Four years before An Aimless War

Acen was nervous. It wasn't every day he was called before Lord West Draulin. In fact, the man had mostly ignored Acen and his group since Tannix had gone to Zianna, trusting them to continue training. Being called could only mean a few things. He had done something well, he had done something badly, or something had happened to Tannix.

Acen offered a quick prayer to the Goddess, asking her for good news. If something had happened to Tannix—Acen didn't want to think about it. He wouldn't be to blame, but he would still feel guilty about not being there when his lord needed him.

Instead of going to the large meeting room, Acen went to Lord Tandrael's smaller office. The door was flanked by two of Lord Tandrael's personal guard, older men well respected in the castle. Acen paused before knocking on the large wooden door, and glanced over himself quickly. He had made sure to put on his uniform, the light armour and short blue cloak that represented his position as Tannix's guard captain.

One of Lord Tandrael's guards chuckled. "Calm down, Atricen. You aren't being tested."

Acen smiled sheepishly. "I don't know what to expect, Sir Yorc. The message wasn't very detailed."

Sir Yorc grabbed his shoulder. "A good captain knows how to hide his nervousness or fear. This is a good time to practice."

Acen nodded. Sir Yorc had been Lord Tandrael's guard captain for nearly forty years. If there was anyone to take advice from, it was him. Acen took a deep breath to calm himself, and firmly knocked on the door.

"Come in," Lord Tandrael called.

Acen pushed open the door and stepped inside. As the door swung closed behind him, he bowed quickly. "My lord, you called for me?"

"Yes. Take a seat, Atricen. I have something important to discuss with you."

Acen sat down in the chair facing Lord Tandrael's large desk. The desk was very neat, cleared of everything but a quill, inkpot, and a few pieces of blank parchment. Lord Tandrael was reading a letter. "Is it about Lord Tandrix, my lord?" Acen asked.

Lord Tandrael glanced up and shook his head. "No. Tandrix is doing very well, you'll be pleased to hear. But I called you for an entirely different purpose, and... an unusually personal one. I admit, I almost chose not to discuss this with you. It isn't really my place, being neither your father nor your lord. But without Tandrix to speak with you, the duty falls on me."

Acen was even more confused. Lord Tandrael's words weren't helping. "What duty, my lord?"

Lord Tandrael sighed. "Well, Atricen, Lord Vasel has written to me. He would like to bring our families closer together with an arranged marriage. He wants to marry his youngest daughter, Lady Gallea, to you."

Acen just managed to hide his shock. "Me?"

"You," Lord Tandrael said with a nod. "He was asking for Tandrin at first, but I refused. My brother Tandar married Lord Vasel's sister-in-law, and I felt the connection was a little too recent. Then he heard about you." He glanced down at the letter. "Apparently Sir Jalor mentioned you. They're cousins, as I'm sure you're aware. You're a good match, a young lord with a direct connection to my family."

"I'm not inheriting any land," Acen pointed out. "I doubt I'll have time for a wife. I had sort of given up on the idea of getting married."

"You don't need to give up on it," Lord Tandrael said. "And you don't have to marry Lady Gallea. I'm not trying to force you into anything, Atricen, it isn't my place. I'm simply asking you to ride to Vasel and meet with her. You can decide to court her, if you'd like. You can decide to marry her. I'm leaving it all up to you."

Acen nodded slowly. "It would be in your best interest if I agree to marry her, wouldn't it, my lord?"

"It would be a good arrangement, yes," Lord Tandrael said. "But its worth remembering that once Tandrix gets married, you'll be moving to East Draulin. A marriage will connect all three families—Tandrans, Macreds, and Garolles."

Acen didn't bother pointing out that it would connect his family, too. He was a lesser lord, after all, important in some ways but not nearly as powerful as the other three families. After a pause, he nodded. "I'll meet her," he agreed. "May I travel with anyone?"

"I trust you to make all the arrangements," Lord Tandrael said. "Take all of your men, if you'd like. I'm sure they'd appreciate a trip."

"I'm sure they would. Thank you, my lord."

"And thank you, Atricen."

