Summer Jams 4: Enda - Part I

Tori leaned against the starboard bow railing, feeling like something was missing as she gazed across the chilly, choppy indigo waters.  For Whom the Sun Rises bobbed up and down with the waves as they approached the coast of Enda, the capital and only actual city in the Nord March.  She let out a heavy sigh.

“That’s the fifth time you’ve sighed,” Sonia said as she sat on a storage box attached to the deck floor.  Her deft fingers easily maneuvered a needle through some cloth she’d purchased at King’s Harbor.  Tori could see the light gray patches that were supposed to be fog being added to her ‘summer memories quilt’.

“I think she’s missing her babies.” Ilyana chuckled as she polished the metal sheath of her dagger.

“Ah, that makes sense.  Ava and Fifi follow her around like chicks,” Sonia replied.

Tori narrowed her eyes and gave them an annoyed look.  “You make it sound like I miss the attention.”

“You miss being depended on by them,” Sonia said without taking her eyes off her quilt.  “They always look at you with awe on their little faces.”

“Say what you will, but I am a good role model.”  Tori lifted her chin and the two seated behind her giggled.

“What kind of role model stands out on deck without a coat when it’s this cold out?” Albert complained as he walked forward.  He was wrapped in blankets, as he’d not expected the cool weather of Nord even during the summer.

“I have carnelian keeping me warm.  It’s good, light practice to regulate energy during my recovery,” Tori replied.  She was wearing pants, but a short sleeve tunic under her vest.  The others all had padded jackets on.  Nothing too heavy or thick, but just enough to keep the chill wind out.

All the others except Albert.

“Albert, she gave us a packing list before we came,” JP said as he reached the deck from the nearby stairs leading to the lower level of the ship.  “Nord is still cool, even during the summer.”

“We’re not used to it so bring something to keep you warm,” Henrik replied.  He was writing in a book and looked up at Albert with furrowed brows.  “I know you got the list.  You were there when she handed them out.”

Albert stared at them with a blank face.  Sonia looked up and squinted.

“You got the list, put it away, and never looked at it again, didn’t you?” she asked.

Albert’s lips tightened into a line and his eyes darted to the side.  That was likely exactly what happened.

“I take it you didn’t bring an eye mask?” Henrik asked.

Albert’s brows furrowed up.  “An eye mask?  Why would I need an eye mask?”

Ilyana lifted her head.  “For sleeping,” she said, as if it were obvious.

Albert snorted.  “I don’t need an eye mask for sleeping.  Once it’s dark, I can get to sleep immediately.”

Several pairs of eyes stared at him and Tori chided herself for not preparing him better.  She knew she should’ve brought extras.

“Albert,” JP began in a measured voice.  “It's summer here.”

“Yes, I know.”

“...and summer this far north means that the sun will be up for a long time,” Ilyana added.

Albert nodded again.  “I know.  It feels like it should’ve gone down already, right?”  He looked up at the clear sky with the bright sun that seemed closer to them than usual.

“Albert, what time do you think it is?” Sonia asked, finally looking up from her quilt.

“Nine in the evening?” Albert shrugged.  “Sometimes the sun doesn’t set until nine-thirty, but the sun’s still pretty high.”

The critical eyes did not leave him.

“Albert,” Tori said.  “It’s one in the morning.”

The young man froze in his spot.  He looked up at the sky and then back down at the group that was looking at him in question.   His eyes crinkled up.  “So that’s why Constantine went to sleep already...and with an eye mask.”

A collective heavy breath left the group.  “We’ll get you an eye mask and a light coat when we reach Enda,” Tori told him.

“Everyone brought an eye mask?” Albert looked around and one by one, they all nodded.  He looked towards the deck, where Ewan was training with one of the imperial knights.  “Ewan, did you bring an eye mask?”

“Yes!  It’s imported silk!  Tori says it’s good for your skin and hair!” Ewan shouted as he parried a cut and took a step to the right.

“Why does he need to consider hair? He doesn’t have any hair.” Henrik narrowed his eyes.

Ilyana pouted.  “And where did he get imported silk?  The only ones I could find were cotton knit.”

“He asked me to order one for him and I asked my cousins to see if they could find any at King’s Harbor,” Tori told them.  “Aiden gave it to me when we arrived.”

Ilyana balked.  “And you didn’t tell me?”

“You didn’t ask.”

“And you were very happy that you found one that had cat ears on it,” Sonia reminded her. Ilyana wrinkled her nose.

“I could’ve added cat ears to a silk one...”

“Silk is a very delicate fabric.  It took time to get used to when I wanted to adjust the ties,” Sonia replied.

Ilyana paused and slowly turned her head towards Sonia.  “You got one, too?”

“I also asked Tori.”

Ilyana groaned.

“At least you have one!” Albert cried out.  He wrapped the blanket around him tighter.  “I would’ve reviewed the list, but I forgot.  Prince Piers was there and I was worried he’d try to get me to promise to work at the palace.”

“Are you avoiding the Crown Prince?” JP asked with a grin.

“I’m not ‘avoiding’ him,” Albert said with some defense.  His eyes shifted away.  “I just happen to want to be in a different place when he’s present and am not answering any calls from him.”  His voice was rushed and Tori shook his head.

“He has really high hopes for you, Albert.”

“It’s a stressful job!  Have you seen Chamberlain Thorpsen?  The man is the sameage as the Emperor and he looks ten years older!” He had a point.

