Magic of the Marriage Market

Blair stared at the Letters of Intent that had been delivered for her, eyes quickly picking out the wax seal of each Family that had a third or fourth son, or sometimes cousin, who would make her a perfect Suitor. Her parents, and her eldest brother Alaric, had all promised that she had no obligation to marry, though none of them truly understood why she was so adamant against it. Even little Gavin thought there was some great trauma or heartbreak behind her actions.

But truthfully, Blair had a hard time trying to imagine a life long relationship with any of these strangers, who most likely wanted her beauty and the Briggs' money. So, unless a Letter of Intent came from a first born who would inherit their own name and fortune, or maybe one of the Ducal Princes, Blair had no intention of opening them. And she avoided the Social Events with the same strategic accuracy as most used to lure a Suitor; if someone truly wanted to get to know Blair for her own sake they'd find a way. If they only cared she existed at the Marriage Season, it told her all she needed to know.

So, unless Alaric decided he was a monk, or unfortunately passed away, she was free to act like it didn't matter. But given that they were on their way to the newly titled Earl Clayton Wignell precisely because his elder brother had unexpectedly passed away, Blair hadn't burned the Letter of Intent like she normally would have. Because if something happened to Alaric, she'd was the one who would become Countess instead, and that would mean selecting a husband for herself.

"Thank you," Alaric broke into her thoughts, "for helping me help Clayton, I know Social Events aren't your thing."

"Yes, but this isn't the typical Social Event; he's got no Debutant. Besides, he may be your best friend but that doesn't mean I want to leave him at the Queen's Mercy," Blair shrugged Alaric's gratitude off.

After the catastrophe her 'refill' caused at the Alchemy Bureau, she'd been told to take some time off to explore this new aspect of her magic. Logically, it made sense and yet it still stung like a rejection from the one place Blair had found that suited her. And it wasn't like they were telling her she couldn't come back, she just had to learn the newer limits to her abilities now. The only issue being that she had no idea HOW to go about doing so. So instead of struggling her way through the unknown, Blair had volunteered to help Alaric and Clayton Wignell out.

"That's where you're wrong Blair, Clayton is his own Debutant," Alaric corrected, "he may have turned an adult when I did, but now he's being presented as Earl Wignell; this is how the Queen is addressing that."

"What did she ask you," Blair blurted the question out, "the night you Debuted? You've listened to the rest of us share our experiences, but you had no one to share yours with." Such was the burden of being eldest.

Instead of making Alaric turn serious, or somber, the question garnered a wide grin, "ask that again when we get to the Wignell House, you'll enjoy it more."

That only made Blair want to demand an answer now, but she bit her tongue and waited. Thankfully, they were already almost there; her own issued forgotten as she rushed to debark the carriage and go get some answers.

Earl Wignell came to the door to greet them, looking tired and full of sorrows. Blair felt a swell of sympathy, this man had lost a sibling young and then his parents, and now his last sibling; he may have become an Earl, but Blair knew Clayton had never wanted the title. So, she did the only thing she could think of to help distract him.

"Alaric told me I had to wait until we were here to find out what Queen Akiyama asked him the night you two Debuted," her outburst took Clayton visibly off guard for a heartbeat before he started laughing.

"And here I thought you wanted to go your whole life without reliving that night," Clayton teased Alaric.

"If neither of you will tell me, I'll refill every glass you drink today with piss," she warned, not actually certain she could follow through.

"Blair don't be disgusting," Alaric chided.

Clayton led them to the yard of the House, where the Briggs had swings and a wide open training space, the Wignell House boasted a seasonal sitting area near a pond, covered but open to the breeze. Blair sat in one of the white outdoor chairs, seeing a light spread on the table waiting them. Before she could lose her limited patience, Clayton thankfully spoke, "our Debut was likely much like your own, and Queen Akiyama asked your brother if he was happy to be her Count Briggs one day."

It was a reasonable question, so Blair wasn't expecting to see Alaric's pale face go mottled with embarrassment. "What did you say to the Queen, Alaric?" she prompted, not even able to guess given that Alaric was the well behaved one.

"He said that the only thing that would make him happier would be to be her Prince Consort, and if not then Count was more than acceptable," Clayton answered for him, and Blair gelt her face split in GLEE as Alaric hid behind his hands. "In his defence, Queen Akiyama is only eight years older than us, and quite a beautiful woman so it was a smart, if unorthodox, move."

"Is that why you've never accepted a Letter of Intent for yourself Alaric? You're holding out for a crown?" she teased, knowing he wasn't power hungry.

"I want at least one of my siblings to be well set before I selfishly worry about my own affairs," Alaric corrected.

"And lucky for you, it looks like Derbie is writing Lady Ban a Letter of Intent, you won't have to wait for Gavin to marry Eniola," Blair clapped Alaric on the arm.

"The garden party went well then?" Clayton asked as if she had a clue.