Acen quickly made arrangements with the knights. They were all excited to accompany him, bored of the day-to-day life of a personal guard without anyone to protect. Acen did his best to turn the trip into a learning experience, but it didn't work. The twins and Evrik, eighteen and nineteen respectively, had no interest in training. They spent the entire trip fooling around, and Acen grudgingly allowed it. They deserved some time off, he decided.

Mandell, on the other hand, wanted peace and quiet. He rode far ahead, or let his horse trail behind, so that he wouldn't be bothered by the younger knights. Acen and Jalor ended up setting the pace. They travelled at a decent speed, letting the other four knights go ahead or fall behind, as long as they were within sight or earshot.

"I've never been to Vasel," Acen admitted one afternoon, when the city was visible on the horizon. The road they had taken cut straight through the farm fields, and the ground was flat, making it easy to see the walls of Vasel up ahead. "I've never been this far away from West Draulin, to be perfectly honest."

"It's a nice city," Jalor said. "Smaller than West Draulin, of course, but loyal. The people out here love Vasel."

"So your villa is near here?"

Jalor nodded, and waved off to their left. "In that general direction. My family owns quite a bit of land out here. We rent out to the farmers, and we're well liked. The farmers owe us a portion of their harvest, but my father always makes sure they have enough food for themselves. And if any of them ever need help, they're welcome to come to the villa and ask."

Evrik trotted up beside them. "I can confirm that the farmers like Jalor's family. Even if Jalor did almost run me over with his horse."

"I did not."

Evrik laughed. "Did we ever tell you, Acen? Jalor nearly killed me the very day I decided to travel to West Draulin. I recognized him the instant we met, after the trials. But of course he had no idea who I was. Why would a rich country lord recognize a little farm boy, after all?"

Jalor sighed. "I didn't nearly kill you. And you were a child, so by the time we actually met you had grown up and you looked different."

Acen laughed. "So, Evrik. Where is your family's farm?"

"Between Jalor's villa and Vasel. My whole family still lives there. My brothers and my older sister's husband do most of the work these days."

"They must have been overjoyed to see you earlier this year," Acen said. He had been more than happy to approve the time off.

"Of course they were. Their rich brother coming for a visit. You know what they made me do? Chop wood." Evrik's right hand tapped the handle of his axe absentmindedly. "But I didn't mind. Evran's wedding was worth the trip, and his bride was lovely. Great Goddess, Jalor!" He suddenly exclaimed, reaching across the gap between their horses to punch Jalor's shoulder. "I completely forgot. She asked about you!"

"The bride?" Jalor rubbed his shoulder. He seemed more concerned about Evrik punching him than about the news. "Why?"

"I don't know. But she pulled me aside and asked if I knew anything about Lord Jalor of Vasel. Which I thought was a little strange because you're—"

"Adry?"

"Yes!" Evrik grinned. "Yes. So, who is she?"

Jalor's gaze flickered towards Acen. "She worked on the villa. I guess she just... wondered about me."

"Oh. She worked on the villa." Evrik said. "Right. So how many times did that happen?"

"I'm not spreading rumours about your brother's wife, Evrik. Go ride with the twins."

Evrik laughed. "Such a small island! Look at us, all connected somehow. You two might even be cousins soon." He urged his horse into a gallop so he could catch up with Kor and Ender. Once he was far away, Jalor turned to Acen.

"It wasn't anything like that. She was a nice girl, and I was a gentleman."

"I don't doubt it," Acen said, struggling to hide his own grin.

Jalor stared at him for a moment. "Are you about to lie to me and say you never entertained a servant?'

Acen turned to look at the road again, and Vasel in the distance. In response to Jalor's question, he just shrugged.

"I don't believe you," Jalor said. "Nobody's that perfect. And to think that you're going to become my cousin."

Acen chuckled. "She has to agree to marry me, first."

"Oh, I'm not concerned about that," Jalor said, finally smiling. "Really. You've just got to make a good first impression."

In the city, Acen gave the knights leave to do whatever they wanted. Jalor accompanied him to the castle, and Acen was grateful. Most of the guards recognized Jalor and let him through, meaning Acen didn't have to explain himself over and over again. Finally, they were let into Lord Vasel's meeting room.

Lord Vasel was sitting at a large table. He was absentmindedly eating a bowl of stew, while reading through various reports he had spread out in front of him. He glanced up at the sound of the door opening, and smiled widely. "Nephew! Welcome back." He pushed back his chair and stood up, walking around the table to greet them. "This must be Lord Atricen."

