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rix_scaeduThis piece runs to 3,245 words and I hope that you enjoy it.
Skaithosday, 18 Deichen, 1893 C.E.
Eheid, 8 Kaalen, 2157 T.M.L.
3 Mikistli, 23 Coatl, 6.11.2.1.8.4.4
Dear Journal,
I woke this morning to fine weather and the realisation that this is my last full day in Tlemutsiko. I will miss my cousins, but I do think that it is time that I ceased being on holiday and went on to whatever the rest of my life is going to be. Is it a defect in my character that being without a defined role that I understand apparently makes me tetchy? That's the only reasonable explanation I have for my attitude and behaviour yesterday. I left my room, in a visiting gown because I planned to go to the bank after breakfast, resolved that I needed to consult Cousin Poktlilui on the correct wording of an apology letter - particularly if I wanted to make it clear that my bad behaviour was spawned by theirs. (Not that I expected to be able to send such a letter - Mother would certainly never permit such a thing, and if I needed to write an apology letter for my behaviour, she would insist on seeing it before it was sent.)
I was downstairs in time to exchange morning greetings with Miztli as he left the house. He complimented my appearance, which I thought kind of him, then he grasped my hand and gave me a singularly sweet smile and whispered/muttered, "Courage!" to me in Imperial before he went out the front door. Matlal showed me into the breakfast room with what I thought was his usual benevolence, where I was met by the usual complement of male cousins, and three Obsidian Knights who I did not know. All the gentlemen stood when I entered, and the three unknown Knights bowed in the Confederation fashion. I curtsied in the Imperial fashion in return, and Cousin Ghrus introduced me to Tekatls Cuauhtl and Zolin, who are about ten years older than Axolin and the husbands of the two ladies who visited yesterday, and to Tekatl Tapayaxi, who is the father of Tekatl Zolin. Cousin Ghrus remarked that it was convenient that I had arrived as he had been about to ask Matlal to have notes delivered to Cousin Poktlilui and myself asking us to attend the breakfast room at our earliest convenience. Matlal dispatched a footman with Cousin Poktlilui's note, and then saw me settled between Cipac Chan and Cousin Mizti before preparing my breakfast plate. Frankly, I assumed that my behaviour yesterday must have been truly dreadful if the ladies' husbands and a father-in-law had come to complain about me and I had very little appetite. Cousin Poktlilui joined us sooner than I had expected, wearing a very attractive house dress. Again, the three visiting Knights bowed, then Cousin Poktlilui returned their bow in the Confederation fashion.
Then the Knights explained their presence. Apparently, my actions yesterday precipitated discussions in their homes last night. That, in turn, had revealed some fundamental misunderstanding in the ladies' perception of Cousin Poktlilui's status as Cousin Ghrus' wife (as opposed to her status as Axolin's mother). The Knights had come to apologise to Cousin Poktlilui for what I understood them to describe as a longstanding habit of bad behaviour towards her. They then apologized to me that I had been put in the position where I needed to call out the ladies on their behaviour to Cousin Poktlilui. They then excused themselves to the company and left. Cousin Poktlilui left the room a few minutes later, directing Matlal to have a plate of a hot potato dish on the buffet sent up to her room, and telling Cousin Ghrus that she expected him in her room when he had finished eating so that he could explain what were obviously missing details of his status in the Obsidian Order in private.
I found my appetite much restored.
Axolin and I arranged to visit the bank together before lunch as I wish to withdraw funds for the trip home and he also needs to finalise his financial arrangements for his trip. I tidied myself in my room, approved the packing Nais had completed, and released her to her morning off. When I returned downstairs to leave the house, I found Lord Elnaith drinking tea with Miztli while my cousin finished his breakfast. Lord Elnaith greeted me with a kiss to the cheek, and seated me beside him, whereupon he held my hand on the tabletop while still using his other hand to drink his tea. Axolin, on the other hand, cleared his throat and looked pointedly at our hands when he entered the room to find me.
Lord Elnaith then explained that he had called to let us know that he had taken the liberty of co-opting the consul's carriages to convey us all and our luggage to the airship port tomorrow. He said that as it was a local day of rest, it was probably easier to arrange for Imperial servants to work than it would be to impinge on the rights of Confederation citizens. The way Axolin solemnly agreed with this statement did make me wonder if some sort of legal joke was being made between the two of them.
When Miztli finished eating, he and Lord Elnaith excused themselves to go and deal with some joint official business - after arranging a departure time for tomorrow.
Axolin and I then departed for the bank in the barouche with his manservant and a senior housemaid whom Axolin had co-opted into being my chaperone for the morning. The staff at Tlapleta and Sons were very helpful, and were able to supply me with funds in both Confederation and Imperial currencies, plus letters of credit that I can present in Scryhrial and Kordyliss at their branches there for currency. I was particularly pleased to receive sufficient small coins to pay vails to my cousins' staff and on the airship. I believe that Axolin's manservant, as well as Axolin himself, also attended to personal banking while we were there.
