One Land, One Duke

by Emerson, Ru

  "Your accusations are outrageous. You cannot prove Light, and there is no Triad here,” Jadek said flatly. “But even if I had one—Triads are not illegal."

  "Nor immoral?” Lialla put in crisply. “Is that why yours departed—to avoid being involved in your use of Light? As to the substance itself, deny as much as you like, even the poorest of Wielders—anyone with any form of power at all could tell you've Shaped Light yourself, and recently. It's all around you. Uncle, it's become part of you. Odd I could never see it before I left Duke's Fort. Now, of course—but now, you're riddled with it.” And as Jadek glared at her and compressed his lips in fury, Lialla smiled very faintly, a turning of lips that didn't lighten her own black eyes. “And it serves you truly fair,” she added in a low, hard voice. “It came back against you, unexpectedly, didn't it? Before you could find a way to absorb the backlash, it ate through your defenses and it's gnawing at you still.” He shook his head. “Don't bother to deny; anyone with the least power could tell. And I know, Uncle. Thanks to your kind lessons: a first at Lord Evany's fountain, the second in the mountains. I understand Light very well."

  "You lie, Lialla, and it's a dangerous lie, don't you realize that? But I deny—"

  "You'll die of it,” Lialla said, flatly overriding him, “if you can't regain control.” Jadek shook his head once more. “Deny you're dying, if you will. That anyway will remain true whatever you say."

  He drew himself up and sighed in exasperation. “I had hoped for your mother's sake that you'd outgrow this. Let it go, Lialla.” She merely shrugged and looked away from him. Jadek gave her one last black look and turned back to his nephew; his voice showed his anger now. “You listen to me, boy. I refuse, absolutely, to hand Duke's Fort to you. Whatever you think, however you've convinced these men to back you—by whatever promise of spoils or reward—I see nothing to assure me that you have learned anything which would give you the right to set aside my governance. I see less proof that I would survive the night. Oh,” he scoffed and spread his arms wide, “these men you show me, claiming them to be Lord Afronsan's. Perhaps so, but I have no real proof and even so, they are few against your greater numbers and joined in your violent entry here tonight. I absolutely forbid you to petition the Emperor regarding a matter that is purely Duchy business! The Emperor is an elderly man with sufficient duties that I would feel shame to load upon him the burden of yet another which does not in fact concern him. You should feel shame for having even considered it."

  "I?” Aletto asked mildly. “My conscience is clean. Uncle."

  "Is it? But you have recently been in Podhru, while I was here overseeing Zelharri's many needs. What guarantee have I that you did not spread bribes among certain of the civil clerks to make certain that my papers would be mislaid while yours reached the Emperor—with money supplied by men who bear wrongful grudges against me?"

  Aletto stepped back a pace and held up a hand for silence; Jennifer realized that the noise level in the chamber had been steadily growing over the past several minutes. She forced her fingers to ease their murderous grip on the bo, cautiously transferred it to her other hand and let the stiff one fall to her side where she could clench and unclench some circulation back into it. “Wait,” Aletto said. “There is no point to becoming heated; I do not wish it, and I am certain neither of us wishes to distress my mother—or the others whose futures depend on whatever decision is made here. Speak with your men, if you choose. Uncle—or with Lord Afronsan's representatives, if that might ease your concerns.” He turned away and went into a close huddle with Gyrdan and Dahven; Chris gave Jadek one last hard look before he joined the other men, and Jennifer could see his hand clenched into a hard fist at his side, his knee jiggling nervously, the way it did when he was truly furious. Edrith moved unobtrusively over to join his friend and leaned into the group when Chris glanced up and moved to give him room.

  Lialla shifted under Jennifer's hand; her eyes went toward the dais. “Come with me, please,” she whispered. Jennifer nodded. Jadek had walked away, and at the moment she couldn't see him. That was fine, so long as he wasn't anywhere near Lizelle or Robyn.

  "Gladly. And we'd better hurry,” Jennifer whispered back. But Lialla stood very still, staring toward the pair of plush-covered chairs, and Jennifer had to give her a shove to get her attention, and get her moving.

