Magic of the Marriage Market

Just over a month ago, a theatre in the Capital burned down, killing several nobles and laymen alike. It was a fact Gavin couldn't get out of his head even as he sat in a different theatre watching an entirely different play, next to the girl who would one day be his wife. Eniola Sikali was sixteen like Gavin, and they'd been best friends until he kissed her at ten. Ever since they've been in love and every year its harder to wait until they were finally wed.

The play absorbed Eniola's attention, some dramatic retelling of the Osiris myth, and Gavin used the chance to shamelessly study her lovely features. The Sikali Dukedom Family's colour was a deep and rich orange that suited the soft brown of her skin and the darker brown curls she had pinned up, leaving the diamond shape of her face clear and tempting him to press kisses along. Gavin had to shift in his seat, looking towards the play he had no interest in just so he wouldn't humiliate himself.

Thankfully, neither Eniola nor Alaric had noticed his ungentlemanly conduct. Eniola was focused on the play, and Alaric was focused on Derbie wit Lady Ban. Those two had their heads close together, a whispered conversation that looked intimate. Gavin was happy for Derbie, it felt good to find love, to be loved, and his brother got to experience what Gavin had for the last six years.

Gavin once again looked around the theatre, seeing where a fire might start in this one, and already having mapped out the exit route in his head. He didn't think such a tragedy would occur again so soon, but it made more sense to be prepared just in case. And he'd already given Eniola the lace handkerchief he'd asked Farran to make; it was fire proof.

By the time the play ended, Gavin was ready to be far outside and away from all those candles and curtains. While Lady Ban and Eniola discussed the play with Derbie, Gavin walked behind and Alaric led, herding their loved ones out to a fresher, safer April evening.

"Would you ladies mind terribly if we stopped along the way at Abernathy's?" Alaric was polite enough to inquire.

"Not at all," Eniola smiled, accustomed to accompanying Gavin on many errands. As the daughter of a Duke, neither Gavin nor Alaric would dare send her home without a direct escort, so if she'd said no they would have brought her straight home first.

"I've heard of Abernathy's but my Father prefers that we use the House dressmaker," Lady Ban admitted. "I wouldn't mind seeing what the renown tailor's is like."

Due to the Debut Season starting, most of the shop districts had set up covered pavilions for customers to walk under, able to avoid the rain but continue shopping the entire street. One only got wet when crossing a road or boarding a carriage. It meant that ever if it wasn't currently raining, they could walk out their legs after sitting so long at the theatre. Eniola curled her arm through Gavin's, resting her head against his shoulder as they walked, and Gavin knew they got away with such affectionate gestures because they were still considered children. Meanwhile, Alaric was watching how close Derbie's hand came to brushing Lady Ban's like a hawk did an incautious mouse.

The walk to Abernathy's was pleasant but not strenuous, and before long they had arrived at the tailor's to collect the suits Alaric, Calvin, and Derbie had ordered for the Viscount Ram Garden party. Gavin had only seen glimpses of the parties his own Family hosted, or a few from when Eniola's Family did if he could slip out after curfew, so he was curious to see what his brothers planned to wear. As the youngest boy he was the only one not receiving a suit, but Gavin still enjoyed watching his siblings dress up.

It was far more enjoyable to imagine the lovely garden dress Eniola might wear to such an Event. Given the nature of a garden party, he'd be able to see her in something close to the Briggs Family scarlet, and the idea took his breath away. "I cannot wait to see how lovely a Debutante you'll be," he admitted softly to Eniola and she smiled warmly.

"I cannot wit until my Family is distracted by Colena's attending of the Ram Garden Party; Aquene, Brissa, and Colena are all going, and that same night Deshay has already planned to slip out of the house to go gamble. So I'll be planning my own little garden party, thought it won't involve suits or gowns tailored at Abernathy's so I understand if its not as impressive," Eniola plotted calmly.

If they weren't in public, and next to his brothers, Gavin would have kissed her. But as they were, he could only subtly squeeze her hand resting at the bend of his elbow. "Would you like me to bring an appetite for delicious desserts?" Gavin kept the topic as innocent as he could, mind an absolute gutter of ungentlemanly behaviour and intentions. There were adult only lines they hadn't crossed yet, despite having stolen far more intimate moments than either Family suspected, but that didn't mean Gavin was spared the wanting of those acts from tormenting him.

There was a heat to Eniola's eyes that told Gavin she was just as affected, "what garden party would be complete without eating delicious things?"

The slightly inappropriate conversation was broken up when one of the Abernathy's clerks handed over the boxed suits for the Briggs men. As the youngest, it of course fell on Gavin to play the porter for the older two. It was heavier than expected considering the spring weight fabrics, but Gavin knew men's fashion enough to know there was always layers. "We'll use a carriage from here and deliver the Ladies home first," Alaric called their excursion to an end.

