“Drink your tea.”
Sakka only laughed at that, relaxing into her chair. Whatever sibling byplay Arkadi had missed just then, he didn’t think it was at his expense. Neither seemed that cruel, and Sakka, he came to learn over the next hour, was genuinely a lovely lady who was just as determined as Rodian to do right by the Urovan people.
Eight
RODIAN
“Apologies,” Arkadi said as he tried to hold back a yawn. “I didn’t realize how late it was. I should really be getting back home.”
Rodian looked up from the notes he’d been taking, blinking in surprise at the hour the wall clock showed with its mechanical hands. He and Arkadi had taken dinner in the private dining room in the royal wing of the palace, with Sakka and Heike joining them. Then they had retired to Rodian’s study, talking for hours since then about a dozen Ministers who seemed to be keeping discontent alive within the Council of Ministers regarding what Urova owed the wardens.
While Rodian had already signed off on the law and the Council was set to implement it, some noble families were still aghast that they would be required to pay it. Arkadi was worried about political backlash, of which wouldn’t come just from the general population, but from the ivoryanin themselves. Rodian could scarcely lose all their support so early in his rule, but he wasn’t about to go back on his word to the wardens.
The conversation had been more than a bit depressing, and Rodian didn’t much care to go to sleep with such heavy thoughts. “I’ll take you home.”
Arkadi glanced toward the windows, and Rodian followed his gaze, seeing the swirl of snow past the frost-covered glass. “You needn’t bother. I can make it on my own.”
“Nonsense. I haven’t been out in the snow proper since I came to the capital.” At Arkadi’s hesitancy, Rodian said, “If you aren’t averse to a ride, I could ask the mews to ready the sleigh. I worry about you in a motor carriage on the icy roads, even with traction wheels.”
Arkadi stared at him in surprise. “A sleigh?”
Rodian shrugged, refusing to feel embarrassed by the suggestion. “While I understand it’s an antiquated mode of transportation for you city-folk, it’s well-used in the far north.”
“I’ll have you know we city-folk have sleighs, though they are usually only found in the parks and favored by couples.”
As much as Rodian wished they were such a couple, he was content to settle for Arkadi’s friendship instead. “If you do not wish to ride?—”
“I did not say that,” Arkadi interrupted hastily before clearing his throat. “If you’ve nothing pressing to do, I wouldn’t mind the company.”
“I haven’t, and I wouldn’t,” Rodian assured him.
Which was how they found themselves climbing into a sleigh attached to a pair of reyndeer, each sporting a large rack of antlers. The animals were part of the small herd Sakka had brought from their home village, wanting to give him a reminder of where he’d come from. The sleigh was a working one belonging to the palace, not really meant for the Isar, as the stablemaster fretted over. Rodian didn’t mind and said as much to ease the poor man’s mind.
“Do you know how to drive one of these?” Arkadi asked, eyeing the sleigh with a bit of trepidation on his face. He was bundled up in his ankle-length fur outercoat against the cold, as was Rodian.
“I would be a poor herder if I didn’t,” Rodian replied dryly.
Arkadi slanted him a look, a smile twitching at his full lips. “You are no mere herder.”
“Not now, but I was, and that will never leave me.” Rodian offered Arkadi his hand. “Shall we?”
Arkadi stared at him thoughtfully for a moment. Then he nodded and took Rodian’s hand and allowed himself to be helped up onto the high cushioned bench of the sleigh, sliding beneath the thick fur blanket spread there to keep them warm. Their outercoats and furred hats would help with that, but it was always nice to be bundled up as the snow fell.
The palace guards would follow behind in a motor carriage. Most of them were well accustomed to what they saw as Rodian’s strange desires for a bit of what he considered normalcy in this strange new life of his.
Rodian climbed up into the sleigh, spreading the fur blanket over his legs before accepting the reins from a stable hand. He looked over at Rodian, whose cheeks were a little flushed from the cold. The snow wasn’t falling all that fast, and the wind wasn’t terrible.
“Ready?” Rodian asked.
“How could I not be?” Arkadi replied.
It was difficult to look away from the younger man’s face, but Rodian managed. He flicked the reins, the reyndeer used to the silent order, and began trotting forward. The sleigh jerked into motion before settling into gliding over the snow, the motor carriage following them out of the palace grounds and into Matriskav.
Gas lamp lights burned against the cloudy night sky, soft flames that lit up the city. Many of the buildings they passed had dark windows, their occupants resting for the night, but some still had gas lamps burning inside. The streets were mostly empty, few people out at this hour willing to brave the cold and the snow.
As Rodian had yet to visit Arkadi’s home, the younger man provided Rodian with directions. Rodian appreciated the guidance, keeping an eye on the street even as he listened intently to what Arkadi had to say.
“Do you miss Verdlovsk?” Arkadi asked once they pulled onto the street he’d indicated they’d be on for at least half a mile.