  22

  Lizelle's thin hands clutched at Lialla's; the younger woman went onto one knee and buried her face in her mother's lap. Her mother's anguished whisper scarcely carried any sound at all. “Oh, Lialla, oh, baby; precious, you're all right, you're alive. I didn't think—he said—"

  Lialla's head came up; her face was as white as Lizelle's. “Oh, Mother, he surely didn't tell you I was dead?"

  Lizelle shook her head. “No. But he let me think it.” Lialla now looked utterly stricken, and her voice shook.

  "I'm so sorry, Mother, I didn't realize—I never meant for that to happen.” She swallowed. “I should have known he would do that."

  "Lialla, it's all right, I knew you both had to go; don't, girl, don't look so.” Lizelle touched her daughter's hair with shaking fingers. “It's all right."

  "It's not all right! I hate him for that, for all that you had to go through!” Lialla whispered fiercely. She reclaimed her mother's fingers then and kissed them. “Oh, gods,” she added drearily, “Mother, I can't stay here just now. Aletto needs me at his side. I had to make certain you were all right.” Her eyes slid over the black dress, the thin form under it. “They said—he said you were—” The sin-Duchess blushed, shook her head.

  "He claimed you were pregnant,” Jennifer said quietly and deliberately. Someone had better defuse the emotion on this dais, she thought grimly, or Lialla wouldn't be any use to anyone. And poor Lizelle looked like she might collapse any moment.

  "I was.” Lizelle looked up at Jennifer curiously. “You're one of the outlanders Merrida got, aren't you? Thank you for helping my children."

  "We all three helped where we could,” Jennifer said. “Your children did fine themselves, though. You said—wait, you said you were pregnant?"

  "I lost the baby, nights ago—I forget how many.” The woman's eyes sagged closed. “He wanted it so badly; and he was so angry when he found out how I'd cheated him of an heir, I thought he'd—never mind. So when he insisted, I simply—” Her voice faded. She stared past Jennifer, finally blinked and gave her daughter a faint, tremulous smile. “At my age, though, and after so many years Thread-barren, I was afraid a child might not take, or it might be misformed. That—happens."

  "You didn't warn him?” Jennifer asked; she bit her lip and when Lizelle looked up at her again with those smudgy, haunted eyes, merely shook her head.

  "He—wanted it—a boy—so badly. If I'd said that, he'd have thought—thought I was trying to thwart him yet again. He was already so—” She swallowed, ran a pale tongue over her lips. “It was simpler to say nothing, and to hope. It was foolish, I suppose. Still, there was a chance I might have borne him the heir he wanted."

  "Mother,” Lialla said urgently. “You've had proper care, tell me you have!” Lizelle nodded once. “And Jadek doesn't blame you?"

  Lizelle considered this vaguely, shrugged, then shook her head. “I can't tell, he's been so dreadfully upset—the baby, Aletto, something with his household but he wouldn't talk of it. Merrida said he brought a Triad to Duke's Fort, I made her hide from them, but—it didn't save her. The past days he's been even worse and—he hasn't spoken to me since I miscarried. Only when—the way he looks at me, that way—you know, Lialla, he won't speak, just stares as though he hates me, and I don't know what he wants, what to say or do. Perhaps he does blame me; he may think I did it for spite. But I didn't, I wouldn't have for such a reason, not ever, I swear it—!” Her voice was spiraling toward hysteria; two of Jadek's men nearest the dais glanced toward the women curiously.

  "Shhh,” Lialla whispered urgently, and kissed her mother's hands in turn. “No one in all Rhadaz
would believe that, not of you, not even my uncle.” She looked up as Jennifer touched her shoulder and nodded toward the room. “Mother, I must leave you in a few more moments; Aletto needs me. You won't be alone, though. This, Mother, is Robyn; she's Aletto's wife, since Podhru.” The older woman turned to gaze blankly down at Robyn, who offered her a shy, tentative smile. “You'll like her, Mother.” She transferred her mother's clinging fingers to Robyn's outstretched hands. Lizelle freed one and plucked at her daughter's sleeve; if possible, her face had gone even whiter and her eyes were wide and terrified.

