‘None of those sound very nice either,’ she objected.
‘What we’re doing isn’t nice, Asrana. Oldoran’s the legal authority here in Asturia, and we’re plotting his overthrow. That makes us criminals – or patriots.’
‘That’s a nicer word. I like that one.’
‘Very well, then, Patriot Asrana. You told me that you could wrap any man in Vo Astur around your little finger. Get to wrapping.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘Go out there and start breaking hearts. Flutter your eyelashes, spread around those long, low, suggestive looks, sigh a lot and heave your bosom. Let your eyes fill with luminous tears.’
‘Oh, what fun!’ she exclaimed, clapping her hands in glee. ‘Are you going to break hearts too, Polly?’
I shook my head. ‘I’m not known here, so the people we’ll be trying to recruit wouldn’t be inclined to listen to me. Besides, I’ve got some other things to take care of. That means that you two will have to make all the necessary contacts. I want a dozen or so cohorts in the proper places at the proper time tonight. See to it.’
‘Have you by any chance ever commanded troops, Lady Polgara?’ Earl Mangaran asked curiously.
‘Not as yet, my Lord. I can usually get things done without bloodshed. Oh, that reminds me. I am going to need an archer – the best you can find. I’m going to need one arrow in a very specific place at a very specific time.’
‘I knew she was going to kill the duke!’ Asrana exclaimed delightedly.
‘No, dear,’ I told her. ‘I want the duke to come out of this alive. If we kill him, all the people at Baron Torandin’s party will be up in arms tomorrow morning. The arrow’s intended for somebody else. Let’s get started. This day won’t last forever, and we all have a lot to do. And don’t sneak or look guilty. Keep that word “patriot” right in front of your eyes.’
That set things in motion, but the limitations I’d imposed kept our plot from stirring too many ripples. Regardless of their other faults, Arends are among the world’s great plotters. Asrana and Mangaran moved quietly through the courtiers, sounding out the crucial ones and keeping the rest in the dark. Naturally, they extracted oaths of silence and embedded some ridiculous passwords and recognition signals in the minds of our co-conspirators. I guess the only objections they encountered had to do with the haste at which we were moving. A one-day coup didn’t really fit into the Arendish conception of how things ought to be done.
By noon, our conspiracy was fairly well established. Mangaran subverted a few older, more substantial members of the court, and Asrana skimmed off the cream of the young hot-heads. My own contributions that morning were chemical in nature. The wine our co-conspirators drank for the rest of the day wouldn’t have knocked a fly Off the wall. Those most likely to remain loyal to Oldoran drank wine that would not only have gotten the fly, but probably the wall he perched on as well.
It was about an hour or so past noon when Mangaran’s friend, the Marquis Torandin, issued his selective invitations to ‘an intimate little soirée at my residence this evening’. Then Mangaran and Asrana had to go back through the ranks of their cohorts to tell them not to protest their exclusion from the festivities. At that particular time in Vo Astur just about everything was suspended when a good party was in the offing, and several plotters seemed torn between the conflicting delights of a good party or a good revolution.
In the second hour past noon, I had to come up with a way to keep the duke at home. I solved that by fortifying the wine he was drinking as he sprawled on his throne. By the third hour, he was comatose.
The ‘Tolnedran’ at his elbow began to have a few suspicions at that point, I think, but we were moving too rapidly for him by now.
Our scheme was ridiculously simple. When you’re dealing with Arends, you should always try to avoid complexity. Every courtier in the palace had a number of ‘valets’, ‘grooms’, ‘butlers’, and the like in his entourage. Since this was Arendia, these ‘servants’ all had assorted weapons concealed about their persons, and they’d respond immediately to commands even though they didn’t know what was going on. We had plenty of manpower should we need it, but once those who might oppose us had trooped across town to Marquis Torandin’s party, our only opposition might come from the duke’s own bodyguards, and tampering with the wine served to them with their evening meal would neatly get them out from underfoot. The imitation Tolnedran quite probably had a few bully-boys at his disposal, but our superior numbers made us confident that they wouldn’t pose much of a problem. Our excuse for deposing Oldoran would be ‘his Grace’s sudden illness’. There was nothing really ‘sudden’ about it. Oldoran had spent years head-down in a wine barrel to achieve his current condition.
