Palace Intrigue

by Lina J. Potter

  Hans pondered the idea. “What will the job entail? Spying?”

  “I believe that’s exactly the thing. Rumors, gossip, competitors, collecting information for her. Very much like what you do for His Majesty.”

  The envoy nodded. “I see. I will have to think on this.”

  “Please do. How is your investigation into Lily’s trouble proceeding?”

  Hans looked satisfied. “We recently hung the scoundrel who orchestrated it all.”

  “What of the woman who was involved?” August had followed news of the intrigue.

  “She faces exile. It would be impossible to execute her without outside evidence.”

  “But what if she just does it again to someone else?”

  “I don’t believe she will. His Majesty has asked us to come up with an appropriate way to restrain her actions.”

  “Did you find the person who hired the medicus?”

  “I’m afraid not. Whoever he is, he is skilled at cutting off any threads that would lead back in his direction.”

  Broklend frowned. “Does that mean that this enemy could reach out and kill my daughter and be none the worse for it?”

  Hans’ eyes flashed. “Of course not! Don’t even say that! If I had my way…”

  However, both men understood that the unknown enemy who had hired Medicus Craybey would be much more difficult to catch than Adelaide’s cousin, Alex.

  “I have tried talking to the Iveleans. Peter doesn’t know anything, and Amalia is soon to be brought to childbed.”

  August understood that Hans couldn’t jump higher than his own head. He was a smart man and a consummate professional, but he was not the king. And there were certain aristocrats who answered only to the highest authority. The men spoke for a few more minutes and parted ways.

  As Hans climbed the many stairs leading to the king’s reception hall, he turned a new idea over in his mind. I’ve never heard of a king’s envoy retiring before, but why not find out if it can be done? After all, His Majesty has an interest in Lilian Earton’s wellbeing…

  He was afraid to speak his idea out loud, but he held on to it tightly.

  ***

  Torius Avermal was rarely at a loss for words, but he was struck dumb when he saw three ships from the Khanganate standing in the harbor in Altver. For a whole three minutes, he could do no more than open and close his mouth.

  The ship captains waited for him to speak first. Finally, Torius bowed. Although he was a baron and they were mere commoners, they were men who had braved the sea in winter, and that fact alone made them worthy of his respect.

  “I am pleased to welcome you to Altver. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the mayor of Altver, Baron Torius Avermal.”

  The men glanced at each other. The most important-looking of the three stepped forward. His importance was not underscored by his clothes. All the men wore almost identical wide pants and fur coats. What set him apart was his beard, which was neatly trimmed and oiled, and the large ruby ring on the first finger of his left hand.

  “Lord Avermal, we are grateful for your hospitality,” the man said with a bow. “My name is Rashad Omar din Darashaya. I come from a long line of Guards of the Oases.”

  Torius bowed again. He knew that there were no noble families in the Khanganate, at least not in the Ativernan sense. However, they did have Guards of the Oases, Guards of the Caravan Roads, and Men of the Water. These three tribes were respected above all others. Any Khangan would think long and hard before raising his hand against a man from these tribes.

  “May I invite you to my home? My table is humble compared to your own, but you are welcome to share what I have.”

  The Khangan smiled. “Lord Avermal, at any other time, my friends and I would leap at your offer. Now, however, we are chasing hope, and we are chased by great fear.” The man spoke perfect Ativernese, and only his unusual phrasing gave him away as a foreigner. “The Great Khangan has entrusted us with that which he holds most dear—his son. He charged us with delivering the boy to Earton with the utmost speed.”

  “Earton?” Torius nearly lost his balance. “What for?”

  “Our ruler says that in Earton we may find a way to save his son’s life. That is where we are headed now.”

  Avermal let his breath out. “Then, gentleman, I believe you will want to stay here for one more day.” The Khangans looked at him expectantly. “I enjoy frequent correspondence with her ladyship.”

  “The Countess of Earton?” asked Rashad.