“Then, it’s good you’re younger than Prince Piers.” Sonia smirked.  Albert shot her a cold look.

“Easy for you to say.  You’re not made to cross the palace grounds every hour to fetch papers and obscure books from distant imperial libraries.”  Albert shuddered.

“You’re being dramatic,” Tori replied.  “And that’s for interns.  As an aid, you’d mainly stay with Piers or near him and send other staff to pick up and deliver documents.”  Piers told her to try to stress the benefits of the job to Albert in an effort to get him open to the idea of becoming his aide.

Tori felt a little pity for Albert, but if Piers thought that highly of him, then he must’ve been well-deserving of the position.

Albert looked at her with suspicion.  “Are you sure?”

“Yes, the job of a personal aide is different from what you’d make an intern do,” Tori said.  “You can’t expect them to be the same.  You’ll get paid more, of course, and have more benefits.”

“What kind of benefits?” Albert asked in a tentative voice.

“You were so adamant on never setting foot in the imperial palace to work again, and now you’re asking about the benefits?” Sonia asked with a raised brow.

Albert balked and shrugged his shoulders.  “I’m just curious!”

“You can take it up with Piers,” Tori replied.  “As long as you graduate, he’ll pester you to become his aide.”

“What about Duke Axton?” Albert asked.

“He has to be released from his position to manage the Alvere Duchy,” JP replied. “Which makes sense, as someone as to.  He's the only blood related member of his family left, isn’t he?”

Tori nodded.  “Yes, the Empress is trying to find him a wife.”

That was news to everyone else, it seemed, and several of them looked back at her with surprise and interest.  “The Empress is trying to find Duke Axton a wife?” JP asked.  “As in...arranged marriage?”

“Piers always said that Axton was likely going to get married via arranged marriage,” Tori told them.  “It’s not particularly unheard of to be introduced to a potential spouse at this age.  Of course, it is ultimately up to Axton if he agrees with his prospective partner.”

“I never thought that Duke Axton would get married through an arrangement,” Ilyana said, still a bit taken aback.

“Well, it’s not too surprising if you think about it.”  Henrik furrowed his brows and thought for a moment.  “Duke Axton spent most of his life serving the Crown Prince.  Even now, he’s looking at a few years, at least, more of being an aide to Prince Piers until Albert is hired-”

“I haven’t agreed with that.”

“Albert, what the Crown Prince sets his eyes on, the Crown Prince gets,” Sonia said with a wave of her hand.  “Look at Tori.”

Tori stood up straight and frowned.  “I haven’t agreed to marry him.”

“Yet,” Ilyana said with a knowing look.  “Yet.”  Tori narrowed her eyes.  Her friends could at least pretend they weren’t expecting it.

“You’re as good as hired, Albert.  And there isn’t anything bad about having a job ready when you finish school,” Henrik told the young man.  “Until then, Duke Axton will support the Crown Prince in an aide position.  Along with that, he has the Duchy to take care of, and the businesses.  The Lunar Inns are a handful by themselves.  When would Duke Axton have time to properly court a partner?”

When he broke it down like that, the others seemed to understand.  Even if Axton was a social being with good looks, money, and a warm personality, he simply lacked time to establish a proper relationship.  All his spare time was spent trying to relax with his friends or supporting Montan.

“Has the Empress found any prospective partners?” JP asked with a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

Tori shook her head.  “I don’t know.  She may have her eye on particular young noblewomen, but she hasn’t mentioned names.  At least, not to Piers.  Piers said he also wants to screen them, as he’s worried Axton will be taken advantage of.”

“No one is going to try to take advantage of Duke Axton,” Ilyana told them.  “His rank is too high and there is too much at risk.”

“He’s careful, but he’s also busy.  He’d need someone who can be a good partner to him,” Tori said.  She let out a tired sigh.  “And there is always someone who wants to take advantage.  Look at those women after Kasey.”

Ilyana’s face immediately turned into a scowl at the memory.  “Duke Axton is not as stern as Lord Kasen.  It’s good that Prince Piers is being cautious for him.”

“What are we talking about?” Ewan wiped his sweaty face with a towel as he approached the group.  Albert scowled.

“How are you walking around without a shirt in this weather?” he demanded, as if Ewan shirtless was personally affronting.

Ewan cocked his head to the side.  “But it’s hot and I’m sweaty from my training.  If my clothes become drenched with sweat, then they will become damp against my skin, which will make me colder and I could get sick,” he said.  He paused for a moment and seemed to think.  “Hypothermia, and I don’t have egrit root to put in tea to help.”

Sonia jerked her head back.  “You know what it’s called and how to treat it?”

“Uncle Maurizo gave me a book on basic medical plants for common ailments, and I’ve been taking care of a medicinal plant garden at La Garda.  I read up on common ailments for knights when out on the field and what can be done,” Ewan replied.  “I wanted to make a medicinal plants pouch of some sort that I can carry with me during training.”

He looked at Tori with shining eyes.  Meaning he was hoping that Tori could design him some sort of pouch.

She chuckled.  “When we get to Enda, Idunn’s younger sister will meet us and she’s a field medic for the Nord Knights.  She’d be the best person to speak about how best to organize medicine.”

Ewan gave her a bright smile.  “I can’t believe I get to try field training with them.  And for medicine, too! This is a first. The other marches focus on combat and endurance.”

