Mistress of mistresses

by E R Eddison

  His kirtle was of corded silk, rose-coloured, slashed with velvet of a darker hue, and gathered about the waist with a belt of sea-horse hide lapped at the edge with thread of gold and bossed with balas rubies and cat's-eye chrysoberyls; he had thick-woven silken hose of the like rose-colour, and a long cloak of dark grey brocaded silk lined with cloth of silver; the collar of the cloak was of black cormorants' feathers cunningly sewn and fitted to make an even smoothness, cross-striped at every span with lines of rubies and fastened with golden clasps. Yet was all this but shadows in water beside the man himself. For, alike in his lithe tall frame, and in his carriage noble and debonair and of a cat-like elegance, this Duke was beautiful to look upon beyond the example of men; his skin marvellous fair and smooth, his hair the colour of burnished copper, short and curly, his nose clean cut and straight, his brow wide, his eyebrows sleek and thick and with a scarcely to be seen upward slant, that cast a quality of somewhat pensive and of somewhat faun-like across his face; his shaven chin delicate but strong, his mouth a little large, firm-lipped under daintily upcurled mustachios, sensitive, apt for sudden modulations of mood and passion; his eyes brown, contemplative, and with profound obscurities of pulsing fire. And as, with that easy simplicity of magnificence which seemed in him nature bred clean beyond the range of art, he took his seat upon the dream-stone, it was as if the richness of his jewelled apparel, the shadowing of those wings, and all the sumptuous splendours of that hall were to him but as the flower on the blackthorn or the rainbow across a mountain peak: graces wedded to a substance worthy their own unsubstantial loveliness.

  Now when the ceremonial business of presentations, petitions, sealings of placets and decrees was concluded, the Duke spake to them of his council that stood beside him: 'Is't not some wonder there should be no legate nor envoy here to represent the Vicar?'

  'May be', answered Medor, 'that he liked not your grace's sending away of Gabriel Flores a month ago.'

  Barganax lifted an eyebrow: "Twas pure charity, and indeed a compliment, to let him know I thought his honour too basely travestied by such a villain. Nor was it fit I should accept as envoy but his master of the horse, one that is besides but a patent hired intelligencer, and scarcely a gentleman by birth.'

  'There's one more cloud against the sun,' said Egan; 'so have I seen storms a-brewing. Your grace was informed ere you did enter the presence-chamber how that the Admiral and the Chancellor, that were here but a little before, were gone forth in a flutter of seeming urgency upon word brought them from without. Be advised: leave your custom, and go not to-day among the general throng below the carpet.'

  Barganax said, 'It is seven year to-day since I did come of age and take power here in Zayana, and never yet have I omitted the custom I did that day begin.'

  He stood up to go, but now Medor spoke against it: There were no harm to change it; and remember, did aught go miss, 'twere more than your own life you laid in hazard. Go not, Lord.'

  'Vandermast,' said Barganax. 'what say you?'

  'They have given their reasons,' answered that ancient man. ‘I would hear your grace's reasons on the contrary part.'

  'Imprimis,' said the Duke, 'whose turn should it serve to yerk me one under the fifth rib? Not old Jeronimy's, nor theirs that stayed with him: it should raise a cloud of wasps about their ears should in three days sweep 'em out of Meszria. Nor yet our discontented lords: they cry for action, and that were a strange road, to murder me: by my soul, they can look for no other to lead 'em. The King's? True, there's some coldness betwixt us, but I'll not suspect him of things myself would not soil my hands withal. But indeed I do know all these men. Pew! I am not to begin Duke.'

  'Horius Parry,' said Medor then, ‘would not stick to murder you.'

  'His hands are full, playing spoil-five with the King for Rerek,' the Duke replied. 'Come, Medor,' he said: *I am minded to go my own gate; and when I must skulk and beware in my own presence-chamber, then were I best slain indeed, and high time to say adieu. Attend me, Medor. But is not this right reason?' said he over his shoulder, passing by, to Doctor Vandermast. Vandermast made no reply, but as he and the Duke crossed glances it was as if two diverse wisdoms of age and of hot youth rose from their wells, recognized each his make, and clipped hands together.

