“Yes.”
“Lons, my condition is that Anna shouldn't know a word about me. Do you understand?”
Lons nodded.
“By honor.”
“And one more thing. Do you understand how much you risk if your ex-wife is fooling around with you?”
“My current wife, My Lady!”
“Your Lady is only saying that if your lovely Anna is lying to you, you’ll most likely get killed,” retorted Lily.
“Anna is not like that! She is kind, tender, naïve—”
“Do you understand that Anna will choose the future king before you?”
“She loves me.”
“She’s buried you once already. My second condition is this: sit down and write.”
“Write what?”
“Write down your whole story in your own hand. I will call the pastor, he will sign it, seal it, and we’ll keep it hidden.”
“What for?”
“If something happens to you, I will at least know who is responsible.”
Lily gave him a sad smile.
Aldonai be merciful! How could female tenderness and fragility produce such an effect! Does one necessarily need to pretend to be a helpless fool in order to play a man? Unbelievable!
“My Lady,” Lons said with a frown.
“Write. If everything works out, I will burn it with my own hands.”
***
As soon as Lily left Taral, she went to His Majesty. Despite the king being busy dining, the Countess Earton was immediately invited in.
Lily dropped in a curtsey, smiled at Tahir, and took her seat next to the king. She thought she had accidentally stepped on someone’s foot. It doesn’t matter! The rest can move.
Gardwig and his daughter weren’t present at the dinner. That evening, they stayed in the embassy. Richard had to go somewhere to check up on the Ivernean diplomatic mission that was to arrive at any moment. The courtiers squinted, grimaced, and smiled ‘kind’ jealous smiles at Lily. They seemed to be taking her for the king’s new favorite.
Idiots! The king could sleep with anyone, but to find a good doctor was far more difficult. After dinner, Edward beckoned the countess with his finger.
“My Lady, you will accompany me on a walk.”
Lily frowned. She knew what a royal walk meant. It was long and tiring. He should've taken a nap instead. Yet, it turned out that the king cut the walk to half an hour.
“I follow your recommendations, dear Countess,” teased the king.
Lily smiled.
“How can I impose authority on the king?”
“I suspect that both you and Tahir are terrible tyrants, My Lady!” Edward was clearly mocking her. “How are things in Taral?”
“Everything is in full swing! Fifty days, and we will start producing if nobody gets in our way.”
“Did anyone make any efforts to get in your way?”
“The Virmans caught a couple of strange people, who really wanted to stay by the fire, at night, on the shore. They all had an inflammatory liquid with them, in a very convenient form for throwing it inside the Taral courtyard.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Who were these criminals?”
“Hans Tremain is in charge of the investigation.”
“I can see you are getting along very well with him, Countess.”
“He is very clever, Your Majesty.” Lily suspected that Hans could see through her, but she was useful for him and could give a lot, so he kept silent.
“What about your husband, Countess?” His gray eyes looked cold. Lily didn’t flinch.
“My husband is at his best. We are trying to fix our relationship, but it needs time, Your Majesty.”
Edward nodded.
“I hope you will find a solution together.”
“I hope for the same, Your Majesty. I do it for Miranda.”
The king nodded. He didn’t care much for the reasons. What he cared about was the result.
“Have you shown your husband what you do?”
“Not yet, Your Majesty.”
“I will speak to Jerisson and will ask him to accompany you to Taral. Let him see how significant you are for the kingdom, let him see your business grip.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Don’t thank me. Especially since I’m glad to see you for another reason as well.”
“Your Majesty only has to issue an order.” Lily curtsied.
“Countess,” Edward paused in choosing his words, “I am very pleased with your help. I thank Tahir. But my crowned brother, His Majesty Gardwig, is in bad health. Yesterday, he asked to see the famous doctor from the Khanganat.”
“What?”
“Tahir, in his turn, declared that he never goes anywhere without his student. Without you, Countess.”
“Are you against it, Your Majesty?”
“No, Countess. Sooner or later, Tahir will leave for the Khanganat, and you will stay. We need at least one good doctor at court. Besides, there is also your project about creating a school for children.”
“Tahir will be glad to help.”
“I have no doubt about it. He is loyal to you, which is very strange considering that he’s a Khangan. He calls you nothing other than Lilian-jan.”
“It’s a mere sign of respect.”
“A woman in the Khanganat is considered on par with a beautiful flower. It’s difficult to respect a flower—”
“Tahir has always sought knowledge. Having recognized that I have the same desire, he didn’t pay attention to whether I wore a skirt or a pair of pants.”
“Are you trying to be disrespectful right now, Lilian?”
“I would've never allowed myself such a liberty, Your Majesty.”
“You would. You have the Virmans and the Khangans to protect you.”
Lily answered with an innocent smile. It wasn’t that the king wanted to annoy the countess. Such jokes during a serious conversation allowed him to test her reaction. He expected her to get annoyed and nervous and lose her temper—and maybe give off some important bits of information she might be hiding.
