Chương 31: Vol 1. The Amber Problem

Korra pulled away from Kurik. She lifted herself out of the pool, grumbling.

"Um…" Kurik began to say.

"Can you—""Pull yourself out!" Korra snapped.

"Ah, okay…" Kurik said in defeat. The servant shrank a bit as Korra pierced her with her amber eye.

"Is it Lady Zahra Orien?" she said with an evenness that nearly made the servant lose control of her bladder.

"Because if it is, may the gods help that vile woman, because I will—""Ah, n-no, my lady," the servant replied.

"Then who of House Orien is it?"

"Her son, my lady," the servant said.

"Son?" Korra said. Her gaze shifted back and forth as she ruminated. She knew that Zahra, like her, had produced surprisingly few children. She had a daughter, her firstborn, who had a bit of a scandalous and hedonistic reputation, having multiple husbands, with only one marriage having been solemnized by the church; all the others were civil. But a son…

"Name!" Korra demanded.

"Prince Tahir of House—""I know what house they are, genius."

"Y-yes, my lady." Korra thought for a moment. Tahir, Tahir, Tahir. Yeah, that name vaguely sounded familiar. Oh yes, Tahir! That was Zahra's unmarried son. From what she had heard, he was bookish, very pretty, and yet avoidant of marriage, despite Zahra's increasingly desperate efforts to find him a suitor. She asked, "Do you know why Prince Tahir Orien is at my doorstep, wishing to speak to me?"

"No, my lady"—the servant gave an apologetic bow—"I only know that he wishes to speak to you about some matter."

"How many guards came with him?" Korra asked.

"Just one, my lady."

"Why would a royal only have one guard?"

"I do not know, my lady."

"Did he have a sword, or perhaps a wheellock pistol?"

"I… He does not, my lady; I could not tell you if his guard does."

"Did you just admit you let a potentially armed stranger into my estate?" Korra said through her teeth. She reached for her faux sword.

"I… he carries something at his hip, my lady. It is metal, but too small to be a proper pistol. No one in the estate knows what it is, and he refuses to give it up."

"That means it's a weapon, you moron." Korra drew her faux blade from its sheath and lifted it high. The servant's ears flattened and her tail tucked as she raised her arms. As Korra swung down, she stopped, took a long, deep breath, and returned the faux sword to its sheath. Trying to arrange her face into an expression that hid just how vexed she was, she said evenly, "And he presented you with a seal?"

"Yes, my lady." She huffed. Perhaps he was here to spy. No, no, Lady Zahra Orien was a despicable woman, but even she wouldn't go that far. Then what was he at her door for?

"Go off, then. Tell them to give my husband and me a few minutes."

"Yes, my lady," the servant said before heading off. Kurik was suddenly standing next to Korra, a wide grin on his face.

"Did I hear something about royal visitors?" Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"Oh no," Korra said. She knew that look. # For the next few minutes, Korra was subjected to Kurik putting her in various outfits, stepping back, narrowing his eyes, and going, "hmmmm…" before deciding each one was somehow unacceptable. One servant was standing behind them holding six separate jackets, their colours clashing and forming a fabric rainbow. Korra snarled in irritation as a servant put the outfit on her.

"Stop pulling!"

"I am trying to fasten the cuff, my lady."

"Then the cuff is poorly designed." Eventually, the servant finished and pulled back. The first was a black, wool military coat, little golden buttons lining the silver clasps, high boots, and shoulder plates that made her shoulders look broader. Korra looked in the mirror and smiled.

"I like this one!" Kurik shook his head.

"No, no, no, this won't do at all." Korra looked down at herself.

"What is wrong with this?"

"You look as if you are about to announce a public execution."

"I might be," Korra grumbled.

"Annnnnnnnnd THAT is precisely the problem." He ushered her behind the dressing screen and handed her another outfit. The second was made of a thick brown wool, with a plain rope belt and a sash over her with House Seran's colours. Korra stepped out. Kurik placed one paw against his muzzle and went,"Hmmmmmm…" Korra scoffed.

"Oh, what now?"

"It looks too… I don't know, like you borrowed it from the peasantry."

"This once belonged to my mother," Korra said.

"She wore it when she wanted to personally confront a shepherd not paying her taxes."

"And I am sure she looked wonderful while trying to intimidate those shepherds; it just doesn't work on you." Korra's eye narrowed.

"You know, minute by minute, I am considering more strongly withholding sex from you tonight." Kurik snorted.

"Isn't that usually the threat the man makes?"

"It's almost guaranteed now." The next outfit appeared to be perfect. It was a fitted coat of deep green fabric, with silver buttons. It was formal, while also not being ostentatious, with a short split at the back for her tail and enough room around the shoulders for her to move. Decorous amber embroidery curled along the collar and cuffs. Korra looked at herself in the mirror. She nodded.

"This one!" Kurik squatted behind her, his eyes narrow as he studied her reflection.

"Hmmmmm…" Korra swiftly turned around.

"No!" Her claws slid free.

"What could be wrong with this one?"

"It is just… the embroidery; it clashes with your eye." Korra stared at him incredulously.

"The embroidery is amber."

"Precisely."

"My eye is amber."

"Yes, but"—Kurik waved his arms around—"it's not THAT amber." Korra's jaw tightened.

"Kurik," she snarled.

"And it draws attention away from your face."

"Kurik."

"And the thread is slightly too yellow, resembles pee too much."

"Kurik, if you do not step away right now, may the Dual-Gods help you." He wisely took several steps backwards.

"You know we are keeping them waiting the longer we do this, right?"

"Oh, Korra—tsk—Korra—tsk—Korra," Kurik said, clicking his tongue between each repetition of her name.

"A price of House Orien has arrived without warning—and just before the Coniton, no less! —without a proper escort and only one guard. We do not know whether he has leverage on us. We cannot simply stumble into the audience chamber wearing whatever just whatever."

"I can, and I will."

"I advise against that." Korra crossed her arms and cocked her head.

"At this rate, I shall meet him naked." Kurik gave a sly grin; "that would certainly establish dominance."

"Kurik."

"Ok, ok, this outfit is fine."

"Good, now come on." Kurik jolted up.

"Like, right now?"

"Yes right now!" Kurik's face was filled with terror.

"But… what about my outfit?"

"It looks fine."

"I wore this to breakfast!"

"It's fine."

"The neckline is too low." Korra stared at him.

"Well then there going to get a face full of your chest, now come one." Grabbing tightly onto her husband, she pulled him out of the changing room. He screamed, protested, insisted he looked far too ugly to meet guests, and even tried holding onto the door as leverage, but the pure strength of his wife meant he stood no chance.