Elfens managed to look suitably somber as he stepped back.
“We are most pleased to see you all. We appreciate your support of Ebra in this time of change.” Hadrenn bowed his head slightly. “But now is not the time for such serious stuff. You have traveled far and swiftly and need refreshment.”
"I also bring gifts from Lord Robero, and will have them unpacked and ready for you shortly.” Secca inclined her head.
“For such graciousness on your part and that of your lord, I am most thankful, and we will look forward to beholding such.”
A thin, harried figure slipped out from a side corridor in response to Hadrenn’s beckoning finger. ‘Ths is Frengal, the assistant saalmeister. He will show you to your chambers, and once you are refreshed, we shall dine.” Hadrenn beamed even as he gestured a second time, and a lancer stepped forward, an older man with hair half sandy, half silver, and a crinkled smile. “You may recall my arms commander.”
“Stepan!” burst from Secca’s lips. She couldn’t help offering a wide grin to the former armsman from Flossbend.
The arms commander laughed. “You are older, Lady Sorceress, and more beautiful, but not much larger.”
“And you are older, and more handsome,” Secca replied.
The arms commander grinned, then shook his head.
"Stepan will help your overcaptain settle your lancers.” Hadrenn nodded to the arms commander. “Your chief players and their players shall have rooms in the north wing. Frengal’s assistant will see to that.”
“You brought what...four companies?” asked Stepan.
“Yes. They’re mine, not Defalk’s”
“I had thought such from the green tunics.”
Secca inclined her head slightly. “How many companies have you raised here?”
“We have ten companies, and some levies from the holders—two companies worth.”
The trace of a frown flitted across Hadrenn’s face, but vanished so quickly Secca could have imagined she had not seen the expression. The heavy lord said smoothly, “Frengal... if you would see that everyone is settled?”
"Yes, lord."
Secca and Richina--and two of Secca’s lancers—followed the slender assistant saalmeister up the wide stone steps that curved up off the entry foyer. Frengal continued along the corridor a good forty yards, halting before a set of half-open double doors.
‘There are chambers to each side of yours. Lady Secca, for assistants.”
“Richina is my only assistant.”
“Then I would suggest the chamber to the left, lady. But let me show you your chamber first, as your assistant should be familiar with it as well.”
Secca nodded, and the two followed the functionary into the chamber. The two lancers—Dyvan and Easlon—stationed themselves at the door.
The guest chamber was comparatively luxurious for Liedwahr—despite the seeming modesty of Hadrenn’s holding—and far more elaborate than anything in Falcor.
A large desk was set before two wide windows, the glass comprised of leaded diamond-shaped panes. The window casements were draped in green velvet hangings, tied back with golden velvet ropes.
Secca set the saddlebags on the chest at the foot of the broad bed, but continued to hold the lutar as she followed Frengal through the arched doorway beyond the desk.
“And...here is the bath chamber.” As Frengal spoke, two serving women in gray eased into the room with heavy steaming kettles, pouring the water into a tiled tub built into a dais in the rear corner of the bathing chamber. “The previous sorceress... suggested it.”
“She and I appreciate that,” Secca said quietly. Frengal bowed. “If you need aught, there is the bell-pull.” He pointed to a narrow crimson hanging running down from the ceiling on the wall beside the headboard of the canopied bed.
“Thank you very much, Frengal.”
“My pleasure, ladies. My pleasure.”
With a bow, the man departed.
The young lancer and standard bearer Dymen stood in the doorway with a leather-covered bundle. “Lady?”
“Thank you, Dymen. If you would just set that on the desk."
“Yes, lady.” With a bow the young man crossed the room and set the bundle on the desk, then bowed again before slipping out and closing the door.
“You said I was your assistant,” murmured Richina.
“Apprentices are assistants,” Secca murmured back. "That was for your protection and to let Hadrenn know how seriously we take this.”
“Will you let me do sorcery?"
“If necessary and it is something you can do.” Secca smiled. "Now... go get cleaned up. I’m sure you're as hungry as I am.”
“Yes, lady.” Richina bowed and slipped out, carrying her own gear and lutar.
Secca walked around the room—dusty and not so clean as she would have liked despite its opulence, then stopped to look out the windows. The sky remained clear; she hoped that would continue.
After taking out the lutar, and using a spell to clean and reheat the bathwater, which had already chilled, she slipped into the tile tub for a bath that was briefer than she would have liked, but welcome all the same, Dressing for dinner was not a problem, since all she had was the not-quite-clinging high-necked deep blue gown that offset her hair. It was the only non-riding habit she had brought and one that rolled into a compact cylinder.
She was bushing her hair—always unruly, long or short, not quite straight, but wit not enough curl for that fashion, either—when there was a knock on the door.
“Lady Secca?”
“Come in, Richina.”
