A Summit in Shadow

by Sarah E. Burr

  Yet, she could not get Uma’s question out of her thoughts. Why could she not be Jax’s official lady-in-waiting? What did being common-born really have anything to do with it? The question rolled around inside her mind as the carriage bounced along the icy roads snaking into Lysandeir, lulling her into a deep, unsettled sleep.

  Chapter Five

  “I’ve packed a light picnic, if you’re hungry,” Uma said with trepidation, offering a small platter of cheese and fruit to Jax as she shook herself from the clutches of a long nap.

  “Delightful. Being inside a carriage this long always does make my stomach growl. This should tide me over until the welcome banquet tonight.” Jax popped a grape into her mouth with enthusiasm. “Any idea where we are?” she asked as she surveyed the snow-covered landscape outside their bouncing caravan.

  “Captain Solomon tapped on the window a little while ago to let us know we should be arriving at the capital in a few hours,” Uma replied, taking a small bite of a pear slice. “In the meantime, might we do some wedding planning?”

  Jax couldn’t say no to the sparkle in Uma’s eyes, especially after their tense interaction earlier in the day. She nodded her agreement, Uma barely containing a squeal of glee as she reached into her satchel to take out a roll of parchment and a quill.

  “You came prepared,” Jax observed with a wry smile.

  “Your engagement was announced over five months ago and you still have not had an official ball to celebrate. When we return to Saphire that must be arranged, or the other duchies will take offense.”

  “I’m not sure why me not hosting a lavish party is a grave affront, considering it is my engagement and all.” Jax playfully rolled her eyes.

  “You’re robbing the other leaders a chance to drink themselves silly. They would consider that an outright assault,” Uma replied with a snort.

  “All right, then. We’ll plan something small. The noble houses of Saphire, a few friends, and the leaders of the realm. But let’s not give anyone too much notice.” Eyes dancing, Jax explained, “That way, they won’t be able to come.”

  Uma frowned at her lack of enthusiasm. “You didn’t seem to mind the attention of your engagement this summer. You toured nearly every village in Saphire without pause.”

  Jax pulled at the fur of her cloak, uncomfortable with Uma’s line of questioning. “Well, being engaged was new and exciting then. Now, it’s just turned into…a political circus.”

  Her friend’s eyes narrowed, noticing the resentment in Jax’s words. “What’s really going on? Why have you been delaying plans for this wedding?” She looked around the coach, as if afraid someone might overhear them outside, and spoke in a near whisper. “Are you having second thoughts about Perry?”

  Despite her frustration with his views on Cetachi, Jax laughed heartily at the thought. “Goodness, no. It has nothing to do with Perry.” She became quiet, piecing her emotions together. “It’s just, once we begin planning all these celebrations and ceremonies, I’m going to have to think about them without my parents being there.” Her amethyst eyes misted over. “When you think about your wedding as a little girl, you picture your father walking you down the aisle, your mother fussing over your dress. It’s hard for me to imagine the day without them, that’s all.”

  Uma moved across the carriage, wrapping an arm around Jax as she reached her side. “I’m sorry, love. I know having them there in spirit is not the same as them being by your side. But I will make sure their memory is honored.”

  Jax wiped a single tear from her cheek, nervously tittering. “Look at me, getting all sentimental. Just think what a wreck I’ll be when I have to walk down the aisle alone.”

  Uma tutted her displeasure. “Of course, you won’t be alone, Jax. Your father wouldn’t want that. He’d understand you asking someone to escort you in his stead.”

  Jax felt a stab of guilt at the thought. “That seems crass.”

  Uma took her hand and held it tightly. “It is your wedding day. You could walk down the aisle with a trio of unicorns and no one would fault you for it.”

  Jax had to laugh at the image. “As magical as a unicorn escort would be,” she paused as she looked out the window, the shadows of her guards trotting beside the carriage dancing across the snow, “why don’t I ask George? He’s always been like a brother to me, my protector, and my parents admired him greatly. What do you think?”

  Uma’s eyes welled with emotion. “Captain Solomon will be deeply moved, I believe.”