Not long before supper, I took Asrana and Mangaran back out into the rose garden to hammer down some last-minute details. ‘Don’t kill him,’ I instructed them very firmly. ‘Everything will fly apart if you do. I want everybody to pull a long face when we do this. Pretend to be concerned about Oldoran’s health.’ I looked at Mangaran. ‘Did you speak with the abbot?’ I asked.
He nodded. ‘He’s got everything ready. Oldoran will have pleasant quarters in the monastery and all the wine he can possibly drink. The abbot will issue periodic statements about his Grace’s condition – which will probably deteriorate as time goes by.’
‘Don’t do anything to help that along,’ I cautioned. ‘Let Oldoran’s liver take him off.’
‘How long’s that likely to take, Polly?’ Asrana asked me.
‘I’d give him about another six months,’ I replied. “The whites of his eyes are already yellow. His liver’s turning to stone. He’ll start raving before long, and that’s when you’ll want to start taking his supporters to see him. Let them observe his condition for themselves.’
‘Are you the one who’s making his liver go bad, Polly?’ Asrana asked.
‘No. He’s done that all by himself.’
‘Does wine really do that to people?’
‘Oh, yes, dear. You might want to think about that.’
‘Maybe I’d better cut back just a little bit,’ she said with a slightly worried frown.
‘I would. It’s your liver, though. Now, then, I want you two to circulate among our “patriots”. Impress upon them the fact that we’re doing this regretfully. We don’t want to do it, but we have no choice. Our revolution grows out of our love for Asturia.’
‘That’s not entirely true, Lady Polgara,’ Mangaran told me candidly.
‘Lie about it, then. Good politics are always based on lies. When you make these speeches, always be sure there are people in the crowd to lead the cheering. Don’t leave anything to chance.’
‘You’re a terrible cynic, Polly,’ Asrana accused.
‘Possibly, but I can live with it. Pressing right along, then. After the duke’s safely tucked away in that monastery, talk with some of the local barons. I want lots of armed men in the streets of Vo Astur by morning. Caution the barons that I want their troops to be polite. No looting, no murders, no fires, no incidental rapes. They’ll be out there to maintain order and nothing else. I’ll decide what’s disorderly. Let’s not give the opposition any excuses for counter-revolution. Oh, one other thing. Tomorrow morning, an old man with white hair and wearing a white robe is going to come here to the palace. He’s going to make a speech, and I want everybody here at court – drunk or sober – to hear that speech. He’s going to tell everybody that what we’ve done has been done at his specific orders. I don’t think we’ll have any trouble after that.’
‘Who in all this world has that much authority?’ Mangaran asked, looking slightly startled.
‘My father, naturally.’
‘Holy Belgarath himself?’ Asrana gasped.
‘I wouldn’t tack “holy” onto him until after you’ve met him, dear,’ I advised. ‘And I wouldn’t turn my back on him, if I were you. He has an eye for the ladies and a little difficulty in keeping his hands to himse
lf.’
‘Really?’ she said archly. ‘What an interesting idea.’ Asrana, it appeared, was worse than I thought.
‘Did you find my archer, Mangaran?’ I asked the earl.
‘Yes, Lady Polgara,’ he replied. ‘His name’s Lammer, and he can thread a needle with an arrow at a hundred paces.’
‘Good. I’ll want to speak with him before we set things in motion.’
‘Ah–’ Mangaran said a bit tentatively, ‘just exactly when’s that going to be, Lady Polgara?’ he asked.
‘When I come into the throne room this evening, my Lord. That’ll be your signal to start.’
‘I’ll watch for you,’ he promised.
‘Do that. Now, let’s get to work.’
I lingered in the rose garden until they’d left. ‘All right, father,’ I said, speaking to a decorative lemon tree, ‘you can come down now.’
He looked just a bit foolish after he’d flown down and resumed his real form. ‘How did you know I was around?’ he asked.
