Magic of the Marriage Market

Hida spat her drink back into the glass, her tongue already burning and all attempt at etiquette in front of the Queen forgotten in the name of survival. Blair's dementedly proud grin proved she felt no remorse over pulling a stunt in front of the Queen and Consort. Even Edwina had taken a little sip and wheezed; Hida suspected she'd have even tried it on the Royals except that could have seriously dire consequences. Unless the Queen really could hear thoughts just by looking at a person, then Blair could try and get called out immediately.

"I see Lady Blair Briggs' reputation for entertaining malarky is apt," to Hida's delight and Alaric's obvious dismay, the Queen actually caught on; Hida tried to ignore the worm of adrenaline that this seemed to confirm that the Queen could read minds.

"Thank you, your Majesty," Blair gave a flawless curtsey and Hida watched carefully so she could try to emulate it herself. "Would you like me to replace the champagne in your glass with the same Hinikian spirit?"

Hida could see the vein in Alaric's forehead throb even as her eldest sibling smiled as if amused, and the Queen's easy agreement to Blair's offer made the vein PULSE. "How can you all like this stuff?" she asked.

Apparently loud enough to be heard, because Prince Consort Levi laughed, "you must be Hida, I've heard you're refreshingly direct."

Hida's shadows had shown her who he was, and what her role in the future would be for him, and yet she was surprised that he also knew of her. "Have you also heard that when I'm a full Knight, I'll one day be your Royal Guard?"

"Pinky!" Alaric hissed at her even as Edwina tried to softly quiet her with a hand on her wrist.

"Pinky?" the Prince Consort sounded like the nickname thrilled him, "I take it your adorable hair colour is the origin of that name?" Hida might be blunt, but she was also smart enough to realize the Prince Consort focusing on her nickname was its own confirmation that he already knew her eventually role as his Knight; how she wasn't sure, but that could be determined later.

"Yes, Prince Levi," she confirmed, not bothering to lie. "My Queen," Hida tried to mimic Blair's earlier courtesy, "thank you for coming to celebrate my loved ones, and I am thrilled to be able to say that Queen Akiyama is my sister-in-law."

Even Blair gave Hida a look as if you say 'you can't say that to the Queen!', but no one dared speak before the Queen could respond. No one but Prince Consort Levi, "you are a refreshingly direct Taroton noble, Pinky; it's going to be fun having you as my Knight."

Her mind's eye flashed to the future her shadows had shown, Prince Levi's current smiling image replaced by the sight of him bloodied, shirtless, and with a crossbow bolt in his shoulder. She still didn't know when or where that assassination attempt would occur, only that it'd fail. She had to push the image from her mind, the rumours of the Queen's magic all too common for Hida to feel like such a thought was safe. So Hida used the trick she always did when trying to calm her thoughts; she didn't try to think of nothing, she simply focused on all the things around her. What she could smell, hear, see, even taste and feel; it was all catalogued without emotional investment and let Hida simply deal with what was at hand.

"Thank you for such confidence," Hida gave a slight curtsey, not actually certain what protocol was for receiving a Royal compliment.

"I'd hoped to allot you a more typical childhood and training regime, Lady Hida," Queen Akiyama HAD known about Hida's future as a Knight for the Prince, "but given your precociousness, it may be prudent to give you more specific training."

"That sounds ominous, my Queen, but I accept," Hida's immediate response elicited several smothered laughs, one sigh, and a slightly amused quirk to the Queen's polite smile.

"I'll have my Guard Captain speak to the Instructors about your training and our expectations for you," the Queen's command gave no comfort. "But I don't want to disrupt your festivities a moment longer than I have to; cheers to you all and have a wonderful evening."

With as much warning as they'd been given for her arrival, the Queen and her Prince Consort departed. Their exit let those left behind breath, process, and finally react. Derbie was now apparently Crown Prince Consort to Crown Princess Ban Taro, Calvin had proposed to Danilo, and then to culminate it all, Hida had made a spectacle of herself. Alaric focused on Derbie and Ban while Blair went to Calvin and Danilo, so Hida was taken to task by Winnie.