“It’s important to have medical personnel on the battlefield,” Tori replied.  “Of course, this means you can’t join us when we’re exploring the city.”

Ewan shook his head.  “That’s okay!  I’ll know one day you’ll come back here and I can explore.”

Tori pursed her lips and vaguely heard the chuckling of some of the imperial knights a few steps away.

“We’ll pick up anything interesting that we can for you,” Sonia told them.

“I read that they are famous for their smoked fish and preserved meats,” Ewan replied energetically.  “Can you get me some of that?”

“Let’s see what’s available first,” Tori said.  “You don’t leave until tomorrow, so we’ll try to do a food crawl.”  She clapped her hands together and pushed herself away from the railing.  “All right, let’s get some rest.  We don’t disembark until morning.”

Albert groaned and looked back up at the bright sky.  “Do we still have a long way to go?”

“No,” Tori said.  She pointed across the boat, towards the shore.  “You can see Enda from here.”

Her friends turned around and followed the direction she pointed.  Past the cliffs, still far in the distance, there was a clump of what looked like stone.  If it wasn’t for the sharp, jagged cliff further away with what looked like a building photoshopped into it, it would’ve looked like the rest of the rocky shoreline.

“How do you know that’s Enda?” Albert asked.

“It’s the only city in Nord,” Tori replied.  “The building on the cliff was carved into it and built with dark, volcanic rock.  That’s Tromsha - the ancestral fortification of the Nord March.”

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

The closer they got to Enda, the more ships there were in the water.  Both fishing and naval.  Tori wanted to stay up and observe more, but they had a schedule to keep and despite the midnight sun, it was late and she needed to sleep.  She forced herself back to her room and curled up to sleep.

When she woke up, the knights were knocking on her door to inform her that they had docked and were waking her up as requested.  Tori yawned and stretched out.  Alexander was already eating his breakfast in the main room by the time Tori stepped out.

“Are you going to stay on the ship or come with us?  You’ve been approved to come to Tromsha, but there are other cats, and Nord cats are quite big,” Tori told him.

“Nyaow.” Alexander finished his food and walked towards her.  He stretched up and Tori picked him up, and draped him across her shoulder.  He obviously wanted to go.

They headed out and met the group waiting on deck.  The air was cool despite the bright sun above them, but this was Enda’s ‘summer’.  A sea breeze also chilled the air further, so everyone was wearing something long sleeved to try to keep them warm.  Except Albert, who still wore a blanket around him.

Alexander’s tail swayed lazily and he didn’t move from Tori’s shoulders as they disembarked.  The dock they’d anchored beside was further away from the main commercial port of the city.  Before Tori went to bed, two naval ships had come to escort them and must’ve escorted them closer to Enda’s naval base for security purposes.

There were a few naval ships from the Anlar Navy and the dock was busy with supplies being moved around.  The group of teenagers surrounded by imperial knights caught some attention and the thin crowds parted for them as they approached.

On land, there were several carriages, horses, and a handful of people waiting.

“Lady Tori!”  A tall, athletic woman lifted her arm and waved it as she saw them approaching.

Tori recognized Heidrun Nordursin, Idunn’s youngest and only sister, from the wedding.  The two sisters looked alike: tall and slender with the same color ash blonde hair and big blue eyes.  Her hair had small braids and she had an undercut popular in Anlar and Nord.

Heidrun was Idunn’s younger sister, but about two years older than Tori.  After primary school, she immediately joined the Nord Medical Academy to begin preparing for a position as a medic in the Nord March.  She had yet to be assigned to another march.

“Heidrun!”  Tori lifted her chin and gave her an acknowledging nod.  They approached her easily, as Heidrun was accompanied by a half dozen Nord knights.  Unlike their southern counterparts, they didn’t wear light armor as a standard uniform for escort.

Their uniforms were mostly thick fabrics, furs, and thick leather on their arms and shins.  Their hats were also fur lined; more suitable for the cold weather, even during the summer.  Each had a medic bag strapped across their chest; Tori had seen them before and it was also the standard for medics for other marches.

Their weapons were short swords and daggers mostly, but they were also proficient in other weapons.

On her end, Tori had Piers prepare proper clothes for the imperial knights so they wouldn’t suffer.  They were better prepared than Albert, who still shivered while wearing a blanket wrapped around him.

Tori lifted her hands to hand Alexander over to Sonia so she could embrace Heidrun.

“It’s good to see you again, sister of my sister.” Heidrun beamed.  She raised her arms to hug Tori and as the two embraced, she noticed Albert.  Her brows furrowed.  “Is something wrong with your friend?”

“Gods, where do we begin....?” Henrik sighed, earning him a glare from Albert.

“Lady Nordursin-”

“Heidrun is fine,” she said with a melodic laugh.  “We are much laxer with our titles here in the north and I am one of many ‘Sir Nordursins’ and ‘Medic Nordursins’.”  It was literally the family business.

Albert gave her an understanding, respectful nod.  “Yes, Heidrun, is it possible to go and buy suitable outerwear for our time here?  And an eye mask?”

