by Sharon Green
"Maybe he won't do anything to bring attention to himself in Gan Garee before we get back there," Lorand offered, suddenly aware of the fact that he knew exactly how Tamrissa felt - and shared that feeling. "After all, we just have to take a quick look at Gracely to make sure that nothing horrible has been done there. After that we'll be free to return home."
Rion and Tamrissa murmured agreement with the hope, but Lorand noticed that Jovvi, Vallant, and Naran were eyeing him in a strange way. Lorand didn't know why that was, but it didn't really matter. What he wanted most right now was a good meal and a hot bath, and after that a place to sleep. They'd eventually catch up to that so-called noble, and when they did…
High Lord Embisson Ruhl stood in the middle of the inn's private dining room and stretched wide. Traveling by coach all day was extremely tiring, and they still had quite a few days' travel left ahead of them. The others were also standing and walking about rather than sitting, and Embisson considered them without looking directly at any of them.
Edmin was there, of course, and he and Sembrin Noll were chatting about inconsequentials. Noll's wife Bensia stood sipping from the cup of tea she'd insisted on having brought immediately, something of a smile on her face as her thoughts clearly ranged elsewhere. She was an attractive and graceful lady of obvious station, and never intruded when men talked business.
But there seemed to be something about her that Edmin wasn't comfortable with. Embisson knew his son a good deal more than passing well, and although Edmin was never anything but gallant and gentlemanly toward the woman, Embisson was certain Edmin didn't like or trust her. In an effort to keep peace Embisson had tried to subtly reassure Edmin that Lady Bensia was nothing but a woman, but the words hadn't seemed to register with Edmin. It was probably just that Edmin had no woman of his own, but that matter could be seen to once they reached the city.
The last of their inner group had also been standing for a time, but now he sat in a chair with a brooding air about him. Lord Rimen Howser, who had had his hopes dashed of ever becoming a High Lord as long as the peasants stayed in power, was more than simply an unhappy man. Howser's dislike of peasants had grown well beyond obsession, and Embisson had the feeling that nothing but Howser's current lack of physical well-being kept him from going out and slaughtering those he hated so deeply.
But Howser was on the mend, and by the time they reached the city he would be closer to physical fitness than he'd been since the beating. The terrible beating given him by those he referred to as animals. The man must have a large number of deep insecurities for him to always refer to peasants in that way, not to mention having the mother he did. The woman was considered a snob even by her former peers, and she must have demanded that Howser live up to his heritage or some such nonsense…
All of which meant that Howser had to be carefully watched once they reached the city. They would be able to make good use of him in their plans, but only if they managed to keep the madman from going off on his own. He could well expose all of them if he allowed his madness free rein at the wrong time, and that disaster Embisson would not allow to occur…
A knock came at the door, and Embisson turned with the others to see one of his servants look in. It would have been nice if their food was being brought sooner than expected, but that wasn't the case.
"My lord, that man you directed me to watch for has just ridden in," the servant announced. "Would you like me to guide him here once his horse is taken care of?"
"Yes, do, Rachers," Embisson replied, and the man nodded, quickly stepped back, and closed the door. Rachers was only one of the servants Embisson had brought back with him, and the entire group would have to be confined to the house when they reached the city. The madness that affected the other servants in the city couldn't be caught by those he brought back with him if all contact was disallowed.
"I certainly hope that my man is bringing good news," Noll remarked from where he still stood beside Edmin. "We should be well past the last of those peasants sent against the army, but I'd still like to hear that the army has taken care of them. Not to mention finding out about our other arrangements if by some chance the army wasn't successful."
"There's very little chance that Lord Rengan won't be successful," Embisson remarked, too weary to work up much enthusiasm over so simple a matter. "He has High talents at his disposal, after all, and the peasants won't be more than Middles or Lows. Sending a stronger force against Rengan's host would be too dangerous for the Seated peasants. A stronger force could well decide to use the army themselves, taking it back to the city to wrest the throne away from those now Seated on it. No, Rengan won't have any - "
Embisson's comments were interrupted by a knock on the door, and then the door was opened to allow Noll's agent entrance. The slender man was filthy with road dust and looked as though he hadn't slept in some time. Embisson was about to remonstrate with him for not making himself more presentable before reporting when the man spoke first.
"My lords and lady, bad news," the man gasped out after offering only the slightest of bows. "Lord Rengan's army won't be following you to Gan Garee, at least not with Lord Rengan leading it."
"You can't mean that something has happened to Lord Rengan," Embisson blurted, shocked that a tool he'd hoped to put to good use was no longer available. "Was it an accident? Did he capture or kill all those peasants first, or did some of them get away?"
"My lord, it was Lord Rengan and his officers who were captured," the man said, clearly fighting to catch his breath. "And from where I watched, there was nothing accidental about it. May I have a glass of water?"
Embisson was about to snap out a refusal and demand that the man get on with telling his story, but Noll moved to interfere. Noll took up the goblet his wife hadn't used and filled it from the pitcher on the table, then walked over to give it to his man. The scout took the goblet with a better bow of thanks, drained it quickly, then looked bleakly at Noll.
