A Lady of Exquisite Sensitivity, Epilogue

I didn’t bother trying to contradict the queen. It was obvious to me that however prosperous this kingdom might be, however advantageously positioned for trade, its monarchs were… well, let us say eccentric. I took the coin she offered me, thanked her as graciously as I could (it would have been a considerable sum to a peasant, certainly enough to buy me a decent horse, and just because I had been thwarted in my plans was no need to forgo common courtesy), and made my exit.

I will not detail my journey home- suffice to say I discovered that one can travel a great deal more swiftly when one is not bogged down by courtiers (or skirts, for that matter, but please don’t mention that observation to my mother). When I did finally arrive I found the palace in deepest mourning- apparently a few of the party members had managed to escape and carry the tale of what they thought had been my fate to my parents. Needless to say, Mother and Father were delighted to find me alive, and my father was positively thrilled when I let it be known that I had managed to make my way to the foreign court, after all.

Once I had related my tale in full, however, I watched his expression become torn between fury at the great insult done me, and mirth at the absurdity of it all. I laid my hand on his arm and attempted to soothe the fury.

“Father, I may not have returned with a marriage contract, but I have learned how best to gain us one.”

“As though I would marry my precious daughter into such a pack of… of… of gibbering idiots!” (Father, alas, was not raised to Mother’s standards of etiquette.)

“But think, Father- with her intelligence and training, she would be well placed to be the true power behind these people. And that’s no small advantage to our trade routes.” Father chewed on his lip for a moment, then sighed.

“You’re right, Aggie. Damn your charming eyes!” I grinned at him and patted his shoulder comfortingly.

“It’s your own fault, Father: everyone knows I get them from you. Shall I have Aurie summoned?”

“No, no. It’s probably best that you go talk to her yourself. Make her see the advantages. You’re good at that sort of thing.”

I sought out my next younger sister (Auriella Anderia Arianna Adriona Amienna Christensen, for those keeping track) the one we had hoped to marry off to the foreign prince. It was not idle flattery when I had mentioned her intelligence- she was perhaps the cleverest of my father’s seven daughters, and moreover she had a keen interest in politics. I was fairly certain that, rather than being distressed by the eccentricities of her potential husband’s family, she would welcome them as a challenge to her wit.

When at last I had her alone, I sat her down and said,

“Aurie, if you're still interested in making this alliance, you're going to have to forget everything Mother has ever taught you about being a gracious guest…”