Sethra Lavode (Viscount of Adrilankha) (43 page)

“And this council?” said Nyssa.

“I suspect,” said Moranthë, “that no inducement could convince him to manifest here for a hundred millennia.”

Barlen chuckled. “As for that, I suspect you are right.”

The others of the gods nodded their agreement.

“You may go,” said Barlen.

Tri’nagore vanished without a word.

“So then,” said Ordwynac to Verra. “It worked as you wished it to.”

“Nearly,” said Verra.

“The pact with the Dragonlord certainly proved fruitful,” said Kelchor.

“It is kind of you to say so. But what is most important is that, once more, we have kept the world safe, and now the Orb is back, and the Empire is well on its way to returning.”

“I do not disagree,” said Ordwynac. “I freely confess that you were right. In a hundred years, the Empire will be as it has always been.”

“Twenty years,” suggested Kelchor.

“I wish to observe,” said Verra, “that certain parties will be appearing before us for judgment soon—parties who have played no small rôle in these events.”

“Well, what of it?”

“There are certain of them that I should like to reward appropriately.”

“You know very well,” said Barlen, “that we neither reward nor punish, but, rather, make judgments for the common good.”

“I know very well,” said Verra, “that you have always insisted that this was the case, in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.” Barlen appeared about to argue, but Verra said, “Come, can I not claim this as a boon?”

Barlen sighed. “Very well. For my part, I have no objection. You may judge them as you will. You may consider it a reward for your victory.”

“I would prefer to think that it has been a victory for all of us,” said Verra.

“That is a good opinion to hold,” said Ordwynac.

How the Empress Showed Her Gratitude and Khaavren Obtained a Leave of Absence

T
he celebration for the victory of the Battle of Adrilankha lasted an entire week. During this week, the only merchants who were open were those selling comestibles and potables, and they did such a brisk business that their capacity was strained to fill the orders. Few of these orders, be it understood, were for the official celebration; but there is nothing like an official celebration to spawn and encourage scores of unofficial ones.

The streets were chaos, littered with broken bottles, cracked paving stones, pieces of door, bits of paper, occasional residue of fires both sorcerous and mundane, exhausted city guards, and other signs of celebration. There was one organized procession, on the second day after the victory (that is to say, the day after the executions), in which Her Majesty rode through the streets escorted by the army, to the cheers of a people who were by this time delighted to be celebrating as much as for the actual cause. It wove its way around the city, even crossing over the Iron Bridge into South Adrilankha and making its way up the River Road before returning on the Two Pennies Bridge, by which time, darkness having fallen, it became a procession by torchlight, which is always a moving experience.

In addition to this procession, there were dozens of spontaneous parades, smaller, often begun by squadrons of the army and requiring Khaavren to act as a police-man to bring them under control and put them into one of the stockades that had been hastily thrown up to house the prisoners taken in the battle.

On the third day of the celebration Sethra Lavode gave the orders to move the army out of the capital, which helped a little.

Morrolan was often seen at Whitecrest Manor during this week, visiting with Her Majesty or with Khaavren.

On the fifth and last day of the celebration, Zerika summoned all of those most concerned in the victory to the manor. The covered terrace being too small for such a gathering, the Countess of Whitecrest volunteered the ball-room, which was tastefully decorated for the occasion by a single Imperial sigal, a banner with the Phoenix, another banner with Zerika’s arms (gold crossed with red, an Orb, a scepter), and the finest chairs that could be procured. There were gathered the Council of Princes, and other representatives of the Great Houses, as well as those Peers who were able to be there. Sethra Lavode and several of her officers occupied one side. Pel remained quietly in the background. Khaavren occupied a position by Her Majesty’s left hand, his eye running over those assembled carefully, though more from habit than from any need.

Daro, Piro, Ibronka, and Röaana were as near Khaavren as could be contrived. Ibronka and Piro, out of respect for Khaavren’s sensibilities, avoided any physical contact with each other. Ritt stood next to Röaana, looking as if he would have preferred to not attend.