  “Then I’ll find the right time to ask him. With any hope, it will finally make him realize I’ve forgiven him for what happened to Arnie under his command. A silver lining to this dreary visit.” Jax released the caged glimmer of excitement she felt about her upcoming nuptials, allowing it to fill her chest.

  “With any luck, we’ll be back home in less than a fortnight. You have the votes you need,” Uma said. “Just think of this summit as an opportunity to socialize with the other leaders.” She seemed oblivious to the political turmoil brewing ahead of them.

  Jax propped her hand against her cheek, releasing a mournful sigh. “I may have the votes I need now, but we are traveling into the lions’ den, my dear. Cetachi has been a thorn in the side of the realm for centuries. The prospect of change might convince my peers to swing the other way, no matter what the cost.”

  “And you are certain this change Cetachi is advocating for isn’t a good thing?”

  Jax detected a slight barb in Uma’s question, forcing her to think back to her friend’s candid words at the start of their ride. “This isn’t a battle between good and evil, dear one. It’s a testament to what works. The ducal lines have ruled over the Realm of Virtues since the Rebirth, when the corrupted leaders of the Ancient Faith were relieved of their power over the people and the lands were free to live in enlightenment. We have had no wars, and our people are safe. The dukedoms work. Leaders are born and bred, dedicating their lives to the security of their respective duchies. I don’t see how this new governor can hope to offer his people the same.”

  Uma contemplated the Duchess’s words before nodding in agreement. “I guess I wasn’t thinking about it in that light. You, too, have been born into a role that you cannot escape.”

  Jax waved the thought aside. “I am not asking for pity. I know I lead an exceedingly privileged life. But yes, I was born into this role; it is my sole purpose in life to see it done well. And I would consider myself a failure if I did not ensure that every person in the Realm of Virtues was under the protection of a good and gracious leader.”

  “Then what is your solution to Cetachi?” Uma asked, clearly intrigued.

  “I want another dukedom to be formed.”

  A seemingly dazed Uma replied, “Another…How would that even happen?”

  Jax leaned in and explained. “Well, the leaders would simply anoint a new Duke or Duchess to the throne. Most likely, we would select someone hailing from an established ducal family. I’ve been corresponding with my grandfather, and my Aunt Annette would be the ideal candidate.”

  Uma’s eyes widened. “But she’s in line for the Mensina throne, is she not?”

  Jax bowed her head. “Yes, but she has three other sisters who could readily take her place under the tutelage of my grandfather. Annette has been groomed to lead for years; she could step into the position without hesitation. And then we would secure her rule with a marriage to, say, one of Perry’s older brothers.”

  Uma’s hand flew to her mouth. “Jax! How could you plot something like this? Selling your aunt off like a piece of cattle—I didn’t think you had it in you.”

  Jax chuckled at her friend’s shock. “It was actually Annette’s idea. Apparently, after she saw how well my arranged marriage with Perry worked out, she was open to one herself. My grandfather has been trying to find her a match since the passing of her first husband, but only now has she agreed to the possibility.”

  Uma’s cheeks flushed as she seemed to prepare her next
question. “But your aunt is nearing the end of her childbearing age, is she not? Wouldn’t that make her rule unstable, if she’s not able to produce an heir?”

  At that, the Duchess of Saphire let a crafty grin slide across her serene face. “Then her rule would transfer to the rightful heir of the Mensina bloodline.”

  “Who would that be?”

  “Me.”

  Uma’s eyes almost popped out of her head. “What?”

  “My mother was Duke Mensina’s firstborn child, and therefore, the throne would revert to any of her offspring,” Jax stated with proud finesse.

  “Your grandfather would allow that? For you to swoop in and rule two duchies?”

  Jax looked at her polished nails with disinterest. “I gave him a choice. It was either Cetachi or Mensina.” She paused, taking Uma’s bewildered expression into consideration. “By birthright, I am next in line to inherit the Mensina throne upon my grandfather’s death. I simply offered to forfeit my claim to Mensina to one of my aunts in exchange for Cetachi.”