"Pleasure to meet you, my lord," Acen said with a bow. "I'm honoured that you considered me for—"

"Considered? My boy, I didn't just consider you, I want you," Lord Vasel said. "But Tandrael told me that he's leaving the final decision up to you, and I'll respect that. I want my Gallea to be happy. You two can dine on the balcony, it has a beautiful view of the ocean. Follow me, boys." Lord Vasel briskly walked out of the room.

Jalor nudged Acen as they followed after him. "I told you he'd be excited."

"But why?" Acen was suddenly feeling nervous again. "I'm not that important."

"Relax. You'll like her."

They caught up to Lord Vasel near a large staircase. He was in the middle of telling a servant to let Gallea know they had arrived. The servant rushed off, and Lord Vasel turned to the knights. "Jalor, will you be staying with us tonight?"

"Of course. I've got to make sure my captain treats my cousin respectfully, don't I?"

Lord Vasel laughed heartily. "I suppose you do, my boy. But come, come—you'll dine with me, your aunt and Galanna. Atricen, this man will lead you to the balcony. Gallea will join you shortly. Or whenever she is ready, you know how noblewomen like to spend hours getting ready." Lord Vasel walked off, and Jalor followed after giving Acen an encouraging pat on the back.

Acen followed the servant, trying to think of all the things he could say to Lady Gallea. He needed to make a good first impression, which was something he knew he could manage. He was a lord, after all, and he knew how to be polite and charming and how to pretend to get along with people. But the situation was different than anything he had ever faced in the past. Being called to Lord West Draulin's office had been nerve-wracking, but this was an entirely different kind of nervous. Quite a bit was depending on this first meeting.

He momentarily forgot about his worries as he stepped out onto the balcony. There was a small round table set near the railing, and beyond it was a fantastic view of the ocean. There was nothing but water stretching into the distance, and the sun was just starting to set. Soon the water would glow with reds and oranges. It was a beautiful spot, a perfect place for a first meeting, and Acen found himself relaxing a bit.

"Please take a seat, my lord," the servant said, gesturing the one of the chairs. "May I get you something to drink while you wait for Lady Gallea? Some wine?"

"Yes, please," Acen replied. As he pulled out the chair and sat, he added, "And its Sir, please. I left behind my title when I became a knight."

The servant nodded and rushed off. Acen looked out at the water. He could hear the waves splashing against the cliff far below him, and the cries of seagulls. He let his mind wander, hardly noticing when the servant returned with his wine.

Before he knew it, the servant had returned and cleared his throat pointedly to get Acen's attention. "Lady Gallea is about to arrive, sir."

Acen got to his feet, slightly startled but doing his best not to show it. "Thank you."

The servant smiled and moved aside, just as the door opened behind him, and the most beautiful woman Acen had ever seen stepped onto the balcony. He knew she was young, a few years younger than he was. She was tall and slim, wearing a floor length, dark purple dress. Her hair was done up in a fancy knot unlike any style he'd ever seen his mother or sister wear. Instantly, Acen knew he was going to do something wrong. It simply wasn't possible that he could impress such a beautiful woman.

She walked across the balcony to stand in front of him. "Welcome to Vasel, Lord Atricen," she said. Even her voice was perfect.

"Sir Atricen. Acen," Acen froze, panicked, and perfectly aware that he had already embarrassed himself. "I mean, I'm a knight, my lady, so I prefer to be called Sir Atricen. And most people just call me Acen. Thank you for meeting with me," he bowed, hoping to somewhat make up for his blunder.

Lady Gallea raised one eyebrow. "Acen, then. You may call me Gallea," she said, and then her serene, perfect face broke into a smile. "Or Lea, if I decide I like you."

Acen smiled back, but his mind was racing. It must have been a good sign. She wouldn't tease him if she was already disgusted by him. Remembering his manners, he pulled out her chair for her and once she was settled took his own seat. The servant poured some wine for her and vanished again. Acen didn't know what to do.

Luckily, Lady Gallea spoke first. "You're my cousin's captain, I understand? How is he?"

