[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.King Tedric is resolved to meet with this emissary himself.Sincethis action will put him in great danger, the king has submitted to the requestof the Great Houses that he settle the matter of his heir before he departs.From the way he kept glancing at me as he spoke, Blysse, I believe he meansto choose you! Firekeeper flushed, her heart suddenly pounding.She thought of all shehad learned to do, how much more she had learned that she could not do.And over it all, seductive as the scent of a hot game trail, was the realizationthat the power of a queen was all she needed to make what she could andcould not do moot. But I cannot& she began.Earl Kestrel cut her off. Of course you can.You must! If the king wishesyou to be his heir, you have no choice in the matter.I shall continue to adviseyou, as I have ever since I rescued you from the wilderness.You will not bealone in your great responsibilities.Indeed, since you are but fifteen you musthave a regent until you are nineteen.I am likely to be that person, since I amyour guardian& He was rattling on in this fashion, Firekeeper ignoring most of his words,when Ox thumped on the door.Valet glided over and opened it. Someone is here with a message, Ox announced loudly. Says it s notwritten. Let the messenger enter, Earl Kestrel said grandly.A man in castle livery came through the door, bowed deeply, andannounced: King Tedric and Queen Elexa request that Lady BlysseNorwood come to their chambers one hour from now.She may be escorted asfar as the door, but they wish to meet with her in private. Earl Kestrel was so keyed up that a fascinating mixture of emotionsdelight, annoyance, fear, and finally smug satisfaction glided unguardedacross his hawk-nosed face.Firekeeper took advantage of his distraction toreply: Tell the king and queen that I will be there. Any momentary annoyance Earl Kestrel might have felt about hisprivilege being usurped vanished in his greater elation. Wonderful! he crowed as soon as the messenger had departed and thedoor was secured.He was about to say more, but Firekeeper held up a hand. I must get cleaned and dressed, she said, her tones haughty. This ismost certainly a formal occasion. Yes! Earl Kestrel slapped his palms together smartly. Absolutely.Valet! Ring for hot water.Prepare my best jacket and trousers.Ox! FindCousin Jared.Tell him I wish him to be part of Lady Blysse s escort.Heshould put on his uniform and order of knighthood& Firekeeper escaped while Earl Kestrel was still shouting orders. He do, she said to Derian, everything but sing and spread his tailfeathers. This, Derian replied, clearly a bit stunned, is the culmination of all hisplans. I wonder, Firekeeper said softly, if it is the coming together of all ofmine as well? Grand Duchess Rosene summoned her son and daughter to her, along withtheir spouses.As a matter of course, Ivon brought Elise and Zorana broughtPurcel.The younger children were kept away lest they inadvertently carrygossip.When Jet Shield arrived at the door of Rosene s suite, his demeanor thatof one who expects to take part in a family conference, even the acid-tonguedgrand duchess could not turn him away, no matter that her expressionshowed that she thought he was there more likely as a spy for his grandfatherthan out of a desire to be near Elise at this crucial time.Elise was glad to have Jet there, no matter how of late she had doubted thesincerity of his affection.The glitter in her grandmother s washed-out oldeyes frightened her a bit.She imagined that Grand Duke Gadman wore thesame expression and wondered how King Tedric had survived to such a ripeage while the focus of so much malicious ambition. Tedric refused, Rosene began snappishly, to read us the full text of theletters borne to him by the army messenger.He said they were too long andtoo filled with repetition. Her dry sniff was commentary enough on how much she believed that!She continued: In essence, Bright Bay wishes to meet with someone in authority todiscuss a matter that will be to the benefit of the mutual peace of ournations. I thought, commented scholarly Aksel Trueheart, that we were atpeace. Only technically, Rosene replied with a glance at her daughter as if tosay, How do you stand him! Aunt Zorana, however, seemed very calm, almost unnaturally so.From awoman who had been infuriated by the reduction of her hopes for the throne,she had become so self-contained that some had wondered aloud if she wasindulging heavily in drink or one of the exotic drugs the New Kelvinesecultivated beneath green glass within steam-heated greenhouses hidden in thevalleys of their mountainous realm. Although we do not have a declared state of war, Grand DuchessRosene continued when Zorana remained silent, our interests continue toclash.There have been numerous skirmishes over contested territories,robberies by bandits who may well be Bright Bay raiders, and blockades ofour sea-lanes by their fleet.Now, suddenly, though war is undeclared, we arebeing offered a means to peace.What might that be? Elise heard her voice speaking as if it were separate from herself. Amarriage alliance like Jet and mine. That is correct, Rosene agreed with an approving nod. That is also theonly thing that I can see drawing Tedric out of the security of his castle.Allister Seagleam is wed and has children of his own.Doubtless, the alliancewould be between one of his children and one of Tedric s grandnieces ornephews
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]