“I don't recognize all of these people,” Bill said. “Who's that fellow with the red sash, over by Vialle?”
“That's Orkuz, the Begman prime minister,” I told him, “and the rather attractive lady in the yellow-and-red dress who's talking to Martin is his daughter Nayda. Coral-the one I just got chewed out about-is her sister.”
“Uh-huh. And who's the husky blond lady batting her eyes at Gerard?”
“I don't know,” I said. “And I don't know that lady and the guy over to the right of Orkuz either.”
We drifted inward, and Gerard, looking perhaps a trifle uncomfortable in layers of ruffled finery, introduced us to the lady he was with as Dretha Gannell, assistant to the Begman ambassador. The ambassador, it turned out, was the tall lady standing near Orkuz-and her name, I gathered, was Ferla Quist. The fellow with her was her secretary, whose name sounded something like Cade. While we were looking in that direction, Gerard tried slipping off and leaving us with Ferla. But she caught his sleeve and asked him something about the fleet. I smiled and nodded and moved away. Bill came along.
“Goodness! Martin's changed!” he announced suddenly. “He Looks like a one-man rock video. I almost didn't recognize him. Just last week—”
“It's been over a year,” I said, “for him. He's been off finding himself on some street scene.”
“I wonder if he's finished?”
“Didn't get a chance to ask him that;” I replied, but a peculiar thought occurred to me. I shelved it.
The music died just then, and Llewella cleared the throat and indicated Hendon, who announced the new seating arrangement. I was at the foot of the table, and -I learned later that Coral was to have been seated to my left and Cade to my right. I also learned later that Llewella had tried to get hold of Flora at the last minute to sit in Coral's place, but Flora wasn't taking any calls.
As it was, Vialle, at the head, had Llewella seated to her right and Orkuz to her left, with Gerard, Dretha, and Bill below Llewella, and Ferla, Martin, Cade, and Nayda below Orkuz. I found myself escorting Nayda to the table and seating her to my right, while Bill settled himself at my left.
“Fuss, fuss, fuss,” Bill muttered softly, and I nodded; then introduced him to Nayda as counsel to the House of Amber. She looked impressed and asked him about his work. He proceeded to charm her with a story about once having represented the interests of a dog in an estate, settlement, which had nothing to do with Amber but was a good story. Got her to laughing a bit, and also Cade, who was listening in.
The first course was served and the musicians began playing again, softly, which shortened the distance our voices carried and reduced conversation to a more intimate level. At this, Bill signaled he had something he wanted to tell me, but Nayda had beaten him by a second or two and I was already listening to her.
“About Coral,” she said softly. “Are you sure she's all right? She wasn't feeling ill when you parted-of anything like that-was she?”
“No,” I answered. “She seemed healthy enough.”
“Strange,” she said. “I had the impression she wad looking forward to things like this dinner.”
“She's obviously taking longer than she'd intended in whatever she's about,” I observed.
“What exactly was she about?” Nayda asked. “Where did you part?”
“Here in the palace,” I replied. “I was showing her around. She wanted to spend more time with certain features of the place than I could spare. So I came on ahead.
“I don't think she could have forgotten dinner.”
“I think she got caught up by the power of an artistic piece.”
“So she's definitely on the premises?”
“Now, that's hard to say. As I said before, a person can always step out.”
“You mean you're not sure exactly where she is?” I nodded.
“I'm not certain where she is at this moment,” I said. “She could well be back in her room changing her clothes.”
“I'll check after dinner,” she said, “if she hasn't shown up by then. If that should be the case, will you help me find her?”
“I was planning on looking for her anyway,” I answered, “if she doesn't put in an appearance soon.”
She nodded and continued eating. Very awkward.