The Ladies were given one side of the carriage bench to share, while all three Briggs squashed into the other, and Gavin lamented the fact that it was both Alaric and Derbie instead of the more compartmental Calvin, or better yet, the petite sizes of Blair and Hida. But since he was with the two tallest siblings, Gavin was given the most uncomfortable position as middleman. Propriety and protocol called for them to deliver Eniola to her Ducal Family first, then Lady Ban to her Marquis Estate after. It didn't allow Gavin a chance for a more private farewell, or a chance to steal a kiss when no one was watching, so instead he took the empty seat once both Ladies had left.

Both Alaric and Derbie were giving him such amused, knowing looking that suddenly Gavin felt like he was under review.

"Will Lady Ban be matching her garden dress to your suit?" Gavin tried to distract Derbie.

"No, but she has agreed to visit each garden station with me, and we will be planning coordinating outfits for the next Events," Derbie was successfully sidelines but Gavin could see Alaric still giving him a stern look. "And Lady Aoki Ruma has sent her gratitude for Alaric agreeing to chaperone us, she is likely pregnant with twins and has a hard time coming out to Events; her husband is home with their son and a broken leg."

"Ouch," Gavin wondered if he could bake anything that's last long enough to be sent to the Ruma March, unlikely unless Alaric used his magic on it. It wouldn't make a broken leg heal, but it could help him feel less pain and discomfort.

"There are many of us elder siblings having to chaperone, given the various Expeditions underway," Alaric commiserated politely. "Our parents are at the Norther Island, the Marchioness and Marquis of Ruma are still in Cador after the signing of the Alliance and will be returning with the first part of the Cadorian Exchange."

"And the Viscount and Viscountess Ram are in Tashatia to see if an alliance can be arranges with them," Derbie pointed out and Gavin didn't understand why that made Alaric glower at their brother.

Gavin's recent Diplomatic Hi온라인카지노게임 lessons had taught him that just under two hundred years ago the Taroton Kingdom had been at constant war with not only the Cador Kingdom that was their closest neighbor, but also the closest territory across the channel; Tashatia. The Northern Island hadn't even been discovered at that time, though the Southern Island had just been colonized. And despite all likely conflict, a peaceful relationship with the perpetually alert Republic of Yang that was on Cador's far border but still abutted Tarotan in the northern part of the continent. It was only about a hundred years ago when both the Northern Island and the far Southern Continent had been discovered. The Northern Sea was full of monsters and beasts, but the Southern Passage had only been a barrier due to distance. Advancements in sea travel had made the prior impossible journey into something that allowed for the Tours of the South, and now Gavin was learning about the Southern Continent of Hinikia, Tanian Hierocracy, and the Grand Duchy of Mygilongia.

"Let's not forget that both Duke Sikali and Duchess Hatsune have gone to the far east and west respectively, or that the Sen Count and Countess have gone to explore what is west of the Southern Continent," Alaric seemed to remind himself as much as Derbie and Gavin.

There was a reason so many eldest were chaperoning their siblings this Season, a fact even Gavin knew though he was still three years away from adulthood. His age group was more concerned with figuring out their magic than anything else; he knew just how blessed he was to not only already know who he wanted to spend his life with, but also what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to cook for the Queen of Taroton, a duty relegated to only the most trusted and talented chef available. He was still too young to apply for an apprenticeship, but Gavin was confident his talent and magic would assist when the time came.

"How do you think mother and father are doing?" Gavin asked cautiously. Their last update had warned that they'd be trying to map the perimeter of the Northern Islan, and might be out of reach for an unknown length of time.

"Their ship had made it across the monster filled Northern Sea," Alaric immediately jumped into big brother role, "we know they landed and managed to establish a return route, so technically there is now a part on the Northern Island."

"Do you think they'll name it after one of our parents?" Derbie wondered.

"Could you imagine? Gavin laughed, "the Braden or Elísabet port?"

"More likely the town at the port would be called Braden's Bay or Elísabet's Berth," Derbie jumped on the joke.

Alaric didn't roll his eyes but Gavin still felt it in his response, "if the Queen felt it appropriate to immortalize our parents' efforts it'd probably be in the form of calling it Briggsport, the Island itself will receive a more Taroton designation."

"You're not fun," Gavin pointed out.

"Now you sound like Blair," Derbie interjected.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to go visit the Northern Island?" Gavin didn't have the wanderlust Farran did, but he had a far sturdier stomach on a ship.

"Once it has been made secure enough to travel to, and as long as the Island proves to be inhabitable, but not yet claimed," Alaric equivocated. "Otherwise it'll have to wait until after diplomatic relations have been established."

"Would Eniola want to travel there?" Derbie asked, as certain as Gavin that he would marry her one day.

Gavin smiled, Eniola put on the mask of a refined Ducal Princess, but he knew just how bold she really was. "Eniola would strangle any siren that tried to lure me, I'd be in danger only if I tried to leave my Lady behind."

"Your course reports all indicate that you wanted to go into apprenticeship under the Royal Chef," Alaric sounded a little hesitant, "did you want to Tour before you enrolled?"

