by David B. Coe
This was a time for all subjects of the matriarchy to put aside their hostilities and suspicions, to unite behind their queen and fight as one to protect Sanbira. Yet Diani could not look at Edamo as anything more or less than a rival. She no longer believed that the man’s assassins had been responsible for the death of her brother, Cyro, several years before; that too had been a Qirsi deception. But Edamo and his lone ally in the realm, Alao, the duke of Norinde, had resisted the queen’s every attempt to prepare the realm for war, fearing that such measures would strengthen House Yserne’s hold on power, and Diani saw no reason to show him any more courtesy than he had shown Olesya.
“No idea at all?” the duke said, eyeing her doubtfully. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Would you all please be seated?” the queen said from the far end of the room, her handsome face looking lined and wan in the dim light of the oil lamps that burned throughout the chamber.
Diani gave a small smile. “Believe what you will,” she told the duke, before leaving him for her seat at the council table.
The other nobles sat as well, Edamo and Alao taking seats as far from the queen as possible, as they always did.
“As you know,” Olesya began, after regarding them all briefly, “some time ago I sent a message to the king of Eibithar proposing that our two realms forge an alliance so that we might face the Qirsi threat united. We’ve waited a long time for Kearney’s reply, so long that I had begun to wonder if my message ever reached the City of Kings.” She held up a piece of parchment, sealed at the bottom with a swirl of purple and gold wax. “His response has arrived at last.”
“You don’t look pleased, Your Highness,” Edamo said. “I take it he has rejected your overtures.”
The queen gave a slight frown. Diani hadn’t missed it either, Your overtures.
“Actually, Lord Brugaosa, he has accepted our proposal. Indeed, he asks even more of us than we did of him.”
“More, Your Highness?” asked Rashel of Trescarri.
“Yes. Apparently the Braedon fleet has been menacing Eibithar’s north coast and the Aneirans have been massing along the Tarbin. When he wrote his reply Kearney expected to be at war within half a turn, which would mean that the fighting may have already begun. He asks our help in repelling the invaders, and offers in return his realm’s support in our efforts to combat the Qirsi conspiracy.”
Edamo glanced around the table before looking at the queen again. “He must know that we’ll refuse such a request.”
“If so, he knows more than I do.” Vasyonne, the duchess of Listaal, had long taken great pleasure in baiting Edamo and Alao. As a close ally of the queen and one of the younger duchesses, she had also gone out of her way to befriend Diani after Dalvia’s death, and the two of them often agreed on matters of state. As they did now.
“Surely you can’t think that we should go to war with the empire,” Edamo said.
“It seems the emperor is bringing war to Eibithar. If he’s bold enough to attack there, he may order his fleet to our shores next.”
“He wouldn’t. We’ve always enjoyed good relations with the empire. There isn’t a realm in the Forelands that buys more of our wine, our gems, or our blades. And Harel himself owns no fewer than forty Sanbiri mounts.”
“This isn’t about imperial gold!”
“Ah, but it is,” Alao said, taking up Edamo’s argument. “I value our friendship with Eibithar as much as anyone. But can we afford to make an enemy of the empire, and Aneira as well? Together they’re far too formidable a foe, and our people depend upon our trade with both realms.” He turned smoothly to the queen. “I must agree with Lord Brugaosa, Your Highness. We have no choice but to deny the king’s request for aid.”
“As it happens, Lord Norinde, I’m inclined to agree with you.”
Diani gaped at her. “But, Your Highness—”
“I know what you’re going to say, Lady Curlinte: we need Eibithar as an ally in our fight with the Qirsi. And that may be true. But if we’re at war with Braedon and Aneira, we stand no chance against the conspiracy.”
The duchess opened her mouth, closed it again. There was little she could say.
“I’ll compose a reply,” the queen said, her voice low, as if she lamented the soundness of her own point. “Unless anyone can give me a good reason not to.”
None of the nobles spoke, though they eyed one another, seeming to hope that someone else would speak. Except of course for the two dukes, who looked far too pleased with themselves.
