Chapter Text
Myste was startled by the knock at her office door, but was thrilled to see it was Alberich, back from his months long assignment. She ran into his arms.
“There is something I must tell you.” He said in his native Karsite. “In order to keep my cover–I got married while on assignment.”
“I’m sorry, what?” She said in the same language.
“I–or rather my undercover persona–got married while on assignment. We’re waiting for Selenay and Talmir to sort out the divorce now. I’d like you to meet her.”
“She’s here?”
“She wouldn’t have been safe once I left. Hell, she wasn’t safe before I got there. Poor thing was gifted to me for saving her father from raiders like a herd of cattle.”
Myste felt a confusing mix of emotions at this. She understood why Alberich would need to keep his cover, but part of her was–jealous? Part of her was annoyed at the part of her that was jealous. Part of her wanted to know more and a teeny tiny part of her she never knew existed wished she didn’t know as much as she did. Sympathy for this unknown woman who’d been married to a man not her choosing.
“Where is she now?”
“I’m moving her into the spare room in the salle until other accommodations can be made. Do try to hold back your questions for her, I’ll answer everything, but she’s scared enough.”
Myste nodded. “Let’s go meet your wife.”
***
Myste wasn’t sure what she expected, but the child in Alberich's sitting room was not it. At first Myste thought the girl was only ten or eleven, then on closer examination realized she was a little older, just small and malnourished, maybe twelve or thirteen.
Myste was more observant than people gave her credit for, and didn’t miss the way the girl held herself, not like a child at all, but like a very tiny adult–though one who was used to being ill-used.
“Talia, this is Myste, brought her to meet you I have.” Alberich said, approaching the girl. Talia. Myste noted that the name fit with Holderkin naming patterns, which made sense since Alberich had been undercover on their lands. The girls tended to have softer sounding names, often ending with the soft a sound.
Despite the girl probably being Holderkin, she was dressed as any lower class woman of Haven, in a pale blue dress, a very unHolderkin outfit.
“Hello Herald Myste,” Talia said, meeting her eyes. “I’ve heard a great deal about you from my Honored Husband,” she added with a slight tone of amusement.
“I wish I could say the same,” Myste replied.
“I believe my Honored Hus–” she was interrupted by Alberich
“Use my name you can. Among your people we are not.”
“ Alberich, said something about wishing he was close enough to Mindspeak you. Frequently.” Talia said.
“ Really , I’d love to hear what else Alberich said. Would you like to go for a walk, Talia? I could give you a tour of some really lovely spots in Companion’s Field while Alberich goes back to sorting things out.”
Talia seemed to look to Alberich for permission. “Told you I have, that here you may do what you wish, as long as it harms none, breaks no laws, spills no secrets—though you may tell Myste everything—and endangers you not. If you wish it, go with Myste.”
****
“So tell me everything.” Myste said.
“Everything?” Talia asked. The girl seemed taken aback by that.
“Let me ask a simpler question, how is Alberich as a husband?”
“I could not in my wildest dreamings have imagined a husband as wonderful as my Honored Husband.” Talia said, and Myste could tell it was the truth
Whatever answer Myste had expected, that was not it. “Oh, but you’re still getting a divorce?”
“Yes, he explained that here in Haven I can be my own person, without a husband or father at all. And I would receive alimony as a divorcee. He said he would even help me pursue my education! I wasn’t very keen to be married in the first place. But Alberich is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
***
Talia loved her room at the back of the building that Alberich called the Salle. First off it was all hers. She’d had her own room as First Wife, back at the Hold she and the undercover Alberich had held, but it hadn’t been nearly this nice. This room had polished wood floors, and a window looking out onto what she’d been told was Companion’s Field. She’d never felt more, or less, at home.
***
Alberich thought it would be a good idea to pretend he was more social than he was—for Talia’s sake. He didn’t think she would willingly venture into the Palace to socialize. But he hoped that if he had people visit his quarters in the Salle he might trick her into meeting people.
The first evening back they were too tired, but a few days later he asked Kris, Dirk, Talamir, and Myste to come for dinner to spend the evening with him and Talia.
By then, word of his marriage had spread, though since his assignment was secret, Talia’s true origins were also secret. Instead they’d concocted a false background for her, which he hoped was enough to lure the unknown “money man” he was investigating into a false sense of security. Or at least, not tip them off.
The money man had bought poison from a Holderkin man and used it to try to kill Talamir. With Talia’s help, he’d found the Holderkin who’d grown it, but even he hadn’t known who the money man was.
As far as anyone else was concerned, Talia had come from the western border, near Rethwellan.
Myste had been an obvious enough choice for the dinner. He wasn't sure what had prompted him to extend the invitation to Kris and Dirk, so newly in Whites themselves. But seeing as Talia clearly liked Dirk's singing once she heard it, he decided it was a good enough decision.
And Talia did like Dirk’s singing. Or perhaps, as Myste noted to him via Mindspeach, it was actually the Herald she liked. :I think your wife has a crush: He looked at Talia, who kept glancing at Dirk, looking away, and blushing ever so slightly.
:I do believe you are right. Well, he’s safe enough. He’ll probably view her as a little sister and be completely oblivious to it, and if he does notice he won’t embarrass her or take advantage.: A crush on a slightly older lad was normal at her age, and Dirk would treat her kindly, even if the age gap was too much at this point in their lives for him to be interested in her. But maybe he should introduce her to boys her own age, though it was likely they would all be too immature for her. Hmm, maybe Skif. He’s the right mix of immature and seen too much for her.
:It’s kind of adorable, actually.: Myste noted. :I wonder why she seems so uncomfortable around Kris.:
Alberich thought back to the brother of Talia’s he’d met named Justus and suppressed the urge to shudder. He’d put two and two together when he’d seen Talia withdraw from Kris and didn’t wonder at all. :He looks like one of her brothers, one who was particularly sadistic. The handsome men among the Holderkin seem to be the most violent towards their women. She was very frightened of me at first.:
:Poor dear. If handsome men scare her, and you frightened her, then Kris must be the stuff of nightmares!: Myste replied, her mind voice filled with amusement.
:That joke isn't any funnier than when Kantor made it.: Alberich paused a moment, thinking. :I'm strongly considering giving her self-defense lessons. But perhaps I will start her with Jeri or Skif.:
~~
Talamir listened to Dirk and Kris play as he watched Alberich’s soon-to-be-ex-wife.
:Rolan, what is it about her that I’m sensing?:
:She’s your successor, Chosen, and my next Chosen.: