Chapter 148: Nereida’s Journey
Nereida managed to get time with Basiano outside of family dinners to tell him that the Tooth was on the way. He smiled a little at the news, a sad little smile, before he took her into his arms.
“Promise me you will come back. At least once every couple of years.” His voice hitched. “I don’t know if I can bear to lose you too.”
“I’ll sing to the waves,” Nereida whispered. “And even if you can’t hear it, you’ll know that you are never alone.” He nodded, his eyes bright with unshed tears, and then he reached up and ruffled her hair, mussing it thoroughly.
The days became entirely about the wedding, set for the first day of spring. They’d marry outdoors, so long as the sky wasn’t filled with rainclouds, and make their vows beneath the light of the first full moon of spring. It was considered good fortune to marry in the spring, the time of new beginning, among her people and Aella’s and so had been one of the easiest decisions. The dresses, however, were proving to be a thing. Aella’s culture used white dresses, full of lace. But white was for mourning. Nereida had worn enough white. She wanted the bright colours of spring, pinks (which Aella hated), yellows and blues, or to wear their family colours. Aella wanted to wear her military dress, but was not sure if her cousin would allow it. Aella had, after all, gone rogue and became a pirate. Basiano, however, had a solution.
“We will have your military dress uniform readied, Admiral, with whatever embellishments you need for it to be wedding appropriate, and if she refuses, or is not present to offer her blessing, you may accept a position in our navy. We will, of course, have the outfit prepared. Though,” a little smirk had played across his face, a ghostly version of his usual smile, but Nereida was pleased to see it. “You will not be receiving the typical undergarments. It’s important that you be representing the royal family after all, and purple is such a lovely colour.”
This started a laugh out of Priscilla who had been nearby feeding Iria some strained carrots. It was the first time she’d laughed since her daughter had passed, and though it was brief, it was a moment of healing. For the first time since they’d started this farce of a wedding, Nereida felt happy about it. It wasn’t about the nobles any more, it wasn’t about her father’s expectations, it was about healing. That was a reason to be happy and excited.
The weather returned to being dreary and grey. Dark clouds rolled in from the sea, bringing with them endless snow, or, worse, sleet. Nereida kissed her wife, leaving her with the children so that she could attend a fitting of her wedding dress.
“No pink,” Aella grumped at her. Nereida laughed a little, rubbing her nose on Aella’s.
“No promises. You don’t get to hear anything about the dress until you are processing up to meet me.” Nereida smiled fondly. “I want to see how big your eyes get.” Aella chuckled at that and caressed her face.
“I’d find you beautiful in a burlap sack,” she promised. “Go before that ornery seamstress stabs you with too many pins for being late.”
The seamstress was as old as the mountains, her hair the same slate-gray. She had a fierce, pinched face that was narrow, her nose sharp as the needles she used. She was no-nonsense, and even the boys stayed very, very still for her. She had won the right to make the dress, her daughter working on Aella’s back up outfit.
“So we are set on your fabric choices? You are completely certain?” When she spoke, the seamstress sounded as scandalized as if Nereida had suggested doing her own wedding in the nude. Nereida met her scorn with a cool smile.
“I am. I look forward to seeing your work.”
“You will weep at its beauty,” the seamstress sniffed at her. “Even if you make questionable fashion choices. Will you be wearing a veil?"
“It’s my second marriage, and only a vow renewal,” Nereida began, but the woman sniffed again and Nereida sighed dramatically. “I will wear one no longer than to my elbows, and it must be a lace fine enough that I can see through. I want to see her expression when she sees me.” The woman’s features softened for just a moment at that, and then she was back to her prickly self.
“Excellent. With your curves, we would not want to hide anything. Yarrow, for longevity, or lilies, for love, for the coronet?” Nereida wanted to point out that she grew up in the courts, and likely knew the flower language better than this sharp, pointed woman, but she held her tongue. This was not an argument worth having.
“Let us do rhodora. Made of embroidery or sculpted fabric; I’d like them to last. With four yellow lilies, for my children.” She smiled serenely.
“Of course. Only the best for a princess.” The woman smiled at her, more the smile of a shark than the warm smile of a friend. Nereida only just managed to not shudder. “Though you are hardly in obscurity, Princess. Nor, I think, do you have much humility. Tis not the royal way.” But she headed to make notes in her heavy leather-bound journal. “Any other requests, simple or otherwise?”
“Four matching lilies to my coronet, one for each, set on caps for the boys and headbands for the girls. I cannot get you my daughter’s measurements, however, as she won’t arrive until just before the wedding.”
“Pfft, and here I expected something difficult. It’s a headband, and can be pinned in place or tied at the back.” She waved her hand imperiously. “If that’s all, Princess, I bid you good afternoon.”
Nereida left the little shop, feeling weirdly, strangely calmer. She pulled her hood up, and ducked her head down as the sleet poured down, limiting visibility and making the walkways treacherous. She stopped to help an older woman who had fallen, her groceries scattering across the wet, slick ground. The woman thanked her, only to see her blue skin and begin to stammer that it wasn’t necessary that the princess help her. Nereida scoffed, told her she’d dropped groceries once, when pregnant in the winter, and someone had helped her. The woman’s shoulders dropped and her smile warmed, as if she, too, had done the same once upon a time. Nereida helped her to her home, telling her a story about Egaz’s first steps as his brother cheered. The woman told her a story of her daughters, born so close together that they seemed to be twins by the time the youngest was three, learning to sled downhill. It was lovely, and safe, and so normal, that Nereida almost cried when the old woman said, ever so sincerely, “Thank you, Princess.”
Nereida felt an ache in her chest, for the ship, for the hills where she had once had a small farm. Life had been hard, but… everything seemed so much simpler. No dragons. No politics… But also no Aella. She took a breath, noticed her shadow, one of the palace guards, was giving her an annoyed look, though he tried to hide it. She headed back to the palace, her shadow following silently. Princesses did not get to go anywhere alone.
But pirates could. That thought would keep her warm despite the terrible sleet and worse politics that she would have to endure for the next few weeks.
The days passed in numbing sameness. Plan something with her mother; what would the guests eat, drink, what duties did the boys have, or what flowers were to be displayed. They were sorely limited due to the early season. The palace did have a large number of silk flowers, but most were roses or lilies. That, at least, required no thought. Nereida informed her mother that Aella hated roses, though not why, and just like that, roses were never brought up again. Nereida felt like the weeks leading up to her wedding she actually saw less of her wife than ever before. When she complained to Elam, they laughed and said it had been like that for them too.
Caleb was still their guest in their quarters. He was not, yet, welcome at family dinners, but Nereida put her foot down and declared he would be at the wedding. She planned the seating chart so that if, by some miracle, Caleb and Leevan worked it out, then they would sit together. Otherwise, he would sit at the table with Jules, Evander and Dymion and Epelda would join the head table with the family. It was a constant dance of politics, for some nobles could not be sat next to each other, others her mother was subtly encouraging toward alliances, and she had their younger, more impressionable members sitting together to encourage “fun”. Nereida made a face, remembering sitting at a distant cousin’s wedding with Caleb.
“Were you trying to set us up?” she asked her mother, after she explained her memory during one of their long, frustrating attempts at arranging seats. Honestly, she was thankful to the sirens for their no-fuss ceremony, even if her mother and most of her brothers weren’t there. Her mother giggled and patted her on the head like she was two. Nereida wasn’t sure whether she should laugh too, or be horribly offended.
“Well, I did miss the mark, but adolescents are difficult to read.” She looked crestfallen. “But that poor boy, he and Leevan will both be shattered if they can’t heal.”
“Leevan just needs time. He’s just trying to stand with Basi.”
“We should all stand together,” her mother grumbled. She was starting to sound a bit like Aella with how often she grumbled these days. “But Basiano has asked me to stay out of it. We can’t let that poor boy go home to his horrible parents. They blame him for his sister’s death!” Nereida smiled sharply at that, baring her teeth. Her mother looked at her with concern.
“Oh they do?”
“Oh, darling girl, don’t go starting unpleasantness at your wedding.” She clenched her fists around the blanket that sat on her lap, keeping her leg warm in the damp, chilly air that no fire seemed to be able to chase away completely.
“I won’t, mom. But I make no promises about my behaviour for my honeymoon. They do know that she tried to kill me, right?” She drummed her claws on the table, the satisfying clacking leaving slight dents in the wood.
“They were informed, but that we didn’t push for a debt means they doubt what truly occurred.” Her mother rubbed her forehead. “Some people cannot accept kindness.” She looked down at the chart and scowled. "Oh, no, you cannot put those two together!"
A bell rang, interrupting their conversation. Nereida made a face, not recognizing the signal. It was a deep knell, not a cheerful bell sound. Her mother, however, grinned.
“Get your wife and children,” he mother said. “I believe we will have guests shortly. Perhaps you’d like to greet them at the docks?” Nereida’s eyes widened. She jumped to her feet, knocking the seating charts to the ground. She stopped to kiss her mother on the cheek, but the old woman laughed away her attempt to pick up the charts, with a simple “go.”
Less than an hour later, the whole family stood on the shore, watching as the Tooth and the Knave were both guided into port. The Tooth had a new scar on her side. She was still flying the siren flag, while the Knave flew the Selliniakos flag. Aella stood so very still next to her, as if she was hardly breathing. Two young servants were rolling out a carpet along the dock, a young girl following behind them to spread dried flower petals. All three scurried back quickly, fading into the crowd of people that had gathered to watch. Nereida took Aella’s arm, mine, and stepped forward, dragging her wife forward so that they stood next to Basiano, who had come to welcome their royal guest.
First to disembark were a pair of guards, dark haired, lithe women who each had at least three swords, though none of them were drawn. They stood on either side of the gangplank, their posture straight, their hands clasped behind their backs. The waves were calm, so the ships barely moved. Next to disembark was the Queen of Seliniakos. Her dark hair, streaked with grey, was done in a fancy braid that twisted around her head like a crown. She shared Aella’s proportions, a thin, short woman, though her face was softer, and she was free of scars. She stumbled on the gangplank, but once on land she moved with grace. Her gown was red with black diamonds embroidered into the hems. Carefully, as if she were attempting to avoid crushing the dried flowers, the Queen made her way toward Basiano. A trumpet played fanfare from aboard the Knave. The Queen stopped at Basiano first. He bowed his head, and she returned the little bow in kind.
“Queen Cruesa Kyverna, I welcome you to my lands,” Basiano declared. A cheer rose from the crowd. “We have prepared a suite for your convenience, unless you’d prefer to remain on the ship?” The queen smiled serenely, though there was a sarcastic little curve to the smile that Nereida had seen on Aella far too often.
“I thank you, King Basiano. I will take you up on your kind offer; I have seen enough of the seas for the time being.” Basiano smiled back at her, an understanding on his face.
They turned, though Queen Cruesa turned toward Aella.
“Cousin,” she greeted warmly.
“Your Majesty," Aella replied formally, bowing deeply. The woman laughed, a high sound.
“Dinner with me in my suite tonight, if you please,” the queen said. “We have much to discuss.”
“Yes, your Majesty,” Aella replied, with another bow. Nereida could see the sweat on her wife’s brow.
“And bring your lovely wife.”
With that, both the royals processed out, each flanked by their own guards. Most of the crowd followed them, waving flags, shouting and otherwise making a great spectacle of the two royals walking back to the palace.
“Admiral Aella, as I live and breathe!” Nereida turned to the sound, realizing that in the chaos, Matthias had disembarked as well. He was clad in his military best, a bright smile on his beautiful, chiselled face. Aella groaned as if suddenly in pain, but Nereida felt a smile burst onto her face. She abandoned protocol, and, as soon as the other Seliniak had strolled over, she wrapped him in a tight hug. He grunted in surprise, but then laughed.
“Ah, Princess, it is good to see you. Just because you have been starved of my beautiful face, does not mean you should make your wife jealous.” She giggled and let go, as Aella’s groan deepened to near-on a growl. “Peace, Admiral, she’s not only taken, but far too much trouble for me.”
They were lowering the second gangplank now, one to the Dragon’s Tooth, but the next person to disembark did not need a plank. Instead, she leapt off the rails, her wings spread. Epelda flew at them, her smile bright as the sun. She crashed into Aella’s waiting arms, crying.
“Sissy!” Alejo cried, running forward to join in the hug. Egaz ran forward as well, and Nereida took Damara from the nurse to join in the family hug, trying to ignore the tears running down her own face.
Their family was finally reunited.