To the king’s great surprise, Lilian remained completely undisturbed. It was as if the conversation was about embroidery and not about business. Good. Both Lilian’s father and her grandfather were remarkable people. It would have been strange if she hadn’t inherited their temper. A lot could be explained by her education. She was raised in a shipbuilder’s household; she was bound to acquire some extraordinary knowledge.
Edward remembered the royal library. Who knows, if the mice haven’t eaten it up, it might still contain a lot of interesting things. Her knowledge could be explained.
Where on earth did she learn to tame and use people like that? No school could have taught her that. It requires talent, a certain skill, and by Aldonai’s grace, a full commitment! She could've simply used those people, but they are loyal to her. Their loyalty comes from the bottom of their hearts.
Her friendship with the Virmans might be a mere accident, but how did she manage to find a common language with those sea wolves?
The king saw the ships with black shields on their masts arriving at the royal harbor—a rare sight. The people who got off those ships were ready to tear apart anyone who dared to look at Lilian in a disrespectful way.
Their loyalty could be explained by some sort of mutual benefit, no doubt, but any loyalty has to be earned. What about Hans? His blood and soul belong to the king. Nevertheless, he watches and protects that strange woman. Tahir, the Khangans… She cured the prince, and they wagged their tails at her feet. They are devoted to her. But why?
“I recognize the servitude of my people, Your Majesty. I also pay them back with my loyalty. They are ready to do as much for me as I am ready to do for them.” Lily looked straight ahead. “I helped them. I gave them an opportunity to survive and to advance in life, I offered them support and help. I receive the same things in return.”
“I'm be
ginning to envy you, Countess.”
“Don’t envy me, Your Majesty. It’s the same hard labor as yours, only it’s easier for me. I am responsible for several people, whereas you are in charge of the whole country.”
“For some reason, I don’t observe the same loyalty toward my person.”
“Your Majesty,” her tone of voice was clearly reproachful, “don’t look at these…” A careless wave of her hand enclosed half of the court. “What about your royal representatives? My husband? I don’t appear at court very often, but I know that there are always people who are loyal to their king and the country. As a rule, they live in the parts where they prove loyalty with acts not speeches. Take only Baron Avermal. He works hard for the kingdom without even hoping to become part of the court.”
“Countess, you will soon make me ashamed.”
“Your Majesty, may I—”
“Yes, you may. Take Tahir and depart to my crowned brother immediately.”
“Your will is law,” Lily dropped in a curtsey. “Only what do I do with my husband? I wanted to spend time with him this afternoon, but it turns out that we will see each other only in the evening.”
“Is it so tricky for such an intelligent woman to find something to do with her husband in the evening?”
Lily sighed.
I guess it’s inappropriate to ask if the bastard is kidding.
“I will immediately—”
“No need to rush. Better tell me how Roman and Jacob are doing. I’ve seen Miranda recently. She is happy and cheerful. What about the young Ivelens?”
What does he expect me to say? A shadow came over Lily’s face.
“I found them a wet-nurse, Your Majesty. She is a Virman. One woman happened to give birth recently, and we asked her to—”
“Is that a reasonable decision?”
“At least they keep themselves clean,” Lily said roughly. “I wouldn't let fleas near the babies.”
Edward snorted.
“As you wish, Lilian.”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty! But hygiene is important.”
“I remember. By the way, hot baths are indeed good for the bones.”
Lily smiled contentedly.
“Your praise is a big honor, Your Majesty.”
“Tell me more about the children.”
“They cry, piss, sleep, eat—”
What else could one want from babies who are less than a month old? Certainly not logarithms.
“Are they in good health?”
“Aldonai will see to it.”
Lily made a circle of Aldonai.
“Have you seen the Aldon?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We agreed on the list of printed literature. Is it wise to give book-printing fully into the hands of the Church? Maybe it makes sense to—”
“Let’s organize at least one publishing house. If everything works out, we will open a few more.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
***
The Wellster Embassy was impressive. Actually, Lily didn’t see the embassy itself. As a rule, the ambassadors rented a big country house close to the royal palace. But since the king and the princess arrived as well, the king gave them one of his own summer houses in the countryside called Terein Castle.
It was a beautiful castle made of white-stone with thin spires, which were now crowned with flags. There was a crowd of people, a luxurious garden, and the same distinct smell. There was nothing one could do; noble counts and dukes saw nothing wrong with pooping behind the bushes.
Lilian didn’t have a big retinue with her: only four Virmans and Tahir. Yet, her pocket was pleasantly weighted down by a letter from the king. The secretary of the king furtively mentioned that her visit was already approved and expected by all principle figures of the embassy. The diplomatic protocol was usually very strict, but if the two kings at once didn’t mind breaking it, no one would argue with them. Especially with Gardwig, who chopped off heads like summer grass.
Lilian dismounted at the main entrance and was immediately greeted with a whistle from a couple of men. She threw the reins to a servant who came running and made an arrogant announcement: “Dearest sir, report that her Countess Lilian Earton together with the Doctor din Dashar arrived at the request of His Majesty Gardwig.”