"Has your Season not been interesting enough? You've survived two attacks Pinky, you're barely alive let alone a Knight yet, why are you telling the Prince Consort you're going to be his Knight some day?" Edwina was almost intimidating in her agitation.

"There's no point in lying to him, Winnie; not only is it just easier to tell the truth from the start, his magic will compel you to tell the truth anyways," Hida knew some people considered her unsophisticated because she didn't speak with layered meanings, but Hida understood it all she just actively chose not to participate in it. Blair was blunt to get a reaction, Hida was blunt because it was less effort.

"That doesn't mean you have to volunteer the information Pinky, haven't you ever heard that discretion is a part of valour?" Winnie seemed truly concerned for her, and Hida smiled as she recognized her sister's love.

"No Winnie, I did this all deliberately," Hida may be a bit impulsive, but she wasn't needlessly reckless. "Prince Levi didn't recognize me by my description, he recognized me by my reputation. And this year my reputation has been mainly set by the violences done to me, but now instead of looking at me like a victim, I'll be weighed on the scale of how well I live up to expectations."

That silenced Edwina, a flash of surprise on her lovely face all Hida needed to know she'd been right. Then Winne gave Hida a lovely, approving smile. Blair might be the gossip and Alaric might be the Heir, but Edwina had her own artistic way of dealing with society. "Well done then, Pinky," she thankfully didn't raise a glass to cheers that statement, Hida didn't trust even a distracted Blair.

"Thank you, Winnie," she took her sister's praise seriously; one sibling down, six others to convince. "How are Gavin and Eniola holding up at the end of the table?" her new sister-in-law Eniola looked like nothing that had transpired surprised her, but even Gavin looked like he was concerned, not confused.

"My husband and sister-in-law are both in conversation with them, so I presume quite fine," Edwina refused to be distracted off topic this time. "You know, this will change how your fellow cadets will treat you, right?"

That was part of the problem, but Hida didn't say it. Her cohort was already treating her different since Denerim's attack, and so were the Knight Instructors. She was being treated like they expected nothing from her now that she'd survived twice, but Hida's public conversation with Queen and Consort about eventually becoming his Knight would force everyone to try and prove her wrong. Hida had four years to be challenged and improved until she Debuted and could become a Knight, and then under normal circumstances she should serve as a basic Royal Guard doing patrols of the Castle until she could earn a promotion. But Hida's shadows had show her as being Prince Levi's Knight long before it should be possible, something that could only happen if Hida found a way to distinguish herself early. Her life got infinitely more challenging now, but she'd succeeded in setting herself as that candidate now, and she'd fight hard not to lose it.

"I'll be ok Winnie, my shadows show me succeeding," Hida was honest by nature and habit, but she was also not too specific about what she considered succeeding.

Edwina gave her a look Hida had last seen on their mother's face, like she was digging through Hida's obfuscations to find the truth. "At the feast for me," Winnie started and Hida braced herself, "you spoke like you knew what unrequited love was. The way you defined it stuck with me, to love someone you cannot be with; have your shadows show you that you'll love someone who can't love you back because he's already married?"

"I don't know," Hida was honest, "I don't know what being in love is like for me, so I don't know it to recognize it in the future I see. But I think that maybe yes, at some point that'll be true. The pieces of the future I've seen, the level of familiarity I see; it's either love or the closest of friendships. And at that level, is there that much of a difference?" Hida spun her noxious glass, looking at the seemingly harmless looking liquid that tasted worse than having her neck sliced had felt. "I don't know enough of the future to properly know yet, but I don't need to Winnie; whether I come to love the man or the friendship, I will not violate my vows as a Knight no his as a husband."

"And if your shadows give you more answers?" Edwina pressed.

"I'll deal with it then Winnie," Hida shrugged, "I've already learned that I should just let the future happen instead of trying to change what I see coming."