‘Don’t be tiresome, father. You know perfectly well that you can’t hide from me. I always know when you’re around.’ I paused. ‘Well? What do you think?’
‘I think you’re taking a lot of chances, and you’re moving too fast.’
‘I have to move fast, father. I can’t be certain just who’s in that Murgo’s pocket.’
‘That’s exactly my point. You’re hanging your whole scheme on the two who just left, and you only met them this morning. Are you sure they can be trusted?’
I treated him to one of those long-suffering sighs. ‘Yes, father,’ I replied, ‘I’m sure. Mangaran has a lot to gain, and he does have a few faint tinges of patriotism lurking around his edges.’
‘What about the girl? Isn’t she awfully giddy?’
“That’s a pose, father. Asrana’s very clever, and she’s got at least as much to gain as Mangaran has.’
‘I didn’t exactly follow that, Pol.’
‘A part of the Arendish problem is the fact that women are little more than domestic animals here. Asrana’s going to help take over the government, and when Mangaran’s elevated to the throne, she’ll be right next to the seat of power. She’ll be someone to reckon with here in Asturia after tonight. This is her only opportunity to seize any kind of power, and she won’t do anything to spoil that chance.’
He squinted. ‘Maybe,’ he conceded dubiously.
‘Trust me, father. Will you do it?’
‘Do what?’
‘Make that speech tomorrow morning?’
‘Why don’t you do it?’
‘You remember what I just said about domestic animals? This is Arendia, father. No Arendish man’s going to listen to anybody wearing a skirt. I’ve got to move on to Vo Mimbre, so I don’t have time to convince a crowd of half-drunk Asturian males that I’m not a poodle or a common house-cat. Look at it this way, father. If you make the speech, you get all the credit for what I’ve done – and you didn’t have to do any of the dirty work.’
‘I’ll think about it. Why do you let that silly girl call you “Polly”? If I tried that, you’d set fire to my beard.’
‘Yes, I would, so don’t even think about it. Actually, I wasn’t entirely sure of Asrana’s commitment until she called me “Polly”. Once she did that, I knew I had her in my pocket.’
‘Could you trot that past me again?’
‘She’s pushing, father. Asrana always pushes. I let her get away with it in order to keep her right where I want her.’
‘I will never understand women.’
‘Probably not, no. Oh, before you start composing your speech for tomorrow, would you do me a favor?’
‘More than likely. What did you need?’
‘Oldoran’s bodyguards are at supper right now. Do something to their wine. I want them all to be falling-down drunk before they go on duty.’
‘I thought you didn’t approve of drinking.’
This is a special occasion, father, and special occasions allow us to bend the rules just a little bit. I want to hold down the bloodshed as much as possible this evening. It’s important that Oldoran’s removal from his throne appears to be administrative rather than military.’
‘You’re very good at this, Pol.’
‘Thank you, father. Now, go to the guardroom and incapacitate the duke’s bodyguards. Then start working on your speech while I get on with overthrowing the government.’
Just after supper, a sturdy peasant with a diffident air about him approached me. ‘Lord Mangaran asked me to speak with you, my Lady,’ he said politely. ‘He said you wanted to send somebody a message. I’m supposed to deliver it for you. My name’s Lammer.’
It was a bit obscure – this was a conspiracy, after all – but I got his point. ‘Are you a good messenger?’ I asked him.
‘There’s none better in all Asturia, my Lady. Did you want a demonstration?’
‘I’ll take your word for it, Lammer. I want my message to reach his brain at a specific moment.’
‘I can manage that, my Lady.’ He squinted. ‘I’ll be up in the gallery on the right side of the throne-room,’ he advised me. ‘I’ll send the message on its way and be halfway back down the stairs that lead up to the gallery before it even arrives in his brain.’
‘Excellent fellow. I’m going to go change clothes now, and then I’ll go to the throne-room. Deliver my message as soon as I enter the room.’
‘Yes, my Lady.’ He paused. ‘Urn – ’ he said, ‘who? Who’s supposed to get the message, I mean?’