This sentence was enough for everyone to start moving. Whether the king was sick or healthy, he trained his servants well. Lily saw how the look in the servant’s eyes became more respectful. In a few minutes, a very dressed up man showed up.
“My name is Thomas Rayton. Leir Rayton. I am the king’s servant. Let me show you the way.”
“With great pleasure, Leir.” Lily gave him a beaming smile, and he answered it. His title wasn’t the highest. He worked hard for it, only dukes and counts would always look down on him. Lily wasn’t going to swagger. She held onto his obedient elbow, and he took her gliding across the castle corridors.
Lily arrived just in time. His Majesty’s leg was hurting more than usual. The medicuses had drawn his blood and planted leeches on the king’s limb, which had put him in a bad mood.
***
“Get out of here, you dunce! ” Gardwig snapped at his daughter.
Anna dropped a piece of cloth and stormed out of the chamber, crying.
She had to take care of her father’s leg despite nauseating disgust; she had no choice. For all her efforts, they had sent her away and offended her, and she had gone away crying.
Yet there was another reason for her mood. She had had no time to speak to the trustee of Count Lort after the ball. She had spoken to him the previous evening instead, and the memory of the conversation made her shiver.
“He’s alive.”
“Who?”
“Lons Avels. My—”
“I know. Where is he?”
“He approached me at the ball. What do I do?”
“Does Edward know?”
“No, Lons managed to escape without anyone’s help. Aldonai, have mercy on me!”
“Keep quiet. You don’t want to ruin yourself.”
Anna stopped wailing and clutched lace handkerchief, bringing it to her mouth. She bit the fabric so hard that she had to spit out its threads a minute later. Meanwhile, the man contemplated.
“What did you agree on?”
“To meet in the church and run away together.”
“Good girl. When you see him in the church, you will pass him a note. You’ll write what I tell you. The rest is not your concern.”
Anna went pale. Yet she saw no other way out of it. She had already made the choice between becoming a queen and remaining a village girl.
“Why not now?”
“Because it's not Wellster. To do things here will need time. Go about your own business and keep quiet.”
Anna obeyed.
Presently, she was running to her chamber and wondering whether that scary man had come to see her.
Lilian walked into the chamber of His Majesty Gardwig with all courtesies. She dropped in a curtsey.
“Your Majesty,”
She lifted her eyes after he ordered, “Come closer, Countess.”
***
Despite his age, Gardwig was still handsome. Lily could imagine him as a young man.
Ah! I wish I could go back twenty years, she thought. She reflexively noticed his gorgeous golden locks, heavy build, bright blue eyes, and intelligent face.
They don't call him the Lion of Wellster for nothing!
Alas, the lion was sick. The king was half-resting on the couch, with one leg stretched forward on a stool. A strange little man was running around him.
Is he a medicus? I guess so, otherwise, why would he put leeches on his leg? Yuck!
There were a few things in medicine that Lily hated with all her might. One of them was leeches. When she was a student, she would only agree to handle the creatures while wearing gloves. Merely looking at them made her sick. She hated the little creatures with all her heart, despite their indisputable h
ealing properties.
“Your Majesty, my king ordered me to come here.”
“Yes. I need you to have a look at my ulcer,” Gardwig was clearly not in the mood. “What are you waiting for? Do something!”
“May I have a look at your leg?”
“I’ve already told you!” snapped Gardwig.
“But your medicus—”
“OUT!” shouted the king at the little man and made a face. His leg gave him much pain. The medicus hurriedly dashed toward the door, and Lily replaced him beside the king on her knees.
“Tahir-jan, could you remove these darlings?”
Without further ado, Tahir began detaching the leeches while Lily removed a rather dirty bandage from the ulcer, wincing from the stench.
Well. How can I tell what it is?
The ulcer itself was firmly smeared with something white, a red wound with blue veins in it. The leg was swollen and had an unhealthy color. At least she couldn't see any signs of varicose.
I wonder how he got it! Lily knew a lot about ulcers. If it’s trophic, then what kind? Diabetic, ischemic, varicose—or maybe it’s an inadequately treated wound that turned into an ulcer?
Lily hoped it was the latter. The rest was impossible to treat without antibiotics. She only had traditional folk medicine at her disposal. It was possible, no doubt, but only at the primary stage, not once it had spread to the whole leg. It was impossible to tell where the ulcer initially began.
“Your Majesty, what is this balm on your leg?”
“Ask the medicus!” said Gardwig peevishly. Lily stood up and bowed.
“With your permission. Tahir, prepare the tools.”
“Medicus!” The king had a strong voice, and the little man flew in like a rocket.
“Your Majesty!”
Gardwig silently nodded in Lilian’s direction. The medicus glanced at Lily and flinched from the murderous cold of her green eyes.
“How long have you been treating His Majesty?”
“Pff— half a year!”
Lily’s voice resembled hissing.
“What is this ointment?”
“It’s a family secret!” the medicus assumed a dignified air. “It’s a miraculous ointment which forms a crust and makes the wound—”
The Price of Happiness: A Strong Woman in the Middle Ages (A Medieval Tale Book 5) Page 25