by Speer, Flora
“You may trust Durand,” Laisren told her. “He will never reveal anything we say or do in private.”
The queen held out her hand, palm up, and Calia saw no reason to hesitate. This was the opportunity she had sought. Pushing aside the folds of her shawl and reaching into the pocket of her gown, she withdrew the stone box and placed it in Laisren’s hand.
“Ah.”
At Laisren’s soft exclamation Calia felt a clear vibration of the Power, subtle but strong.
Laisren’s right index finger moved as Ultan’s finger had done, along the invisible line and suddenly the lid appeared separate from the box. Still holding the box in the palm of one hand, Laisren lifted the lid and passed it to Sundaria, who came forward to receive it.
Laisren took out the folded parchment that Calia herself had placed into the box. Then she removed the silver casket.
Calia heard Durand’s sharp intake of breath. She saw Sundaria look at Durand and smile.
“So, Ultan knows,” Laisren murmured. “Or, at the very least, he guessed. Or was he the instigator?” After a moment of silent contemplation Laisren turned her gaze upon Calia.
“What message did Ultan speak to you, for your own heart?” Laisren asked.
Calia stared at the mysterious silver casket. The plain little object with its domed lid seemed to shine with an inner light of its own.
“Answer me.” Laisren’s voice was soft, yet as compelling as Ultan’s voice had been. Calia could not resist the command.
“He said, ‘Never fear your Power.’“
“He spoke those same words to me just before I left Chandelar.”
Laisren’s finger tapped the casket and the lid flew open on tiny silver hinges. She tilted it so Calia and Durand could see the casket was empty.
“The object for which it was made has not yet arrived in Kerun City,” Laisren said, “though I expect it soon.”
“My lady.” Durand’s voice trembled. Calia looked at him in surprise. Until that moment she had never seen him startled or emotionally moved.
“Yes, Durand, you are quite right,” Laisren said. “Whatever happens you must not allow that very outspoken Lady Elgida to depart from Kerun until I place this box into Calia’s hands again.”
She returned the casket to the stone box and traced her finger around it, magically sealing the opening. Calia noted that she still held the folded letter, which she hadn’t yet read.
“My lady,” Durand said, “you most certainly know what my present mission here is. If Domini Gundiac dies, the tribes of the Dominion will present a greater threat to Sapaudia than that country has ever before faced.”
“First, the tribes will fight each other,” Laisren said, “until one chieftain attains supremacy. Only then will the Dominion attack Sapaudia. We will have years to plan and prepare our defenses.”
“We?” Durand said.
“Sapaudia and Kantia together,” Laisren said in a way that made the words into a promise. “The two countries are old allies, after all. Perhaps, King Odet of Morenia will wish to join us. King Henryk is his son-in-law, and those countries have long been on friendly terms. Eventually, the Dominion will be defeated.”
“The war you are already thinking of winning can be avoided,” Durand said. “The terrible bloodshed and death, and the grief of the survivors, can be prevented. All you have to do is allow Garit and me to complete our mission.”
“Which is, precisely and narrowly stated, to make certain of Kantia’s friendship toward Sapaudia,” Laisren said.
“I cannot imagine that King Dyfrig will object to peace.” Durand’s tone was wry. “He is a scholar, not a man of war.”
“Dyfrig is more devious than you imagine. And far more stubborn,” Laisren said. “Well, I will think on what you have said, Durand. Perhaps I will decide to defy my father, which I have never dared to attempt in the past. Thank you for coming to me before you meet privately with the king.
“Now, Calia, what can I offer you as a reward for delivering my father’s gift?”
“There is only one thing I want, Queen Laisren.” Calia spoke quickly, almost without thinking. “Please, release Belai and Kinen to Lady Elgida’s care. Or, if you cannot do that, let Lord Garit take them. My brother is not likely to let them live much longer.”
“That I cannot do without King Dyfrig’s permission, in addition to their mother’s consent,” the queen responded.