“Ah, first timer mistake,” Heidrun said with a knowing nod.  “We will have something prepared for you at Tromsha just in case.  People tend to forget about the midnight sun and the chill, even during our summers.  Aunt Salka said to settle you in first before taking you out to tour the city.  And Ewan...I remember he was the bald one....” Heidrun’s eyes swept over the group and landed on the bald knight whose arm shot up as soon as his name was called.  “Tomorrow morning, you’ll join a novice field training exercise with the Medical Academy, as you will be doing a three-day, two-night exercise. Your supplies will be prepared for you and most of it will be instruction, practice, and then a practical exercise.”

Ewan nodded his head, a glint of concentration in his eyes as he seemed to soak in the information.  “Is there anything I need to read up on or prepare with?”

“There is a short book on introduction to medicinal plants, Northern Field Edition we have for you.  You should be able to finish reading it by tonight,” Heidrun replied, appearing pleased that Ewan was happy to learn. “It is an excerpt from the practical guidebook Introduction to Medicinal Plants, which covers all regions of Soleil, including its territories.”

“Is that the version that includes the updated Central Corridor plants and coastal plants of Southern and Eastern Soleil?” Ewan asked.  Heidrun drew her head back and blinked, surprised.

“You’ve heard of it?” she asked.

Ewan nodded once more. “Uncle Maurizo gave me the updated version before I left to replace my cold copy.  I am still memorizing the newly identified Central Corridor additions and have not yet gotten to the coastal plants.”  He smiled, sheepish and rubbed the back of his neck.  “I’m afraid I’m a bit slow.”

Tori stared at him.  Slow?  There were plenty of things Ewan was slow with, but he was very quick with things he was interested in.  Sword?  Picked it up like breathing. Medicinal plants?  She eyed him.  “Let’s say I got a scrape on my leg while climbing through the forest in Fekete and it rubbed up against some itching poppies, making it not only itch, but swell.  What do I use to quell the itch and inflammation?” she asked with narrowed eyes.

Ewan answered at once, as if reading from a textbook.  “Fekete is a Central Corridor region with a warmer than average temperate climate. If you run into itching poppies, it is either spring or summer, so you will be able to also find gleceria flowers in bloom, which have thick waxy petals.  You’ll need to find tessrun root, a common perennial to first use to disinfect the area after rinsing it with water. Then split open the gleceria petals to use the creamy wax to layer over the scrape and the surrounding area.  This will draw out impurities and function as a seal to keep other pollutants from aggravating the wound. You can then choose to bandage it, but the gleceria wax will harden enough that it is not necessary.  It will stick well to your moistened skin and clothing can be worn over it.”

Heidrun’s mouth opened a bit.  “That’s...that’s correct-”

“Once the wound scabs over, using crushed lavender pulp will reduce any additional swelling and facilitate healing, reducing the chance of permanent scarring.”  Ewan concluded and then looked at Heidrun with curious eyes, asking for confirmation.

Heidrun’s mouth was now agape and she nodded.  “That is also correct...did you memorize that entire book?”

“Just the previous edition,” Ewan replied.  He answered so casually, as if they’d just asked him if he packed a jacket.  “I still have to memorize the new and updated portions.”

Henrik patted Ewan’s shoulder with a hint of pride on his face.  Tori looked at Heidrun and raised her brows.  “I think he’s well prepared for tomorrow.”

Heidrun nodded her head slowly and met Tori’s gaze.  “You’ve selected quite a promising knight.”

Tori shook her head.  “It’s all his hard work and support from his teachers.  Sebby and Axton trained him and Ilyana, our resident scholar, taught him how to study well.”

Heidrun turned to Ilyana who chuckled, a bit embarrassed.  “Once he found how he studied best, he did it on his own.”

“It’s still quite impressive,” Heidrun said.  She shook her head and refocused.  “What am I doing making you all stand here?  Let’s get in the carriages!  Rest and put away your things, then we’ll head back to the city to explore.  My aunt has invited you all to join for an informal dinner later, so don’t fill yourself up on food.”

“The sun being up is really confusing me and I’ve lost track of time,” Albert muttered as he was ushered into a carriage.  “Is it morning?  Night?  Three days later?”

“Stop being so dramatic,” Sonia said with a roll of her eyes.

“I read that the city has bell towers that ring once an hour starting at nine in what is supposed to be the evening up until midnight to remind the residents that it is ‘night’,” Constantine said.  “Once we hear them, it will be our cue to retire for the night.”

Albert looked out the window and crinkled his eyes.  “The sun feels so low to the horizon, but it's not sinking...it's like a parallel world of sorts.”

Tori looked at him as she sat across the large carriage.  “I think it’s good that you came.  It’s opening you to new experiences.”  Albert nodded.

The carriage went along and Tori looked out the windows with Alexander now moving on to her lap.  He also peered out the window as they were brought up a hard packed gravel road that led up to the fortress built against volcanic rock.  The facade only represented part of the size of the fortress.  There was much more carved within and there were numerous windows along the cliff face.

The gatehouse had a set of heavy wooden doors that were opened with knights flanked on either side.  The carriages trotted through and up to the narrow courtyard in front of the main doors.

From the steps, an older woman with grayed hair was waiting with several people.  Tori recognized them from her brother’s wedding.  It struck her then that she wasn’t just coming to visit relatives like she did in Moss Hill.  Technically, she was only related to the Nordursins by marriage, and Idunn was the niece of the Marquess.  Tori was coming more as a visiting noble with her entourage and her actions would reflect on her family.

The carriages stopped in a row and knights came to open the doors to let them know.  Tori stepped out first and immediately went to the eldest of the group and bowed.