After we left the bank, we made several stops on the way home for Axolin to conduct some personal business. One stop was at what appeared to be professional offices, and the second was at a men's outfitter's that dealt in the type of accoutrements that I would obtain from a milliner at home. I waited in the barouche both times.
When we arrived home, I took myself directly upstairs to place my letters of credit and much of the currency I had received into several of the hidden internal compartments in my new trunk to ensure that they were safely stowed and reduce the chances of an opportunistic thief finding and making off with all my funds. I just finished that task when Cousin Poktlilui came to find me, and asked me to come with her. Naturally I complied, and while she avoided telling me what she needed me for, we discussed my decision to give Nais this morning off. Cousin Poktlilui did express some surprise that I had done so, she had expected me to be more rigid in my adherence to Nais' terms of employment (an expectation set by her experience of living with my great-aunt and great-uncle) but she agreed with my explanation that if I had so many things to tidy up before leaving after so short a time here, then Nais who has lived here for several years must have more to attend to and likely required time in normal business hours to successfully achieve what she needed to do. We wound up in the kitchen, where I had not been before, and Cook presented me with the recipes I had asked for - written in Imperial. I thanked her profusely, she wished me and my future cook luck in achieving results we liked without access to the right produce, I agreed that it would be a challenge, and then thanked her and all the rest of the kitchen and other downstairs staff for taking such good care of me during my stay. Cousin Poktlilui and I were then ushered out of the kitchen because there was lunch to serve and dinner preparations for tonight to continue.
At lunch I sat between Mr Chicmacyeimetetlitecototl and Mr Dhairaign who wished to make their farewells to me and to pass on the good wishes for my journey from the clerks. They said that the work was going well, but did not give me any details. Mr Dhairaign repeat his compliments about my equivalency table of Imperial and Ghaistonyc letters, and told me that he had shared it with some of his academic former colleagues - a few of whom had been quite enthusiastic about it. Enthusiastic enough that he thought it necessary to remind them about academic attribution and even royalties if they wished to use it themselves. (Oh, my!) He remarked austerely that some people needed to be reminded periodically of such things. Mr Chicmacyeimetellitecototl added a few warnings about pickpockets and general sneak thieves around the airship port but agreed that such problems were likely to be less tomorrow as it was a day of rest - meaning that anyone who was not directly involved in the arrival or departure of an airship was much more likely to be noticed.
After lunch I spent the afternoon with Great-aunt's Imperial conversation class. Great-aunt's gallant was present, flirting very decorously and with restraint. From what I observed, his manner is calculated very precisely to be both respectful of her recent widowhood and to make her feel both respected and appreciated. I am not expecting Great-aunt to make a second marriage and she is not (I believe) in need of support, but I am happy for her that she isn't finding that widowhood means she is overlooked - a thing a number of my mother's friends feel quite strongly. There were three gentlemen with government positions who had attended before, and a young gentleman newly appointed to a position in cargo control through the seaport whose spoken Imperial had been found inadequate for dealing with sailors, in general. Also present was a lady I had not met before who is shortly to marry a gentleman assigned to a cross-border entry post on the Confederation's northern border. She and I spent much of the afternoon discussing wedding preparations and kitchen implements. I also gathered that Miss Twelvebluestone, as she intends to be known in Imperial, is looking forward to setting up housekeeping well away from both her mother and mother-in-law.
The promised note from Crimson Blossom of the Ninth was delivered towards the end of the conversational lesson. She has agreed that I might correspond with her and provided me with her address for such correspondence.
I was sent upstairs for the first round of bathwater this evening and I took the opportunity to be very thorough. It will be washes made from a basin until we arrive in Scryhrial so I made sure to take full advantage of this last night of my cousins' amenities.
I wore my blue dining gown tonight. When I say blue, it is a variety of blue fabrics pieced together in a pleasing fashion. I find it very clever - the concept could have descended into patchwork, but it definitely avoids that trap. Nais put my hair up in a formal style we haven't used before that utilizes both hair combs and pins - she says that as she has come to know my hair better, she is becoming more confident in her ability to achieve more spectacular effects when required.
When I went downstairs, I received compliments on m y appearance from both male and female cousins. Yeixi's compliment favourably mentioned the change in my appearance since my arrival, and I laid the development of my wardrobe at Great-aunt's feet. I also mentioned that Nais is very clever with my hair.
As tonight's guest of honour, I was seated between Cousin Ghrus and Cousin Rudhain - aside from considerations of seniority among my cousins, they are the two most senior of my closest male relatives after Tallaig. Cousin Ghraimh sat opposite me (I think Great-aunt and Cousin Poktlilui did brilliantly with a formal seating plan for such a large group of people who are so closely related) and I was happy for Yeixi and Tehaneume who were seated together. Cousin Ghrus and I discussed the forthcoming journey, both the hazards of travel and the particular challenges that Axolin might face. I hadn't realised that Axolin would need to travel on to our provincial capital in Satdrel to present his credentials to the provincial governor. We both understand that to be Arthaign, Lord dh'Bairdhainh, Baron of Ghedet. I cannot claim any acquaintance with him or his lady. Indeed, the only people of my acquaintance who are likely to have met him are the mayor and his wife. As my mother chooses to only get the local papers, I don't know a great deal about him or his wife. Reasonably, our local papers are more concerned with the effects of his and his administration's decisions on local landowners and business owners than the personalities of those making those decisions. (Unless, of course, those factors adversely affect those decisions that affect us, something that has not happened under the current governor. Or hadn't before I left home.)