The apprentice slipped into the room. Richina wore a gown similar to Secca’s in cut, but of a rich green more suited to her unfreckled fair complexion and sandy hair. “Do you need any help?"
“I doubt that even the most forbidden sorcery could do much.” Secca laughed. “We might as well go down. I’m famished. Then, I was famished when we unsaddled our mounts.”
Some functionary must have been watching, Secca decided, because Hadrenn was waiting below. So were Wilten, Stepan, Palian, and Delvor, as well as several others from Hadrenn’s household or retinue.
Easlon was the guard who followed the two sorceresses and who carried the leather wrapped gift from Robero.
Stepan favored Secca with a knowing smile, even as Hadrenn stepped forth and motioned toward the dining hall. Through the open double doors Secca saw a long room paneled in age-darkened oak, and lit inadequately by candles in wall sconces.
“Before we eat, here are Lord Robero’s gifts.” Secca motioned for Easlon to step forward.
Hadrenn did not quite frown as he took the bundle and slipped off the leather covering. Under the covering was an ebon-black chest, chased with inlaid silver arcs and curlicues. He glanced at Secca.
“There is more inside,” she said.
Secca did not peer, as did those around Hadrenn, for she had already seen the heavy gold chain with the pale green stone, and the golden seal ring circled with small diamonds.
The Lord High Counselor of Ebra did smile as he saw the objects on the blue velvet inside the chest “Your lord is most generous. Most generous.”
Secca had thought Robero had been far too generous. “He is known for that, especially for those who have been fast friends.”
“We have always endeavored to be such.” Hadrenn presented another smile.
“Lord Robero recognizes that.” Secca inclined her head slightly, but did not bow.
“Ah..." Hadrenn paused, as if he had forgotten something, then turned to the woman in green silk gown and jacket beside and slightly behind him. ‘This is my consort, Belvera,” Hadrenn said. “Dear, this is the Lady Secca, Sorceress-Protector of the East.”
“I am most pleased to meet you,” Secca offered.
“And I you, Lady Sorceress.” Belvera did bow to Secca.
Hadrenn led the way into the dining hall and the long table, where Secca found herself at Hadrenn’s right,
across from his consort. Wilten was beside Belvera, and Stepan to Secca’ s right. Then came Richina, Palian, and Delvor.
The gray-haired and ample woman in the shimmering green tunic smiled warmly across the table at Secca. “It’s so good to see you.” Her smile broadened. “You are a mite of a thing for such a large title, but then, your predecessor was as thin as a twig, and it made no difference there, either.”
“It is hard for sorceresses to be other than thin,” Secca said with a laugh. “No matter what we eat and how often.”
“So I’ve heard. My father said that Lord Brill was a slender fellow too, and all the drawings of the Lady Asentar show her as thin.”
“Asentar?” asked Secca.
“Ah... yes. She was the grandmother of that evil man, the Evult. It’s been said that he buried her alive in her tower, but we’ll never know, not since all of Vult lies yet under steaming rock. You know, the Zauberinfeurer yet pours molten rock over the valley. A shame. It was once a pretty place.”
“Dear..." Hadrenn coughed.
“Oh... I suppose you want to offer an invocation so that everyone can eat. I’m sorry. Please do.”
Hadrenn cleared Ms throat again, them intoned in a voice an octave lower than his speaking voice, “May Harmony grace this table and all those around it, now and in the days and seasons to come.”
“Aye, Harmony.” came the murmurs from lower on the table.
When Hadrenn looked up, his eyes met Secca’s for a moment, and she noted that his orbs were deep and brown, almost cowlike except for the dark rings around them and the intentness they held. “Let us be served!”
Serving girls, each wearing a green apron trimmed in yellow, appeared with large platters, and with baskets of bread. A youth stepped to the table with a ewer like pitcher, but the contents were a golden wine which he poured first into Hadrenn’s pewter goblet.
Hadrenn leaned toward Secca, ignoring the goblet. “Having learned some of the habits of sorceresses over the years. I will not long defer to meaningless chatter.” A bright and false smile followed the words, indicating to Secca that Hadrenn would have preferred a more leisurely approach
“Were times more settled, Lord Hadrenn. I would welcome such,” Secca said politely. “Perhaps upon my next visit.”
“I sense as much. Your presence and that of your lancers bears an urgency not mentioned in the message I received from Lord Robero announcing your imminent anival. Ah ... but a moment” Hadrenn looked up and waited until the youth serving the wine had filled the goblets of Belvera, Secca, and those at the head of the table before lifting his own. “To our most honored guests.”
Secca took the slightest of sips, knowing she dared little else until she had eaten. The wine was passible, better than what the vineyards around Mencha produced, but not so good as the barrels she regularly had carted from Flossbend.
“I do wish Haddev could have been here tonight,” offered Belvera. “He always says that sorceresses must be ugly old women.
