Chapter 760: Rejection

Jadis did not want to deal with politics. She felt like she had made that stance abundantly clear to everyone who knew her, and probably a few people who didn’t. She could participate if she had to, but her preference was to stay out of the political arena. Frankly, Jadis had better things to do. She had a fortress to build, Demons to rehabilitate, other Demons to slay, and truly vast world filled with ruins and wonders to explore. The last thing she wanted to do was to get mired in political intrigues in Eldingholt for the next few months. Which was why Jadis was simply not going to get involved.

Yes, Elodie had asked her to find a way to deal with her grandfather’s insane plot to discredit and ruin her reputation, and yes Jadis had agreed to try and find a way. But that didn’t mean she was going to waste time tiptoeing through the daisies, looking for ways to appease both sides of the issue. Not a chance. She was going to discuss the problem with her lovers and close companions that night and, if no easy remedy could be immediately found, then that was that. Jadis would then deal with Duke Colgrave in the best way she knew how.

She was going to tell on him to dad.

Emperor Somerulf was not her father. He was, however, the patriarchal figure that ruled over the empire, including all of the nobles who were being conniving little shits like Colgrave. As far as Jadis was concerned, what better way to deal with an unruly jackass than going to their metaphorical father and asking them to do something about the reprobate?

Of course, if Jadis did take the nuclear option, there was no guarantee about the results. Somerulf was a busy man, what with the whole marching to war thing. Sure, Jadis had his ear, but that didn’t mean that he was required to listen. Additionally, while she would be sure to ask the emperor to deal with Colgrave discreetly, for Elodie’s sake, there was no guarantee that he would agree to that, either. He was in a particularly aggressive mood at that moment, after all.

The point was, Jadis wasn’t going to let Duke Colgrave interfere in any of her plans. She appreciated the risk that Elodie was taking by revealing the plot to her, but she also wasn’t going to throw all of her ambitions away for Elodie’s, either. If she had to, she would support Elodie and Ludger herself, should the whole fiasco blow up and cause her family to fall apart and lose all their money, land, and titles. Jadis didn’t think things would come to that, but if they did, she would, and she would also just have to hope that Elodie wouldn’t swear lifelong enmity against her, should the worst come to pass.

With a plan, however unfinished, set in her mind, Jadis dismissed the concern of Duke Colgrave from her thoughts. She was good at compartmentalizing, after all, and her attention was better spent on other things at that moment. Namely, figuring out how to have pleasant yet idle conversations with complete strangers who all had their own political agendas that may or may not involve her.

For the next several hours, Jadis meandered through the noble landscape, speaking with literally hundreds of different women and children. Most of what she talked about was her time in Volto; the fights, the Demons, the cultists, and the aftermath of Kastoria. The fact that she had encountered a “piece” of the Demon Lord was known, but the means by which the feat had been accomplished was confidential. No one but Jadis’ closest companions needed to know about the soul-transferring spheres. Instead, Jadis kept that detail vague, referring to the Demon Lord’s appearance as some kind of Eldritch ability similar to her own, where he was capable of sending out lesser pieces of himself. Fortunately, no one disputed the lie, since how was Jadis expected to have anything other than guesses when it came to what abilities the current Demon Lord possessed?

Of course, Lady Vanessa called into question whether Jadis had really seen the Demon Lord at all, since she, Alex, Bridget, and Noct were the only witnesses, but her opinion was largely ignored. Not because everyone was so confident in Jadis’ veracity that they believed her account without question, but because Princess Lynn believed her, which apparently was more than enough to sway the opinions of nobles on both sides of aisle.

For the most part, Jadis and Lynn did not get much time to talk, not in a real way. The Princess was constantly surrounded by others and Jadis found that she was in no better position than her. Private moments could be found here and there, as Syd had with Elodie, but for the most part, Jadis was far too prominent and popular a figure to be alone for long. It wasn’t until the tea party was drawing to an official close that Jadis found one of her selves alone with Lynn and they were able to have a brief chat with no one else hanging on their elbows.

“He doesn’t have much to say, does he?”

Jay watched the dark-haired little boy run across the grass as he chased after the small red ball that one of the other children had tossed. It seemed to her that they were playing the same game as Jadis had observed Astra teaching her brother when she had first seen them and from what she could tell, the kid had not improved much.

“My husband always says that Wulfsige is a ‘man of action’ and not of words,” Lynn smiled maternally as she watched her son throw the ball in the completely wrong direction. “He has always been a quiet boy.”

“Mm, can’t say that I know what that’s like,” Jay murmured with amusement.

Looking to the side where Hope was lying in a borrowed cradle, she saw that her daughter was happily babbling away while Astra sat next to her along with several other small noble girls. The group was talking while eating cookies and cakes in numbers that impressed even Jadis. Eir and Svana stood nearby with a few of the mothers of the other children keeping watch, but they weren’t needed. Despite Hope’s complete inability to comprehend much less communicate, Astra was still keeping the infant involved in the discussion by occasionally turning to her and asking for her opinion. It was a sweet gesture, and Jadis found her opinion of the young princess rising yet again.

