The maids who primped and prepared her did not react to the spell. Their words of praise and adulation remained the same as before. This was just another part of the daily ritual. Without being prompted Marcella brought out a mirror and held it up to the queen’s face. Hinata and Lyla quietly pulled off sheets that had covered the other mirrors in the queen’s quarters. They would be covered again tonight after the queen fell asleep.
Queen Madis peered into the mirror for a long moment, as though transfixed by the reflection. She kept still and drank in the image that stared back. This happened every morning. The look on the queen’s face was one often seen in Venezia. A gaze of pure adoration and longing men would often cast towards beautiful women. Women they knew to be unattainable.
When the queen finished with her admiration she turned her head to the side. “Perhaps a slightly darker blonde today, with some subtle pink highlights on the tips?” Her hair was the only part of her appearance she liked to alter.
“Yes, your majesty.” Garibaldi let a sliver of mana flow into his wand. “Est pouc rubrum capillos.”
Madis watched as some of her hair appeared to change color in the mirror. She frowned slightly. “No, a bit darker I think. And the tips should be more of a blush, it should be no more than a hint of color.”
“Of course, majesty.” Garibaldi sounded cheerful as he altered the illusion.
“No, I want my hair a little closer to the color of polished gold. And make the highlights darker, I can barely see them.”
“Yes, majesty.”
After perhaps a third of an hour, the queen was satisfied.
Katryn brought in a tray with freshly baked biscuits and a bowl of honey. Madis took one and slopped it around the bowl before cramming it into her mouth and then licking her fingers clean. “Well then, shall we begin? What news is there?”
“A bakery on Willow Road was looted and burned. The baker was found beaten to death. It is the third time this month. The bakers’ guild is asking for protection for all their shops outside the Wall.”
Madis frowned. “Why do my people keep doing this? You say they’re complaining about the price of bread, but how do they think burning down bakeries will help?” Madis spoke between mouthfuls of honeyed biscuit.
“Most of your subjects are law-abiding and decent, I am sure this is the work of a handful of criminals.”
“Why are they so upset about bread anyway? The Great Market is filled with delicacies from all over the world, and I thought we had an excellent harvest this year.”
“We did,” Garibaldi confirmed. “However, many lands to the west were not so fortunate. They suffered not only drought but goblin raids. As a result, many foreign merchants came and bought up much of the grain harvest. The result is that the price of bread has gone up three-fold.”
“It has? I hadn’t noticed.” She took another biscuit and submerged it in the bowl. “Perhaps I should do something about it.”
Garibaldi smiled adoringly and placed both hands over his heart. “Your majesty is truly compassionate. Unfortunately, many of the farmers have already sold their harvests and been paid.”
“Wait a bit, don’t we take half the harvest as tax each year?”
Garibaldi nodded. “We do majesty, the grain silos are all full.”
“Then why-”
He dipped his head. “You may have forgotten majesty, I know you are busy with affairs of state, but you already agreed to sell much of that wheat. On the docks, grain ships are being loaded every day and sailing west on the river.”
“I did?” She blinked and thought about it. “Oh! Yes! I remember now, they were offering four silver coins for a bushel of wheat. You said the price would never be so high again and we should sell as much as we could.”
“That is true, majesty. And we have already signed the contracts and promised delivery. Your majesty knows we cannot break a contract.”
Madis nodded. In Torikai, contracts were sacred. They had to be honored no matter what. If you allowed one person to go back on their word then soon others would, and before you knew it agreements would be worthless and there would be chaos! As the ideal queen, it was her duty to make sure contracts were enforced so that honest business could take place.
“But what about my beloved subjects? Is there enough bread for them?”
“More or less,” he assured her. “The prices have gone up due to the supply, but there is still plenty of wheat available. Anyone who can afford to pay for it will have bread. But if some people are too lazy to work, then they are choosing to go hungry. There are always some like that majesty, who would rather starve than work. I am sure some will go hungry this winter, but that happens in times of famine anyway. What can be done?”
“Nothing I suppose,” she crammed in the last bit of biscuit and licked her fingers. She knew better than to suggest just giving food away to the poor. The White Mages did that, and they did it to undermine her. If you gave people free food that only encouraged them not to work and made them lazy. They soon expected to be fed and pampered. Not only was that a terrible lesson for her subjects, it was unfair to all those who paid full price for their bread. What about them? People could not be given hand outs and taught to expect them. If they were truly desperate, the fighting pits were always hiring, a man could earn a silver mark in one day. If people wouldn’t work, it was better to let them starve. It wounded her gentle heart, but she had to be strong, for the sake of her country. “What else?”