  “What a tangled web you’ve woven, Duchess.” Uma brushed a strand of fallen hair out of her face.

  “The bloodlines across the realm are all extremely blurred. Perry and I are hardly the first ducal lines to cross. Yes, there are a few leaders who have chosen spouses from noble houses to prevent things like this from happening, but you’d be surprised how many times duchies have changed hands over the decades due to birthright. My grandfather married a noblewoman initially to prevent his duchy being usurped from under his feet, but with my mother’s marriage to my father, who was from an established ducal line, that was all put in jeopardy.” Jax sat back, satisfied with her political prowess. “Luckily, Duke Mensina has such an understanding and sympathetic granddaughter.”

  “So, your proposition to the Cetachi Accord is to eventually place yourself as its leader?”

  Jax frowned. “You sound like you think that’s a bad thing, Uma.”

  Her timid friend looked out the window instead of facing her. “I don’t mean to insult you, Duchess, but it just seems like a dangerous move in the midst of all the other leaders. Won’t they protest you gaining so much power?”

  “The initial proposition of seating Annette on the throne with a Pettraudian husband at her side does not look to directly benefit me in any way, other than my familial ties. I’m already bound to Pettraud through Perry, so on the surface, I look to gain nothing more than what I already have. And as I said before, half the ducal leaders are related in some form or another. Annette has already been inspected by a physician and has been told she has a few birthing years left, so no one will be immediately concerned about succession. My involvement wouldn’t be likely to even be mentioned,” Jax said matter-of-factly.

  “And you think this scenario is better than letting the people of Cetachi pick their own leader?” Uma asked with an incredulous gasp. “Does Perry know that you’re planning to have one of his brothers marry your aunt?”

  Jax had the decency to look guilty. “I may have asked him if any of his older brothers would be interested in an arranged marriage into a revered ducal line, but I really didn’t go into the circumstances behind it…nor did he ask.”

  “I doubt he’ll be pleased you’ve been plotting this without his knowledge,” Uma pointed out.

  “I’ll explain it all when our proposition is laid out before the summit,” Jax reassured her. “If it even happens. Duke Lysandeir is desperate for the Cetachi Accord to succeed. Who knows what he’ll promise the other duchies to get them to agree.”

  “Why is he so set on Cetachi becoming an elected state? Wouldn’t he, too, want it to be a duchy?” Uma asked the same question that had first popped into Jax’s head when she received word of the summit.

  “The invitation he sent out to all the dukedoms explained that he’d met with the new governor and believed him to be a righteous and just man, and that the region was flourishing under his leadership.” Jax rolled her eyes as she recalled the flowery language. “His main point was that this Darian Fangard brought about peace to a war-torn nation, so why wouldn’t we want to legitimize it?” She paused, sifting through her buzzing thoughts. “I’ve never interacted with Duke Lysandeir, but I never guessed him to be the bleeding-heart-type.”

  “Well, it looks like we will find out his true nature sooner rather than later,” Uma said, her eyes trailing outside the carriage as it rolled up a steep mountain. “Croivast looks inviting this time of year, doesn’t it?”

  Jax’s attention turned to the imposing stone fortress rising above the snow-covered caps as their carriage finally approached the capital city. The palace was almost brutal in its design, making her shiver, the dark turrets rising against the mountains like clawing hands. “Ever so welcoming. Stay close to my side, Uma. We are about to enter the belly of the beast.”

  Chapter Six

  The windows of their coach became encased by the white blizzard, the winds howling against the gilded frame as it rolled to a stop. Jax feared the strong gusts might very well lift the carriage right off the ground. Outside, she heard horses neighing and people shuffling about before they were jolted into movement once more.

  “Duchess,” Jax heard George’s muffled voice call from the other side of the carriage door, “we’re going to enter from the stables. The wind is too fierce to have you disembark outside on the palace steps.”

  Jax shot an irritated look Uma’s way. “We’re going to make our grand entrance through the stables? Are the Virtues playing some kind of joke?” She adjusted her fur cloak as the carriage once again rolled to a stop a few moments later.