  “Exactly,” said Torius with a small bow of the head. “Two of her men are in my house at this moment. They brought me a letter from her. I am sure you will welcome their help piloting your ships up the Earta River.”

  ***

  Rashad looked closely at the mayor. This man is weak, like all who were not born under the Star Mare. He has no faith in himself, but he intends us no evil. I believe he is trying to help.

  Rashad bowed again to show his appreciation for Torius’ offer of assistance. “If what you say is true, then we will gain ten days by delaying a single day. My men will rest and replenish our stores of food and water. Several dozen of our water barrels cracked during the crossing.”

  Torius shook his head, indicating the brave nature of making that crossing. “I will pray to our lord Aldonai for the success of your mission. And now, please follow me.”

  ***

  Lily was glad to fall into the routine of winter. As the days passed, she grew comfortable in the life she had built for herself. She worked in her laboratory, wrote her books about medicine, helped Miranda with her lessons, and dropped pearls of wisdom on Tahir and Jaimie. Her days were pleasant and productive until a pigeon arrived with a letter from Baron Avermal.

  “Tahir!” she announced to her friend. “A group of your countrymen will soon be here with us. Three ships full of them.”

  “What do you mean, My Lady?”

  “One of the ships carries your prince. According to Torius’ letter, he is on his deathbed.”

  Tahir looked alarmed. He reached for the letter. “May I?”

  Lily handed him her key for deciphering the message.

  My Lady,

  Three Khangan ships are coming up the river to Earton bringing the prince of that land, who is near death. I have given them all the things you asked for.

  Baron Avermal

  “Tahir, what will happen to us if the prince of your people dies here in Earton?”

  “I will be put to death.”

  “What about me?”

  “No one will touch you, My Lady. I am the one who wrote to the Great Khangan. The outcome concerns me alone.”

  A glass vase hit the wall and shattered at Tahir’s feet. He jumped.

  “Tahir, have you lost your mind?” Lily was past worrying about politeness. “Do you really think I will let a friend of mine be killed just because someone decided to poison your prince? What if it isn’t even poison? It could be cancer, for all I know.”

  “Cancer, My Lady?”

  “Cancer is a…never mind. It could be any of a number of maladies, and we don’t know which one.” She made a fist and pounded on her desk with each word. “If something goes wrong, I don’t want to hear a single word about you being responsible. I’ll send you to hide in Donter.”

  Tahir’s eyes looked darker than usual as he looked down at his friend and protector. “My Lady, do not take on more than you can handle.”

  “You’ve already gotten me involved in this. A little more or a little less makes no difference.”

  He shrugged. “All roads are chosen by the Star Mare. No one knows which road she will choose.”

  As Lily watched his face, she felt her anger melt away. He’s a darned pessimist; that’s what he is.

  ***

  The Khangans made their way up the Earta at good speed. Soon, Lily was faced with an entire delegation at the castle gates, complete with a curtained palanquin that emitted the fragrant scent of incense. The countess took one loo
k at her visitors and decided there was no point in playing at diplomacy with them since she was sure to lose.

  Instead, she simply took a step forward and curtsied with a smile.

  Lons spoke for her. “Allow me to introduce you to her ladyship, the Countess of Earton.” Lily curtsied again. “And her daughter, Miranda Catherine Earton.” Miranda copied Lily’s curtsy. She was terribly proud of herself and looked adorable. As usual, stepmother and stepdaughter were dressed in a similar style, wearing blouses and skirts overlaid with fine vests stitched with amber beads. The effect was both simple and very expensive.

  The Khangans noticed. The senior member of the delegation took a step forward and bowed. “My Lady, it is a great honor for us to set foot on your land. My name is Rashad Omar din Darashaya. I come from a long line of Guards of the Oases.”

  Lily turned to Lons. Once again, she sent up silent thanks for the slave ship that had brought him to Earton. He spoke slowly. “We know the traditions of the Khangans. Your visit is an honor for the house of Earton.