"I don't know if I'd have the discipline for that," Edwina confessed, "it's impressive, Pinky, I mean that."

"Why do you both seem so serious?" Blair interrupted, sliding back into her seat next to Hida and smiling brightly.

"Blair, maybe you should refill your glass with water," Edwina suggested instead of answering.

"After the lecture I just got from Alaric?" Blair made a disagreeable noise, "fat chance."

"You took a calculated risk," Hida had seemed just as impulsive, maybe Blair had a reason for her actions too.

"Yeah, I suspected your hot Prince wanted something stronger than bubbly wine," Blair demonstrated how her bluntness differed from Hida's.

"Blair," Edwina hissed and Hida felt heat crawl up her cheeks.

"He's not my Prince, I'll be his Royal Guard," Hida corrected carefully, meaning everything she'd said to Winnie on the matter.

"You would have the reddest of redheaded babies with him." Blair ignored them both.

"Oh for the love of- fine," Edwina grabbed her glass and pushed it at Blair, "drink this, finish yours, and maybe you'll be drunk enough to pass out and shut up."

"It'll take more than that Eddy," Blair warned with ease, "my tolerance is mighty."

"Now that the evening's underway," Gavin's voice intruded on their little huddle, and Hida looked at her brother, "I'm going to take Eniola home."

"Of course," Edwina smiled at Eniola, "thank you for coming to celebrate with us even when you're still not feeling well."

Eniola looked even younger than Hida did, even if she was a year older, and now becoming obviously pregnant made her look even more...delicate somehow. Her clothes were a mix of Sikali orange and Briggs scarlet, and the split in her gown's front bodice made the growing swell of her abdomen pop out a little. "Thank you, it's not as bas as it was, but now I'm so tired all the time."

The only other pregnant 16 Hida knew was her fellow Knight cadet Antonia, and she was huge in comparison. But Antoni hadn't felt sick, had lots of energy, and admitted that 'pregnancy cravings' were out of her control; she'd only paused her Knight training after Hida had returned because her expected delivery time was approaching. Hida looked at Eniola's still small belly and tried to imagine what it felt like. The idea of her body growing another human weirded her out though, she'd leave it for others to go through.

Hida bid her brother and sister-in-law farewell, getting used to Gavin living away from the Briggs Estate slowly. With both Gavin and Farran gone, Hida had half the wing to herself; Winnie got the other half. And now that Alaric and Derbie were married, the others' wing would change too. Derbie would be moving into the castle with Crown Princess Ban so he could be trained on the duties he'd be expected to take, and Alaric would leave his childhood room and move upstairs to the Heir's suite; it included a nursery for their eventual children. And now that Calvin had proposed to Danilo, it was only a matter of time before he moved out after getting married.

"Where are you going to live?" Hida bluntly asked Edwina once Gavin and Eniola went to bid farewell to the others.

"For the next few years, I'll be at the university, Pinky," Winnie answered, "though I am expecting, Daro wished to be the primary caretaker while I apprentice."

"So you'll be living in Korolenko?" Hida visualized the Taroton map, knowing their territory was much closer to the university than the Briggs territory was.

"Yes, yes we will," Edwina finally confirmed. "But we're not moving until after this Season ends."

"That is only a month away," Hida pointed out pragmatically.

"And I would have been departing for the university anyways Pinky," Winnie spoke so gently that Hida knew she seemed like she was whining. "I may not be leaving Taroton to go on my adventure, but like our parents and Farran, I'm on my own journey now."

"Go focus on your husband and sister-in-law, I'm going to talk to Derbie and Calvin," Hida left her seat, stepping past Alaric and Aayina in a deep conversation, her sisters all chattering at once while Borka looked on, and passing Danilo and Calvin's seats. "Are you going to live in Briggs territory, or Polumenta?" she asked, not bothering to lead in to the question with small talk.

