Diplomat

by Robin Roseau

  “Of course.”

  “Thank you. How soon should I expect more?”

  “Perhaps not for two or three weeks more, but then it will be most of the remaining women.”

  “Unless you have a different plan, I think I should take them to the embassy.”

  “I assumed,” she said. “Would you like some help?”

  “I would. I bet they don’t have a thing with them, do they? Not so much as a change of clothing.”

  “Ms. Sapphire was mounted, and we have her horse and tack. They have their purses.”

  “All right.”

  “Let’s get them settled,” she said.

  * * * *

  Olivia helped me get them to the embassy, but then she had commitments and couldn’t stay.

  We had ample space. I recommended pairing up. Ms. Sapphire insisted upon a room of her own, but the other four were happy to share. Then I collected them in the parlor along with Bridgie and both slaves. We had tea and biscuits, and then I said, “Ladies. I’m going to arrange to get you home.”

  “I don’t want to go home.”

  “The king and queen need to meet with you,” I said. “They need to hear about your experiences. This is important for both countries.” I talked for a while.

  Then I looked at the queen’s cousin’s daughter. “Ms. Sapphire, where you in Ressaline when they found you?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I was so angry, too.”

  “Did you fight?”

  “Not physically, but I screamed.”

  “I think I would have, too.”

  “They drugged me,” she said.

  “They gave me something, too,” one of the other women said. I learned they had all been given the tonic and kept pacified while they’d been transported to Charth.

  “How long has it been, Ambassador?” Ms. Sapphire asked.

  “For you, not quite three months,” I said.

  “They told me it would be a year. I remember that part.”

  “That’s what they told me.”

  “And me.”

  “Lady Olivia and I came to an agreement,” I said. “I’m sorry if you wish we hadn’t. Here’s what we can do. You need to go to Barrish. You need to tell the king what has happened. And you need to remain in Flarvor for several months. You need time to recover. But if you want to come back, you may.”

  “Will they arrest us again?” Ms. Sapphire asked.

  “Only if you do something illegal,” I said. “You’ve had your first, which is the requirement Queen Lisdee has set. You may now roam throughout Ressaline, but only after you have taken the time to recover.”

  “Really?” Rennda asked.

  “Really,” I said.

  “I don’t have to stay in Bilarkeet?”

  “No, Ms. Gyrolite. But you must give yourself time before you make long-term decisions. Do you understand?”

  She nodded, so I turned back to Ms. Sapphire. “You seem to be doing well.”

  “More or less.”

  “No one has a change of clothing,” I said, “or any of the other things someone might require. I will go shopping, at least for clothing and other necessities.”

  “You want me to stay here and help.”

  “Actually, I hoped that Ms. Tourmaline would stay, and I was going to ask Vi-vi if they could help here, as well. I hoped you would help me. Cha, I’d like your help.”

  “Of course, Ambassador.”

  “We’re all one household here,” I said.

  “Allium.” But she nodded. “But you’re being formal.”

  “I suppose I have been.”

  “Call me Valsine.” The others offered their names, and I reminded them of mine.

  * * * *

  We took a carriage. Valsine and Cha sat opposite me. We watched each other, and then Valsine said, “I didn’t know we had an embassy in Ressaline, and I wouldn't have expected it here.”

  “Ah. Well, a few things happened while you were gone,” I said. “That is one.”

  “You’re brand new at your job.”

  “Quite so,” I admitted. “My staff is all undergoing their first.”

  “Oh,” she said. “Oh. I hadn’t considered that. And you?”

  “Last year,” I replied. I gave her the thirty-second history.

  “Quite a promotion.”

  “I’m scared out of my mind,” I said.

  “All this explains a few things,” she said.

  “I imagine. The truth now. How are you really doing?”

  She glanced at Cha. “I’d like to speak to you privately later.”

  “After dinner?”

  “Yes. Thank you. Ambassador, I can help get them to Barrish, but I can’t do it alone.”

  “I know,” I said. “I’m working on that. Do you have regrets? Wish you hadn’t gotten caught?”

  “You’ve done it. You tell me.”

  I smiled. “Maybe I’m some sort of freak.”

  “No, I don’t have any regrets.”

  “Good. Are you willing to say that to a few other people?”

  “Sure. Are they going to ask for details?”

  “Undoubtedly some will,” I said. “You can tell them if they want prurient details, they can talk to me. I can set them up. No problem.”

  She laughed. “I bet you can. We’re really free to travel throughout Ressaline?”

  “Yes.”

  * * * *

  We spent money. I bought two changes for each woman. Valsine wasn’t impressed with what I was going to buy her, but she had her own funds, so I offered to let her spend them but then said, “I think a show of solidarity would be helpful right now.” And so she accepted what I bought.

  Then we stopped by The Baby Blanket Inn. Claary was in. I told her what was going on. “Can one of your restaurants deliver dinner?”

  “I’ll see to it.”

  “Thank you, Claary.”

