by C S Vass
“Shhh,” Nicolai hissed.
Privately, Benjiko agreed. It was a wonder that Jeri couldn’t find some better excuse to put Benjiko’s face in front of people. He stood there wishing for a chair while he watched his friend speak to a group that was certainly as bored as he was. By the Lord of Frost’s side was his faithful councillor, Arjun, smiling patiently, a friendlier, darker-skinned version of Nicolai.
“And now, it was with deepest honor that I invite my prince and my very good friend, Benjiko Boldfrost, the future King of Western Gaellos!”
A storm of applause crashed over them. Benjiko was actually grateful for it because it bought him time to figure out what was happening. He had not expected to speak, nor did he have the faintest idea what ceremony this was. He had been to half a dozen of them so far this week, and they all blended into each other like some exceedingly dull paints.
Still, royalty was in his blood and at a certain point one can simply let instinct take over for these sorts of things. “You honor me, friends!” he said, smiling warmly at the room. “When I look around at these accomplished faces, I see a secure future for our realm. I see food on our tables and fire in our halls! I see…” he trailed off as what Benjiko actually saw was nothing more than Logun snickering into his sleeve from across the room, not even trying to hide his contempt.
Regardless, such events are rarely halted. Benjiko recovered, more words were said, more applause was given, and before long the prince found himself seated next to Arjun and Brett at a long table in one of Jeri’s halls. Logun had preferred not to eat and was standing guard by the door, his broadsword hanging from his side, and Jeri was obligated to surround himself with several of the merchants who had attended the ceremony.
“I’m very glad to finally have the chance to speak with you,” Arjun said, smiling broadly to reveal a mouth full of even white teeth.
“Lord Dantos tells me how much faith he places in you,” Benjiko replied politely. It was no lie. Jeri had made it clear that he trusted his advisor as much as Benjiko trusted his own. As for the rest of the court… he was not nearly so optimistic about their loyalties.
“My prince,” Brett said. “Perhaps it would be wise if you were to take some time to join the soldiers in the coming days. I have already spent time in the yard, and the men are eager to see you.” Benjiko nodded, understanding what Brett was saying. “We’re about to ask these men to commit treason and die for you. It probably is a good idea to go shake some hands, smash some blunted swords together, and raise moral so they can at least say they met the man who they’re dying for.”
“A splendid idea,” Arjun said. “The men would be most enthusiastic about the chance to meet their great prince.”
Benjiko nodded. He was unsure if Arjun had the slightest idea what was in store for those men. Nicolai kept everyone in such a thick fog of silence that he had hardly been allowed to speak in detail even with Jeri about their future. Not that such secrecy was a bad idea, but it certainly didn’t make for an entertaining stay.
Shame on you, Benjiko, he chided himself. Conspiracies are not the stuff of entertainment. If I need merriment I can do what Brett does and find a girl, or what Logun does and… kill something, maybe?
“Drinks!” Arjun shouted to fill the silence that had fallen on them. Immediately several watchful servants descended on the group offering goblets of wine and tankards of beer. Benjiko took something without even looking at it and clinked glasses with his friends. He noticed that the fat noble next to them had become quite drunk and was wobbling in his seat like a child who had wandered onto an ice patch.
“Prince Benjiko,” Arjun said. “I must ask. Have you made the acquaintance of the lovely lady Matilda yet?”
“I haven’t had the pleasure,” Benjiko said.
“How can that be?” the fat man mumbled through a mouthful of pie. “She’s the wife of our lord, and the daughter of the honorable James Arnold, cold as she might be, heh, heh.”
Benjiko arched a brow at Brett, who looked equally confused. He wasn’t sure what etiquette demanded of him, but he was certain that people should not be allowed to say such things openly in front of him. Arjun moved in to smooth over the comment.
“Oh, come now,” the advisor said, winking as if they were all in conspiracy together. “Lady Matilda simply has better things to do than attend to the likes of a bunch of buffoons at court. I hear she is still very important to her father.”
“Who exactly is her father? This James Arnold?” Brett asked.
