alpindale/light-novels · Datasets at Hugging Face

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“Oh, they were your employees?” Rishe asked, her voice airy. “We were having such a good time, though I admit we got rather carried away.”
Naturally, Rishe knew who they were. During her time working with the Aria Trading Company, Rishe had beaten all of her coworkers at a drinking game at their very first banquet. The ones she’d competed against tonight were the very same people.
Tully wore the same look then too.
Rishe had been brought up at court—she had a high tolerance for spirits. “Drink?”
Tully accepted the glass she pushed toward him, eyeing her. “You did a fair job with your hair.”
“Thank you. The color does stand out—I figured this would be easiest.” She’d dyed her hair chestnut brown with the herbs the knights picked on their journey to Galkhein. It would wash out easily with hot water—very useful for temporary disguises. “I’ll trade the recipe for the chance to do business.”
Tully laughed. “Nice try.” He leaned forward on his elbows, eyes glinting. “You can do better than that. And I suspect you will.”
Rishe let that wash over her. His surety made her nervous. What did he know?
“Shall we open negotiations, my lady? First, a toast.”
“Please address me as you would anyone, the disguise is worthless if you keep ‘my lady-ing’ me. Besides…” A pause. “Hearing it from you is odd.”
Tully gave her a quizzical look. “Well, okay. If that’s what you’d prefer.” He raised his mug, and Rishe clinked hers against it. Tully drained half of his in one go, letting out a long breath.
“Just ‘miss,’ then. Anyway, stop with the charade. I know this isn’t about a dress.”
“Yes, tricks don’t work on you, it seems.”
“Glad that’s been established.” Tully drained the rest of his drink. “My instincts tell me you aren’t a customer. You’re a potential partner.”
So he had lured her out here. Once again, Rishe felt how truly out of her depth she was. But she had no choice but to get him on her side. He had once been her boss and her ally, but now things were different.
“Tell me every little detail about whatever moneymaking scheme you’ve concocted.”
“Mr. Tully.”
“I’m not agreeing to anything until I know exactly what you’re doing. Despite how I look, I’m very good at my job. Whatever you hope to bring in, I can double it.”
“Mr. Tully.”
“I’ll come up with the perfect strategy. Now, tell me—”
“I cannot.”
He gave her a sharp look. “What?”
“I cannot disclose my plan. Nevertheless, I want to be able to depend on the Aria Trading Company when the time comes.”
His mouth twisted into a grin. “That’s quite a bold ask, miss. You want a handshake deal based on…what? Promises and starshine? I don’t do that sort of business.”
“You’ll be well compensated, of course.”
“You’re expecting me to go in with you for the potential of profit?”
Rishe wished she could blurt everything out—tell him that in the next few years, her husband-to-be would kill his father and throw the world into turmoil. Obviously, she held her tongue.
“Listen, miss. When I decide whether to go into business with a person, I mostly go off my instincts. But I also emphasize—”
“Previous results and track record, correct?”
Tully looked stunned. She had completely caught him off guard. “How do you…?”
“I’ll sell something in the city. If it is well received, and you judge me worthy of your time, can we talk?”
Tully stared at Rishe a moment before he burst out laughing. “Oh, go on. A gamble? Now that’s how I like to do things!”
Believe me, I know. Next you’ll tell me to hit a profit goal in a specified time frame.
“You’ve got one week. I look forward to seeing what you come up with, miss.”
Rishe smiled, emptied her glass, and then stood up. “We have an agreement, then. Thank you for your time. Ah, and when your people wake tomorrow, give them this.”
Tully held up one of the little packets of herbs. “Oh? What’s this?”
“They’ll find out,” Rishe said and made her exit.