"My lord, that army never stood a chance against those people," the man stated. "They were spread out all over the place, encircling the army, and then the contingent at the rear was discovered. Lord Rengan attacked them with a large part of his force, but the attack did no damage at all. Then the others came to the rescue of the ones under attack, and in no time at all that attack was over. I felt some of the force being used, and I have to say that I've never experienced such strength before in my life. Lord Rengan and his officers were penned up behind what had to be a wall of air, and then the victors began to tend the people who were no longer an army."
"They 'tended' them?" Noll said while Embisson found himself even more deeply shocked. "Why did the members of the army need to be tended? Were they hurt when the others broke up the attack against one part of their force?"
"No, my lord, they weren't hurt," the man replied, and the idea of that seemed to disturb the man as deeply as it disturbed Embisson. "One minute they were just standing there quietly, and the next they were collapsing to the ground with groans and whimpering and crying. They didn't look to be in very good shape to begin with, but suddenly they were acting as bad as they looked."
"The defending force released them," Edmin said quietly, the words tinged with disbelief. "While they were under control they could only do as they were ordered to, but once they were released they were free to - Why in the world would those people release the members of an already organized army? I refuse to believe that they had no use for such a powerful tool."
"If they were so bad off that they weren't even able to stand when released, they couldn't have been that powerful a tool," Noll pointed out. "But what I'd like to know is what happened after that."
"You mean with the baited trap," the scout said with a nod that was more than weary. "Instead of going to the house where the meeting with Lord Rengan was held, they went in groups to High Lord Embisson's house. I know that Lord Rengan was questioned, and somehow he must have recognized High Lord Embisson. He also must have known where the High L
ord's house is."
"So much for having worn those masks," Noll remarked dryly. "I'm afraid that there is such a thing as being too well known, at least in these times. So they missed the outlaw trap entirely?"
"No, my lord, they didn't," the man disagreed with a small headshake. "Isbirn Gelin had a couple of his men watching those people, and when his men realized where the groups were heading they rode to tell Gelin. Gelin got his men relocated to the woods around the High Lord's house, and that's where they caught the first group of those people."
"Caught them!" Embisson echoed with sudden relief and satisfaction. "So they didn't get away with it after all."
"I'm sorry, my lord," the man interrupted, ruining the good feelings Embisson had been in the midst of experiencing. "Obviously I used the wrong phrase. I should have said that that's where Gelin and his men caught up to the first group. There were only six of them and Gelin had twenty-four and himself, but that seemed to make no difference. First the hostages were lost, and the men weren't able to retrieve them. Then all the men sort of folded to the ground as though they'd fallen asleep on their feet, and only Gelin was left awake. I expected Gelin to do something violent like attack them alone, but all he did was stand there and talk to them. I was too far away to hear what was said, and rather than take the chance of getting closer I simply turned and rode after your party."
"It's a good thing you did," Noll told the man while Embisson felt yet another shock. "Those couldn't possibly have been just any six people, they must have been a Blending. And unless I'm completely mistaken, they were the Seated Blending."
"How can they possibly feel secure enough this soon to leave the city?" Embisson demanded, close to outrage over the idea. "Don't they know that there's probably a power struggle going on right now, one that started as soon as they were out of sight? What can they possibly be thinking?"
"That's something we can't know, but I know what I'm thinking," Edmin said slowly. "If those peasants have left the city in a turmoil, then we should have no trouble riding in and getting started on our plans. They may have stopped the army, but they can't use the army and we have more than three hundred newly hired guardsmen following us. When they finally get back to the city, they'll find it already in our hands. Assuming they live long enough to get back."
"Why wouldn't they live?" Noll asked Edmin, his curiosity sounding young and innocent. "They stopped an army and defeated attackers who were twenty-five to their six. What could possibly harm them?"
"Any meal they take at my father's house," Edmin answered with a faint smile. "There was always the possibility that they would win through and try to move in, so I convinced the kitchen staff to … add to any meals they made for the peasants. Unless the peasants were incredibly alert, they didn't live past the first meal."
"I sincerely hope they didn't, but we can't count on that," Embisson said, already in the process of pulling himself together. "And you're right about this being an excellent chance for us. If we have just a few days in the city before those peasants get back, they'll find themselves arrested as they ride up to the palace."
"And then, as Rengan suggested, we can have a group hanging," Noll said with a smile of approval before he turned to the scout again. "You did well, and the gold you were promised will be given you in the morning. For tonight get a meal, a room, and a good night's sleep, and you can continue on with us tomorrow."
"Thank you, my lord," the scout said with a bow, and a minute later the man was gone - just in time for their food to be brought by the inn servants. Embisson joined the others in going to table, profoundly glad that his appetite was no longer ruined. They would take control of the city back, there was no doubt in his mind. And when those six peasants did get back, the amusing times would really begin…
Chapter 24
Sembrin Noll followed his wife Bensia into their room at the inn and paused to close and lock the door. When he turned back he saw that Bensia had brightened the lamp, and was now in the process of removing her clothing.