“You don’t know?” Arjun said in a voice that pretended surprise. “He’s a member of the Golden Hand. A very important voice at court. I understand the lady works quite closely with him. He surely would be here if more pressing duties did not keep him.”
“More important work than prince’s have to attend to, I’m certain,” Benjiko said with a good-natured smile. But what he thought was, How is it that I did not know that Matilda’s father was a member of the Golden Hand? He suddenly remembered the conversation that he had managed to overhear when he first came to Frost. That explained who those men had been talking about.
“Just a shame the lady spends more time with her father’s men than her husband,” the fat man hiccoughed. Benjiko looked carefully, but nobody other than himself, Brett, and Arjun was paying attention. The rest of the table was as drunk or drunker than the fat gossip was. “It’s no secret that there’s trouble with—”
“No secret, but also no conversation that’s appropriate for our prince,” Arjun said, winking again at Benjiko.
Benjiko half expect the fat man to apologize profusely or at least show a sign of embarrassment, but he merely snorted and took another swig from his drink. A lot of respect they have for the prince around here, he thought bitterly.
“Another, dear friend,” Arjun said to the fat man, raising his glass. Benjiko did not fail to notice that Arjun himself only pretended at taking a sip. “Music!” the advisor clapped, and instantly a drum and trumpet erupted from one side of the room while several string instruments answered from the other.
“Shouldn’t be long now, my prince,” Arjun said, winking once more at him.
By now Benjiko was completely lost. “What are—”
Brett’s firm hand on his shoulder quieted him. “Benjiko, sometimes the best places for private conversation are where everyone can see you. Hard to imagine you taking part in a conspiracy in plain view at the feast.”
Arjun’s smile said all it needed to.
“Quite right!” the fat man agreed before falling like a whale into his plate and bursting into volcanic snores.
“I’d say that’s a good bit of cover then,” Benjiko said.
Brett poked the man hard in the ribs. “It looks like he’s really out cold, the fat bastard.”
“Good,” Arjun said. “Then if you don’t mind, there’s a small matter that I would like to bring up with you. Lord Dantos has asked me to as such words are much safer from my mouth than from his.”
Benjiko had to strain his ears as hard as he could to make out what the advisor was telling him, but he just managed it. “Very well,” he said over the roar of music and chatter and snoring. “What is it you would like to tell me?”
“It concerns delicate matters, of which our mutual friend finds himself at the heart of,” Arjun said. “I assume that you can understand the good Lord Dantos chose his wife for reasons of state rather than love. As you now know, Matilda Dantos used to be Matilda Arnold, and as our esteemed comrade (Arjun rolled his eyes in the direction of the sleeping fat man) mentioned, she is still quite close with her father.”
“I see,” Benjiko said. “Lord Jeri tried to bring the Golden Hand to heel by marrying right into one of their families. A play that has proven disappointing. Is that right?”
Arjun nodded. The music around them had reached a feverish height. Looking down the long table, Benjiko realized that it was not unlikely that Arjun had planted several men to encourage as much noise and drinking as poss
ible.
“Poor Lord Jeri,” Brett scoffed. “To think that he married a woman twenty years his senior to have it all be for nothing.”
“How powerful is the lady of Frost?” Benjiko asked.
“Only as powerful as the Golden Hand,” Arjun said. “There’s the small matter of the scoundrel Regi Bucks, but even that is meant more as an insult than anything. The real problem is the corruption. Money diverted from the public good into the hands of greedy nobles. Walls left unmanned. Healers unpaid. Citizens growing restless. A cynic might think that despite appearances, Frost is one good catastrophe from our careful social contract falling into disarray. And with these rumors of Tarsurians creeping through the West…”
Benjiko’s frown deepened. Western Gaellos was undoubtedly about to be thrown into total chaos. Securing Iryllium and finding out exactly what his father’s plans were was of paramount importance. A secure Frost was essential to that goal.
“Prince Benjiko,” Brett said. “It seems to me that Frost is in need of a strong hand right now. A powerful leader to calm things down.”