“What if there’s more to this war in the north than just the emperor’s greed?”
Everyone looked at the duchess of Macharzo, who merely sat with her hands folded before her, her eyes lowered, and her face so composed that Diani began to wonder if she had been mistaken, if in fact another of the duchesses had spoken. Naditia rarely said anything in council. In the short time Diani had been duchess, she had never known the woman to challenge the word of the queen in even the most oblique way. Indeed, she hardly ever spoke at all, even outside of Olesya’s presence chamber. She was a large woman, both broad and tall, with short yellow hair and wide brown eyes. Someone seeing her for the first time might have thought her a warrior, even a commander of fighters. But she could no more have barked orders to an army than she could fly to the top of Olesya’s castle.
“What did you say, Lady Macharzo?” the queen asked, appearing as stunned as the rest by the woman’s words.
“I asked if there might be more to the empire’s invasion than just Harel’s greed.”
“What do you mean?”
The woman shrugged, looking uncomfortable, as though she wished she’d never spoken at all. “It just seems to me that the conspiracy has managed to make a lot of things happen that might not have happened otherwise.”
“Like what?” Alao demanded, making Naditia flinch.
“Like the civil war that nearly tore Eibithar apart,” Diani answered for her, drawing a grateful smile from the woman. “Like the recent violence in Aneira. Like the murder of my brother and the attempts on my life.”
“We don’t know that the conspiracy was responsible for all that. I’ve heard of no proof linking the Qirsi to anything that’s happened in Aneira, and at least half the dukes in Eibithar still blame Tavis of Curgh, and not some Qirsi assassin, for the murder of that girl in Kentigern.” Alao’s eyes flicked briefly toward Edamo. “And even with your first minister dead, you can’t prove yet that the Qirsi killed your brother or tried to kill you.”
“You think it more likely that Lord Brugaosa was behind the attacks on my house?”
“Not at all, Lady Curlinte. But as I’ve said in this chamber before, assuming that the conspiracy is responsible for every dark deed that occurs in Sanbira, or all the Forelands for that matter, is just as dangerous as ignoring the threat entirely. The empire and Aneira have gone to war against Eibithar. Is that really such a surprise?”
“Actually,” Edamo said, “now that I give the matter some thought, it is a bit strange.”
First Naditia had challenged the queen, and now Edamo was breaking with the duke of Norinde. This was a most extraordinary day. Everyone was looking at the older man, none with more astonishment than Alao.
“Aneira hasn’t been this weakened in centuries. The failed siege at Kentigern, the death of Bistari and then Carden, the poisoning of the queen and her council of dukes. This is no time for Aneira to be marshaling its soldiers for war.”
“But if the empire proposed an alliance,” Alao said, “offering the Aneirans a chance to strike at Eibithar, of course they’d accept.”
“Yes, but why would the emperor propose such an alliance now? Wouldn’t it be wiser to wait a year or so, to give the regent time to consolidate his authority and allow Mertesse to rebuild its army?”
Diani grinned. “Lord Brugaosa, you should know better than to go looking for wisdom in Curtell.”
All of them laughed, easing the tension in the chamber somewhat. But Oles
ya quickly grew serious once more.
“Am I to understand then, Lord Brugaosa, that you now favor joining forces with the Eibitharians?”
“To be honest, Your Highness, I’m not certain how I feel about it. I don’t wish to make an enemy of the emperor.” He nodded toward Diani and the duchess of Macharzo. “But I fear that our young friends here may be right. And if the conspiracy wants this war, we might be well served to put a stop to it as swiftly as possible.”
“Throwing our army into the fray will only prolong the conflict,” Alao said, glowering at Edamo. “If we want it to end quickly we should stay out of it and let them fight.”
The queen raised an eyebrow. “I’d like to ask my master of arms about that. I’m not sure what effect our forces would have on this war. But it seems to me a fair question.” She turned to one of guards standing near the door. “Have your commander summoned immediately.” Then, as if as an afterthought, she added, “And the duke of Curlinte also.”