“Your son?” asked Secca.
“Our eldest. He will reach his score at the turn of spring. He and his brother Verad are visiting my parents’ hold. It is strange, in a fashion, for I grew up not so far from your holding.”
Something tugged at Secca’s memory, but she could not remember, and smiled encouragingly.
“Being the youngest daughter at Silberfels ... so much younger than Selber—that was strange, too.”
Belvera was Lord Selber’s younger sister? Then, Hadrenn would have had to have taken a consort from a lordly holding in Defalk. Where else could he have gone? “I was the youngest, also,” Seeca said.
“For a sorceress, does it matter, dear?”
“Ah. . . lady.. .“ Stepan said gently. “Lady Secca holds Flossbend by birth, and Mencha by right of sorcery.”
Belvera smiled. “So... she is doubly-landed, and beautiful. Haddev will indeed be regretful.”
“You may convey my best,” Secca offered her own smile before taking another small sip of the wine.
“Your urgency?” prompted the Lord High Counselor of Ebra, an almost amused tone in his voice.
“Lord Mynntar has assembled twenty-score lancers or more. He rides westward toward Synek.” Secca broke off a chunk of the crusty and flaky warm bread, taking a quick mouthful.
“I had heard tales that he might, and Stepan has already raised some of the levies, and readied our own lancers. How soon might he arrive?"
“I would guess four days, if he presses and we remain here.”
A server eased half a fowl of some sort onto Secca’s platter, then ladled a golden glaze over it, while the second server added what looked to be potato dumplings.
“You do not sound as though you wish to remain near Synek”
“Synek is not the best place to fight,” interjected Stepan gently. “As I have suggested, ser. Even a day’s ride east would provide better terrain, especially for a sorceress.”
Hadrenn nodded. “It is true. You have said such. So did the great sorceress when she was regent, and she destroyed Bertmynn.” He shrugged. “I am not one to challenge success, and I am not an armsman. So I will leave the details to you two, saving I wish to know the how and reasons therefore.”
‘We will be most certain to offer our plans.” Stepan’s eyes twinkled for a moment.
“Do try the squab, dear,” suggested Belvera to Secca. “After all that sorcery and riding, you must be famished.”
“A bit,” acknowledged Secca, taking Belvera’s suggèstion and slicing off a chunk of the bird. The pearlike glaze helped cover the slight dryness of the meat. Secca hadn’t realized exactly how hungry she was until she found herself looking at a small pile of bones.
Balvera gestured, and before Secca could demur, a second squab and glaze appeared on her platter.
“Hungry these sorceress are.” Hadrenn nodded, and then bent toward his consort to murmur, “You were right about the honeycakes.”
Stepan leaned toward Secea. “Could you tell me how fare Markan and Fridric?”
“Markan remains as the arms master of Suhl, where he is greatly respected.” Secca nodded toward Richina. “Richina is the daughter of the lady of Suhl, but is better suited to sorcery. Her elder brother is the heir. She could tell you more, since she has seen Markan far more except in the last few years.”
“Fridric?”
“He was killed when his mount put a foot in a marmot hole, perhaps eight years ago. Many mourned his death. He was a good man.”
“I had not heard.” Stepan fingered his chin. “You have no consort, it is said. Is it true that sorceresses in Defalk may not consort?”
“There is no reason I could not. Were I to bear children, for a time, at least, I would not be so effective as a sorceress.”
“But...the Lady Anna.”
“She had children in the Mist Worlds, and she raised me, as well.”
Stepan nodded. “I had wondered.”
“What do you know about Mynntar?" Secca asked, cutting off another chunk of squab.
"Little save through the words and tales of others."
Secca raised her eyebrows, but continued to dismember the second squab, listening.
“...said to be most generous to those he favors...accepts the Free City most grudgingly... . has spent much of the golds from his lands in hiring and training armsmen....Like his sire, vengeful... but unlike him in that Bertmynn was calculating, while Mynntar has been known to fly into black rages...will not ask any man to do what he will not do, and all his officers and lancers and armsmen know such... said that he and his brother be close…”
As Stepan talked, once again. Secca realized how little she knew. Still, Mynntar had not faced battle sorcery, and she could but hope that her spells and players would be enough.
37
Secca glanced at the road ahead, a road half-filled with puddles of icy water, then at the dark gray clouds that had rolled in out of the north in midmorning. For
the last glass or so, the rain had come and gone in gusts, drizzle followed by sheets of water, but the darkness ahead and the steady downpour looked like it was not about to let up. Again, she wiped the water off her forehead and blotted it out of her eyes with the back of her sleeve.
‘With this much rain, the players will be useless, even the lutars,” said Richina.
“Unhappily.” Secca urged the gray forward toward the two officers riding directly in front of her.
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