“Undoubtedly,” Arjun agreed. “May I be blunt, Prince Benjiko?”
“With me, always.”
“Lord Jeri is an admirable man, and one I am happy to follow. But he is not a politician as all lords must be. He stormed into power after his father’s death and immediately started making declarations and much-needed changes. But he did so without securing allies. He did not make deals. He pushed himself up against a great boulder rolling down the hill, and to his great credit he managed to stop it in its tracks. But the boulder is still there, and his muscles are straining. When forced to, he recruited help with that load from James Arnold by marrying his daughter. But James merely stands by his side, pretending to lean against the weight of that great rock. I fear he will soon decide to swiftly move to the other side and push the boulder from the opposite position.”
Brett placed his hands firmly on the table. “So the question then becomes, does Lord Jeri need to get better at making deals, or does he need more men on his side to force the rock back up?”
“That,” Arjun said, grinning broadly. “Is the great question. It is my personal opinion that the Golden Hand could be brought to heel. There are certain olive branches that Lord Dantos could extend to begin to heal the damage that has been done.”
“Such as?” Benjiko asked.
“Letting the matter of Regi Bucks go.” Benjiko was surprised at how quickly Arjun came out with that. “It is a scandal, of course, but a largely symbolic one.”
Benjiko shook his head. “I have never known the powerful nobles of Western Gaellos to be appeased by symbols alone. What else must be done?”
“Their activities must be scrutinized to a far lesser extent. Surely there are situations in which egregious crimes do happen, and they must be addressed, but by and large the Golden Hand could be more of a force for good than for ill even with certain… ethical lapses. Particularly if Lord Dantos or his allies suddenly found themselves needing vast amounts of gold for one reason or another.”
Benjiko nodded, observing Arjun’s slick smile carefully. “I can see why Lord Jeri keeps you close,” Benjiko said. “His convictions along with your perspective make for a formidable pair.”
“I’m honored to hear you say that, Prince Benjiko.”
Meanwhile Brett’s frown had only deepened throughout the conversation. “I find it hard to believe such concessions must be made. An order from Jeri Dantos may be one thing, but the Prince of Iryllium is in Frost now. Should the Golden Hand be so stupid as to defy an order from Benjiko, then they would have to contend with the consequences of disobeying the capital.”
“Indeed you’re quite right,” Arjun said. “Assuming that nothing happens in the coming weeks to disrupt the carefully built order that has established itself around our king.”
“I will consider your words carefully,” Benjiko said.
Arjun bowed respectfully. “I hope that you do.”
Walking back to their rooms, Brett and Benjiko were silent as they strode alone through the chilly corridors of Frost’s castle. Benjiko’s head was swimming. Back in Iryllium he had been so far removed from anything other than symbolic diplomacy that he found it somewhat odd to be back in a situation where real decisions needed to be made. He did not take the responsibility lightly.
“Prince Benjiko,” Brett said. “I feel as though I cannot be silent. What that man is suggesting—”
“What of it?” Benjiko asked. He was feeling particularly irritable, but he was unsure if it was because of the dinner conversation or something else entirely.
“That man, Arjun… he should never have spoken like that! Certainly not without his lord present. Forgive me, Benjiko, but it was a disgrace. Imagine if Nicolai spoke that way of you. It would be beyond reprimand.”
“I am a prince. Jeri Dantos is a lord.”
“But all the same!”
“Brett. Do you see any easy way through this nest of vipers? I came here because I wanted to find allies and return to Iryllium where I can do some good. It has only this moment occurred to me that not only is Frost likely in such a state of chaos, but every city. Why not? What is happening in Saebyl? In Tallium? Brentos? Valencia? What do the peasants say in the countryside? The bloody murderers in Killer’s Rest! The whole fucking country is likely in chaos!”
Benjiko was fuming. He did not mean to work himself into such a state. Brett remained steady.
“Prince Benjiko, be that as it may, we must face the situations closest to us. I know I am a soldier, not a sage, but I feel I must tell you to be wary.”
