Chapter 3: Leaving
FROM that night on, Bertine and Dorothée truly realized they were in enemy territory.
First, meals were difficult to procure. When some were provided, the portions were laughably small and cold to boot. Dinner on their first night was ice-cold stew. Breakfast the next day consisted of tepid tea and two pieces of stale bread rolls. No one came to tidy their guest room either. Never mind hot water for washing their faces, they weren’t even given hot tea. Around two o’clock in the afternoon, the lunch they received was a terribly small portion of some sort of fried food, all dried up.
What made the entire ordeal more malicious was the fact that meals weren’t entirely withheld. The sporadic deliveries indicated that someone was doing their job in the kitchen. Clearly nothing more than the bare minimum.
Bertine lost her patience on the afternoon of the fourth day. With Dorothée accompanying her, she marched to the butler’s room in the servant’s quarters and appealed for an improvement in their living conditions. But the elderly butler only dredged up an artificial smile and responded with an awfully barbed politeness.
“I do so apologize for the discourtesy you’ve been shown. I shall admonish the staff in the galley myself. But if you would refrain from such indiscreet behavior yourself, I would be much obliged. Otherwise, you risk being mocked as ‘the noblewoman from the Empire who stormed the servants’ quarters in search of food.’”
A few maids nearby tittered snidely upon hearing that.
Humiliation and anger reddened Bertine’s cheeks brilliantly, but she remained undaunted. She raised her chin and responded coolly.
“Thank you ever so kindly for your gracious assistance.”
Having said her piece, she returned to her room. Though Dorothée trembled with fury over the encounter, Bertine did not regret the necessary exchange. She just couldn’t bear the thought of the other servants she had brought with her suffering from pangs of hunger and thirst.
“I understand that butler is old enough to remember the days when he had to watch the southern lands bled dry by the Empire’s aggression. He rightfully has many a reason to loathe us. I’ll grant him this grace and find a solution to this situation myself.”
“But we’re not even citizens of the Empire, my lady!”
“As far as he’s concerned, the Empire of Centaur and the Kingdom of San Luenne are one and the same. In fact, he might even despise our country more considering the aspersions the Federation casts on us for being akin to remora leeching off the underside of the Empire.”
Bertine withdrew Luennian currency from her luggage and strode toward the door. Opening it, she spoke to the two guards outside with a winsome smile.
“Might I head into the city to perform a currency exchange? Since my people and I aren’t being provided with proper meals and water, I think it best if I purchase the goods myself. Oh, one more thing. Please relay a message to Master Ignacio. I would very much like to discuss the reception we’ve received thus far.”
Her mantle of courtesy remained firmly in place. She knew she’d be doing herself and her servants a grave disservice if she garnered the guards’ animosity at this stage.
“No meals or water? That’s impossible…”
“I assure you it’s quite possible. I’d rather not cause a great deal of fuss by collapsing from hunger, so please do allow me to take a trip outside.”
The guards started mumbling excuses one after the other to her, something about just doing their shifts and how they and their fellows had only been assigned to stand duty here.
“I understand, and of course, I’m not blaming you at all, so please don’t misunderstand. After all, I was the one who had that awful row with His Excellency’s betrothed.”
Both of the men started in surprise at that last bit.
“Beg your pardon? Betrothed? But he isn’t engaged…”
“He’s right. Lady Bianca has taken it upon herself to declare she is. And without His Excellency’s knowledge, I’d wager.”
Their words and tone made it clear they held no great affection for the girl. Ah-ha, I see. So she isn’t his fiancée. Well, it’s too little, too late to find this out now, since it hardly matters. Especially in light of the fact that His Excellency would much prefer monetary reparations to me.
“Then you will allow me to venture into the city to make some necessary purchases?”
“Yes, and we should be glad to accompany you.”
Bertine nodded with a beatific smile that epitomized a daughter of nobility.
“I’m heartened by your offer and I thank you for it. I shall be in your care.”
