Finally the morning came when the CherRené could put her idea into effect and she sent a request to the CherRio for a morning ride with picnic lunch at the nearby mountain lake. Rayna was fairly sure by NikéLon’s reply he anticipated Onevé would join them. But not today.
As they met up at the carriage later that morning, nearly everyone in view was astonished to see the CherRené latch onto the CherRio and gush affection all over him. Onevé specifically was taken back and chagrinned when she realized she had not been invited to join them - flying off in a tantrum to see who she could torture to alleviate her dissatisfaction. Ignoring her, Rayna clung to NikéLon like it was the first time she’d seen him and he was clearly shocked by her advances. But seeing that it had been his idea to bring her, and it was his mission to secure her hand despite his feelings, he could not publicly refute her.
For the next half hour, Rayna did all she could to return the earlier affections of the CherRio, and he did all he could to ward her off. Once they reached the lake and Rayna was sure that Austin had set up a sufficient barrier around them, Rayna stepped back from clinging to the CherRio and declared, “Now that it is clear the CherRio is no longer willing to take advantage of my affections, I think it high time we got all the falsities put to rest and moved on, don't you?”
Stunned with the sudden coolness on his arm and the turn off of affection, Nikélon rebuffed, “What is this? The CherRené playing games?” he looked slightly peeved, but intrigued as well.
“No more than the CherRio has played with me. Admit it, you have no desire to participate in the fake and forced attention you just received! Nor for a relationship that is less then mutual and posses the potential of continual rejection - that is something neither of us wants. So let's have a seat and talk out our options.”
At first Rayna thought he would refuse, but after a few moments, he agreed. Making themselves comfortable around the picnic blanket spread neatly on the ground and covered with sitting cushions, Rayna opened the conversation with, “What are your requirements for a wife, CherRio? What would satisfy all those involved in a union between Travane and Morat AND make you happy?”
NikéLon laughed, “There is no such arrangement. Your brother would make anything but your hand impossible.”
Rayna’s brow shot up in surprise, for she had not expected that response, and clearly NikéLon realized he misspoke. But how could he backpedal now?
Not wanting to take the chance that the CherRio would clam up and stop talking, Rayna changed her question, “Okay, lets put aside my brother, father, or anyone else for that matter for the time being. What does the CherRio want?”
Eyeing her suspiciously he remained silent, so she forged ahead, “Oh come on. It's obvious! You have taken a fancy to Onevé and we both know it. What if I could help you achieve her hand?”
“And what would you want in return?” NikéLon inquired skeptically.
“Only information - well, and to be free to marry whom I chose.”
“I’m afraid the CherRené speaks of things she has no authority to give and no information to bargain with.”
“Really? Well, how about the fact that your father has given you direct instructions to please the RioArd and forge a relationship that will prevent war between our land at any price but honor. And if you fail, your head will be required of you and your position given to your brother.”
This got Nikélon’s attention and though he tried not to validate her information, his clear shock in her knowing only proved her right. So she continued, “For some reason, you have an enemy working very hard to achieve your displacement. And the same person - or group of people - are also working against me and I'd like that to end, for my life depends on it.”
At the last statement NikéLon met her gaze for the first time, “What do you mean your life depends on it?”
“I have it on very good authority that once we are married or maybe as soon as we are officially pledged, a successful attempt (only due to the sheer force behind the attack) will be made on my life in the hopes that you will see it as a breech of contract. If you return home without a treaty - because your security for it is dead and you have no other - you will lose your head and be displaced for failure to meet your charge. On the other hand, if you demand your honor was disgraced, your Father would in return demand recourse and your only option would be war - to which your father would insist you lead and arrangements would be made for your death on the battle field. Thus successfully replacing you either way.”
“Pretending for a moment that there is even a shred of evidence in all you say, what is your plan to avoid all of this so that I get what I want?”
Rayna smiled, she had him now, “Well, I believe you have information that would reveal who this person - or group of people - is working against us. I also believe that a marriage between you and one of our other Resorvan’s daughters would be powerful enough to clinch a treaty with us - though we would not use her as surety as I have been - for her safety.”
This clearly intrigued NikéLon, but Rayna could see he was still not convinced. “You do know that Onevé is the daughter of one of our land’s most respected Resorvan. And that she has already been announced to the Corté - which makes her acutely available for marriage.”
NikéLon slowly nodded but he still wasn't fully buying into her plan. She forged ahead again desperate to make the plan work. “If a marriage was performed between you and Onevé while out on this tour, with permission from my father and hers of course, we could at least foil part of the wicked plan against us. You would have the strong beginnings for a treaty securing your directive - and the woman you desire - and there would be no reason for them to take my life. Plus, with the information you have, I believe we can force the hand of these enemies before they succeed in their plans against us.”
With a twinkle in his eye, NikéLon replied, “Ah, but I see the error in your plan. How do you obtain permission for such a plan without your brother knowing?”
Without even knowing it, NikéLon had just confirmed Rayna’s worst fear - it was her brother who sought to destroy Travane, but why?
Quickly regaining her composure as to not give way his revelation or lose his interest in her plan, she explained, “We use a decoy. Once we have come to an agreement, we will send a false parchment to the palace to be intercepted. Meanwhile, the true parchment will be given to a trusted soldier whom escorts the messenger. This soldier will then deliver the original treaty to the RioArd in disguise of a report from Captain Shalome. My father set up a system with the Captain before they departed for just this purpose.”
Again NikéLon objected, “But we do not have the treaty we were working on, nor do you have the authority to make such offers.”
Rayna smiled as she pulled from a folder at her side a bound document, “Here is the initial proposal of the treaty between our lands. My father sent it with Captain Shalome in case we found use for it. You will see that he has also included an authorization for me to negotiate with you on behalf of our land and the Resorvan, pending their final approval.”
For several minutes NikéLon reviewed the treaty silently. Finally he declared, “Posh! To heck with your brother and his secrets. I want Onevé and if you can help me get her, I’ll tell you everything I know in exchange.”
Copyright © 2012 All Rights Reserved MMFarmlife - Melanie Schlatter