“Good morning, Marquess Nordursin.  Thank you for welcoming us to Tromsha.”

“It is good to see you again, Countess Guevera,” Marquess Nordursin greeted her warmly.  She gave her an acknowledging nod.  A man who didn’t look much younger than her stepped forward.

“Tori!  Welcome to Enda!” He didn’t have as much formality and Tori didn’t hold it against him. Idunn’s father always seemed cheerful and excited.

“Thank you for having us, Lord Nordursin.”  Tori smiled and walked forward to embrace her brother’s in-laws who were waiting for her with excitement.

“Tori, I’ve prepared a list of restaurants and food for you to try,” Lady Nordursin, her brother’s mother-in-law, told her.

“Lady Ilyana,” Heidrun said as she stood beside her parents.  “We’ve sent a notification to Gorask to prepare the carriages to meet you at Austur Port.  They will be there when your party arrives.”

“Thank you, Heidrun.”  Ilyana gave her a pleased smile.  “And please, no title is necessary.” They had one more stretch of sea travel after Enda.  It was a few days at sea to Austur Port, which was the furthest northeastern port in the empire and a major one.

It was also the closest port to Gorask.  Ilyana had told her that the narrow valley was often closed off from the road to the port during winter due to the weather conditions, but it was perfectly safe to travel from the late spring to the early fall.

Tori introduced her friends and they were escorted to their shared rooms in the guest quarters.  Unlike Moss Hill and the Fortress, which had windows and balconies that opened up to courtyards, Tromsha’s inner rooms did not have any windows, only a series of air vents leading out of the mountain.

And while it appeared massive, Idunn had told her it was the smallest of the march ancestral fortifications.  It didn’t have sprawling grounds around it, and the military buildings were outside, at the base of the mountain and near the shore.

Usually, only the current marquis’ immediate family resided in Tromsha, with some rooms for visiting guests and Tromsha’s staff, servants, and knights on duty.  Idunn’s father was the younger brother of Marquess Salka and he lived in an auxiliary manor nested against the base of the hill.

A series of large houses in that area was where the majority of Nordursins lived, if they were young or retired.  Most spent their lives outside of Nord, assigned to support one of the marches or doing medical work and various research elsewhere in the empire.

Due to the limited rooms, Tori shared her room with Iyana and Sonia, while Ewan, Henrik, and JP shared one and Constantine and Albert in the other.  It would be less cramped once Ewan left for training the next day.

After settling into their surprisingly spacious rooms, Heidrun ushered them for a light meal of local cheeses, smoked fish, and dried meats with various preserves, explaining what each was and what went best with what.

“Ewan, the rations for the training are similar, as they are meant to last,” Heidrun said as she watched them pick through the food and carefully pile their cheese and meats on to slivers of crackers and bread.

“But there won’t be so many variations,” Ewan said.  He bit into a piece of bread and had a look of concentration on his face.  “Is this goat cheese?  It’s different from sheep. I also detect a hint of smokiness.”

“How can he tell?” Albert asked in a quiet voice as he looked at Ewan with confusion.

“Ewan is good with food,” Sonia replied easily.

“Don’t fill up on the food here,” Lord Nordursin chuckled.  “We will be taking you to some restaurants with local specialties later.”

Ewan looked elated and Tori sighed.

“Lord Nordursin, Lady Nordursin, have you considered my offer?” she asked as she sat across the table from them.  “It will only take a day or two for For Whom the Sun Rises to return here after dropping us off at Astur.  The trip to Tres Arcos will take a week at its normal speed.”

The older couple looked a bit hesitant.  “It is a tempting offer, my lady, but are you certain it is all right to take your private ship?  You will not need it?”

“We’ll be traveling on land back to Horizon and Viclya, so my ship will need to come back on its own,” Tori replied.  “I don’t mind.  It’s really not a bother.  With the speed of my ship, you’ll cut your journey in half.”

Each march had a few personal vessels secured for the family, but they were reserved for the personal use of the marquis and their immediate family.  Unless it was an emergency or an urgent situation, extended family members would not use them.  For example, Auntie Lucia’s family didn’t take any of the Sur vessels to return, but Tori, as the current Marquis’ daughter, could be fetched.

The Nordursins only had two ships: one for the Marquess and one as an auxiliary ship.  They were not a seafaring family, like the O’Tuaghs, so other family members didn’t have personal ships at their disposal.  Enda wasn’t a big commercial port, either, so book passage on a ship depended a bit on luck, as they needed to find a ship with available rooms, going to the right destination, or as near as possible.

They could always take the land route, but that took longer and there were a lot of gifts they wanted to bring.  At best, they’d been able to ship the gifts to Sur.

As Idunn’s parents had not yet seen Valeria and were having difficulty securing a room on proper transport vessel, Tori offered to have them picked up by For Whom the Sun Rises on its way back down.   In addition, as Tori didn’t foresee needing her ship later in the summer, it could also bring them back, by passing the early winter that would make land travel back to Nord difficult.

Tori thought they would take the offer, but then they found out that the ship was gifted to Tori from Piers.  It wasn’t just any brand-new ship; it was an imperialgift.

“Lady Tori, are you certain it is all right to do so?  The Crown Prince will not be upset?” Lady Nordursin asked with caution.

Tori shook her head.  “It’s my ship.  I can do whatever I want with it.”

“What if you need it while it is in use?” Lord Nordursin asked.

