Lady Kalmira stiffened beside Lord Alboim. Tansy watched as he glanced at his friend and saw worry mixed with calculation on her face. “I will accompany you. It is unbecoming for a maiden to be alone with a man.” He looked at her quizzically. “Ask your slave, once you are alone. This is neither the time nor the place.”

  “OK. I’ll trust you. Lead on, Lady Tanacetia.”

  The tour was perfunctory, meant only to deceive the other guests and, most importantly, her father. Once they were alone, Kalmira turned on her. “I have never heard anything untoward about Baron Autharion. What do you need his liege’s heir’s help for?”

  “He seemed like a decent person,” Alboim added. “But that could be a facade. Is he abusing you?”

  Their concern touched her, and she shook her head decisively. “No, it is nothing like that, Light forbid! Father has always been kind to me. But he is a very traditional lord.”

  “You are fifteen and unengaged.” Kalmira pointed out. “That hardly counts as traditional.”

  “True, but as his health fades, he realizes my half-brother has no affection for me, and wants to see me safely wed; he is done coddling my wishes. The truth is, I love magic, and I wish to devote my life to the study of magic circles. But he is insisting I wed. Over the last four months, he has suggested no less than seven lords, but all of them wish for a proper wife, and I fear, would scarcely allow me to wield powerful magics, let alone experiment with them as the Countess did, or Lady Moara.” it all came out in a rush, her desperation forcing the next word out almost before the preceding one finished.

  Lord Alboim covered his face with his hand and groaned slightly. She could see him force his face into serenity, and he asked. “Why not bring this up to Aunt Elspith herself? Surely if anyone can, she could sway him.” He paused. “Maybe? Kal, that is how it works, right?”

  “More or less, Al.” she replied.

  Tansy lifted an eyebrow. Pet names already! Those two moved more quickly than she would ever dare; especially with her liege’s heir! Lady Kalmira was a bold woman. “My father made me promise not to speak with her on this matter. He never thought I would be bold enough to broach this with my future liege lord and a man he hopes to wed me to.”

  “I have no plans to marry.” Alboim replied. “Especially to a girl I’ve just met.” Tansy was fairly sure she was not supposed to hear his muttering. “I hate this culture.”

  She waited, the silence stretching between them to an unbearable degree. Tansy was about to speak up, when Alboim nodded his head. “OK. It never hurts to talk.” He ran his hands through his hair and added. “I will pass your message on to Aunt Elspith.”

  “Thank you, Lord Alboim.”

  It was late in the evening when she was summoned to her father’s study. When she entered, Father was visibly upset, and Lady Elspith looked amused. “I thought you promised not to speak of your fancy to the Countess.” he began. Tansy could tell that he was gearing up for a rant, and bowed her head meekly.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Pardon, Autharion, but I hardly spoke a word to the child. She kept her promise. Let us hear what the girl has to say for herself.”

  “Please, my lady. Tanacetia needs a husband soon. You know my health is failing.” She nodded, and Father continued. “And her brother never liked the fact that I remarried late. It would not be so bad if her mother or grandfather were alive; they could protect her from him. I am trying to give her a husband who will not mistreat her, but…” his voice trailed off. After a moment, he added. “I pampered her wishes for too long. She is a woman grown and I would like to see her children before I am gone.” His eyes were pleading. The sight of Father begging turned Tansy’s stomach, and she was glad she had only picked at her food that night.

  “Truly, Autharion, I understand a parent’s desire to see their child safe.” Elspith’s voice was gentle. “And it is a joy I never experienced to see your children’s children. But it is our duty as parents to let our children fly free when they grow up. Tell me, Tanacetia, what do you wish?”

  “I want to study magic. Like you did, and like Lady Moara. If I must wed, I want someone who will let me study; the men Father has brought to my attention are good men, but not the type to allow their wife to experiment with magic.”

  “Yes. I was lucky with Sylvar in that regard.” Lady Elspith suddenly sounded twice her sixty years. “I waited until it was almost too late, child. Moara has. No man will take a twenty-nine-year-old woman to wife. You will regret not having any children, and if what your father says is correct, you will not even be allowed to transfer your maternal affections to your nephews or nieces.”

  “I know that, my lady. Still. I cannot imagine a life without study, or contemplating the permutations of magic circles, the interplay between competing runes and how secondary circles can affect the outcome of magic. I feel restless and uneasy without it.” Tanacetia wracked her brain, trying to find the right words to find to convey her love, her need for study, Magic was her passion, and it had been since her first lessons ten years ago, when she had arwa-scorched herself at merely five years old.

  She had been hailed as a prodigy for reaching her etere so young, and encouraged by Father, and Nanny, and her governess. But now, the same people who encouraged her then, urged her to give up her joy.

  Elspith smiled. “I can tell, child. There is no need to search for the words.” The lady turned to Autharion. “You have lost, I am afraid. I will take little Tanacetia as my ward on this excursion. If I judge her aptitude with magic high enough, I will set her up with my own funds; you will not have to fear for her sake. And if not, I will find you a husband, child, who will not take this away from you.”

  She chuckled suddenly. “I am afraid that Alboim’s views are infecting my own. I will not sell you to the highest bidder, but I will set you up for a happy and fulfilling life. It is the least I can do. Is this agreeable, Autharion?”

  Father sighed, and slowly nodded. “You will act in her mother’s stead? This is kinder than I deserve. Thank you.”

  “Nonsense! You have been a loyal baron to my house for over sixty years! This is the least I can do to repay your devotion to your land. It is I who should be thanking you. I still remember the delegation you led to convince Elaboim to grant me the title over Brantly.”

  “Tanacetia?”

  It was the best deal she could have hoped for. If her hero agreed to a match, she would trust her judgment. “I will place myself into your care and judgement. Thank you, Lady Elspith, for listening to my plea.”

  “Beautifully said, child. Now, go and pack! We leave at dawn.”

  Tansy hugged her father, “Thank you, Daddy.” she whispered, then left the room as quickly as she dared.

  “They grow up all too soon, don’t they, Autharion? I wish they could stay small enough to scoop up in your arms and just our presence makes all their worries go away.”

  “I know exactly what you mean. As a father to a mother, please. Take good care of my baby girl.”