16.3
Jewel welcomed her brother officially, the young man still in his riding leathers, he had arrived alone but for Blizzardwrath.
Alexander smiled up at her, the usual foolhardy bravery was strained at the corners of his eyes, but she could still see and more importantly smell the same boy that had played with her in the library, who had struggled to focus on his letters, who had in a fit of frustration tried to slay the Terrorboar.
“Lord Kliatbatrn agreed to his younger sister’s marriage with me, Father and the former Lord General had both agreed to a Betrothal, but she will be of age this year. I wanted to ask if you’d lend the grounds of Kaeketeh for the wedding Sister.”
He barely kept to the proper courtesies that were meant between Countess and Vassal, but after her journey from the Capital and the harrowing mockery she had experienced imitating her Father?
Jewel smiled down at her brother and lowered her head down to match his eyes with hers, settling with her belly upon the stone now that they were well past the official introductions.
“Of course brother, mid grainturn then? After the hungry summer festivals?”
He nodded hard at that. Alexander could have sent a missive for this, but her brother had yet to grow out of his aversion to putting anymore ink to parchment then he absolutely had too. She didn't mind, It was only a short flight between their Demesnes anyway.
Less for him and Blizzardwrath than Jewel herself!
“Imre will be able to attend then. It will be a good opportunity for him and Gwenn to court one another.”
Her brother blinked at Jewel in confusion, his brows furrowing on his brow.
“Imre of house Thurzó and Arva...”
Alexander continued to look perplexed, which brought a heated sigh of frustration.
“Brother! I sent you a letter on this last year! Right before I left for Burning Depths Ford! Count Thurzó asked for Gwenn’s hand in betrothal to his son and heir and she agreed to have him court her!”
Her brother’s brows rose and his smile returned but she could smell and feel that there was no recollection here, he was clearly simply pleased with the news.
“Ah right! The son of your friend north? That would be a good match-”
Jewel glared at the foolish man before her. Far too similar to the boy she had known her entire life even with the weight of so many years of training and a war upon his shoulders.
“Brother... you really must start actually reading the missives you are sent.”
He laughed and nodded to her, waving his hand as if he could dismiss her words like a fly.
“Why do you think I’m so eager to be married oh dear Sister? The lady Kliatbatrn has a love of letters only overshadowed by her beauty! Besides, nothing of import is ever sent to Rochford, not when my sister is the Countess Wyrm of all of Viznove, who could have told me any hour of the day she was here last year!”
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Jewel huffed, but there was no true anger to her breath, the smile curling over her face impossible to hide. Neither was there any anger in Alexander’s tone,
“I could always have Gem stay in Rochford to make sure you actually attend to your duties Brother, it is not becoming of our family that you should let such things stay until I tell you of them in person.”
Alexander’s beaming smile from behind his mustache and beard shone nearly as bright as his eyes.
“What a fantastic idea! Especially if we will be having a count’s son courting our sister in the coming seasons! More eyes watching out for Gwenn’s honor would be for the best eh sister?”
Now it was Jewel’s turn to boggle, head pulling back a little, eyes widened, wings flaring loosely out to her sides. Alexander for his part gentled his expression, a softness and pained fragility coming to his eyes, when did so many lines find their way to his face?
“I think it would help Mother if some of you was there with us Sister, you’ve hardly visited since father’s memorial despite being so short a flight away. She’s strong but Father’s loss is hurting her deeply.”
Jewel’s face stilled before she nodded to him, voice a soft whisper from the admonishing growl she had planned.
“Of course, and I’ll make time to visit each night as well Alexander, I’ve missed you all, but Mathias has started a grand project and expects correspondence from me on it, and then there are my duties to Viznove...”
Her brother’s smile did not falter as he looked at her, then gently reached out and placed his still leather clad hand upon her nose, the scent of Blizzardwrath, the late spring winds, his flying leathers and deeply familiar sweat of the boy she had grown up with filling her nostrils.
“You have a duty to yourself as well sister, a duty to your family too, we miss you, and you have missed us.”
Jewel took a deep breath then sighed, closing her eyes if only so she didn't have to look at the hardness in Alexander’s eyes that had not been there before the war.
“I said that I will brother, I will be there, now go get cleaned up and out of your riding leathers! So I can give you a proper welcoming feast!”
She shook his hand free from her nose with a gentle motion, the laughter just barely felt in her throat echoed full hearted by Alexander as he took a graceful step back and an overly deep bow.
“Right away my countess. I shall go and make proper ablutions and shall I procure some of your lavender oils to perfume myself for your mighty sensibilities.”
The mockery and amusement in his tone so thick and rich, Jewel could have spread it on bread!
“Your sister insists, you smell of sky and Gryphon! If you are to be married you need to think of the sensitive nose of your poor wife now brother!”
Another laugh was shared between them and he retreated from the dining hall, Jewel took a deep breath, filling her lungs, drawing in the smell of her family, drinking in the air and the nuance of it like a Vampire.
Then slowly exhaling, filling the chamber with the reek of petrichor.
She’d long since learned that the noses of men and beasts did not dislike the scent of wyrm, might fear it if such came on too suddenly or too strongly. But her childish fear of reeking from her exertions in a way that insulted the noses of her family had long since been disproven.
Still Jewel called on her staff to open wide the windows and clear out the air. She was welcoming her brother and Dariusz and his clan’s efforts in the kitchen deserved to be the focus of attention over Jewel’s own scent.
Alexander was finally being married, Gwenn was to be courted, now if only she could get Paul to take up a concubine she could be assured that House Rochford would prosper.