Before Tori could answer, Sonia smirked.  “Then the Crown Prince will simply lend her another ship until hers returns.”

Tori shot her an annoyed look.  Ilyana nodded in agreement.  “He would.  That is exactly what His Imperial Highness would do.”

Ilyana looked around at their friends, who all nodded in agreement. Tori scowled.  She couldn’t help but be annoyed because they were right.

“Then, if my lady insists, we will take her up on her offer,” Lord Nordursin said with a relieved smile.

“Wonderful!  I’ll discuss it with my crew and call Sebby to let him know.”  Tori clapped her hands together, accomplished.

Though she tried her best not to stuff herself with snacks, she was hungrier than she thought and ended up leaving Tromsha a bit full.  She patted her stomach and Henrik raised a brow.

“We haven’t tried that Tromsha wine your sister-in-law told us about,” he said.  “Didn’t you say you wanted to see if there was anything good to bring back to Viclya?”

“I say a lot of things, Henrik, but things happen,” Tori grumbled.  “Anyway, you’re here.”

“I can’t do all the taste testing myself.  I need other opinions to confirm that the choices are suitable for a broad range of tastes.”

“I can taste test!” Albert volunteered, raising his hand.

“How are you going to taste test if you like everything you eat?” Sonia raised a brow.

He scoffed.  “It just so happens that the food we eat is all to my taste.”

“You can taste test, but we’ll still need another person.”

“I can taste test,” Constantine said.  “Ceremonial wine usually comes from different regions and sometimes, suppliers try to cheat us and switch out to cheaper wine, so I’ve grown accustomed to detecting a change.  Perhaps I can help?”

“Suppliers try to cheat the church?” Ilyana’s eyes widened.

“It’s not new that merchants will cut corners to make a larger profit every now and then,” Henrik replied.  “I’ve seen many of them in my life.”
 “Constantine can help then,” Tori decided.  “And Lions Gate is focused on quality, so let’s make sure to keep it that way.”

“Lady Tori!”  Heidrun knocked on the window of the carriage as she rode alongside on horseback.  “Tonight, we are going to a geyser pool, but I wanted to show you our beach.”

“They have beaches here?” JP asked and looked out the window.

“Is it near-by? Can we go in the water?” Tori asked as she popped open the window. All she’d seen of the coastline thus far was dark, rocky shores and cliffs with waves smashing against them. Hardly ‘casual swim’ environments.

Heidrun chuckled and grinned.  “I don’t recommend it for the faint of heart.  You’ll see when we get there.”
 The group exchanged glances, but nodded.  JP and Albert looked at each other.  
 “Silver coin if you go into the water,” JP told him.

“Two silver coins if you go in and stay longer than me,” Albert challenged.

“Five silver coins to whoever stays in the water neck deep the longest,” Ilyana said with excited eyes.

Tori rubbed her forehead.  “We don’t know how cold the water is up here, so no one is going to sit in cold ocean water for money.”

Disappointment filled their faces as Sonia snorted and shook her head.

Constantine smiled.  “Although, Marquess Salka said that the geyser we’re going to has a cold pool.  It is considered good for health to first dip into the cold pool, then into the hot water of the geyser, and back a few times.”

“The cold pool I can condone,” Tori said.  “At least no one will get swept out to sea and drown.”

“Then it’s a wager!” Ilyana said, digging into her pocket.  “I have my watch.  Whoever can stay in the cold pool the longest after soaking in the geyser wins five silver coins.”

Albert scoffed.  “Is that all?  What’s the challenge when we’re just sitting in a pool?”

“Anyone can sit in a pool, Ilyana,” JP told her.

Ilyana’s brown eyes sparkled and Tori held her tongue.  Gorask had some hot springs and Ilyana had told her it was common to dive into a fluffy snowbank after soaking into the hot springs.  The shock of hot to cold made one’s blood rush, to say the least.

In her original world, Tori had done cold pools to hot tubs and while it felt amazing to ‘thaw’ out in the hot tub, it wasn’t for everyone.

“She’s not talking a dip into the pool where you dive in and immediately get out,” Tori said.  “To start, you stay for at least thirty counts, then get out and soak in the hot water.  When you return to the cold pool, you work your way up to three minutes.”

JP rolled his eyes.  “Why don’t you just give us money now?”

“Three minutes,” Albert chuckled.  "That's child's play."

“You know they said ‘cold pool’ and not ‘room temperature tub’, right?” Sonia asked, looking at both her twin and Albert incredulously.  “I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourselves into.”

“You don’t think I can stay in the pool a full three minutes?” JP eyed his sister.

“Oh, I think you can stay in the pool for a full three minutes,” Sonia replied as she lifted her chin.  “I just think that you’re going to complain and may be on the verge of crying before the first minute is finished.”

“Wager, sister?” JP asked.

Sonia narrowed her eyes.  “One silver coin.”

“One silver coin,” JP agreed.  “If I let out even a squeak before the first minute is over, I owe you a coin.  If I don’t, you owe me.”

Sonia scoffed and shook her head.  “I can feel the coin in my palm already.”

“Ewan, do you want in on the wager?” JP asked.  Ewan shook his head.

“No, but I’ll do it when I get back.  It’ll feel much better after a training excursion,” Ewan told them.