“King Jacamo of Cadocia begs the privilege of a private dinner with you, majesty.”
Jacamo was one of the nine neighboring kings who had come here to celebrate her birthday. He and the others were staying in the palace as guests. Cadocia, and all the other little kingdoms were empty, poor places, who could not even begin to compare to Torikai. She provided them gifts of gold and they were her vassals in everything but name. Every one of them dreamed of seducing and marrying her, but that was not going to happen.
“Give him my sincere regrets. What else?”
“A large shipment of sweets has arrived from Arica, including chocolates. Enough for all who can afford them.”
She nodded in satisfaction. “See? There is plenty of food! If people are hungry let them eat candy! They just need to pay for it is all.”
“Of course, majesty! You see things as clearly as always!”
“What else?” Geneva brought her a small bowl of warm water and a hand towel. She cleaned the stickiness from her fingers.
“Merchant House Kasper of Palmetto begs your permission to be allowed to conduct business in the Great Market.”
“How nicely did they ask?”
“They offered a gift of twenty gold drachmas, the standard coin from their country. All the coins were of proper weight.”
“Then tell them their people are welcomed into my lands and shall have my benevolent protection. What else?”
“There was a slight…disturbance in the outer city, yesterday.”
She lifted a perfectly trimmed, golden eyebrow. “Oh?”
“It was nothing serious,” Garibaldi said quickly. “A few of the locals got a bit unruly when guards were sent out to arrest the family of a man who failed to pay his debts. Two additional squads had to be called in to maintain order while the offenders were led away.”
Madis frowned. “That’s been happening more and more. Don’t the people understand that if you borrow money and fail to pay it back, that makes you no better than a thief? If they won’t pay on their own, they must be made to, along with the interest of course.”
“No one could argue that, your majesty. But sometimes people get a bit emotional when they see their neighbors being taken away, especially when there are children involved. Commander Mueller is asking for more patrols in the outer city and that the detachments sent out to arrest debtors be made up of two squads rather than one.”
“Wouldn’t these extra guards have to be taken from the ones watching over the inner city?”
“They would, majesty.”
“Then tell Mueller it will have to wait until after my birthday after most of our visitors have gone home. Until then tell my guards to do their duty and remind my people they must respect the law. What else?”
“Lord Bryant, head of Merchant House Howlin, has again charged Valeria with murder and theft and breech of contract. He once more asks she be expelled from the city and that he and his house be given compensation.”
“Why is he bringing this up again?” Madis asked with annoyance. “I’ve already ruled Valeria is not at fault.”
Garibaldi coughed into a hand. “Majesty, an entire caravan was ambushed, its people slaughtered, and all the goods stolen. The sole survivor confirmed it was drow who did it.”
“Valeria explained all that. It was renegade drow who did that, not her.”
“Majesty, Valeria knew where the caravan would be and who it belonged to. She’d had issues with Lord Bryant and knew that his son was in charge. His body was discovered nailed up to a tree with his intestines pulled out… while he was still alive.”
“Any drow could have done that,” Madis told him. “We can’t expect her to be in control of every drow in the world any more than I rule all men. She swears it was the work of some rebel faction, and I believe her. The matter is closed.”
Many people, even the guild, even Garibaldi, had said she was insane to agree to allow a drow embassy. But the trade with her people had brought in a river of gold and it might prove richer yet. Valeria had hinted at the possibility of selling mythril to her if she could establish a colony within Torikai’s borders. Madis wasn’t ready to go that far, but she was not going to offend Valeria and lose such a valuable trading partner. Certainly not over a few wagons and the son of some minor merchant lord. A hundred other merchant houses would leap at the chance to replace Bryant, no one could substitute for Valeria and the possibility of getting mythril. She was already the richest and greatest queen in the entire world. If she could acquire mythril it would make her the equal of the ancient emperors.
“But, your majesty, surely-”
“I said I don’t want to hear about this again. I know what you and your guild think of her, but I am not going to annoy Valeria with this nonsense. What else?”
“Well, there is another important matter that is connected to Valeria and her embassy. Yesterday, a new White Mage arrived, a Master Waldo Rabbit. He was accompanied by his wife and a barbarian servant woman.”
“Oh? That is interesting. I thought they always traveled alone.”
“That is their normal practice, but this one appears to be an exception in more ways than one.”
“So, he’s here to replace Mistress Cornwall? She’s only been here about a month, they usually stay at least a year. I won’t complain, she’s very rude, even for a White Mage.”