  Now was Duke Barganax come about three-quarters of his way down from the throne to the lower end of the chamber, walking and discoursing with this man and that, with Medor at his elbow, when there came a stir about the main doorway, as if some would have entrance but, because of the lateness and because the Duke had voided the throne, was denied. The Duke sent one to inquire and see; that one came back on the instant to say that here was the Earl Roder craved audience and would not take their no for it. 'Let him come in,' said the Duke, and received him where he stood.

  'My lord Duke,' said Roder, 'I am obliged to kiss your hand; and, ere I go further in a business which in this public place I dare not pronounce but between my teeth, I would entreat you of a matter, easy for you to grant, and condition absolute of our more large and secret conference.'

  'Our fashion is not curious,' answered the Duke, marking his disordered countenance. 'Yet do I wonder a little, if the matter crieth so loud for urgency, why you came not sooner. Or why sent you with so much parade of secrecy (for I saw it, my lord, through eyes that serve me) to fetch away the Admiral and the Chancellor, already pricked off for the presence? Or why, for a last point of wonder, you now come here without them.'

  'That is the condition I spoke on,' answered he. 'I am to beseek you confirm us, under your royal word, safe conduct and assurance all and severally of our lives and persons, which done we shall straight to the matter, but until then we may not.'

  To this the Duke -listened with apparent wonder, then fell a-laughing. 'What coil's here?' he said. 'Sure, the man's frantic. What, Medor, I shall be apt to think they mean me mischief indeed, if their own sick minds do make 'em start like rabbits at such fairy-babes o' their own imagining. Howbeit, content you, Earl; I do swear you peace and grith, safe conduct to come and to go with liberty of life and of body on all lawful occasions in my dukedom of Zayana, for you and for my lord High Admiral Jeronimy and for my lord Chancellor Beroald; and unto this you have my royal word, as I do trow on the high and blessed Gods and Goddesses Who keep the wide heavens.'

  'I am beholden to your grace,' said the Earl. 'And yet, were it ask a further boon, I think they would treasure it much in writing.'

  The Duke's eye gleamed. 'You have witnesses, my lord. And indeed, if my bond were better than my word, you might stand in some peril now.'

  'Forgive me,' said Roder then. 'We are content with your royal word, and in this I am the mouthpiece of all three of us. And truly,' said he, chuckling in his beard, ‘I may now disclose to your grace the inwardness of my calling of 'em out: 'twas because we should not all three be in your hand afore we had ta'en assurance of our safety. But now, had you been minded to entreat me evilly, he and Beroald do stand at your doors without the citadel with enough stout lads mustered under arms as—'

  The blood rushed to Barganax's face and neck, and his hand leapt to the dagger at his belt. Roder said, 'I am sorry. But your grace will not forget your oath, nor you will not strike a weaponless man. Will't please you enter your closet and suffer me bring in the Admiral and the Chancellor, when we shall confer with you about matters of most weighty consequence.'

  'You are a brave man, Roder,' said Barganax at length, folding his arms and speaking close in the Earl's face. 'Bring in your friends. This circumspection of peace-pledges, and this armed alertness when we were never yet at variance, are clean past my understanding. But tell 'em, for their better counsel, 'twas well you had my oath before I knew you threatened force against me. Had I known or seen it, my answer had been pat and to the purpose.'

  The Earl Roder, as a man that hath escaped a danger the full menace of which he had not apprehended till the danger was past, went forth somewhat shaken from before the face of the Duke.r />
  When they were set in Duke Barganax's closet, the lord Admiral took up the word: they were but five there, those three great officers of state, the Duke himself and Doctor Vandermast. 'It was unadvisedly done,' said the Admiral; 'and we will first tender to your grace our large regrets and most humbly crave your pardon. Yet shall you consider, when you know all, that these be great news and sudden, and something in a manner to root up all past custom and example, so as we know not where we stand, in a manner; and albeit we do well think, my lord Duke, that it shall still lie to our interest, both yours and ours, to hold each by other, sith it well may so come about as that like dangers from the like quarter should menace us both, yet in a manner—'

  'My good lord Admiral,' said the Duke, ‘I pray you put out of mind this of the soldiers. I am satisfied: not another thought will I give it. But, for the matter in hand, we shall the more readily follow your argument if you will first tell us these news you speak on.'