***

Rishe returned to her balcony with the rope of bedsheets left dangling in the courtyard, pulling herself up hand over hand. The inn was only ten minutes from the palace, but sneaking out had been an ordeal. She moved quietly across stonework to conceal her footsteps from the guards posted at her door.
It seems I wasn’t missed. In the morning, I’ll have to hide beneath the bed curtains until Elsie brings me hot water. I’ve got to get my hair color back to normal before anyone starts asking questions.
Rishe pushed open the glass door to her chambers. She gasped.
Arnold sat in the room’s only chair, legs crossed. “You’re out late.”
“What are you doing here?”
Rishe hadn’t seen him since the party a few nights ago. He didn’t yet have his own chambers in their detached palace, and she’d heard he was still laboring under a mountain of work. As far as Rishe knew, he’d only been here once. Why did his second visit have to be the night she snuck out?
“You met with the merchant from the Aria Trading Company today, no?” Arnold asked. He stared at her with his chin propped on his fist, as usual.
The lamp by the bedside flickered, flames guttering. The chamber was too dim to read his expression.
“I was waiting to know what you intended to buy, but I didn’t hear from you all day. I asked your guards for a report, and they told me the merchant declined your contract.” Arnold stood and took a single step toward her. “A curious thing for him to refuse a future empress.”
Sensing danger, Rishe reflexively took a step back, despite knowing there was nothing behind her but the wall. A few steps more and she’d be cornered.
“When you singled out the Aria Trading Company, I figured you already had a relationship with them. My fiancée doesn’t seem the sort of woman to choose business partners recklessly, after all.”
Arnold’s high buttoned collar was undone, loose enough to reveal his collarbones. One might expect that to make him look vulnerable, but on the contrary. The moonlight glittered on his scarred neck and marble-like features. He looked amused on the surface, but something savage stalked in his eyes. Rishe thought again of a wolf.
“I was curious. I took a break to see you, but even from outside I could tell your chambers were vacant.”
When Arnold killed her, they’d stood at about this distance. Was that the past? The future? Regardless, her heart sped up. Tension winched the space between her shoulders tight.
The aura of threat was different this time, though. Rishe couldn’t have given it a name.
“I did tell you to live however you like. Getting angry would be illogical. I dismissed your guards and decided to patiently await your return.”
“Your Highness—”
“How interesting.” Arnold pressed his hands to the wall, trapping Rishe between his arms. He grinned wolfishly. “I suppose even a woman like you fears a man late at night, alone in her chamber.”
Rishe sucked in a breath, stunned by the comment. Then she realized she was angry at herself, not at him. She shouldn’t have let him read the fear in her eyes. Besides, she’d made a tactical error.
“I’m sorry,” she said from the heart.
The twisted grin slid off Arnold’s face. He looked down at her in silence.
“I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t consider how having your fiancée creeping around town at night could damage your reputation.”
Rishe’s mistakes had always been her own to bear. But this was different. Even if she really had been a hostage, with this whole charade just for form’s sake, she’d forgotten she was about to become someone’s wife. She was willing to shoulder a scandal should she be found out, but that wasn’t her choice to make.
Arnold said, “That’s not why I’m upset.”
Rishe had been avoiding his gaze, but this startled her into looking back at him.
“I doubt anyone in the city would recognize you. They’ve only seen you once, and from inside a coach at that. And you dyed your hair too. It would be one thing if I actually believed you meant to cuckold me, but I imagine you went out to negotiate with the Aria Trading Company.”
“You’re too kind, Your Highness.”
Arnold frowned. “Anyway, that isn’t what occupies my mind so.”
“What, then, Your Highness?”
“Are you hurt?”
The question took her by surprise. Why would he ask that? “No, I’m fine.”
“You didn’t get mixed up in a crime, did you?”
Rishe started. “No!”
Arnold released his breath. “Next time you want to creep out under cover of night, take me with you. Understand?”
“Wait, are you serious?”
Arnold removed his hands from the wall, releasing Rishe. “Don’t you remember what I said? Once we’re married, you can do whatever you want. And I’ll help you do it.”
Rishe shook her head. “I couldn’t possibly hold you to my whims. Don’t worry, I’ll be more prudent from now on.”
“I said you could do as you pleased, but I don’t want you endangering yourself.”
“Oh?” Rishe’s voice came out a little hoarse. “You pamper me too much.” She wasn’t sure what to make of this because she had no idea why he was doing it.
“I know you well enough already to be confident that if I confine you to the palace grounds, you’ll take it as a challenge.” Arnold sat back down, his usual calm smile returning. “I realize that if I don’t want you to blow away on the wind, I’ll need to attach some strings.”
Rishe felt the strength suddenly go out of her. She sat down on the edge of the bed. “Am I that predictable?”
“On the contrary, I can’t predict you at all.”
“You both love this, don’t you? You and Mr. Tully.” Rishe clenched a fist, annoyed beyond belief that she’d been seen through by not one but two men in the same day.
As usual, I can’t guess at his motives. But for Arnold Hein to let me run roughshod over his name and reputation, there must be something. She needed to take better advantage of his lax oversight, yet she couldn’t prevent stirrings of guilt. She wanted to prevent a war, but she didn’t want to do it at the cost of being a bad wife.
But if Arnold responded to her willfulness by offering her more privileges and not less, well, that was his own affair.
“Mr. Tully, was that his name?” Arnold went on. “Tell me, what happened between you and the Aria Trading Company?
Rishe felt the exhaustion burning through her limbs. “Your Highness, may I ask you something completely unrelated to this discussion?”
“Yes?”
“…Are you hungry?”
Arnold blinked at her, nonplussed.