  "Lialla, promise you won't hurt him! Swear you won't!” she whispered.

  "Mother, don't—"

  "Think of me, if not of him; please, swear you won't!"

  "Lialla, go back to your brother,” Jennifer said quietly. She caught hold of Lizelle's hand and eased it away from the younger woman's sleeve. Lialla opened her mouth, closed it again without saying anything, and fled back to the clutch of men around Aletto. Jennifer shook the older woman's hand to get her attention. “Listen to me, please. Aletto does not want to harm your husband, and that's mostly for your sake. Listen to your son, to what he says. He's had a long time to think this through and he's doing everything he can to spare Jadek. God knows you'd be better off without a man like that; anyone can see what he's done to you. Right now, you're beyond realizing it, but never mind that. Aletto will not harm Jadek,” she said, carefully spacing the words. “Not if there's any way around it. But that will be up to Jadek."

  She wasn't certain if the woman had understood anything. Lizelle simply continued to gaze at her with those terrible, agonized eyes. Jennifer pressed the woman's hand into Robyn's once more, said, “Take care of her, Birdy, and watch out for yourself."

  "We're all right,” Robyn said firmly. Jennifer got back to her feet and stepped off the dais. “Go help Aletto fix things; we'll be waiting right here."

  * * * *

  The group around Aletto had broken up, and he was standing by himself once more, arms folded, patiently waiting. One of Afronsan's men came up and spoke to him; Aletto nodded curtly and the man went back to his companions. Jennifer watched curiously as the rest of the observers gathered around him. A moment later, they began working toward the dais.

  Dahven's fingers caught hold of hers; she gave him a brief smile. He replied with a wink, squeezed and then released her hand. Jadek came away from the Sehfi onlookers and this time two large men wearing his colors moved with him. When he halted several paces away from his nephew, the two arranged themselves rather ostentatiously at his back. Dahven made a very faint shrug and cast his eyes up, then moved to stand behind Aletto; Chris took up the position at the nera-Duke's other shoulder. Edrith moved over next to him, turning at a right angle to face the merchants and the outer doors.

  "Have you decided, Uncle?” Aletto finally asked.

  Jadek spread his arms in a broad shrug, then folded them across his chest. His jaw was set, his eyes narrowed; and when he spoke his voice rang with anger. “There is nothing to decide, boy. I named you unfit to rule when marsh fever weakened both your body and your wit; I did as much a second time, when you murdered my cousin and fled Duke's Fort, and later when you confirmed my early judgment by spreading your vicious lies and conducting a campaign of violence wherever you went. How dare you come here in such a fashion, how dare you pretend before these men that I am a usurper and you the wronged heir, that I have kept back anything you could truly manage? Is this an outlander trick they have taught you, to attack your uncle and the man who kept you and cared for you after your father's death? Zelharri is mine, Aletto. While you were growing into a useless, wine-bibbing, whining, spineless weakling, I devoted all those years, all my energies to Zelharri. What have you done for this Duchy? Nothing! Not—one—thing!” His voice rose to a shout. He was breathing hard, red in the face, his dark-rimmed blue eyes were nearly black. After a moment he went on, not as loudly, but forcefully, clipping his words. “The decision is mine and mine alone. There is nothing else to say. If you are so foolish as to consider a petition to the Emperor, the door is there, the gates beyond, and Podhru—but you know how many days to the south Podhru lies, don't you, boy?"

  "And we know how many obstacles a vindictive man can put in his path,” Lialla said flatly.

  Aletto glanced at her, shook his head, and she compressed her lips. “I am home, and I intend to stay,” he said clearly. “Particularly since you insist this is Duchy business. Very well. I repeat, I am three years past age and sound."

  "Sound,” Jadek scoffed.

  "Fit, if you prefer,” Aletto said. “But that is a simple contention to remove. Let anyone who wishes examine me for fault—that is, for any fault,” he corrected himself carefully, “that would preclude a man from ruling. I will have no man say a feeble man, or a cripple—or a drunkard—took what he could not control.” He waited; Jadek simply stared at him. After a moment Aletto shrugged and went on. “Uncle, I realize you have not gutted Zelharri to line your own pockets, or willfully harmed her people; I know you worked hard all those years. I am not ungrateful.