At sixteen, Gavin still had two years of mentoring before he could either apprentice under a Master, enroll in professor hosted courses at the university, or like most noble children without responsibilities he could Tour all of Taroton, the Southern Island, and even the Southern Continent. Once they Debuted Gavin knew he'd be engaged to Eniola, so before the end of the Season they'd be wed and start their adult lives together. They'd discussed going on Tour together, unless one of them was approached by a Master. "Yes, Eniola and I want to Tour before either of us goes for work, but we want to be married as quickly as possible after Debuting."

"That's still three years away Gavin, by then you may be able to include the Northern Island on your Tour," the fact that even Alaric accepted Gavin's eventual nuptials with Eniola pleased him.

"I wonder what new delicacies it might bring to Taroton," Gavin wondered out loud. His magic could be enhanced by various combinations or ingredients, and he was always curious to learn what else he can do with it.

"Given the hostiles between ports," Derbie was treating Gavin's curiosity as a serious topic, "they'd have to be something fairly stable for transport; livestock might get too unruly while dealing with sea demons."

"I'd be happy with the discovery of new spices even, you can make a favourite meal all but unrecognizable with a simple substitution of the herbs and spices you're using," Gavin loved cooking only slightly less than he loved Eniola.

"I think a new harvestable resource might be more beneficial to help those areas affected by that pestilence," Alaric seemed to always be thinking about trade and how their Countship would be impacted. "We have those sour fruits from the South, so maybe there could be a sweet from the North."

"The carriage finally delivered them home, the boxes Gavin still had to carry for his brothers weren't heavy but cumbersome to haul up the stairs. "Any chance I could see your new suits?" Gavin wondered as Alaric led the way to his room.

"Lay them out, it'll be a chance for me to explain the trends and traditions for men's garden party fashion," Alaric never seemed to notice how natural it was for him to lead and instruct, but Gavin noticed it and knew one day his brother would make a great Count but an even better father.

However, it was still astonishingly boring to be instructed on the various ways you could incorporate your Family colour into your attire. At least until Derbie got involved, as his questions were things Gavin could put to use when the time came, "if I had coordinated with Lady Ban, how would you have recommended I dress?"

Alaric actually sighed, as if resigning himself to the fact that Derbie was all in on Courting Lady Ban. "You selected an ivory shirt and trousers with a black cravat and jacket," he indicated the neutral items, "but it is the Briggs scarlet worked into gold on the vest that you would have to feature differently. Instead, it would be easier for you to find out the pattern your Lady chose for her dress and you would select the same for your vest; simply with the House colours altered for your respective Families. If you wanted to be truly daring, and if her Family colour was complimentary to your own, you could also have chosen to have the two colours in a pattern together. Briggs scarlet and the Ruma indigo are both strong colours and could be featured together quite attractively."

"And when its me and Eniola?" Gavin blurted it out. The Sikali orange and Briggs scarlet would make an eye searing combination, and yet for her he'd wear it.

"The Sikali Ducal Family will likely send you clothes in their fabrics but our colours," Derbie offered comfortingly, "their textiles are unmatched."

"Another option," Alaric resumed lecturing, "is to wear your cufflinks and cravat pin to reference your Lady's Family; couples jewelry set exist for a reason."

Gavin frowned, knowing that Eniola's dark brown hair and soft brown skin would look amazing adorned with rubies, but he wondered if she'd rather the andesine feldspar that matched her Sikali colour. With his own flaxen blond hair and baby blue eyes, he knew he could wear either stone well but Gavin knew very little about jewellery as a whole.

And since both he and Eniola were still only sixteen, it'd be inappropriate for Gavin to buy her official couples jewellery just yet. He had to wait until a Letter of Intent was sent and accepted at the very least, even if he and Eniola had been sweethearts since childhood. At least Gavin knew that Duke Sikali, Eniola's father, had approved their relationship and had given Gavin verbal confirmation that he'd accept the Letter of Intent when it came. Now that the Duke was on the Queen's Expedition beyond Tashatia, Gavin may have to appeal to Eniola's eldest sibling Aquene for approval.

Gavin was pulled from his contemplation as he noticed a subtle detail for Calvin's suit that neither Alaric nor Derbie's had. Calvin's shirt, trousers, and cravat were all ivory, his jacket was beige, and his best was the same scarlet and gold the others chose but Gavin noticed that Calvin's pin was a golden eagle in flight. It wasn't inappropriate, or even ostentatious, but it occurred to Gavin that the Polumenta Viscounty had an eagle in flight as its coat of arms. His brother had chosen jewellery that matched his best friend's Family in a way Alaric had just described as part of Courting.

Since Gavin didn't know if it was intentional or not, he kept his observation to himself. Calvin didn't wear a lot of flashy things to begin with, so this might be all he had; at least all that was appropriate for a more casual Garden Party. It left to Gavin wondering what type of suit he'd have picked for himself, already knowing he'd match his pattern to Eniola's dress for every single Event when it was their turn.