When Garibaldi shook his head, it caught the queen by surprise. “No, majesty, he is not the new ambassador, as a matter of fact, he claims to be here for personal reasons and not on behalf of Avalon at all.”
“Is that allowed?” The queen asked.
“Mistress Cornwall confirmed the claim, so apparently it is.”
Madis put a hand to her mouth and gave a girlish laugh. “Well, maybe he’s just here to celebrate my birthday like everyone else.” All six of her maids immediately began to titter and giggle as well.
“My guild suspects he is still following instructions like every other White Mage. That this pretense is part of some sort of plot.”
“Oh, Garibaldi!” She said fondly. “You think everything they do is some sort of plot.”
“This is different, majesty. With the rumors coming from the south, Avalon may be becoming more aggressive and manipulative than before. The new arrival went to my guild and demanded the right to investigate our library. Afterwards, he held a secret meeting with the drow and then registered his barbarian to fight in your tournament.”
Her jaw fell. “Are you making all this up? I know you’ve never lied to me before, but I can’t believe that’s true.”
“It is, your majesty. If you have any doubts, summon him here and ask him.”
“Has he already asked for an audience?”
Garibaldi again shook his head. “He does not want your hospitality, and has taken up residence at a local inn.”
“Well that’s just rude,” she huffed. “Even for a White Mage. There is such a thing as basic courtesy.”
“Indeed, majesty.”
She thought for a moment. “Tell him I invite him to a royal audience. Rude or not, he is still a White Mage, and it’s best to be cautious with them. Don’t you agree?”
He bowed his head to her. “Of course, your majesty. A wise decision as always.”
“Now, what else?”
“Plans for the birthday feast are proceeding…”
She continued listening with half an ear. Madis was most curious as to what this White Mage would have to say for himself.
Chapter 14
A Royal Audience
“Now,” Waldo said. “Show me what you can do.”
“Sure thing, master!” Belle yanked out Rabbitslayer with her right hand and began waving it about in front of her face. She held her arm out straight and just whipped the sword back and forth as fast as she could. Belle had an excited expression plastered on her face. “Amazing, isn’t it?”
Waldo grimaced. He was no swordsman. Where he came from, swinging a weapon was considered beneath a mage’s dignity. But even Waldo could see Belle’s efforts were childish and rudimentary. It looked more like waving a stick about than anything related to sword fighting.
“Stop,” Waldo ordered. “That’s terrible! You don’t look like a fighter at all. Not even a barbarian one.”
“Oh,” Belle hung her head in shame. “Sorry, master. I was doing my best.”
“You’ve been carrying that sword with you for months now, haven’t you practiced with it at all?”
Belle looked up at him. “No, did you want me to?”
Waldo sighed. “It never occurred to me.”
“Does it make a difference, master? I’ve never needed one before. I usually just smash people or rip them apart. Been good enough up until now.”
“I’m worried it might look a little conspicuous when you’re in the Arena.”
“Then maybe she shouldn’t fight,” Alice suggested.
Waldo shook his head. “We have five days, I’m sure we can find someone to teach her the basics. Obviously, Belle will still kill people with brute force, but a little swordsmanship will make it more believable. I mean, how hard could it be?”
“Whatever you want, master,” Belle said.
“Lessons will probably be expensive,” Alice complained.
There was a sudden knock on the door to their room. The three of them shared a look.
“Is it your beloved again?” Alice asked with obvious annoyance.
“No,” Waldo said. There was only a trickle of magical energy on the other side of the door. Not enough for it to be a mage. “And I’ve already told you, I want nothing to do with Melissa.” He gave a Belle a nod and she went to open the door.
Alice crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s what you say.”
Belle opened the door to reveal a squad of royal guards with faux gold armor and helms. The man standing directly in front of the door had a single white feather sticking out the crown of his helmet.
“Master Waldo Rabbit of Avalon?” The man asked.
“Yes?”
“I am Lieutenant Bartlet, I am here to escort you to the White Palace. Her royal majesty honors you with an audience.”
Waldo stared at the man for a moment, then began to rub his temples. “Of course, she does.”
XXX
The White Palace was the center point of the Gold City, less than a mile from the Great Market and the Arena. To the naked eye, it looked to be made completely of white marble, both inside and out. If the Silver Harp Inn was common, t
hen most of the buildings inside the Wall at least limited their use of illusion to the exterior. Here, every inch of wall, floor, and ceiling gave off a magical aura. Waldo felt the constant desire to scratch his arms.
The Rabbit Great And Terrible Page 12