  The guests seemed pleased by Lons’ words, and the atmosphere became a little less stiff. The senior Khangan continued. “My Lady, these men are the ship captains Alim Ramar din Sharradji, another descendant of the Guards of the Oases, and Nazar Khalim din Kharnari, from the Men of the Water.”

  Lily inclined her head ever so slightly. Lons spoke. “We are pleased to welcome all those who find the path to our home. All men are at the mercy of the Star Mare.”

  When they were received as friends and given the proper respect, the Khangans relaxed somewhat. Once again, the senior member of the delegation spoke. “The Great Khangan has heard of the beauty and intelligence of the lady of this house. In his infinite wisdom, he ordered us to bring to Earton the light of his eyes, his eldest son by his beloved wife, Gizyar. We were fortunate, and the waves carried us over the terrible gulf, to the port in Altver. There, we found a guide who brought us up the river to this place. Now, we must fall at the feet of the lady of the house.”

  Lons broke in, “The lady of the house will be happy to do all she can for you. All roads are chosen by the Star Mare, and we have no knowledge of the road she will choose…”

  The men bowed and stepped aside for the servants carrying the palanquin. Lily took a step forward. Her hands were shaking. Can I do this? I remember the symptoms of mercury poisoning, but what if he has something else?

  When the servants pulled open the curtain, she saw a living skeleton. The boy, who looked to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, was pale and hollow-eyed, and his breathing was labored. He had all the obvious signs of poisoning by mercury.

  “Get him into the castle and straight to the infirmary!” she cried. She would put everything she had into the fight to save this boy. “Jaimie! Tahir! Let’s go!”

  The Khangan delegation looked startled. Lons took the senior man by the elbow. “Allow me to show you in. You can be confident that the countess would never harm your prince. You can see for yourself how she cares for her patients after you rest and have something to eat.”

  ***

  Lily was already issuing orders. Tahir was drawing a warm bath filled with pine boughs. Jaimie was preparing several adsorbent remedies. I have to get the poison out of his body! If only we had a hemodialysis machine… Moving confidently, her hands began to prepare herbal remedies to cleanse the boy’s liver and kidneys. You made it all the way here, young man, and I have every intention of saving you. Just hold on a little bit longer. I promise you will get better!

  When the boy’s servants undressed him and laid him in the warm bath, Lily bit her lip to keep from crying. It was clear that someone had been poisoning the boy for many years.

  Tahir turned to the countess with hope in his eyes. “My Lady…”

  “If he made it all the way to Earton, they must have been giving him only the tiniest of doses of the poison all along. We just don’t know how they did it.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “If someone is still poisoning him while we treat him, he won’t get better. Tahir, I thought you knew a great deal about poisons.”

  The man’s face was long. “My Lady, many others tried to heal the boy before me. I believe the Great Khangan also hired a medicus for his son.”

  She turned to Jaimie. He stepped into the hall and came back quickly. “He has three men serving as medicus. They will bring them to us.”

  “I’m surprised he’s still alive,” Lily remarked.

  It took a long time to bathe the boy. Despite his extreme emaciation, he had a sturdy frame and was fairly heavy. Lily had every stitch of his clothing removed. She didn’t know how the mercury was getting to him, but she intended to close off every avenue the poisoner could have used. After that, she gave him a mixture of milk and egg whites, followed by finely sieved charcoal, followed by more milk. I have to get as much liquid in him as possible. I would give half my estate for an IV and a couple of bags of saline! It had cost Lily a great deal of effort to obtain activated charcoal for medicinal uses. Her blacksmith and her glassblower had made her a contraption for steam heating charcoal derived from the bark of birch trees. In the end, she used the birch from two whole trees and made a total of five pounds of activated charcoal.