  "But now we have met once more, I know we could never live harmoniously in the same Duchy. And so—"

  "And so you simply exile me? Am I given choice of place, or do you claim that right also?"

  "Within reason, the choice is yours. If Mother chooses to go with you, that is between you and her."

  Jadek laughed, very quietly. “But you hope, after all these years, that she'll toss me aside? Stupid, naive boy. Your mother will do whatever I ask of her; you don't understand that even yet, do you?” He lowered his voice even further. “I could laugh at you until I hurt; you're caught in a web of your own weaving. You don't dare kill me, not with Afronsan's men scrupulously taking note; you wouldn't keep Zelharri any longer than it took them to ride back to Podhru. Kill me, and you'll turn half the men in this room against you, at once; your mother will die cursing you.” He grinned, a flash of teeth under dark, intense eyes. “But if you let me live? You'll never be quite certain of your safety ever again, will you? Or that of your sweet wife—and I wonder that you'll ever be certain any children she produces are yours. Your fever—” Aletto drew a deep breath, shook his head as Jadek paused and looked at him inquiringly. The younger man waved a hand for him to continue. “Kill me, and you'll always doubt the loyalty of the men around you who saw you murder your father's brother, the man who raised you.

  "And your sister. If I am riddled with Light, what manner of creature is she?” His eyes strayed to Lialla, touched Jennifer, fixed on Aletto once again. “She could kill you at any time. And think about Lizelle—if somehow you could keep her here. Remember how many years she's been my wife.

  "It's a pity, Aletto; but you're soft. Weak. Like your father, really. Whatever you do here, in the long run I win."

  "You don't win if you're dead,” Lialla spat at him.

  "Be still, girl!” Jadek snarled; his hand was partway up but Lialla held her ground and it took him a visible effort to let the arm back down to his side. “You won't kill me, because you can't."

  "Don't wager on that,” Lialla whispered.

  "I do, and with cause: Evany's courtyard bound you to me, more than you yet realize. Aletto won't kill me because he's too soft, too afraid of what people might think.” His eyes went back and fixed on Jennifer. “As for you, woman; we have a score to settle, you and I."

  She could almost have predicted what he was going to say before he said it. Jennifer shook her head very firmly and her voice was calm. “No."

  "You said that the very first time we spoke. You've gainsaid me every time we've crossed paths. More than any other of that boy's allies, you've done damage to my reputation, my men, to my plans. It wasn't enough damage to matter, of course, you must see that. All the same, it is more than I'll let you get away with.” He glared at her and whispered almost gently, “You're dead, woman, I swear it, whatever else happens. You and I—"

  Dahven took a sidest
ep that put him at Jennifer's arm, and Chris shifted, ready to leave Aletto and protect her instead. Bad idea, kid, she thought, glancing sideways, and shaking her head minutely. To her relief he nodded and went back where he belonged. She brought up the bo and pressed it gently against Dahven's chest then. Jadek folded his arms across his chest; he looked satisfied as she took a step into the open. God. I'll get myself killed; this isn't what I do!

  It wasn't. The realization flooded her all at once; this was what her subconscious had been trying to tell her since she'd gone into that stable. Perhaps why she'd been so frightened, for the first time truly frightened since she'd come into Rhadaz. This has to stop. Someone has to stop it. She raised her arm over her head and opened her fingers; the staff hit the hardwood floor with a loud, echoing clatter that immediately silenced the room. “No,” she said clearly. “How dare you threaten me like this? How dare you threaten any of us? This is a civilized society with laws and government, not a barbaric hoard!

  "And I'm an advocate—a woman who settles issues with law and precedent—not with lethal magic and weaponry! In all my life before this world of yours, I never physically harmed another human being, but now—thanks to you and men like you, I've killed a man, injured a score of others.

  "I'm not proud of that, even though I tried hard never to strike a blow except in defense of myself or those with me. And that, let me tell you, isn't easy. After a while, everything looks like a threat if you're holding a weapon, every movement something to be countered by violence or death.