The Dragon of Despair (16 page)

Although the title of Healed One is often equated with that of reigning king or queen within our own land, we have been advised that the Healed One is less of an absolute monarch than we are. His role is mostly ceremonial, the actual business of government residing in a body called the Primes, headed by an elected representative called the Dragon Speaker.

We apologize for repeating information that is known well to at least Lady Elise, she being one of our own most recent sources of information about New Kelvin, but we wish you to understand exactly how and where Melina’s new alliance fits into the power structure.

Horse Moon has waned and Puma shows her waxing edge since House Kestrel sent its initial information. However the passage of time has permitted us to confirm House Kestrel’s news from at least two reliable sources. Moreover, as the White Water ceases its spate, trade has resumed between our lands and along with goods have come such rumors that we are certain that not much time can pass before the information—doubtless distorted and misunderstood by the bulk of the hearers—spreads to our people. These, lacking specialized knowledge of the New Kelvinese’s peculiar government, will believe that this potentially dangerous exile from our own land has made herself queen of another.

We have several charges to lay upon you as loyal servants of this throne. First, call your household to you and tell them the gist of this letter. Make certain all understand that although Melina has made herself a marriage, she has not made herself queen.

Second, send messengers to the extent of your grant with the same news. If your resources permit, spread the news to the outlying freeholds as well. Give these messengers whatever information you can so that they will be able to answer any and all questions that are put to them. Rumor is our great enemy in this potentially delicate matter. We wish to smother it with truth.

Third, we request that Lady Archer come to the castle at Eagle’s Nest at her earliest convenience. We have no wish to create new rumors by having her speed to our side, but her knowledge of New Kelvin will be of great use to us as we seek to shape policy for handling this matter. There is no need to hide the reason for Lady Archer’s coming to us. Indeed, there may be those among our subjects who will take comfort in knowing that we are consulting with our noble counselors.

Baron Archer looked up, folding the missive and setting it on the table.

“That’s about all,” he said, endeavoring to keep his tones even, though Elise had no trouble recognizing his pride at his daughter and heir being summoned to the royal presence. “There are the usual closing wishes, confirmation that despite morning sickness Princess Sapphire continues well and the pregnancy strong, and the like.”

Elise smoothed her skirt, trying to still her own rapidly beating heart before answering. She knew King Tedric well. Lady Aurella was one of Queen Elexa’s most trusted companions and when the Archer family resided in the capital city, Elise spent much time at the castle. She knew Princess Sapphire as well—they were second cousins and had been playmates, rivals, and, more recently, friends.

It wasn’t fear of her rulers that made Elise’s heart beat so hard. It was awareness that this was her first summons before them as one of their own—as an advisor to the Crown. She thought how she had teased Derian Carter for his awe when King Tedric had given him a counselor’s ring. She hadn’t understood then what an awesome and thrilling thing such a responsibility could be. When she spoke, she tried to be worthy both of it and of her responsibility to the Archer Grant.

“I should leave tomorrow,” she said, “or perhaps the day after if you think tomorrow would show undue haste. Along the way I can stop and speak to our landholders and to the freeholders to the north, passing on the news as King Tedric wished.”

Ivon Archer nodded, and the very matter-of-factness of that gesture made Elise glad she had weighed her words before speaking.

“Good,” he said. “If the roads permit, you can leave tomorrow. The very fact that you will make stops along the way will balance the fact that you depart so soon after the arrival of the messenger. The one will show your awareness of your duty to the Crown, the other your duty to our holdings.”

Aurella, who had been embroidering while her husband read, now rested her hoop in her lap.

“I wonder if I should go with Elise. It is nearly time for me to wait upon Aunt Elexa in any case and we would be company for each other on the road.”

“That’s a thought,” Ivon replied. “Let us see how our people react and what rumors we hear before deciding if you should take your leave with Elise. It may be you will be needed here.”

Aurella rose. “Shall we do our monarch’s bidding, then? The longer we wait, the more time our people will have to build new conjectures that might muddy the old.”

