Episode 59: Court (Tey)

There was a familiar knock on the outside of her door.

Familiar because, like anyone who visited her, she wanted them to go away.

Tey swam across the room, through the doorway, and greeted the short-haired. stiff-faced, annoying guy who did military stuff for Thelos.

“Hello, Cander,” she greeted him. “Can’t I just send Thelos another message?

Cander’s tale moved as though there was a current (there wasn’t) as he made his way into her space. “What would that be?”

Tey crossed her arms, “I’m not marrying Rykos. I have a mutual bond with someone else.”

Tey was the daughter of one of the noble families. Rykos was a prince. She didn’t want to marry because she was noble, she wanted to be with Pish. She wanted someone who thought like her and cared about the same things she did. Pish was a more reasonable choice.

“You should tell him yourself,” Cander said. “He doesn’t like messages.”

She felt like he was corralling her into the hallway, where he would take her to the courtroom. She had hoped to avoid going. She didn’t like the courtroom. She didn’t like anything about the royal palace. She was almost done packing her belongings to move in with Pish and leave behind her family and their requirements for her.

“Fine,” Tey replied.

It wasn’t fine, but it was what would happen.

“I’ll be late for work,” She said as she swam, as though he cared. She knew he didn’t. He was one of King Thelos’ little military pawns that made sure everyone was in its place. He was nothing.

“What sort of mood is he in?” She asked as they turned the first corner.

“The usual,” Cander replied, his tone casual and light. He was one of the guards that seemed to be oblivious to how much others disliked him. Just because he could act pleasant didn’t make him a decent person. “Who did you bond to?” he asked.

“Pish Ryukin,” she declared. “My coworker.”

She was proud of her bond, proud that she had come forward and asked Pish. He was a rare gem of the sea, someone worthy of more than the sea could offer. She would spend her life being a dedicated coworker and wife. He deserved a mate that cared for his studies and feelings and life.

Cander, in his indignance, laughed.

“Pish? I figured he was gay.”

She wanted to lecture him on the reproductive issues that the kingdom and the realm faced, the ones that Pish was studying. He would never listen and even if he did he was a military drone and unworthy of inclusion. He was worthless in aiding them.

Pish wouldn’t dare be gay with what the realm faced.

“He’s not gay. He’s focused.”

“You know Thelos might break that bond. Pish is a commoner.”

Pish was as common as as Cander’s brain cells.

“I,” She began, then she remembered that her bond breaking research was a secret and Cander may spread that information to the wrong ears. It wasn’t worth saying. “May be pregnant,” she said. “So what is the point in breaking it?”

In truth, she wasn’t that interested in reproducing. She was bonded to Pish, and she wanted him, and she knew that they had an obligation to the realm to breed, but the idea of raising kids wasn’t high on her to-do list.

Pish was her entire to-do list, after all.

“He won’t care if he has his mind made  up,” Cander said.

“There are other nobles he can choose from. I don’t understand why he has made his mind up about me.”

She knew he would break her bond, she knew she was walking into an uphill battle.

She would plead her case. She would fight King Thelos every step of the way.

“You work for Pish,” Cander said, as though it were some sort of justification for wanting her to not be with Pish.

“I’ve bonded with Pish,” she replied, lost.

Cander didn’t respond, instead of he raised his chest and floated upright at the entryway to the throne room.

The room was full today; she didn’t think that was normal but she wasn’t sure either. It was full, and Rykos was there, and the stones that were covered in seaweed and algae she would rather study were all there.

King Thelos was at the front of the room, swimming back and forth the front of the room like he was agitated. He wasn’t, he couldn’t be, he owned this space and controlled every decision that came out of it.

Cander urged her closer, toward the front of the room and the attention of everyone.

King Thelos glanced at her. Great. He slowed his pacing and floated, silent and oppressing.

“Greetings Tey Ordea”

Her name was such a joke. Tey Ryukin sounded much better. It would be her name now.

“Hi,” She replied, with a bow of course. “I’ve decided about your son, Prince Rykos.”

“Good,” Thelos said.

He began to motion for Prince Rykos, so Tey interrupted him, “I’ve decided not to marry him because I have formed a bond and entered into a marriage with someone. He bonded too.”