"I didn't go, I don't do the Social Events at this Season," Blair shrugged.

"Whyever not? I'd imagine you'd be a hit at any of the parties," Clayton sounded surprised.

"If they need to be told by their families it's time to get married, they don't need ME. Could you imagine what it'd be like to be married to someone that spineless?" it was a partial truth, so she used it well.

"Which hasn't stopped you from receiving multiple Letters of Intent every week," Alaric pointed out to her annoyance.

Blair gave a scoffing laugh, "I even brought the latest batch with me, want to see what my offerings are?" she threw the unopened Letters on the table and made sure her teacup had anything but tea in it.

"An awful lot of untitled merchant families," Clayton noted, looking at the wax seals discerningly.

"All hopeful a marriage to me will give them pretty babies, noble blood, and a fat purse once a month," Blair spat in response.

Clayton gave her a surprised, but not doubting, look, "you would make pretty babies, can't blame them for knowing that, but if you really want them to leave you alone maybe you could express your scorn."

"As some of these families work closely with ours in the ports," Alaric interjected, "it would probably be more diplomatic if I resolved it."

"I don't know why I didn't just burn them like I normally do," Blair admitted.

"Maybe you're hoping to have a date to whatever Event I plan that I can pull off with only a week of preparation. You will come out to support me, won't you?" Clayton maneuvered her and Blair gave him a flat look for it.

"If I come out to your Event, I will be my usual self, are you certain you want to risk that?" she expected his retreat.

"Of course, I'd have you no other way little Briggs," he taunted back instead. "You forget that I may have missed your Debut, but I was front and center for many of your shenanigans before I left on Tour."

"What kind of Event are you prepared to Host, ignoring all the other Events already scheduled?" Alaric interceded to prevent more bickering, Blair assumed.

"This is my home Alaric, you tell me what kind of Event it looks like I'm ready to Host?" Clayton gestured around.

In the Capital, every noble House had a multistoried home, and a large yard or entertaining area. Given that no Debut occurred for the Wignell Family, no pre-emptive work had been done to prepare. To Blair's eye it looked like the simple pond and yard might be best for a picnic. "Why not... a picnic, and instead of more formal games, each Family is given a treasure map to the gift intended for them?" Blair spat out an idea as soon as it came to her.

"Both men gave her a surprised look, as if not expecting any good ideas to come from her. "I would only have to think up unique gifts per Family...if I did it that way it could be lighter feast and fare..." Clayton was considering it.

"And it suits the weather of May's first week, though you will have to consider what to do if it is impossibly drenched," Alaric added in. "We could help you come up with maps for each Family, and perhaps figure what appropriate treasures could be."

"You owe me so much," Blair warned Clayton with a smirk that left him frowning so she decided to answer. "If you can provide the bottles, I can fill them with the best wines and spirits." The Alchemy Bureau might be leery of her but this she could do.

Hopefully.

"And what will your magnanimity cost me?" Clayton asked as if she was unreasonable.

"Nothing," Alaric quickly tried to claim, but they both ignored him.

"I'm helping you design an Event," Blair started to tick the things he owed her off on her fingers, "you expect me to then attend this Social Event to support you, even though you know I normally abstain from them, and I'll be the genius behind the idea in the first place." She looked from Alaric's disapproving glare to Clayton's more amused resignation, "but Alaric's right, I couldn't demand a repayment for any of it."

"I almost feel like it'd be safer for me if you did," Clayton admitted with a laugh. "But truly, thank you both. I'm already at my wits end trying to pick up the Earldom where Alphonse left it, and now this..."

"Think nothing of it," Alaric waved off the gratitude this time, "now let us start plotting."

Between the three of them, they were able to sketch out a basic Social Event that would fulfill his obligation to Queen Akiyama, but not embarrass him as a new Earl. Clayton was going to arrange for a bunch of picnic blankets and eating trays to be set out, a rowboat for the pond, and every invitation being sent would have a treasure map on it. Twenty-three unique maps were being plotted out, making use of the natural landscaping of Clayton's Capital House, and incorporating statuary as needed for additional obfuscation. At the end of their treasure map, each Family would find a bottle of the finest spirit.

Given the time constraints, Alaric set out to collect the bottles required for Blair to fill, while Clayton took her to the kitchen to work in. "The last I had heard, little Briggs could only fill what was in your cup already," Clayton lightly pried into her magic.

"Now I can fill a container with any liquid I've come across before," she carefully admitted. She didn't just drink so much for fun's sake, she'd been building her repertoire.

"Container?" Clayton caught one of the subtle differences, "you're no longer constrained to cups or goblets?"

"Yes, container," Blair looked away, hating to have to admit it, "I discovered just recently when I accidentally filled every vessel capable of holding formaldehyde to the brim at the Alchemy Bureau."

"Every vessel in the room, the floor, or the whole building?" Clayton sounded impressed regardless.