“She is quite the vocal child, isn’t she?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Just wait until she begins using real words,” Lynn whispered conspiratorially. “Some of the things Astra said when she was younger…”

“I can imagine,” Jay smiled to herself. “She’s a sweet girl, but I can see the troublemaker hiding in there somewhere.”

As Lynn nodded in agreement, Jay reflected on not only Astra, but on Wulfsige and Lynn as well. The little boy had barely said two words to her, but he had still been a polite and obviously good-natured kid, just like his sister. Just like their mother, really. Lynn was a genuinely likeable person, capable of a quick word but always kind in her delivery. Some of the women around her would barb and needle each other, but Jadis noticed that none of them directed their malice, even when benign, towards the princess. It wasn’t just because of her royal status, either. It was clear to Jadis that no one wanted to speak poorly to or of Lynn because everyone seemed to genuinely like her. She was just that nice of a lady.

Which begged one very important question.

“Do you mind if I ask you something?” Jay spoke up after a short and comfortable silence.

“We’ve all asked you so many questions,” Lynn replied with a smile. “I think it only fair that you have your chance to ask what you will.”

“How did you, um, meet Prince Hraustrekr?”

“In court,” Lynn answered readily. “My parents are margraves, just like Eir. In fact, my ancestral home isn’t far from the Aedraheill’s lands. I suppose the first time we met was when he saw me as a baby, when I was presented to the emperor and his family during an event not too dissimilar to this. However, I would say the true first time we were properly introduced was when I was sixteen, during the spring solstice ball.”

“And you… were betrothed? Maybe as some sort of, ah, political maneuver?”

Lynn gave her a knowing look, one corner of her mouth twitching upward. With a small huff from her nose, she moved slightly closer to Jay’s side. They were sitting, so the difference in height wasn’t so great as it would be otherwise, but Jay still felt compelled to lean down a bit to put her head closer to the princess.

“You don’t like my husband very much, do you?”

Wincing slightly, Jay debated internally for a moment.

“I don’t, no,” she decided on admitting. “Honestly, I kind of hate him.”

“I’m not surprised,” Lynn nodded in sympathetic understanding. “He has that effect on many.”

“Then why are you with him?” Jay went boldly to the central mystery. “You’re so nice and he’s so… him. I know he’s a prince and is probably going to be the emperor, but you could do better.”

The startled look on Lynn’s face made Jadis wonder if she had perhaps taken a step too far. Then, the princess let out a laugh, a peel of laughter that came from deep in her gut. It took Lynn a moment to contain her amusement, but once she had, she turned back to Jay while wiping a tear from her eye.

“What confidence you have in me. I don’t wonder at what standard you set, either. A prince is no more than second place to a man, or a woman, who you love, is it not?”

“Yes,” Jay agreed instantly. “Titles have never meant a thing to me.”

“I can see that,” Lynn nodded as her gaze wandered over to Alex.

Smiling to herself for a moment, the princess took a deep breath before turning her eyes back onto Jay.

“You and I are quite alike in that regard, I think. Titles have never been important to me, either. I never wanted to be a princess, or empress, or even a margrave. I did not marry Hraustrekr because the match was arranged. In fact, my parents were quite opposed to the pairing.”

“You—what?” Jay blinked at the admission. “They didn’t want their daughter to marry the first prince?”

“They did not. Even back then, there were sides drawn between Hraustrekr and Kestil, my mother and father were very much on Kestil’s side. I think if they had had their way, I would have been wed to the second prince. Of course, that would have been nothing but a flight of fancy. My family is nowhere near important enough to rate consideration for a prince’s hand in marriage. Realistically, I should have been married to one of Prince Kestil’s staunch supporters.”

“Then… how? Or why? Or, uh, what happened?” Jay asked, completely confused.

“Well, I love him,” Lynn replied simply. “And he loves me.”

Seeing the face that Jay was making, Lynn laughed lightly and gave her a pat on her arm.

“Don’t act so shocked. I know you dislike him. And trust that I have heard some choice words that he has saved in private for you. However, Hraustrekr is not the villain you may dream him to be. From the moment he first spoke to me, he has been nothing but a devout gentleman of honor and kindness.”

“Okay, well, I’m not questioning his courtly manners—”

“Jadis,” Lynn held up a hand to interrupt her. “I am not a beautiful woman.”

“Hey, that’s not—”

“It is an entirely fair assessment,” the princess persisted. “There are many in the court who have far finer features. Not only more beauty, but better lineage as well. Better matches, both politically and aesthetically, are in abundance. However, at that winter solstice all those years ago, I stood alone, unaccompanied by any but my chaperone. No one asked me to dance. No one even looked my way. No one except for Hraustrekr.”