***

Rishe stood in the small kitchen of the palace, chopping herbs the knights had brought her from their morning patrol of the city’s perimeter. She made short work of it, gathering the herbs on the cutting board and scraping them into the pot along with onions and bacon and other delights. She left it to simmer, the aroma filling the kitchen.
It was a small space, only ever used for making breakfast, and therefore completely deserted at night.
“Umm…” Rishe glanced over her shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait back in my chambers?”
Arnold sat on a wooden chair in the corner, leaning against the bare table beside him with his head in his hand as he watched Rishe make the soup. “No, I’m fine here.”
“If you say so.” This couldn’t be exciting, could it? He’d also just sat there watching as she attacked her dyed hair with hot water and a towel.
Maybe he just likes people-watching, she thought as she stirred the soup. Sensing it was done, she scooped some out into a small dish and tried it.
After a moment of silence, she added salt.

“Oh, they were your employees?” Rishe asked, her voice airy. “We were having such a good time, though I admit we got rather carried away.”

Naturally, Rishe knew who they were. During her time working with the Aria Trading Company, Rishe had beaten all of her coworkers at a drinking game at their very first banquet. The ones she’d competed against tonight were the very same people.

Tully wore the same look then too.

Rishe had been brought up at court—she had a high tolerance for spirits. “Drink?”

Tully accepted the glass she pushed toward him, eyeing her. “You did a fair job with your hair.”

“Thank you. The color does stand out—I figured this would be easiest.” She’d dyed her hair chestnut brown with the herbs the knights picked on their journey to Galkhein. It would wash out easily with hot water—very useful for temporary disguises. “I’ll trade the recipe for the chance to do business.”

Tully laughed. “Nice try.” He leaned forward on his elbows, eyes glinting. “You can do better than that. And I suspect you will.”

Rishe let that wash over her. His surety made her nervous. What did he know?

“Shall we open negotiations, my lady? First, a toast.”

“Please address me as you would anyone, the disguise is worthless if you keep ‘my lady-ing’ me. Besides…” A pause. “Hearing it from you is odd.”

Tully gave her a quizzical look. “Well, okay. If that’s what you’d prefer.” He raised his mug, and Rishe clinked hers against it. Tully drained half of his in one go, letting out a long breath.

“Just ‘miss,’ then. Anyway, stop with the charade. I know this isn’t about a dress.”

“Yes, tricks don’t work on you, it seems.”

“Glad that’s been established.” Tully drained the rest of his drink. “My instincts tell me you aren’t a customer. You’re a potential partner.”

So he had lured her out here. Once again, Rishe felt how truly out of her depth she was. But she had no choice but to get him on her side. He had once been her boss and her ally, but now things were different.

“Tell me every little detail about whatever moneymaking scheme you’ve concocted.”

“Mr. Tully.”

“I’m not agreeing to anything until I know exactly what you’re doing. Despite how I look, I’m very good at my job. Whatever you hope to bring in, I can double it.”