“Mallory will never allow Fenella to give her consent,” Calia said. “He won’t give up his control of those boys. They are his key to Kinath.”
“Do you really want them?” Laisren asked.
“Lady Elgida wants them,” Calia said.
“I am not overly fond of them. They are badly behaved at the best of times.” Laisren looked hard at Calia, and Calia thought she was giving serious consideration to the idea.
Before Laisren could speak again a maidservant interrupted them, entering the little room after only a cursory knock on the door.
“My lady, King Dyfrig sends word that he will meet you in private, immediately. In your bedchamber, my lady.”
“Tell my lord that I will welcome him gladly, as I always do,” Laisren said with a grimace that told Calia the king was far from welcome in her bed. To Calia and Durand she added, “You must leave at once lest the king find you here.”
“My lady,” Calia began.
“I will do what I can. Sundaria, see these friends to the palace gates. I won’t need you again this night, but come to me early in the morning.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Chapter 18
“Calia,” Garit told her, exasperated, “you ought not to be alone in a bedchamber with two men so late at night.”
“What you really mean,” Calia responded, “is that you want me to go away so you can speak freely with Durand. You don’t want to hear my opinion of Queen Laisren.”
“Since Durand was with you, he can tell me what was said.”
“Let her stay,” Durand said. “Calia is observant. She will have noticed feminine details that I, as a man, may have missed.”
The three of them were in Durand’s chamber. He waved a hand to indicate a bench pulled up to a table where a jug of wine and some cups were placed. At Durand’s gesture Calia immediately sat down before Garit could protest further. She listened in silence while Durand described their meeting with the queen.
“Have you anything to add?” Durand asked her when he was finished.
“Several things. First, Queen Laisren and Lady Sundaria are very close friends. I give Sundaria that title because it’s plain to see she is not a mere servant. When she summoned us to meet the queen, she mentioned that she is from Chandelar.”
“When noble or royal marriages are made,” Garit informed her, “the brides are always permitted an entourage of their dearest friends, sometimes a childhood nurse or teacher, perhaps some familiar servants. It’s done to ease the change from the old home to the new, and it is particularly useful for a queen, who is expected to transfer her loyalty from her native country to a land that’s foreign to her. So, it’s not surprising that Laisren has Chandelari attendants, nor is it strange if she depends upon them. The Kantian court is a difficult place no matter who is king. My grandmother could tell you so, and no doubt has, many times.”
“Thank you for that lesson, Lord Garit,” Calia said with mock humility. “I am certain it will prove useful.”
Garit looked annoyed at her response. He opened his mouth to reply, but it was Durand who spoke next.
“If you are suggesting that Laisren is more loyal to her native land than to Kantia,” he said, “I can assure you that’s not the case. Ever since she wed Dyfrig she has worked unceasingly for peace with Chandelar. While Dyfrig was Prince of the Northern Border, he allowed his men to carry out frequent and extremely damaging raids against Chandelar. That land is so far north and the winters there are so cold and icy and so very long, that the loss of a single farming household, or the lack of food from two or t
hree fields, can make the difference between famine or survival in large areas. The royal marriage was arranged in part to stop the violent destruction of the farmlands just north of the border, which is the most productive land in Chandelar. Dyfrig has kept to his oath given in the marriage contract. For the most part, the raids have ended.”
“‘For the most part,’“ Calia repeated. “Does that mean not all of Dyfrig’s nobles adhere to their king’s sworn word?”
“The border is a lawless place,” Garit said.
“Is Mallory one of the raiders?” Calia asked.
“He may have sent men to the border,” Durand answered. “We have no proof. Mallory is cautious where his own interests are concerned. What else did you notice while we were with the queen?”
“That she doesn’t much care for her most intimate marital duties.” Calia could feel her cheeks flushing when Garit stared at her, but she stared back, refusing to alter her assessment of the queen’s feelings. “She doesn’t. I am certain of it.”
“I noticed, too,” Durand said. “I’ve seen her reacting to Dyfrig in similar ways during previous visits to court. Anything more?”