Elise cleared her throat, slightly embarrassed to admit her own initiative.

“As I was preparing to join you,” she said, rising and smoothing her dress, “Ninette and I agreed that it might be wise to have some idea of what the messenger might say that wouldn’t be included in the king’s letter. Ninette has a steady mind and I don’t doubt that she’ll be able to remember what was being said before and what after.”

Ivon guffawed, much as he might with one of his militia captains, and clapped his daughter on one shoulder.

“You may not be able to shoot an arrow straight,” he said, “but I begin to think there’s a field commander in you nonetheless.”

THERE WERE RUMORS
, Ninette reported to the Archers.

“First, the messenger coyly let on that he thought the king’s letter might have something to say about doings in New Kelvin. Then Cook said she’d heard from her sister who lives west of Port Haven something about how Melina had joined some sorcerous cabal in New Kelvin—for everyone knows that those New Kelvinese are crazy for magic.”

She stopped, glancing at Elise as if hoping Elise would deny the common belief, but Elise only nodded.

“They are indeed,” she said, “hard as it is for those of us raised in a more civilized tradition to believe. Their love for magic gave Melina her welcome there.”

Ninette shuddered. She had seen real evidence of Melina’s power and feared it with all her devout soul. She steeled herself and continued her report.

“Then the butler said that he didn’t wonder if this hadn’t been planned for a long time past, that wasn’t it too neat that Sapphire takes the crown and her mother goes and makes alliances with a nest of sorcerers. It couldn’t be coincidence, he said, and everyone nodded.”

“That’s not good,” Ivon muttered.

“And it’s completely untrue!” Elise said defiantly. “Sapphire broke with her mother—everyone knows that. Melina did what she did in spite of the injury it would cause her children, certainly not to help them. Look to Citrine if you doubt it!”

Lady Aurella smiled at her.

“Easy for you to say, Elise, for you know more of the inner workings of those lives than most, but to commoners who hold their first alliance to their families, their second to their societies and guilds, and only their third to those of us who rule them, well…who can blame them for thinking that we place our priorities in some similar fashion?”

And who’s to say we don’t?
Elise thought, remembering the intricate maneuverings that the struggle for the throne had engendered only a year before. As a noble raised to inherit she belonged to no guild, but she did have something similar in the alliance of noble houses, nor was her society as essential to her advancement as it might have been, but she never missed a meeting of the Lynx Society when she might attend.

“Should I tell them what I know?” Elise asked.

“Tell them some,” Ivon said, “but they will remember how you stood for Sapphire at her wedding and though some will heed you, some will think ‘Lady Archer looks to advance herself and her family through keeping in good with the future queen’ and so disregard your words.”

“It’s maddening!” Elise exclaimed.

“It is no different than how we would think in similar circumstances,” Aurella replied, “and don’t think that our people will think ill of you for it. On the contrary, they will brag of your intimacy with Sapphire and Shad from one side of their mouths, even as they trade scandal about that same young couple from the other. Only if you seem to be trading your honor—and ours—to gain royal goodwill shall you diminish in the eyes of your people.”

“And that’s what they fear, isn’t it?” Elise asked. “That Sapphire has traded her honor, by remaining secretly allied with her mother, and so dishonored her adoption by the king.”

Ninette interjected, “That’s about it, at least from what the worst of the doomsayers offer. They don’t really believe it, I think, not yet, not now, but if anything gives proof, well, the doomsayers will be delighted and others will be convinced.”

“Anything else, Ninette?” Ivon asked.

“Just a small thing,” she answered. “Princess Sapphire has not been much seen and people are using that as evidence against her.”

“She has morning sickness,” Elise said indignantly, “and is throwing up her meals. Her last letter complained about it quite bitterly. No wonder she isn’t out and about.”

“But it hurts her,” Ninette persisted, “because she was so strong before. Folk don’t want to think a princess is a normal woman—a warrior princess like Sapphire least of all. She’s to be prancing about on her armored steed thrilling their souls with her power and warming them with her implied protection.”