  Now, looking down at her suffering patient as he lay in the clean bed she had prepared for him, the countess reflected that she would have to start on a second batch of charcoal immediately. Even five birch trees might not be enough. But it wasn’t just mercury that needed to be removed; Lily suspected that the remedies the boy had been given in the Khanganate were only making him worse. How long will it take me to get the mercury out of him? At least forty days. She would have to keep the boy until spring, perhaps longer.

  Lily only left the prince’s room when it was time for dinner. When she reached the dining room, she bowed to her guests and took her place at the head of the table. Miranda materialized at her side. “Mama, how is the patient?”

  “He’s not well,” Lily answered honestly. “If he lives the next two tennights, he has a chance of getting well.” She looked around at her Khangan guests. “I believe it must have been more difficult to poison him while he was onboard the ship. Otherwise, he would never have made it here.”

  The men glanced at each other.

  Lons turned to the countess. “My Lady, I have found rooms for your guests in the left wing.”

  Lily nodded. The Virmans, the Eveers, and all other newcomers were put in the right wing, where there was still plenty of room, but the Khangans were guests of a different sort. She wanted them to have plenty of room to make up their accommodations as they pleased.

  “What about the crews?”

  “I have called for the village elders. We will find beds for ten men in each village. They will take turns keeping watch on their ships.”

  “Can we feed them all?” This question was addressed to Ingrid, who nodded energetically.

  “I have not had a chance to send to Altver for supplies, but I believe we can make it to spring.”

  One of the Khangans spoke up. “Do not concern yourself with our keep, My Lady. We brought plenty of provisions with us. We will not be a burden on your house.”

  Lily waved a hand. “I beg you not to consider yourselves a burden. If the Star Mare brought you to my house, I will do everything to ensure that you are in need of nothing.”

  The man’s face was still creased with worry. “My Lady, your words are very kind, but we would like to know more about the condition of young Amir Gulim.”

  Lily realized she hadn’t even known the patient’s name. “He is alive, but in very poor condition. I cannot know the extent to which his internal organs have been damaged. We will keep watch over him and treat him to the best of our ability.” She had no way to explain the effects of mercury on the liver, kidneys, and intestines.

  The men listened attentively to each word and asked if they could visit the boy. Lily consented, but with one warning. “The poison did not get into his blood on it
s own. I will have someone sitting watch by his bed at all times. If you care about his wellbeing, then remember that the first attempt to send away my nurse will be deemed an admission of guilt.”

  The men’s eyes flashed as they glanced at each other.

  Lily was obstinate. “He is my patient. I am responsible for his life and health. Anyone who goes against my orders will become my enemy.”

  The air in the dining room was electrified. Tahir tapped his glass with a fork. “Lilian-jan, please… our guests are not used to being spoken to in this manner.” The Khangans were shocked that Tahir din Dashar, one of the greatest healers and scholars in the world, would speak to a woman with such respect. They were even more shocked by her response.

  Lily smiled and sat down. “Forgive me my temper, gentlemen. Please understand that my motivation is a good one. I cannot stand to see a young man wither and die at the hands of an enemy when he could have lived for many long years. Tahir, my friend, I beg you to collect the information we need.”

  Tahir began to pepper the Khangans with questions. What did the boy eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner while on the boat? What did he drink? How much? How often did he use the privy? What did he wear? Did he have any favorite objects or pets? Who took care of him? What covering was on the walls of his room at home? He asked about symptoms, reactions, the names of men who had treated him. Lily had wanted to invite the Khangan medicuses to the table, but Tahir had told her it would never do—they were ranked too low to eat at her table. Fine. Then I will question them later…in private.

  The answers Lily got from the delegation left her with little to go on. The boy preferred simple food and had always eaten little. He was a passionate hunter. He had never been interested in rocks or minerals, and he had never used cosmetics of any kind. So far, there were no leads. But the poison is coming from somewhere! I thought the mercury was likely to be hidden in his room, but if that were so, he would feel better simply by leaving home. What if he brought it with him?