“She is deeply worried about the king’s safety. I watched her closely while we were in the audience hall and I believe she knows there is a certain group of Dyfrig’s nobles who cannot be trusted.”
“Yes.” Durand nodded his agreement. “You are perceptive, Calia. What else?”“
“She loves and respects her father.”
“She does.”
“And, finally, she intends to return that stone box to me. I have a dreadful presentiment that she will expect me to travel back to Tannaris and there hand over the box to the Great Mage Ultan.”
“Do you think so?” Durand used the bland, uninformative voice and facial expression that Calia was beginning to recognize and dislike.
“You heard her say so,” she told him. “Therefore, Durand, I insist that you and Garit explain to me the true nature of your mission to Kantia. After you have done so to my satisfaction, you may reveal what belongs in that little silver casket. What is important enough to require a secret delivery and not the usual method of transporting letters or packages between Tannaris and Kerun City?”
“Calia, I would rather you weren’t involved in this,” Garit began.
“I am involved,” she interrupted him. “Lady Elgida involved me when she insisted that I accompany her on this journey. Ultan involved me when he entrusted me with the box and ordered me to deliver it to Laisren. Worst of all, Mallory involved me when he admitted he intends to hold Kinath Castle as his own. That piece of knowledge made me responsible for the lives of your little brothers and of Lady Elgida. I deserve to know what you are doing.”
“She’s right,” Durand said. “What’s more, she can be a greater help to us if she has the same information we’ve been given.”
“I’d prefer that you not tell her,” Garit said.
“Why not?” Calia asked. “Because Mallory is my brother? Or because I didn’t defy your grandmother’s order and tell you about that relationship immediately?”
“Because you lied to me,” Garit said, glaring at her. “How can we trust you with King Henryk’s secrets?”
“And you never lie?” Calia glared right back at him.
“We are wasting time,” Durand said. “King Henryk instructed me to use my own discretion, as I have always done in the past. I trust Calia.
“Our mission here is just what you have already guessed,” Durand continued, speaking to Calia. “Because of the unrest in the Dominion, King Henryk wants to be assured that Kantia will remain the same dependable ally it was during the reign of King Audemer. Dyfrig is an unknown quantity; he’s seen as weak and changeable, rather than strong. He is too easily swayed by those he considers his friends. Worse, he hasn’t established full control over his nobles.”
“Lady Elgida cannot have helped your cause with her demands about her grandsons,” Calia said. “Dyfrig probably doesn’t want to irritate Mallory. Have you considered the possibility that Dyfrig may need Mallory’s corrupt Power as a means of holding on to his throne?”
“If that’s so,” Garit said, “then Dyfrig is in danger, too. At some point Mallory will want to rule Kantia in his own name, just as his father once planned to rule Sapaudia.”
“And all of this is what you two were sent to Kantia to prevent?” Calia asked.
“Yes.” Garit made the admission with a sigh of reluctance, but apparently he had decided to take Durand’s advice not to withhold anything from her. “My grandmother’s insistence on rescuing my little brothers provided a perfect excuse for me to come to Kantia openly, instead of in secret. Our stop at Kinath Castle offered an opportunity to learn more about Mallory’s intentions. Anders and Mairne worked together there and they learned quite a bit from the servants and the stable hands. As for Durand, no one will question his presence in Kerun City, since he frequently comes here to visit his sister.”
“Who in turn gathers information at court and no doubt also in the local marketplace, which she then passes on to her brother,” Calia finished for him. “A very clever system, my lords.”
“Clever, and quite simple,” Durand agreed smiling.
“Except for the diversions provided by pursuing pirate ships and unexpected stops at foreign ports,” Calia went on. “Or was the stop in Tannaris planned?”
“Not planned, but fortuitous,” Garit admitted.
“Then I have just one more question. What belongs in that tiny silver casket?” When neither man would meet her eyes she went on, “It must be something valuable, if so fine a silver receptacle was especially made to contain it. Don’t try to convince me you don’t know what the object is. I won’t believe you.