Diani looked up quickly before dropping her gaze to the table, her cheeks coloring. Her father had accompanied her to the royal city when first she came, because at the time she was still recovering from the injuries she suffered during the assassination attempt at the Curlinte coast. Since arriving at Olesya’s castle they had fought frequently over the best response to the Qirsi threat and the complicity or innocence of Kreazur jal Sylbe, Curlinte’s former first minister. Kreazur died in the streets of Yserne, apparently the victim of assassins he had tried to hire on behalf of the conspiracy, though both Diani and her father now had doubts about this. Diani did not doubt that Sertio had some knowledge of the Braedon army or that he would be able to add much to this discussion; he was master of arms in Curlinte. But she and her father remained at odds, and she feared that his presence here would only serve to remind the other nobles that she was the least experienced of the queen’s duchesses.
If Olesya noticed her discomfort, she gave no indication of it, immediately turning her attention back to Edamo. “I believe I speak for all of us, Lord Brugaosa, when I say that I’m . . . surprised by your change of heart.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
They all waited, as if expecting an explanation. When it became clear that none was forthcoming, the queen smiled and nodded. “Very well, Lord Brugaosa.”
Before she could say more, there was a knock at the door, and at her reply, the master of arms and Diani’s father entered the chamber. Both men were soaked and muddied, their color high, their breathing heavy. Ohan Delrasto, the master of arms, had a welt under one of his dark eyes, and Sertio had several on his arms and one vivid red mark at the base of his neck. Both of them were grinning like boys caught in some mischief, though Diani thought that Ohan had to be nearly her father’s age.
“Forgive our appearance, Your Highness,” said the master of arms, bowing to the queen. “We came as soon as we received your summons.”
“Apparently. I take it you were in the ward?”
“Yes, Your Highness. We were . . .” He stopped, licking his lips.
“We were practicing foul weather combat, Your Highness,” Sertio said. “Not all wars are fought in sunshine on firm ground.”
“Indeed. And your soldiers are still out there, Master Delrasto?”
“They were never out there, Your Highness,” Ohan said, grinning again. “Just the two of us.”
Sertio added, “We were working on techniques that we intend to teach to our armies, Your Highness.”
Even Diani had to laugh. She couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed for her father, but she was glad to see him enjoying himself. Since her mother’s death, Sertio had foundered in his grief, until Diani wondered if he’d ever know happiness again. No doubt this day’s mirth would prove fleeting, but the mere fact that he could engage in such swordplay gave her hope. Perhaps the wound on his heart had finally begun to heal itself.
“I would invite you to sit,” the queen said, regarding their stained clothing. “But under the circumstances I think it best that you remain standing.”
“Of course, Your Highness. How may we serve you?”
The queen picked up the missive from Kearney and read it aloud. By the time she finished, both Sertio and the master of arms had grown deadly serious.
“These are dark tidings, Your Highness,” Ohan said, rubbing a hand over his angular face.
“Can Eibithar defend herself?”
He stared at the floor, and after several moments he began to nod slowly. “I should think so. If Aneira was as strong now as she was a year ago, I might say different. The emperor has chosen a weakened ally.”
“Does it surprise you that they should attack now?” Edamo asked. “Wouldn’t you have expected them to wait?”
“You mean until Aneira could rebuild its northern armies?”
“Precisely.”
“Yes, I suppose it does.”
“Some of the duchesses have recommended that I grant Kearney’s request,” the queen said. “They want me to send Sanbiri warriors to fight alongside the men of Eibithar.”
Sertio eyed Diani for a moment, as if he knew that she was one of the nobles to whom Olesya referred.
“Are you asking my opinion on the matter, Your Highness?” the master of arms asked.
“Yes, I am.”
Ohan took a long breath. “If we send soldiers by sea, we’ll need to send most of the fleet. And even then, I don’t like our chances against Braedon’s ships. Which means we’d have to send them overland, and in order to get them to northern Eibithar in time to do any good, we’d have to send them on horseback.”
“We have enough mounts to send a considerable force.”