“That’s a lot to ask of a newlywed woman whose father died not half a year ago, whose mother abandoned her after leaving her little sister to be driven mad…” Elise trailed off, sputtering.

“But,” Aurella replied, “that is what is expected of a princess. Just wait until Sapphire is queen. Hawk Haven’s last queen was our founder, Zorana the Great. Sapphire will have to live up to a hundred years and more of exaggeration and legend.”

“I am so glad,” Elise said, “that King Tedric didn’t choose me.”

Ivon surprised her with his reply.

“And I am glad he didn’t choose me, either.”

ELISE’S DEPARTURE WAS DELAYED
a full day owing to rain that began that evening and continued through the next morning. Baron Archer ruled that giving the roads a day to drink the water was only wise.

For the same reason, she didn’t take a carriage when she left, riding instead on Cream Delight, the elegant golden-coated, silver-maned mare that had been her parents’ gift the autumn before. Baron Archer delegated trusted attendants to manage the remounts and the pack animals, and to protect Elise and Ninette on their journey.

Having judged that the level of local rumor was verging on dangerous, Aurella elected to remain behind for a few days, employing her time regulating the mood of the estate while Baron Archer himself rode about his lands, spreading the king’s news.

Elise reached Eagle’s Nest six wet and muddy days later. In good weather the trip might have been made in half the time, but the roads were sticky and the people she met along the way so eager for news and reassurance that Elise felt herself honor bound to remain longer than planned at her various stops.

Indeed, rumor was so pervasive and so colorful that Elise wondered if, secrecy being no longer possible, Melina might have viewed the opposite as her best servant.

It was certainly possible.

ELISE WAS INVITED
to Eagle’s Nest Castle the very day of her arrival, but the invitation was for the following day, “in order that you have opportunity to recover from the rigors of your journey.”

In truth, she was glad for that opportunity. Although Baron Archer had taken care that Elise not lose the hardiness she had developed during her journey to New Kelvin, the fact was this was the first multiday ride she had taken since the previous Wolf Moon. The journey to Eagle’s Nest had been easy enough. They had slept at inns or at the residences of families proud and honored to have the heir of the Archer Barony under their roof. Still, Elise was tender in muscles she had forgotten existed.

Ninette, for whom a far greater time had passed since she had made such a trip—winter journeys were commonly by sled or sleigh and summer made in carriages—was in visible pain. Elise insisted that one of the resident maids in the Archer manse in Eagle’s Nest be assigned to Ninette and that she could take care of herself.

Ninette protested, but weakly, and since the staff of the Archer manse would no more let their young lady wait upon herself than run naked through the streets, the matter was settled by the housekeeper delegating herself to attend on Elise.

This proved opportune. Although Steward Dayle wasn’t precisely a scandalmonger, her interpretation of her duties did involve mingling with many levels of society. This might not have been the case. Many stewards would have decided dealing with merchants and menials beneath them, but Steward Dayle’s kingdom was a small one and so nothing escaped her notice.

Technically, Dayle shared her administration with the butler, who in addition to the wine cellar was responsible for matters of protocol and such. However, as this worthy traveled back and forth between the Archer Grant and Eagle’s Nest, usually in company with either the baron or his lady wife, Dayle’s authority was absolute among those who must cater to her whims, no matter where the owners of the property might be residing.

Elise decided to find out if the rumors here in the capital were as vicious as in the provinces or if the relative sophistication of Eagle’s Nest’s residents had moderated their views. She didn’t open with that subject, of course. Indirection and playing at politics were far more natural to her than riding a horse or shooting a bow.

Instead they chatted for a while about local news: this one’s new baby, that one’s engagement, another’s marriage celebration. This last topic was arrived at naturally enough. Spring began the new year in the calendar used by Hawk Haven and Bright Bay alike, and weddings were traditionally celebrated then—especially among the upper classes, who didn’t need to worry that a spring wedding might mean a bride heavy with child during the lean months of winter.