  'Earl Roder', said Jeronimy, 'hath rid from the north this morning with tidings of sudden and great import.'

  'Give me in a word, what is it?' said the Duke.

  'Then,' said Roder, 'in a word: the King is dead.'

  'Heavy news; but 'tis ten months old.'

  'Nay, nay: King Styllis is dead,' said Roder. 'Four days since, in Rerek, in's camp a little beside Hornmere. I was by his bed, held his hand in mine when his soul took flight.'

  Those three lords narrowly watched the Duke who, from his late posture of careless ease, was sat upright at these tidings, his strong and delicate hands grasping the edge of the table of carved sandalwood. His eyes were on Roder's, but seemed to gaze through and beyond him: for a minute he was silent. At length he spoke, saying, *He died young. The Gods rest his soul. He was my brother, though he ne'er was good to me.' He lowered his gaze and was silent again, his fingers drumming on the table. None spoke. Then, as if waking to common things, he looked up and said sharply: 'Dead, by what means?'

  'Eating of some venomous confection,' answered Roder. He paused an instant, then blurted out, 'The common tittle-tattle doth loudly say your grace did poison him.'

  Barganax narrowed his eyes. He fell a-drumming once more on the table. Then, 'I doubt not, my lord Admiral,' said he, 'you have surveyed the field anew ere you came to me with this, and perceived that it is well that you and I should have Meszria solid behind us in our next business. Were it the Vicar had took him off with poison, 'twas first to be looked for he should lay the blame to me.'

  None spake. Jeronimy leaned forward on the table, spreading out his hand palm upwards, and cleared his throat once and again as if in prelude to a speech. Beroald saved his embarrassments by saying, 'Your grace will wish to see all the circumstances before you would determine what were best to do. It were fit you now produce the King's testament, my lord.*

  Roder at that word drew from his bosom a parchment sealed with the royal sign manual. The blood came and went under his swarthy skin, though there was small space to mark it, for the beard grew nigh up to his eyes, and the hair of his head, stiff like a brush, began scarce an inch above his eyebrows. Uneasily he looked at the Duke and said, 'I would desire your grace have patience; and lest you should be deceived to suppose these dispositions coloured any whit by my advisements, be sure you lay your time aright: this testament was execute this fourth of April, as the King's highness' own hand under his seal doth testify, and your grace knoweth well that 'twas not till three days later I did upon commandment go to him in Rerek.'

  'Well, well,' said the Duke, 'what's this to the purpose? Let me have it; as sour as it is, my lips are primed for it.'

  Therewith the Lord Roder, bracing himself as a man in posture to dive into an ice-cold tarn in winter time, read out the parchment, that was writ in manner following:

  'By me Styllys, sonne of Mezencius of glorous memorye uppon whome be pece, greatt Kyng of Fingyswold and of al stattes and domynyons apparteigning thereunto, bee it by riht of guift or lawfull inheretaunce or costom of prynses or riht of conquest by the destroyenge swherde of my greatt Father or mine owne, in wycch large discrypcioun without dowbt casten or throwen uppon the fullness of the same is imbrased or concluded the domynyons places and pryncipalites foloing naymely that is to sayne my nolle maine territorie and kyngdame of Fingyswold and the citty of Rjalmar being the capital citty thereof and prencipall sette or syedge of my statte and gouernement; and my territorie or londe of Reerec and places cytuate and plaste ther withynne being in especially but not exclusively the fortelaces or strangg houlds of Laimac, Cessary, Maegra, Caima, and Anijanna; and my marche of Ulba now gouerned undir my direccion and for my soole behoolfe and sarvys by the after naymed my Vicare of Rerec as aforn sayde; and my cuntree or lond of Mezria and the citees castills fortrasses towneshyps ballywekes herborowes ylands and in a generaltie all the places there withynne buylt or unbuylt dwellid in or unhabyted, but not to exclud aught that is not naymed or emplyed in this large generaltie save and exept only the ducall apponage of Zajana whereof I doo of my brotherly loove and affectione renounse al claymes of soverainty in fauour and for enjoyment of Barrganax, reputed sonne of the sed Kyng Mezencius of glorous memorie vpon whome be peace, wycch sed Barrgnax I doo heereby irreuocably indue and envest and the heiers of his bodye for euer with the sayde apponage, being nycely and puntyvally limitted by the bundaries or limytts descrived or delineate on the mappe wycch by this My roialle Seall of fingyswold is made faste unto this My roialle testment—'