The carriage came to a stop and Tori looked out the window.  The hard packed gravel road they were on was on an elevated embankment.  It sloped down into what appeared to be a white, sandy beach.  The embankment was filled with small green plants and some flowering purple and yellow flowers in various patches.

The sand stretched across a modest curved arch between the usual coastline of jagged, dark volcanic rock.  The narrow strip of land was lapped by waves that came in from the bay and was much gentler than it was against the rocky coastline.

A knight opened the carriage door and they piled out.

“It looks inviting,” Constantine said as he stood at the embankment and looked around.  There was a slight breeze, but nothing strong.  The sun was out in full force and there were beachgoers dotting the sandy strip.

“You can see some swimmers out in the water.  The current doesn’t look too strong, either,” Henrik said.

“This is one of our favorite beaches!  It’s the only one that isn’t jagged cliff side due to its location,” Heidrun said as she joined them.  “You can go into the water, but it is still quite cold compared to southern waters-”

“Last one in pays for lunch!’  Ewan tossed his shirt to the side and began running down the embankment.

“Ewan!” Henrik called out to him as JP and Albert tore their tops off and ran after him.

“Wait, I haven’t told you about the rip tides!”  Heidrun shouted as she extended her arm, stunned that they’d darted out without warning.

Tori lifted her hand as she narrowed her eyes.  “Make sure they know where to swim and where not to.  Keep an eye on JP, he’s the worst swimmer of the lot.”

Four imperial knights saluted her and ran down the embankment.

“There were two buoys on either side!” Heidrun called out, flustered as she hopped down.  “Tell them to stay away from the buoys - ah!”  Her boots sunk into the soft, coarse sand and her arms shot out to balance herself.

It was easy to see that she was only steadying herself and wouldn’t fall, but Henrik, who’d chased the trio beside her, skidded to a stop and reached out to grab her arm.  It didn’t seem that Heidrun expected help and leaned into him, bumping into Henrik only to be steadied by his arms as she slumped back.

“Heidrun, are you all right?” Henrik looked down at her with a worried expression.  “Don’t worry about Ewan; he’s been rushing headfirst into things and managing fine since he was a child.  He’s adaptable and has excellent body control.  He won’t die easily.”

The woman’s eyes were wide as she looked up at the young man with his hair in a windswept, haphazard bun.  Her words seemed to leave her lips before she could stop herself.

“He’s not the only one with excellent body control....”

From where she was walking down the embankment, Tori nearly snapped her neck to look back with wide eyes.  Heidrun had a familiar dazed look in her eyes that made her jaw almost drop.  Tori knew that look.  She’d see it so many times.

On Ilyana.  When she looked at Kasen.

Tori’s gaze shifted to the young man ‘helping’ steady Heidrun and asking if she was all right, as he knows how distracting Ewan can be.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Sonia asked in a dull voice from beside her.

Tori’s eyes crinkled up.  “I think so.”

“Maybe the midday sun is getting to us.”

“We should give him a little credit.”

“...It’s hard to give him credit after you’ve seen him wet his pants.”

“When did he wet his pants?”

“Sleepover.  Dad was telling us scary stories and then Ewan’s brother snuck up behind him and scared him,” Sonia replied.   Tori almost felt bad for Henrik.  “Ewan hit his brother with a stick, which made him trip, and he sprained his ankle.  Ewan kept hitting him for scaring Henrik until Dad pried him off his brother.”

“What are you two talking about?” Ilyana asked as she climbed back up.  She turned and offered her arm to help pull Albert up from the rock jetty they were exploring.

Sonia and Tori both motioned their heads towards where Heidrun was standing awfully close to Henrik with bright eyes while Henrik yelled at Ewan to put a crab down.  Ilyana tilted her head to the side and looked at the two with some confusion.

Constantine watched Heidrun and Henrik a bit longer before his brows rose.  “Oh.”

“What ‘oh’?” Ilyana asked.

“I can see what’s happening,” Constantine said in a tired voice.

“What?” Ilyana looked around.

“She doesn’t have a clue.” Sonia shook her head.

“Me?” Ilyana lifted her hand to her chest and drew her head back.  She pouted and looked at Tori.

Tori sighed and directed her attention back to Heidrun.  “Does that expression not remind you of anyone?”

Ilyana squinted as her gaze stared at Heidrun.  “Lady Idunn?”

Tori drew her lips inward and Constantine came over.  He lowered his voice and whispered something close to Ilyana, who craned her neck and nodded before she froze.  Her eyes widened and she looked back at Henrik and Heidrun.  She looked at them for a moment before she wrinkled her nose.

“I do not look like that.”

JP reached them and looked around.  His eyes immediately widened.  “I never thought that Tori and Henrik would be in-laws.”

“It hasn’t gotten that far,” Sonia said with a roll of her eyes.  She eyed her brother.  “I thought you were going into the water?”

“Sands in my boots already.  If they get wet, I’ll need to buy another pair.  I don’t want to deal with that,” JP said with a frown as he looked down at his feet.

“Did Albert and Ewan....”  Tori’s voice trailed off as she heard screaming from the water.  She looked up and saw Albert trudging back up the shore, pale and shivering.  She took a deep breath and let it out.  “And he was the one complaining about the cold....”

Ilyana shook her head and began gathering the discarded clothing of her friends to meet them partway up the shore.  Albert reached out, shaking.

“Did you make a questionable life choice?” Ilyana asked in a voice that she used to question her little brother. Albert’s eyes lowered and he nodded.  “What did you learn?”