“No he hasn’t,” King Thelos replied.

Tey looked at him, puzzled. “Yes he has.”

“You have a bond, but no one has a bond to you,” Thelos stated. She could see he was pleased, gleeful even.

Tey felt the room closing in on her; like everyone was watching her and laughing at her.

Pish had lied.

She knew he had lied because Thelos had no need to lie to her; he could break the bond in an instant. He was telling her to humiliate her. To get her to marry Rykos because she had no other hopes. No job to go back to, no prospectus. She would be shunned, if she rejected the marriage.

“I don’t understand,” she replied. Pish was sweet and caring and innocent. Pish didn’t lie to make people feel better.

Pish lied to her though.

“You will marry Rykos. He’s here,” King Thelos said. He looked over to his side again and motioned for Rykos.

Rykos looked like all of his children – tanned skin and blue eyes nothing like his pale features. Grey hair must have overcome darker wavy hair in his past. She hadn’t been alive when the queen passed. She didn’t know what she looked like.

Tey tried to swim away; she couldn’t do this here and now in front of people watching her. She couldn’t submit herself to King Thelos’ power when all she had done was try to find love.

There was no love.

Love was meaningless.

Tey tried to swim away, but Cander held her arm too tight.

“I told you he wouldn’t let it stand,” Cander said.

He almost sounded sorry for her.

“Then why did you make me come here?” she growled, in a low furled voice she had never heard herself make before.

She could feel herself hardening.

“I like my job. Having one.”

“Bring her forward,” King Thelos ordered.

With his hand firmly on her arm, Cander moved her through the room and up toward Rykos.’

“Get off of me,” Tey demanded as she tried to shake Cander free of her arm. She would do this herself if it was what was meant to be. She would only humiliate herself more if she fought it at this stage.

“Seriously,” Cander urged. “Come on.”

There was nothing to fight against; Tey had bonded to Pish countless times and all he returned was a lie.

The bond was a lie.

Her job was a lie.

She would marry Rykos with her head up because she had nothing else. King Thelos was right, on that part.

“I’m not fleeing. Let me go,” Tey demanded. She would be a princess now, she could demand things from people like Cander.

Cander let her go, but she could sense him hovering near as she swam the rest of the distance to Rykos.

Without hesitating, King Thelos looked at his son, “Prince Rykos Syphraena of the Sea, do you take Tey Ordea to be your bonded mate for life?”

“Yes,” Rykos stated.

King Thelos turned to face her, “Tey Ordea, do you take Prince Rykos Syphraena of the Sea to be your bonded mate for life?”

“Yes,” Tey replied.

She felt the bond form between them, the tendrils of some sort of love weaving them together and closing the distance between them.

She wouldn’t be able to break the bond with Rykos, with King Thelos watching over them. She would have to commit to the marriage; she had committed to the marriage.

She reminded herself that Pish didn’t bond and he didn’t love her.

A forced bond was more than a lie. It was an understanding.

“You are wed,” King Thelos proclaimed. He moved between them to get to a better vantage point and addressed the room. “I am pleased to introduce my son’s bonded mate, Princess Tey Syphraena of the Sea.”

“Anything else, Father?” Rykos asked.

“That is all,” King Thelos replied. “You may go, together.”

Rykos swam across the room, toward the exit, and waited for Tey.

Tey joined him, and looked back to see Cander a bit more relaxed than he was.

“Where do you normally live?” Rykos asked as they swam through the halls.

“At home or in the lab I worked in,” Tey replied.

“Who were you bonded to?” he asked.

“My coworker, Pish Ryukin.”

“A commoner? You didn’t sleep with him, did you?”

Tey was sick of the accusations. A brilliant mind like Pish’s may have come from a common background, but he was anything but a commoner.

She tried to shake the remaining feelings for Pish as the new bond sank into her being.

“Yes,” she replied. “He lied. He said he had bonded.”

“You don’t work there anymore,” Rykos stated.

Duh.

She wouldn’t let herself work there if her life was on the line. Which, if she killed Rykos it would be.

“Fine,” she replied. She would have to leave behind her life’s work. Bonding to Pish again, bringing the bond up, had been a mistake.

