head, howdeliberate that choice was. Though presumably there might have been other people, back further in time, who were named Isembard. “I hope all goes well, and that he lives up to the hopes for his name.” Vitus considered. “I’m familiar with Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the engineer. That seems a hopeful sort of precursor, too. Axes being slightly less in demand these days for many people.”
Laudine favoured him with a smile, one he thought might be truly sincere. “We appreciate your good wishes.” She shifted slightly, and it became clear that she, not Dagobert, was going to be the one doing most of the talking for the moment. “We would like to commission a talisman, a complex one, and a highly personal one.” She lifted her fingers. “I have reasons for not asking my father.”
It was and wasn’t what Vitus had expected. “Pardon, Lady Fortier?”
“None of that, either. For one thing, I’m not at all used to the name yet.” Laudine looked Vitus square in the eye. “Let me lay out the parameters, and then you can tell us what you think is possible. It will require innovative work.”
Vitus nodded. They had, in fact, paid a generous consultation fee up front for this time, and he bore these particular Fortiers no ill will. They’d been thoughtful and helpful to Thessaly, which was also a mark in their favour. “Please, go ahead. May I take notes, or would you rather not?”
“I’d prefer not, for the moment. And I will ask for oaths on what is shared here. Though I’d prefer to make them once you decide if you will accept the commission, since that may affect the terms. We trust your discretion in a general sense, but there are nuances that are complicated.”
Vitus nodded, folding his hands. “Please, go on.”
Laudine let out a breath that was near enough a sigh. “My husband and others in his family were involved with a projectof substantial magical scope and innovation. I am not able to speak of the details, neither is he. At a particular point in time, he came to realise that it was a poor decision.” She glanced at her husband appraisingly.
“More precisely, a sequence of increasingly bad decisions.” Dagobert spoke quietly, as if some doom were still lurking over his head. “I was cursed for my disagreement by two people, and the combination has been lasting.”
“Specifically, my husband tires far more easily than he ought, and our Healer, excellent though he is, has been able to mediate it only so far. Being here, on the land, as Lord, has been some help, but not as much as we hoped. I have been able to assist, to some degree, but not while expecting, and likely not with a young child. Or at least not in an uncontrolled setting, the sort of ordinary daily interaction of vitality between people who are close.”
Vitus realised they were not touching, that he had not seen them touch other than in formal ways in some time. That was another thing he absolutely could not inquire about, except, well, they had opened a door to it. “I presume that you have noticed the vitality as a concern in ordinary daily contact?”
Laudine pursed her lips. “Yes.” She glanced at Dagobert, one of those unreadable silent conversations, then added, “We often used to share a bed, and that is… not a good idea. Not for the entire night. And yet, we rely on Dagobert’s tending of the land, of the land magic. And his ability to join me for a meal, or spend time with Garin. Or Isembard, in the near future. And more than anything, I want to protect them from that drain.”
“It is like water, flowing away, too fast to dam up sometimes.” Dagobert’s voice was even more of a whisper now, a roughness to it. “And I will not hurt my family. I would stay away from them if I had to, but that will hurt them.Does already.” He said the last part rapidly, as if his wife had indicated something.
Vitus nodded slowly. “And the goal would be a talisman that would dam the flow, stabilise it. And also something that you, Laudine, could add to, in a controlled manner?” He was thinking already how it would need to be two pieces, matched. Even cuff links, if he could get the form needed small enough. One to stem the drain, the other to provide something to draw from.
Laudine nodded precisely. “Just so. Paired pieces, or something of the kind.”
“I was thinking paired, yes, but where you would wear one of them for a time. Perhaps a week, a fortnight, a month, depending on how it works in practice. And then swap. Something suitable to wear on a watch chain or a brooch or something of the kind, hidden or obvious.” Vitus was, he admitted, already deeply intrigued by the challenge inherent in the project.
“You think you can do the work? Not immediately, if that would help. We understand that you would need to research, design a proposal, and then look for a proper time to implement it.”
“I would also need to ask some rather personal questions. A full astrological chart, naturally, but then additional questions to take your native inclinations into account. Strengthening the places there is already suitable potential is easier, and more natural, than creating it out of nothing.”