Brudik, Lord of the Chimes, announced the arrival of Her Majesty. Everyone would have stood for her entrance, save that there was no room for chairs, and so everyone was already standing.

When the room had quieted and Her Majesty had seated herself, Zerika distributed distinctions as follows:

The Sorceress in Green was appointed to be Court Wizard and special counselor to Her Majesty.

Sethra the Younger was made Warlord, the Enchantress having informed Her Majesty that, the crisis now being over, she wished to retire to Dzur Mountain. Sethra the Younger could not keep the delight from her countenance, and bowed repeatedly, murmuring thanks in which her words could not be distinguished.

Sethra Lavode, for her part, was given nothing, but the ban upon her presence at court was lifted, and an official apology was tendered both from the Empire, and from the House of the Phoenix. While it was impossible to be certain how pleased the Enchantress was at this honor (for to have a dishonor removed can be construed as an honor), she made a deep courtesy in response, and those who knew her best—that being the Sorceress in Green and Sethra the Younger—believed that, for one of the few times in her life, she was truly moved.

For Morrolan, the county of Southmoor was raised to a duchy, to include all of his other counties and baronies as part of it.

This generosity on the part of Her Majesty astonished and delighted him far more than, in fact, he would have expected, although his principal reaction was to observe to himself that Lady Teldra would be delighted to be seneschal to a Duke. He bowed very low to Her Majesty and expressed the desire that he would have the opportunity to die in her defense as soon as possible.

The Viscount of Adrilankha, Ibronka, Röaana, and Ritt were granted an Imperial pardon, although Her Majesty neglected to specify the crimes for which they were being pardoned. Nevertheless, this did afford Piro, Ibronka, and the others a certain peace of mind.

Next, Her Majesty summoned his Discretion the Duke of Galstan, who came forward, dressed in the modest costume of his office, and bowed deeply.

“My dear Galstan, I wish to acknowledge here, before the court and all present, that, some days ago, I did you a monstrous injustice.”

Pel bowed, saying, “Your Majesty need make no such declaration; it is sufficient to me that I have been of service to the Empire.”

“You have been of great service, Duke, and, moreover, your loyalty has been proven by the blood you spilled upon the floor of this very room.” We must observe in passing that Her Majesty had written this speech thinking that the ceremony was to be held in the covered terrace, and had neglected to change it. At the time, no one noticed the error, but we feel obligated to mention it to avoid introducing unnecessary confusion.

“Your Majesty is too kind,” said Pel.

“And yet,” said the Empress, “the fact remains that, for a while, trust was broken between Empress and Imperial Discreet. However much I might regret it, such a breach can never be entirely healed. For this reason, I have no choice but to remove you from your post.”

Pel bowed, keeping his disappointment entirely from his features. This he was able to do for two reasons: The first was that he had, all of his life, trained himself to prevent his emotions from being visible upon his countenance. The second was that, although he did not know what Her Majesty might have in mind, he knew that, after all that had happened, she would not thus publicly disrate him without having some compensating reward in mind, and so he waited patiently.

He did not have to wait long; she continued at once saying, “You have proven your courage, my friend, and your wisdom, and you have shown by all of your actions that the interest of the Empire itself is dear to your heart. I can imagine no better use for your skills than to be my Prime Minister, and so help me with your counsel and your skills to aid in the rebuilding of the state that has been so battered and torn. Will you accept? If not, I shall have to find something else for you, because I tell you frankly that I will not permit talent such as yours to be wasted, nor loyalty such as yours to be unrewarded.”

However much he might have expected, and however much he might have hoped, the ambitious Yendi had never dreamed that he might rise so high—or, at least, so high so soon. Khaavren observed, with a certain pleasure, that not only was Pel trembling, but he was, for once, unable to keep his ecstatic gratification from showing in his eyes.

At length, Pel spoke in a creditably strong voice, saying, “Your Majesty, I only hope that I can prove myself worthy of the honor you have given me, and I give you my word, I shall, every day, try my utmost to insure that Your Majesty never for an instant regrets having shown me this trust.”