“Mr. Tully.”

“I’ll come up with the perfect strategy. Now, tell me—”

“I cannot.”

He gave her a sharp look. “What?”

“I cannot disclose my plan. Nevertheless, I want to be able to depend on the Aria Trading Company when the time comes.”

His mouth twisted into a grin. “That’s quite a bold ask, miss. You want a handshake deal based on…what? Promises and starshine? I don’t do that sort of business.”

“You’ll be well compensated, of course.”

“You’re expecting me to go in with you for the potential of profit?”

Rishe wished she could blurt everything out—tell him that in the next few years, her husband-to-be would kill his father and throw the world into turmoil. Obviously, she held her tongue.

“Listen, miss. When I decide whether to go into business with a person, I mostly go off my instincts. But I also emphasize—”

“Previous results and track record, correct?”

Tully looked stunned. She had completely caught him off guard. “How do you…?”

“I’ll sell something in the city. If it is well received, and you judge me worthy of your time, can we talk?”

Tully stared at Rishe a moment before he burst out laughing. “Oh, go on. A gamble? Now that’s how I like to do things!”

Believe me, I know. Next you’ll tell me to hit a profit goal in a specified time frame.

“You’ve got one week. I look forward to seeing what you come up with, miss.”

Rishe smiled, emptied her glass, and then stood up. “We have an agreement, then. Thank you for your time. Ah, and when your people wake tomorrow, give them this.”

Tully held up one of the little packets of herbs. “Oh? What’s this?”

“They’ll find out,” Rishe said and made her exit.

***

Rishe returned to her balcony with the rope of bedsheets left dangling in the courtyard, pulling herself up hand over hand. The inn was only ten minutes from the palace, but sneaking out had been an ordeal. She moved quietly across stonework to conceal her footsteps from the guards posted at her door.

It seems I wasn’t missed. In the morning, I’ll have to hide beneath the bed curtains until Elsie brings me hot water. I’ve got to get my hair color back to normal before anyone starts asking questions.

Rishe pushed open the glass door to her chambers. She gasped.

Arnold sat in the room’s only chair, legs crossed. “You’re out late.”

“What are you doing here?”

Rishe hadn’t seen him since the party a few nights ago. He didn’t yet have his own chambers in their detached palace, and she’d heard he was still laboring under a mountain of work. As far as Rishe knew, he’d only been here once. Why did his second visit have to be the night she snuck out?

“You met with the merchant from the Aria Trading Company today, no?” Arnold asked. He stared at her with his chin propped on his fist, as usual.

The lamp by the bedside flickered, flames guttering. The chamber was too dim to read his expression.

“I was waiting to know what you intended to buy, but I didn’t hear from you all day. I asked your guards for a report, and they told me the merchant declined your contract.” Arnold stood and took a single step toward her. “A curious thing for him to refuse a future empress.”

Sensing danger, Rishe reflexively took a step back, despite knowing there was nothing behind her but the wall. A few steps more and she’d be cornered.

“When you singled out the Aria Trading Company, I figured you already had a relationship with them. My fiancée doesn’t seem the sort of woman to choose business partners recklessly, after all.”

Arnold’s high buttoned collar was undone, loose enough to reveal his collarbones. One might expect that to make him look vulnerable, but on the contrary. The moonlight glittered on his scarred neck and marble-like features. He looked amused on the surface, but something savage stalked in his eyes. Rishe thought again of a wolf.

“I was curious. I took a break to see you, but even from outside I could tell your chambers were vacant.”

When Arnold killed her, they’d stood at about this distance. Was that the past? The future? Regardless, her heart sped up. Tension winched the space between her shoulders tight.

The aura of threat was different this time, though. Rishe couldn’t have given it a name.

“I did tell you to live however you like. Getting angry would be illogical. I dismissed your guards and decided to patiently await your return.”

“Your Highness—”

“How interesting.” Arnold pressed his hands to the wall, trapping Rishe between his arms. He grinned wolfishly. “I suppose even a woman like you fears a man late at night, alone in her chamber.”

