Read Online Sethra Lavode (Viscount of Adrilankha) by Steven Brust - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Steven Brust
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county, or else I should have recognized it at once.”
“I see. And so, can you do it?”
“I believe I can bring Your Lordship tolerably close.”
“How close is tolerably. You perceive, I wish to arrive at a particular hour, and so I must regulate the time of the teleport according to the distance to be traveled to the destination.”
“My lord, I can bring you to the village of Nacine, which is, in fact,within the county of Southmoor, and, from what you indicated, only two hours’ ride by carriage to your destination.”
“So much the better.”
“Now, as to the fee—” said the Jhegaala, with a slightly embarrassed bow.
“Oh, yes. I had not considered this. What is required?”
“For two of you, it will be six orbs.”
“Very well. Do you wish it now?”
“Oh, no, my lord. When you arrive, there will be time.”
“I should prefer to pay you now, so that the Countess need not be witness to such matters.”
“Very well, my lord.”
Khaavren counted out the coins (observing by accident that two of them had been stamped with Zerika’s face, proving that the mints, at least, had accepted her as Empress), which the Jhegaala accepted with a bow.
“Then,” said Khaavren, “I will return, with my wife, at the seventh hour after noon.”
“I shall do myself the honor of expecting you, my lord.”
In this way, Khaavren arranged to be at Castle Black on the following day.
Chapter the Seventy-Third
How History Was Changed
By the Flight of a Pen
Across a Room
I t was very nearly the sixth hour after noon when Her Majesty, with no ceremony whatsoever, took the pen she held in her hand and flung it across the room so that it struck the opposite wall, leaving a black stain to mark its point of impact. She accompanied this action with a soft curse barely vocalized, and an exhalation of breath in the form of a sigh.
Insofar as they understood, matters were coming together splendidly for Kâna and his cousin Habil until Her Majesty’s pen struck the wall of the chamber in Whitecrest Manor that was reserved for Imperial use.
The reader might wonder how there can be a relationship between the schemes and plans of Kâna and the action of Her Majesty. We consider this question not only reasonable, but even insightful, and we extend our compliments to the reader for having thought to ask it. More than our compliments, however, we propose to give to the reader an answer, and without delay.
In order to do so, however, there are a few details with which the reader must become acquainted.
Khaavren rarely saw Her Majesty during this period—that is, during the hours and days that had expired since his resignation. Although they shared a roof, as it were, the Empress kept very much to the covered terrace, or to her apartments, which could be reached without passing through any part of the Manor in which Khaavren could be found. In point of fact, we should say that he rarely saw anyone, spending much of his time on the uncovered terrace with Daro when the weather was kind. The only exception was Pel, who, though he remained near Her Majesty, did, from time time, pay visits to Khaavren—visits which the Tiassa enjoyed immensely.
As we have brought up the enigmatic Pel, we should say that, whatever his plans and schemes might have been, no signs of them were apparent during this period: he went about his business as Her Majesty’s Discreet, and if he continued, as was his wont, to collect information, he kept it to himself and did nothing with it that can be identified even at this stage.
Lord Brimford—that is to say, the Warlock—was rarely seen around Whitecrest Manor, which is a tribute to his abilities if nothing else is, although, to be sure, from time to time the muddy prints of a dog had to be cleaned up in the hallway outside of Zerika’s apartment.
The reader must also understand that the Empress had, for the last year, been engaged, without a break, in a sort of work that was particularly
“I see. And so, can you do it?”
“I believe I can bring Your Lordship tolerably close.”
“How close is tolerably. You perceive, I wish to arrive at a particular hour, and so I must regulate the time of the teleport according to the distance to be traveled to the destination.”
“My lord, I can bring you to the village of Nacine, which is, in fact,within the county of Southmoor, and, from what you indicated, only two hours’ ride by carriage to your destination.”
“So much the better.”
“Now, as to the fee—” said the Jhegaala, with a slightly embarrassed bow.
“Oh, yes. I had not considered this. What is required?”
“For two of you, it will be six orbs.”
“Very well. Do you wish it now?”
“Oh, no, my lord. When you arrive, there will be time.”
“I should prefer to pay you now, so that the Countess need not be witness to such matters.”
“Very well, my lord.”
Khaavren counted out the coins (observing by accident that two of them had been stamped with Zerika’s face, proving that the mints, at least, had accepted her as Empress), which the Jhegaala accepted with a bow.
“Then,” said Khaavren, “I will return, with my wife, at the seventh hour after noon.”
“I shall do myself the honor of expecting you, my lord.”
In this way, Khaavren arranged to be at Castle Black on the following day.
Chapter the Seventy-Third
How History Was Changed
By the Flight of a Pen
Across a Room
I t was very nearly the sixth hour after noon when Her Majesty, with no ceremony whatsoever, took the pen she held in her hand and flung it across the room so that it struck the opposite wall, leaving a black stain to mark its point of impact. She accompanied this action with a soft curse barely vocalized, and an exhalation of breath in the form of a sigh.
Insofar as they understood, matters were coming together splendidly for Kâna and his cousin Habil until Her Majesty’s pen struck the wall of the chamber in Whitecrest Manor that was reserved for Imperial use.
The reader might wonder how there can be a relationship between the schemes and plans of Kâna and the action of Her Majesty. We consider this question not only reasonable, but even insightful, and we extend our compliments to the reader for having thought to ask it. More than our compliments, however, we propose to give to the reader an answer, and without delay.
In order to do so, however, there are a few details with which the reader must become acquainted.
Khaavren rarely saw Her Majesty during this period—that is, during the hours and days that had expired since his resignation. Although they shared a roof, as it were, the Empress kept very much to the covered terrace, or to her apartments, which could be reached without passing through any part of the Manor in which Khaavren could be found. In point of fact, we should say that he rarely saw anyone, spending much of his time on the uncovered terrace with Daro when the weather was kind. The only exception was Pel, who, though he remained near Her Majesty, did, from time time, pay visits to Khaavren—visits which the Tiassa enjoyed immensely.
As we have brought up the enigmatic Pel, we should say that, whatever his plans and schemes might have been, no signs of them were apparent during this period: he went about his business as Her Majesty’s Discreet, and if he continued, as was his wont, to collect information, he kept it to himself and did nothing with it that can be identified even at this stage.
Lord Brimford—that is to say, the Warlock—was rarely seen around Whitecrest Manor, which is a tribute to his abilities if nothing else is, although, to be sure, from time to time the muddy prints of a dog had to be cleaned up in the hallway outside of Zerika’s apartment.
The reader must also understand that the Empress had, for the last year, been engaged, without a break, in a sort of work that was particularly
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