✦ ✦ ✦
AMONGST the plethora of languages used in the Federation, Bertine had only studied the official language. All because her father was of the mind that “trade with the Federation, rich as it is in untapped resources, particularly in gemstone oreshafts, is not to be undertaken lightly.”
He had been quite insistent too on his philosophy concerning the Federation.
“You cannot surpass others by doing the same thing as them. And it’s entirely within the realm of possibilities that someday the peoples of the south will overtake the Empire in might.”
So she had learned this nation’s official tongue and now found herself tremendously grateful for his foresight.
Bertine stepped into her carriage after preparations were complete, and one of the servants she’d brought from the Kingdom took the reins in hand. In a moment, they were off, accompanied by the guards on horseback. It had been too long since she’d stepped foot outside, so she breathed deeply of the bracingly fresh air. The clear blue sky soothed the agitation within her chest.
✦ ✦ ✦
“FIRST, I’d like to visit a currency exchange.”
“Ah, there should be one in that direction. Allow me to lead you.”
“Thank you.”
It hadn’t taken the guards long to follow Bertine’s instructions without qualms. Though the gentle smile on her lips never wavered, she was well aware of the aura that cloaked her, one unique to those in command. The guards, presumably commoners, were steadily and unknowingly drawn in by the atmosphere she created.
A man named Cirro owned the moneylending and exchange business she’d been directed to. He quickly sized up Bertine as she stepped into his shop garbed in attire popular in the Empire. She is undeniably an imperial aristocrat, and a high-ranking one at that, he thought to himself. On the inside, he grinned gleefully at the chance to do business with such a wealthy customer. But on the outside, he pasted on his salesman’s smile and spoke.
“How might I be of service?”
Though he couldn’t hide his eagerness as he gave the impression of one cheerfully rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
“I’d like to perform a currency change. Please exchange the Empire’s gold coins into Federation silver and copper currency.”
This country’s coinage had been established by the Empire during its long period of imperialism. It was one of the many ways in which San Luenne’s ally had left its mark on the southlands. Therefore, despite the designs on the coins being different, the size and proportion of metal in each coin, as well as the system of exchanging gold, silver, and copper coins remained the same as in the Empire.
A small mountain of coins formed on the desk in front of Cirro after he exchanged the twenty pieces of imperial gold coins Bertine offered for silver and copper ones at a designated rate.
“Suppose I were to sell this gem. At how much would you estimate its value?”
She presented to him a pendant with a gem known as a “pigeon blood ruby.” It dazzled the eye with its brilliant scarlet hue. In the Empire, it was said to fetch a price worth thirty large gold coins.
“Well, let me see. I do see some flaws in the clarity, so perhaps twenty large gold coins.”
Cirro glanced surreptitiously at Bertine. His gaze challenged her to bargain with him. She only smiled grimly in response before speaking.
“Oh, dear. I’m shocked to hear such a bid, considering it would go for as much as forty large gold coins in the Empire. It seems I’ll have to take my business elsewhere. Thank you, though.”
So saying, she reached for the pendant again, intending to put it back in her reticule.
“Now, now, no need to be so hasty. If you’re in a difficult situation, I can be generous and increase my offer to twenty-five instead.”
“That’s hardly the case, good sir. I simply am in the mood to indulge myself with an extravagant dress. But I shan’t pawn off a gift from my grandmother so cheaply. Unfortunately, it seems the stars will not align for us today, hm? Perhaps next time.”
“Then how about thirty large gold coins?”
“I think thirty-five should do it. I know they must be worth at least that much.”
“Thirty-two!”
“Thirty-three. I can’t accept any less than that.”
Although Cirro knew his chance to make a killing off the necklace had long since disappeared (perhaps I can make a modest profit yet), he agreed to thirty-three. The guards, standing behind her, whispered quietly to each other in astonishment after witnessing the rapid-fire negotiation.
“Oy, she knows how to drive a hard bargain. I thought she was a marquess’s daughter?”
“I’m just as surprised as you, mate. She’s damn good at it too.”