  'Let me see it,' said the Duke. He looked carefully at the map, nodded, showed it to Vandermast, thea passed it back to Roder. Roder proceeded:

  ‘I the sayde Kyng Syllys do beqwithe and giue my roiall estatt and name of Kyngdam and al my holle Realme and Pocessyons afore sed or what somever save as exepted unto my Systyr Antiope Prynsace of Fingyswold being besydis myself the soole summing Chylde borne in wedloke of the sayde greatt Kyng Mezencius vpon Whome bee pece. And considering how that the mortality of kynges is subgette unto the inconsederat and fyckle stoopes and strypes of Fate noe les miserablely than comon mens mortallity, therfore in cace the sayde Prynsace Antiopy should bee in time of My deth nat yet come unto full aage of xviii yeeres, with addycyon of iii yeeres in consideracion that shee is a wommon and that I doo coumpt hir as nat fit to euse full dyscreccion and awtoritee tyll shee be full xxi years of aage, I do dyrect and wylle that the lorde Hoorius Parrye my wel loued and trusted servaunt being in some degrie of My kynnedred or affinitie and being heereby confirmed by Me in his estatt and roialle offyce as Vicaire on my behalve and my successours in my befoare naymed kyngdame of Reerec shaibe protectour and wardeyne of my systyr during her minorite and shall in Her name rewll the realme as Regent during that time afoare sed and shall charisshe and care for Her diligently and louyngly in al poincts as a Father should and in al things estudie hir propper good and saftie and the inhansement of hir realme and soverainty. But as touching my sayde kyngdam of Mezria—'

  'Proceed, as touching Meszria,' said the Duke. '

  'Tis thus far i' the bounds of reasonable surmise; though I might a looked to see my royal sister entrusted to my care sooner than to so questionable a tutor. True it is, I ne'er set eyes upon her, but I am far nearer by blood and (or I should hate myself else) far more to trust to.

  'Ere I proceed,' said Roder, 'I would inform your grace of this; hard for me to say, but I pray bear with me. The King on's death-bed did directly say to me that though he was at odds with the Vicar, he did believe so great an honour as this is should bind him faithfully to the royal interest, but your grace he did misdoubt (as he did openly say, but I did speak against it) of a secret determination to usurp the kingdom, and so feared to entrust the Princess unto you.'

  'Proceed, man,' said the Duke. Roder proceeded:

  'As touching my sayde kyngdam of Mezria, save and exept the sayde apponage of Zayjana as heerin befoare prouided, I do point my wel beloued faythfull sarvante the Lorde Hy Amerall Ieronimy to rewill all the londe as Regent therof during my se
d Systyrs minorite and therafter as Shee shall of Hir roiall wylle and pleasire determine of. And who some ere shall neglect contempne or sette on syde any dysposicion of this My Testment, lat his life haue an erly a suddant and an euill endinge and lat the Angre of the Goddes reste vpon him. Giuen under my roiall seall and under myne hande in my pauylyoun bisyde Hornmeere in Rerec this fourt day of Aprelle in the yeere of my raighne I.

  Styllys R.'

  A silence of little ease fell on their council when Roder ended his reading of that testament. Except old Vandermast's not an eye was raised: those others shrank, in that silence, from meeting Barganax's glance: Barganax himself sat staring downward with a cat-like intention on the void table-top before him. When he spoke at last it was in a strained voice, as if he rode wrath on the curb, tight held yet ready to overleap at the least slackening of control all bounds, all reason. 'You will libel me out a copy of that, my lord Chancellor, certified under your hand and under his and his,' pointing with his eye at Roder and Jeronimy.