“Be wary of what exactly, Brett? Arjun?” The prince smiled. It was a terrible smile. Not unlike the smile that he had seen on Logun’s face as the Shigata approached a foe. “Brett, I know I am young, but do not think me so naïve that I cannot smell treason. Arjun is in the employ of the Golden Hand. That much is obvious. How Jeri missed it, I have no idea, but I promise you that this problem will be remedied. I will not allow a group of rogue merchants to cause such mischief in my realm.”
Brett was so relieved he looked like he could laugh. Grinning broadly, he slapped Benjiko hard on the back. “Thank the gods. The feast was almost more than I could endure, my prince. You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you start speaking like a king.”
Chapter 21
Godwin awoke a wreckage of bruised bones. Instinctively, he began moving his battered body to see what still worked. Nothing seemed broken, but everything was in a great deal of pain. Memories of the battle returned to him. The sun warriors, Jane, the appearance of Reinko Assini…
“Good, you’re awake. Get up, Godwin. There’s work to be done. Plans to be made.”
Godwin’s eyes cracked open. He had been brought back to the inn, only now it had been transformed into a hospital room. He was on one of many bundles of fabric that were being used as beds for the injured warriors. But the others in the room didn’t matter. His older master was all that Godwin could focus on. Seeing Reinko Assini’s flashing green eyes and long blonde hair made the Shigata sick to his stomach.
“Not you,” he mumbled. “Anybody but you.”
“You’ll take what you get,” Reinko said roughly. “Now here, drink this. You’re dehydrated.”
Godwin begrudgingly took the waterskin that was offered. It tasted like mud, but as soon as he took his first gulp, he found himself draining it eagerly.
“Very good.” Reinko’s eyes were as cold as Godwin had ever remembered them.
“Why are you here?” Godwin asked.
“Why are you not in Iryllium?” Reinko shot back. “I was informed by my organization that you would seek out Lyra, who I have so kindly been watching for you. Instead, I find that you were bandying about in a mining village. Do you take your duties as unseriously today as you did when you were my pupil?”
“I left you,” Godwin said. The Shigata sat up despite his muscles screaming in protest. “I do
n’t have to answer to you.”
To his surprise Reinko smirked. “Yes. You left me, Godwin. My first pupil ever to do so, I might add. You must be pleased. We never did discuss it. In your mind you owed me no loyalty. I should have expected as much when I took you in, stray dog that you were. It’s no surprise to me that you ran panting as soon as you caught the first scent of blood.”
“I didn’t.” Godwin’s stomach clenched, and he felt his fist tighten underneath his blanket.
“What was that? Speak up!”
“I didn’t go right to Saebyl.”
Reinko gave Godwin a long, searching look. Turning, he smirked. “I see. Tell me then, did you discover what you were looking for in the Frost Forest? Did you discover the magic of elves?”
“You were the one who always told me not to put my faith in those dusty old legends.”
A familiar look crept across Reinko’s face. Disappointment. And something less familiar too… sadness. Reinko moved to the window above Godwin’s head and stared out of it. “You always were an idiot,” he said. “When you first heard that tale about the magic of elves, I had counted on you being too cowardly to pursue it.”
“How could I not?” Godwin growled. The Shigata’s face grew hot, and his throat tightened. “What was I supposed to do when I heard that elven magic could reverse my fortunes? That it could give me normal eyes and emancipate me from the Forsaken curse?”
“You were supposed to do as you were told,” Reinko said coldly. “I told you earnestly, Godwin. Don’t trust in the magic of elves. Don’t trust in unproven legends. Trust in yourself, exactly as the gods made you. But you were never capable of that, were you?”
Godwin shook his head sadly. “You urged me not to go. To seek neither legends nor war. You told me… you told me that the war would solve nothing. That it was irrelevant. But I knew that King Boldfrost ordered you to Saebyl. I thought that you were too craven to involve yourself. So how could I have ever trusted your judgement?”
“And now?”
The question surprised Godwin. He was not used to Reinko Assini caring what he thought.