Cousin Rudhain and I had what I believe was a rather sideways conversation about the desirability of a match between Tehaneume and Yeixi. He talked generally about the desirability of reinforcing established connections (Tehanume is Cousin Poktlilui's niece and a Hutitlahuatli), the agreeableness of the parties most immediately involved in the match to said match, and the sufficiency of the parties' portions to support the resulting marital household. I could contribute sensibly on those points, some of them being things I have recently considered myself, but he also touched on Confederation concerns that I could say less about. Caste and rank within that caste are not quite the same as class at home, but seem similar. (I have no idea which caste, or castes, my cousins are, and three of them being knights does not limit the possibilities as much as you might think.) The duties and responsibilities owed to land that devolve or might devolve upon the parties to the marriage or their issue is another. This is not the same as owning a plot of land or an estate, that is real property and a completely different issue, but of having administrative rights over land that is either owned by a temple or (and this is very technically because the line and title are in abeyance) the Divine and Blessed King, Incarnation of the Morning Star Upon the Earth. [It is worth noting that abeyance is not the Empire's fault but the result of a civil war within the Divine Line several centuries ago. The Confederation can be considered an attempt by their subjects' descendants to recreate the benefits of that kingdom's unity and centralised administration without the self-centred and selfish leadership of the last few Divine and Blessed Kings. I think that the Confederation should now be considered a thing in its own right and not a recreation of anything.] There are a number of other factors that people in the Confederation consider individually that I would include in connections. Overall, I think he was airing his thoughts on the subject to see how they sounded when he said them out aloud.
The food itself was a selection of the foods I have most enjoyed during my stay. Many fish dishes (of course), local meats, and poultry including a magnificent roast turkey dish. Lots of potatoes, tomato and chilli dressings, and local green leafy vegetables. Everything was as delicious as I have come to expect of my cousins' table. The sweets concentrated on fruits and custards.
When we withdrew for the ladies to enjoy their kasoolht, I took the opportunity to compliment Cousin Poktlilui and Great-aunt on the quality and enjoyability of the meal. Conversation was then moved by various of my cousins on to the progress of my wedding plans. I explained that Lord Elnaith was communicating with his representative in Umbrial and my brother Tallaig, as my guardian, on the subject. That led to me explaining that I had given Lord Elnaith my list of people I wanted invited to the wedding, and that much as I would like to invite all of them, I had realised that due to the distance and political considerations, they would not be able to attend. Great-aunt was just agreeing that these were indeed real barriers to their attendance when the gentlemen joined us.
I gathered from comments various of my male relations made that they had been making toasts to the success of Axolin's trip - sentiments that I can get behind. Whatever else might be intended, my marriage to Lord Elnaith and the development of a direct connection between the senior most of our generation of Forbaign cousins and my siblings (and brother-in-law) would make his journey to Umbrial a success in my eyes. [By age, of course, Ghilhaidha is the senior most member of our generation of Forbaign cousins.]
Axolin spent the evening surrounded by his mother, grandmother, and siblings. On the other side of the room, Tehaneume, Xiloxoch, Cipac Chan, Yeixi, Ceyouali, Xoxcoyotl, Eloxochitl, and I played what I thought was a rather chaotic game of the city building game. We used a variant where the aim is to elevate the leader of your section of the city to overall city leadership. I will add that the variant includes rules for assassins and mobs that you can use to remove section leaders and destroy infrastructure, and leave the evening's mayhem to your imagination. Cipac Chan is exceedingly devious to an extent I had not previously appreciated, and the world is perhaps fortunate that little cousin Xocoyotl is unlikely to find herself in a position of political and military power. My section leader was assassinated three times, so I had no hope of fulfilling the victory conditions for the variant, but I managed to engineer control of the entire city's water supply plus half the food distribution. (Control of those are secondary aims.) As Cipac Chan observed at the end of the game, my section's leader was the weakest of them all, but my section had the rest of the city by the unmentionables. Eloxocochitl suggested, and the others agreed, that probably meant that my section housed a combination of powerful priesthoods and guilds - Yeixi then asked who had really paid for the assassination of my more powerful leaders.... As I made my good nights, Ceyouali was extemporising a historian's note on the untimely demises of my civic leaders in the light of subsequently uncovered historical evidence. The boy is obviously talented, and it will be interesting to see what use he makes of those talents when he reaches adulthood.
Nais was waiting for me when I reached my room, and reported that she has completed her packing, as much as she can, and enjoyed a full bath this evening. She packed my dining gown into my trunk and took herself off to her own bed. Both of us will be doublechecking our quarters for items inadvertently slipped into odd spots, etc, tomorrow morning.
The weather tonight seems fine and I hope that this bodes well for tomorrow.
Anadrasata Nearabhigan