Beyond the fact that I didn't want to distress her, I couldn't very well tell her what had happened without its becoming apparent that her sister was indeed an illegitimate daughter of Oberon. At a time such as this, when I had been cautioned about saying anything that might strain relations between Amber and Begma, I was not about to confirm to the daughter of the Begman prime minister the rumor that her mother had had an affair with the late king of Amber. Maybe it was an open secret back in Begma and nobody gave a damn. But maybe it wasn't. I didn't want to disturb Random for advice, partly because he might be extremely occupied in Kashfa just now; but mainly because he might also start asking me about my own immediate plans and problems, and I would not lie to him. That could get me into too much trouble. Such a conversation might well also result in his forbidding my attack on the Keep. The only other person I could tell about Coral and get some sort of official response from, as to how far I might go in informing her family, was Vialle. Unfortunately, Vialle was completely occupied as hostess at the moment.
I sighed and returned to my dinner.
Bill caught my attention and leaned a little in my direction. I leaned a little, too.
“Yes?” I said.
“There were some things I wanted to tell you,” he began. “I was hoping for some leisure, some quiet, and some privacy, though.”
I chuckled.
“Exactly,” he continued. “I believe this is the best we're going to get for a time. Fortunately, voices don't seem to be carrying if one keeps them down. I couldn't make out what you and Nayda were talking about. So it's probably okay, so long as the musicians keep playing.”
I nodded, took a few more bites.
“Thing is, the Begmans shouldn't hear about it, on the one hand. But on the other, I feel that perhaps you ought to know, because of your involvement with Luke and Jasra. So what's your schedule? I'd rather tell you later, but if you're going to be tied up, I can give you the gist of it now.”
I glanced at Nayda and Cade. They seemed totally occupied with their food, and I didn't think they could overhear us. Unfortunately, I didn't have any sort of sheltering spells hung.
“Go ahead,” I whispered from behind my wine glass.
“First,” he said, “Random sent me a whole slew of papers to go over. They're the draft of an agreement whereby Amber will grant Kashfa privileged trade status, the same as Begma. So they'll definitely be coming into the Golden Circle.”
“I see,” I said. “That doesn't come as a complete surprise. But it's good to know for sure what's going on.”
He nodded.
“There's a lot more to it, though,” he said.
Just then the musicians stopped playing and I could hear voices from all around the table again. I glanced off to the right and saw that a steward had just taken the players a food tray and some wine. They were setting their instruments aside and taking a break. They had probably been playing for some time before I'd arrived and were doubtless due a rest.
Bill chuckled. “Later,” he said.
“Right.” There followed a funny little fruit dish with an amazing sauce. As I spooned it away, Nayda caught my attention with a gesture and I leaned toward her again.
“So what about tonight?” she whispered.
“What do you mean? I said I'd look for her if she doesn't show up.”
She shook her head. “I wasn't referring to that,” she said. “I meant later. Will you have time to stop by and talk?”
“About what?”
“According to your file you've been in a bit of trouble recently, with someone trying to get you.”
I began wondering about that damned file. But, “It's out of date,” I said. “Whatever's in there has already been cleared up.
”
“Really? Then nobody's after you just now?”
“I wouldn't say that,” I replied. “The cast of characters keeps changing.”
“So somebody still has you marked?”
I studied her face.
“You're a nice lady, Nayda,” I said, “but I've got to ask, What is it to you? Everybody has problems. I just have more than usual at the moment. I'll work them out.”
“Or die trying?”
“Maybe. I hope not. But what's your interest?”
She glanced at Cade, who seemed busy with his food,. “It is possible that I could help you.”
“In what fashion?”
She smiled.
“A process of elimination,” she stated.
“Oh? That refers to a person or persons?”
“Indeed.”
“You have some special means of going about this sort of business?”
She continued to smile.
“Yes, it's good for removing problems caused by people,” she continued. “All I'll need are their names and locations.”
“Some sort of secret weapon?”
She glanced at Cade again, since I had raised my voice a bit.
“You might call it that,” she answered.
“An interesting proposal,” I said. “But you still ,, haven't answered my first question.”
“Refresh my memory.”