“What is wrong?” Rykos asked. “You married a prince, you’ll have powerful children. You should be pleased at this opportunity.”

“I lost my job; I loved my job.”

“You can keep doing that job, but the Ryukins are dangerous.”

Tey continued swimming.

“I didn’t want to marry you either, Tey; I was supposed to marry my sister and be king. This marriage is a punishment for me, a guarantee that I’ll never rule. Don’t expect me to be happy to be with you. I want you where I don’t have to worry, and I don’t trust the bond.”

“I can break the bond,” Tey offered.

“I don’t want you to,” Rykos replied.

Shock, confusion, utter chaos of thought… I don’t want to be with you but I want the bond? It made no sense.

“You don’t trust it but you want it?” Tey asked.

“I need it, if I’m going to have heirs.”

Rykos opened the door, “Here.”

She wasn’t sure if he meant have heirs, here, right now, or just the have heirs part. Tey entered the room regardless. The bond may be there, drawing them together, but she didn’t want to get to providing heirs at that moment either.

Everything about the situation felt odd and forced and clunky. She wanted to go to work and be immersed in something simple, that made sense to her.

Instead, she was inside Rykos’ room. It was a simple room with some places to sit and various cleaning fish swimming around.

“Heirs?” Tey asked.

“Heirs who can never be heirs to the throne. Like I said, it’s a punishment.”

“If your sister never takes the throne why can’t you?”

“I can’t.”

Tey hated, more than most things, when someone replied to a why question with the question itself. It stalled the conversation and was useless. Either prodding would procure the answer or it was useless to keep trying, but if she chose to not push it she could accidentally offend Rykos.

“You don’t want to, you mean,” Tey replied.

“I mean I can’t. You can only take the trial once.”

“You failed? When?”

Tey hadn’t heard of anyone failing the trial in her life.

“Before you were even born,” he replied.

That made sense. The punishment seemed a few decades late, but it still made some sense.

“How?” Tey asked.

She hadn’t meant to ask. She knew the question was offensive or over asking.

She could feel the bond working, though. She knew she would be drawn closer to Rykos with time. Every minute she felt more entwined with him.

“It doesn’t matter,” Rykos replied.

So, Tey went from being with someone she loved that sucked at reciprocating to someone she was bonded to but didn’t love and still sucked at reciprocating.

That wasn’t fair to Pish.

Pish had tried. Pish had wanted to give her something in return and had accepted her, with her bond. Pish had been nice about it.

Rykos seemed to not care about trying.

“So it’s a punishment for me too,” Tey replied.

“You’re a piece of work. You got a prince.”

Tey wanted to laugh. A prince was nothing except protection.

“I didn’t want a prince. I wanted love.”

“That Ryukin didn’t love you. He knew you were noble and he was using you. Look at his brother: slimy, determined to run the military…”

His brother…. She didn’t know his brother.

And Pish hadn’t been using her. Pish didn’t care about politics; Pish cared about his research.

Loving Pish was going to exhaust her. She had to let it go.

Tey held back tears; tears of frustration and pain and stress. “Then you’re right,” Tey said. “All I’ve done is gain title. I’ve lost nothing. I’ll give you heirs.”

“If that’s what you want,” Rykos replied.

Impossible.

“Why does what I want matter?”

What Thelos wanted mattered.

What Rykos wanted probably mattered, because of Thelos and title.

What Tey wanted mattered last in that list.

Heirs were on the table, and she didn’t hold enough votes to take it off.

“Stuck doesn’t have to mean unhappy,” Rykos replied.

It didn’t sound soft or comforting at all. It also didn’t sound inviting.

“What do you want? You can’t be king. What’s your plan?”

“I can’t be king, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t be queen. We could rule together.”

“I thought I was a punishment.”

“I thought I was,” Rykos replied.

The situation was absurd.

Maybe Tey was chosen to try and take the trial so that if she died at least the kingdom hadn’t lost someone they cared about.

How could they accuse her love of a commoner being wrong when she was demoted to commoner status whenever it was convenient.

“How am I supposed to pass when a prince failed? What was your consequence for failing anyway?” Tey asked, curious if she was just a pawn to get Rykos another shot at being a king.