"He's fantastic," Acen said, eager to respond to such an easy question. "All of my men are, we were picked by Lord West Draulin himself. Jalor and I are the only nobles in the group, but the others are good men. There was a period of time when I was sure he would become the captain instead of me, I'll admit."

"Why were you chosen?" Lady Gallea gracefully picked up her chalice and sipped her wine.

"We trained together for years before Lord Tandrix made the decision," Acen said. "I expect he chose me because I'm better at managing the others. I have a talent, of sorts, for realizing the best way for the men to fight, playing to their individual strengths. While we were training, Jalor always helped me, but I was the one in charge. He seemed happy to let me lead, even though he's one of the oldest among us."

"Really? How old are you, then?"

"Twenty-one," Acen replied. He resisted the urge to ask her how old she was, knowing that sometimes noblewoman found the question insulting—although why that was he had never understood. "Jalor's a very valued member of the group, and he's certainly one of my closest friends."

Lady Gallea smiled. "And does he call you Acen?"

Acen nodded. "They all do."

"I'm glad to hear that he's in good hands," she said. "I was scared when he first told us he was going to West Draulin. It seemed so far away at the time, and I was worried he'd join the army, go off to war, and get terribly injured. My cousin desires glory. He doesn't want to be the forgotten younger sibling in his family line, he wants to be someone important, and who goes on fantastic adventures. Someone the historians will write about," she sighed. "He's cocky, that much is certain. But I love him regardless. And it seems like he may be getting his wish, being in Lord Tandrix's personal guard. I hear the young lord is destined to become Lord East Draulin. Being in his guard will make Jalor an important man. But that's enough about my ridiculous cousin, I want to hear about you. You're from West Draulin?"

"Yes, my family is one of the older ones, we can trace our lineage back to one of the lords who first built the city. We've been lesser lords since the beginning, mostly working in the army and with the Tandran family. I'm the third of my family to become a Tandran's guard captain."

"That's an impressive background."

"Not as impressive as yours, I'm afraid. If we..." Acen paused.

"Let's not skirt around the subject, we both know why we're meeting. If we get married..." Lady Gallea prompted.

"If we get married, you won't be marrying into power. I'm sure that's what you would prefer," Acen said. The servant returned with their food, two plates of steaming chicken and vegetables, covered in gravy. It smelled delicious, and Acen was hoping the food would put a pause to the conversation.

Lady Gallea had other ideas. As soon as the servant had closed the door, she said, "Why do you assume that?"

"Because every noblewoman I've ever met wants to marry into power," Acen said.

"My cousin isn't the only one who wants adventure, Sir Atricen."

"I don't think marrying me will be much of an adventure."

Lady Gallea cut a piece from her chicken and ate it, chewing slowly. Acen knew what she was doing, his sister had done it all the time. She was taking her time, purposefully making him wonder what her next words would be. Finally, she spoke. "Moving to West Draulin, and then East Draulin, seems like an adventure to me. Besides, what would I want with a stuffy old lord with lots of power? They're boring."

"Not all lords with power are stuffy and old," Acen pointed out, thinking of Tandrin. He was nineteen, already holding his own in court with ease. He was going to make a fine Lord West Draulin. Tandrin was the kind of lord Lady Gallea was meant to marry.

"No," she agreed. "But a lot of them are. And even the young ones are boring. I've met plenty of them. Oh, they flirt with me when my father isn't paying attention, and they promise money and wealth and all the luxuries I could ever want, but they don't really know what I want."

"What do you want?" Acen asked.

Lady Gallea looked just a little startled. "Most people don't ask."

"I'd like to know," Acen said.

She stared at him for a moment, as if deciding whether or not he deserved knowing. "Well, I want someone who has adventures and will tell me all about them, with such excitement and detail that I'll feel like I was there myself. I want him to bring me gifts, but not jewellery or dresses or fancy perfumes that he's bought. I want things he's found on his adventures, and things that will remind me of him when he's away. I want him to be calm and kind, but also ferocious when he needs to be. I want him to be able to protect me himself, and not rely on his guards to do it. I want someone who can see the good in people, but also recognize the bad. And I want someone loyal, who will love me as an equal, not as a trophy."

"I—" Acen hesitated. She really was perfect. "I can do that. All of that."

"In that case—" Lady Gallea reached across the table to take his hand, "—you should probably start calling me Lea."