  Before she got a chance to look out the window, the ornate door swung open, revealing a lofty stable bay. Jax took Hendrie’s snow-covered arm as she stepped out onto the straw-covered stone floor. Her eyes assessed the high-arching rafters, surprised at the spacious layout of the royal stables. She counted nearly thirty stalls lining the rock walls, leaving her with the sneaking suspicion that this barn had been built into the side of the mountain.

  “Pleasant trip, I assume?” Jax said with a teasing whisper as Perry approached her.

  As he lowered his ice-crusted hood, snow cascaded out of his hair, the dark ringlets frozen into place. “Quite the squall we ran into. I hope it clears up soon, or it will take some time to clear the roads for our journey back home.”

  It warmed her heart that to him, ‘home’ meant Saphire, although she was still a little miffed at him for the frank and forward discussion with Hendrie that had caused Uma so much angst. Her lips twitched, toying with the idea of reprimanding him, but decided against it. After all, she had warned him against voicing his opinion in public, not to his faithful friend and valet. If anything, Hendrie was the one with whom a conversation was warranted. “Those horses we bought for this journey certainly proved their weight in gold.” She couldn’t resist giving one of the majestic beasts attached to her carriage an affectionate pat, the animal’s kind eyes reminding her of her own fierce stallion, Mortimer.

  By now, her entire delegation had dismounted their saddles, everyone shaking their cloaks free of snow and ice. “I suppose we would have caused quite a mess in the entrance hall,” Jax murmured to Perry, who knew she was not pleased by her less-than-grand welcome.

  “High Courtier Jaquobie, is it not? We’ve been eagerly awaiting Duchess Saphire’s arrival,” a squat Lysandeir man said as he appeared in the looming doorway at the back of the stables, his attention directed to the head advisor.

  Jax cringed at the use of the duchy’s name as her own. Unlike many of her peers, she preferred ‘Duchess Jacqueline’ or the more formal ‘Duchess Xavier’ to the use of Saphire. It made her feel like a real person rather than a proverbial figurehead.

  “Despite the detour we were instructed to take at the palace gates,” Jaquobie said, his voice dripping with disapproval, “the Saphire delegation will be escorted to the entrance hall to be properly announced.” It wasn’t a request. “Please attend to
Duchess Jacqueline and the rest of her party.” Jaquobie gave Jax a quick look, indicating he knew she would want to be addressed as such.

  “Of course, right this way, Duchess Saph—I mean, Jacqueline. This passage will lead us to the entrance hall.” Their guide gave Jax a deep bow, his face beet red with embarrassment. “This storm caught us all by surprise. Nasty winds out there. Couldn’t believe it when I woke up this morning and saw the snow nearly reaching my window. Many of the other delegations had to reroute to the stables, as well. That’s why it was initially built to be so spacious; it makes for a covered entrance when the weather calls for it.” He squirmed under her amused gaze. The middle-aged man obviously babbled when his nerves got the better of him.

  Yet, she appreciated his reassurance that she wasn’t the only one receiving this unusual welcome. “It is quite impressive, I must say. Built into the side of the mountain?”

  He looked flabbergasted, either by her question or the fact she was engaging in conversation with him as he led her, Perry, Jaquobie, Uma, Hendrie, and George up a torch-lit stairwell. “The entire palace is built into the mountainside, Your Grace. Carved from the very stone of Mount Croie. Is this your first visit to our great nation?”

  “Indeed. I have not had the pleasure of traveling so far north. My studies as a child took me to the southern ends of the realm.”

  “A child of the Academy, I assume? I have heard wonders about its sandy shores.” Their escort’s eyes glazed over with fondness.

  “Yes, I had all my formative training there,” Jax replied. “I’m sorry, sir, but I didn’t get your name.”

  “Oh, silly me. My name is Courtier Roust. I will be High Courtier Jaquobie’s liaison during your stay at the palace. If there are any concerns with your accommodations, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.” He gave her a stiff bow, his round middle preventing him from bending very far.