Albert’s eyes watered.  “I should’ve taken off my boots.”

“And why didn’t you?”

“I got caught up in the moment.”

“Ewan seems to be doing all right,” Sonia said.

“Ewan!” Tori shouted as she looked towards the young man in waist deep water, staring out into the ocean in a trance.  Her eyes crinkled up.  That wasn’t a good sign. “Ewan, are you all right?”

“...I can’t feel my feet!”

Tori ran a hand down her face.  “Get back here, Ewan!”  She looked over her shoulders.  “Do we have any extra blankets or towels?”

Another knight rushed up the embankment and returned just as Ewan, shivering, reached them.  Another knight had picked up his hastily discarded clothes and Tori was relieved to see that he’d at least kicked off his boots.

“It’s colder than it looks,” Ewan grinned as his teeth chattered.  Tori shook her head as she wore a deadpan expression.

“We’re in the frigid north.  I don’t know what you were expecting,” she said.

Ewan gave her a cheesy grin as he wrapped a blanket around himself.  “I saw a beach and was misled.”

“I’m sure....”

As he ran another towel down his face, he craned his neck to the side and saw Henrik talking to Heidrun.  His eyes widened and Tori heard him let out a small gasp.

“It’s happening.”

Several eyes turned to look at him.  “What’s happening?” Albert asked as he sat on a patch of shore plants and tried to dump the water out of his boots.

Ewan lowered his voice.  “Someone finally saw Henrik.”

Albert’s eyes crinkled up and he cocked his head.  He followed Ewan’s gaze and Tori watched as his face went from confusion, to surprise, to shock, and then disbelief.  His jaw slacked, and Tori drew her lips inward to keep from snickering.

“Are you kidding?  Henrik?  Henrik?” he balked.

Ewan wrinkled his face.  “What’s wrong with Henrik?  He’s great.  He’s responsible and trustworthy.  Very dependable...unless he’s scared.”  He furrowed his brows and seemed to think for a moment.  After some time, he nodded his head.  “I think she can protect him.”

“That’s what you’re concerned with?” Sonia asked.

Ewan nodded.  “Who will protect Henrik if I’m not there?”

Tori wasn’t sure if Henrik would be touched or insulted at Ewan’s loyal protection.

Sonia let out a small hum.  “Well, you know how Henrik is.  If it’s not about money and making sure Ewan doesn’t kill himself accidentally, then he’s not paying much attention.”

Ilyana nodded.  “It would take something significant to get his attention.”

“Nord textiles?  Of course, I’m interested. When can we go?” Henrik’s surprised voice caught their attention and Tori could see the near predatory look on Heidrun’s face.

My God...she knows his weakness and is isolating him for the kill.  She was impressed.

“There is a good market on the south shore that deals with trade directly from hunters and craftsmen.  We will start there tomorrow.  I can stay with you to take a look at the items if the others want to continue ahead,” Heidrun said with a bright smile.  “If we can’t meet them for lunch, we can get something nearby.”

“Oh, she’s good....” Sonia said in an awestruck voice.

“Albert...are you taking notes?” Constantine squinted his eyes at Albert as he seemed to be writing something.  “I think this is a very specific situation.”

“He doesn't seem too interested in her, but is still confident,” Albert said in a quiet voice and looked down at a small notebook. “Should I be more confident....?”

“Be confident, but don’t be too pushy,” Ilyana told him.  “You were too...energetic, and scared off some girls before.”

“Don’t be so desperate.”  Sonia’s statement was blunt and Albert flushed.

“I’m impressed that there are people still swimming out there,” Constantine said, looking out towards the water.  “Perhaps the swimming itself warms them up?”

“They could also be much more used to doing so,” Tori replied.

“You three are back already?”  Heidrun’s voice reached them tinged with amusement as she beamed.  Henrik was following behind her without any sign of discomfort, appearing as if he’d just had a good talk with a prospective business partner.

“This isn’t the type of beach they’re used to,” Tori told her with a weak smile.  “We may need to buy Albert new boots.  He ran into the waves wearing his.”

“I was caught up in the moment!” Albert defended himself as Heidrun drew her head back with some confusion.

“That’s not a problem.  We have many excellent leather craftsmen here,” Heidrun told them.  She glanced back at Henrik and seemed to draw the corners of her lips up in a pleased grin.  “Let’s get moving!  I want to show you what our little town offers!”

The group began walking back up the embankment, but Ewan made his way closer to Heidrun with an uncharacteristically serious look on his face.

“Miss Heidrun,” he began respectfully in a quiet voice.  Tori lingered back a bit to listen to what he was going to say.

“Heidrun is fine, Ewan,” the blonde beamed.  “What is it?”

Ewan seemed to think for a moment.  He looked towards the embankment, towards Henrik, and seemed to give himself a nod.

“Heidrun, Henrik is my best friend,” Ewan said as he turned around once more to face her.  “Please be serious about this.”

Tori raised a brow and Heidrun nodded, unperturbed in the least at Ewan noticing her interest in their friend immediately. “I am very serious.  We Nordursins take our partners seriously.”  She lifted her hand and pounded her chest.  “I will treat him well!”

Tori pursed her lips and looked towards Henrik, who was climbing into the carriage above them.  Tori doubted he knew what was coming.

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

Author's Note:

And we're back. :)