  We got back to the embassy. The women were still in the parlor. We brought the clothing in and passed it out. “Perhaps take care of these things,” I suggested. “Then come back. Valsine, could you stay here?”

  I was left with her and Bridgie. I turned to the courier. “Valsine has offered to help get them home. Frankly, I don’t know how to do it, unless I go myself.”

  “Sorete and Quellsa aren’t doing badly,” Bridgie said. “Rennda and Tardara will need some attention.” She paused. “If Valsine could help, I could get them to Barrish, but then what happens to me?”

  “Good question.”

  And so, I sent Cha back to Government House, asking for another appointment with the duchess.

  * * * *

  Dee opened the door then flew into my arms. We hugged and kissed, but I told her, “This is an official visit.”

  “I still can kiss you.”

  “Yes, Dee.”

  She pulled me inside and led me to the parlor. “Olivia will only be a few minutes. Did you need anything?”

  “No, thank you, Dee. Wait. Yes. Another hug?”

  She giggled, and we were still hugging when Olivia arrived. I kissed Dee’s cheek and sent her on her way. Olivia and I hugged, and then she gestured to seats.

  “Well, Ambassador. Did you decide to accept my invitation?”

  “Duchess, I came to beg a favor.” She raised an eyebrow. “I want to return five women to Barrish in as timely a fashion as I can.”

  “Of course.”

  “They’re going to need an escort.”

  “You are asking for an escort?”

  “No. I want to send Ms. Tourmaline.”

  “Ah,” she said. “And?”

  “And I do not want you selling her for a year when she returns. Lady Olivia, could we make a slight modification to the laws, specifically to handle this event?”

  She frowned.

  “If that is impossible,” I said, “then I have two other choices. One is to bring them myself, but that means I may not be back when the next women are ready. The other is to ask for the esco
rt you offered, but frankly, I’d rather not.”

  “All right,” she said slowly. “Why do you reject an escort?”

  “I don’t reject it, but I believe it would be better if the women were escorted by other Flarvorians.”

  “And so, you propose?”

  “I propose you allow Ms. Tourmaline to escort the five women to Barrish. When she returns, then she will undergo her first time.”

  “Except that is about when you will have another set of women to return to Barrish,” Olivia pointed out. “What is your plan for them?”

  “I see two choices. I could request the king to have an escort waiting in Tebradine, and I only need to get them to the border. Or there are three other couriers who will be undergoing their first time, and I would ask dispensation for one of them to make a trip.”

  “I see,” she said. “And why should I grant this dispensation?”

  “Out of the kindness of your heart?” I made it a question.

  “You can make a better offer than that, Allium.”

  “I’m not the one who made this problem, Lady Olivia,” I said. “Ressaline chose to play politics with their lives.”

  “So we’re back to that?”

  “I am only trying to return them home without making an international incident of it.”

  Her gaze softened. “Of course,” she said.

  “If you have other suggestions, please make them.”

  “You’re asking a significant favor, Ambassador,” she said. “I do not have time to ask permission from Queen Lisdee, and she has stated ‘no exceptions’. But you’re telling me you want me to make not only one exception, but perhaps two.”

  “I can have an escort waiting in Tebradine,” I said. “And I can bring them there myself.”

  “Or you can give me what I want in exchange for taking the risk of annoying my queen.”

  “Well, it sounds like I’m asking you to take that risk anyway,” I said. “If this is impossible, I’ll lead them myself.”

  “No,” she said. “Now that I’ve got you here, I’d rather you not leave. No one knows what can happen.”

  “Tell me what you need from me, Lady Olivia.”

  She looked into my eyes for a good quarter minute, then she made a rude noise.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t realize this was such a problem.”

  “I’m annoyed with myself,” she said. “I was about to force you to make a trade with me, but that would be corrupt.”

  “Isn’t that the nature of diplomacy?”

  “Not when the trade was for you to accept a challenge.”

  I laughed. She offered a wry smile. “All right. I will give Ms. Tourmaline the opportunity to bring these women to Barrish. She will then return in a prompt fashion, and if she does so and offers herself to me upon arrival, I will accept her first for two months, as if it were her first visit.”

  “I’ll need that in writing so an enterprising soul doesn’t interfere. Do you intend to take her yourself?”

  “No. If you don’t arrange something for her, then I will.”

  “Frankly, I’d rather you do it.”

  “So would I,” she said. “I do not want to do this twice, Allium. Queen Lisdee will overlook it once, if Ms. Tourmaline does not dally in her return.”

  “Then I will make arrangements for the next group. Olivia, I offer challenge as soon as I have sent this group off.”

  She laughed. “So I get what I want? I’d love to have you for two weeks, but I think it is best if we do an overnight.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  * * * *

  Valsine and I looked at each other. Finally, she said, “I can’t stop thinking about her.”

  “I know. It gets better, although it was hard until I took a challenge with someone else. My first was last autumn, and then I went back to Barrish. It was late spring before I had my first actual challenge. I’ve been doing a series of short ones, or mostly short.” I shared more with her, leaving her laughing when I told her about my first win, and then not being able to enjoy it.