“You’re right,” he replied. “It’s better to let Thelos dictate your life.”

Tey was beyond lost. Rykos was his son and had obeyed him – was it just an act for him, because he knew he had no better choice? Tey had never heard of one of the royal children disobeying Thelos, except for his oldest daughter, Elaira.

“What was your consequence for failing,” Tey asked.

“None of your business,” Rykos replied. He turned from Tey and began to swim toward the doorway.

“I may be taking the trial and I’m your wife. It’s my business.”

“Rykos turned to face her, “I’m blind. No one knows.”

That seemed improbably given his spatial awareness.

“You are? You have no idea what I look like?”

“None.”

“Then how do you know this is a punishment,” Tey joked.

She had never told a joke before.

“Because you aren’t my sister; she’s already passed the trial.”

Tey knew she struggled with social conventions and being part of society, but at least she didn’t aspire to inbreed.

“Marrying your sister is gross. Is the kingdom really worth that to you? Disfigured offspring…”

 “Am I disfigured?”

He was blind….supposedly.

“Are you inbred?” Tey asked.

“All the old houses are.”

“You would have been likely to experience many losses with her and your children that survived would likely have had various problems then,” Tey stated. “The more inbred the higher the risk.”

It was part of the research – over inbreeding was causing some of the largest issues. In plants it reduced diversity and led to an entire species being destroyed by a simple virus whereas the higher levels of diversity would allow for continued survival of the species.

“You’re really not scoring any points here,” Rykos said.

“This is why people should be with someone they bond to naturally, not by force. I wanted someone who thinks like me. We’re surrounded by information and your family ignores it.”

“My family survives,” Rykos replied.

“I do feel a little close to death – newlywed and bonded to a prince.”

He began to swim toward the back of the room, toward another room that Tey suspected was the bedroom.

If this was it….

She would need to study Rykos. Study Rykos and figure out what sort of patterns he exhibited and what he liked and didn’t like and how to ensure that this situation wasn’t as terrible as it could be.

She was good at making observations.

“This is where you can sleep for now. You’re not allowed to leave,” Rykos stated. He didn’t enter the room.

Tey did, because it seemed like she was expected to. It was a lavish bedchamber with a net for sleeping in the corner.

“How about ‘I don’t trust you to not kill me, it would be comforting if you stayed here for now’” Tey said, mocking.

“Perfect, I’m glad you understand.”

Rykos began to turn away, to swim back into the main room.

On the one hand, he could have been navigating the room from muscle memory.

On the other, he wouldn’t be the first guy to lie to her.

“What about you?” Tey asked. “How do I know you won’t kill me?”

“You don’t” Rykos replied.

“Then you should stay here too.”

Rykos laughed.

Tey swam closer.

If she couldn’t win Rykos over with words, maybe letting the bond consume them and they way her being wanted him would. She touched his arm, a soft touch she hoped wouldn’t be alarming.

“What. Suddenly you want to be here?”

His deep brown eyes looked at her, in a way that made Tey almost certain they would never manage to have heirs.

“I’m trying to make this work,” Tey stated. Facts were good. Facts kept conversations moving.

“Not today,” Rykos said.

Tey dropped her hand and swam back towards the bedchamber.

Love wasn’t happening.

She could at least carry on her work.

“Fine. I want some things. I’ll stay here if I have them.”

If she was able to amass all of the lab things she wanted, she wouldn’t want to leave and it would feel like she was choosing this over him forcing her to stay there. She would fend for herself in a loveless and scary marriage.

“You’ll stay here anyway.”

Tey looked down at the floor. She hadn’t observed the floor yet. It was stone. It was a more white stone than other places in the palace. She let her fin dissipate into toes so she could feel the texture of it.

“You strike me as someone who enjoys life,” Tey replied.

It was the first time she had used sarcasm too. Jokes, sarcasm… she knew her body needed time and space. She was under too much stress.

Even if Rykos was determined to be dull and distant and awful, Tey knew she could find a way to find something in life. Something that would keep her going.

“We have a double bond and I can’t stand your company,” Rykos replied.

“I’m so excited to spend my life with you too,” Tey said.

Rykos left.

At least she had space now.

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