We were interrupted by the wine steward, who came around topping off goblets, and then by another toast. The first had been to Vialle, led by Llewella. This one was proposed by Orkuz, to “the ancient alliance between Amber and Begma.” I drank to that, and I heard Bill mutter; “It's going to get a bit mire strained.”
“The alliance?” I said.,..
“Yep.”
I glanced at Nayda, who was staring at me, clearly expecting a resumption of our sotto voces. Bill noted this, too, and turned away. Just then Cade began talking to Nayda, however, so I finished what was on my plate and took a sip of wine while I waited. In a little while the plate was whisked away, to be replaced shortly by another.
I glanced at Bill who glanced at Nayda and Cade, then said, “Wait for the music.”
I nodded. In a sudden moment of silence I overheard Dretha say, “Is it true that King Oberon's ghost is sometimes seen?” Gerard grunted something that sounded like an affirmative just as they were drowned out again. My mind being a lot fuller than my stomach, I kept eating. Cade, trying to be diplomatic or just conversational, turned my way a little later, addressed me and asked my views on the Eregnor situation. He jerked suddenly then and looked at Nayda. I'd a strong feeling she'd just kicked him under the table, which was fine with me because I didn't know what the hell the Eregnor situation was. I mutterred something about there being things to be said for both sides of most matters, which seemed diplomatic enough for anything. If it were something barbed, I supposed I could have countered with an innocent-sounding observation about the Begman party's early arrival, but Eregnor might actually be some tedious conversation piece that Nayda didn't want to get into because it would cut off our own discussion. Also, I'd a feeling that Llewella might suddenly materialize and kick me under the table.
A thought hit suddenly then. Sometimes I'm a little slow. Obviously, they had known Random wasn't here, and from what I already knew and from what Bill had just said, they weren't too happy with whatever Random was about in the neighboring kingdom. Their early arrival seemed intended to embarrass us in some fashion. Did that mean that whatever Nayda was offering me was part of some scheme that fitted in with their general diplomatic strategy on this matter? If so, why me? I was a very poor choice, in that I had no say whatsoever concerning Amber's foreign policy. Were they aware of this? They must be, if their intelligence service were as good as Nayda had indicated. I was baffled, and I was half tempted to ask Bill his views on the Eregnor situation. But then. he might have kicked me under the table.
The musicians, having finished snacking, resumed the entertainment with “Greensleeves,” and Nayda and Bill both leaned toward me simultaneously, then glanced up, their gazes meeting. Both smiled.
“Ladies first,” Bill said loudly.
She nodded to him.
Then, “Have a chance to think about my offer?” she asked me.
“Some,” I said, “but I had a question. Remember?
“What was it?”
“It's kind of you to want to do me a favor,” I said, “but at times such as this, one must be excused for checking the price tag.”
“What if I wem to say that your good will would be sufficient?”
“What if I were to say that my good will isn't worth much at the policy level here?”
She shrugged. “Small price for a small return. I already knew that. But you're related to everybody in this place. Nothing may ever happen, but it's conceivable that someone might ask your opinion of us. I'd like you to know you have friends in Begma and to feel kindly disposed toward us if that occurred.”
I studied her very serious expression. There was more to it than that, and we both knew it. Only I didn't know what might be on the horizon, and she obviously did.
I reached out and stroked her cheek once with the back of my hand.
“I am expected to say something nice about you folks if someone should ask me, that's all, and for this you will go out and kill someone for me if I just supply the particulars. Right?”
“In a word, yes,” she replied.
“It makes me wonder why you think you can manage an assassination better than we could. We're old hands at it.
“We have, as you put it, a secret weapon,” she said. “But I was thinking that this is a personal matter for you, not a state matter-and that you might not want any of the others involved. Also, I can provide a service that will not be traceable.”