"Feeling abandoned, Pinky?" Calvin teased lightly, smiling to show his jest.

"I expected to lose maybe one of you a year over time, not five of you all at once," Hida didn't bother arguing about the nickname anymore.

"We were actually discussing when we'd get married, and where to live," Danilo responded before Calvin could. "I was thinking we'd wait until after the new year, but our home will be neither Briggs nor Polumenta; instead it'll be here in the Capital."

"Like Gavin and Eniola," Hida liked that idea better than all the way in Polumenta.

"And since you're going to be Levi's Knight," Calvin sounded like he was poking fun at her, "we'll see lots of you all the time."

"That'll help," Hida didn't mind telling her siblings she missed them when they're gone.

"And even if Blair decided to make an honest man of Clayton, Wignell is next to Briggs," Calvin added adroitly.

"Blair I could do with missing for a little while," Hida joked and they all looked down the table length to where Blair was studiously drinking.

"We'll take her to her room, Pinky," Calvin realized the need just as Hida did, "go talk to Derbie and her Highness."

Hida didn't argue, letting them take care of Blair while she approached the second Royal couple. "Congratulations, your Royal Highness, Derbie," she curtsied slightly, grinning at Derbie for her impudence.

"Thank you Hida," Derbie ignored her pestering and smiled, "so you're going to be Prince Consort Levi's Royal Guard? I can see that."

"You can?" Hida sounded as surprised as she felt, it always seemed like she had to convince others that someone like her could be a Knight, let along Guarding a Royal directly.

"I can," Crown Princes Ban gave a confirming nod, "I think you'll impress under Knight Captain Brooke's guidance; I've heard my sister say great things about him."

"And he's Eniola's uncle, so you don't have to worry about another Denerim," Derbie added on.

"In one Season Briggs managed to connect itself to EVERYONE," Hida realized. Crown Princess Ban was a Ruma, but also a Taro, Calvin had the Polumenta connection, Blair would bring Wignell, Alaric had the Rams, Edwina the Korolenkos, and Gavin the Sikalis. Meanwhile, Hida had antagonized the Lazzarini family.

"It's an even wider cast net than you realize, Pinky," Derbie looked at his wife but didn't clarify, "though it'll be nice being able to see you in the castle once you start as a Knight."

"I'll be there slightly after Gavin starts as the Royal chef," Hida had heard his eventual position. "And Calvin already works in the Information Bureau," she suspected her brother wasn't just a clerk either, but she wasn't about to out him as a spy.

"Four Briggs in the Capital castle, all at one time," Crown Princess Ban seemed more casual than Queen Akiyama had, "I wonder if the walls will hold."

"Five on the days Blair is at the castle on the Alchemy Bureau's behest," Hida helped her tally.

Crown Princess Ban smiled at Hida, seeming grateful that although Hida had acknowledged her rank, she wasn't all that flustered by it. "I think your particular method of honesty is going to cause all manner of entertainment once you join us."

"Outside of keeping Prince Levi safe, I'll endeavour to keep you entertained, your Highness," this time Hida did a full curtsey as Ban laughed delightedly.

"I'd like that Hida, but I believe your duties will keep you far too but to worry about appeasing me," she waved it off but that left Hida wondering what it would be like as Prince Levi's guard. She hadn't been born yet when Taroton lost its last Prince Consort, Queen Ebari's husband and father to Queen Akiyama, so Hida could only learn the theory of guarding one from books.

"I've got four years until I Debut and start, so I guess that's when we'll find out," Hida replied to the Crown Princess

"I trust you'll exceed your own expectations Hida," she was just as lovely as Derbie's discussions had described her to be.

Hida shrugged, knowing she could only let the future happen as it would.

She knew she'd be a Knight. She knew she'd be Prince Consort Levi's personal Knight, and defend him from at least one assassination attempt. And she knew that they'd be comfortable in each other's presence for him to call her Pinky. Anything else would happen, or be shown to her by her shadows; Hida was patient.