  “It gets better.”

  “It gets better,” I confirmed.

  “I’ve never done anything like that with a woman before,” she said. “Allium, it was amazing.”

  “I know.”

  “And it was just as amazing later. After she freed me.”

  “I know,” I repeated.

  “I was a spoiled brat.”

  “I don’t know anything about that,” I said.

  “Well, I was.”

  “You appear to have grown up.”

  “I hope so,” she said.

  “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “It gets better.”

  I smiled. “Yes. I will point out that I do frequent challenges now.”

  “We can do that?”

  “Yes,” I said. “And I love it, even though I nearly always lose.” I was telling her things she already knew, but I thought she needed to hear it again.

  “I need to go home,” she said. “And probably make some apologies.”

  “Probably,” I said.

  “Could I come back?”

  “Yes, but if you want to live here in the embassy, then you work for me.”

  “I can imagine worse.”

  “I’m still settling in, and I don’t know what my needs are. I have a good household staff, or will, if I don’t lose half of them to the Ressalines.” I grinned. “I can always dress you in black resin and find something to do with you.”

  She laughed. “I can’t imagine that feels as good as how I just spent the last three months.”

  “Cha seems happy,” I said. “There’s something else I want to talk to you about, but we can discuss this longer.”

  “No. I’m going to be okay. I think getting to Barrish would help.”

  “I made promises to Lady Olivia,” I said. “And the king pointed out that half my job is to serve as an advocate for the Ressalines.”

  “Sure,” she said.

  “They need us more than we need them,” I added. “But the king would prefer a strong ally to our north.”

  “How can I help?”

  “Just by being honest.”

  “I haven’t lied to you.”

  “I didn’t think you had,” I said. “I want you to be honest with the royal family.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “And to anyone else in particular?”

  “Perhaps a princess or two.”

  She laughed again. “Lady Olivia wants them to visit?”

  I told her what was going on, and what Olivia had said about the short term political damage versus the long term strengthening of friendships. “I want you to think about it,” I said. “If you don’t think you can advocate this plan, then tell Ms. Tourmaline when you get to Barrish.”

  “I don’t really pay much attention to the politics,” she said. “Fashion, yes. Politics, not so much. But I can speak honestly about my rather surprising experience.”

  “It would help if you can finish getting yourself back together by the time they see you.”

  “Without reverting to old behavior patterns.”

  “As I said: I don’t know anything about those.”

  “The princess doesn’t really like me,” she said. “And I don’t think I blame her. Maybe we’ll see if I’m a whole new me.”

  “My advice on that: be as open with them as you’ve been with me. Admit you’ve been difficult in the past.”

  “Difficult?”

  “Well, you can be as self-deprecating as you want, but I’m not going to use the phrases you’ve used. Admit you’ve been difficult, but that you believe your experiences helped you take a good look at yourself. You have a week or so to consider what sort of person you want to be. Then decide to be that person, and actually invite them to tell you if you fall into old patterns.”

  “Wow,” she said. “So hang it all out there.”

  “Take a chance. It’s only advice, Valsine.
If you truly want to reinvent yourself, this is an excellent time to do it, and being open with the other people in your life could help with that.”

  “I’ll think about that,” she said. “I’ll be honest, but there’s being honest, and there’s being an advocate. I’ll think about that, too.”

  “That’s all I can ask,” I replied. “Thank you, Valsine.”

  * * * *

  In the morning, Olivia helped me to see them off. I hugged each of the women. Bridgie promised to return as quickly as the king allowed and thanked Olivia for letting her see to this duty. Olivia, of course, was gracious, and ten minutes later, we watched them ride away in one of the embassy carriages.

  The duchess slipped her arm around my waist. “Thank you,” I told her.

  “You’re welcome,” she replied. “And you’re right. I was playing politics with them.”

  “I want to get the rest of them home, and then I believe we can look fully to the future.”

  “I like that plan. Speaking of the future, do you have any social engagements in the next week?”

  I laughed. “No.”

  “So I can tell Bee you’ll be coming to dinner tonight.”

  “Yes. Tell Dee I don’t want a lesson for this one. I want to go down, and go down hard.”

  She laughed. “That sounds like a lovely plan.”

  I turned to her. “Olivia, I’d like to know what you’re doing with me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I think you have plans for me,” I said. “Beyond ambassador.”

  “Actually,” she said. “That is my entire plan. Everything else are details.”

  “So you’re not lulling me into anything?”

  “Are you accusing me of subterfuge?”

  “Didn’t you just admit you played politics with the lives of the women who just left? I’m not accusing you of anything, but please don’t pretend you never engage in subterfuge.”

  “You’re right,” she said. “But I don’t lie to my friends. So either I’m really a horrible person, or you can trust me.”

  “I trust you, or I wouldn’t have bothered asking.”

  “I want you in your position,” she said. “I may engage in more subterfuge to solidify your position, although I don’t believe it will be necessary.”

  “Please don’t manufacture new incidents just so I can look good at helping to solve them.”