Bag of worms time again. Was she implying that she thought I did not trust all of the others here-or that I should not? What did she know that I didn't? Or was she just, guessing, based on Amber's history of intrigue within the family? Or was she intentionally trying to stir up a generational conflict? Would that suit Begma's purpose in some fashion? Or... Was she guessing that such a situation existed and offering to remove a family member for me? And if so, did she think I'd be stupid enough to get someone else to do the job? Or even to discuss such a notion and thereby give Begma a shot at sufficient evidence to have some kind of hold over me? Or...
I drew back from the view. It pleased me that my thought processes were finally working properly for the company my family keeps. (Both my families, actually.) It had taken me a long while to get the hang of it. It felt good.
A simple refusal would foreclose all of the above. But, on the other hand, if I were to string her along a bit, she might prove a tantalizing source of information.
So, “Would you go after anyone I would name?” I said. “Anyone?”
She studied my face very carefully. Then, “Yes,” she answered.
“You must excuse me again,” I responded, “but doing it for such an intangible as my good will causes me to wonder about your good faith.”
Her face reddened. Whether it was a simple blush or anger I could not be certain, because she looked away immediately. This didn't bother me, though, because I was certain it was a buyer's market.
I returned my attention to my food and was able to put away several mouthfuls before she was back again. “Does this mean you won't be stopping by tonight?” she asked.
“I can't,” I said. “I am going to be completely occupied.”
“I can believe you ane very busy,” she said. “But does that mean we will not be able to talk at all?”
“It depends entirely on how things break,” I said. “I have an awful lot going on just now, and I may be leaving town soon.”
She started slightly. I was certain she considered asking me where I was going, but thought better of it.
Then, “This is awkward,” she said. “Have you refused my offer?”
“Is the deal only good for this evening?” I asked.
“No, but it was my understanding you were in some peril. The sooner you move against your enemy, the sooner your sleep is untroubled.”
“You feel I am in danger here in Amber?”
She hesitated a moment, then said, “No one is safe, anywhere, from an enemy of sufficient determination and skill.”
“Do you feel the threat to be a local one?” I inquired.
“I asked you to name the party,” she stated. “You are in the best position to know.”
I drew back immediately. It was too simple an entrapment, and obviously she'd already smelled it.
“You've given me much to think about,” I answered, and I returned to my food.
After a time, I saw that Bill was looking at me as if he wanted to say something. I gave him a minuscule shake of my head, which he seemed to understand.
“Breakfast, then?” I heard her say. “This trip you spoke of could mpresent a time of vulnerability. It would be good to settle this before you depart.”
“Nayda,” I said, as soon as I had swallowed, “I would like to be clear on the matter of my benefactors. If I were to discuss this with your father—”
“No!” she interrupted. “He knows nothing about it!”
“Thank you. You must admit my curiosity as to the level at which this plan originates.”
“There is no need to look any further,” she stated. “It is entirely my idea.”
“Same of your earlier statements cause me to infer that you have special connections within the Begman intelligence community.”
“No,” she said, “only the ordinary ones. The offer is my own.”
“But someone would have to... effectuate this design.”
“That is the province of the secret weapon.”
“I would have to know more about it.”
“I've offered you a service and I've promised you total discretion. I will go no further as to means.”
“If this idea is wholly your own, it would seem that you stand to benefit from it personally. How? What's in it for you?”
She looked away. She was silent for a long time. “Your file,” she said at last. “It was... fascinating reading it. You're one of the few people here close to my own age, and you've led such an interesting life. You can't imagine how dull most of the things I have to read are-agricultural reports, trade figures, appropriations studies. I have no social life whatsoever. I am always on call. Every party I attend is really a state function in one form or another. I read your file over and over and I wondered about you. I... I have something of a crush on you. I know it sounds silly, but it's true. When I saw some of the recent reports and realized that you might be in great danger, I decided I would help you if I could. I have access to all sorts of state secrets. One of them would provide me with the means of helping you. Using it would benefit you without damaging Begma, but it would be disloyal of me to discuss it further. I've always wanted to meet you, and I was very jealous of my sister when you took her out today. And I still wish you'd stop by later.”
The Great Book of Amber Page 137
