had only to stumble to make Saylana’s attendance a pleasure instead of a duty.
Once she was back in her chamber Mahart spoke more sharply than she ever had to Julta.
“Rid me of this!” She was already tugging at the tiara which she was sure was what was making her head ache so. Then she had to stand patiently as they unwrapped her from jewels and dress. Here in her room where there were not so many other odors to conceal it—for it seemed to her the entire court had been doused in warring perfumes—she could smell again that refreshing rose scent.
All right: she had performed as her father and Vazul had wished—dared she ask a favor in return? Zuta had said the Herbmistress could be summoned to the castle. But, by the Star, she herself was deadly tired of these walls and the bindings her birth had put upon her!
By the Star. On her bench while they rebraided her hair into its usual fashion a thought struck her.
“Zuta,” she said eagerly, “have you ever been to the Abbey of the Star Sisters? I know that they welcome ones who seek answers—”
“Never, Your Grace. But—” she favored Mahart with a keen gaze “—several Duchesses and High Ladies in the past have sought them out.”
“So it is a permitted thing!” Mahart exclaimed. Whyhad this idea never come to her before? “I think that I shall petition my father to allow me to do this. It would be well, since he seems to wish to shift some of his formal burdens onto me, that I make the acquaintance of one who is supposed to know all which passes—the Abbess of the Star.”
Vazul, his attendant creature wreathed around his neck like a second chain of office, bowed himself into the Duke’s presence. Somehow at this hour, since tasting the splendor of the full court display, the Chancellor secretly found his master even more meager and without presence.
“Well?” the Duke snapped even as his Chancellor straightened again. “How did it go? Did she make a fool of herself and are half the court now laughing behind their hands?”
Vazul allowed himself a small smile, one suggesting satisfaction.
“Her Grace, Highness, was all you could wish her to be. It passed as if she had done this duty many times before.”
The Duke stared at him under his eyebrows. “So—did those various eyes and ears you keep about pick up any comments later?”
“Only the most favorable ones, Highness. And in her court dress the High Lady looked truly at ease on the throne.”
The Duke shuffled some of those papers which always seemed to gather about him. “And that she-wolf—did she show?”
“The High Lady Saylana made her proper appearance, Highness. She acknowledged your daughter in the most correct fashion. However, among the scions of high birth presented Barbric was the first.”
“She would parade him like a new war horse, would she? I take it he has little resemblance to his sire?”
“None that could be ascertained during such presentation,Highness.” Vazul stroked his pet. “He certainly does not present the appearance of a leader of valiant men.”
The Duke snorted. “If he can stick on a horse and wave a sword, she will have it he is his heroic father’s true son. Now—” he scrabbled among the papers until he found one which he held close to his weak eyes “—I see the Bat was helpful as usual. But what happened to him that delayed this report? Oh, sit down, man, you must have a story to offer for that.” He waved the Chancellor into another chair.
Vazul’s slight smile was gone. “I think, Highness,” he said slowly, “we have a Bat wearing other colors somewhere among us.”
The paper crunched between the Duke’s hands. “He was taken, then?” he demanded, his voice rising.
“There was an attempt which near succeeded. He has those who will give him cover when necessary. One such is a woman you know well—Halwice the Herbmistress. She herself has a network of informers who have served us very well in the past, for her
Once she was back in her chamber Mahart spoke more sharply than she ever had to Julta.
“Rid me of this!” She was already tugging at the tiara which she was sure was what was making her head ache so. Then she had to stand patiently as they unwrapped her from jewels and dress. Here in her room where there were not so many other odors to conceal it—for it seemed to her the entire court had been doused in warring perfumes—she could smell again that refreshing rose scent.
All right: she had performed as her father and Vazul had wished—dared she ask a favor in return? Zuta had said the Herbmistress could be summoned to the castle. But, by the Star, she herself was deadly tired of these walls and the bindings her birth had put upon her!
By the Star. On her bench while they rebraided her hair into its usual fashion a thought struck her.
“Zuta,” she said eagerly, “have you ever been to the Abbey of the Star Sisters? I know that they welcome ones who seek answers—”
“Never, Your Grace. But—” she favored Mahart with a keen gaze “—several Duchesses and High Ladies in the past have sought them out.”
“So it is a permitted thing!” Mahart exclaimed. Whyhad this idea never come to her before? “I think that I shall petition my father to allow me to do this. It would be well, since he seems to wish to shift some of his formal burdens onto me, that I make the acquaintance of one who is supposed to know all which passes—the Abbess of the Star.”
Vazul, his attendant creature wreathed around his neck like a second chain of office, bowed himself into the Duke’s presence. Somehow at this hour, since tasting the splendor of the full court display, the Chancellor secretly found his master even more meager and without presence.
“Well?” the Duke snapped even as his Chancellor straightened again. “How did it go? Did she make a fool of herself and are half the court now laughing behind their hands?”
Vazul allowed himself a small smile, one suggesting satisfaction.
“Her Grace, Highness, was all you could wish her to be. It passed as if she had done this duty many times before.”
The Duke stared at him under his eyebrows. “So—did those various eyes and ears you keep about pick up any comments later?”
“Only the most favorable ones, Highness. And in her court dress the High Lady looked truly at ease on the throne.”
The Duke shuffled some of those papers which always seemed to gather about him. “And that she-wolf—did she show?”
“The High Lady Saylana made her proper appearance, Highness. She acknowledged your daughter in the most correct fashion. However, among the scions of high birth presented Barbric was the first.”
“She would parade him like a new war horse, would she? I take it he has little resemblance to his sire?”
“None that could be ascertained during such presentation,Highness.” Vazul stroked his pet. “He certainly does not present the appearance of a leader of valiant men.”
The Duke snorted. “If he can stick on a horse and wave a sword, she will have it he is his heroic father’s true son. Now—” he scrabbled among the papers until he found one which he held close to his weak eyes “—I see the Bat was helpful as usual. But what happened to him that delayed this report? Oh, sit down, man, you must have a story to offer for that.” He waved the Chancellor into another chair.
Vazul’s slight smile was gone. “I think, Highness,” he said slowly, “we have a Bat wearing other colors somewhere among us.”
The paper crunched between the Duke’s hands. “He was taken, then?” he demanded, his voice rising.
“There was an attempt which near succeeded. He has those who will give him cover when necessary. One such is a woman you know well—Halwice the Herbmistress. She herself has a network of informers who have served us very well in the past, for her
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