I told him and a flicker of a smile touched his lips. Then I went to Asrana’s set of rooms to change. I used the gown I’d worn at Beldaran’s wedding. It was striking enough to get everyone’s attention, certainly, and I was very familiar with it, since I’d watched Arell put in every stitch.
No, of course I hadn’t carried it to Arendia with me. It was still hanging in my wardrobe back in father’s tower. I do have certain advantages, after all.
Asrana came in just as I was touching up my hair. ‘My goodness, Polly!’ she said. ‘What a stupendous gown! But isn’t it just a trifle daring?’
‘It’s intended to be, Asrana,’ I told her. ‘All manner of things are going to happen when I walk into the throne-room, and I want to be certain that everybody notices me.’
‘Oh, you can be sure that they will, Polly. It might disrupt the plan, though. Everybody’ll be so busy looking at you that they’ll forget to overthrow the government.’
‘Something’s going to happen that’ll remind them, dear,’ I assured her. ‘Now go get Mangaran for me. Send him here and then go to the throne-room. Circulate around and tell our people to get ready. Things are going to happen rather quickly once I enter the room.’
‘Could you be a little more specific?’
‘No, I don’t think so. I want to surprise everybody. Don’t you like surprises?’
‘Not when I’m in the middle of a plot, I don’t.’ She looked at the sideboard where several decanters stood.
‘No!’ I told her quite firmly. ‘Don’t even think about it! I want your head on straight tonight.’
‘My nerves are strung a little tight, Polly.’
‘Good. I want them to be. Don’t dull your edge, Asrana. Now scoot.’
She left, and Mangaran rapped on the door a few moments later. ‘You wanted to see me, my Lady?’
‘Yes. Come in and close the door.’
He did that.
‘Go directly to the throne-room from here, my Lord,’ I instructed. ‘Ease your way through the crowd until you’re about five feet from the throne. Oldoran is there, isn’t he?’
He nodded. ‘He sort of regained consciousness after supper, and his servants helped him to the throne. His eyes are open, but I doubt that very much is registering on his brain.’
‘Good. As soon as I enter the throne-room, something rather startling is going to happen. I’ll shout some instructions, and you’ll follow them. We’ll hustle the duke
out of the throne-room. It’ll look as if it’s for his protection, but it’s really an excuse to get him on his way to that monastery. I’ll come into the room where you take him and give him a quick medical examination, and then we’ll come out to make the announcement that he’s going into seclusion “for reasons of health”. You’ll be taking over the government at that point. Try to sound regretful about it.’
‘Exactly what is going to happen, Lady Polgara?’
‘You don’t need to know that, my Lord. I want your reactions to be very genuine. If I surprise you, they will be. I’ll be giving you instructions, so just follow them. Under the circumstances, they’ll be completely rational, so nobody’s going to question you. Now go to the throne-room. I’ll be along in just a few moments, and that’s when things will start.’
I want you all to notice that I was very carefully keeping a great many details to myself. Arends have a tendency to want to be helpful, and I didn’t want anybody stepping in to lend a hand at exactly the wrong moment.
I paused for a long moment before leaving Asrana’s apartment, gathering a kind of calmness about me. There were a number of things I had to do in almost the same instant that Lammer’s message reached its mark. Very few in the throne-room were actually privy to our little scheme, and I was going to have to channel everyone else’s thinking in a specific direction. I wasn’t going to leave any openings for speculation. I wanted them all to interpret the event that was about to take place in one specific way.
Then I drew in a deep breath and went out into the corridor that led to the throne-room.
I paused in the shadowy doorway to the great hall to make certain that everyone was in place. Mangaran was near the left side of the throne. Oldoran, his eyes unfocused, sat in his accustomed place. The Murgo in the yellow Tolnedran mantle stood at the befuddled duke’s right elbow with a slightly bored expression on his face. His eyes, however, were moving constantly. I couldn’t see Lammer up in that shadowy gallery, but I wasn’t really supposed to. I sent out a quick, searching thought, and then I relaxed. Lammer was where he was supposed to be. The giddy Asrana was not far from the throne, and she absolutely sparkled. The tension of the moment had made her even more vivacious than usual.
Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress Page 109