"I'm afraid you'll have to unlock that door again, my dear," Bensia said with a smile. "I mean to have a bath before I retire, otherwise I won't sleep a wink. Being covered in road dust is quite unappealing."
"Then I'll certainly do the same," Sembrin said at once, knowing full well that she would withhold her favors if she found him … unappealing. "Once we reach the city, we'll no longer have to worry about road dust."
"But that's not to say we'll have nothing to worry about," Bensia returned, giving most of her attention to undressing. "I do wish I'd brought my maid with me… But when we consider things to worry about, our illustrious High Lord must head the list."
"Yes, I also noticed his reactions when he learned about what had happened to the army and his outlaws." Sembrin's agreement was accompanied by a frown as he also began to undress. "It's one thing to be self-assured, quite another to believe that life will conform to your own opinions of how it should go. I tried to warn him that the new Seated Blending could well show up to face the army, but he persisted in believing that they would behave as he thought fit."
"Yes, and worse than that he had trouble accepting what the Seated Blending seems capable of doing," Bensia said, pausing to give Sembrin a grimace. "At one time I'm sure he would have simply accepted what he heard and then revised his plans to suit the new situation, but this time was different. It took him a number of minutes to regain control of himself, and rather than accept the changed conditions I think he dismissed them. We may have chosen a tool for ourselves that has aged beyond the point of true usefulness."
"At this point, what choice do we have about using that tool?" Sembrin asked with a sigh. "I agree that Ruhl may be losing the sharpness of mind that made him one of the most feared men in the empire, but what can we do other than continue to use him?"
"We can give thanks that the children are following so closely behind us," Bensia said, her smile a thing of beauty once more. "Ruhl won't know them even if he happens to see them here, so he won't understand that we meant to use their talents once we reached Gan Garee. Now, however, we have a more pressing need of their talents."
"What do you mean for them to do?" Noll asked, feeling the least bit of anxiety. "You told me that Edmin also has Spirit magic talent, and if the children manipulate his father he's bound to notice."
"But he shouldn't notice if the children manipulate the leaders of our very large escort," Bensia countered, her smile now downright gleeful. "Ruhl has paid those more than three hundred men with his own gold and what he collected from the others. After your bath you'll take the children to visit each of those leaders in the woods where they now camp with their men, and after the visit the loyalty of those more than three hundred men will be ours. Isn't that a delicious idea?"
"More than delicious," Sembrin agreed with a small laugh and a great deal of amusement. "I've become convinced that Ruhl would have thrown away those men in some useless effort to reestablish himself, but we can be much more subtle in their use. If we strike at the enemy where they aren't expecting to be hit, we can cause a lot of serious damage."
"And when the pandemonium is at its height, then we can take over," Bensia said, walking over to him in the nude to reach up and stroke his face. "We'll have it all, but I'm afraid that High Lord Embisson and his son can't be allowed to share the all with us. They'll be outraged over having been manipulated and outthought, and Edmin could well come up with something to discomfit us. We'll eliminate them quickly, and then choose others to be part of our court."
"Others who are more easily managed," Sembrin murmured, his hands already stroking Bensia's body. "Are you certain that your desire for a bath is all that immediate? You'll be going to bed afterward, but I won't be. If we take a few minutes now…"
"I'll wait up for you," Bensia murmured back, then gracefully moved away from him and the motion of his hands. She walked three steps toward the wrap that was laid out waiting for her, then paused to look back at him over her
shoulder with a smile. "If you know I'm waiting up, you'll surely waste no time seeing to your task."
"No, I surely won't," Sembrin muttered, taking a deep breath to help him regain control. When it came to serious matters, Bensia was all business. If she weren't so eager at almost all other times, Sembrin might have considered feeling resentment. But she was that eager at other times, and when she promised to wait up for him she always kept her word…
Rather than waste any more time, Sembrin finished undressing and went for his own wrap. The sooner he finished bathing and seeing to his chore, the sooner he could get back to what would be waiting for him. And possibly, once the empire was theirs, Bensia would find herself in a position other than the one she now envisioned. If her place was in his bed rather than on the throne beside him…
Sembrin stopped for a moment, feeling as though he were about to drift off to sleep while still standing up. His thoughts blurred for no more than an instant, and when they cleared he immediately realized how wrong his previous attitude had been. Bensia was the most marvelous woman in the entire universe, and if she wanted to rule the empire then that was what she deserved to do. It was his privilege to make it happen, an honor that brought him more happiness than he'd ever before had in life.
Except for the times that he made love to Bensia. Sembrin smiled at his wife where she stood by the door waiting for him, and her answering smile was, as usual, the most marvelous sight he could imagine. He walked over to her and kissed her cheek, then escorted her out of the room. As soon as he finished seeing to his task in the most efficient and effective way possible, he would then be able to return to her.
As Sembrin closed the door behind the two of them, he knew without doubt that he was the luckiest man alive…