"Everything within a kilometer radius," Blair had to specify, "and no, I don't know how to make it all disappear so you can imagine the clean up involved." It'd taken three baths before she felt like it didn't reek on her.

"Would you mind refilling our glasses with the spirit that will be the gift?" he asked, pushing his empty teacup towards her.

Instead of anything flashy, Blair simply offered her own teacup, "here, I switched my own to it the moment I could."

Clayton laughed at her honesty, or her audacity, and took a sip anyways, "oh, is this that sparkling stuff you can only get from Tashatia?"

"Exactly, called champagne, and it goes to your head like all the best spirits do," she confirmed with a smile. "I can do two types so far, this one which is fairly mild, but the one I've refilled into your glass has a sharper, green apple taste."

Clayton took a judgemental sip, and his face brightly lit up in enjoyment, "that's tart, I like that."

"It's good with a salty cheese," she encouraged, "and its still rare enough to most of the central and western families that it'll be a very unique gift."

"Now that your brother isn't around to be his diplomatic self, do tell me if there is any favour I can gift you in return for all this," he sounded earnest.

Blair hadn't actually planned to ask for anything, but then Hida's advice came to mind; pick a friend and agree to Court him but really plan to end it amicably after the Marriage Season. "If you get sick of being hunted like a white furred lion, let me know if you'd be up for a fake relationship to keep Suitors at bay."

"What?" Clayton demanded as if she hadn't been clear.

"You have no intention of finding a bride considering the fact that you've been on Tour for almost three years, and only just returned for tragic reasons," she pointed out bluntly, "I want to be free of all these strangers who don't want ME but my family's money." Blair tossed the Letters of Intent onto the messy countertop carelessly. "It was an idea Pinky gave me, though not you specifically but any friend I could use as a 'smoke screen'."

Clayton drank all the tart sparkling in his teacup without replying, studying her as if trying to determine if this were a joke or not. "Do I have a deadline to consider and respond by?"

"Focus on your Even, Earl Wignell, and we'll get through the Briggs Masquerade, but if you still haven't seen the need by then I'll accept it as a gentle rejection." Blair hadn't intended to attend her family's Event but now it seemed like she had to. "Or you could just say it's a terrible idea right now and I won't be offended; after all, it was thought up by a fifteen year old."

"It's a little bit rudimentary," Clayton agreed, "but not ludicrous, I just wasn't expecting it. Like you said, I need to survive this tiresome Event before I can worry about anything else."

"Alaric won't let you fail, he's too driven to see all his loved ones succeed," Blair waved it off. "No, the real emergency is that now I have to figure out an appropriate outfit in less than two weeks."

"I doubt you'd be capable of looking less than amazing in anything you wear little Briggs; you grew up beautiful, if short," his compliment ended on a sudden sour note.

"If you keep being mean to me, I'll fill your gift bottles with vinegar instead of wine," she warned jokingly. He was her brother's best friend, she wouldn't let him ruin his own reputation like that.

"You seem to be forgetting that I'd have my way of seeking revenge," Clayton saluted her with the teacup.

Blair gave him a slight glare, "if you poison me Alaric will kill you to avenge me."

"You wouldn't die...though you may want to," he sounded like that wasn't a bad option. His magic was a natural ability to produce poisons in the same way Blair could refill containers. He and Derbie had tested each other's magic when Derbie was just starting to show his talents, and before Clayton left on Tour.

"I am curious though," Blair thought of something suddenly, "when you do your poison thing, can you do just like poison in a cup?"

"I need an object to add poison to, I can't just fill a vial with it," Clayton answered easily enough.

"I'm wondering if I can figure out how to refill a poisoned drink," she laid out her curiosity to him. "Do you feel like experimenting?"

Clayton was too dark brown for Blair to tell if he was blushing or not, but he did hesitate to respond so she suspected he was. "Do you think it wise to experiment in the very kitchen we await your brother in?" he played with the words as much as she had, and Blair grinned at him for it.

"Should we try to do it quickly and discreetly?" her question left Clayton laughing.

"Suddenly I understand why it's merchant familied and not noble sons who think they can try to claim you," he shook his head.

"I don't attend Social Events during the Marriage Season, I've burned every batch of Letters received until this one, and I've developed a reputation as a lush," she was about to shrug it all off when Clayton grabbed the Letters and tossed them into the kitchen fire for her.

"How am I going to come up with twenty four different treasure maps? That's what I need you focusing on," he redirected them suddenly.

"You really don't have to do one for us Briggs, considering that two of us will be helping you plan it. And Derbie will be focused on helping his Lady Ban," she didn't bother mentioning Calvin because although he'd attend, she knew it'd be at Danilo's side; a fact that hadn't changed in all the years Clayton had been away.

"Yes, suddenly the task seems much easier now that it's only twenty three, I'm so relieved," Clayton was flatly sarcastic.

"That's the spirit!" she encouraged with a cocky grin.

It was nowhere that easy, but nothing ever is.