“You see,” she continued, “I’ve thought about that casket often since leaving Tannaris and I have concluded that the object it was made to hold is the real, deeply secret reason behind your mission. All the rest, the business about peace between nations and discovering Mallory’s intentions, may be factual, but it’s only a cloak to cover the deeper truth.”
Silence prevailed for a time, while Garit and Durand looked hard at each other and Calia waited, her gaze moving from one man to the other. Garit appeared so worried that she almost told him to forget it, that she would trust him to do what was best. Then she reminded herself that Garit didn’t trust her, so she’d do well to question his motives. In the end, he surprised her.
“It’s the Emerald,” Garit said, his voice so low that she could just barely hear him. “That must be what belongs in the casket.”
“What Emerald?” Impressed by his seriousness, she whispered, too. “What are you talking about?”
“The Great Emerald of the East. It’s been stolen.” Still he whispered.
“Do you mean the famous jewel that Domini Gundiac is said to wear bound to his left arm, the jewel he never removes?” Calia whispered.
“The same.” Durand nodded. “One of his many wives stole it during a night in Gundiac’s bed. At least, that is what we are assuming, because the wife also vanished on the same night, along with a second wife, who may be an accomplice. However the theft happened, word has reached Sapaudia that the Emerald is indeed gone and as a result of the loss Gundiac has fallen ill and may die.”
“I think I begin to understand.” Calia recalled the conversation she had overheard between Durand and the proprietor of a brewer’s house during their brief stop in Larak. The pieces of a tantalizing puzzle were beginning to fit together. “That’s what you and Laisren were talking about, isn’t it, Durand? She expects to receive the Emerald, doesn’t she? Someone is transporting it to Kantia.”
“Ultan wants it back,” Garit said. “He claims the Emerald rightly belongs in Chandelar.”
“Of course. The ancient legend. I’ve heard of it. Who hasn’t?” Calia thought for a moment. “And I gather that I am the person designated to return the Emerald to Ultan.”
“Thus bri
nging peace to the known world,” Garit said, his voice drenched in scorn. “Lest you allow yourself to believe the old legend, let me point out that the Dominion is not likely to remain peaceful if Gundiac dies. King Henryk wants the Emerald restored to Gundiac, so the Dominion and Sapaudia can continue as they have been for centuries, neatly balanced against each other, never truly at peace, but not at war, either.”
Calia stared at him for a long moment before she transferred her gaze to Durand. Both men looked so cold and implacable that she shivered. Still, she refused to stop pushing them to reveal their plans. She had to know the truth.
“Are you saying that when Laisren returns the box to me with the Emerald inside and tells me to take it to Ultan, you expect me to hand it over to you two, instead, so you can deliver it to King Henryk, who will send it on with his compliments to Domini Gundiac?”
“That would be most helpful,” Durand said, using his bland, polite voice.
“What do you imagine Laisren’s reaction will be to such a scheme?” Calia demanded.
“She doesn’t have to know,” Garit said. “Not at first, anyway.”
“Not know?” Calia cried, forgetting to whisper. “Didn’t you notice the effect she had on the courtiers and on us? Laisren’s Power is so great that the very air around her vibrates with it. The instant she places the Emerald in my hand she will know what you intend to do.
“Furthermore, what will the Great Mage Ultan’s response be when he learns what you’ve done? Both of you ought to be quaking in terror at the thought of Ultan’s wrath. I know I am.”
“King Henryk’s orders to us supersede all other issues,” Garit said with stern determination. “Those orders were given to Durand and me well before Ultan’s charge to you.”
“Have you taken leave of your wits?” Calia yelled at him, so angered by his assertion that she cared not one bit if she were overheard. “What about Lady Elgida’s safety? We swore to each other that we would protect her. And what about your little brothers? Most important of all, what will Mallory do when he learns about the Emerald and its magic? Be assured, if he doesn’t know yet, he soon will.”