Sighing wistfully, Lynn’s gaze looked far away into a time and a place that Jadis couldn’t see.

“He did it because he felt pity for me. He would deny the fact today, if I asked him, because he would not wish to hurt my feelings. But it is the truth, nonetheless. However, when he asked for my hand to take me out onto that dancefloor, I was instantly taken with such a powerful emotion.”

“Love at first sight?” Jay asked hesitantly.

“No, not at all. I was furious with him.”

“What?” Jay let out a startled laugh.

“Yes, I was so angry and embarrassed. Here I was, the girl that none of the other nobles would deign to dance with, and here came the shining golden prince, offering to take me for a perfunctory waltz as though he was performing an act of charity, all the while just drawing attention to my utter inability to draw a man my own age and stature.”

Holding up one finger in warning, Lynn waggled her eyebrows at Jay.

“Remember that he is some seventy years my senior.”

“Right…” Jay stared at the finger, then back up at the woman’s amused expression. “Then, what did you do?”

“I told him no.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Lynn nodded in smiling confirmation. “I rejected his offer to dance entirely. I even told him that he was too old, and that he should go find a gray-haired spinster to whirl around the ballroom.”

“No shit!” Jay laughed.

“Yes,” Lynn continued to nod as the laughter brightened her eyes. “As you can imagine, Hraustrekr’s pride didn’t take well to such a rejection, especially not a public one. Still, is a gentleman, well-trained in courtly etiquette. He accepted my refusal and left me on my own for the rest of the night.

“Of course, after that, no one was willing to even stand near me. Not even Prince Kestil’s supporters. Such an indecorous rejection to the first prince was political suicide. I went home that night knowing that I would never attend another one of those balls again. I was finished.”

“Yeah, I can see him holding a grudge about that,” Jay murmured.

“Indeed. Then you can picture my surprise when I received not just the usual invitation for the springtide dance, but a royal one, with Hraustrekr’s signature and seal on it.”

“Don’t tell me,” Jay leaned on her hand. “He asked you to dance again.”

“He did,” Lynn giggled like a younger woman at the thought. “While I did accept the invitation, I rejected his offer to dance yet again. And at the next ball as well. And the one after that.

“Every party, every ball, every social function that he attended, Hraustrekr made sure that I received an invite as well. I always went, and I always rejected his offer to dance. However, I was not so stubborn that I refused to speak with him. In fact, we held many conversations, sometimes about nothing of importance, other times about affairs of state or great events moving in the world. We would talk, sometimes for hours. Sometimes we would share meals at those events. Then, as the years passed, he would invite me to meals that were outside of those functions and festivities. And I would sometimes invite him to private dinners. We would talk, and talk, and talk.”

Lynn fell silent, clearly lost in a happy thought. Eventually, she seemed to realize that she still had an audience and shook herself out of nostalgic memories.

“We did not love each other at first meeting. It took time, a long time, starting with friendship. I know he is a difficult man. Stubborn. Haughty. Entirely convinced that his way is the right way, no matter how others might argue. But he is also kind. Intelligent. Forthright and determined in word and action. Immensely protective of those who he cares for. You say I could do better. I say that I could not find a man who loves me more for who I am, not with a hundred years to search.”

Digesting Lynn’s words, Jay let out a long and low sigh. Eventually, she offered the only thing she could think to say at that moment that wouldn’t tread into the territory of political debate.

“I’m glad for you,” she told the princess. “And for him, to have found someone as wonderful as you.”

“Thank you,” Lynn grinned warmly at her. “And I am glad for you and all those who have found your love as well. Ah, but I think our time has drawn to a close.”

Glancing at where Lynn was looking, Jay saw that Wulfsige was yawning widely, having clearly reached the end of his youthful batteries. Some of the other young children were also starting to look worn out, and Jadis could see from her triple perspective that several of the nobles were already starting to depart.

“I guess so,” Jay said as she got to her feet, then offered a hand to help Lynn up. “Thanks for the invitation. And thanks for the custom chairs, too. They help a lot.”

“You are quite welcome. I will make sure that there are always at least three Nephilim-sized chairs available for any and all palace functions that you might attend.”

Pausing for a moment, she corrected herself.

“Four chairs. I underestimated Alex’s dimensions.”

“Don’t let that bother you,” Jay chuckled. “That is a recent change.”

As the two began moving towards the others, Jay paused and turned a final question onto Lynn.

“Did you ever actually dance with Hraustrekr?”

“Why, yes, I did,” Princess Lynn admitted. “Our first dance was when I was twenty-three years old, on the day of our wedding.”

“Was he any good?” Jay raised an eyebrow.

“Not at all,” Lynn shook her head. “The man is a wonderful swordsman, but an absolutely lousy dancer.”