Rishe sucked in a breath, stunned by the comment. Then she realized she was angry at herself, not at him. She shouldn’t have let him read the fear in her eyes. Besides, she’d made a tactical error.

“I’m sorry,” she said from the heart.

The twisted grin slid off Arnold’s face. He looked down at her in silence.

“I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t consider how having your fiancée creeping around town at night could damage your reputation.”

Rishe’s mistakes had always been her own to bear. But this was different. Even if she really had been a hostage, with this whole charade just for form’s sake, she’d forgotten she was about to become someone’s wife. She was willing to shoulder a scandal should she be found out, but that wasn’t her choice to make.

Arnold said, “That’s not why I’m upset.”

Rishe had been avoiding his gaze, but this startled her into looking back at him.

“I doubt anyone in the city would recognize you. They’ve only seen you once, and from inside a coach at that. And you dyed your hair too. It would be one thing if I actually believed you meant to cuckold me, but I imagine you went out to negotiate with the Aria Trading Company.”

“You’re too kind, Your Highness.”

Arnold frowned. “Anyway, that isn’t what occupies my mind so.”

“What, then, Your Highness?”

“Are you hurt?”

The question took her by surprise. Why would he ask that? “No, I’m fine.”

“You didn’t get mixed up in a crime, did you?”

Rishe started. “No!”

Arnold released his breath. “Next time you want to creep out under cover of night, take me with you. Understand?”

“Wait, are you serious?”

Arnold removed his hands from the wall, releasing Rishe. “Don’t you remember what I said? Once we’re married, you can do whatever you want. And I’ll help you do it.”

Rishe shook her head. “I couldn’t possibly hold you to my whims. Don’t worry, I’ll be more prudent from now on.”

“I said you could do as you pleased, but I don’t want you endangering yourself.”

“Oh?” Rishe’s voice came out a little hoarse. “You pamper me too much.” She wasn’t sure what to make of this because she had no idea why he was doing it.

“I know you well enough already to be confident that if I confine you to the palace grounds, you’ll take it as a challenge.” Arnold sat back down, his usual calm smile returning. “I realize that if I don’t want you to blow away on the wind, I’ll need to attach some strings.”

Rishe felt the strength suddenly go out of her. She sat down on the edge of the bed. “Am I that predictable?”

“On the contrary, I can’t predict you at all.”

“You both love this, don’t you? You and Mr. Tully.” Rishe clenched a fist, annoyed beyond belief that she’d been seen through by not one but two men in the same day.

As usual, I can’t guess at his motives. But for Arnold Hein to let me run roughshod over his name and reputation, there must be something. She needed to take better advantage of his lax oversight, yet she couldn’t prevent stirrings of guilt. She wanted to prevent a war, but she didn’t want to do it at the cost of being a bad wife.

But if Arnold responded to her willfulness by offering her more privileges and not less, well, that was his own affair.

“Mr. Tully, was that his name?” Arnold went on. “Tell me, what happened between you and the Aria Trading Company?

Rishe felt the exhaustion burning through her limbs. “Your Highness, may I ask you something completely unrelated to this discussion?”

“Yes?”

“…Are you hungry?”

Arnold blinked at her, nonplussed.

***

Rishe stood in the small kitchen of the palace, chopping herbs the knights had brought her from their morning patrol of the city’s perimeter. She made short work of it, gathering the herbs on the cutting board and scraping them into the pot along with onions and bacon and other delights. She left it to simmer, the aroma filling the kitchen.

It was a small space, only ever used for making breakfast, and therefore completely deserted at night.

“Umm…” Rishe glanced over her shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait back in my chambers?”

Arnold sat on a wooden chair in the corner, leaning against the bare table beside him with his head in his hand as he watched Rishe make the soup. “No, I’m fine here.”

“If you say so.” This couldn’t be exciting, could it? He’d also just sat there watching as she attacked her dyed hair with hot water and a towel.

Maybe he just likes people-watching, she thought as she stirred the soup. Sensing it was done, she scooped some out into a small dish and tried it.

After a moment of silence, she added salt.