“That is all I can ask,” said Her Majesty.

As Pel at last backed away with trembling knees, the Empress said, “And last, let me see my Captain of the Guards, Khaavren of Castle Rock, Count of Whitecrest.”

Khaavren came forward and bowed humbly to Her Majesty, who in the first place deeded him the small but fertile valley for which he was named, and so the title of Marquis, with which Aerich had addressed him so long ago, was now his in a most official sense; his pleasure in this title was real, yet it was not unmixed with sorrow, as he could not help but regret that he would not be able to jest upon this subject with Aerich.

Zerika, however, had not finished the granting of titles to our brave Tiassa. “Lord Khaavren, or, should I say, Marquis, is it not the fact that, alas, your father passed away during the Interregnum?”

“It is true, Your Majesty, I had that misfortune.”

“And your mother did not even live so long?”

“Your Majesty, my poor mother was taken to Deathgate before I first entered the Imperial service.”

“And is it not also the case that, a thousand years before he died,
your father was forced to sell the county of Shallowbanks back to the Empire?”

“Alas, Your Majesty, my family has never been wealthy.”

“Well, I shall not make you wealthy, my friend, but at least you shall have, once more, the name to which you are, by tradition, entitled; and the county of Shallowbanks, as well as the marquisate of Khaavren, are now restored to you.”

“Your Majesty!” cried Khaavren, dropping to his knee and bowing his head.

“You are pleased, my dear Captain?”

“Oh, Your Majesty!” said Khaavren, and when he looked up at her, tears could be seen glistening in the old soldier’s eyes, and it is only just to add that, on this occasion, not all of these tears were of sorrow.

“Well, well,” said Zerika, for her part delighted to no end, for it is well known that there is little in life that brings us greater pleasure than to give joy to someone about whom we care deeply.

This concluded both the awarding of distinctions, and the celebration of the victory, but, as the reader no doubt must assume, it only began the repercussions of the battle.

In the next two months, all of the Houses sent representatives to Adrilankha to swear fealty to Zerika, concluding with the House of the Lyorn, whose representative, the Count of Flowerpot Hill and Environs, without withdrawing any of his earlier remarks, confessed that, with all of the other Houses having officially confirmed Her Majesty’s position, it would be inappropriate for his House to take a position so clearly contrary to fact. The Count then, still without any allusions to the charge he had made before, told Her Majesty that, if she wished, he would withdraw as Heir so that someone could be found who “would be better suited to this important honor.”

Zerika smiled benevolently, declined, and said that she could imagine no one else who would better represent the interests of the House of the Lyorn, and that she looked forward to the opportunity to work closely both with him and with his House in the upcoming Meeting of the Principalities. It is only just to add that this action was suggested to her by the ingenious Yendi, who had also counseled the Lyorn to tender his resignation, and that this method of proceeding acquired for the Empire a strong and very important ally for the upcoming meeting, as
well as securing for the Count his position as Heir, which had been somewhat tentative of late.

The following day, Khaavren begged for an audience with Her Majesty, who was, once again, busying herself with the plans, drawings, and models for the new Imperial Palace, as well as for the Great Houses to be erected around it (a task that involved much consultation with Daro, we should add, as no small area of the city of Adrilankha and the county of Whitecrest needed to be demolished as part of this construction). In addition, there was the meeting to which we have referred above, which occupied no few hours in Her Majesty’s day. Nevertheless, she was more than willing to take two minutes to attend to the brave Tiassa when he presented himself before her.

“Come in, Captain,” said Zerika. “Is there some way in which I might be of service to you?”

“There is, Your Majesty, and a great service it would be.”

“Name it, then, my friend; you know that I have no small affection for you.”

“I am not insensitive to this, and I think Your Majesty knows how grateful I am for the honor you do me.”

“Well, what is it, then?”

“Your Majesty, you know that I lost some friends in the late battle.”

“Alas, Captain, I know it well.”