“That’s true, Your Highness, but a mounted army is harder to provision. And of course, we’d have to ride through Caerisse or Wethyrn to get there. Their leaders may not look kindly on having our army cross their borders.”
The queen waved a hand impatiently. “I’m not concerned about that right now. I’ll be with the army, and I trust I can convince a Wethy noble that I’m not interested in conquering his dukedom. What I really want to know is what effect our army is likely to have on the course and duration of this war.”
“We’d be prolonging the war, wouldn’t we?” Alao broke in.
The master of arms glanced at Sertio, who shrugged.
“I can’t be certain, Your Highness. I think with our help the Eibitharians can repel the invasion, but as to how long such a conflict will last, I have no idea. Without our help, Kearney’s army might fall quickly, in which case we would be prolonging it. On the other hand, Eibithar might prevail even without our help, which would mean that our soldiers could bring the fighting to a swifter end.”
Olesya looked at Sertio. “What do you think, Lord Curlinte?”
“I have little to add to what Master Delrasto has already said.”
“Then you also feel that it would have been wiser for the emperor to delay,” the duke of Brugaosa asked.
Sertio stared at Edamo, the muscles in his jaw tightening. Even with Kreazur’s death and the conspiracy’s obvious involvement in the attempts on Diani’s life, Sertio still blamed House Brugaosa for Cyro’s murder. He and Edamo had not spoken in years, and Diani knew that her father still thirsted for the man’s blood.
“Yes, Lord Brugaosa,” Sertio said, his voice edged with steel, “I guess I do. Why?”
“Isn’t it obvious with everything else that’s happened? I believe the Qirsi may be behind this war, just as they were behind the attack on your daughter.”
Sertio narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth to reply.
“I’d like to know what the rest of you think,” Olesya said, before the duke could speak. “Clearly Lord Norinde opposes any involvement on our part. I believe that Lord Brugaosa now favors sending our soldiers north, as do Lady Curlinte and Lady Listaal.” She paused, eyeing the three of them. When they all nodded their agreement, she continued, “What about the rest of you?”
As it turn
ed out, the other duchesses were split evenly, with the older women, Tamyra of Prentarlo and Rashel, opposed, and Ajy of Kinsarta and Naditia in favor.
Olesya made no effort to mask her surprise. “It seems a majority of you wish to honor Kearney’s request.”
“What about you, Your Highness?” Alao asked. “You were inclined to refuse him a short time ago. Surely your wishes in this matter carry more weight than our own.”
“You’re right, Lord Norinde. I did intend to refuse. But I find myself swayed by the arguments I’ve heard here, just as was Lord Brugaosa.”
“I fear you’re making a grave mistake, Your Highness.”
“I share your concerns, Alao. I’m not blind to the dangers. Which is why I intend to send only five hundred warriors from the royal army. We’ll add six hundred from the armies of Brugaosa, Norinde, and Macharzo—two hundred from each of you. That gives us a force of eleven hundred in all.”
Vasyonne frowned. It seemed she was eager for this fight. “What about the rest of the houses, Your Highness?”
“It would take nearly half a turn to get messages to the Southern and Eastern houses and then await the arrival of your soldiers. As it is, we’re already well into the waxing and Kearney sent his request at the start of the previous waning. I don’t wish to delay any longer.”
“Then perhaps you should take more soldiers from the three houses you named.”
“To send a larger force would be to leave the realm vulnerable to attack.”
“Eleven hundred may not be enough,” Vasyonne said, shaking her head.
“It will have to be.” Olesya faced the master of arms again. “Choose five hundred of your best riders and prepare them for the journey. And inform the quartermaster. Tell him to provision the force as best he can without slowing us down. What he can’t provide, we’ll gather ourselves as we ride.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Ohan bowed, then strode from the chamber.
“Alao, Edamo, Naditia, the three of you should leave at once. Return to your homes, choose two hundred of your finest warriors, and provision them as best you can. We’ll meet in Brugaosa as soon as possible and leave for Eibithar from there.”